“Then what about the people of the city? Even if I'm not a mayor of this small city but you also know that your grandfather requested me to keep the city and the people who lives in it. We have to think about them too.” Ye Canghai said with his face turned grim.

Manstein started to feel the pressure of responsibilities as he felt a large pressure on his chest. Every time he felt this, he must do something to ease that feeling.

And furthermore the look both Ye Canghai and Yu Feng when they stared at him was just like how his original grandfather looked at him. It was basically the same.

“Why did you treat me like one of your family? I still don't understand because it is illogical for someone to care for an unknown outsider like me.” Maybe due to the suffocating feelings he got or it was the unbearable sense of loss, Manstein honestly ask.

“Illogical? Or perhaps do you think we did all of this because of benefits?” Ye Canghai who sat beside him then tapped his hands on Manstein's shoulder.

“Well, maybe at the beginning..” Ye Canghai could not hide his embarrassment when he said this. His intention was still for the benefits at that time but when he saw how the man in front of him interacted with his son, he started to truly regard Manstein as his own family member.

“But Little Yuan believe in you, even my father also believe you. My father and son believe you, that is the reason why I want to do this.” Ye Canghai raised his voice that filled with positive approval.

“Because he said that with his own mouth, then I cannot object if it does not bring harm to the family.” Added Yu Feng.

“Really? If that's the case then I will have to tell Uncle and Aunt that after the first flower bloomed, I have to go away from this place.” With the duo of husband and wife were lightening up the mood and even went to see him personally, Manstein had to tell them his general plan and agenda.

“Why? Is there something that only you can do?” this time both of them asked with worried as their eyes looking at Manstein, asking for an explanation.

“To put it simply, yes. But then I have to give my family something as my way of saying thanks for treating me well.” After he took a long breath, Manstein smiled and then grabbed some bottles.

The bottles were transparent and one could see the black substance it contained. At first, there was no reaction than looking at the bottle with curiosity but then as time passed they understood what that meant.

“This is, don't tell me that the bottle contained the black water.” Ye Canghai said with a frown.

‘If one sees only the physical appearance then it is just like a bottle with ink inside it but when I used my sense to check it, I can't feel anything at all.’

That thought from Ye Canghai resulted in him trying to ask about the black water.

“Right. And of course when someone talked about the black water, they will tell about one of the Ranked Treasure in the world. The strange but coveted source of black water, The Forbidden Fountain.” Manstein said so boldly despite it was the same exact words the device had given to him when he first truly saw the thing!

“The Forbidden Fountain!” there were traces of both happy and worry mixed on both Ye Canghai and Yu Feng as they said in unison.

“Don't worry, the treasure is safe so we can temporarily put our worries to something else altogether.” Manstein said this because he glanced to his left only to find Ye Canghai's gripped his shoulder tightly.

“And feel free to use the black water as it will be useful for tempering the physical prowess, especially for the people who undergone body cultivation.”

Manstein gestured his hands, pointed to the bottle he had placed. Only after struggling once more that they finally accepted it reluctantly.

“And....Aunt Yu Feng, may I ask something rather sensitive?” now that Manstein already gave a little surprise, he started to feel nervous.

‘This is to please the older people and showing respect to them. And now that I want to ask this, I feel uncomfortable.’ Manstein already felt pressure just when he wanted to talk about the next topic.

“Something sensitive?” Yu Feng stunned for a second there but soon she continued with undivided attention, “About what?”

The atmosphere became heavier and of course, the silent moment after that question was asked enhanced the tense.

“About that, you know, the relationship with the royal family.” Manstein lowered his head as he knew that this case was the most sensitive spot to pick but he had no choice either.

“Alright...is this because it has relation to our current situation.?” Added Ye Canghai.

“Sadly, that is likely to be the case. And also, I want to know about it because I want to understand this new family that accepts me.”

And when Manstein raised his head, he could feel the presence of the two were on his side, making him in the middle.

