Chapter 242: That Man Has Returned

  "Indeed, it is only right."

  Ning Fengzhi's proposal was immediately met with approval from everyone present.

  Not only did the federal council members voice their agreement, but the people standing behind them also showed their support.

  No matter how the power structure of the Douluo Continent might change, the invaders had to be eradicated.

  "Next, we move on to the open discussion session..."

  After Ning Fengzhi sat down, Qian Daoliu spoke again.

  The so-called "open discussion" allowed for contributions from second-tier figures like Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Golden Crocodile Douluo, Yu Luomian, and Marshal Ge Long to offer their opinions.

  Whether their suggestions would be adopted depended on the council members' votes.

  The first federal council meeting continued until te into the night, with dozens of decisions being passed.

  Each proposal was designed to bance the interests of all parties and benefit the entire Douluo Continent.

  However, implementing these proposals would take time.

  Nevertheless, everyone believed that in two years, the Douluo Continent would undergo drastic changes.

  ...

  For some, two years is a long time.

  But for Qin Xiao, it passed in the blink of an eye. The past two years felt like a fleeting dream.

  To him, it was as though he had taken a nap and experienced several vivid dreams.

  Each dream felt so real, as if they were entire lifetimes.

  For example, in his first dream, he seemed to return to a world like Blue Pnet, only it was filled with revived spiritual energy and terrifying creatures. After much hardship, he became the strongest person in that world, facing off against the emperor of the monstrous beasts in a fierce battle, ultimately perishing together.

  In the second dream, he found himself in ancient times as a simple farmer, marrying, raising children, and living a peaceful, uneventful life surrounded by his descendants.

  In the third dream, he was a prince in an empire, embroiled in a struggle for the throne with his brothers. Just when he was about to succeed, he was betrayed by his closest confidants and died at the hands of his elder brother.

  "The fourth dream..."

  Qin Xiao had nine such dreams, each feeling incredibly real.

  Now that he had awakened, he felt as if he had gained much from the experience.

  "I now understand why the Thunder Emperor gifted me this opportunity."

  "My life has always been smooth sailing. The hardships and struggles were borne by my opponents. I had never truly experienced despair or failure..."

  "But these nine dreams filled the gaps in my heart, allowing my state of mind to become complete."

  "Hardness easily breaks, wisdom overly sharp brings harm. Only by combining strength and flexibility, finding bance, can one walk the true path."

  At that moment, Qin Xiao synthesized the experiences of his nine lives, and his state of mind ascended to an unprecedented level.

  *God-King!*

  "I see it now."

  With a knowing smile, Qin Xiao slowly opened his eyes.

  "To think, after only three years, you've broken through again. Congratutions."

  At that moment, the voice of the Will of the Pne echoed with admiration.

  This young man had brought too many surprises.

  "When I first met you, at least you were still human. Now, I’m not so sure."

  Qin Xiao chuckled. "Are you complimenting me or mocking me?"

  "Is there any other interpretation of what I said?"

  "None, I suppose. In any case, my achievements are due to luck."

  Qin Xiao smiled faintly. "I also owe you for keeping watch over me during these nearly three years."

  "Ha ha ha, don't say that. On the Douluo Continent, what danger could possibly threaten you? I wouldn’t even call my efforts adding flowers to a brocade."

  The Will of the Pne ughed heartily.

  "Heh." Qin Xiao chuckled lightly and didn’t pursue the subject further. He waved toward the golden tree, the embodiment of the Pne's Will. "I’m off."

  "Wait! You've reached the God-King realm in your insights. Aren’t you going to break through now?"

  "No need to rush."

  Qin Xiao shook his head slightly.

  "How could such a major event not be urgent?" The Pne’s Will sounded exasperated.

  Becoming a God-King was an enormous achievement! If it were up to him, he wouldn’t wait a second longer. He’d want to break through immediately.

  "If I break through to the God-King realm, the resulting commotion would be immense. The Douluo Pne would be directly exposed to the God Realm."

  "The gods of the God Realm won’t sit idly by and watch as someone threatens their power and rule. It would lead to another storm of blood and conflict."

  "I've been gone for a long time. Let me enjoy the peace before the storm first."

  "I also have debts to repay to those close to me before moving forward."

  As Qin Xiao’s voice echoed through the mysterious space, his figure had already vanished.

  A brief silence followed before a weary, ancient voice sighed, "It seems peace won’t st much longer."

  ...

  In the luxurious courtyard of Thunder Emperor City.

  A beautiful woman in a pin cloth robe was chasing after a child, about two or three years old.

