Several days later.
A great upheaval occurred in Jinling, with the three major families, apart from the Ye family, becoming mere shells of their former selves.
The four great families, each with centuries of history and deep roots, were renowned not only in Jinling but throughout the entire Huaxia.
Who would have imagined that such powers, capable of rivaling those in authority, would fall into Yun Fan's hands?
In truth, Yun Fan did not see it that way, believing the three families were destroyed by him.
In fact, the primary reason for the downfall of the three families was their excessive ambition, their targeting of the Ye family.
Had they not harbored such designs, they would have remained prosperous and influential.
Therefore, from the moment their ambitions swelled, their failure was sealed.
Yun Fan waited in his hotel for news from Ye Qingcheng, as he had played a part in defeating the three families.
Thus, he felt entitled to half of their assets. However, just then, Ye Qingcheng called.
"It's bad, the assets of the three families have been preemptively cleared out by a mysterious force. All that's left is an empty shell!"
Ye Qingcheng said with vexation on the other end of the line.
"What?"
Yun Fan was stunned. It seemed he and Ye Qingcheng had essentially done the work for someone else. It appeared this force had been planning this all along.
They had been too hasty. With only an empty shell remaining, there was no point in taking it over.
Even if acquired, it wouldn't be worth much and would likely cause a lot of trouble.
"So, in this struggle, neither you nor I are the biggest winners!"
Ye Qingcheng told Yun Fan.
"I understand!"
Yun Fan hung up the phone.
He did not idle, but instead rushed to the residence of the Heavenly Emperor. The Crown Prince was dead, and though it was his own fault, Yun Fan still intended to inform the Heavenly Emperor.
Upon arriving at the Heavenly Emperor's residence, Yun Fan could see the weary look on his face.
"Yun Fan pays his respects to the Heavenly Emperor!"
Yun Fan said politely.
The Heavenly Emperor glanced at Yun Fan and then said, "Young friend Yun, please have a seat!"
"Heavenly Emperor, I have come primarily to explain about the Crown Prince's death!"
Yun Fan stated his purpose directly.
"There's no need. I am already aware of this matter. The Crown Prince was at fault. I thought giving him an opportunity would lead to his repentance, but I never expected him to still walk that path of no return!"
At this point, the Heavenly Emperor's eyes were filled with immense disappointment.
Yun Fan then said, "I did give him a chance!"
"Mm."
The Heavenly Emperor nodded, implicitly acknowledging the statement.
Yun Fan, however, showed no signs of leaving and continued, "Heavenly Emperor, I actually have one more matter to discuss!"
"Please, tell me!"
Then, Yun Fan informed the Heavenly Emperor about the mysterious force.
The Heavenly Emperor's expression changed drastically. It was clear he was unaware of the existence of such a mysterious force, and Yun Fan's revelation genuinely surprised him.
Despite his lofty position as the Heavenly Emperor, there were many things he did not know. After all, he was a diligent Heavenly Emperor.
He was busy managing the affairs of Huaxia every day, so it was understandable that he might be unaware of some matters.
"Do you have any suspects?"
He asked Yun Fan.
Yun Fan replied, "No, but I do have a speculation. This force is so mysterious, could it be related to the reclusive sects?"
Apart from the reclusive sects, Yun Fan truly couldn't fathom any other force possessing such formidable capabilities.
The Heavenly Emperor shook his head. "Impossible. Although the reclusive sects are showing signs of emerging, don't forget that both you and your master, the Old Heavenly Master, are here. They wouldn't dare to make such a significant move. This force is likely a secular one!"
Hearing this, Yun Fan was somewhat moved. If it wasn't a reclusive sect, then this force was indeed not to be underestimated.
It had managed to deceive so many people.
At this moment, the Heavenly Emperor said to Yun Fan, "Young friend Yun, this matter may require your assistance!"
"Me?"
Yun Fan was surprised that the Heavenly Emperor would entrust such an important task to him.
"Indeed!"
