In the days that followed, Chu Mo had settled down here. Yes, right inside this dilapidated house. When he was in the Mortal Realm, the general's residence he lived in was also rather rundown, but it was much better than this place.

His father still refused to leave with him and wouldn't say anything to him either.

After the initial excitement had passed, Chu Mo calmed down and did not press his father further. In fact, he understood well that there must be a reason for his father's transformation, but as long as he was still alive, that was Chu Mo's greatest comfort.

So, every day he would drink with his father, not saying much, and the two of them just drank one cup after another.

For Chu Mo, this feeling was an unprecedented experience. Extremely comfortable! Drinking with his own father was more enjoyable and satisfying than drinking with anyone else in the world!

For Chu Tianji, wasn't it the same?

Watching his son grow up and stand before him, tall and handsome, the sense of achievement and satisfaction were beyond words.

Over the past few days, Brother Nan had undergone a significant change—it was her first time wearing women's clothes.

It started with a white dress, which was Chu Mo's suggestion.

However, Brother Nan almost fought Chu Mo tooth and nail soon after, cursing him as unscrupulous.

Because Brother Nan was very dark and skinny, wearing a white dress... ahem, that sight was too beautiful, so disturbingly unique.

Brother Nan quickly found a fashion-savvy woman to offer advice and eventually, she commissioned someone to make a deep blue long dress for herself. Though she still couldn't be considered beautiful in it, it was a much better contrast than the previous stark black-and-white.

Actually, the key issue was also Brother Nan's young age, she was only twelve, and physically, well, it goes without saying. Even the most beautiful clothes wouldn't evoke that special aura when worn by her.

But regardless, Brother Nan was now willing to wear women's clothes.

This news was a shocking revelation for the underground forces of the Ninth City.

Soon, word spread through the martial arts circles of the Ninth City.

"Brother Nan has fallen for a young man!"

"Brother Nan has found someone she likes, so she's started wearing women's clothes again."

"That's so scary! The tough Brother Nan, falling for a man?"

"I always thought Brother Nan liked girls…"

"Enough, guys! Brother Nan is only twelve!"

"What's wrong with twelve? She's old enough!"

The underground forces of the Ninth City were in disarray, as the implications of Brother Nan's change were unclear to them.

At the City Lord's Mansion of the Ninth City.

City Lord Ke Ming, upon receiving this information from his subordinates, couldn't help but furrow his brow.

"A mysterious young man, seemingly a highly skilled cultivator, had a conflict with Brother Nan before. Brother Nan couldn't hurt him at all. Now, for some unknown reason, he suddenly moved into the old drunk's house in a small alley in the city and spends all day drinking with the old man."

Ke Ming had complicated feelings about that old drunk. He had investigated the old drunk years ago and concluded that he was a mortal. At that time, he was almost about to make a move on Brother Nan. Because in that massacre, Brother Nan was the only survivor.

Ke Ming didn't believe Brother Nan's story at all, always feeling that his brother had been harmed by her. The facts seemed to really indicate that. Despite Brother Nan's young age and still being a child, the ruthlessness she possessed even scared him, a Primordial Infant veteran.

He had once intended to kill Brother Nan and then the old drunk.

However, one night while sleeping, he suddenly encountered a terrifyingly powerful cultivator in his dreams, whose emitted aura almost made him feel shattered.

The figure warned him not to harm the old drunk and Brother Nan, or else he would be scattered in soul and spirit!

It was just a dream, of course, Ke Ming didn't believe it. However, the next day, and the days after, for nearly a fortnight, he had the same dream every night!

Waking up each morning, his body ached and he was exhausted to the utmost!

Eventually, Ke Ming reluctantly gave up his murderous intentions toward Brother Nan and the old drunk. He even helped Brother Nan rise to become the underground ruler of the Ninth City, effectively making her the city's top boss.

After that, Ke Ming never had that nightmare again. He also started to somewhat believe Brother Nan's story from those years, considering that the old drunk was extraordinary!

Just because he couldn't see through someone didn't mean they were insignificant. He was very aware that there were many people in the world he couldn't see through, because this was the Heavenly Realm! Venturing out millions of miles, you might encounter such formidable beings who could kill him a hundred times over with a mere thought.

So Ke Ming had never considered leaving the Ninth City; he only wanted to rule over this territory.

The outside world was too dangerous and unsuitable for him.

So when his subordinate delivered this news to him, Ke Ming felt nothing but relief.

"Don't provoke them. Let them do whatever they want. Especially that young man, and that old drunkard... don't mess with them. As for Xu Nan, let her do as she pleases."

