Futile Devices Scans

Father Chen’s chest rose and fell repeatedly. In the end, knowing Chen Yixin’s temperament, continuing like this would only anger himself to death. He carefully examined Chen Yixin for a long while before asking, “Is everything alright now?”

“Mm, A-Li healed me.”

Chen Yixin naturally understood what Father Chen was asking. Ten years ago, when he had been sent back to Zhenhai, Father Chen had come to see him once. But after that single visit, he left the Little Bamboo Islet, and not long after, news of the Chen family’s marriage alliance with the Demon Palace spread.

Father Chen nodded. Before he could say anything else, Chen Yixin immediately followed up with another question, “Did you wake A-Li in advance?”

This had originally only been a rather unreliable guess, but from Father Chen’s startled reaction, Chen Yixin confirmed it—it really had been him who woke Wenren Li early. Otherwise, if they had waited for Wenren Li to awaken naturally, it would have been far too late.

“Thank you,” Wenren Li also spoke. He and Chen Yixin had discussed this on the way here. Almost the day after he awakened, the Chen family of Zhenhai had already sent Chen Yixin’s marriage token to the Demon Palace.

Wenren Li had not forgotten everything that happened in the Burning Heaven Nether Palace, so he did not hesitate regarding this marriage arrangement. After making preparations, he sent people to the Northern Domain to bring Chen Yixin back, while he himself remained behind to continue healing—using something Wu Fei had obtained by chance.

Its effects were astonishing. It had seemed like coincidence at the time, but now, connecting it to the Emperor of the Upper Realm, it was clearly no coincidence at all.

“You healed Jiu’er, so there’s no need for thanks,” Father Chen said, leaning back slightly. He could already tell—Chen Yixin and Wenren Li hadn’t simply returned to visit him; they had come prepared.

“I obtained the inheritance of the Burning Heaven Nether Palace,” Chen Yixin spoke as directly as ever, especially with those close to him. His next sentence went straight to the question he had come to resolve. “Father, are you… a clone of the Emperor of the Upper Realm?”

Father Chen had once explained Chen Yixin’s mother’s death to him—limited aptitude, passing away naturally, nothing to grieve over.

But now, thinking about it, that result might not have been due to aptitude at all. Instead, it could be that their clones weakened continuously upon descending to the Lower Realm, resulting in his mother living a mortal life and his father struggling to even reach the Golden Core stage.

“Do you know where I came from?” Chen Yixin’s expression was serious. He didn’t need comforting lies—he only wanted the truth from Father Chen.

“I’ve heard,” Father Chen replied calmly after glancing at the two of them.

Chen Yixin’s deeds at Jade Cauldron Sect had already spread throughout Taixuan; his identity as the Divine Son had been confirmed. Only smaller places like Zhenhai lagged slightly behind, and that was only for ordinary cultivators. As the head of a cultivation family, Father Chen had long known.

After asking, Chen Yixin said nothing more. He narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at Father Chen as he calmly drank tea, letting the silence stretch. Chen Yixin had never lacked patience—he was waiting for a direct admission, while Father Chen seemed to be weighing something, delaying his response.

Wenren Li finished the tea Chen Yixin handed him and set the cup down. Father Chen looked over, and he asked, “How much do you know?”

“Since the palace spirit of the Burning Heaven Nether Palace is sleeping inside this ring, how much do you think I know?” Chen Yixin replied with a question instead of an answer. But in truth, Father Chen’s question already counted as tacit acknowledgment of his identity.

Father Chen shook his head lightly. “I’m not asking what the palace spirit told you—I’m asking how much you yourself have remembered.”

How much Chen Yixin had unlocked from the jade pendant would determine how deep this conversation could go. Otherwise, in his view, Chen Yixin and Wenren Li were acting too hastily.

“So just because I can’t remember, you think I’ll be easy to fool?” Chen Yixin was clearly harder to deal with than Father Chen had expected. Even after guessing that Father Chen might be a clone, he showed no fear—he spoke what should be said and withheld what should be hidden.

A trace of helplessness appeared on Father Chen’s face. He sighed and shook his head. “Foolish child, how did you end up hanging yourself on this crooked tree?” Unable to do anything about Chen Yixin, he could only vent his frustration toward Wenren Li.

“A-Li is not a crooked tree. I don’t understand—being with him hasn’t harmed anyone. You and Mother only made a token effort to oppose it, but since when did others get the right to oppose my marriage?”

More importantly, their opposition meant nothing to Chen Yixin. But when opposition turned into pursuit and attempted killing, it was no longer something he could tolerate or ignore.

Even now, Chen Yixin didn’t fully understand, but he vaguely sensed that a great secret lay behind all this—something connected either to him or to Wenren Li. But if it involved one of them, it inevitably involved both.

“If you won’t tell me now, are you waiting until A-Li and I fight our way to the Upper Realm before telling us? By then, do you think I’ll still need you to explain anything?”

Deep down, Chen Yixin didn’t want to stand against the whole world—especially not his family. But if forced to that point, he wouldn’t hesitate. Wenren Li was his bottom line. As long as that line wasn’t crossed, everything could still be negotiated.

