Chapter 0002: Mysterious Past

Uncle Yun Han led Yun Qingyan into the mansion and settled him in his former residence.

Yun Qingyan looked at the familiar courtyard, and memories of the past immediately flooded his mind. As a child, he and Cai'er loved to play and frolic in the courtyard.

"Qingyan, where have you been during the three years you were missing? Why did you only return now?" After settling Yun Qingyan, Uncle Yun Han couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued.

"At that time, I went to Lanyashan for training, but unexpectedly encountered the bandits there. I was imprisoned in their hideout for three years and only managed to escape recently by a stroke of luck." Yun Qingyan recited the story he had already prepared.

"You actually went to Lanyashan?" Uncle Yun Han's expression changed. Lanyashan was notorious for being a bandit stronghold, home to dozens of marauding bandits. Due to its treacherous terrain, the Tianyuan Dynasty's several attempts to eliminate the bandits had all ended in failure.

"Fortunately, you managed to escape, but Qingyan, you must never rashly venture into such dangerous areas again!" Uncle Yun Han said, still shaken.

What Uncle didn't know was that Yun Qingyan had indeed gone to Lanyashan for training, but not to be captured by bandits. Instead, he was swept into the Immortal Realm by a spatial storm.

"But Qingyan, did you have any chance to practice during these three years? What is your current cultivation level?" Uncle Yun Han asked, seemingly very concerned about this issue.

"Cultivation level?" Yun Qingyan gave a bitter laugh and said, "Probably equivalent to a third-rank Star Realm mortal warrior!"

Uncle Yun Han didn't notice the four words "mortal warrior" in Yun Qingyan's description. A look of disappointment flashed across his face. Three years ago, at the age of fifteen, Yun Qingyan was already the first genius of Tianyu City, with a fifth-rank Star Realm cultivation level.

He never expected that after three years, his cultivation level had not only failed to advance but had regressed.

But it was understandable. Being imprisoned by bandits for three years, where would he have the time to cultivate? Even the fact that his cultivation level wasn't completely ruined by the bandits was a stroke of luck.

"Qingyan, you don't need to be disheartened. With your talent, even if you start cultivating again now, you will surely return to the peak within a few years." Uncle Yun Han comforted Yun Qingyan.

"Sure, I will!" Yun Qingyan nodded, but his face showed no determination, only a sense of inevitability.

"Uncle, can you take me to the family's medicinal herb pavilion?" Yun Qingyan suddenly asked.

The Tianxing Continent was unlike the Immortal Realm, which had abundant immortal energy. Here, only the lowest-grade spiritual energy was available.

If he relied solely on spiritual energy, it would take Yun Qingyan at least a century to restore his full cultivation level. Clearly, he couldn't wait that long.

Therefore, he had the idea of refining medicinal pills.

With the help of medicinal pills, his cultivation recovery speed would increase exponentially.

"Medicinal herb pavilion?" A look of difficulty flashed across Uncle Yun Han's face, and he asked, "Qingyan, why do you want to go to the medicinal herb pavilion? Did you learn the art of alchemy during the three years you were imprisoned?"

"Yes! I was imprisoned with an alchemist, and over the past three years, I secretly learned the art of alchemy from him, mastering all his techniques!" This was also a story Yun Qingyan had prepared in advance.

Uncle's face immediately lit up. Alchemists were one of the most prestigious professions on the Tianxing Continent. Even a low-level human-grade alchemist held a status no less than that of the head of the Yun family.

"Alright, Qingyan, tell me what herbs you need, and I'll have them delivered to you tomorrow!" Uncle Yun Han thought for a moment and said.

"Alright." Although Yun Qingyan didn't understand why Uncle didn't take him to the medicinal herb pavilion, he still listed the herbs he needed.

The Immortal Realm was many times larger than the Tianxing Continent. Therefore, most of the herbs on the Tianxing Continent could also be found in the Immortal Realm.

The herbs Yun Qingyan listed were all common and ordinary, with no special growing conditions required. It was highly likely that they would be available on the Tianxing Continent.

"Father, I heard that my younger brother Qingyan has returned!" At that moment, an excited voice came from outside the courtyard. Within seconds, a young man appeared in front of Yun Qingyan.

The young man was handsome and tall, but his left sleeve was empty.

"Qingyan, is it really you?" Seeing Yun Qingyan, the young man could no longer contain his excitement and rushed over to embrace him.

The young man was none other than Yun Qingyan's cousin, Yun Xuan.

Although Yun Qingyan and Yun Xuan were only cousins, their bond was as strong as that of brothers!

"Brother, what happened to your left hand?" Unlike Yun Xuan's excitement, Yun Qingyan's eyes narrowed into slits, and a cold aura emanated from his body.

If there were people from the Immortal Realm present, they would be terrified. When the Immortal Emperor Yun Qingyan narrowed his eyes, it meant he was about to take lethal action.

What followed would be a bloodbath.

"Nothing, just an accidental injury that cost me an arm. Qingyan, today is a joyous occasion for your return. Let's not talk about this, okay?" A look of sadness flashed across Yun Xuan's eyes, and the hand that was hugging Yun Qingyan loosened.