  "An'an, slow down! If you fall, Mommy will feel very sad," the woman called out gently.

  "Giggle, giggle..."

  The child let out a bell-like ugh, occasionally gncing back at the woman behind her.

  However, in the next moment, her joy turned to sorrow.

  In her excitement, her little foot caught on a stone, and she fell to the ground, crying loudly.

  The woman rushed over and gently picked up the child, sighing, "What did Mommy just say? Slow down, no need to hurry. Being safe and sound is more important than anything else..."

  “Chicken... the chicken got away…” the child sobbed in response, her voice full of grievance.

  The woman looked at the tear-streaked face of her daughter, feeling a deep ache in her heart. Unable to scold her any further, she said softly, "Where does it hurt? Tell Mommy."

  “Nowhere hurts... I’m fine,” the little girl replied, bravely trying to hold back her tears and forcing a smile.

  In truth, her leg did hurt.

  But she understood that if she said it hurt, her mother's heart would hurt even more.

  Such wisdom at such a young age made the woman’s heart ache even more.

  “You’re so brave.” The woman caressed her daughter’s cheek and hugged her tightly.

  "Mommy, do I have a daddy?"

  "Of course, you do."

  “Then why hasn’t he ever visited me? Is it because he doesn’t like An’an and doesn’t want us anymore?”

  “Of course not. An’an is so adorable, who could ever not want you? He’s just protecting us from afar. He’ll be back soon.”

  "Oh… I see," An’an pondered for a moment and then asked, “Mommy, how soon is soon?”

  “This…”

  The woman hesitated, not knowing how to answer.

  At that moment, the courtyard door was pushed open.

  Her expression immediately turned cold. “I’ve already said, anything reted to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Cn should be handled by my father…”

  Liu Erlong had infinite patience with her child, but with uninvited guests interrupting her life, her temper wasn’t as kind.

  "You’ve become a mother now, yet your temper is still so fiery. Careful, or you’ll pass it on to the child."

  A voice came from outside the door.

  "Who do you think you are to lecture me?" Liu Erlong frowned.

  “Why wouldn’t I be qualified?”

  As the voice fell, a figure in a purple robe stepped through the door.

  He had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a smile on his face.

  "Qin Xiao?"

  Liu Erlong froze in pce.

  Three years of longing suddenly overwhelmed her. Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes, but a smile broke out on her face.

  “Bad man! You’re not allowed to bully Mommy!”

  Little An’an struggled to stand from Liu Erlong’s embrace.

  In a child’s simple mind, seeing her mother cry meant that a bad man was bullying her.

  Qin Xiao’s gaze softened as he looked at the little girl.

  He could sense a familiar connection, an undeniable bond of blood.

  In that instant, he knew—this was his child.

  “An’an, calm down.”

  "Mommy, if a bad guy bullies you, and you’re worried we can’t beat him, I’ll scream for Aunties to come! There’s strength in numbers, and he’ll be scared!"

  The little girl’s voice was fierce, her tiny body brimming with determination.

  Liu Erlong couldn’t help but smile wryly, shaking her head. “Didn’t you just ask me if you have a daddy? Well, here he is. He’s back now.”

  “What?”

  An’an froze. She tilted her head, thinking hard for a moment before cautiously asking, “You’re saying he’s my daddy? Really?”

  Qin Xiao: “…”

  Liu Erlong nodded firmly. “When has Mommy ever lied to you?”

  Receiving confirmation from her mother, An’an’s gaze on Qin Xiao changed.

  She stared at him with wide eyes, inspecting him from head to toe as if trying to figure him out.

  After a moment of deep thought, she pulled out a small mirror from her pocket, gnced at Qin Xiao, then at her reflection, as if comparing the two.

  No one interrupted her during this process.

  Finally, after a long time, An’an came to a conclusion. “Mommy, you might be right. This person does look a lot like me. He should be my daddy.”

  Qin Xiao: "..."

  Is that how a child talks about their father? Isn’t it you who looks like me?

  “Children speak their minds,” Liu Erlong chuckled softly.

  “That’s how kids are. I was even more mischievous than her at her age.”

  As he spoke, Qin Xiao walked over to Liu Erlong and An’an, squatting down. “Your name is An’an, right?”

  "Yes, it’s An’an, from ‘safe and sound.’ Mommy says I bring good luck, and she hopes our family will always be safe and sound." An’an’s voice was clear and innocent, full of purity.

  Qin Xiao remained silent for a moment, then gently embraced her.

