Son, Put Your Father To The Test (FF)

"Senior Qin Chuan, Junior Brother Qin Zi."

The blood-covered, sharp-edged young man smiled warmly when he saw Qin Chuan and Qin Zi.

There are two great joys in life:

To be named on the honor roll.

To meet an old friend in a distant land!

As for the wedding night... well, that had long lost its novelty. Whatever should have been experienced, had already been tried in the woods.

"Come on up," Qin Chuan said with a smile.

Zhao Yunsheng nodded and leaped onto the white jade pillar.

Immediately, Qin Zi started chatting incessantly with Zhao Yunsheng like an old hen fussing over her chicks, a rare sight for someone like him.

"Senior Brother Zhao, where did you go after leaving the Seven Martial Sect?"

"I headed west, intending to reach the Western Regions. But when I reached the edge of the Wasteland, I found I couldn't cross it. Then, an elder in the Saint Realm from the Western Regions passed by and helped me enter."

"And then?"

"Then I killed him."

"Why?"

"Ah… It's a long story. Best not to talk about it. But what about you? How is it that Senior Qin has become an emperor?"

"Heh, let's keep that low-key..."

Qin Chuan silently listened to the two young men's conversation without joining in. But for some reason, he felt a faint urge to laugh.

"Boom!"

Not long after, another young man emerged from the labyrinth. His injuries were more severe than Zhao Yunsheng's, and he staggered as he reached the white jade plaza.

"Excellent! Congratulations on passing the test. From now on, you are officially a disciple of the Purple Cloud Academy."

Yu Linzi smiled approvingly.

"Thank you, Senior!"

The young man's eyes gleamed with excitement, though he maintained a composed demeanor, clearly someone with a firm and steady character.

"Hmm, this fragment world lacks proper rules and is impoverished in resources. Yet, without any backing, you've managed to grow stronger on your own and pass through this labyrinth. That proves your exceptional talent and strong will," Yu Linzi remarked with admiration.

In truth, he had a higher opinion of those who passed the labyrinth on their own.

However, from the perspective of the Purple Cloud Academy, the young talents with emperor backgrounds were actually more valuable. These individuals had decent talent, but more importantly, they were backed by powerful fortunes. Their future achievements would likely be no less than those who passed through the labyrinth.

Each had their strengths.

So he treated them all equally.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

In the following hours, three more individuals emerged from the labyrinth, each in a rather pitiful state. Yu Linzi ordered several Purple Cloud Academy disciples to heal them, and soon, their injuries recovered thanks to various miraculous elixirs.

Time continued to pass.

Everyone sat cross-legged atop the white jade pillars, waiting patiently as the sun rose and set, the moon followed the same cycle. For beings of their level, all at least at the Heavenly Saint level, sitting idle for ten days or half a month wasn't boring.

Five days went by.

"Alright, time's up. Those who haven't made it through the labyrinth by now likely won't succeed in this lifetime. It's better to end this now before more lives are lost."

Yu Linzi stood abruptly and raised his hand toward the labyrinth. A vast, overwhelming force manifested, shaking the heavens and the earth.

"Buzz!"

At that moment, everyone felt an immense pressure emanating from Yu Linzi, as if a deity had suddenly stood before them.

"How powerful!"

"At least a Nine Tribulation Emperor! Possibly a Seventh or even Eighth Heavenly Saint Emperor!"

"Maybe even a Quasi-Emperor!"

The emperors from the fragment world were shocked.

For the first time, they truly understood just how terrifyingly powerful this amiable elder was. Although they had known all along that he was strong, they hadn't grasped the full extent of his strength until now.

Now, they understood.

"Rumble!"

Meanwhile, the labyrinth, which hovered over the sea like a vast city, began to glow gold and tremble violently.

"No! I don't want to be forced out!"

"I'm not done yet!"

"I refuse to give up!"

Many of those still fighting their way through the labyrinth were enveloped by an irresistible force and ejected, their desperate cries echoing as they were tossed out.

Opportunities like this, to leap through the dragon's gate, only come once in a lifetime—if they're lucky.

"Rumble!"

The labyrinth shook violently before slowly rising into the air, shrinking as it floated toward Yu Linzi.

"Whoosh!"

Just before the labyrinth disappeared completely, a figure shot out from within, crashing onto the white jade plaza.

He propped himself up on his sword, panting heavily. "Sorry, I got delayed on the way… but I think I made it, right?"

"Yes, you made it."

Yu Linzi smiled.

He glanced at the young man, noting that his injuries weren't too severe, but his speed in passing through the labyrinth had been slower. Overall, this young man's strength was likely a bit weaker than those who came before him, but he seemed to be more cautious.

Caution was also a virtue.

At this moment, a joyful voice rang out.

"Brother!"

It was none other than Shui Qingrou, standing beside the elder of the North Pole Divine Palace, her face beaming with tears of joy.

"Qingrou."

The young man who had arrived late gave a gentle smile. The scar on his face did nothing to diminish the softness of his expression as he looked at his younger sister.

This was Shui Qinghan.

"It's him!"

"The battle slave of Qi Huang!"

"Qi Huang is dead, but he survived and has become this strong? Could the legacy of the Ten Thousand Sword Heavenly River be…"

Tianjiao from the Eastern Domain quickly recognized Shui Qinghan, their expressions changing as they began to speculate.

Qin Zi wasn't slow to make the connection either. He hesitantly glanced at Qin Chuan, frowning as he whispered, "Father, could that incident with the Ten Thousand Sword Heavenly River have something to do with him?"

He didn't want that to be true.

After all, this was Shui Qingrou's brother. If it really were him, it would leave a thorn in his relationship with Shui Qingrou.

A thorn and a needle are not the same.

A needle between a man and a woman can deepen affection, but a thorn lodged there? That's like a bone stuck in one's throat.

"Maybe, maybe not. Until the truth comes out, no one knows for sure. But still... you should always keep your guard up."

Qin Chuan's calm voice echoed in Qin Zi's mind.

"Understood."

Qin Zi nodded. For Shui Qingrou's sake, he would let this go for now. Whether Shui Qinghan had a hand in that incident or not, it no longer mattered.

But if something like this happened again... he wouldn't hold back.

"Senior Qin Chuan, Senior Brother Qin Zi."

Shui Qinghan warmly greeted them before leaping onto the white jade pillar beside Shui Qingrou. The two siblings began catching up, though they kept things relatively formal in the presence of others.

"Whoosh!"

At the same time, the labyrinth completely shrank into a small golden cube, which flew into Yu Linzi's hand.

He stowed the labyrinth away and spoke loudly:

"Everyone! All good things must come to an end. I came here with a mission, and now that it is complete, it's time for us to leave. I hereby announce that all young talents who now stand upon this plaza are welcome to join the Purple Cloud Academy."

"As for the esteemed emperors present, if any of you wish to join, the academy will gladly welcome you. If not, you are free to leave as you please."

Immediately, the atmosphere grew tense.

It was time to say farewell.

Most of the emperors here had brought their juniors, who would certainly be joining the Purple Cloud Academy. As for the emperors themselves, most would be staying behind on the Fragment Continent.

"Master, I…"

"Boy, when you get to the Main Continent, train hard and make something of yourself. If you can, come back and see this old fool someday."

"Grandfather, I…"

"Don't worry, there's no need to feel sad for me. Though we've depended on each other all our lives, your grandfather can still…"

"Grandfather, that's not what I meant. I was wondering… could you give me some money for the journey?"

"Get out of here!"

…

The plaza was filled with heartfelt goodbyes, each more touching than the last.