“My brother and his wife, where should I begin? Or maybe you can go first, my dear wife.” With a hoarse voice and solemn expression, Ye Canghai slowly said.

Manstein saw the eyes of a pained person. Those eyes that showed how much pain the topic caused to the heart and Manstein felt guilty, he did not want to really open the old wounds but he must do it.

“But since he is already a member of our family, we should tell him.” Yu Feng then turned her head to see the man that lived together with her and vice versa. They nodded, as a sign of total agreement and then they narrated the story.

‘I'm sorry, everyone in this family. But if those royal family truly made a move, they will come for Xiaobai.’ Manstein silently said his apology and he started to form a new agenda in his head.

-

In the hot environment inside a room, there was a loud sound repeated itself as if a form of rhythmic. The sound was produced from two metals collided and created a dazzling spark sometimes.

In the middle of the room, a young man stood beside the fire which burned steadily even though the young man often heated the metal with that fire at close range and caused the fire to hit the metal.

‘Ugh, I have to make sure the spiritual circuit is truly embedded itself to the metal. After hammering the circuit thread, I have to make it so that the metal and the circuit become one.’

The young man was no other than Ye Xiaobai. His eyes focused entirely on the fire and a piece of metal in front of him.

‘Right, this process truly takes time and drains a lot of my energy.’ This was his first try in using better methods to refine and create a weapon. Even though some process were similar but the difference in it could make the quality and effect differ just by forging method.

The fire was burning without the sign of it will extinguished but the metal that was currently heated, it was floating in the middle of that fire.

Beads of sweat flowed down from Ye Xiaobai's forehead as the heat of the fire actually enveloped the entire room. This was the result of accumulated and trapped heat.

‘Almost done, just a little more.’ This was the last moment of the refinement process but Ye Xiaobai was not sure about the result.

He drew the qi from his foundation pillar, as well as reinforcing it with the altar in the middle of his consciousness.

In Foundation Establishment stage, five pillars for Early Stage, one altar for Mid Stage and Core Forming Formation for Late Stage.

Ye Xiaobai then raised both hands as he let out his energy from his finger. The energy then flowed to the piece of that metal, slowly enveloped it. His hands moved slowly but steady, making sure that every movement he made will not ruin the effort he had done.

‘The difference in temperature is critical for the spiritual circuit because the sudden change in temperature can break the circuit that already melted and becomes one with the metal.’

With his meticulous eyes, he had to make sure the metal slowly cooled down by dissipating the heat from that metal. The metal was slightly red due to the exposure to extreme heat but its form was still solid.

He controlled the metal with utmost care and then a white mist slowly formed around the metal. That was the excess heat from the metal and now it was dissipating and searching for thermal balance.

“I did it!” Ye Xiaobai let out a sigh of satisfaction as he wiped the accumulated sweat from his forehead.

“This is the request from my new brother. But to me this is also my gift to him. I will make him a fine dagger because I remember that he likes to carry one.”

The metal was actually the most part of the dagger because it had the form of the blade already. And he had to make it for both his trial in trying a new refining method and also as a present for Manstein.

“Are you done?” at that time and place, Ye Xiaobai could hear someone speaking to him. He became alert that instant because he did not feel a slightest presence at the start and even when he finished his job.

Turning his body around, what he saw was the beautiful woman with her animal characteristic like her tail as well as her triangular ears on her head.

With her silver colored hair which also the color of the fur on her tail made it more beautiful to look at. Unexpectedly, it was the fox girl Yue.

Seeing her calm composure made Ye Xiaobai clicked his tongue in annoyance because his worry now was useless.

“Yeah, already done. So how can you enter here without alerting me? And how can you conceal your presence so well?” after letting his feelings out, Ye Xiaobai realized these points immediately.

‘I clearly left my remaining focus to face unexpected event but she can enter this place with ease. If she is an assassin...’ thought Ye Xiaobai.