  An’an struggled slightly at first but soon gave in.

  It wasn’t because she cked the strength to resist but because she found the embrace warm and comforting.

  It was a different warmth from what her mother gave her.

  Deep down, she had always longed for a moment like this.

  After that, Qin Xiao and Liu Erlong sat in the courtyard and spoke at length.

  Most of the time, it was Liu Erlong speaking while Qin Xiao listened, occasionally adding a few words of his own.

  Qin Xiao tried to make up for the past three years with his actions.

  As the sun set, casting a blood-red hue across the horizon, little An’an had fallen sound asleep in Liu Erlong's arms. It was only then that she realized how much time had passed.

  Suddenly, feeling slightly apologetic, she said, “I didn’t realize how long we’ve been talking… You haven’t gone to see the others yet, have you?”

  “I came straight to see you as soon as I got back,” Qin Xiao replied, gently squeezing her hand. “This time, I have plenty of time to do everything I need to, so there’s no rush to see the others just yet.”

  “You should take An’an to bed first, then come back. I have something I’d like to discuss with you,” Liu Erlong said.

  Without overthinking it, Liu Erlong stood up and carried An’an to the bedroom. After a few minutes, she returned.

  “What’s this secretive thing you want to talk about?” she asked curiously as she approached Qin Xiao.

  Qin Xiao sat there, extending his hand to pull Liu Erlong into his embrace. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “I’d like to revisit that old, muddy path together with you, if you’re willing.”

  The warm breath against her ear sent a shiver down Liu Erlong’s spine, her heart fluttering. Her cheeks flushed red, and though her body reacted, she kept her reason. “Isn’t it inappropriate to do it here in the courtyard?”

  If anyone saw them, it would be utterly humiliating…

  “Don’t worry. I’ve already set up a barrier around the area. Even if a god descended, they’d be stuck outside, unable to interfere.”

  “But... I’ve never tried it like this before…”

  “No problem, there’s a first time for everything…”

  Without giving Liu Erlong a chance to object, Qin Xiao’s hand slid gently along her waist, and her simple cloth dress slipped down her pale skin, revealing the delicate silk beneath.

  At this point, Qin Xiao no longer restrained himself, pressing his cheek against the soft silk, savoring its smooth texture.

  For them, it was a long-awaited reunion, one of life’s simple joys.

  Liu Erlong’s soft and melodious voice echoed with unmistakable joy and fulfillment as their passion filled the courtyard.

  The stone bench beneath them unknowingly shifted a few meters from its original position during their embrace.

  Finally, with a quiet groan, the courtyard fell silent.

  Liu Erlong rested her chin on Qin Xiao’s shoulder, eyes closed, still savoring the lingering warmth of the moment.

  However, the next second, she felt Qin Xiao’s strong arms lift her up, one hand under her waist, the other beneath her knees.

  “Qin Xiao, what are you doing?” Liu Erlong’s voice trembled slightly with uncertainty.

  “Doing what I want, of course. I’m not satisfied just yet,” Qin Xiao replied with a smile as he carried her toward the bedroom.

  And so, another battle commenced.

  “Qin Xiao, I’m exhausted... You’ve been gone for years, shouldn’t you go see the others? I’m sure they also have a lot they want to share with you…” Liu Erlong eventually pleaded for mercy.

  “Hah... Are you really serious?”

  “Yes… I-I’m serious… really…” she stammered.

  “Then just hold on for a little longer… I’m almost there, no stopping now... Let me just stand up…”

  “Alright… okay…”

  Liu Erlong complied without hesitation.

  Moments ter, Qin Xiao reached his limit, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face.

  Liu Erlong, too, had used up the st of her strength, her body and heart filled with a sense of contentment.

  She was truly fulfilled…

  With a tender kiss on her cheek, Qin Xiao acknowledged that it was time to let her rest. He dressed quietly and left the room.

  …

  At the same time.

  In Thunder Emperor City.

  Inside the grand hall of what was once the Pope’s Pace, now the Council Chamber.

  “Grand Priest, did you hear what I just said?” Ning Fengzhi asked, noticing that Qian Daoliu seemed lost in thought.

  “Ah?”

  “Hm?”

  Only then did Qian Daoliu snap out of his daze. “What did Sect Master Ning just say?”

  Ning Fengzhi smiled. “It’s not important what I said. What I’m more curious about is, what has the Grand Priest noticed?”

  His question was more of a casual joke.

  However, Qian Daoliu’s response was serious. “If my senses are correct, that man has returned.”

  (End of Chapter)

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