Chapter Twenty-Four: Ten Years Ago

Tang Group Residence, inside a training chamber specially constructed by Tang Yi—

Hua Ruoxue sat cross-legged atop a stone platform, her hands resting on her knees. Her eyes were tightly shut while Tang Yi arranged formation chess pieces nearby. He placed eight base pieces according to the directions of the Eight Trigrams, then activated the formation. Once everything was ready, Tang Yi took out a square box and placed it on a small stone pedestal facing Hua Ruoxue. After a long moment, he finally mustered the resolve to open the box. The instant it was opened, a beam of deep blue light shot forth, enveloping Hua Ruoxue entirely. Her hair and clothes lifted as if stirred by a windless breeze, fluttering in the air, her garments rustling loudly. The stone platform beneath her began to rotate, ensuring her whole body was continuously bathed in the blue radiance.

Gradually, Hua Ruoxue's face twisted in pain, her suffering intensifying with time. Tang Yi, witnessing this, grew increasingly anxious, struggling against the urge to halt the transformation. Yet he knew that interrupting the process now would not only render all their efforts futile but also leave Ruoxue crippled. Of course, Tang Yi could heal her, but merely restoring her health would not change her constitution.

At last, the box ceased its luminous glow, and the stone platform stopped spinning. Hua Ruoxue let out a cry of agony and fainted.

"Ruoxue… are you alright?... Thankfully, it's only a faint—your transformation is a great success. Whew…" Tang Yi rushed into the formation, scooped Hua Ruoxue into his arms, relieved to find her unharmed. "Ruoxue's body is very frail; she needs treatment…" Using his extraordinary powers, Tang Yi bolstered Hua Ruoxue's vitality. She soon stirred and awoke.

"What is that terrible smell!" Hua Ruoxue exclaimed, catching a strange odor.

"It's nothing but what came out of you!" Tang Yi laughed.

"Ew… let me go, I need a bath, I feel filthy," Hua Ruoxue struggled to escape Tang Yi's embrace.

"Silly girl, there's no need for a bath—we'll have a couple's soak right now!" Tang Yi held her tighter, closed the formation, and packed away the chess pieces with a wave of his hand.

Helping Hua Ruoxue to her feet, she blushed furiously and tried to flee. Suddenly, silver-white spring water surged around the stone platform, startling Hua Ruoxue into a scream. Tang Yi laughed heartily.

The spring water churned, flowing over Tang Yi and Hua Ruoxue, shifting up and down, left and right. It was as if they were inside a washing machine, except it was the water moving, not them.

When the springwater dispersed, their clothes were spotlessly clean, though soaked and uncomfortable. And with her wet attire clinging to her, Hua Ruoxue’s figure was strikingly alluring, nearly causing Tang Yi a nosebleed.

"Look what you've done, I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going to change!" Hua Ruoxue said angrily and turned to leave.

"Don't rush, Ruoxue, just wait and see!" Tang Yi pulled her back, gesturing to the room.

Warm breezes began to blow through the training chamber, gradually drying their clothes.

…

"Ruoxue, after this transformation, your constitution is now at a genius level for water affinity. You already possess the early Foundation Establishment stage in cultivation. Of course, anything forcibly created by external means isn’t entirely reliable. Here are some spirit stones—absorb them quickly to stabilize your level. Once your cultivation is steady, I’ll take you to see your parents!" Tang Yi said. Hua Ruoxue nodded.

A few days later, Hua Ruoxue entered the hall and saw Tang Yi chatting over tea with Ming Wang. She greeted Ming Wang, then pulled Tang Yi aside for a private conversation. After a few minutes, Hua Ruoxue returned to the rear courtyard, while Tang Yi came back and said to Ming Wang, "Brother Zhao, I have some matters to attend to. It may take only a day or two, or perhaps ten days to half a month. Please look after the Group’s affairs during my absence." Tang Yi couldn’t accurately pinpoint his return, with a margin of error of about three days. He feared that if he traversed time, two versions of himself might appear, which would be undesirable.

"The Group’s business is my business; you needn’t worry! Besides, your management methods have proven effective—many things no longer require constant oversight. Go ahead… cough, just go take care of your matters!" Ming Wang replied.

In front of the Group’s main gate, Tang Yi and Hua Ruoxue boarded Tang Yi’s custom cultivator’s car—a floating vehicle. It looked like a car, but inside, it operated with a levitation and flying formation. Thanks to Tang Yi’s integrated design, ordinary people could drive it without needing spiritual power, unlike cultivators. Currently, only the Emperor, Ming Wang, and a few princes owned such cars, and the Tang Group planned to bring them to market in a couple of years.

Amidst the waves and farewells from the Group’s employees, Tang Yi drove the car onto the road…

They parked at the foot of the mountains outside the capital. Tang Yi and Hua Ruoxue got out, Tang Yi put away the car, then turned to Hua Ruoxue with gravity and said, "Ruoxue, are you truly ready? This time I’m only taking you to see your parents; don’t think about rescuing them. That would disrupt spacetime, altering many things. Do you understand? And now that you’re a cultivator, you’ll eventually be separated from your parents. You must face that separation." In truth, Tang Yi had his own motives—he feared saving Hua Ruoxue’s parents might affect their bond and romance.

"Yes, I’m ready. Don’t worry! I’ll do as you say—before I see my parents, I’ll make myself invisible so they won’t see me," Hua Ruoxue replied.

"Good, let’s go now. We’re heading back fifteen years, to the town where your family lived. Remember to stay invisible!" With that, Tang Yi took Hua Ruoxue’s hand and began to use his power of temporal traversal.

Pingshan Town, Hua Ruoxue’s hometown.

"Tang, this is my house!" Hua Ruoxue said, pointing to a residence on the street.

"The Hua Residence! Your house is quite large—looks like your family was well-off!" Tang Yi observed.

"Yes, it was good. But…" At this point, Hua Ruoxue felt a pang of sadness.

"No need to dwell on it. We’re here to see your parents! Wait, is that little girl you?" Tang Yi noticed a young girl walking their way.

"Let’s go, that’s me!" Hua Ruoxue pulled Tang Yi aside to hide.