boyutpedia Chapter 51: Meeting the "Parents"
Chapter 51: Meeting the "Parents"
"Your family! I..." Upon hearing this, Yu Chen's scalp tingled slightly. He instinctively wanted to say something, such as "This is too sudden" or "I'm not ready yet," as a way of making excuses.
After all, his "schemes" against Gu Yue were still in the strategic planning stage. To go straight to the heart of the matter like this, wasn't the progress bar a bit too violent?
"Stop, Chen."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Yue cut off all his escape routes, a sly glint in her eyes.
"Look, the 'private car' has arrived."
Before he finished speaking, the air in the open space in front of him suddenly distorted, as if it were being gripped and twisted by an invisible hand.
A deep, dark vortex, seemingly capable of swallowing light, silently split open, its stability chilling.
A figure stepped out from the middle, landing without even stirring up any dust.
He was a man dressed in an ancient black robe, with a resolute and cold appearance, as if he had been carved by a knife and axe.
Her thick, jet-black hair cascaded down her back, reaching an astonishing length to her ankles.
Among his cascading black hair, two strands of pure gold stood out, falling quietly across his forehead, adding a touch of mystery and nobility.
His aura was deep and unfathomable; just by standing there, the surrounding air seemed to become heavier, and the light seemed to dim slightly.
"Young Master." He faced Gu Yue, bowed slightly, his posture respectful, yet exuding an unshakeable aura.
"Uncle Tian, there's no need for such formalities. This is a friend I brought here, Yu Chen." Gu Yue tugged at Yu Chen's arm, introducing him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
After bowing, the man slowly raised his eyes and his gaze fell on Yu Chen.
That gaze was calm and serene, yet it carried immense weight.
"Gulp."
Yu Chen's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
Just being swept by that gaze made him feel as if he were being stared at by a primordial beast lurking in the depths of prehistoric times.
The air around him suddenly became viscous, and invisible pressure squeezed in from all directions, making the circulation of his soul power seem to stagnate for a moment, his blood flow accelerated, and his heartbeat involuntarily quickened.
Gu Yue called him Uncle Tian, so the person in front of him could only be—Di Tian!
The Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, the leader of the ten most ferocious beasts on the mainland, with a cultivation level of nearly nine hundred thousand years!
Even though the other party had tried his best to conceal his aura, the invisible pressure originating from the level of life and absolute strength still made Yu Chen, who only had the cultivation of a Great Soul Master, feel an indescribable sense of suffocation.
A powerful Soul Master faces the final boss of the ultimate dungeon?
This matchmaking system must be out of control!
Yu Chen stiffly turned his neck toward Gu Yue, his eyes filled with a bloody accusation and plea for help.
"puff--"
Seeing Yu Chen's expression, as if facing an abyss and as tense as a fully drawn bowstring, Gu Yue finally broke down and laughed out loud.
The crisp laughter was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, barely stirring up a sliver of life.
Seeing this guy show such a cowardly side, a sight that's rare to see in a century, is... just too satisfying.
"Alright, Uncle Tian, stop teasing him. He's the classmate with the special martial soul that I told you about before."
Gu Yue suppressed a laugh and spoke to the man in black robes, her tone carrying a hint of a little girl's coquettishness.
Then, she turned to Yu Chen and secretly scratched his palm with her finger: "Chen, this is my family's senior bodyguard and butler. Just call him 'Uncle Tian.' Uncle Tian, this is Yu Chen, my important friend."
With Gu Yue's introduction, the two got to know each other briefly.
However, Yu Chen keenly noticed that whenever Gu Yue called out "Uncle Tian," although the black-robed man's expression did not change much, his body seemed to stiffen slightly, and a trace of helplessness, which was extremely difficult to detect, flashed deep in his eyes.
Di Tian nodded slightly to Yu Chen as a greeting.
His gaze lingered on Yu Chen for a moment, his eyes filled with complex emotions—examination, inquiry, doubt, and a hint of…excitement? But he skillfully concealed all these emotions beneath a calm exterior.
He quickly looked away, returning his gaze to Gu Yue, resuming his respectful butler demeanor, and said in a steady voice:
"Young Master, everything at home has been prepared as you instructed. The family banquet is also ready, and we are just waiting for you and... young friend Yu Chen to arrive."
Having said that, he stepped to the side and stood respectfully beside the still-dissipating spatial vortex, like a well-trained and dutiful old steward.
"Chen, let's go."
Without saying a word, Gu Yue grabbed Yu Chen's wrist.
Her palms were cool and smooth like jade, yet their strength was undeniable.
"Refusal is invalid." She blinked, her smile revealing an undeniable resolve, and pulled the still bewildered Yu Chen along, heading straight for the dark entrance that swallowed all light.
"This isn't giving you options, it's outright kidnapping..." Yu Chen lamented inwardly.
Did he have a choice when the Emperor himself "received" him?
With his wrist gripped and feeling the eerie suction from the vortex, Yu Chen was dragged into the deep darkness with a sense of tragic heroism, as if he were going to fight a hero who would never return.
After a brief period of dizziness and a sense of spatial disorientation, the view before me suddenly opened up.
They found themselves in an unfamiliar territory.
Ahead, a majestic and ancient castle stands in view.
The castle is entirely constructed of a dark black stone, which gleams with a soft luster under the gentle sunlight. Its lines are strong, and its style is grand and ancient, carrying a sense of weight and age.
