--- Chapter 39 ---
"Master, Master."
"Big news, big news!"
Yuyan barged into Yu Long's room and disturbed him, who was mixing medicinal herbs with Phoenix's Flame.
The medicinal herbs withered and turned useless because of the excessive change in temperature.
"..." Yu Long's mouth twitched in disbelief. He was about to obtain success when this woman appeared out of nowhere and broke his focus.
He sighed and burned the dead herbs into ashes.
"What's the matter?" He stared at the green-haired beauty in annoyance.
Yuyan grinned and answered, "I've found the minerals you wanted."
"Show it to me." Yu Long's eyes lit up as his mood gradually improved.
Yuyan lifted her palm and slowly summoned a black-colored rock with metallic properties.
The rock doesn't look special at first glance. But it could hold profound aspects. Yes, you heard that right.
When this seemingly useless but shiny rock is inscribed with specific Arrays, it could hold profound aspects and display tremendous power.
There are endless profound aspects in this world.
Unfortunately, some aren't 'inherently' meant to comprehend or merge with one's body because of their danger.
Yu Long snatched the rock from Yuyan's hand and observed it with a profound sense. A grin appeared on his face as one of his fingers transformed into a claw.
He slashed the rock into a thumb-sized piece and began inscribing an array onto it with his finger. His movements are fast, allowing several lines of unknown words to wrap around the rock quickly.
Yu Long breathed in and infused a profound aspect into the thumb-sized piece. The rock changed color from black to purple, shining with gleaming light.
"Hmm... It does look and feels different." Yuyan leaned on the table.
"But I couldn't tell it's function, Master."
Yu Long smiled and replied, "I don't want to blow this place apart."
"Bring me to the ocean."
"Okay." Yuyan placed her hand on Yu Long's shoulder. They swiftly traversed to the open ocean north of Blue North County.
"Watch this." Yu Long activated the profound aspect within the rock and threw it casually to the ocean.
Yuyan blinked her eyes and watched the thumb-sized rock drop into the ocean, sinking slowly.
"There is nothing-!" Before she could finish her words.
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive force exploded under the sea.
A pillar of light soars to the sky, parting the ocean and revealing a massive crater. The seawater evaporated, leaving salty-tasting air for a couple of minutes.
"..." Yuyan trembled in fear.
"M-Master, t-that was?"
"Great Explosion Aspect." Yu Long answered nonchalantly.
"I used a Time Delay Array on it, meaning The effect won't get triggered immediately."
"In the past, I experimented with my body and got my whole stomach blown up... Fortunately, I have strong regenerative ability."
"This aspect isn't fit for one's body, but with this rock now? Hehe, that trashy Heavenly Spear Thunderfire Fortress is like a joke."
Yuyan swallowed her saliva nervously, "I'm afraid that no one in the Mortal Realm could touch you anymore, Master..."
"That thing is straight-up scary."
"I mean... The rock is 'extremely' rare. You only found it after searching for one year." Yu Long countered. "The rock's size also needs to be adjusted based on the profound aspects added."
"If I cut that thumb-sized rock into half, I could only add [Explosion Aspect]."
"If I further slice it into two again, I could only add [Small Explosion Aspect]."
"Of course, we can also look at it from another viewpoint. Instead of a weapon of mass destruction, we can embed this rock into an artifact and add a profound aspect as an effect." Yu Long smiled slightly.
"Adding [Healing Aspect] into a ring-shaped artifact will allow its wielder to heal faster. Or [Poison Immunity Aspect] to give its wielder a certain degree of immunity toward poison."
"T-Then, what if we add [Indestructible Aspect]?"
"..." Yu Long stared at Yuyan as if she was an idiot.
"You didn't digest my words well, didn't you?"
"Um..." Yuyan bit her lips in confusion.
Yu Long waved his hand and explained, "The rock's size matters."
"Stronger profound aspects need a bigger rock. Unless you find a higher quality one than this."
"No, the rock probably will get destroyed in milliseconds before the profound aspect even gets activated."
"Also, do you think profound aspects are grown on trees? I must do intensive research to get their profound patterns first, for fuck sake."
Yuyan fumbled with her fingers, "B-But there is a small chance, right?"
"Yes..." Yu Long answered blandly.
"But don't get your hopes high."
"Also, why did you specifically mention [Indestructible Aspect]?"
