Chapter 113 - 112: What if?

Chapter 113: Chapter 112: What if?

Chen Yuan shook his head at Chen Feng’s confidence. "We shouldn’t underestimate this kingdom, Chen Feng."

"The Zhao Family has a hidden ancestor, but there’s no guarantee he was the only one who had remained hidden. He was forced to come out only because Zhao Tianqiong had earnestly requested his help. If not for me, I doubt he would have even bothered casting a glance at the situation at that time."

Chen Yan slowly turned toward Chen Feng, his expression growing serious. "What do you mean?"

Chen Yuan rubbed his thumb against his fingertips, thinking for a moment before answering. "There may be other powerhouses who’ve remained hidden all these years. They may be allied with the Zhao Family, or even their enemies.

"Now, I’m even beginning to doubt whether the strongest experts among the four major families were simply at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm. There must be others who have remained hidden from our eyes."

As though remembering something, Chen Yuan realized that he hadn’t properly apologized to the three of them yet. He slowly lowered his upper body and spoke.

"It was my mistake that nearly cost me my life, and I do not wish for the same fate to befall any of you. Forgive me for the recklessness I showed before."

"Lesson learned, isn’t it?" Chen Yueran said from the side, holding a long strand of her hair as she tilted her head and smiled. "A fairly valuable lesson at that."

"Yes..."

"Indeed, it is a lesson learned." Chen Yuan nodded and turned his gaze back toward Chen Feng. "And for that reason, we must prepare for the worst in every situation from now on. Our caution might keep us safe in situations we never expected to encounter."

Chen Feng stroked his beard as he listened to the two. Then, he suddenly remembered something, and his eyes lit up at the topic they were discussing.

Something rather closely related.

"Speaking of hidden beings, there’s something I’ve been wondering about for a while."

Chen Yuan looked at him. "What is it?"

"When I traveled through the kingdom, I encountered several beings capable of withstanding my sword strikes. At the time, I didn’t think much of it, but looking back, what are the odds that they are real?"

Chen Yan frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Chen Feng shrugged, his eyes wandering between them as he tried to find the right way to explain what he meant.

"Take the Half-Step Golden Core demonic serpent I fought at Thousand Wind Mountain," Chen Feng continued. "According to the story you gave me, that encounter was supposed to have happened, and I know it did because I experienced it firsthand..."

"I forced it back deep into the Thousand Wind Mountains and heavily wounded it."

"And if my wife really exists, as evidenced by the fact that I now have descendants in the family, then shouldn’t that demonic serpent exist as well?"

"Then, what about the other beings I’ve fought?"

"If they truly are real, then even those horrifying places I’ve explored might be real. And possibly, the memories I currently have might be even more valuable than we originally assumed."

Chen Feng’s question left the cave in silence.

Chen Yan turned toward him, his brows furrowing as he considered the implications.

Chen Yueran’s playful expression had faded as well, while Chen Yuan remained motionless, his mind racing. Then, as though a crucial piece of the puzzle had suddenly fallen into place, Chen Yuan’s eyes widened.

It was as though a hammer had struck his skull, his head buzzing at the realization that dawned upon him.

He looked directly at Chen Feng.

"Then... have you ever heard of the Zhao Imperial Family’s hidden ancestor throughout your life?"

Chen Feng paused, seemingly surprised by the sudden question. He stroked his beard before answering.

"I heard some rumours about such a person when I was younger, but I never learned whether there was any truth to them. The Zhao Family existed when I was younger, but they weren’t nearly as prominent as they are now. As such, there were very few things I knew about them."

Chen Yuan’s fingers had stopped moving, and his expression had grown unusually grave. Chen Yan glanced at him, sensing that the question had touched upon something important.

Chen Yuan’s thoughts had already wandered elsewhere.

How can this be? Shouldn’t the changes be limited to my family?

Or was it supposed to be this way from the beginning?

But shouldn’t the influence on reality be limited to the main creation? How can it be so broad?

Though... this is just speculation...