The castle covers a vast area, with its length and width estimated to both exceed 100 meters, and its towering spires seem to pierce the sky.
Outside the castle, there was no desolation, but a meticulously maintained courtyard planted with many strange plants that Yu Chen couldn't name, but which were of various shapes and emitted faint fluctuations of life and soul power. The courtyard was full of vitality and complemented the castle's ancient simplicity.
"Miss, Mr. Yu Chen, please follow me. Several officials are already waiting in the hall."
A middle-aged man dressed in a well-fitting butler's uniform and with a composed demeanor was already waiting to the side. Upon seeing the two of them appear, he immediately stepped forward, bowed, and spoke with respectful but measured manners.
He then led the way, taking Yu Chen and Gu Yue toward the main gate of the castle.
The heavy black door slowly opened inward, emitting a low rumble.
Yu Chen stopped and took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the scent of grass, trees and stone dust, as if trying to calm his somewhat disordered heartbeat and thoughts.
He turned his head to look at Gu Yue beside him, whose expression was normal and even carried a hint of mischievous smile, and asked with unusual seriousness in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
"Phew, Yue, will I be able to get back alive this time?" Yu Chen's expression was more serious than ever before, with a genuine worry in his eyes.
After all, what they were about to meet was a true ferocious beast from the world of soul beasts. If the beast was even slightly dissatisfied, it could devour them like a snack, and probably no one could even find a trace of it.
"Pfft... Hahaha!" Gu Yue laughed so hard this time that she bent over, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
"Chen, I really should have brought a recording device! Record the expression on your face when you asked that question; it'll make me laugh for a hundred years!"
She finally managed to stop laughing, wiped her eyes, and said with a smile in her voice, "Also, you just called me 'Yue'... Hmm, I'll grant you permission. From now on, when there are no outsiders, you have to call me that."
Seeing that Yu Chen still had a solemn expression as if he were "heading to the execution ground," Gu Yue helplessly pouted and shook his arm:
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get back safe and sound. My old folks are just... bored and want to see some new faces."
She thought to herself, "Do all human boys act like they're going to war when they meet a girl's parents? It's kind of funny."
Although his brain circuits were completely out of sync, Yu Chen at least got the reassurance he needed most—his life was safe for the time being.
"Alright... then." Yu Chen let out a long breath, his tense shoulders slumping slightly.
Since Gu Yue said so, then at least his life should no longer be in danger.
Led by the middle-aged butler, Yu Chen and Gu Yue walked through the neatly manicured garden path in front of the castle, adorned with exotic flowers and plants, and arrived at the castle's heavy gate.
A group of uniformly dressed and well-mannered servants were already standing on both sides of the gate.
Upon seeing the two, they bowed respectfully in unison, their movements meticulous, before silently pushing open the heavy castle gate, adorned with ancient carvings.
Yu Chen and Gu Yue stepped inside.
Inside the door is a spacious and high-ceilinged foyer with a mirror-like floor, murals with profound artistic conception hanging on the walls, and classically designed crystal chandeliers hanging from the dome.
The air was filled with a faint, sandalwood-like fragrance, creating a serene and solemn atmosphere.
Escorted by servants, they passed through several equally spacious and grand corridors adorned with tapestries and decorations, finally arriving at an exceptionally spacious main hall with extremely high ceilings.
The main hall is not luxuriously decorated, but every detail exudes a sense of antiquity and solemnity.
The warm flames dancing in the fireplace dispelled the slight chill inherent in the stone building.
At this moment, several figures were already waiting in the center of the main hall.
"Aunt Zi, Aunt Bi, Uncle Xiong, I'm back!"
Gu Yue released her grip, took a few light steps forward, her voice clear and crisp, filled with undisguised intimacy.
"Here, this is Yu Chen, the very interesting classmate of mine that I mentioned to you before."
She stepped aside, completely exposing Yu Chen to the lights in the center of the "stage".
Yu Chen's gaze slowly swept over the few "audience members".
Standing at the front were two women.
The woman on the left wore a deep purple dress that accentuated her graceful yet dangerous figure. Her face was breathtakingly beautiful, yet cold and aloof like a thorny polar rose. She had purple hair and purple eyes, and her gaze seemed to hold the swirling depths of an abyss.
The woman on the right wore a long, gentle, light green dress, exuding a tranquil and graceful aura. Her hair was as green as a waterfall, and her eyes were like the finest jade, so warm and soothing that they seemed capable of healing all wounds.
Behind them was a bald giant, as muscular as a moving mountain. His simple coarse cloth clothes were taut by his explosive muscles. His square face was filled with a rough and curious expression, but his gaze was so sharp that it seemed to be able to peel away the skin and see right through to the essence of things.
Aunt Zi, Aunt Bi, Uncle Xiong, aren't they just Zi Ji, Bi Ji, and Xiong Jun?
Goodness, they're not even acting anymore, they're just giving out their ID numbers, right?
Just as Yu Chen's mind was racing with thoughts of what was going on, those gazes, like tangible probes, locked onto him from all directions.
He carefully, slowly, and inch by inch sensed every breath he had, every fluctuation of his soul power, and even the rhythm of his heartbeat.
The hall fell into absolute silence.
Only the occasional crackling of the fire in the fireplace, so clear it was almost unsettling in the otherwise deathly silence.