Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.
Before they knew it, another New Year’s Eve was approaching.
The city lights began to glow, filling the mortal world with a cozy warmth.
Snowflakes like goose feathers drifted down beside the curbs as cars sped past one after another. The aroma of stir-fried meat wafted from the restaurants along the road.
Pedestrians hurried on their way, their feet treading on the thin layer of snow.
In Fuhai District.
Rows of barbecue grills were lit.
The Heaven-Blasting Gang’s gathering was underway.
"Young Master, this old man will toast you first!"
Elder Li raised his cup, his face flushed from the drink, and addressed Qin Yang, who sat in the main seat. "Jianghai City owes its current prosperity all to your help."
"It is my great fortune to have joined the Heaven-Blasting Gang!"
"It’s nothing. Helping Jianghai City advance was a trivial effort."
Qin Yang, who was munching on a meat skewer, raised his cup in return. "Elder Li, you flatter me.
When I first modified the Blood Spirit Array, I was just trying it out. I figured if I failed, someone else would come along and succeed eventually. I never expected to get it right on the first try.
You could say I was just borrowing some of Jianghai’s good fortune."
"Come on, Old Qin, don’t be so modest."
Xia He, who was beside him, smiled, picked up his son, and set him on his lap. Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket, selected a Police Chief’s report, and handed it to Qin Yang.
"Take a look at this. It’s the latest population and power census for Jianghai."
"A census?"
Qin Yang took the phone, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "The Police Chief’s department has expanded its operations? You’re in charge of this stuff now?"
Xia He rolled his eyes. "Blame the recent surge in Star Force. Logistics used to handle all this, but with how much Jianghai has changed..."
At that, Qin Yang opened the report and skimmed through it.
It was a long wall of text and data.
As of the twentieth of last month.
In the past three years, the Grandmaster Realm proliferation rate among the adult citizens of Jianghai City had reached one hundred percent, successfully achieving the milestone of a city full of Grandmasters!
It had even gotten to the point where minors who couldn’t reach the Grandmaster Realm were considered to have a physical problem.
And it got even more exaggerated after that.
The Quasi-Venerable Realm had proliferated to fifty percent of the population.
The Heaven and Earth Star Force was at its densest here, and Grandmaster Venerables were emerging one after another. This caused Jianghai City’s status to skyrocket, turning it into the number one blessed land in the mortal world!
"It’s all thanks to your modifications, Old Qin, that we’ve made such huge progress."
Xia He shook his head, straightening his second child on his lap. "I’ve heard some internal rumors that the higher-ups are considering removing the Postnatal Realm from the rankings and creating a whole new system of Realm divisions."
"Is that so?"
Hearing this, Qin Yang was at a loss for words, then chuckled.
He didn’t know what to say.
’Now that I’ve changed the distribution of Star Force, I’ve really raised the entire cultivation level of Earth Star by several tiers.’
"Grandmasters are a dime a dozen, and Venerables are everywhere."
"Tsk tsk, Old Qin, you’re the man!" Xia He gave him a thumbs-up, filled with emotion. "You’ve truly ushered in an era of everlasting peace."
After dinner, during a lull in the festivities and with several rounds of drinks served, everyone was a little tipsy.
Qin Yang held his cup, staring at the fine wine he had personally brewed from Spirit Fruits, his thoughts drifting.
"Senior Brother, do you have a moment to take a walk with me?" Li Zixuan asked softly, standing beside him.
"Now?" Setting down his cup, Qin Yang glanced at her, then over at the cups belonging to Elder Li and the others. "Let me just..."
But before he could finish,
Everyone exchanged glances,
and simultaneously clutched their heads.
"Aiyo, I can’t take it. This wine is going to my head. Young Master, please excuse me. This old man is going to go lie down for a bit."
"Elder Li, wait for me! My second daughter is getting fussy too."
"As the Speaker, I just remembered I have some documents to take care of."
"My apologies, Young Master. I need to use the restroom."
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
In an instant, figures vanished one by one.
Like a flock of birds scattering in alarm.
In a flash, the courtyard fell silent, leaving only the light snow drifting down.
"...Tsk. This bunch."
Seeing this, Qin Yang gave a helpless smile and said softly to Li Zixuan, "Alright then, let’s go for that walk."
...
By now, the falling snow had painted the forest path a tranquil, porcelain white.
The pedestrians on the street had thinned out, becoming few and far between.
Li Zixuan and Qin Yang walked along the road, very, very slowly.
One lap, then another.
Before they knew it, the wind and snow had frosted their hair white.
Li Zixuan’s chin was tucked into her scarf as she walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Qin Yang, snow dusting their shoulders. "Senior Brother... there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you."
"What is it?"
"Um..."
Li Zixuan lowered her gaze, the tips of her ears turning red. She hesitated for a moment before finally shaking her head. "Never mind. Maybe later."
"Alright. Ask me when you’re ready."
"Okay."
Li Zixuan and Qin Yang quietly finished their last lap.
Some things, in the end, were left unsaid.
’Actually, I wanted to ask about his future.’
’Will he ascend, or will he stay?’
’Senior Brother has reached the apex of the mortal world. Both his power and his Realm have reached the Peak of this world.’
’The mortal world can no longer contain him. Knowing his personality, he might pursue an even higher Realm, or he might stay for the sake of the Lower Realm.’
’No one can say for sure.’
’It’s better to just enjoy this moment.’
...
「Evening.」
After his tender moment with Li Zixuan, Qin Yang took some more time to make a trip to the Da Li Mountain Range.
He was going to reinforce the Ten Directions Sealing Demon Array.
As night fell, the stars glittered brightly.
Yet a golden light illuminated half the sky, like golden stars drifting among the mountain foothills, hundreds of layers of writing overlapping.
Qin Yang sat cross-legged on the ground, raising a hand to meticulously trace and mend the fine, imbalanced cracks that had formed due to the changes in the Heaven and Earth Star Force.
A moment later,
the Ten Directions Sealing Demon Array was stable once again.
"Qin Yang, do you really think you can stop me by continuing to reinforce this thing?"
Inside the array, the Beast God was pressed against the barrier, staring coldly at Qin Yang through the gleaming golden writing, a sinister crimson light flashing in its eyes.
"The future is uncertain. You cannot kill me within the next hundred years. As long as I can hold out, there will always be a chance for me to escape this forest."
His voice faded.
The air fell silent.
"Oh? So what if I can’t kill you? I’ll just slowly wear you down."
Qin Yang rolled his eyes, drawing on Star Force to paint more writing and complete the final step of the reinforcement. "If a hundred years won’t do... then I’ll wait a thousand, or ten thousand. As long as you’re not dead, I’ll just guard the Lower Realm forever. Problem solved, right?"
"Haha, good! A fine promise to guard for millions of years!"
The Beast God laughed maniacally, scoffing at Qin Yang’s threat. It looked up at the ten black holes in the sky and said with anticipation, "Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done.
You’ve extended the opening time of the passage, but you must be at your limit now, right?
In a few more days, the Celestial Gate will finally open completely! When my companions descend, they will surely slaughter every last one of you star-stealing dogs!"
"And when that time comes, once I’m free, I will slaughter everyone and everything you love!"