“Oh, it's about that. I just want to watch and nothing else.” Replied Yue with her smile. For Ye Xiaobai though, that smile was so bewitching that he felt uncomfortable. He disliked that because of his past experience as well as the cause of that incident.

“Just to make sure one more time, are you really fine to go with me?” while he tidied up the room after the refining process, Ye Xiaobai asked Yue.

What he meant was whether she wanted to go together with the person that caused her master to perish. And that was also the guilt Ye Xiaobai still carried even now.

“You’re guilty of that,” Yue stated the irrefutable fact which made Ye Xiaobai clenched his fists tighter.

“Especially when you are still immature and inexperienced, so easily seduced by beauties.” As if not enough, Yue added the oil to the fire! Even her tone was rather high when she said those sentences.

Then suddenly she lowered her tone and said in a beautiful and calming tone, “But you feel that feeling of guilty right? Also the regret you have in your eyes and your motivation to become stronger.”

“I just want you to be responsible and whether you wanted to take it all to the end.” She looked back at Ye Xiaobai but she kept her own last words to herself.

‘And you, the person which I hated before now turned our better than I expected.’ Yue thought and could not conceal her happiness about this.

‘It's true, I don't want to even see this man if not for Young Master's sake. After all, he is the cause and the reason why Young Master now is no more.’

At first, even Yue concealed her dislike and hate but then when she saw how Ye Xiaobai interacted with his family, as well as his moment of weakness where he felt guilty and helpless, that was when she realized her hate for him started to disappear.

Of course not at all of it but she could see him in a new light.

“But I have to warn you. Don't be surprised if someone from royal family is looking for me.” Ye Xiaobai raised both hands and indirectly told Yue to stop.

“What does that mean? Are you perhaps offending the royal family?” Yue stared at Ye Xiaobai in surprise. She did not expect the young man in front of her now to speak like that.

“No, it's not like that. In fact, Yue, I know exactly who the culprit is.” Ye Xiaobai truly hated it when he had to dig the painful past but that was the fact and it already happened anyway so he braced himself.

“Why!? Why you did not tell me sooner!? Who is it!?” Yue shook Ye Xiaobai's body but he just let her do as she pleased.

“Didn’t you want to know why someone from Zhao Royal Family is looking for me? That day when he had to protect me is also the day I realized the intention of someone from the royal family.” Ye Xiaobai told Yue.

“Basically, my first love interest is colluding with my enemies. Worse, the backer of my enemies is none other than that person from Zhao. Oh, how wishful for me to bite their flesh every time I think about that day...” killing intent that Ye Xiaobai emitted came from pure hatred and thirst for revenge.

“And they brainwashed me and sold me to the Cleansing Ancient Sect. And the damnable thing is even that sect is on that person's side.”

Only after that Ye Xiaobai woke up from his own anger. But then he saw the face of that fox woman turned darker, her tail also stood and the fur around that bushy tail was standing as if energy was flowing from the tail outward.

“I also, have someone I want to kill by my own hands.” Said Yue. Her face remained calm but under that calmness there was a trace of rage which Ye Xiaobai noticed.

“Alright, let's stop at this for now.” Tapping on her shoulders, Ye Xiaobai said so while looking at her tail.

‘Is the movement change?’ only when he touched Yue that he started to take notice of this.

“Let go, please.”

“Sorry, but I have to ask you to do some practice with me. Do you want to accompany me?” asked Ye Xiaobai while he grabbed something from his equipment bag and got something out from it.

What he grabbed was the glaive he had recently created and now he wanted to test its might. He did not have any time before due to the excitement in creating another weapon.

“Do you want to use it?” seeing Ye Xiaobai used the glaive for the demonstration, Yue asked in curiosity.

“Yes, and you probably know from where I get the design for it. But this weapon is still nameless though.”

