Staying Alive Cautiously in the Celestial Realm and Becoming the Strongest

The day after Ling Zhiyuan turned fifteen, Ling Hongyun found an excuse to punish him, forcing him to kneel and reflect overnight in the ancestral hall.

No amount of pleading from anyone was of any use!

This was not the first time Ling Zhiyuan had to endure such punishment.

However, unlike before, just as he knelt drowsily into the dead of night, Ling Hongyun appeared quietly.

He led him to this room in the back yard and taught him how to open the secret chamber's mechanism!

Now, this secret chamber unfolded before Wang Chen.

The secret chamber was not large, with storage shelves along three of the walls, filled with boxes of various sizes.

Without even looking, Wang Chen swept all the boxes into his own storage space.

Not even one was left behind!

For the contents of this secret chamber were the hereditary wealth of the Ling Family; aside from gold, silver, jewels, and antiques, there were also cultivation techniques, weapons, medicines, and more.

Considering he might not return for a long time, Wang Chen naturally aimed to take everything with him.

After fulfilling his oath, he could always return the remaining part to the successor of the Ling Family.

In an instant, the secret chamber was left completely empty.

Wang Chen stepped out, reactivated the mechanism to restore everything to its original state, and then left the room.

Of course, he did not forget to rehang the door lock.

Just then, Wang Chen suddenly felt something off and spun around sharply.

Under the eaves of the corridor ahead, there unexpectedly stood an old man with white hair, holding a lantern.

Seeing this person, Wang Chen blurted out, "Third Great-Uncle?"

This old man was in fact the guardian of the Ling Clan's ancestral hall and also a senior relative to Ling Hongyun.

What surprised Wang Chen was that despite his keen senses, he had not detected the other's presence in advance.

Despite this, Wang Chen felt no desire to harm him.

After all, the Third Great-Uncle, having no children of his own, was extremely kind to the children of the clan, including Ling Zhiyuan himself.

Whenever Ling Zhiyuan was punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, Third Great-Uncle would secretly bring him something to eat or drink.

So, even at the risk of exposure, Wang Chen would not raise a hand against such an elderly man.

"Little Yuan?"

The Third Great-Uncle first expressed surprise before beckoning with a sense of resignation, "Come, I have something to tell you."

Holding the lantern, the old man made his way to an adjacent chamber and then pushed the door open to enter.

Wang Chen hesitated for a moment but followed him in.

Inside the room, the Third Great-Uncle placed the lantern on a table and said to Wang Chen with a smile, "You've come for the things your father left behind, haven't you?"

Wang Chen nodded, "Yes."

"I knew it."

The Third Great-Uncle showed no surprise and sighed, "Your dad was smart from a young age, and his talent in martial arts was outstanding. If not weighed down by family affairs, he would have reached the Martial Ancestor Realm long ago."

"He wasn't supposed to die. He was just too confident."

Wang Chen remained silent.

The memories of Ling Zhiyuan were mostly dominated by Ling Hongyun.

Like a huge mountain, he not only protected Ling Zhiyuan but also weighed down upon him.

The fact that Ling Zhiyuan disliked martial arts and preferred literature was actually a form of rebellion against his own father—the rebellion of a young man.

In the memories of Ling Zhiyuan, Ling Hongyun was indeed a very proud individual.

But also very smart.

For example, locating the treasure chamber beneath the ancestral hall rather than within the heavily guarded Ling Residence.

In fact, there were also secret chambers within the Ling Residence, but those were clearly for deception—having none would be the abnormal situation!

Wang Chen removed his mask.

Third Uncle was stunned for a moment—he had recognized Ling Zhiyuan by his voice just now.

The elder in the clan sighed and said, "You've truly grown up."

Wang Chen asked, "Third Uncle, do you know who is going against my father, against our Ling Family?"

This time, it was Third Uncle's turn to fall silent.

