Wang Yuyan nodded heavily upon hearing this, looking at Wu Yazi with a mix of tension and anticipation. Clearly, she took this as evidence confirming Wu Yazi's identity. Wu Yazi glanced at Li Daoqiang, gave a slight smile, and said, "Naturally." With that, he began reciting the Northern Dark Divine Art. After several dozen lines, he stopped. Li Daoqiang nodded slightly, broke into a smile, and said softly, "Yuyan, he might really be your grandfather." "Grandfather~!" Wang Yuyan looked at Wu Yazi, tense and hopeful, but mostly bewildered. This sudden appearance of a grandfather had clearly startled her, leaving her unsure how to react. Yet Li Daoqiang's words made her believe that the old man before her truly was her grandfather. "Yuyan, good child." Wu Yazi gazed at Wang Yuyan with emotion, moving closer to her. Wang Yuyan instinctively shrank back toward Li Daoqiang, a little frightened. "Senior, Yuyan has a gentle nature. Encountering something like this so suddenly, she finds it hard to accept. Please don't get too worked up," Li Daoqiang said with a slight smile at that moment. His tone carried a bit more politeness and closeness. Wu Yazi felt a pang of disappointment, his heart churning with complex emotions, and nodded. "How about this, Senior? Wait a while, give Yuyan some time to calm down, and then we can talk in detail," Li Daoqiang suggested. Wang Yuyan instinctively nodded in agreement. Wu Yazi couldn't refuse and sighed, "Alright, I'll step aside for now. We'll talk once Yuyan has settled down. No rush." With that, he took a few more looks at Wang Yuyan and flew back toward the cave he had come from. Li Daoqiang watched him for a moment, then gently began comforting Wang Yuyan. "Husband, is he really Yuyan's grandfather?" Wang Yuyan asked, her big, watery eyes looking up at him, unable to help herself. "Barring any surprises, yes," Li Daoqiang nodded, pulling her into a light embrace. "If Mother knew, she'd be so happy. Husband, should we tell Mother?" Wang Yuyan said, brightening as if remembering something joyful. Li Daoqiang chuckled inwardly. When his mother-in-law talked about her father, there wasn't much longing. It was more complex, tinged with resentment. Her hatred of men stemmed from two sources: one was Duan Zhengchun, and the other was definitely Wu Yazi. And did Wu Yazi really want to see his own daughter? Thinking this, he said aloud, "Alright, I'll send word to your mother right away and invite her here." "Mhm." Wang Yuyan immediately felt much more at ease. Once her mother arrived, she wouldn't have to face her grandfather alone. After soothing the little lamb a bit more, Li Daoqiang dispersed his power, and Duan Yanqing and the others approached. Su Xinghe, meanwhile, went to see Wu Yazi. Inside the cave. Sealing off the sound, Wu Yazi said gravely, "Tell me everything about Li Daoqiang." "Yes." Su Xinghe acknowledged and began detailing it. Though he rarely left the valley, his intelligence-gathering abilities were still considerable. After all, he had to scout for talented youths to solve the Dragon Gambit. When Su Xinghe finished, Wu Yazi's brow was deeply furrowed. A faint displeasure flickered across his face. After a long pause, he sighed, "What a pity. A bandit, and greedy for wealth and lust." Su Xinghe remained silent, unsure what to say. "How much do you know about your junior sister Qingluo?" Wu Yazi asked, a trace of guilt and tension surfacing in his eyes. "Because of Li Daoqiang's recent marriage to Yuyan, it caused quite a stir, so I know a bit. Junior Sister Qingluo married into the Wang family eighteen years ago, a branch of the Lin'an Wangs, a prominent household. But her husband passed away many years ago, and since then..." As Su Xinghe spoke, Wu Yazi's eyes narrowed, shame creeping in. Finally, he let out another long sigh. "As a father, I've failed your junior sister." "Master, it wasn't your fault. It's all that traitor Ding Chunqiu's doing," Su Xinghe consoled him. Then he smiled cheerfully, "But now it's fine. Regardless, Li Daoqiang is Yuyan's husband. That traitor Ding Chunqiu won't be able to act arrogantly anymore." Wu Yazi's expression flickered with unease. He glanced at Su Xinghe, nodded without saying much, his eyes unusually deep—hesitant, yet resigned. "Don't tell Yuyan or Li Daoqiang about my matters for now. I have my own plans." "Yes." Su Xinghe obeyed without overthinking. After a pause, he hesitated, "Master, should we still invite people for the chess game?" "The invitations have already been sent; it's hard to retract them. Let it proceed for now," Wu Yazi said meaningfully. Su Xinghe wanted to say something but held back, obediently agreeing. Wu Yazi gave a few more instructions, then dismissed Su Xinghe. The cave fell silent again. Wu Yazi frowned, as if lost in thought. That afternoon. Wang Yuyan had calmed down, finally accepting the sudden appearance of a grandfather. Wu Yazi reappeared and talked with her alone. Li Daoqiang didn't intrude, giving them space. But he kept a close watch, guarding against any last-minute surprises. Standing