Tang Yun shook her head fearfully. "I can't have this, Old Madam Chu. This is the Chu family's private
treasure. Its value is immeasurable. How can I, an outsider, guard a sacred relic like this? Please take
it back."
While it's my first time seeing the Book of Celestial Cloud, I've heard of its legend more than once
growing up. My master spent his entire life searching for this book. Even until his death, he had never
laid his eyes on it. Yet, Old Madam Chu wants me to have it. For so many years, the previous heads of
the Chu family dreamed of obtaining this but could never find it. I can't believe it's now in my hands.
How am I supposed to feel calm about this?
Smiling plainly, the old woman insisted, "Take it. I'm not giving it to you. This is for Chu Lin. You're just
guarding it for him."
"But I'm still an outsider, Old Madam Chu. I..." Tang Yun was still reluctant to accept it because the
Book of Celestial Cloud could only be possessed by Yunyang's descendants.
It was the Chu family's iron-clad rule, much like how Cloud and Mist Sword Technique could only be
passed down to the Tang family's descendants.
She didn't have the nerve to break the rule set by Chu Yunyang.
Old Madam Chu knocked the younger woman's head with dissatisfaction and snapped, "Why are you
still calling yourself an outsider when you already have a child with that brat? Do you think being the
daughter-in-law of the Chu family is bad?"
Tang Yun blushed, at a loss for words.
It's strange. Hearing Old Madam Chu accept me as the daughter-in-law of the Chu family gives me a
sense of belonging. For years, I never dared to wish for it. After all, Ye Fan is a married man, our age
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gap is vast, and we have plenty of grudges against each other. I thought our relationship would always
be an ill-fated one and nothing good would come out of it. To my surprise, I actually became a part of
the Chu family. It's a strange feeling. It feels like I've found a new home and gained new family
members. Is this what it's like to have in-laws?
Many distinct emotions swirled in her heart, such as joy, fear, and love.
However, that feeling only lasted for a short while. Soon, sorrow trampled over all other emotions.
Raising her head, Tang Yun asked in a whisper, "Is it true that Ye Fan's gone, Old Madam Chu?"
A gloomy expression settled on Old Madam Chu's face. "You heard of it, too?"
Sighing, she turned to look at the scenery outdoor.
"I can only say that it's unlikely he's alive. Unless there's a miracle, Ye Fan is..." Her heart sank with
regret. Ye Fan wouldn't have been killed if I hadn't told him to stop Dragon Gate Project.
"I miscalculated. I thought Ye Fan would at most attract the ire of the Chinese expert on Empyrean
Ranking regardless of the ruckus he caused. I didn't expect the enemy to desire Ye Fan's death this
much. The Great Four cooperated with the global forces and assaulted him. I'm half responsible for his
end," Old Madam Chu lamented with remorse.
If I hadn't pushed him to take Dragon Gate Project down, he'd have been living a peaceful life in
seclusion right now. He planned to leave the martial arts world, after all. But now...
"Well, the past can't be changed. It's pointless to think about it now. We'll just have to accept the past
and let it go. Spend your days with your son well," she continued.
Tang Yun nodded as guilt pranced around in her heart. I wonder if Ye Fan knew Chu Lin is our son in
the end.
While Old Madam Chu went to prepare a meal, Tang Yun watched the boy play in the courtyard
energetically after getting closer to him.
A smile gradually formed on Tang Yun's face. So this is the joy of family. It's a shame one person is
missing.
Turning around, she looked at the horizon and muttered, "Are you truly dead, Ye Fan?"
Of course, she felt regretful that she couldn't see him one last time.
Time continued to pass.
The death of Ye Fan had at first elicited dramatic and violent reactions.
However, as time passed, it mercilessly swallowed everything that failed to keep up with it.
Eventually, all marks that a person left behind on the planet would be erased.
Some said a person's life was akin to a stroll along the beach.
One would leave clear footprints on the sand at each corner one visited.
Then, time would crash onto the beach like waves, eroding the beach and the reef.
When the waves removed one's last footprints from the beach, it meant the world had forgotten them.
Even though Chu Tianfan had achieved world-shaking feats before his death, he still couldn't prevent
memories of him from fading into oblivion.
Initially, the people of Jiangdong still mourned for him.
However, given enough time, he would slip away from their memories as they led their lives as usual.
It would appear as though nothing was out of the ordinary.
Life would continue, the sun would still rise from the east, and the birds would keep chirping.
The people of Jiangdong had thought their sky had fallen when Ye Fan died.
However, after a while, they just got used to it.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmNo deaths mattered to the world because the planet would still continue to spin.
The only difference was that someone else was in charge of Jiangdong.
The three prominent families in Jiangdong, Yunzhou's Li family, Jianghai's Chen family, and even
Fenghai's Lei family, had vanished without a trace after Ye Fan's death.
Li Er, who often loved to show off, no longer showed his face. In fact, his Li Corporation and Mufan
Group announced bankruptcy. Chen Ao withdrew from most of Jianghai's industry while Lei San sold
his mansion in Fenghai and lived in seclusion back in his hometown.
After the bigwigs that had dominated Jiangdong for decades left, a new family rose to prominence. The
people of Jiangdong knew them as the Zhao family.
Nearly all of Chu Tianfan's previously-owned businesses had fallen into the hands of the Zhao family.
In the span of an extended period, the people of Jiangdong went from talking about Ye Fan's fall from
grace to the rise of the Zhao family.
Many people wondered who the Zhao family was.
After all, they had crushed the Li, Chen, and Lei families in just one month.
Some said Li Er and the others had left on their own accord and that the Zhao family had got lucky.
Others speculated the Zhao family had impressive connections in Yanjing.
Regardless, Chu Tianfan's era was over as Jiangdong accepted the new order.
As for the citizens of the world, they embraced a new age and welcomed their new ruler with hope.
While most residents of the world were forgetful, some weren't.
For example, someone who battled against and lost to Ye Fan for a lifetime, Mo Wuya!
Perplexed, Zhao Zhenlu faced Mo Wuya and asked, "I don't understand, Prince of Fighters. Why did
you stop me from killing Li Er, Chen Ao, and the other remnants in Jiangdong? Hall Master Chen stated
that we must remove all of Chu Tianfan's influence in Jiangdong. They followed Chu Tianfan for years
and are thus sinners! They must die!"