Yuyan blushed bashfully as she intentionally looked down on Yu Long's crotch. "I want to preserve an important thing!" She righteously said.
"..." Yu Long.
"You perverted phoenix!"
"I'm regretting my past decision to help you now..."
"EEEHH, SO MEAN~!"
"Tsk, let's return to the Yu Clan."
"Hmph." Yuyan put on a wronged look. Her PRIORITY is on point!
As she flew several hundred thousand miles, a question suddenly struck her mind.
"Um, Master. What should we call this rock?"
Yu Long pondered for a moment, "Profound Rock."
"So lame..." Yuyan couldn't help but murmur.
"You don't have to add everything with 'profound', you know?"
"Do you have any better name?" Yu Long rolled his eyes.
"Hmm, what about Master Stone."
"Or maybe Archive Rock."
"Whatever..." Yu Long found the names aren't bad, but he won't admit it.
Yuyan could read Yu Long's mood and smiled happily, feeling like she had achieved something remarkable. She did by finding the rock, but not that part makes her proud.
...
They returned to the Yu Clan safely and saw a group of servants running around the courtyard.
After asking some questions, they said important guests were coming to the clan.
As for who these important guests are, even the Shadow Agents worked as the servant didn't know.
The Fourth Madam and the Clan Leader just ordered them to clean the courtyards and decorate a few things, making everything look neat.
"Mother and Father?" Yu Long frowned slightly.
He didn't like this news.
"Yuyan, go and search for more Master Stones." Yu Long glanced at the green-haired beauty. "I'll go and visit my parents."
Yuyan joyfully beamed when she heard Yu Long calling the rock by one of her assigned names.
"Hehe~!" She skipped on the ground like a child and disappeared from everyone's sight a second later.
Yu Long went to his mother's courtyard and found her in the garden, enjoying an afternoon tea like usual.
Her hobby hasn't changed at all.
He doubts she might be British.
"Mother!" He entered the garden.
Yu Xin stared at her son and waved gently, "Come here, come here."
"Mother has something to say."
Yu Long sat down near Yu Xin, "Uh, what's with these preparations for 'important' guests?"
"I know you'd ask this question." Yu Xin giggled in amusement.
"Well, you see..."
"The important guests are none other than my father and mother."
"In other words, your maternal grandfather and grandmother."
"I still have Grandfather and Grandmother!" Yu Long was speechless.
"Yes," Yu Xin nodded calmly. "But your father might be sad if he knew you're talking like that. Yu Clan won't be here without them, you know?"
Yu Long covered his mouth awkwardly, "Uh, My bad."
"I'm just shocked because you never told me about them..." He cast a suspicious glance at her.
Yu Xin shook her head lightly and returned, "That's because they only visit once every ten years."
"They like to live in solitary."
"So, when I was one year old... They visited the Yu Clan?"
"Yup, they checked you once and said you're a healthy big baby~!" Yu Xin teased him with a wink.
Yu Long stayed mute before asking, "Can you tell me more about them?"
"Well, where to start..." Yu Xin tapped her lips a few times.
"Their surname used to be Ye, which was somewhat taboo as they changed it to Xu when birthing me."
"They are from the corner of the Divine Phoenix Empire, having a small farm within a mountain range."
"Your grandfather's name is Xu Sanshan."
"Meanwhile, your grandmother's name is Xu Nannan."
"Are they perhaps profound practitioners?" Yu Long questioned solemnly.
"Pfft, your grandpa and grandma are countryside farmers." Yu Xin laughed at his ridiculous question. "I've never seen them using any profound energy."
'That doesn't answer everything, mom!' Yu Long was disappointed.
After that, Yu Xin told Yu Long about her life before meeting Yu Zhan.
In the end, Yu Long only listened to her mother's youthful love story. She even empathized with him by trying some of his father's moves on Xia Qingyue.
Mom, we are eleven!
Yu Long escaped his mother's courtyard and visited the underground facility.
Walking down the stairs, Yu Long couldn't help but recall something, "If I remember correctly..."
"Eternal Night Royal Family's surname is Ye, but they had long been exterminated by the holy lands' foul acts."
"My intuition tells me my mysterious grandfather and grandmother were 'somehow' connected to this former faction for some reason."
"No, maybe I'm just overthinking it."
"I hope so..."