Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

After a long conversation, the Sword Emperor told Qin Chuan everything he knew, including Lin Yi's various life-altering events and the fortuitous encounters that had shaped his journey.

"Alright! I'll take this then!" Qin Chuan nodded, tossing the jade pendant into the air and catching it with a casual swing of his arm.

He smiled mysteriously and said in a low voice, "This thing in your hands is indeed dangerous. If mishandled, it could bring disaster upon the entire Eastern Victory Divine Sect. But me… I'm not afraid of it!"

The Sword Emperor's face shifted slightly. Tentatively, he asked, "Could it be… that you know the true origins of this jade pendant?"

"Heh…" Qin Chuan chuckled cryptically without answering, leaving the Sword Emperor to his own wild speculations.

In that moment, Qin Chuan's image in the Sword Emperor's mind grew even more imposing—an ancient figure shrouded in mystery, possessing connections and knowledge beyond comprehension!

"In the future, I may subject Lin Yi to some tests. I hope the Eastern Victory Divine Sect won't interfere," Qin Chuan said calmly.

"I understand." The Sword Emperor smiled bitterly and nodded. He now fully grasped the danger in crossing Qin Chuan—there was no way he could afford to interfere.

Ancient figures were not to be trifled with!

"Shall we go back up?" Qin Chuan finished speaking and returned to the battlefield in the sky. The Sword Emperor followed closely behind.

"Father, how did it go?" Qin Zi came up to him, his eyes full of concern.

"It's settled. We're leaving," Qin Chuan smiled, patting Qin Zi on the shoulder as they flew off together.

"Senior Qin, about what happened with Little Feather this time… Should we clarify the matter to the world?" The Sword Emperor asked hesitantly.

"Senior?!"

The senior leaders of the Eastern Victory Divine Sect, including Feather Emperor, were all stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.

What was going on?

Even the Sword Emperor was calling Qin Chuan "Senior"? Just who was this Qin Chuan?

The Sword Emperor was not the type to joke around lightly. If he was addressing Qin Chuan as Senior, it must be true.

But… how was that even possible?

It was as if a thunderbolt had struck them, and they were left reeling with a sudden and overwhelming sense of fear and reverence that washed over their hearts.

"Clarify? Clarify what?" Qin Chuan shook his head with a smile. "It's best not to let anyone know that I was ever here at the Eastern Victory Divine Sect."

"However, you can announce to the world that Qin Zi has committed an unforgivable crime by killing a dozen dragon fish to steal their true dragon bloodline for his cultivation, and that the Feather Emperor has expelled him from his sect. From now on, their master-disciple relationship is completely severed."

"Senior, this…" The Sword Emperor began to sweat profusely.

He feared Qin Chuan's suggestion was a veiled threat, similar to an emperor saying to a general, "I don't want to be emperor anymore, why don't you give it a try?"

It was enough to scare the general half to death.

"I'm not joking."

Qin Chuan replied seriously, "In truth, I don't want people to know how powerful I am. I don't want Qin Zi to have an obvious protector because that would make him soft."

"The strong are forged through adversity. What I hope for him is to cut through all obstacles and sweep across the world until he reaches the pinnacle!"

Everyone listening shuddered.

What kind of boldness was this?

Most elders want nothing more than to ensure that no one dares bully their descendants. But this man seemed eager for his son to become the enemy of the world!

It was a level of courage and vision that only came from someone truly fearless.

"Zi'er, do you understand why I'm doing this?" Qin Chuan asked as he looked down at his son.

"Mm!" Qin Zi nodded vigorously, his heart burning with passion as he clenched his fists tightly.

Of course, he understood.

His father was going to great lengths for his sake!

This method of training seemed harsh on the surface, but it was really a profound expression of expectation and trust. His father wanted him to overcome all challenges and believed he could do it. That… was the deepest bond between father and son.

"Alright, let's go."

Qin Chuan nodded in satisfaction, placing an arm around his son's shoulders as the two figures, one large and one small, flew off into the clouds.

Feather Emperor quietly approached the Sword Emperor and, following his master's gaze, looked at the two fading figures.

"Master, who is he?" Feather Emperor took a deep breath and asked solemnly.

