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This Little Black Bear cub acts completely fearless, daring to challenge the knife-bearing man, and got a harsh lesson. It even wanted to show its true form to defeat the knife-bearing man, but it was utterly outmatched. Fortunately, the knife-bearing man didn’t take it seriously; otherwise, Little Black Bear might have lost its life!

The knife-bearing man used a rune to immobilize Little Black Bear, then tossed it aside and began enjoying drinks with Ye Tianchen. Watching them made Little Black Bear very frustrated and craving but it could only whimper by the side, not daring to make any noise. Little Black Bear now understood that it couldn’t mess with Ye Tianchen and the knife-bearing man, at least not right now. If it tries, it’s definitely inviting punishment! 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Hey, brother, you went out for a few days and where did you pick up this little bear?" the knife-bearing man asked with a smile, sipping a beer.

"I found it by chance in the mountain range of Zhongnan Mountain. It looked very pitiful, so I brought it back," Ye Tianchen replied.

"Hmm, while this little bear’s cultivation is not impressive, being able to morph into humanoid form at such a young age is indeed remarkable!" the knife-bearing man nodded in agreement.

"I noticed it has decent talent and some potential, so I brought it back. With proper training, it might become a mighty bear one day!" Ye Tianchen said with a laugh.

"By the way, did you find any clues about the Hidden World during your trip to Zhongnan Mountain?" the knife-bearing man asked.

"I got some clues, but I can’t be certain. I only know the one controlling the Hidden World holds high prestige in the Mortal World. This person really exists, and I suspect the Hidden World might actually be inside Mount Everest!" Ye Tianchen thought aloud.

"What are we waiting for? We can set out now. With our cultivation realms, it’s just a matter of moments to travel across the Mortal World!" the knife-bearing man said eagerly.

"No rush, not within this night. I’ve also received news that the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm has gone to Mount Everest. If we can find him, I believe we’ll be able to enter the Hidden World. After all, he is one of the people controlling it!" Ye Tianchen paused before speaking.

The knife-bearing man wasn’t one to be trifled with. Despite appearing boisterous and rough, it didn’t mean his thoughts weren’t meticulous. After some consideration, he said, "So, those who control the Hidden World are actually living in the Mortal World, and they genuinely exist. Even if we can’t find the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm, we can still look for others. That way, I believe we can enter the Hidden World!"

"Bro, I’ve thought of that approach, but having the Great Elder from the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm assist us is the best scenario. Given the possibility that these Hidden World controllers might be inheritors of Martial Arts experts’ cultivation techniques and treasures, their strength cannot be underestimated. They’re at least at the mid-stage Martial Saint realm. If we go head-to-head, it might not be advantageous for us!" Ye Tianchen pondered.

"Hmm, the approach I mentioned is really a last resort, only if things don’t go well," the knife-bearing man nodded.

Ye Tianchen took a sip of beer and thought for a moment. Indeed, as the knife-bearing man mentioned, if they can’t find the entrance to the Hidden World or receive help from the Great Elder, their only option would be to locate those top figures in the Mortal World. By any means necessary—be it battle or persuasion—they must be taken to the Hidden World. Of course, this would be a last-resort strategy since those few top figures in the Mortal World are not weaklings. Even Ye Tianchen and the knife-bearing man with their Martial Saint realm cultivation might not guarantee victory and it’s not an easy task; it carries risks where they could lose their lives.

Be it the Pope from the Vatican, the clan leader from the Zeus family in Greece, the Pusuo Sect Leader from Indian Solomon, the living Buddha from Tibet, the Great Elder from the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm, or the Pharaoh with the scepter from Egypt... each of them has a fearsome reputation in the Mortal World, even drawing visits from national leaders. Ye Tianchen even suspects that these individuals actually control the Mortal World, but their differing aspirations keep them from interfering too much.

