Inside the dimly lit room, Yang Qingyuan sat upright on the ground, adopting the five-hearts-converging posture for cultivation.
"Following the Dao to govern the world, its ghosts are not divine. It is not that the ghosts are not divine, but that their divinity does not harm people..."
As the silver light on Yang Qingyuan's body grew increasingly brilliant, his aura also steadily grew stronger.
Boom!
Accompanied by the silver light bursting outward, the next instant, Yang Qingyuan slowly opened his eyes.
The moment he opened his eyes, a flash of silver brilliance quickly cut across them before fading into nothingness.
"Finally, the second tier..."
A smile appeared at the corner of Yang Qingyuan's mouth.
His Eight-Nine Arcane Art had been stuck for over half a year after reaching the Great Completion of the first tier, showing no signs of any subsequent breakthrough.
Yet after yesterday's incident of "ambushing" the Yang family's son-in-law, the previously unbreakable bottleneck had unexpectedly produced a slight loosening.
Yang Qingyuan estimated that this might be related to his pristine state of mind and unhindered thoughts.
Yang Yan had been kind to him, and watching his benefactor's family ruined and torn apart while he merely stood by with his hands folded out of fear for the powerful and influential—that was not Yang Qingyuan's character.
However, given Yang Qingyuan's current strength and status, Yang Yitan and Wangquan Hegemony could afford to make a move against the Obsidian Inspector, but he could not.
Because the former were respectively the young master of the Wangquan family and the young master of the Yang family, so even if they beat the Obsidian Inspector, Xiao Wancheng could do nothing to them.
Yang Qingyuan was different. He currently had neither backing nor strength; the moment he forcefully stuck his neck out, not to mention failing to protect Yang Yan's family, he was very likely to throw away his own little life in the bargain.
By then, if Xiao Wancheng bit back and accused you of being an accomplice to the demons, hauling you away together, do you suppose anyone would step forward to rescue you?
Therefore, Yang Qingyuan had to forge a different path.
Wasn't Xiao Wancheng demanding evidence? Fine, then I will give you a "lack of corpus delicti"!
As long as he took action to knock the Yang family's son-in-law unconscious, this simple "blockhead" wouldn't have the chance to admit to colluding with demons in full view of a broad crowd.
That way, Xiao Wancheng would have no evidence, and Yang Qingyuan could use the pretext of "revenge" against the Yang family to classify this matter as a domestic affair of the Yang family.
Thus, even though Xiao Wancheng was the Obsidian Inspector, he would have no right to meddle in another family's domestic affairs, and Yang Qingyuan's life would also be secured.
All in all, this was the most perfect solution to the current situation that Yang Qingyuan could devise.
Tap, tap, tap~
Just as Yang Qingyuan was still pondering how to get out next, heavy footsteps slowly sounded from outside the door.
Creak~
Accompanied by the wooden door being abruptly pushed open, Yang Qingyuan, who had not seen sunlight for days, couldn't help but narrow his eyes against the sudden glare.
After Yang Qingyuan had adapted slightly, he finally made out the person standing before him.
"Yang Qingyuan pays respects to the family head."
Yang Qingyuan got to his feet and bowed to Yang Yifang.
"No need."
Yang Yifang waved a hand, then cast a somewhat complicated look at Yang Qingyuan before him.
"When you suddenly ambushed him at the wedding banquet yesterday, you did it on purpose, didn't you?"
Right off the bat, Yang Yifang cut straight to the point and went straight to the core.
Yang Qingyuan fell silent, not speaking.
In his memory, this Yang Yifang was likewise an old-school stick-in-the-mud, a fellow who only recognized rigid principles.
To him, if the Yang family's son-in-law truly had ties to demons, he was genuinely capable of watching Xiao Wancheng drag his daughter's husband away with his own eyes.
"Whether it was on purpose or not, is it really that important to the family head?"
Yang Yifang took a deep look at Yang Qingyuan, his expression suddenly appearing somewhat dazed for a moment.
"This outfit of yours, did you save up and buy it yourself?"
"What, does the family head intend to only allow me to wear servants' clothes from now on?"
Yang Yifang fell silent for a long time, then abruptly turned around and instructed the guards at the door: "Let him out."
"Understood, Family Head!"
Yang Qingyuan started slightly, casting a somewhat astonished look at Yang Yifang by the door.
He had originally thought that this time he would at least suffer some punishment, or worse, be directly expelled from the Yang family.
Yet now he had only been locked up for a day, and they were just letting him go like this?
"What, haven't had enough of staying here?"
Yang Yifang turned his head, his gaze sweeping coldly over Yang Qingyuan.
"Enough."
Yang Qingyuan shook his head, then strode out of the confinement room.
The moment he stepped outside, Yang Qingyuan spotted Yang Yan and her husband guarding the doorway, along with Yang Yitan following behind them.
Upon seeing Yang Qingyuan, Yang Yan and her husband bowed deeply to him.
"Sister Yang Yan, what are you doing?"
Taken aback, Yang Qingyuan hurriedly stepped forward to help them up.
"Yesterday, had it not been for your intervention to defuse the situation, my husband would likely have met a violent end, and the child in my belly would probably have lost a father before even seeing the light of day."
"Indeed. After I woke up, Yan'er explained the stakes to me, and only then did I realize I had walked past the gates of hell yesterday," the Yang family's son-in-law said with lingering fear.
He was merely a small squad leader in the mining department under the One Qi Dao Alliance; how could he have ever experienced the plotting and scheming of these grand aristocratic families?
Originally, in his view, he only needed to explain things clearly and the matter would just pass.
It wasn't until Yang Yan told him that regardless of your original intent, the moment you admitted to privately releasing a demon, they would never let you leave alive, that a cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
"No matter what, I shall definitely repay this saving grace."
With that, the Yang family's son-in-law bowed deeply to Yang Qingyuan once more.
"There's no need. Sister Yang Yan has always been kind to me, and my action can be considered repaying her kindness."
"To me, that day was merely a matter of raising a hand, but..."
"Yesterday was likewise just a matter of raising a hand for me."
Yang Qingyuan gave a slight smile, then continued: "Sister Yang Yan, if you really feel bad about it in your heart, how about rewarding me with some silver so I can change my wardrobe?
I saved up money for a long time to buy this set of clothes, and out of everything I own, only this outfit is barely presentable. I'd like to buy a few more sets to rotate through—what do you think?"
Yang Yan was slightly taken aback, then exchanged glances with her husband standing beside her.
"Alright~ Don't you worry! From now on, as long as your elder sister is here, other things aside, absolutely no one in this Yang family will dare bully you!"
"In that case, many thanks, Sister Yang Yan."
Yang Qingyuan cupped his fists in a slight smile, then let his gaze sweep intentionally or unintentionally toward Yang Yitan standing to the side.
He suddenly noticed that this little fellow had been looking him up and down with an extremely bizarre expression ever since just now.
Was there a flower on his face? Or was this kid, despite his cute appearance, actually a deeply hidden gay man?