in the distance, gazing into the far-off horizon, he pondered how to get Wu Yazi to pass on his skills to Wang Yuyan as soon as possible. Though he believed Wu Yazi would definitely pass his power to her, accidents could still happen. What if Wu Yazi looked down on women and wanted a male disciple instead? Who could truly know what was going on in this troubled old man's mind? So, he needed to think it through, ensuring everything was foolproof. Glancing sidelong at Wu Yazi and Wang Yuyan, an idea struck him. Maybe he could try working through his mother-in-law. Wu Yazi had spent years caring about his pride, too ashamed to face Tianshan Tonglao and the others. So he'd rather forgo revenge and hole up in a cave. Would he then be comfortable facing his own daughter? With a silent laugh, he made up his mind. Over half an hour later, Li Daoqiang approached where Wu Yazi and Wang Yuyan were chatting. Without ceremony, he called out, "Grandfather, Yuyan." Hearing "Grandfather," a hint of pleasure crossed Wu Yazi's brow, and he nodded kindly at Li Daoqiang. "Husband." Wang Yuyan called out sweetly. Her little face was still bright with joy, clearly cheered up by Wu Yazi. "Grandfather, I've already sent word to Mother-in-law. If all goes well, she should be here in seven days. Then our family will be reunited," Li Daoqiang said with a composed smile. Wang Yuyan immediately nodded with a smile. Wu Yazi's face showed a flicker of unease, his eyes subtly evasive and tense. But on the surface, he smiled along, "It's been many years since I last saw Qingluo. What a pity that I'm crippled now, or else... ah!" "Ah! Grandfather, what happened?" Wang Yuyan was startled, looking at Wu Yazi with concern. Li Daoqiang remained calm. With his strength, seeing Wu Yazi in person, he could tell that the old man's meridians and bones were almost entirely shattered. He was alive only because of his vast true essence, barely sustaining him. In this state, he could only handle those at the Xiantian realm; any Grandmaster could take him down. Wu Yazi smiled openly and shook his head, "Let's talk about that later. First, let me tell you about my Carefree Sect, alright?" Though Wang Yuyan was more worried about Wu Yazi's condition, she didn't know how to refuse and could only nod. Li Daoqiang naturally had no objections. "My Carefree Sect was passed down from my master, whose name was Xiaoyaozi." A look of reverence appeared in Wu Yazi's tone and expression. He glanced subtly at Li Daoqiang and continued, "Though my master wasn't famous in the martial world, he was a true transcendent. I even believe he might have reached the realm of the Heavenly Man. Unfortunately, he loved to wander the world, and I haven't seen him in years." Li Daoqiang's expression didn't change; like Wang Yuyan, he listened with interest. But inwardly, he stirred. Is this... meant for me? To back up Yuyan? Hmph. Wu Yazi showed no sign of anything amiss, as if implying nothing. He continued speaking about the Carefree Sect. Of course, it was only superficial—mentioning that Xiaoyaozi had four disciples. Tianshan Tonglao was at the Tianshan Lingjiu Palace, while Li Qiushui and Li Canghai were missing. Nothing else was said. Li Daoqiang wasn't surprised. Given Wu Yazi's personality, he wouldn't say much. He wouldn't even talk about his own experiences, let alone those messy affairs. Soon after, Wu Yazi went to rest. Two days passed in a flash. Wang Yuyan was getting along happily with Wu Yazi. For her, having another elder dote on her was a joyful thing. Because from childhood to now, she had rarely felt such affection. Li Daoqiang, however, noticed that Wu Yazi seemed to be subtly avoiding him, unwilling to stay in his presence. At first puzzled, he quickly understood. Wu Yazi, so concerned with face, probably felt inferior around him. Naturally, he didn't want to be near him. Though the reason seemed a bit ridiculous, analyzing Wu Yazi's character, it was the most likely explanation. Li Daoqiang was happy to avoid entanglements with him, so he let Wang Yuyan spend more time alone with him. On the fourth day at Mount Gulei. Wu Yazi was again alone with Wang Yuyan. Suddenly, Li Daoqiang's eyes flickered, a hint of joy appearing. His body vanished from its spot. Duan Yanqing and Su Xinghe also changed expressions, looking toward the cave where Wu Yazi stayed. Without orders, Duan Yanqing didn't dare meddle. Su Xinghe, however, showed grief and knelt directly. Inside the cave. Li Daoqiang appeared. By now, the spiritual energy here was surging. Wang Yuyan hung in the air, already unconscious. Wu Yazi radiated a brilliant blue light, surging power flowing like a river into Wang Yuyan's body. "Perfect timing. Guard me. I'm using the Northern Dark Divine Art to reverse my power and transfer all seventy years of my true essence to Yuyan." Wu Yazi's voice rang out. After speaking, he closed his eyes and focused entirely on the transfer. Li Daoqiang's face showed a hint of surprise. He frowned, then calmed down, concentrating intently. (Chapter two, just two chapters.) ·······