Father Chen’s gaze shifted from Chen Yixin to Wenren Li. He sighed softly. “It’s not that I won’t say it—it’s that I cannot. Jiu’er… and Lord Li, cultivate well. When you reach the Upper Realm, trust no one except each other.”

Father Chen’s words were telling Chen Yixin and Wenren Li that even the Ancient Phoenix Divine Clan could not be trusted. They had their own concerns and positions, and could not always stand on Chen Yixin and Wenren Li’s side. Since they insisted on loving each other, everything could only depend on themselves.

“Jiu’er, it’s not that I, your father, am heartless, but… there is no other way.”

As Father Chen spoke, he slowly raised his hand and gently placed it on Chen Yixin’s hair. Chen Yixin’s eyes reddened slightly—there was confusion, resentment, and grievance—but in the end, he did not avoid it.

When their avatars descended to the Lower Realm, they had not wanted to completely sever familial ties with him. Because of that, he could not disregard those ties entirely.

“I understand,” Chen Yixin replied. He leaned slightly toward Wenren Li, and Father Chen withdrew his hand.

Father Chen studied Chen Yixin, who had lowered his head, for a moment longer. Then he stood up. “Wait here. I’ll get something for you.”

“Mm,” Chen Yixin nodded, lifting his gaze to follow Father Chen until his figure disappeared beyond the doorway before looking away.

“A-Rong, I’m sorry, because of me…”

Before Wenren Li could finish speaking, Chen Yixin shot him a sideways glance, and he immediately fell silent.

“Being with you was my own choice. Between us, there is no ‘sorry,’ and there is no need for it. The fact that A-Li can like me the same way and choose me is already enough for me. Don’t say things like that again.”

A verbal warning wasn’t enough—Chen Yixin reached into Wenren Li’s clothing and pinched the soft flesh at his waist repeatedly. Wenren Li’s true form was a tree, and his sensitivity to tickling wasn’t strong. No matter how much Chen Yixin tickled him, he remained unmoving, without any reaction.

Chen Yixin wasn’t someone who gave up easily. His hand slid upward, grabbing a more sensitive spot and teasing it repeatedly. Wenren Li instinctively pressed down on Chen Yixin’s hand. “A-Rong…”

“Do you know you were wrong?”

“Mm,” Wenren Li nodded. He released Chen Yixin’s hand, but the hand inside his clothes changed its pressure, continuing to tease and pinch.

“Ahem!” Father Chen coughed heavily, his face flushed, clearly quite stimulated—though not in a good way—by Chen Yixin’s behavior.

Hearing the cough, Chen Yixin reluctantly withdrew his hand. However, his body remained leaning toward Wenren Li, with no intention of moving back. He clung to Wenren Li without restraint, completely unembarrassed at being caught.

“What is it?” Chen Yixin glanced at Father Chen before his gaze landed on the brocade box in his hand.

Father Chen placed the brocade box on the stone table and pushed it toward them before sitting down.

When the box was opened, inside were a jade pendant and a token. The jade pendant looked similar to the one Chen Yixin wore around his neck, except his was icy blue, while this one was dark in color.

“This is something you and Mother prepared for A-Li?” Chen Yixin guessed immediately, without needing Father Chen to explain.

“More accurately, it was something you prepared for yourself and him.” In the Upper Realm, Chen Yixin had personally arranged his own wedding and even prepared their token of love, so proactive that it left immortals who had lived for tens of thousands of years unable to even confess love feeling ashamed.

Father Chen waved his hand, and a dark light barrier formed around them. Only then did he continue, “You’ll have to explore its functions yourselves. But one thing is certain—you must not lose it.”

As he said this, Father Chen glared at Chen Yixin. He was relatively reassured about Wenren Li, but Chen Yixin could be stubborn beyond reason. The one person who could restrain him—Wenren Li—only indulged him, making him even more unrestrained.

“Alright,” Chen Yixin replied lightly, clearly unwilling to dwell on this old topic. He took the jade pendant into his hand, examined it carefully, then turned around and personally put it on Wenren Li.

He smiled at Wenren Li, and Wenren Li couldn’t help but smile back. Having been around Chen Yixin for so long, his smile had gradually become more natural.

“A-Li looks good wearing it—really good…” After putting it on, Chen Yixin praised him. If Father Chen hadn’t been present, he might have preferred to kiss Wenren Li to express his approval.

Father Chen rolled his eyes. He had long since given up on Chen Yixin’s taste and simply accepted it. Lowering his head, he continued brewing tea, then refilled Wenren Li’s cup. “Ask whatever you want. If I can answer, I’ll do my best.”

The restrictions placed on him and the Phoenix Empress after arriving in Taixuan were immense. In order to give birth to Chen Yixin, the Phoenix Empress could no longer cultivate and passed away not long after his birth. As for him, his own lifespan was also nearing its end.

Even if Chen Yixin and Wenren Li had not come looking for him, he would have gone to the Southern Domain Demon Palace himself before his time was up. The situations in both the Upper Realm and Taixuan were becoming increasingly complicated—no amount of worry for his child would ever be enough.

Hearing this, Chen Yixin finally turned back. His expression grew serious as he began to think carefully. It wasn’t that he had no questions—it was that he had too many, and didn’t know where to begin.

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