Since he did not even use it, he could only think about the name of the weapon. As the one who had created it himself, he had the right to name it.

“If only I can see the sunrise with him again..” Ye Xiaobai was in deep thought and remembered the habits of his friend.

But then the room shook a little and this made both of them stabilized their position. Ye Xiaobai then sighed because he had to postpone his training but it could not be helped either.

“Okay, let's go out and meet with my cousin first.” Ye Xiaobai moved towards the exit while persuaded Yue.

“What a pity. I also want to compare note with you, do you know that?” Yue smiled a little.

‘But then if she could move to my back unnoticed, then is she truly an assassin before?’ Ye Xiaobai thought once more. He had never been able to read what she had in her mind fully.

At least, she did not kill him outright when they first met so he could be at ease even if she was indeed a genuine assassin.

“We arrived safely. Looks like the position is right though.” From the main chamber where the throne was located, Theresa could feel space had been stable.

At the same time in the training room, there were a lot of scratch on every side of the room. The yellow part which was part of the wall, ceiling and floor let out a faint sound as the scratch formed again and again.

The room itself miraculously recovered, slowly closing the scratch mark. That was why the room was suitable for training for it could repair itself and returned to its previous state.

Stood in the most center of the room, a boy with sword in his hand, standing there without moving a single inch.

Then the boy fell flat, without the boy even raised a hand about it. He fell on his back but his clothes were wet with the sweat.

“Finally..finally reach that state!”

After the boy shouted in happiness, his vision went blurry as he felt his entire body became so light as if he was flying.

Then the boy heard the door opened but because he could not lift his body anymore, he just stayed in his current position.

‘I am tired to the point of physical exhaustion. But compared to the gain, this is just a small price.’

His face turned pale but the determination in his eyes grew more and more.

“Cousin, are you alright?” when Ye Xiaobai entered the room, he saw everything and felt the remnant of the intent lingering around the room.

“You should not force yourself like that.” While saying that, Ye Xiaobai picked Ye Yingyuan's body and supported him by the shoulder.

“And Cousin, do you know about the royal families movement that Zhao Youran lead?” Ye Yingyuan wanted to ask this question since only his cousin had gone out from the city.

‘Surely he knows something, right? It's not long since he returned and even just a month or two since the control over his body had been taken away.’ Thought Ye Yingyuan.

“What did you say just now? What movement?” hearing the information from Ye Yingyuan made Ye Xiaobai surprised.

“It’s because we saved someone, remember that? We knew that she appeared so suddenly but we did not know why at that time. She said that it was because of the Isolation and Slaughter formation set by Zhao Youran.” Ye Yingyuan said softly.

“Is that so?” Ye Xiaobai could understand now that his cousin explained it to him. That man, he boldly offended Northern Ice Palace in its entirety, as if the treaty did not exist in the first place.

Ye Xiaobai felt disturbed and his arm which was not supporting Ye Yingyuan punched the floor beneath him. The sound when his strike hit could be heard even outside the room where Yue was waiting.

‘Damn it all! I'm sorry for not believing what you had said, Brother Jiang Shen. Looks like what you said will become reality now.’

His jaw grounded against each other when he realized it. He also knew that with this, the other powerhouses would be wary of the royal family and perhaps even tied their relation to the royal family.

‘Xiaobai, you should not tell this to anyone else. I have my suspicion on someone from royal family and I'm afraid that both of us already on their list.’

There was a thing that his friend had told him about it. And if he did not tell anyone or if his parent and family did not ask, he would certainly not tell anyone about it.

“This is, I can't believe that my younger cousin would already reach this point. You gained what you always want from Uncle.” To change the subject, he said the enthusiasm to Ye Yingyuan.

“But you overdid it. Furthermore, when you tried to let out your intent, it becomes harder right? That is the effect of exerting one's potentials over the limit, it's dangerous.” He warned with a serious expression and Ye Yingyuan nodded in agreement.

“Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.”