"The Demon race has broken through?!" Shock pierced my heart. The medicinal fragrance of the Demon-Breaking Pill still lingered at the tip of my nose. How had the Demon race managed to breach the Mountain-Guarding Array in the blink of an eye?
"Kong Chen, how are you?" Wu Mengli's anxious voice rang in my ear. She was supporting me, her face full of worry. I took a deep breath, fighting down the weakness in my body, and said in a deep voice, "Mengli, don't worry, I'm fine. The Demon-Breaking Pill has been successfully refined, we still have a chance!"
I handed the Demon-Breaking Pill in my hand to Wu Mengli. "Hurry, take it and go support our clansmen!"
Wu Mengli took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. The pill melted on her tongue, and a powerful wave of spiritual energy instantly surged through her entire body, causing her aura to skyrocket. "Such formidable power!"
A flash of surprise crossed Wu Mengli's eyes. Then, she turned and sprinted outside. "Kong Chen, take care of yourself!"
Watching Wu Mengli's departing figure, my heart filled with anxiety, but I knew this was no time for lingering affection. I struggled to my feet, staggered over to the alchemical cauldron, and began continuing to refine the Demon-Breaking Pill.
This time, the alchemical process felt unusually smooth, as if an invisible force were guiding me. The spiritual energy within me also became purer and entirely under my control.
Soon, a second batch, a third batch... batch after batch of Demon-Breaking Pills were refined by me, each radiating powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy. "Quick, distribute these pills!"
I handed the newly refined Demon-Breaking Pills to the arriving Wu Family members. Having consumed the pills, the Wu Family members experienced a massive surge in strength and soaring morale. They fought valiantly, actually managing to forcefully halt the advance of the Demon army. "Kong Chen, you've rendered a great service!"
Wu Tianxiong, the head of the Wu Family, patted my shoulder excitedly, his eyes filled with admiration. The gazes of the other Wu Family members were likewise brimming with respect. Initially, they had been full of suspicion and rejection toward me as an outsider, but now, I had won their approval with my own strength.
"This is only my duty." I smiled faintly, though my heart held no great joy. I knew this battle was far from over; the strength of the Demon race far exceeded our imagination, and we would need even greater power to defeat them.
At that moment, a familiar figure appeared before me. He kept his head down, a complex look in his eyes, hesitating as if he wanted to speak. "Lin Yu..."
Lin Yu stood before me with lowered head. His past arrogance and disdain had completely vanished, replaced by a trace of guilt and inner struggle.
I looked at him without speaking, quietly waiting for him to begin. "Kong Chen, I..." Lin Yu's voice was very low, as if he were using every ounce of his strength. "In the past... I did a lot of excessive things to you, said a lot of harsh words, I..."
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with remorse. "I was wrong! I shouldn't have envied you, and even less should I have targeted you at every turn. You are a respectable alchemist, and I apologize for my past behavior!"
Looking at this honest, repentant young man, I felt no great resentment. Everyone makes mistakes; what matters is recognizing one's faults and having the courage to correct them. "Let the past be the past."
I patted his shoulder. "The most important thing now is to unite and jointly resist the Demon invasion."
Lin Yu nodded heavily, gratitude and firmness shining in his eyes. "You're right! From now on, I am willing to follow you and serve under you!"
I smiled faintly, accepting his apology and loyalty.
In the days that followed, I devoted myself entirely to alchemy and the study of arrays. I constantly experimented with new formulas and refining methods, hoping to forge even more powerful pills to help the Wu Family resist the Demons.
Drawing upon memories and experiences from my past life, along with my understanding of this world's herbs and alchemy, I successfully refined a new type of pill called the "Vajra Body-Protecting Pill." This pill could substantially boost a cultivator's defensive and regenerative capabilities, playing a tremendous role on the battlefield.
Beyond that, based on the Wu Family's Mountain-Guarding Array and combining it with my own understanding of formations, I improved and reinforced the array, elevating its power to a new level and successfully holding back wave after wave of Demon attacks.
My hard work and dedication won unanimous approval and respect throughout the Wu Family. My name spread across the entire clan, turning me into the Wu Family's hero and hope. Meanwhile, the relationship between Wu Mengli and me warmed rapidly during this process. Fighting side by side and supporting one another through life-and-death trials made our bond even deeper.
"Kong Chen, you've worked hard."
Wu Mengli gently wiped the sweat from my forehead, her eyes full of love and adoration. I grasped her hand, looking into her clear eyes, my heart filled with happiness and resolve. "For you, and for the Wu Family, no amount of hardship or fatigue is too much."
