My Celestial Ascension

Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang inspected every nook and cranny of the cabin where their Lord once resided before mysteriously disappearing from the Secret Realm tens of thousands of years ago. Grandpa Fang examined each item his Lord had used with the utmost care, as if each one was priceless, a testament to the deep respect he had for his Lord.

"This room is exactly as I imagined--simple and unadorned," Grandpa Fang murmured, a dazed look on his face.

"Our Lord was a simple man," Grandma Fang added. "He didn't care for luxury. He used ordinary things in his daily life. Like that plain wooden chair and table, and the small bed that doesn't even look comfortable for one person."

"During his training, he cooked his own meals. This pagoda was built by his own hands, just like the walls surrounding Xian City," Grandpa Fang continued. "He was a master of formations too. The barrier that protects our house, and the one keeping demons and monsters from entering the city, were his creations."

"He imbued the formations with his Sword Aura, making it impossible for demons to break through. The Secret Realm itself also weakens their power, so they avoid the city and our home entirely," he finished, releasing a deep sigh.

"Are demons really so dangerous that you need such strong protections despite your cultivation?" Lily asked, her curiosity piqued.

"They are incredibly dangerous and vile," Grandpa Fang replied. "Even a low-ranking demon can easily kill a Spirit Master-level cultivator and hold its own against Spirit Grandmasters."

"But their weakness lies in their cultivation speed, which is much slower than ours. They can't match the speed at which we progress unless they consume humans or spiritual beasts. That's the only way they can grow stronger quickly," Grandpa Fang explained further as he moved into the small kitchen connected to the room.

Grandma Fang followed him, her eyes scanning the kitchen with great interest. "So this is where our Lord cooked his meals... I never thought I'd ever see this place in my lifetime. Thank you, Yuan, for allowing us to witness where the Lord lived," Grandpa Fang said, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"There's no need to thank me. You've helped us immensely as well," Yuan smiled.

As Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang continued to explore the pagoda, they suddenly sensed a few powerful presences approaching.

"They're finally here... Took them long enough," Grandpa Fang muttered, his expression turning serious.

"Who's here? What are you talking about, Grandpa?" Fang Xiaoyan asked, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

"City Lord Wu Ping and his good-for-nothing son, Chen Ping, along with some soldiers," Grandma Fang replied quickly before Grandpa Fang could speak.

"So it's them... No wonder I felt a familiar presence approaching. Let's go meet them," Fang Xiaoyan grumbled, clearly irritated by the thought of encountering the person she despised most.

'I wonder what they want this time... They'd better not cause trouble, or I'll let Yuan kick them out of the Secret Realm,' Fang Xiaoyan thought smugly.

"Well, let's not keep our guests waiting. It wouldn't be polite," Grandma Fang chuckled mischievously.

Yuan and the others shivered at the sight of her mischievous smile, sensing that this "meeting" might take a strange turn.

"Besides, if they try anything, Yuan can easily kick them out of the Secret Realm," Fang Xiaoyan added with a proud smirk.

Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang both froze, startled by her comment. They turned to Yuan, disbelief in their eyes.

'That phenomenon earlier... Could it be... Has he become the new Master of the Secret Realm?' they thought, their eyes wide with shock as they looked at Yuan.

"D-Does that mean Yuan has become...?" Grandpa Fang mumbled, disbelief written across his face.

Fang Xiaoyan nodded repeatedly, a proud grin spreading on her lips. "That's right, Grandpa! Yuan has become the Master of the Secret Realm! He has full control over it!"

"T-This is unbelievable..." Grandma Fang covered her mouth with her hands, her voice trembling with emotion. Tears of joy welled up in her eyes, unable to contain her happiness.

Congratulations, young man. I always knew you were special, but I never imagined this!" Grandma Fang smiled warmly before turning to Grandpa Fang. "At last, your long wait is over."

"You're right," Grandpa Fang nodded at his wife, a solemn smile on his face. "From today onward, we have a new Lord whom we will serve, just as we served our previous Lord for generations."

Yuan, puzzled by their quiet conversation, leaned toward Fang Xiaoyan. "What are they muttering about?"

"I have no idea," Fang Xiaoyan shrugged, equally confused.