The Heavenly Emperor said, "My term is nearing its end, but this force is lurking behind the scenes. Therefore, I have decided to resolve this matter before I retire, so as not to burden the next Heavenly Emperor!"
This was his true intention.
Yun Fan quickly declined, "Heavenly Emperor, I fear I am incapable of handling this matter!"
In reality, he was also stretched thin, as he still had his own affairs to attend to and dared not take on any more responsibilities.
The Heavenly Emperor smiled. "Young friend Yun, please don't refuse. Even if you refuse now, I will still seek the Old Heavenly Master's help. Wouldn't it be better to simply agree?"
"Uh..."
Yun Fan was truly speechless. If the Heavenly Emperor went to seek help from the old man, given his righteous and vengeful nature, he would surely agree.
In the end, the matter would still fall upon Yun Fan.
"Rest assured, Young friend Yun, your assistance will not be unrewarded. If you can help me find the mastermind, you can name any condition you wish!"
The Heavenly Emperor promised Yun Fan.
He had essentially given Yun Fan a blank check.
Yun Fan said, "I can help, but I suspect the background of the party involved is quite significant. I am merely a humble villager, and it would be inconvenient for me to handle this matter!"
Hearing this, the Heavenly Emperor said, "This is my token. In many respects, it represents my command!"
With that, he handed the Heavenly Emperor's Token to Yun Fan.
Upon seeing the token, Yun Fan understood that the Heavenly Emperor was truly making a significant sacrifice by giving him the token.
He then accepted the token. "Thank you. But aren't you afraid I'll use your token to do bad things?"
"You jest!"
The Heavenly Emperor said confidently, "Even if I don't trust you, I still trust the Old Heavenly Master!"
Fine! Yun Fan put away the token.
"I will do my best to help with this matter. However, I suspect there is little possibility of the other party making another move!"
Yun Fan deduced that the other party would not act again.
"Why?"
The Heavenly Emperor looked at Yun Fan with confusion.
Yun Fan said, "Because I heard that Ye Ji also made a move. They might be wary of Ye Ji's strength!"
"Alas!"
The Heavenly Emperor sighed. "It's my fault. I've been negligent in managing internal affairs, which has allowed these ambitious individuals to rise."
"I hope the next Heavenly Emperor will not emulate me!"
"Who is the next Heavenly Emperor?"
Yun Fan asked curiously.
Such secretive matters were unknown to the secular world, but Yun Fan believed the Heavenly Emperor already had a suitable candidate in mind.
"Lin Wudi!"
He told Yun Fan.
"No way! Isn't his age a bit too advanced?"
Yun Fan was surprised that Lin Wudi was the Heavenly Emperor's choice.
The Heavenly Emperor said, "Although he is a bit old, he is indeed the most suitable candidate to succeed me!"
"I understand!"
Yun Fan nodded. Indeed, while Lin Wudi was older, he was a towering figure in the empire.
He was qualified to succeed the Heavenly Emperor.
Yun Fan then took his leave.
However, not long after Yun Fan departed, a middle-aged, beautiful woman arrived before the Heavenly Emperor.
"Rong Hua, what brings you here?"
The Heavenly Emperor asked with confusion.
This woman was his original wife and the mother of the Crown Prince. Although not as beautiful as Ye Ji, she possessed an imperial bearing.
Truly worthy of being the Heavenly Emperor's woman.
At this moment, Rong Hua's face was filled with grief and indignation.
"Heavenly Emperor, the bones of your son are not yet cold, and your actions are truly heartbreaking!" Rong Hua said coldly.
She resented the Heavenly Emperor for not avenging her son, allowing the murderer to go unpunished.
She had waited these past few days for the Heavenly Emperor's response, but he had utterly disappointed her.
The Heavenly Emperor said calmly, "Let this matter rest here! Do not mention it again!"
"Hmph!"
Rong Hua snorted. "Since you will not act, I will. Unlike you, I am not afraid of the other party's identity and allow my son to die with regrets. I'm sure he is deeply disappointed in you in the netherworld!"
