Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 583 Years of Passing Time

A century is enough time in the eyes of ordinary people for a snotty-nosed child on the street to grow into an old man with a cane.

But for Lin Chen, it was merely the time it took to take a nap at the top of the Tower of Babel.

After ten years of seclusion, the Great Dao of Yin and the Great Dao of Yang were simultaneously perfected.

When Yin reaches its extreme, it transforms into Yang; when Yang reaches its extreme, it transforms into Yin. We are intertwined, each other inseparable.

In the twentieth year of seclusion, Yin and Yang were united, blended together like water and milk, inseparable.

After fifty years of seclusion, chaos began to emerge.

The first wisp of primordial chaos was born from the place where yin and yang merged, hazy and glittering, like the light before heaven and earth were split apart.

After eighty years of seclusion, the chaotic energy filled his entire body.

After a hundred years of seclusion, he officially entered the Great Dao of Chaos.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged atop the Tower of Babel, the chaotic energy around him solidifying into a tangible form, and a hazy light slowly circulated within a ten-foot radius around him.

He didn't open his eyes, but his divine sense had already spread out, enveloping the entire Tianyuan Continent.

From Tongtian City in Zhongzhou to Dongshan Villa in the Eastern Region, from the Flame Empire in the Northern Desert to the Monster Forest in the Southern Wilderness, from the Jinsha Empire in Xizhou to Penglai Island in the East Sea.

Every statue in the city, every convergence of spiritual power, every trajectory that flowed into his consciousness—all of these were within his perception.

He could sense the old lady twirling prayer beads under the eaves of the East Mountain Villa, and Su Wanqing holding an embroidery needle under the west window.

I could feel Liu Ruyan leaning against the door frame with a cup of hot tea in her hand, and I could feel Lin Nian'er practicing her sword in the backyard, the wind from her sword swirling osmanthus petals everywhere.

Lin Chen could even hear the familiar yet unfamiliar footsteps of his great-grandchildren chasing butterflies among the flowers.

Lin Chen knew he was only one step away from becoming a Great Emperor, and that step could be taken at any time.

But he wasn't in a hurry. He had only just begun to understand the Great Dao of Chaos and was still far from perfect.

He didn't want to rush into becoming an emperor; he wanted to wait until the Great Dao of Chaos was perfected before taking that step, which would be called ascending to heaven in one step.

As for the gray-robed emperor who was still spying outside the void, with his current combat strength at the entry level of the Chaos Dao and his previous profound foundation, it wouldn't be impossible for him to fight beyond his level.

Even if the Daoist of Extinction is a Great Emperor at the third level, Lin Chen is confident that he can go toe-to-toe with him.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Dongshan Villa.

A century has passed, and this place is no longer what it used to be.

The courtyard has expanded more than tenfold, with pavilions and towers arranged in a well-organized manner, and artificial hills, flowing water, and winding paths leading to secluded spots.

Thousands of people were crammed together in one place; their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren could circle the yard three times if they were lined up.

Every time we eat, we have to set up dozens of tables, and the maids can't keep up with the demand for serving dishes.

The old lady is now at the peak of the Celestial Immortal realm; living for thousands of years is as easy as playing a game for her.

She sat on a grand chair under the eaves, fiddling with a newly replaced string of Buddhist prayer beads. The old string had been passed down to Su Wanqing as a "family heirloom."

She watched her great-grandchildren running around in the yard, a smile always on her lips.

A little girl with pigtails was running too fast, tripped, and fell forward.

The old lady raised her hand, and a gentle force supported her.

The little girl wobbled a bit, then steadied herself, turned around, grinned at her, revealing a gap in her teeth.

"Ancestor! Look how fast I run!"

"Quick, faster than a rabbit!" The old lady beckoned to her, "Come here, let your grandmother see if you've fallen."

The little girl ran over again, knelt down beside the old lady's legs, and looked up at her:

"I didn't fall! Ancestor, did you see that? I stopped halfway down!"

"I see it, I see it." The old lady reached out and straightened her crooked pigtails.

"You're just like your great-grandfather when he was a child, always rushing forward without looking where you're going."

Su Wanqing, who was embroidering peonies with her head down, replied without looking up, "Not only do they walk the same way, but they even cause trouble in the exact same way."

After finishing the last stitch, she held up the embroidery frame and examined it closely.

"When I was little, I watched him climb over the wall to steal birds' nests. He would fall off the wall and plunge headfirst into the flower bushes. When he got up, his head was covered in flower petals, and he would smile at me."

The old lady chuckled: "How old was he back then?"

"Five or six years old, I guess." Su Wanqing put down the bandage, thought for a moment, "About the same age as you are now, about this height, and as thin as a bamboo pole."

