From what Yang Yuntian understood about Long Chen’s personality, such as how he had dealt with the Bai Family, Yang Yuntian knew that Long Chen was the kind of person who sought vengeance for even the smallest grievances suffered.
This time, Yang Yuntian had almost caused his death. Afterwards, Founder Yang handed the final decision over to Long Chen and Yang Yuntian knew that his fate would be more or less tragic.
Yang Yuntian knew that a person like Long Chen would never let someone who wanted to take his life near his side.
However, Long Chen’s words had completely befuddled his expectations.
The other members of the Yang Family heaved a breath of relief after hearing Long Chen’s words. Yang Xueqing had happily smiled too, and sweetly looked at Long Chen.
The reason why Long Chen let Yang Yuntian off the hook was simple. Firstly, when Yang Zhan died, even though Long Chen didn’t expect him to commit suicide, he was still the primary cause for it. His actions had led to the death of Yang Yuntian’s son so it was normal for him to seek vengeance.
So, Long Chen did not think that Yang Yuntian’s behaviour today was that preposterous.
The second reason was because he was the father of Yang Lingqing. Right now, Long Chen had a good relationship with Yang Lingqing. He cared dearly for this cousin of his, so naturally he would not humiliate her father at this point in time.
As for the third and most important reason, it was that from today onwards, Yang Yuntian is no longer his match.
Raising his head and looking at Long Chen, Yang Yuntian was still in disbelief as he said: “Are you sure? You want to call it quits between us?”
Long Chen nodded his head and said: “I only hope that you keep your promise. I do not want to suffer at your hands as I continue living inside the Yang residence. Otherwise, I would be better off killing you.”
Looking at this youth and remembering his rapid and drastic changes, Yang Yuntian was still unable to believe what he saw.
Long Chen’s superior character had already exceeded his expectations, so he could only absentmindedly nod his head and say: “What I, Yang Yuntian, have agreed to do will definitely be done.”
Founder Yang watched this grandson with appreciation and also nodded in approval from deep within his heart. His heart was relieved, and only then did he say: “Alright, since this has already been settled, our entire Yang Family must stick closely together in the future and join forces to fight against the Bai Family. If someone from our family were to hinder this effort, I will be the first to punish him!”
After surveying his surroundings once more, Founder Yang sighed before he said: “I am a little tired. Today, everyone should head back to rest. For the next few days, no one should go out of the house at their whim without my orders. Do you understand?”
At Founder Yang’s orders, the group all nodded their heads and took their leave. However, Long Chen suddenly said: “Grandfather, wait a moment, I have something to say.”
He looked at Yang Xueqing when he said this, but Yang Xueqing was most likely extremely embarrassed and remorseful tonight, as she had not raised her head at all.
Founder Yang said solemnly: “Chen Er, if you have something to say, we will all listen to it.”
“Grandfather, before Father died, he told me to change my surname to Long. I wish for everyone to call me Long Chen from now on. I hope Grandfather will let me fulfill Father’s last wishes.”
Long Chen’s words made everyone a little nervous, especially Yang Xueqing, and her body shuddered a little, but she still did not raise her head.
Long Chen had no strength nor had power in the past, so he could not declare about what Long Qinglan entrusted him. However, his strength had greatly increased after tonight’s matter and he knew it was time.
Founder Yang looked nervously at him. “Chen Er, are you saying that you want to leave the Yang Family? Are you blaming us for mistreating you?”
Long Chen shook his head and said: “I don’t have that idea, half of my blood still comes from the Yang Family and me being in the Yang Family will not change. I only wish to follow my father’s surname.”
On one hand, it was the dying wish of Long Qinglan, and there was also Long Chen’s persistence. Founder Yang naturally had no reason to decline as long as Long Chen was not leaving the Yang Family. He nodded his head and said: “If that is the wish of Long Qinglan, then please carry it out accordingly.”
After finally completing Long Qinglan’s dying wishes, Long Chen nodded his head elatedly. The rest of the family gradually bid their farewells to Founder Yang and trickled out, and Yang Qingxuan was the last person to leave the place. He turned his head back and said: “Father, you’re also tired today, so you should go and have a rest too. Tomorrow, you will still need to take over the mayoral rights. The Bai Family might cause a disturbance.”
Founder Yang shook his head and said: “Let me have some peace for a while and properly condition the state of my mind. Xuan Er, take your leave first.”
Yang Qingxuan could only grudgingly agree without a choice.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
After Long Chen bade his farewells, he continued walking. But after a while, he discovered that Yang Xueqing had scaled over the wall. Earlier, Founder Yang had instructed that no one was to leave the Yang residences without his permission and he never thought that this fellow, Yang Xueqing, would actually just ignore it.
The greatest reward that Long Chen had today was that he was able to make that woman look at him in a different light.
After being separated from her for sixteen years, Long Chen finally felt that blood was truly thicker than water. To him, this was extremely great news. Right now, Yang Xueqing had left the Yang Family. Long Chen was still rather concerned for her safety and followed her.
“Xiao Xi, where did you say she was going?”
“You scoundrel, I don’t want to speak with you!”
Long Chen suddenly felt cold sweat from his pores. Earlier he was afraid that she would strike and put her own life at risk, so he said some rather spiteful words though he never would have thought that this girl would still bear grudges. Long Chen could only coax her: “Be a good girl, earlier my mouth had spouted some nonsense. You just have to treat me as though I am a foolish donkey. Alright? Woof Woof Woof!”