The Heavenly Emperor said coldly, "I will not repeat myself. Do not interfere in this matter!"
However, Rong Hua showed him no respect. "You are a spineless father. Will you also stop me from avenging my son?"
The Heavenly Emperor's expression changed, and with the imposing aura of supreme authority, he stared coldly at Rong Hua.
"Did I touch a nerve? Are you angry?"
Rong Hua sneered. "Isn't that true? The Crown Prince is your son. Isn't it only natural for him to covet your position? You not only crushed his dream, but didn't even give him a chance. Furthermore, his death this time, was it also intentional on your part?"
At this moment, she loathed the Heavenly Emperor with all her heart.
"Is it because he is not your biological son that you want him dead? Your heart is too narrow-minded!"
Provoked repeatedly by Rong Hua, the Heavenly Emperor instantly flew into a rage.
"Slap!"
The next moment, he slapped Rong Hua across the face. "Shut up, you shameless woman!"
Indeed, this matter had struck a painful chord. Countless times he had wanted to kill this woman, but he couldn't.
Now, this woman had exposed this shameful secret, and it was impossible for him not to be angry.
"This is all you're capable of!"
Rong Hua said triumphantly. "I will avenge this. If you continue to obstruct me, then I will kill your daughter!"
As soon as she said this, a murderous glint appeared in the Heavenly Emperor's eyes.
"You would be wise not to touch her, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
It was clear he was enraged this time.
"Don't think the reclusive sects can protect you. If you cross my bottom line, don't blame me for disregarding our marital relationship!"
With that, the Heavenly Emperor turned and left.
Rong Hua, however, revealed a cold smile. "Sooner or later, I will make sure you and that little slut perish without a burial ground!"
Upon returning to his secret chamber, the Heavenly Emperor's eyes showed a hint of tears.
Who would have thought that the high and mighty Heavenly Emperor, decisive and ruthless in his dealings with the outside world, and self-disciplined internally, would also shed tears?
At this moment, his eyes were fixed on a large framed photograph of two people.
Both individuals in the photograph were young. The man was handsome and heroic, exuding vigor, while the woman was stunningly beautiful, pure and pristine.
Both wore happy smiles. The man was him, and the woman was his original wife.
"Qing'er, you've been gone for over twenty years. Are you well over there?"
The Heavenly Emperor touched the photograph and said emotionally, "I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you back then, and you left with resentment!"
"However, our daughter has grown up. It's a pity that to protect her, I haven't revealed my identity to her over the years! She resembles you exactly, both unparalleled beauties in the world!"
At this moment, the Heavenly Emperor recalled a buried past.
Back then, he and Qing'er were a celestial couple, but alas, his destiny was already set, and they could not be together.
However, tragedy struck soon after. Even as the Heavenly Emperor, he could not prevent it. His beloved Qing'er departed from him forever.
Even his most cherished daughter could not be acknowledged.
...
Upon Yun Fan's return to the hotel, he found Lin Wushuang already waiting for him.
"Brother Yun, you're finally back!"
Lin Wushuang breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why are you looking for me?"
Yun Fan asked in confusion.
Lin Wushuang said, "It's not a big deal, really. My grandfather's birthday banquet is approaching, and I've come especially to invite you to attend!"
Yun Fan was speechless, having assumed Lin Wushuang's expression indicated something major was about to happen.
He replied, "Alright, no problem. When is the banquet?"
Lin Wudi was a legendary figure, revered by all, so Yun Fan did not refuse this invitation.
Lin Wushuang said, "In three days!"
"Mm."
Yun Fan nodded, but Lin Wushuang showed no sign of leaving.
"Is there anything else?"
"There is indeed a small matter!"
Lin Wushuang said sheepishly. "I'm about to break through to the Half-Step Innate realm, and I wanted to ask Brother Yun to lend me a hand. I want to surprise my grandfather!"
