TGDS Chapter 73.2

The Good Dad System (Arc 10) Chapter 73.2: The Villain’s Dad in the Cultivation Novels (8)

Furthermore, he was experienced in childcare and would offer a few words of criticism when necessary. However, Pei Mingzhen was exceptionally well-behaved and never misbehaved. If you insisted on calling his desire to cultivate misbehavior, well, that was probably it. All he could do was spend more time with him and offer him plenty of praise.

So far, his character and cultivation had been impeccable.

“It’s not tiring.” He Shu spent much more time communicating with his master than when they were children, and their relationship was very close. “Junior brother is just too hardworking.” If it were someone else, they might have praised him, but when it came to Pei Mingzhen, they felt only pity and reluctance. A young boy in his teens, he practiced every day, regardless of wind and rain.

“Yes,” Pei Naochun smiled. “But that’s all right. The future of the Lanyue Sect is in your hands.” He put his hands behind his back and looked into the distance. After several years of reform, the Lanyue Sect’s new system had been initially designed. Those like Pei Mingzhen, who enjoyed cultivation and had achieved success in their cultivation, would become mountain guardian elders. Those like He Shu, who were more adept at management, would follow in his footsteps and become sect leaders or managing elders.

He Shu suddenly received a message and raised an eyebrow. “Master, Junior Brother has accepted an outbound mission at the Mission Hall. Will you be accompanying us this time, or will we arrange it ourselves?” It wasn’t exactly special treatment. Anyone in the sect who went on a mission would be accompanied by a sect elder or disciple, depending on the distance and difficulty. However, Pei Mingzhen’s missions had always been assigned privately by the group.

“What mission?” Pei Naochun asked casually.

“It’s not difficult,” He Shu confirmed the message. “This year is the year for the sect to recruit disciples again, and Mingzhen’s mission is to the southwest continent.”

Pei Naochun was startled, then suddenly remembered: “Nebula City, isn’t that there?”

“Yes, Nebula City is located on the border of the southwest continent.” He Shu was a little puzzled. Nebula City was completely unknown in the entire cultivation world, just a small border town. Why did Master suddenly ask about it? But considering the master’s extensive knowledge, it’s possible he’s been there before. “The Southwest Continent is closer to the Star-Seeking Gate. We usually didn’t find any good candidates there before.” The world of cultivation has established rules, staggering the times of recruitment as much as possible to avoid public outcry.

“Then I’ll go,” Pei Naochun chuckled.

“Okay.” He Shu naturally agreed. It’s common for a master to want to tag along, out of concern for his junior apprentice.

…

At the edge of Nebula City lies an endless desert. Rumors abounded in ancient times that this land of yellow sand was once lush and green, but demons invaded and settled there for a long time. Over time, the demonic energy was buried deep within the soil, and even after many years, it has never regained its former beauty.

Contrary to this rumor, demonic invasions frequently occur on the southwest continent. Unlike other continents, weak demons descend here from time to time to wreak havoc. However, these invading demons never arrive in large groups, gathering in groups of three or two at most. Many humans are cultivators, and while their training may be limited, their numbers are immense, and despite considerable effort, they are always able to drive them out and kill them. This also means that the yellow sand here often carries a trace of blood, either human or demonic.

“You say there’s a door here that can open the demon world?” Xiang Wentian sat cross-legged on the bed, mumbling to himself. But if one could see the scene before him, they would realize that he was facing a black, misty gas.

A hoarse, unpleasant voice echoed through the room, sending shudders down anyone’s spine: “Yes.”

“In the Death Desert?” Xiang Wentian wondered. The Death Desert was so vast that even someone like him, who had grown up in Nebula City, didn’t even know its boundaries, let alone its unpredictable climate. Even cultivators couldn’t fully enter.

“No, not in the yellow sand.”

“Then where?” Xiang Wentian subconsciously pressed.

Back then, his parents had perished tragically while fighting off demons. All they brought back was this tattered storage bag, its contents mostly destroyed or lost, leaving only a few low-grade spirit stones and a few odds and ends. Xiang Wentian had always suspected the bag was intact when his parents passed away, but it was only because the cultivators who had accompanied them, tempted by wealth, succumbed to the inexplicable loss and destruction. However, at his age, he couldn’t speak out. While the Lord of Nebula City was also a cultivator, his cultivation was modest. How could he have fought against the surviving cultivators of the city for an orphan like him?

He had handed over nearly all of his family’s belongings to the Lord, leaving little behind. This tattered storage bag had been passed down through the ages, and no one wanted the rubbish within. Xiang Wentian’s smile tinged with sarcasm as he thought of this. But how could they have known that a broken ring within the bag held a talking black mist? It now seemed that this black fog knew quite a bit.

It chuckled twice, clearly terrifying, yet with a subtle allure: “Do you want to open this door?”

Xiang Wentian clenched his fists. He desperately wanted to get a chance to become stronger, even if it meant risking his life. On the one hand, he knew that his parents were killed by demons, but on the other hand, he also hated every human being around him. After his parents left, all the human indifference he encountered was what really made him fall into the abyss. To some extent, humans were more terrifying than demons.