Ling Xi snorted with laughter, and then pointed at him, saying: “That is a dog’s barking, idiot. A donkey makes this sound: Hee-Haw”
“Huh? So you are actually the donkey!”
“You……, go and die!”
“Great heroine, please spare my life!”
Finally after having a hard time coaxing Lingxi, Long Chen’s ears did not have to be subjected to her tortures anymore. Lingxi had made the Lingxi Sword turn into an ear pin again and attached to his ear so that she could torture him anytime she liked.
But at that moment, he saw that Yang Xueqing had already walked out of town. Long Chen hurriedly chased after her.
After walking for some distance, he suddenly felt that the path was rather familiar. Actually, wasn’t this the route to Long Qinglan’s tomb?
Long Chen did not bring Yang Xueqing here before, but she already knew where it was. With her authority in the Yang Family, finding a tomb outside of the town was a very simple task.
Soon, Yang Xueqing was standing in front of Long Qinglan’s grave. She stood there in a daze, staring limply. Long Chen watched her from a distance.
He too did not know what this woman was here for.
However, Yang Xueqing did not say a single word and just sat on the floor. Resting on the gravestone, she stared at the remote stars dotting the sky in an enchanted manner. With the twinkling starlight reflecting in her eyes and pure white cheeks, it made her look extremely mesmerizing.
Seeing the image of his mother leaning against his father’s grave as she gazed upwards, Long Chen felt a little moved. To him, this sweet and tender moment was a sight he had never seen before.
“She is muttering to herself,” Lingxi said suddenly.
“What is she saying?” Long Chen hurriedly asked.
Lingxi listened for a while, and then mimicked her intonation and words.
“……If you didn’t treat me badly before, I wouldn’t have loathed you and even hated my own son. Long Qinglan, in my eyes, you’re insane……”
Long Chen was startled. So all along in Yang Xueqing’s eyes, Long Qinglan had actually been a madman? Why did she think that way? Long Chen had always thought it was because Yang Xueqing had despised Long Qinglan for turning into trash that she abandoned both father and son. Was there actually was something else to it?
Long Chen had a peek at Yang Xueqing’s despondent and suffering expression. At that moment, Lingxi continued to repeat what she heard: “…After looking through countless kingdoms and cities, you found such a girl like me that met your requirements just to have an heir. I knew that you were so high up beyond my imaginations, but you still didn’t have the right to trample on my feelings…”
“Today, Chen Er finally said that he wants to change his surname to Long. No matter what, I am still not your match. Maybe in your eyes, a mere mortal woman like me, was absolutely incompatible with a superior being like you.”
Yang Xueqing’s words left Long Chen completely astonished.
Only today, did Long Chen finally learn the reason for Yang Xueqing’s detachment. It was not that her nature was cold and indifferent, but that Long Qinglan had instead brought her so much heartache.
Long Chen already knew that Long Qinglan came from an incredible place. His status must also have been extremely high. The strength Long Qinglan previously had was definitely not what everyone thought it to be, at the eighth level of the Dragon Pulse Realm. When he was at Poplar Town, he was merely pretending to be so.
Long Chen could guess the reason for the matter. Long Qinglan’s cultivation was ruined by the Mysterious Dragon Jade Pendant, but he did not wish for it to end like this, so he thought of producing an heir, a descendant who could use the Mysterious Dragon Jade Pendant, and then he found Yang Xueqing.
What happened next was exactly as how Yang Xueqing described. It’s just that after Yang Xueqing knew the truth, she could not accept the fact that she was only a tool for reproduction.
Long Chen was of Long Qinglan’s flesh and blood, but to Yang Xueqing, he was someone who had robbed her of her happiness and feelings. The harder she fell for Long Qinglan, the more hatred she felt towards him.
That all resulted in today’s situation. Yang Xueqing only discovered that she had still lost to Long Qinglan when Long Chen, who had been muddling along without any aim before, finally revealed his brilliance.
In end, she was merely a pitiful, lovesick woman.
At this instant, Long Chen’s previous hatred for Yang Xueqing finally abated.
Long Chen had now reached a stage where he could finally feel relaxed. In the Yang Family, his two greatest conflicts, Yang Yuntian and Yang Xueqing, were now resolved. He did not have to live like before, where everyone only gave him cold gazes. Now, with the group of them staying tightly knitted together in order to fend off enemies, this feeling that Long Chen once yearned for resurfaced suddenly.
“Father, I know of your painstaking efforts, but you also have areas where you did her injustice and let her down.”
“It is alright. I will help you redeem your wrongdoings.”
Reflecting upon the entirety of Yang Xueqing’s life, Long Chen’s eyes became teary. She was indeed a little pitiful. When she fell in love, she didn’t think that she was merely thought of as a tool to rear an heir. The second time, when she thought she had finally obtained happiness, she was tricked and it even resulted in harming her father and brothers.
After thinking back at how he treated her previously, Long Chen felt that he was also in the wrong.
“She is crying so pitifully. Long Chen, I, I also feel like crying……”
Under the moonlight, Yang Xueqing had lowered her head and was crying. Her soft and pitiful sobs made Lingxi sympathize with her. Long Chen tightly clenched his fist, and sighed.
“It is about time I lessen my hatred towards her……”