After a long while, he finally spoke, "Zhiyuan, I won't lie to you, your uncle does have some guesses, but I can't be certain. Telling you now would only harm you."

He paused before the clan elder continued, "Zhiyuan, you should just leave, the further the better. As long as you pass on the bloodline of our Ling Family, you will have fulfilled your duty to our ancestors!"

"As for that fool Ling Hongfeng, sooner or later he will deliver the Ling Family into someone else's pocket, and he won't live much longer either!"

Wang Chen thought for a moment, then said, "Third Uncle, I am now a member of the Blood Cloak Guard, serving under the Jiangyuan City Capital Guard Yamen."

"Blood Cloak Guard?"

Third Uncle couldn't believe it and his eyes widened with incredulity, "Good, good, good!"

He said "good" three times, showing the shock in his heart.

Ling Zhiyuan's lack of ambition had been notorious throughout Anyang City; and who would have thought that in less than a year, this once timid and academic youth, had become a Blood Cloak Guard, a figure capable of striking fear into the hearts of children at night!

If Ling Hongyun hadn't died, if the Ling Family were still its former self, Third Uncle would never have approved of Ling Zhiyuan joining the Blood Cloak Guard, of becoming a hunting dog for the Imperial Court.

But in the current situation, being part of the Blood Cloak Guard was the best protection for Ling Zhiyuan!

The clan elder couldn't help but grab Wang Chen's arm, saying excitedly, "Since you've chosen this path, you must work hard. The higher you climb, the less anyone will dare to touch you, and then our Ling Family will have hope!"

Wang Chen nodded, "Third Uncle, I will certainly do my best."

Third Uncle was extremely relieved, "You have become much more sensible than before…"

"There is something I must tell you, something I haven't even mentioned to your father. That is, the last two tiers of the Cultivation Technique, Mysterious Sun Haven Seven Fiend Wheel, are hidden in the Scripture Pavilion at Cloud Platform Mountain's Taoist Palace."

"Once you reach the power of a Martial Ancestor, it would be best if you have ascended to a high position in the Blood Cloak Guard before you attempt to retrieve it."

Wang Chen's eyes immediately lit up, "Cloud Platform Mountain's Taoist Palace!"

The main purpose of his secret return to Anyang City this time was to reclaim the Ling Family's treasures, because among them were the subsequent Cultivation Techniques of the Mysterious Sun Haven Seven Fiend Wheel.

Without those techniques, Wang Chen couldn't break through the Third Order of the Martial Master Realm unless he gave up on the Mysterious Sun Haven Seven Fiend Wheel.

But even the Ling Family's secret transmission of the Mysterious Sun Haven Seven Fiend Wheel only had the first five tiers of techniques. The last two were said to have been lost a long time ago.

Ling Hongyun had always been searching for them, but to no avail.

Wang Chen had originally planned to seek a new Cultivation Technique that pointed directly to the pinnacle after he himself reached the Martial Ancestor Realm.

Unexpectedly, Third Uncle actually knew the whereabouts of the last two tiers of the Mysterious Sun Haven Seven Fiend Wheel's techniques.

It was indeed an unexpected surprise!

"Remember, be careful in all things."

Third Uncle said, "No matter what you want to do, you must first ensure your own safety."

"You can go back now, do not return unless you've risen to a high rank!"

Wang Chen respectfully bowed to this clan elder and then quietly left the ancestral hall.

After he left, Third Uncle came to the front of the hall and knelt before the ancestral tablets.

"Ancestors above, I beg you to protect Ling Zhiyuan, shield him so that he may turn danger into safety and misfortune into good fortune!"

After praying, he picked up an oil candle from the offering table and threw it onto the nearby drapes.

The candle flame quickly ignited the drapes and soon spread throughout the entire ancestral hall.

Surrounded by the fierce flames, the kneeling Third Uncle showed no sign of fear.

He closed his eyes with a smile.

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The second update is here.