Ke Ming pondered briefly before making this decision.

It proved he was wise. Had he made a contrary decision, he might have been destroyed in the blink of an eye.

Chu Mo's killing intent was, in fact, far stronger than his father Chu Tianji's!

Not to mention, Chu Mo's emotions were quite unstable at the moment.

"Dad, don't you ever want to save Mother?"

"That's your business."

Chu Mo looked helplessly at his father, unwilling to believe his father was heartless or that he had forgotten his mother. But the lazy old drunk in front of him truly left him without options.

"Dad, let me tell you a story," Chu Mo said to the old drunkard, half-leaning on the chair with his eyes half-open. His voice was low, "When I met my master in the Mortal Realm, he appeared very cold-hearted and wanted to forcibly take me as his disciple..."

"Later, I gradually learned about my master's past. No matter how immense his suffering was, he never gave up. His greatest wish was to one day return and take vengeance on his enemies, to save his wife."

"My master rarely spoke to me about his wife, no, he never mentioned her at all. I only started to learn little by little about it after entering the Immortal Realm."

"When I saw my master in the Immortal Realm, he was already with his wife. Her body was made from a sacred medicine devoid of a soul. My master never told me what price he paid to regenerate her physical body, but I could guess it was very hard. Extremely difficult."

Chu Mo spoke emotionally, and the old drunkard leaned on the chair, his eyes nearly fully closed, perhaps asleep, breathing steadily, his beard-covered face showing no expression.

Chu Mo looked at his father, "Back then, countless people believed my master would never return to the Immortal Realm, nor would he succeed in rescuing my master's wife, but he did, Dad..."

"I know," the seemingly asleep old drunkard Chu Tianji casually responded.

"You know?" Chu Mo looked at his father in surprise. "How do you know?"

Yes, how could an old drunkard, who had lost all his power and become useless, know what was happening in the Immortal Realm?

Chu Tianji's eyes, cloudy with age, opened up, and he gave Chu Mo a sly smile, "I guessed."

Chu Mo sighed, disappointment evident on his face. He looked at Chu Tianji, "Dad, can't you give me a chance to honor you? And give yourself a chance too? What does it matter if all your powers are lost? I have three Quasi-Saint medicines on me! I can definitely cure you!"

Chu Tianji muttered, "You also have the Cosmos Mirror on you, can't you see I'm a lost cause? Don't believe me? Ask the Chaos Furnace?"

"..." Faced with such a stubborn old man, there really was no way to deal with him.

Before this, hadn't Chu Mo already communicated with the Chaos Furnace? But the always miracle-working Chaos Furnace, facing his father's condition, had failed to offer any suggestions.

"So the best way you can honor me is to get lost. Oh, and take that girl Xu Nan with you. You should know her potential. Take her, teach her well. And then, never come to look for me again, and never, ever think about saving your mother," Chu Tianji's murky old eyes showed a rare seriousness: "Because you'll never have the chance."

"I don't believe it," Chu Mo roared in a low voice, like a wounded animal. His eyes were red as he looked up at his father with determination, "I will never believe that I don't have the chance to save my mom! I will make it happen!"

"That's up to you," Chu Tianji waved his hand dismissively, "Anyway, you've grown up; make your own decisions. By the way, go have a few grandchildren for me, that would be honoring enough. There are too few of the Chu Clan left, so it's up to you, son."

The word "son" made Chu Mo tear up.

After a long silence, he looked up at his father again, "You really won't change your mind?"

"Me, a dying old man, change what?" Chu Tianji frowned and waved his hand, "Alright, you've kept me company for so many days, enough to fulfill your duty. Go on and tend to your affairs."

Chu Mo sighed deeply, then knelt down and solemnly kowtowed three times to Chu Tianji.

He stood up, turned, and walked away without looking back.

Outside, Xu Nan stood with tears streaming down her face, looking pitifully at Chu Mo. Over the past several days, she had used many tactics, acting coy, making fusses, and had nearly reached the point of staging a melodramatic act.

But it was all in vain against the old man's indifference. No matter what, he remained unmoved.

"Come with me," Chu Mo said to Xu Nan, feeling sorrowful.

Xu Nan hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, "I'm not leaving. I want to stay here with the old man."

Chu Mo looked at Xu Nan in surprise.

Xu Nan, in her deep blue dress, looked up at Chu Mo and said seriously, "Brother, I don't care for the princess status of the Chu lineage. Even... if it weren't because you've always been the person I admired the most, being your sister, I wouldn't care! I just want to stay here, to take care of the old man, to be with him."

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One more chapter!

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