Chapter 1610 - 468: Aunt Yan, Do You Like My Dad? (Third Update)

"I’m afraid the old man isn’t at the Fifth Tail!"

That day, Shen Juefeng swept in with a face full of dust and a cloud of gloom that wouldn’t dissipate between his brows: "All the secret marks I laid down have remained untouched, not even the slightest response."

Zhou Qing frowned slightly: "Father-in-law means—"

Shen Juefeng pondered for a moment and said, "We’ve discussed this matter, Third, Yunzhou, and I plan to investigate the Third Tail discreetly. You need not come along, after all—"

His gaze softened as he looked at Little Yaoyao playing in the courtyard, "The child needs her father’s company more."

Zhou Qing was silent.

Indeed, he should spend more time with his daughter.

This was his promise to Lu Yaoyao—to ensure she at least has a carefree childhood.

"Alright then." Zhou Qing finally nodded, "But be careful on this trip."

Shen Juefeng laughed heartily, patting his son-in-law’s shoulder: "Don’t worry! You’ve already done enough for the Shen Family. As for you—"

He lowered his voice, "It’s time to learn to enjoy the taste of fatherhood."

"When do you depart?"

"Tonight." A hint of mischief flashed in Shen Juefeng’s eyes, "Before we leave, join me for a couple of drinks, will you?"

Zhou Qing chuckled helplessly, "I’d be delighted."

...

As morning light gently broke, Zhou Qing watched as the figures of the three faded into the horizon.

In the following two months, wherever you went in the Fifth Tail, you could see this scene: a masked man with a head full of splendid white hair clumsily braiding crooked braids for a little girl.

Once, he had single-handedly slain three Supreme Realm opponents; now, he carefully held candy figures.

Whenever Yaoyao tiptoed to reach for the kite at the tree’s top, a pair of warm hands would always support her waist at just the right moment—this was the tenderness unique to a father.

Until one evening, Yu Yan came hastily, clutching a Communication Jade Scroll, face full of tension.

"Someone from the Yu Race has come," she said, her lip color pale, "and they’re after you."

Zhou Qing brushed Yaoyao’s tousled hair aside, his expression calm.

Among the Palace, Two Temples, Three Sects, Four Clans, and Eight Great Families, who wouldn’t want to extract those two Inscription-level Divine Techniques from him?

"Perfect," he suddenly laughed lightly, "We should also go take a walk to the Third Tail."

Hearing this, Yu Yan visibly relaxed, a trace of gratitude flashing in her eyes: "Thank you."

Zhou Qing nodded lightly: "Go prepare yourself first; we’ll depart soon."

Watching Yu Yan’s hurried departing figure, Zhou Qing’s gaze gradually deepened.

He understood all too well the struggle within her heart at that moment.

As a member of the Yu Race, she neither wanted to see her clansmen sent to their deaths, nor feared she would mercilessly slay them all.

What weighed heavier was how she would face such a situation when it truly arose.

If she chose to help her clansmen, the trust painstakingly built over these days would shatter entirely, not to mention the life-saving grace she owed him.

But if she stood by idly, watching her kin fall in a pool of blood, such torment, how could it be endured by any normal person?

Zhou Qing sighed inwardly.

Though they could continue hiding here, with the unpredictability of life, who could guarantee they’d never be discovered?

Rather than living with constant fear, it would be better to proactively leave the Fifth Tail and seek another place.

Thinking this, he turned to look at Yaoyao playing in the courtyard, his gaze gradually softening.

Very soon, Yu Yan had packed up properly and returned the blue flying ship, surrounded by the Five-Color Restriction, to Zhou Qing.

"Off we go, to find Grandpa!" Zhou Qing laughed, lifting Yaoyao onto his back.

In his daughter’s crisp laughter, the three boarded the flying ship, becoming a stream of light disappearing at the end of the cloud sea...

...

Six months later, a blue flying ship quietly appeared in the Third Tail territory of Nanhuang State.

