Returning from some unknown continent, Yin Xianhong first stopped by the Divine Palace Sect before heading straight to the Fang residence.

Familiar with the place, she went directly to Fang Ting's courtyard, where she found him lying on a reclining chair—one hand resting on Little Gray's round head, the other holding a wine flask. A storybook hovered in front of him, slowly flipping pages.

He was, as always, completely relaxed and at ease.

Yin Xianhong casually asked,

"Where are Xinyan and the others?"

"In seclusion, cultivating," Fang Ting replied.

The three girls had all reached the Manifestation stage, and were now just a step away from breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage.

Yin Xianhong walked over, rubbed Little Gray's chubby belly a few times, then sat down beside him.

"That large-scale Wanbao Pavilion auction went well. I heard about it even from over a dozen continents away."

Fang Ting put away the storybook, took a sip of his century-aged spirit wine, and handed her a flask as well.

"That was just the first. The second large-scale auction will be held twenty years from now, and there'll be even more powerhouses attending."

He had already decided: one major auction every twenty years.

The time in between would be used to accumulate treasures, then sell them all in one go to convert into resources, accelerating the Fang family's development.

Yin Xianhong nodded approvingly.

"When the time comes, I'll let Elder Wang know so we can both come back to join the fun."

Though she called it "joining the fun," it was really to prepare for potential trouble. Bringing Elder Wang would help stabilize the situation if needed.

Fang Ting glanced at her with gratitude.

"It's time to visit Ying'er and Muge. If you don't have anything else going on, how about we leave tomorrow?"

Every few years, they made a trip to visit the two—to prevent them from missing home too much and making the impulsive, risky decision to sneak back.

Yin Xianhong showed some interest.

"Isn't Xinyan still in seclusion?"

"She's working on breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. It'll take some time. So just the two of us will go this time," Fang Ting replied.

Among the three, Su Xinyan had the best talent and devoted the most time to cultivation. Naturally, her progress outpaced Yu Shufei and Song Yushu.

Before entering this seclusion, she had already reached Manifestation Stage Nine. After some preparation, she began her attempt to break through.

For normal cultivators, breaking through such a major realm required extensive preparation and entering peak condition. The process could take months to years.

Not everyone could break through as casually as Fang Ting—who, thanks to his Flawless Sacred Physique and cultivation feedback, advanced as easily as eating or drinking.

Hearing it would just be the two of them, Yin Xianhong unexpectedly felt a bit delighted, though she pretended otherwise.

"Maybe we should wait for her," she said unconvincingly.

Fang Ting waved it off.

"No need. It's rare for you to return. Plus, the two of us went together last time a few years ago."

As a Saint King, Yin Xianhong no longer had much to gain in Cangzhou. Like other Saint Kings, she had to travel across continents in search of opportunities.

One trip could take six or seven years, or even twenty or thirty. If she didn't go this time, who knew how long it would be until the next.

"Alright then. Tomorrow it is," Yin Xianhong agreed, no longer resisting.

The next day, Fang Ting and Yin Xianhong departed Duanshan City, once again traveling by flying vessel toward the Ethereal Immortal Palace.

The journey would take nearly two years, but that meant nothing to Fang Ting—he didn't need to cultivate, and had plenty of time. Besides, the trip was really just a chance to relax under the pretense of visiting his daughter.

As for Yin Xianhong, at her level, closed-door cultivation alone did little to advance her. She needed deeper insights and fortuitous encounters suited for Saint Kings. Two years meant little.

In fact, on their first visit to Fang Ying, she had even broken through along the way.

So she had no objections to this slow method of travel.

At first, Yin Xianhong felt a bit awkward. She had always traveled with Su Xinyan and the others. Now, with only her and Fang Ting facing each other in silence, she felt strangely unsettled.

To cover up her unease, she deliberately changed the subject.

"You must be close to the Saint King stage by now?"

After asking, she instantly panicked. The last time Fang Ting had made a move at Sea of Stars, he was only around Grand Saint Stage Five. It hadn't been long—how could he be approaching Saint King already?

She scolded herself internally.

"What a careless question! I must be out of sorts…"

But then, Fang Ting nodded.

"Almost."

"…Huh?" Content first released on *.

Yin Xianhong's beautiful face froze in disbelief. Her lips parted slightly, completely stunned.

She had traveled across multiple continents as a Saint King, and considered herself experienced and knowledgeable.

But breaking through Grand Saint so quickly—she had never seen or heard of such a thing.

If she didn't know Fang Ting's character, she would've thought he was lying.

"That's… really incredible talent," she said, catching herself before she said something cruder.

Fang Ting waved lazily.

"It's alright."

Yin Xianhong nearly laughed.

"You're the only one in the Tianyuan Realm like this, and you're calling it 'alright'?"

She normally had excellent emotional control, but around Fang Ting, she found herself constantly surprised or speechless.

But she liked that.

Around him, her otherwise dull cultivation life gained a different kind of color.

Along the journey, they talked about everything—from poetry and music to life and ideals. At night, they stargazed and watched the moon.

It reminded Yin Xianhong of the first time they visited the Ethereal Immortal Palace, when Fang Ting had casually mentioned the term "honeymoon." She had found it odd then—but now, it felt strangely fitting.

"A toast. To the moonlight," Fang Ting said, raising his cup.

Yin Xianhong picked up hers and gently clinked it with his, drinking the remaining spirit wine in one smooth motion—her movements graceful and light, with a quiet elegance.

Before long, a blush spread across her cheeks.

At her level of cultivation, it was rare for spirit wine to affect her. But this wasn't about the alcohol—it was the mood.

She wasn't drunk on wine, but on the atmosphere.

Suddenly—Boom!!

A deafening explosion rang out like thunder in their ears.

The massive flying vessel shattered instantly.

This was the finest flying vessel in all of Cangzhou, equipped with multiple defensive formations. Even a full-power attack from a Grand Saint would need several strikes to break it.

But now, the entire vessel had been destroyed in an instant.

It was clearly the work of a Saint King-level expert.

Yin Xianhong reacted instantly, her expression sharpening. With a wave of her hand, she grabbed Fang Ting and teleported. When they reappeared, they were already over a hundred miles away.

But before they could assess the situation, five figures in black robes surrounded them.

Each of the five stood tall, their bodies obscured by mist, their auras vast and oppressive—clearly all were Saint Kings not weaker than Yin Xianhong herself.

"Who are you?" she asked coldly.

If this were mere robbery, they wouldn't have sent five Saint Kings. Judging from their prepared stance, this was a targeted ambush.

But who they were and what their purpose was remained unknown.

The leader spoke, his voice low and murderous, like it came from the depths of the underworld.

"We're the ones here to kill you."

The moment he finished, all five attacked at once. They clearly had no intention of wasting even a second.

Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!

The sky darkened. Within a 10,000-mile radius, every living being collapsed to the ground under the overwhelming pressure, trembling in fear.

Yin Xianhong drew a scarlet ribbon, and with a sharp flick, it stretched out and widened—forming a protective circle around her and Fang Ting.

Bang!!

The five attacks landed at once—flashes of brilliance, destruction radiating through the sky.

The red ribbon quivered but managed to block the full assault.

However, Yin Xianhong's face turned pale. Clearly, stopping that strike had cost her.

After all, she had just defended against five Saint Kings at once.

She wouldn't last long if this continued.