36.

By the time Yang Ze reached the carriage, Yang Che was already standing there sullenly. Even when Yang Ze reached near him, he didn't seem to respond, just stood there like a statue.

"What happened?" Looking at Yang Che who was standing absent-minded, Yang Ze asked in a casual tone.

"Oh!" Seemingly coming out of his daze, Yang Che shook his head. "Nothing, just nervous about the test."

"Hmmm." Narrowing his eyes, Yang Ze looked at Yang Che deeply. There was a particularly sweet scent on him.

"Heh. Who's the lucky girl?" With a wretched smile, Yang Ze lifted his brows before asking.

"Girl... What girl? No... No one. Stop talking nonsense."

Yang Che was suddenly flustered. It was as if someone caught him red-handed. Even though he was trying his hardest to deny it, the embarrassed expression on his face was telling a completely different story. For a moment, he couldn't understand how this guy knew about it.

"Okay okay. Don't sweat it." Seeing such a huge response from Yang Che, Yang Ze shook his head with a smile before patting him on the shoulder.

"Geez, what are you getting so defensive about."

Yang Ze was assured that this guy was spending time with some girl... Not that it matters.

They just came to know about each other and he would be overstepping his boundaries by asking him for more details.

"Okay, let's go." Ignoring the remarks, Yang Che jumped into the carriage before signalling him to follow him.

Shaking his head, Yang Ze climbed up before sitting by his side. Unlike the other carts, this one was an open cart consisting only of a long seat.

"HAAAH." Whipping the horse, Yang Che shouted before rushing outside the city.

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The journey went on without a hitch. It took them almost three days to reach their destination.

Standing in the outer circle of the city, both of them were looking around. Compared to the past, the outer city this time was decorated thoroughly. There were paper ribbons connecting houses with each other, and red paper lanterns that were dimly illuminating the city.

Moving his head around, Yang Ze saw all kinds of people. There were some groups that were carrying swords on their backs, some groups were wearing steel gloves, and many were just standing there coldly.

"Don't pay them attention. They aren't someone important." Looking at Yang Ze who was observing the people, Yang Che said with a smile.

"Those from the powerful families and sects are already in the inner circle of the city."

"I see." Nodding his head, Yang Ze stopped looking before closing his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he was thinking of how to approach his father for the sixth volume of the Seaheart Art.

In his daze, their carriage crossed the gates for the inner circle. By the time he came to his senses, they were already outside the Yang family manor.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar manor in front of him, Yang Ze sighed in emotion. To him, this place wasn't something special. It's just that the small house outside the manor was the place where he spent his first month after coming to this world, he would be lying if he said he wasn't feeling emotional about it.

"I am going to meet Grandpa and others, what about you?" Yang Che who just jumped out of the carriage looked at Yang Ze before asking.

"I guess I am gonna head to my home."

"I see." Nodding his head, Yang Che spoke "Let's meet tomorrow" before heading away.

Yang Ze stood there for a long time looking at the familiar scenery before picking up his bag and walking in the direction of his humble adobe. After a long journey, meeting those annoying fellows was the last thing he wanted to do.

Reaching back to his small house, the first thing Yang Ze noticed was the poor state of the house. The small garden where he used to sleep was now full of weeds that were grown up to a meter long. Outside the house, he could see spider webs all over the walls. It seemed that after his departure, no one came to clean this house.

"Heh" smiling to himself, Yang Ze opened the door, only to be greeted by the dust that was all over the room. Some of the dust even went to his eyes and nose, but under the protective layer of Qi, it was blocked before it could reach him.

Shaking his head, Yang Ze threw the bag aside before rolling up his sleeves, he still needs to clear the room if he wishes to stay here for some time.

After cleaning the room for an hour, Yang Ze finally nodded in satisfaction. The room was now spotlessly clean. For ordinary people, this might be a difficult task, but for him, this was a walk in the park.

Looking at the room with a smile, Yang Ze jumped on the bed before looking at the screen in front of him.

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{Name: Yang Ze}

{Realm: Peak Qi Guiding}

{XP: 1700}

{Technique: Seaheart Art Fifth Layer}

*Reached the limit of knowledge.