Over the past six months, Little Yaoyao’s cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds, not long ago even breaking through to Golden Core Mid-stage.

Perhaps due to inheriting her parents’ extraordinary bloodline talents, her comprehension of various high-tier Divine Techniques far surpassed ordinary people.

Now, Zhou Qing had also begun to teach her cultivation techniques like the top-tier "Demon-Suppressing Golden Bone".

"It may trouble you to look after Yaoyao for a while longer." Watching his daughter kneeling and cultivating on the deck, Zhou Qing spoke softly to Yu Yan beside him.

Yu Yan nodded gently.

She knew all too well Zhou Qing’s concerns—letting others know he had a daughter would be the enemy’s most lethal breakthrough point.

"Feel assured, I’ve got it here." Yu Yan’s gaze was firm, "Do what you must do."

"Thank you." Zhou Qing said.

"Still so formal after all these years." Yu Yan suddenly lifted her gaze toward him, seemingly a spark of light flashing in her eyes, "Do you...always see me as an outsider?"

Her scorching gaze made Zhou Qing’s heart skip a beat; he hurriedly turned his face away and coughed twice.

"First take Yaoyao to find a safe place to stay, I’ll go investigate Yan Family’s movements and try to locate Father-in-law and Yunzhou."

Having said that, he cast a final glance at his daughter immersed in cultivation, then turned into a golden stream of light and vanished into the cloud sea.

Yu Yan leaned against the railing, watching his retreating figure, her eyes showing a complex expression.

"Aunt Yan, do you like my dad?" Just then, behind her came Yaoyao’s playful voice.

Yu Yan’s face burned with sudden heat, turning swiftly.

The little girl had already finished her cultivation, standing there with mischievous big eyes looking at her.

"W-What nonsense are you talking about!" Yu Yan, flustered, waved her hands.

Yaoyao adopted a little but mature stance, speaking sagely, "I understand~ A man like my dad would always have girls fancy him."

Seeing the girl’s earnest expression, Yu Yan’s eyes gradually dimmed.

She turned back around, hands resting on the railing, gaze lost in the cloud sea ahead, her voice so light it was nearly a sigh.

"Indeed...your dad is like the clouds in the sky, seemingly within reach, yet forever...ungraspable."

...

Upon the bustling long street, Zhou Qing attempted to use the Communication Jade Scroll to contact Shen Yunzhou, but never received any response from him.

Clearly, the distance between them had exceeded the communication range of the Four-Color Jade Scroll.

Unexpectedly, information about the Yan Family was surprisingly easy to obtain, given their open show of strength.

With a casual toss of a few Spirit Stones, the shop attendant had detailed the essence of this colossal entity clearly.

Ranked third among the Eight Great Families, the Yan Family’s heritage was indeed astonishing.

Yan Wudao, the ancestor who attained Supreme Realm Perfection a thousand years ago, was only a step away from the legendary Earth Venerable Realm.

Yet, this single step seemed an insurmountable chasm.

It was said that this Yan Family ancestor had been preparing to cross the Supreme Tribulation in secret over the years, yet never dared to take the final step.

After all, among the Palace, Two Temples, Three Sects, Four Clans, and Eight Great Families, the sheer number of who didn’t want him to advance further was far too many.

Apart from this unfathomable ancestor, the Yan Family also housed four Supreme beings:

Fifth Ancestor Yan Wuming (Late-stage Ultimate Venerable Realm).

Seventh Ancestor Yan Wutian (Early-stage Ultimate Venerable Realm).

Ninth Ancestor Yan Wuxin (Early-stage Ultimate Venerable Realm).

And the current Family Head Yan Wuchen (Early-stage Ultimate Venerable Realm).

One family, five Supremes!

Such a lineup positioned them at the pinnacle within Nanhuang State.

Even more terrifying was that the Yan Family had cultivated the "All-Embracing Universe" four celestial talents, each destined to step into the Supreme Realm.

Unfortunately...