Ye Tianchen remains cautious because he witnessed firsthand the power of the Sword Emperor from Hokushin Itto-ryu. He witnessed the battle between the Sword Emperor of Hokushin Itto-ryu and Master Fang Zheng of Shaolin. Both extraordinary masters perished together. At that time, they were both at the Martial Saint period, though Ye Tianchen wasn’t sure which exact stage. A martial artist reaching the Martial Saint realm is hardly ever weak, and no one can easily disregard such a status.

It’s imaginable that the Sword Emperor of Hokushin Itto-ryu was among the strongest in the Mortal World, his powers being terrifying and formidable. Would the remaining six individuals be weak compared to him? No, they wouldn’t. Otherwise, how could they be compared to the Sword Emperor? Among the six, there might even exist someone stronger than the Sword Emperor.

"I’m thinking we leave tomorrow. I’ve heard that the strongest in the Mortal World gather periodically for unknown reasons, and this time the Great Elder of the Chinese Kunlun Secret Realm has moved out. Rumor has it he went to Mount Everest, and I suspect the Hidden World is there. We need to hurry and have a look!" Ye Tianchen said to the knife-bearing man.

"Alright, let’s depart first thing tomorrow morning. Brother, make sure to settle family matters beforehand so they don’t delay the journey!" the knife-bearing man agreed with a nod.

"Nothing much to worry about. As long as I find out who secretly targeted my parents and resolve it, I can rest easy!" Ye Tianchen said.

With drinking, chatting, and snacks, Ye Tianchen hadn’t experienced such relaxed times in ages, and it was truly a rare bit of peace. The knife-bearing man was thoroughly enjoying his days in the Mortal World, clearly accustomed to its lifestyle, as seen by his comfortable demeanor!

Finally, the knife-bearing man released Little Black Bear. After all, it was a low-cultivation little bear; he wouldn’t fuss over it. Once freed, Little Black Bear behaved much more obediently, grabbing a large bag of snacks, running to the side, and started feasting, enjoying the moment as well.

That night, Ye Tianchen, the knife-bearing man, and Little Black Bear all slept in the villa’s living room. The first to awaken in the morning was Ye Tianchen. He looked around and saw the knife-bearing man still deep in sleep. As for Little Black Bear, it had already vanished. This surprised Ye Tianchen, as it’s not some three-year-old kid but a massive bear, residing in the Mortal World and within his home. If it morphed into its true form, it would surely scare many people, a situation Ye Tianchen wanted to avoid.

Immediately, Ye Tianchen extended his Divine Thought and discovered Little Black Bear was with his parents and sister. When did it join them? Hastily, Ye Tianchen exited the villa and hurried to the dining hall of the Ye family’s old residence. Pushing open the door, he saw his father Ye Hong, mother Luo Yan, sister Ye Qianwen, and Liu Rumei, Liu Fei, along with Little Black Bear, happily chatting and eating together.

"Brother, you only just woke up? I knew you overslept again, come have breakfast!" Ye Qianwen quickly laughed upon seeing Ye Tianchen enter.

"Haha, hmm!" Ye Tianchen glanced at Little Black Bear, noticing it’s well cared for. His parents and sister didn’t seem bothered by the presence of an unfamiliar child at home, instead showing joy.

"You rascal, you ran out without my permission!" Ye Tianchen said, glancing at Little Black Bear.

"I woke up this morning and saw him at your door, so I brought him for breakfast," Liu Rumei explained.

"Rumei did the right thing; it’s still a kid, not like you who can skip three meals a day!" Ye Hong commented, somewhat reproachfully.

"Tianchen, Rumei informed us about finding this orphan during your time at Zhongnan Mountain. Mom thinks you and Rumei did very well, it’s a poor child. Let him stay with the Ye family, raise him, and let him attend school!" Luo Yan added with a smile.

"Yeah, bro, anyone would think that’s your kid with Sister Rumei!" Ye Qianwen teased, laughing.

"You silly girl, don’t talk nonsense!" Liu Rumei glared, blushing slightly.

"See, it’s not just me saying this, Qianwen shares my thoughts, we are so in sync!" Liu Fei laughed smugly. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations, monthly tickets, your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)