{Personal Space : 3 cubic meters}

{Efficiency: 300 XP/day}

{Level: 2} (1/100 spirit stones needed to upgrade)

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"Well, good thing the XP can be stored." Looking at the 1700 XP, Yang Ze smiled heartily. With this, he can upgrade his skills as soon as he gets them.

Yang Ze didn't bother to rush things. Till now he still hasn't come up with the idea of getting the sixth volume from his father.

"Aah, fuck it. I will think about it tomorrow morning."

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While Yang Ze was in his sweet sleep, there was another scene going on inside the Yang Manor.

In the innermost part of the Yang Manor, there was a small garden. The garden was filled with a variety of flowers and some small trees. In the middle of the garden was a small lake upon which a small wooden boat was floating.

At this moment, there were two figures sitting on the boat. One of them was the head of the Yang family, Yang Yuanzhen while the other was an old man.

"Three more days huh?" Gulping down a glass of wine, Yang Yuanzhen spoke in an excited tone. The admission into the Xuanwu Martial Academy three days later wasn't only a significant event for the whole family, but also for him. To others, it was a chance to join the Martial Academy that others could only dream of. But for him, it was an event that would help him to step into the innate.

"Hahahaha. You should have a little self-control. Look at you, already jumping around in excitement." The old man was all smiles. Though he was reprimanding Yang YuanZhen, he himself wasn't able to control his smile.

"I know, I know." Nodding his head, Yang Yuanzhen stopped for a moment before asking in hesitation "There won't be a problem with our tribute, right? I mean, she left it for me, so it doesn't matter what I do with them now does it?"

"Of course, there won't be a problem. She has been gone for sixteen years, my friend. You need to stop thinking about her now and focus on your life." The old was still shaking his head.

"I know. It's just... What can I say." With a sigh, he closed his mouth.

"Stop thinking about it." The old man wrinkled his nose before asking with great excitement. "How about this, huh? What do you think of my granddaughter?"

"What can I say? She is the most talented person I have ever seen." Yang Yuanzhen shook his head.

"Now she has already stepped into the Qi guiding realm at the age of twenty-six. Compared to my son who is twenty-eight and has barely managed to reach the Qi Guiding realm... she is many times better."

"Heh." The old man's face was filled with pride. "It's just that." With a helpless tone, he continued.

"She is way too cold."

"Not to mention friends, she doesn't even speak to her own family members. There is just cultivation on her mind."

"Hahaha, old man. Isn't that a good thing?" Yang Yuanzhen's laughter echoed throughout the garden

"Nonsense." The old man whose face was filled with anger snorted coldly.

"I am worried about her. I have heard some rumours about the academy." Suddenly his face became grim.

"The inside of the academy doesn't seem to be peaceful. There are all sorts of people with a strong background. In that place, I am afraid something might happen to my granddaughter."

Yang Yuanzhen didn't refute him, but his silence was enough. He too had heard some rumours about the martial academy, none of which were good.

"She doesn't have many friends and doesn't speak much with others. I am afraid people would orchestrate her. It wouldn't come as a surprise if people would call her arrogant and would conspire against her. After all, the number of people who want to step on the so-called genius is too many."

Both of them went silent for a long time. A beautiful and talented young woman would undoubtedly be the centre of attraction. With the way his granddaughter is right now, it won't take long before people start spreading all kinds of rumours about her. As for whether the academy would step in or not, they couldn't bet on it.

There were even rumours that the academy would marry their beautiful and talented women to powerful factions to deepen the bond. Though they won't do it directly, they could always put pressure on the family.

If not for the deal offered by the academy, he would have hesitated to send his granddaughter to the academy.

Looking at the old man who was still searching for a way out, Yang Yuanzhen suddenly smiled.

"Old friend. What if the genius is a person of ill fate, trying to escape their destiny?"

The old man's eyes flashed for a moment before looking at Yang Yuanzhen. "What do you mean by that?"

"Hehehe. It's like this." Slowly with a smile, Yang Yuanzhen started to speak about the plan he had in his mind.

"Excellent, excellent." The more the old man heard, the more he find it to be feasible.

It wasn't until half an hour later that both of them stood up with a smile before walking towards their home.