I shouldn’t base this solely on the appearance of the Zhao Family’s hidden ancestor.

He had always assumed that Chen Feng’s existence and the history he had given him would affect only the Chen Family and the main creation he had brought to life through the system.

But Chen Yuan had never considered that the influence might extend beyond the family itself.

Or was I wrong from the very beginning?

What if the system had not merely established Chen Feng’s existence, but had also forced the experiences written into his backstory into reality?

What if every encounter, every powerful being, and every place Chen Feng had visited had been brought into existence alongside him?

The thought sent a chill through Chen Yuan.

If that were true, then the consequences of his actions might extend far beyond anything he had intended.

He raised his eyes toward Chen Feng, his expression growing grave.

"How many powerful beings have you encountered who could stand against you?"

He asked out of caution. Chen Feng considered the question for a moment.

"Not many. I could count them on one hand, at most." He glanced at Chen Yuan. "Why? Do you believe my suspicion might be correct?"

"I’m afraid it might be."

Chen Feng studied him briefly before a smile appeared on his face.

"Then you needn’t worry too much."

Chen Yuan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It’s true that they could withstand my sword strikes and put up a fight," Chen Feng explained. He rested his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. "But I defeated them."

His fingers settled comfortably around the scabbard as he continued.

"Of those I encountered, only two remain alive, as far as I know. The demonic serpent at Thousand Wind Mountain and the old man in white who resides in the mountains of the Western Region."

Chen Yuan’s expression remained serious.

Even if Chen Feng had defeated them, that did not answer the question troubling him.

If those beings had become real because of the history he had written, then their existence was only one part of the problem.

He still had no idea how much of Chen Feng’s past had been imposed upon the world.

"Two?"

Chen Yuan subconsciously murmured the number.

Chen Feng smiled and casually responded, "That’s fewer than three, isn’t it? So put your mind at ease."

He gave Chen Yuan a confident smile, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"I’m still standing here, after all. As long as I’m alive, the Chen Family won’t be harmed..."

Chen Yuan glanced at him but offered no response. He appreciated Chen Feng’s confidence, yet it did little to settle the thoughts gathering in his mind.

If Chen Feng’s existence had brought parts of his written history into reality, then just how far had those changes extended?

Several possibilities crossed his mind, each raising more questions than it answered. For a brief moment, his mind was crowded with questions that left him feeling uncomfortable.

For now, however, he could only keep them in mind and investigate them when he had the opportunity.

The conversation soon shifted to a more pressing concern: the Blackmoon Demon Kingdom.

Ever since its forces had withdrawn from the other regions, the kingdom had become unusually quiet.

Even the attacks along the southern border had decreased considerably, leaving the surrounding forces uncertain about its intentions.

Such a sudden change was difficult to regard as a good sign.

"What do you think they’re planning?" Chen Yuan asked.

"I doubt they’re that intimidated by our presence. We have never truly seen their full power. After all, the sheer size of their territory alone could rival that of our kingdom."

Chen Yan, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.

"There’s little doubt they’ve heard about the tomb we’re constructing. As a matter of fact, I suspect they’re scheming to get their hands on it."

He paused, considering the situation before continuing.

"My guess is that they’re waiting for the right moment to make their move. They may have withdrawn to avoid unnecessary losses, but I doubt they’ve abandoned their plans entirely."

"Scared? Yes, they were. But demons are known for their ruthlessness, in the end."

Chen Feng’s expression grew more serious at that.

"If that’s the case, then we shouldn’t assume their silence means they’re giving up. We should prepare several backup plans for the upcoming tomb exploration."

"Precisely," Chen Yan replied. "Whatever they’re planning...

He turned his posture as his sleeve fluttered under the motion.

"we should prepare for the possibility that their next move will be far more troublesome than the previous attacks."

Chen Yuan listened to their thoughts and immediately began working out a new plan based on the original one.

With a gesture of his right hand, he slowly spoke, his sleeve fluttering with the motion.

"Then... let us prepare the venue for the final showdown of our plan..."