He gritted his teeth: “You can say it or not. If not, go back to your bead.”

The black mist paused, then continued: “The door is at the center of the intersection of the yellow sand… or what you humans call the Death Desert, and the greenery. When demons die, they leave behind demon cores. Through these cores, you can resonate with the door. Gathering the demon cores can charge energy and open the door.”

“Okay, you can go back now.” Xiang Wentian turned his face away after hearing the question. He had a vague guess in his heart that this black mist was most likely the demon that killed his parents, but he was not strong enough at the moment and did not have the ability to exterminate it. He had to keep the black mist for now and deal with it later. Fortunately, the black mist was not powerful enough, and it took a lot of effort to come out every time.

He secretly took note of what the black mist said in his heart. He always felt that perhaps one day in the future, he would use this information.

After hastily driving away the black fog, Xiang Wentian glanced around the room, contemplating going outside to practice the boxing techniques inherited from his parents. He wasn’t sure of his aptitude. Furthermore, the spiritual energy in the mortal world was scarce, and without guidance, he wouldn’t typically begin training early unless he missed out on a chance to become a disciple in the cultivation world, fearing a conflict between his cultivation techniques.

His quarters were in the City Lord’s mansion, a wing reserved for guests visiting Xingyun City. The conditions weren’t shabby, but they weren’t great either. They couldn’t compare to the main house where the City Lord and his family lived, and they were even inferior to Xiang Wentian’s childhood home.

Xiang Wentian boasted that as Lin Lianxing’s fiancé, he was considered one of the owners of the City Lord’s mansion, yet he was treated like a guest. Furthermore, having lived under someone else’s roof for so long, he inevitably faced a lot of indifference. After all, the City Lord didn’t usually pay him much attention, at best summoning him over when he remembered.

Hypocrisy! Disgusting!

Xiang Wentian felt unbearable when he thought of the Nebula City Lord’s feigned concern. If he really regarded him as his son or nephew, why would he take away his parents’ belongings? On weekdays, the treatment between him and Lin Lianxing was very different. If he really cared, would the servants still give him a cold shoulder?

In the final analysis, he was not strong enough! Xiang Wentian still remembered the Lord’s intimate attitude when he followed his parents to visit the Lord. Even Lin Lianxing, didn’t she hold his hand and call him brother? If his parents hadn’t been in trouble, why would he be like this?

But now, he has to continue to endure hardships. As long as he can find a chance, he will not be stepped on by others again, never.

“Master Xiang, the Lord wants to see you.” There were many maids in the Lord’s Mansion. They knocked on the door and called people casually.

Xiang Wentian’s expression had been contorted just a moment before, but now his voice softened. “Okay, I’ll go right away.” Look, she was just a servant, yet she showed him no respect at all. He was the future son-in-law of the City Lord.

How could she be less respectful than a servant? If the servant had overheard his silent complaints, they’d probably only have spit on him. He was right. Most of these servants were quite discerning. They could see that Xiang Wentian was of little consequence and not valued by the City Lord, so they treated him with a certain amount of contempt.

But why, in Xiang Wentian’s mind, this contempt turned into contempt, trampling, and being walked over was something no one could possibly understand.

“Wentian, come here quickly.” The City Lord sat in the main seat. The first chair below him was occupied by Lin Lianxing. Though still young, she was a true beauty. At first glance, one could vaguely glimpse the beautiful face she would reveal in her adulthood.

“Greetings, City Lord.” Xiang Wentian greeted Lin Lianxing and took a seat on the other side. He faced Lin Lianxing, and could see the cold gaze in her eyes. Lin Lianxing’s studies were privately taught by a female teacher specially hired by the City Lord’s Mansion. He learned the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and occasionally practiced some simple martial arts. The two were separated. He had taken the initiative to look for Lin Lianxing several times, but Lin Lianxing ignored him. She felt disgusted. This was nothing more than looking down on his orphan status!

This world only knows how to look at current achievements, but how can you understand the principle of not despising the poor young! This was what Xiang Wentian hated most. Sooner or later, one day…

“Wentian, Lianxing, I called you here today to tell you something important.” The City Lord’s face beamed with joy, excited. “You two children are in luck. The Lanyue Sect, the leader of the Nine Sects, will be here soon to recruit disciples. Then, you all should give it a try!” He was thrilled when he received the Lanyue Sect’s external letter. If he could use this to establish a connection with the Lanyue Sect, their Xingyun City would be prosperous!

And these two children… The City Lord had already made plans. If the two children grew up and were a good match, he wouldn’t mind officiating their wedding. After all, as the City Lord, he was already at the pinnacle of power in this city, lacking nothing. But if this child was too different, he would have to break up immediately, otherwise they would become a couple of enemies sooner or later.

“Okay, Father.”

“Understood, City Lord.”

Their voices rang out simultaneously, yet they didn’t glance at each other. Instead, their eyes were filled with calm. Lin Lianxing was only twelve, still untouched by love. She’d learned from her teacher the strict rules of gender separation in the mortal world, insisting she and Xiang Wentian were engaged and shouldn’t get too close. As for Xiang Wentian, resentment was already welling up within him.