"Alright!" Yun Qingyan nodded and stopped asking. But in his heart, a strong desire for revenge was brewing. Yun Xuan's left arm had not only been severed, but his cultivation level had also been destroyed.

"Father, let me spend the evening alone with my younger brother Qingyan! We haven't seen each other for three years, and I have so much to say to him!" Yun Xuan turned to his father Yun Han, his eyes filled with urgency.

"Alright, but I must warn you, don't drink too much!" Although Yun Han also wanted to catch up with Yun Qingyan, he softened at Yun Xuan's gaze.

Since being crippled half a year ago, Yun Xuan had become reclusive and even self-destructive. Today was the first time he had smiled in half a year.

After Uncle Yun Han left, Yun Xuan had the servants prepare a table of food and drinks.

During the meal, Yun Xuan kept toasting Yun Qingyan. He had a good tolerance for alcohol, and even after more than ten cups, he showed no signs of intoxication.

Yun Qingyan, accustomed to immortal wine, was naturally not affected by the mortal wine of the Tianxing Continent.

"Qingyan, tell me, where have you been for the past three years? Do you know how much effort the entire family put into searching for you when you first went missing?" Yun Xuan asked during the meal.

Yun Qingyan immediately repeated the story he had told Uncle.

The two brothers talked for a long time, almost making up for all the words they hadn't spoken in three years. Eventually, they stopped talking and just kept drinking.

Unconsciously, the night had turned into the early hours of the morning.

"Qingyan, I never thought that after three years, your alcohol tolerance would be so astonishing. Even I, your older brother, can't match you!" Yun Xuan only started to feel drunk now, having already consumed three large jars of bamboo leaf green wine, each containing five pounds.

Seeing Yun Xuan in this state, Yun Qingyan felt a pang of pain.

To feel drunk after drinking fifteen pounds of alcohol, it was clear how good Yun Xuan's alcohol tolerance had become. And alcohol tolerance could only be developed by drinking regularly.

In the past, Yun Xuan never touched alcohol.

It wasn't hard to imagine that after losing his arm, Yun Xuan had been numbing himself with alcohol.

That night, Yun Xuan drank until he couldn't drink anymore and fell asleep on the table.

"Brother, rest assured. Once my cultivation level is restored to a certain stage, I will help you rebuild your cultivation and regrow your arm." Yun Qingyan muttered to the sleeping Yun Xuan, and his gaze turned cold again, "As for the person who crippled you, no matter who they are or what background they have, this Emperor will make them pay the most severe price!"

After helping Yun Xuan to the bed, Yun Qingyan walked out to the courtyard.

It was less than an hour before dawn, and the first rays of light were already visible in the eastern sky.

"The cultivation techniques I practiced are for innate beings. Now, I must practice some techniques for mortal warriors!"

In the Immortal Realm, beings are innate from birth, which, in the language of the Tianxing Continent, means they are at the innate realm.

The cultivation levels of warriors on the Tianxing Continent, in the initial stages, are divided into: Star Realm, Moon Realm, and Sun Realm.

Above the Sun Realm is the innate realm, which is the realm of innate beings in the Immortal Realm.

Strictly speaking, innate beings are no longer considered ordinary humans, as each innate being has a lifespan of over 500 years.

Yun Qingyan's current cultivation level has fallen to the third-rank Star Realm. The cultivation techniques he practiced in the Immortal Realm are now too advanced for his current level.

To speed up his recovery, Yun Qingyan needed to practice mortal techniques in addition to relying on medicinal pills.

To put it simply, Yun Qingyan's current situation is like that of an infant. Although a powerful divine weapon is placed beside the infant, the infant's strength is not enough to lift the weapon.

For the infant to use the divine weapon, it must grow to a certain stage to have the strength to lift it.

Similarly, for Yun Qingyan to use the techniques and powers of the Immortal Realm, he must at least restore his cultivation level to the innate realm.

The next morning.

Uncle did not deliver the herbs until noon, when he sent the old steward to bring them.

"Master Qingyan, the clan leader is busy with matters and couldn't come himself, so he sent me to deliver the herbs. Please check the herbs to see if anything is missing," the old steward said respectfully.

"There's no need to check. Since Uncle sent you, he must have ensured everything is complete," Yun Qingyan said without even looking.

"Grandpa Lin, I have a question I hope you will answer truthfully!" Yun Qingyan's gaze turned cold, "Who crippled my brother's cultivation and severed his left arm?"

Lin, whose full name is Yun Yuanlin, has been the steward of the Yun family for generations.

The old steward Yun Yuanlin showed a look of difficulty and then gave a bitter laugh, "Master Qingyan, if you really want to know, you should ask Master Xuan directly. This is not only a personal disgrace for Master Xuan but also the greatest disgrace for the Yun family in recent years. As an old servant, I am not in a position to say more."

The old steward Yun Yuanlin hesitated for a moment and then added, "If Master Qingyan really wants to stand up for Master Xuan, I suggest you first reclaim your status as the heir to the clan."

The heir refers to the right to succeed as the next clan leader.

In the past, Yun Qingyan was the heir to the next clan leader, but after he disappeared three years ago, he lost that right.