Donghai City, Zhou Family old mansion.

In the pavilion of the back garden, an old man with silver hair and a vigorous spirit sat upright.

He held a cup of clear tea, his movements unhurried.

He was Zhou Ting, the current Family Head of the Zhou Family.

Outside the courtyard, Zhou Feng slowly walked over, stopping in front of the old man and bowing respectfully.

“Father, did you call for me?”

Zhou Ting didn't even lift his eyelids, merely letting out a soft hum.

He took a sip of tea, his face showing no emotion.

“I heard that Lu Qi was beaten up a while ago.”

“What’s going on with you, as his father?”

Zhou Feng’s head drooped even lower.

Zhou Ting gently placed the teacup on the stone table, producing a crisp sound.

“I told you long ago to take good care of his mother and him, and this is how you take care of them?”

“Fortunately, Lu Qi is fine this time. If anything had happened to him, have you considered the fate of our Zhou Family?”

Zhou Feng lowered his head, his voice muffled: “It was my oversight.”

“I’ve already sent people to kill the guy who bullied Lu Qi.”

“In the future, when Lu Qi goes out, I will arrange more people to protect him.”

Zhou Ting’s face remained expressionless, only letting out a soft snort from his nose.

He changed the subject.

“Besides that, you and Liu Yuru should also hurry up and have another child.”

“Lu Qi, after all, is not of our Zhou Family Bloodline.”

“You can’t expect to become the Family Head and then hand over the Zhou Family to an outsider, can you?”

“So, while you are still young, have one.”

Upon hearing this, a bitter arc appeared at the corner of Zhou Feng’s mouth.

Since Liu Yuru married into the Zhou Family all these years, let alone having a child, she hadn’t even let him touch her hand.

How could there be an heir?

But he didn’t voice these thoughts.

Speaking them out would only lead to the old man reprimanding him as incompetent.

Zhou Feng could only swallow this humiliation and nod silently.

Zhou Ting picked up his teacup again, blowing away the floating tea leaves.

“As for Zhou Huai...”

“I heard Liu Yuru kicked him out of your house, is this true?”

Zhou Feng’s body stiffened slightly, but he still nodded.

“Yes. Huai’er... he transferred to an E-Grade Class, and Liu Yuru kicked him out.”

“He’s currently living in the separate villa his mother left behind.”

Zhou Ting calmly said “Oh,” as if listening to an insignificant triviality.

“An E-Grade Class user.”

“He indeed doesn’t deserve to be a member of our Zhou Family anymore. I don’t object to Liu Yuru doing this.”

Zhou Feng clenched his fists hidden at his side, his knuckles turning slightly white from the effort, but he said nothing.

Zhou Ting continued: “Don’t blame me, as his grandfather, for being cruel and disregarding kinship.”

“This world is inherently like ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) this, survival of the fittest.”

“Our Zhou Family has reached where it is today by climbing out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, step by step.”

“You know how many resources the Family expended on him a few years ago to break the curse on him.”

“I believe the Zhou Family has already done its utmost for him.”

“If there’s anyone to blame, it can only be himself for not living up to expectations and Awakening a useless Class.”

“Just let him fend for himself in that separate villa. Remember to give him some living expenses occasionally, just enough so he doesn’t starve to death.”

Zhou Feng felt as if a wad of cotton was stuck in his throat; he opened his mouth, but in the end, it only turned into one word.

“Yes.”

Zhou Ting seemed satisfied with his obedience, and his tone softened a bit.

“Oh, right. After the National College Entrance Examination ends, it will be that girl from the Ye Family’s birthday.”

“Find some time to discuss it with Ye Zhentian.”

“On Ye Xi’s birthday, hold Lu Qi and her engagement banquet as well.”

“That way, we’ll have double happiness.”

...Meanwhile, Zhou Huai slowly awoke from his sleep.

Outside the window, the sky had completely darkened, and only a dim bedside lamp illuminated the room.

He glanced at the digital clock; another five-plus hours had passed.

This drowsy state was becoming more and more frequent.

Zhou Huai rubbed his slightly throbbing temples and focused his attention on his mind.

Immediately, he began to check the status of his two Clones.

During his slumber, Yasuo and Gandalf, like two tireless machines, were frantically farming dungeons in the Shadow Swamp Demon Cave.

As Gandalf’s Rank continuously increased, their efficiency in clearing maps grew higher and higher.

At this moment, a golden light of leveling up had just faded from Yasuo’s body.

His Rank had already reached LV16.

And Gandalf, who had been following behind and sharing experience, had astonishingly reached LV10!

【Clone Panel (Gandalf)】

【Profession: Unique Hidden Profession, S-Class Profession Forbidden Spell Mage】

【Rank: LV10 (0 / 100000)】

【Health: 2580 / 2580】

【Mana: 6100 / 6100】

【Strength: 431】

【Agility: 399】

【Stamina: 456】

【Mental Energy: 1289】

【Magic Damage: 1588】

【Physical Defense: 305】

【Magic Resistance: 685】

Zhou Huai’s eyes lit up.

This was an S-Class Profession.

Its Rank 10 attributes already surpassed Yasuo’s Rank 15.

Especially that magic damage, exceeding fifteen hundred, was simply horrifying.

What surprised him even more was that Gandalf had comprehended a new Rank 10 skill.

【Arcane Barrier LV1】: Consumes 500 Mana to form an indestructible defensive magic shield around oneself, capable of blocking all forms of damage. The total damage the magic shield can absorb is 10 times the caster’s maximum Mana. The magic shield lasts for 5 minutes, with a cooldown of 1 minute.

Zhou Huai’s breathing suddenly quickened.

Ten times his maximum Mana?

Calculated by Gandalf’s current maximum Mana of six thousand one hundred, wouldn’t this 【Arcane Barrier】 be able to block over sixty thousand points of damage?

This was simply too terrifying!

Before, he had always worried that while Gandalf’s output was explosive, his physique was too fragile, and he could easily fall into a passive state if enemies got close. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

But now, with this skill, that concern seemed to completely vanish.

An invincible shield that lasts for five minutes and has a cooldown of only one minute.

This was simply a BUG!

In these past few hours, the two had cleared the Calamity Difficulty Shadow Swamp Demon Cave at least five or six times.

They had indeed farmed a large pile of Materials.

But the 【star moon set】 blueprint Zhou Huai most desired had only barely dropped one more.

It was the blueprint for the 【star moon gauntlets】.

This drop rate was truly a bit disheartening.

At this moment, in the deepest part of the Shadow Swamp Demon Cave.

As the last elite monster, the 【Shadow Swamp Weaver】, let out an unwilling wail and collapsed to the ground.

Yasuo and Gandalf were about to exit the dungeon, waiting for the next reset.

Just then.

Rumble—!

The entire hall suddenly began to shake violently, as if a strong earthquake had occurred.

Crushed stones rustled down from the cave ceiling.

Yasuo immediately shielded Gandalf behind him, vigilantly scanning his surroundings.

The source of the tremor seemed to come from the deepest part of the hall.

That incredibly heavy stone door was slowly opening to both sides!

A breath far more ancient and desolate than any other aura within the dungeon rushed out from behind the door.