He was already at the peak of the Postnatal realm but had been stuck there for a long time, unable to break through even after extensive seclusion.
Therefore, he wanted to seek Yun Fan's guidance.
"That's no problem, but my price is quite high!"
Yun Fan intended to set his price high. He wasn't about to help just anyone for free.
Of course, beautiful women were an exception. For someone like Lin Wushuang, he would at least charge double.
"No problem. What do you want, Brother Yun?"
Lin Wushuang asked. He didn't expect Yun Fan to help him for free, as Yun Fan had already assisted him greatly when they were in Jiangnan.
Yun Fan thought for a moment and then said, "I don't seem to be lacking anything. Forget it, just give me a hundred billion as a fee!"
"Ah..."
Lin Wushuang was stunned. He hadn't expected Yun Fan to ask for a hundred billion. While Yun Fan wasn't being exorbitant, as the value of breaking through to the Half-Step Innate realm far exceeded that amount, Lin Wushuang couldn't afford it.
"Is there a problem?"
Yun Fan asked with displeasure.
"No problem, the issue is I can't afford it!"
Lin Wushuang honestly explained his predicament.
"No way! Your Lin family is a prominent and wealthy family; they can't even come up with a hundred billion?"
Yun Fan was speechless. In his opinion, Lin Wushuang was simply reluctant to pay. While a hundred billion was a lot, even commercial families like the Lin family of Jiangnan or the Jiang family could gather that amount by selling all their assets.
Was the Lin family less affluent than those two?
"My Lin family has high status, but not much wealth!"
Lin Wushuang said with difficulty. "The main income of the Lin family comes from my grandfather's and my salaries. Although they are quite high, they are not astronomically so. Apart from our incomes, there are no other sources of revenue!"
"Didn't you say your father was in business?"
Yun Fan asked with a puzzled look.
"Don't even mention it. Although my father is in business, my grandfather has stipulated for years that he is not allowed to use the Lin family's name. Therefore, they are also poor!"
Lin Wushuang said to Yun Fan with a bitter expression.
Alright! This time, Yun Fan was convinced. It seemed that even if he asked for a hundred billion, Lin Wushuang might not be able to afford even one billion.
"So, Brother Yun, how about you change your request?"
Fine, Yun Fan didn't intend to make things difficult for Lin Wushuang and said, "I won't trouble you financially. I just want to ask if you can help Zhuque advance another level?"
Zhuque was his good friend. Due to guarding Jiangnan, she hadn't come with them.
Therefore, Yun Fan intended to help Zhuque. Although Zhuque was already a War God, in Yun Fan's opinion, she still had a lot of room for improvement.
Hearing this, Lin Wushuang said, "That's no problem. Zhuque will also be at my grandfather's birthday banquet. I will ask my grandfather then to help Zhuque advance another level!"
Given Zhuque's contributions, reaching the War God level was already her peak. However, Yun Fan's merits were significant, and in his opinion, Zhuque would eventually become Yun Fan's woman.
Therefore, it was not unreasonable for Yun Fan to pass on this merit to Zhuque.
"That would be best!"
Yun Fan agreed.
"Brother Yun, when do we begin?"
Lin Wushuang asked Yun Fan excitedly, eager to break through to the Half-Step Innate realm.
Yun Fan said, "We'll start soon, but it's obviously not feasible in a hotel. I need to see your strength to offer targeted advice!"
"Then let's go to my Lin family. My Lin family has a dedicated training ground!"
He suggested to Yun Fan.
"Alright!"
Yun Fan nodded, and then they prepared to depart.
...
Upon arriving at the Lin family's training ground, Yun Fan immediately asked Lin Wushuang to demonstrate his strength.
Lin Wushuang did not hold back and displayed his full abilities. Yun Fan stood by and observed as he performed.
After a set of moves, he asked Yun Fan, "Brother Yun, what do you think?"
"Weak! Too weak!"
Yun Fan said unceremoniously.
"Uh..."