The little girl tilted her head to listen, only half understanding, but knowing they were talking about her great-grandfather's childhood, she grinned and smiled along.

The thirteen women, including Liu Ruyan, have all improved their cultivation over the years. The lowest level is at the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm, and the highest level has already reached the threshold of the True Lord realm.

They would get together to drink tea every few days. There was a stone table under the old osmanthus tree in the east corner of the courtyard, and they would sit there every autumn when the osmanthus flowers bloomed.

They talked about Lin Chen, their children, their grandchildren, and the trivialities of daily life.

"Nianjun has broken through again, reaching the mid-stage of True Lord." Liu Ruyan held her teacup and blew on the tea leaves floating on the surface.

"A message came back yesterday saying that he fought with Zhang Yuanyi's apprentice in Tianyuan City and won."

Qin Shuyan nodded: "Nianbei did too. He wrote a few days ago saying that he sparred with a Venerable from the Flame Empire in the Northern Desert and defeated him in three moves. The Venerable almost became depressed."

Xiao Yulou put down his teacup, a hint of undisguised smugness in his eyes:

"Nianying won three matches in a row yesterday. Her opponents were all unwilling to accept it, and after defeating one, they came up with another. In the end, all three of them were defeated."

She paused, then continued, "Later, the three of them teamed up to cause her trouble, but she kicked each of them out of the ring."

Zhao Mingyue chuckled softly, "They're all good kids."

Wen Ruoxi turned a page of the account book without looking up:

"Nianze is not bad either. Last month, he opened up the trade route to Xizhou and also brought back a princess from Xizhou along the way."

She raised her eyelids slightly. "It's said that the princess took a liking to him first and chased him across three cities."

Murong Xue took a sip of tea and said, "Nian Zhao came back a while ago with a spirit beast. He said he found it outside. The thing is quite docile, but it can eat a lot—it can eat the equivalent of three cows in one meal."

She sighed, "Those spirit oxen on the back mountain now hide whenever they see it."

"Being able to eat is a blessing," Su Xiaoxiao said with a smile. "Besides, it's not like we can't afford to feed them."

Yao Yao lay sprawled on the stone table, her chin resting on the back of her hand, listlessly plucking a osmanthus leaf:

"When are Nianying and the others coming back? I haven't seen them for months."

Liu Ruyan glanced at her: "It'll be soon. It's the old lady's birthday next month, and we've agreed that everyone will come back."

Yao Yao's eyes lit up instantly: "Then I need to prepare a gift!"

Lan Fenghuang glanced at her: "Wasn't the joke you made with the gift you prepared last time enough?"

"That's because you don't know how to appreciate it!" Yao Yao straightened up, speaking with righteous indignation.

"The old lady and my mother have been widowed for so many years. Looking at young bodies is good for their physical and mental health and can prolong their lives. Those of you who don't understand should stop making irresponsible comments."

Mei Jiu Niang happened to be visiting from the Hehuan Sect. She heard this as she entered, and said irritably as she sat down:

"Come on, you're lucky the old lady didn't spank you."

Yao Yao's eyes widened: "No way! The old lady loves me the most. She says the house is only lively when I'm around!"

"That's to save face for you!"

"..."

Lingbo sat in the corner, her plain white clothes highlighting her unchanging face.

She held her tea but didn't drink it. Listening to their argument, the corners of her mouth curved slightly—not obviously, but definitely.

Chi Meng sat opposite her, expressionlessly refilling her teacup with water.

When she drank the third cup, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, so slightly that it was almost imperceptible, but it was because she was smiling.

After arguing, Mei Jiu Niang and Yao Yao changed the subject:

"I have something to tell you. The day before yesterday, Lin Nianlang took on another apprentice, whose talent is ridiculously good."

That little girl is only thirteen years old, yet she's already at the peak of the Grandmaster level. Any sect would be vying for her talent.

Yao Yao interjected, "Is he as talented as I was back then?"

Mei Jiu Niang looked her up and down: "Back then? When you were thirteen, you were still rolling around on the ground."

"That's called being lively!"

"Alright, alright, lively, lively." Mei Jiu Niang nodded perfunctorily.

"That little girl is much more mature than you. She stands there like a little adult."

Yao Yao retorted, "Is she prettier than me?"

Mei Jiu Niang remained silent for half a second.

"Say it!"

"...Each has its own merits."

"Your expression clearly means I'm not as pretty as her!"

"I didn't say that."

"It's written all over your face!"

The two were arguing loudly when Liu Ruyan next to them laughed so hard she almost dropped her teacup. Xiao Yulou threw his head back and burst into laughter, and even Lingbo turned her face away, her shoulders trembling slightly.

The laughter startled the osmanthus blossoms, causing them to fall in a flurry, scattering golden droplets across the table.