The Kang Mansion massacre had stirred up a massive uproar across the entire Yunxi Country.
Imperial commissioners and renowned detectives had been dispatched one after another, and even the military had gotten involved. Yet still, no clues or traces had been found.
Mortals simply could not comprehend how over three thousand people in the Kang Mansion could all be killed in a single night.
This tragedy was far too bizarre.
And the damage this case inflicted on the Kang Family was far greater than anyone had imagined.
Because it wasn't just the main branch of the Kang Family that had been wiped out.
A month before the massacre occurred, Kang Zongdan had sent letters to all the branch families across Yunxi's prefectures, informing them that immortals would soon be arriving at the main mansion in Jiangdu Prefecture to select disciples.
"Those who attain the Dao, shall attain eternal life."
In the letters he sent to each branch family, Kang Zongdan had heavily emphasized these eight words, pressing his brush deep into the paper with every stroke.
And so, the talented young elites from the Kang Family's various branches who had specifically traveled to Jiangdu Prefecture to participate in Mirage Palace's selection all tragically perished within the main mansion as well.
Even Great Yu, Liaolong, and the Shanrong all learned of the Kang Family's main branch being annihilated.
The reason Yunxi Country was so prosperous and flourishing, with no foreign enemies daring to invade, was precisely because of the Kang Family's strength.
Now, with the Kang Mansion massacre causing such an uproar, and Jiangdu Prefecture being Yunxi's foremost prefecture, if this continued, even Yunxi Country's foundations might be shaken.
Therefore, the most important matter was not to uncover the truth behind the Kang Mansion massacre, but to quickly establish the next head of the Kang Family.
There were two candidates for the position of the next main branch family head.
The first was the sole surviving Martial Arts Grandmaster of the Kang Family—the head of the Chendan Prefecture branch, Kang Zongdan's own younger brother, Kang Zongze.
The second was the previous main branch family head's last surviving son, Kang Keyang.
If they followed the rules, this issue shouldn't have been a problem at all.
After Kang Zongdan's death, it should have been only natural for his son to inherit the position of main branch family head.
But the main problem was that the Kang Family's main branch no longer existed—only Kang Keyang remained as the sole survivor.
It was precisely because of this that the Yunxi court and the Kang Family's various branches had turned their attention to Kang Zongze instead...
A Martial Arts Grandmaster, Kang Zongdan's brother, leading the Chendan Prefecture branch with plenty of strong soldiers and powerful horses.
There was nothing to think about.
With the support of the Kang Family's various branches and the Yunxi court, Kang Zongze became the successor to the main branch family head position, while Kang Keyang raised no objections whatsoever.
The Chendan Prefecture branch's status among the Kang Family's various branches had now transformed from a branch into the main branch.
In the blink of an eye, another month had passed.
Two months had now passed since the Kang Mansion massacre.
With Kang Zongze being elected as the next main branch family head of the Kang Family, the situation gradually settled down.
Chen Yan had also enjoyed a rare period of leisure. During this time, he had continued to stay at the Listening to the Waves Pavilion in southern Jiangdu Prefecture, focusing wholeheartedly on his cultivation.
His current cultivation level had already begun moving toward the late Body Forging Realm.
Having traveled from Great Yu to Liaolong, and then from Liaolong to Yunxi, Chen Yan had no intention of running around anymore.
Since no one was chasing him away, he planned to break through to the Qi Circulation Realm here in Jiangdu Prefecture, then restore his original cultivation level.
People often had a misconception about the cultivation of Body Forging Realm cultivators—that if one simply wanted to focus on training, all they needed to do was find some remote mountain forest and start cultivating.
But that wasn't how it worked.
Because a Body Forging Realm cultivator's need for food was simply enormous.
It was precisely for this reason that even the Five Great Sects, like the Kongshan Sect, had established markets in their outer courts, allowing disciples to purchase food or eat for free at the sect's dining halls.
"Big brother, I'm back!"
A young boy's figure appeared at the entrance of the Listening to the Waves Pavilion. Having only been here for just over two months, Su Hongzhen had already grown considerably compared to before.
This was indeed the age for growing taller, but more than age, nutritional intake likely had a greater impact.
Just like now, he was carrying two enormous bamboo baskets.
Each basket contained eight trays of steamed buns, six roast chickens, five servings of wontons, three jin of spiced beef, and two bowls of zhajiang noodles.
And that was just for one trip.
"How do you feel?"
Chen Yan asked calmly.
"I don't know how to describe it. I just keep feeling like my bones are sore, my muscles are bloated, and I feel floaty when I walk normally..."
Su Hongzhen set the bamboo baskets down in front of Chen Yan, then took out a bowl of zhajiang noodles and some chopsticks. After mixing it a few times, he started wolfing it down.
"The precursor to breaking through from early to mid Body Forging Realm."
Chen Yan nodded, then also took out a bowl of zhajiang noodles from the basket:
"Control the rhythm of washing your tendons and bones. Don't rush, or you might get hurt, and the loss will outweigh the gain."
"Got it!"
Having demolished a bowl of zhajiang noodles in just a few mouthfuls, Su Hongzhen wiped his mouth with a smile and, while talking, reached his hand toward the spiced beef in the basket.
In the end, Chen Yan had decided to let Su Hongzhen start cultivating as well.
Because no one knew if something like before might happen again, and Little Su needed to have some ability to defend himself.
Su Hongzhen would inevitably become the Falling Star Realman—that was unchangeable.
After all, the appearance of every Ascending Immortal involved too much cause and effect.
Just like the fall of Heavenly Summit Mountain back then, Li Haowen, who had returned from over sixty thousand years in the future, had already deeply realized this—history was a closed loop.
He couldn't change anything.
Unless he was willing to withstand karmic backlash.
But Chen Yan understood very well that if Su Hongzhen died, it wouldn't necessarily trigger any severe consequences.
Just like the Outer Court Cataclysm at the Kongshan Sect back then.
In his first life, whether it was the Outer Court Cataclysm caused by the Black Flood Dragon's remnant soul or the later destruction of the Kongshan Sect caused by the Black Flood Dragon itself—both were illusions.
They were timelines not recognized by the so-called "Heaven's Dao"—false timelines.
It was precisely for this reason that Chen Yan's save point had repeatedly returned to before the Outer Court Cataclysm back then.
This also meant that if Su Hongzhen unfortunately fell, then his next save would definitely be set before Su Hongzhen's death.
And even if he entered the cycle of reincarnation again, the evaluation for that cycle would definitely not be high.
Therefore, Chen Yan decided to let Su Hongzhen start cultivating.
At the very least, within the territory of Yunxi Country, he would have some ability to protect himself.