Lin Wushuang was surprised to be so thoroughly dismissed by Yun Fan.
"With your current talent, it's too difficult to break through to the Half-Step Innate realm!"
Yun Fan frankly stated the truth.
"Brother Yun, is there truly no way?"
Lin Wushuang asked anxiously.
Yun Fan said, "There is a way, but you may experience some physical pain!"
"No problem! I can endure it!"
Lin Wushuang said firmly. Nothing could deter his determination to break through to the Half-Step Innate realm now.
"Can you really endure it?"
Yun Fan looked at him with a hint of doubt.
"I am sure!"
With Lin Wushuang's insistence, Yun Fan said, "You said it yourself. My method is simple: you and I spar. I will stimulate your potential, and then I will use my techniques to clear your meridians, which should be enough to reach the Half-Step Innate realm!"
"Okay!"
Lin Wushuang urged, "Brother Yun, let's begin!"
With that, Yun Fan made his move.
"Bang!"
The next moment, Lin Wushuang was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He hadn't expected to be unable to withstand even a single move from Yun Fan. It seemed Yun Fan's strength had advanced further.
However, before he could recover, Yun Fan attacked again.
Undoubtedly, the next moment was a severe beating from Yun Fan. Lin Wushuang was beaten to a pulp.
By the end, he could barely stand, but driven by his desire to break through to the Half-Step Innate realm, he summoned his powerful will and resolutely stood up.
However, his legs began to tremble, and he swayed precariously, indicating he had reached his limit.
"Hmm, not bad. Now, find a quiet place, and I will help you clear your meridians. Then this will be accomplished!"
Yun Fan said.
"Pfft!"
Lin Wushuang spat out a mouthful of blood. "Brother Yun, come with me!"
"Perhaps you should rest!"
Yun Fan saw his condition and felt it was not optimistic.
"It's fine, I can still hold on!"
Lin Wushuang, in an effort to prove he could, swallowed the blood he had coughed up.
"Ugh!"
Yun Fan felt a wave of nausea. Was this guy not disgusted?
In the backyard of the Lin family, Yun Fan helped Lin Wushuang clear his meridians. During this process, he nearly fainted from the pain.
Yun Fan then told him, "Alright, you just need to go into seclusion for two hours, and you'll be able to break through!"
Lin Wushuang endured the pain and said excitedly to Yun Fan, "Please wait for me outside, Brother Yun. I will go into seclusion first!"
"Okay!"
Yun Fan did not leave the Lin family immediately. He believed in seeing things through to the end, so at this moment, he decided to wait for Lin Wushuang to emerge from seclusion before leaving.
However, two hours felt rather tedious, so Yun Fan decided to stroll around the backyard.
It had to be said that although the Lin family was not wealthy, their estate was quite large. In the blink of an eye, Yun Fan had wandered for half an hour.
It was at this moment that he thought he heard a cry for help.
"Hmm?"
Yun Fan was somewhat perplexed. Although the cry for help was faint and only occurred once, he had still captured it.
Therefore, he immediately followed the source of the sound, and soon, he arrived at a dilapidated courtyard of the Lin family.
In the courtyard, there appeared to be a secret passage.
He approached the dark secret passage with a questioning look in his eyes. Could it be that the cry for help was coming from within the secret passage?
Driven by his curiosity, Yun Fan was about to step into the secret passage.
But at that moment, Yun Fan sensed an aura behind him that seemed to be locking onto him. He immediately turned around.
"Old Man!"
The person who arrived was none other than Lin Wudi.
"Little friend, what are you doing here?"
Lin Wudi asked with confusion.
Yun Fan said, "It's like this!"
Then, he told Lin Wudi the entire story, omitting, however, the part about hearing the sound. He only said that he was curious and had come for a stroll.
After listening, Lin Wudi thanked Yun Fan, "I'm grateful for your help with Wushuang, little friend!"
"After all, with his talent, he could only stop at the Half-Step Innate realm!"