"A great man. An absolutely untouchable great man…" The Sword Emperor's aged face held an expression of awe and reverence.

...

Qin Chuan and his son returned to Shenxia Mountain.

A few days later, news spread from the Eastern Victory Divine Sect: Qin Zi had killed a dozen dragon fish to steal their true dragon bloodline for his cultivation, angering the Feather Emperor. As a result, Qin Zi was expelled from the sect, and all ties between master and disciple were severed!

Not only that, it was also announced that the Emperor Artifact remained in Qin Zi's possession, and the Feather Emperor had not taken it back. This cleared the suspicions of any "open schemes" from the sect and fulfilled Qin Chuan's request.

And what was Qin Chuan's request?

To make Qin Zi the enemy of the world!

As soon as the powerful figures of the Eastern Domain heard this news, they were invigorated, each one sharpening their blades in preparation for a confrontation with the "Little Pig."

"Hahaha, Qin Zi has been expelled from Feather Emperor's sect! Truly, heaven is helping me!"

"Gah gah gah, I thought there'd be no chance, but here it is, my opportunity has returned."

"Amitabha, I must have misunderstood Feather Emperor. I am ashamed, truly ashamed… But now, this Emperor Artifact seems destined to belong to the Buddha!"

"Heh, I, Old Ancestor Green Robe, just came out of seclusion and immediately receive such good news. My fortune is sky-high!"

These powerful old monsters, hidden away in dark corners, silently grinned to themselves, waiting for their moment to strike.

Meanwhile…

Inside Shenxia Mountain, Qin Chuan slaughtered the dozen dragon fish and extracted the true dragon bloodline from them to strengthen Qin Zi's body.

Qin Zi was deeply moved.

So many dragon fish, each priceless, and his father had given all of them to him. It was the ultimate act of selfless fatherly love!

Of course, he had no idea…

He himself was his father's greatest asset.

After all, wasn't fattening a pig just to make it more valuable? Poor Qin Zi was happily devouring the "feed," completely unaware of the bigger picture.

That night, with the stars shining brightly in the sky…

While Qin Zi was soaking in the dragon fish blood pool, Qin Chuan went into the underground chamber and set up a barrier to block out any prying eyes and ears.

Buzz!

With a single thought, the mysterious jade pendant flew out and floated before him, aligning with his chest.

"System, can you help me appraise this item?" Qin Chuan asked in his mind.

"Ding! Appraisal requires 1 point of Patriarch Value," the system responded.

"So expensive?!" Qin Chuan was taken aback. Such a high cost made him feel a bit uneasy.

"Ding! This item has an extraordinary origin, making it difficult to appraise. Hence the higher fee," the system explained.

Hearing this, Qin Chuan grew even more excited. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Alright, spend the 1 point and appraise it!"

Buzz buzz buzz!

The jade pendant began to glow, its golden light pulsing rhythmically, like the beating of a heart—expanding and contracting.

"Caw—"

The golden phoenix inside let out an ethereal cry and spread its wings.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the phoenix's projection expanded, transforming into a two-meter-long golden bird. It circled the chamber once before returning to the pendant.

The light from the jade pendant dimmed.

The system's voice sounded:

"Ding! This item is not from this realm but originates from the fabled Upper Realm. Appraisal complete! For more detailed information, please spend 10 points of Patriarch Value!"

"As expected!!"

Qin Chuan leaped to his feet, his eyes gleaming with excitement. His blood was boiling.

The Upper Realm!

It really was from the Upper Realm!

With this, the identity of his son's mother was practically confirmed!

Previously, Qin Chuan had told Qin Zi that his mother was a saintess from an ancient clan in the Upper Realm. In truth, he had made that up to give his son some hope to strive for.

In reality, Qin Zi's mother had died during childbirth. He remembered it clearly.

But at the time, to build his own strong image and give his son some motivation, he had fabricated the story.

Yet a lie is still a lie, and lies can't withstand the test of time. So, he had always been searching for a way to cover it up.

And today, he had found it!!

"If trees can be grafted, then identities can be grafted as well. If I play my cards right, Lin Yi's mother… can be Qin Zi's mother!"

In that moment, Qin Chuan's eyes gleamed with wisdom.