Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 935 - 492: What Merit or Ability Does This Kid Have! (Part 2)

Not even alerting Emperor Yu could prevent him from stepping into Zhan Tian's presence.

"You... you're really putting me in a tough spot!"

Zhan Tian heaved a profound sigh.

Liu Sheng’s face made it clear to him that a trip to the Stone Cave was inevitable.

Report to Emperor Yu?

Such a move was out of the question for him, given their brotherly closeness.

Should he try it, Liu Sheng would surely give him a thrashing.

Yet if he departs from the Imperial City... what becomes of the Ritual Department?

A brief absence might pass unnoticed, but a prolonged one would expose everything.

"No need to fret!"

Liu Sheng rose gradually, "I’ll inform His Majesty of my seclusion period and hand the Ritual Department to Kang Bai. You simply oversee affairs, and no crises will arise."

"Moreover, the Stone Cave lies not far from the Imperial City. With haste, it’s just two or three days away."

"Sigh!"

Zhan Tian sighed once more, realizing further words were futile.

"Rest easy, I’ll cover for you if trouble brews."

Years of deep friendship forged their unbreakable bond, like a single soul.

"My thanks."

Liu Sheng offered his gratitude, aware he was misleading his lord, and any imperial wrath would strike them both.

This path was unavoidable!

Everything hinged on him, as his eyes turned to Chen Xuan, "Get ready, await my signal!"

"Thank you, Chief Eunuch!"

Chen Xuan bowed deeply to Liu Sheng, overflowing with appreciation for the senior.

"Enough with the thanks between us men; you surely grasp my thoughts. Just don’t disappoint me."

With that, he departed the hall with elegant poise.

Chen Xuan’s face showed complex emotions; he fully understood Liu Sheng’s aims.

However....

"Sigh!"

He sighed in his heart, genuinely reluctant to claim that role.

Yet how to return such an enormous kindness...?

"He’s followed rules his entire life, but since encountering you, he’s turned nearly as reckless as me."

Zhan Tian’s words resounded through the hall.

"How could I merit such honor!"

Chen Xuan murmured softly.

"I can’t say for sure, but... I intend for Xiaoqi to break through to a new Realm."

"When?"

"Tomorrow! For Xiaoqi, it’s effortless as sipping water!"

"Mm!"

...

"Wow, the Imperial City buzzes with excitement!"

Xiaoqi brimmed with thrill, flitting about the streets. Though Chen Xuan had shown him around briefly before departing last time, it felt rushed and lacked joy. Truth be told, outings with Chen Xuan paled in fun.

Far more delight came with the mothers.

Especially this evening, as Luan Ying played countless games with him and showered him with treats, keeping his grin fixed all night.

"This tastes amazing, have a bite!"

Luan Ying held a morsel of red pastry to Xiaoqi’s lips.

"So tasty! Sweet yet light!"

Xiaoqi bobbed his head in praise, when suddenly cheers burst from ahead.

"Third Lady, let’s check the fun over there!"

He grabbed Luan Ying’s hand and dashed toward the noise.

"Luan Ying leads the kids like a natural."

Ning Xin watched the sight with an inevitable smile.

"Precisely, Xiaoqi clings more to Sister Luan than to me, his actual mother!"

"Feeling envious already?"

Chen Xuan chuckled, tweaking her cheek. Curiously, he’d grown fond of pinching the ladies’ soft, silky cheeks.

"Stuff and nonsense!"

Ning Xin shot Chen Xuan a glance, "We all cherish Xiaoqi like our child; how could Meng’er feel anything but joy?"

"Right?"

Her gaze shifted to Lan Meng’er.

"Exactly, Sister Xin’er gets me perfectly."

She clung to Ning Xin’s arm, playing coy.

All the sisters viewed Xiaoqi as their precious one; her happiness knew no bounds.

Unlike scheming households, this bliss filled her completely.

"I was only teasing."

Chen Xuan glanced toward Xiaoqi’s group, spotting them vanished from view, "Come on, let’s join and see!"

...

"This place it is!"

The party gazed at the soaring restaurant nearby.

After such a long stroll, mere street bites—mostly basic—had been their fare, hardly enough for Martial Artists.

"How magnificent!"

Xiaoqi stared at the lavish seven- or eight-story edifice, its exterior lined with crystal stones gleaming gold, as if the whole building were forged from the precious metal.

"Magnificent it is, yet... so gaudy!"

One look revealed every golden touch was solid gold. What an obsession the owner had!

"Let’s dive in! We seldom venture out, so feast freely tonight!"

Chen Xuan gestured boldly, ushering everyone within.

Prime dinner hour it was, and following a waiter’s suggestion, they secured the top-floor private room.

Yet the cost was steep: the room alone demanded one thousand taels, paid in gold!

"Go set it up—bring nothing but the finest!"

"Of course, sir! Kindly wait just a bit, I'll get everything prepared for you immediately!"

The server's grin stretched impossibly wide.

Generosity like that surely meant a fat tip coming his way.

"Dad, hurry and see—it's absolutely stunning!"

At the window, Xiaoqi gestured excitedly outward.

Chen Xuan stepped closer, utterly captivated by the scene.

A vast canvas of night sky enveloped the whole Imperial City, and with the possible overcast weather, that intense blackness felt nearly solid to the touch.

Darkness weighed down heavily.

Yet glancing below.

Lights blazed everywhere in the vista.

Merchants' calls, crowds' merry laughs, and joyful shouts from every direction.

Every noise poured straight into the ears!

Capturing the true essence of worldly delights.

Suddenly, the weighed-down heart lifted.

"It's totally different!"