Yun Fan did not deny it. Indeed, Lin Wushuang's talent was around that level, but in the secular world, it was more than enough to make him a prominent figure.
"Little friend, this is the abandoned residence of my Lin family. The environment is not good, so you shouldn't wander around here. Come with me to the front courtyard for tea!"
Lin Wudi cautioned Yun Fan.
"Alright!"
Yun Fan nodded, suppressing his curiosity. Perhaps he had misheard. After all, the sound was only heard once.
If he hadn't misheard, the person should have continued to call for help. Besides, with a family as reputable as the Lin family, there shouldn't be any dark secrets.
Perhaps he was being overly suspicious.
Then, the two of them went to the front courtyard.
Lin Wudi said to Yun Fan, "Young friend Yun, you are truly extraordinary. You even managed to deal with the Crown Prince. However, I must warn you to be careful from now on!"
"Why?"
Yun Fan asked in confusion.
Lin Wudi said, "The Heavenly Emperor did not hold you accountable for the Crown Prince's death, but his mother certainly will!"
"Rong Hua?"
The Crown Prince's mother, Yun Fan had heard of her. He had never met her personally, only seen her in the news.
"Indeed!"
Lin Wudi said, "Rong Hua is no simple woman. She is from a reclusive sect, and her methods and strength are not to be underestimated! The Crown Prince was her only son. You killed the Crown Prince, and she will not let this matter rest!"
Fine! Yun Fan hadn't expected that after dealing with the son, the mother would come next. However, he was used to it.
Rong Hua was indeed not a simple woman. Coming from a reclusive sect and marrying the Heavenly Emperor, it seemed her abilities were truly remarkable.
After all, the Heavenly Emperor and the reclusive sects were in opposition.
Lin Wudi did not reveal more information about Rong Hua, so Yun Fan curiously asked, "Between Rong Hua and Ye Ji, whose background is more significant?"
From what he understood, Ye Ji came from a reclusive sect and had already secured a prominent position. Therefore, he was very keen to know if Rong Hua's background was as strong as Ye Ji's.
Lin Wudi evaluated, "Each has their own merits!"
"In terms of strength, Ye Ji is naturally stronger. But in terms of connections, it's Rong Hua. After all, Rong Hua's background is complex. Although she herself is not exceptionally strong, the forces behind her are powerful!"
This was Lin Wudi's assessment.
Yun Fan nodded. "I understand!"
Then, Yun Fan told Lin Wudi about the mysterious force.
Lin Wudi shook his head. "I am unaware of it!"
"I didn't expect there to be such a powerful mysterious force in Jinling. Truly remarkable!"
Even Lin Wudi was genuinely surprised.
Yun Fan asked, "Do you have any suspicions, Old Man?"
Lin Wudi pondered for a moment. "Although I suspect it is Rong Hua, there are many contradictions!"
"What contradictions?"
"If it were truly Rong Hua, she would have used this force to help the Crown Prince long ago. She wouldn't have watched him die without offering assistance, so it cannot be Rong Hua!"
Yun Fan nodded. His analysis was similar. Although Rong Hua was the most suspicious, she was also the least likely. She could be ruled out first.
"Apart from Rong Hua, there is only Ye Ji, but there are also many contradictions. Ye Ji would never do something that would harm herself!"
Well! Yun Fan was resigned. After Lin Wudi's analysis, he realized he had been listening to a lot of meaningless talk.
However, this was not Lin Wudi's fault. Even the Heavenly Emperor was unaware, so it was likely that Lin Wudi knew no more than the Heavenly Emperor.
Regarding the incidents he had encountered previously, he had some clues. But this time, the opponent was truly too cunning and too well-hidden. Not only he, but even these high-ranking figures were at a loss.
At this moment, Lin Wudi said, "It seems the enemy is more cunning than we imagined. My Lin family will cooperate with you to find this force!"
"Thank you!"
Yun Fan expressed his gratitude. In fact, he wanted to mention another person besides these two, but he did not speak it aloud, as this person was even less likely.