Meanwhile, outside the pagoda, Wu Ping and his son, Chen Ping, were desperately trying to force the door open. They even ordered their soldiers to push against the door, but no matter how hard they tried, the iron door refused to budge.

"Damn it! Why won't this door open?!" Chen Ping shouted in frustration. In his anger, he kicked the door, but only ended up hurting his foot. "Ow!"

"This cursed door! I'll cut it down myself!" Chen Ping growled, drawing his sword from his spatial ring, ready to strike.

"Chen Ping! Don't be a fool! If the Fang Family finds out, they could wipe out our entire family overnight!" Wu Ping grabbed his son's arm before he could unleash his sword technique.

"But the door won't open--" Before Chen Ping could finish his sentence, the iron door swung open on its own, and familiar figures stepped out from inside the pagoda.

"The Fang Family?! How did they manage to get inside?" Wu Ping's expression turned tense as soon as he spotted Grandpa Fang, Grandma Fang, and the others.

'Isn't that the guy Fang Xiaoyan fell for? What's he doing here with the Fang Family? And those women with him...' Chen Ping cursed inwardly as his gaze fell on Yuan.

"What are you doing here, Chen Ping?" Fang Xiaoyan sneered, disgust flashing in her eyes. "Don't you know it's forbidden to come here without permission?"

"Lord Wu," Grandpa Fang addressed Wu Ping with a voice laced with superiority, "you are well aware of the rules our Lord set. Why have you come here uninvited? Explain yourself."

"W-Well... about that..." Lord Wu Ping stammered, feeling the weight of Grandpa Fang's intense gaze. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his nerves faltering.

"Lord Wu Ping," Grandma Fang interjected, her eyes briefly flicking to Yuan before returning to Wu Ping, "you need to provide a satisfactory explanation. Otherwise, this offense will be hard to overlook--unless, of course, the new Lord of the Secret Realm chooses to forgive you."

New Lord? Both Wu Ping and Chen Ping were left speechless, their eyes darting toward Yuan, who stood beside Fang Xiaoyan with a calm demeanor. They quickly realized he must be the new Master of the Secret Realm.

After taking a deep breath to steady himself, Wu Ping explained, "We sensed a profound aura coming from the Red Pagoda, and the ground trembled shortly after. We believed someone had entered the pagoda and came here immediately to investigate."

"We didn't mean to offend anyone by coming here without notice. We apologize for that. Our only concern was the panic it caused among the citizens," Lord Wu Ping added, trying to keep his composure as he bowed slightly.

"I see... Well, it all depends on our new Lord now. Whether or not he forgives you both for this offense is entirely up to him," Grandpa Fang said, stealing a glance at Yuan.

Lord Wu Ping turned his attention to Yuan and was immediately taken aback by his young and handsome appearance. Moreover, the women standing beside Yuan were extraordinarily beautiful--each could easily be regarded as a goddess.

*So beautiful... I've never seen so many top-tier beauties at once in my life. This feels like a dream,* Lord Wu Ping thought, though he wasn't foolish like his son. He knew better than to think ill of Yuan and his wives, especially given that the head of the Fang family recognized Yuan as the new Lord.

"You must be the new Master of this realm. I am Wu Ping, the Lord of Xian City, which you recently visited. Please accept my sincere apologies for our offense. I promise we will not cause any trouble in the future," Lord Wu Ping said, bowing respectfully to Yuan.

Yuan, listening to Wu Ping's earnest apology, nodded with a gentle smile. "Just ensure that you don't trouble us and treat your citizens fairly."

"Thank you, Young Lord. I've always been fair to my citizens, and that won't change as long as I live," Lord Wu Ping replied with a grateful smile.

'This young man is completely the opposite of my son. He's calm and composed. No wonder the Secret Realm chose him as its new Master,' Lord Wu Ping thought, his opinion of Yuan growing more favorable. Yuan displayed neither arrogance nor coldness despite his newfound status, which impressed him even further.

Fang Xiaoyan then approached Yuan, her beautiful smile lighting up her face. "Yuan, since you're now the Master of this realm, why don't you make an announcement and let everyone know?"

Yuan smiled at her and replied, "I'll do that later. For now, let's head back to your house and have breakfast. I'm starving."