We exchanged a smile, our feelings for one another needing no words. Yet we both knew the present peace was only temporary; greater challenges lay ahead, waiting for us to face them...
Mengli's tenderness was always like a clear spring, washing away all my exhaustion. Looking at her and holding her hand, an unprecedented sense of peace washed over me.
Indeed, for her and for the Wu Family, any hardship or weariness was worth it. "Mengli, let's walk the path ahead together," I said, looking earnestly into her eyes. A faint blush crept across Mengli's face as she nodded lightly, the tenderness in her eyes seemingly able to melt me.
On the day I was officially accepted as a member of the Wu Family, the entire estate was adorned with festive lanterns and streamers, and a grand banquet was held. I changed into the cyan robe Mengli had sewn for me with her own hands, wearing the jade pendant symbolizing Wu Family status at my waist, and amid the blessings of everyone present, I officially became a part of the family.
"Kong Chen, from now on, you are one of us in the Wu Family. The honor and disgrace of the Wu Family are your honor and disgrace!" The head of the Wu Family, a kind-eyed elder, patted my shoulder and said earnestly.
I nodded solemnly. "Please rest assured, Clan Head, I will do my utmost to protect the Wu Family!"
At the banquet, I saw many familiar faces: Lin Yu, the various Wu Family elders, and clansmen who had once looked at me with cold eyes. Genuine smiles graced their faces as they raised their cups to congratulate me.
I understood that I had earned their approval and respect through my own efforts and strength.
At that moment, my heart surged with soaring ambition, and I silently vowed to protect this hard-won happiness, to protect Mengli, and to protect the Wu Family!
Yet fate always loves to play tricks. Just as Mengli and I were enjoying this hard-won peace, a startling secret regarding another world was unveiled, heralding the beginning of a new adventure...
Life after integrating into the Wu Family was even more comfortable than I had imagined. Mengli was always finding ways to cook delicious meals for me; delicacies I had never even seen before had now become everyday fare. Naturally, as a foodie, I couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear.
"Mengli, your culinary skills are simply divine!" I praised her incoherently while devouring my food. Mengli sat opposite me, smiling gently. "If it's good, eat more. Look how thin you've gotten."
I grinned stupidly, polished off the rice in my bowl in a few bites, and rubbed my satisfied stomach. Aside from Mengli, everyone else in the Wu Family treated me with immense care.
The clan head frequently sought me out for heart-to-heart talks, imparting his cultivation insights; the elders stopped hoarding their knowledge, teaching me everything they knew and causing my attainments in alchemy and artifact-crafting to advance by leaps and bounds. Even Lin Yu, who used to mock me with sarcastic remarks, had completely cast aside his prejudices and often dragged me along to spar and discuss cultivation issues.
I understood that none of this came easily, and I treasured this hard-won warmth and sense of belonging all the more. I cultivated diligently and studied with dedication, hoping to soon become a pillar of strength for the Wu Family—someone truly capable of protecting Mengli and safeguarding this home. Yet peaceful days are always fleeting.
That day, as I was cultivating in the back mountains, I suddenly sensed a powerful fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from deep within the Wu Family's ancestral grounds. That spiritual energy was ancient and mysterious, carrying a hint of heart-pounding pressure.
Startled, I rushed back to the clan grounds. The atmosphere within was heavy; the clan head and several elders stood with solemn expressions before the Council Hall, their gazes fixed entirely on a stone platform in the center of the hall. The platform was unadorned and primitive, carved with profound and complex runes that emitted a faint glow.
"What is going on?" I walked over to Lin Yu and asked in a low voice. Lin Yu shook his head, lowering his voice as well. "I don't know either. I only just arrived."
At that moment, the clan head spoke in a deep voice, "Everyone, the secret our Wu Family has guarded for generations is finally about to be revealed."
Everyone held their breath, keeping their gazes locked on the stone platform. The light on the platform flared brightly, and the runes wriggled about as if coming to life, ultimately converging into a ring of light. In the center of the ring, an image slowly emerged.
The image depicted a desolate yet mysterious world, with towering mountains, gigantic trees piercing the sky, and exotic beasts roaming about. An aura of primordial antiquity washed over us.
"Is this... another world?"
Shock reverberated through my heart. The clan head nodded, his tone heavy. "Indeed, that is the secret our ancestors have guarded for generations—the gateway to another world."
My heart churned with towering waves. Another world? Did another world truly exist in this realm?
"This secret was originally meant to be guarded forever, but..." At this point, a trace of helplessness crept into the clan head's tone. "The seal to the other world has loosened."