After Yuan Xiang finished speaking, Lin Qian's hand, which had been pinching Lin Qing's cheek, loosened as a look of embarrassment washed over his face. It took him a long moment to recover, scratching his head awkwardly. "That was an accident. Yuan Xiang, why didn't you mention it earlier?"
"There wasn't an opportunity to, and besides, the less you know about certain matters right now, the better off you are," Yuan Xiang explained with a helpless expression. "And don't worry, your grandfather won't hold it against you."
Lin Qian remained silent for a while before finally looking back at Yuan Xiang. "So, now I understand why you've always treated me so differently."
"My grandfather is your elder brother... well, that's quite something." Lin Qian slowly nodded, piecing things together. "It seems I've stumbled upon some truths. So, my father isn't originally from the Soul Martial Continent but from some human race outside the starry sky."
"After all, the memoirs of Yuan Xiang that everyone in the Soul Martial Continent knows don't mention any elder brother, so this must be someone you met after leaving the continent and venturing into the void."
Yuan Xiang sighed, smiling bitterly at Lin Qian. "I suppose we shouldn't say much more. Any further, and too many secrets will be revealed."
Lin Qing also nodded in agreement, looking at Lin Qian and muttering, "The young master is too cunning, and quite... forceful!"
At this point, Yun Yunyan had no words left. She looked from her unconscious husband, Lin Di, to Yuan Xiang, completely speechless. She never imagined that her husband's background could be so significant.
In the Central Region, Lin Di had always been regarded as some wild nobody who had somehow won the heart of the daughter of the Yun family. Who would have thought that the legendary Yuan Xiang would refer to Lin Di's father as his elder brother?
"Young Master, I hope you'll take care of my elder brother in the future. His situation is not as easy as it seems," Yuan Xiang said, looking seriously at Lin Qian. His ethereal form began to dissolve into glowing particles, gradually fading away. "As for the truth of everything, you'll have to uncover it for yourself."
Lin Qian stood still, watching as Yuan Xiang's translucent figure dissolved into countless flickering lights, disappearing without a trace.
Meanwhile, far away, by a quiet riverside, an old man sat calmly, sipping tea. Across from him sat Yuan Xiang, his eyes closed in deep meditation.
After a moment, Yuan Xiang opened his eyes and looked at the old man. "Elder brother."
"What is it? Something happened?" The old man smiled, seeing his younger brother awaken. "Lin Qing called for you. It must've been something urgent."
Yuan Xiang's face held a helpless expression as he recounted everything that had happened.
"Haha! 'Idiot,' is it?" The old man laughed heartily after hearing Yuan Xiang's explanation. "My grandson sure is interesting. But what is this 'Huaxia Empire' inheritance he's received? It's incredibly powerful. He even said he could repair the seal I placed. Incredible."
"We've already investigated, but there's no record of any empire called 'Huaxia.' Not in history, nor anywhere else. It's as if this empire just appeared out of thin air," Yuan Xiang added.
"Out of thin air?" The old man looked down at the tea swirling in his cup, then stood up and stretched. "Well, as they say, every generation must find its own way. It's best we don't meddle too much. And from now on, you should cut ties with the Soul Martial Continent to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention."
"Understood, elder brother. But I still believe that when the young master returns one day, it will be like a storm sweeping across the heavens," Yuan Xiang murmured. "His empire may seem weak now, but I felt something deep inside me—an indescribable fear."
The old man fell silent for a moment, gazing at Yuan Xiang. "Really? That's unexpected. For something to make even you feel fear."
"When you see it with your own eyes, elder brother, you'll understand," Yuan Xiang sighed, seeing the skeptical look on his elder brother's face. "That empire is unlike anything we've ever seen."
"Is that so? Then I'm looking forward to it. Let's see what surprises my grandson will bring." The old man's gaze turned distant, a glint of expectation in his eyes.
Back in the Soul Martial Continent, within the royal palace of New Qin City, Lin Qian turned to his mother, Yun Yunyan, after Yuan Xiang's figure disappeared.
"Mother, now you understand why Yuan Xiang referred to me as the young master. It's because he views my grandfather as his elder brother, possibly even as his liege. That's why he treats me as his lord as well."
Yun Yunyan nodded gently, glancing at her unconscious husband and sighing. "Yes, this has gone far beyond what I ever imagined."
"Hmph, young master, don't say I didn't warn you. Master's former status is beyond your comprehension. Don't let your pride blind you; otherwise, you'll only find yourself disappointed and lose your sense of balance," Lin Qing suddenly said, wagging his chubby hand at Lin Qian. "Young master, never look down on others, or—"
Before he could finish, Lin Qian grabbed Lin Qing by his chubby face and brought him closer. Smiling widely, he said, "Listen here, little one. Don't lecture me. Different levels? You'll never understand the level of the Huaxia Empire, so it's best you keep those words to yourself."
Boom!
Lin Qian unleashed his soul force, and twelve layers of soul radiance erupted from his body. Behind him, the illusion of mountains and rivers appeared, projecting his immense power. "I am unparalleled in this world!"
After saying that, Lin Qian casually tossed Lin Qing onto the bed and returned his gaze to his father, Lin Di, patiently waiting for Zhuge Ming and Hua Sheng to finish preparing the potion.
"Twelve layers of soul radiance? Twelve reincarnations? That's impossible!" Lin Qing, lying on the bed, pointed at Lin Qian in terror. "Ten reincarnations is the absolute limit for humans! Anything beyond that defies the laws of the world. It's simply not possible!"
"How? How did you achieve it? Why are you able to break this limit?"
For the first time, Lin Qing's face showed utter fear as he looked at Lin Qian, as if he were staring at a monster.
"But I did it, didn't I? No matter how impossible you think it is, the truth is right in front of you." Lin Qian turned to Lin Qing, his expression calm. "I'm just that powerful. Don't ask me why!"