Shen Han bought winter clothes for Madam Yun and Cailing.

Having quite a bit of money left over, Shen Han decided to be generous and bought two fairly expensive outfits.

Once he had them in hand, he added an "exquisite" inscription to them.

These two should make for good gifts.

He placed the gifts into his Storage Ring; with this magical storage equipment, carrying items became considerably easier.

As for Liu Xilan, Shen Han mulled over it for a long time and finally decided to gift the "Gen Mountain Secret Technique" he had acquired.

For one, it was she who had informed him of many details about this cultivation technique.

He had her to thank for obtaining this technique.

The second reason was that choosing a suitable gift was truly a dilemma.

If the gift was not appropriate, it could easily spark rumors and unwarranted gossip, affecting others.

After making his purchases, Shen Han quickened his pace towards Yun'an City.

Now, having reached the Sixth Grade, his agility had improved significantly.

The "Lonely Wind Snow-Treading Step" body technique was particularly proficient.

With plenty of pills stored in the ring, Shen Han did not delay and tried to be as quick as possible.

In two days' time, Shen Han reached the outskirts of Yun'an City.

A gentle breeze swept by, causing the city banners to sway gently.

Already in winter, the area outside the city appeared somewhat desolate, with bare trees everywhere.

On the slightly sturdier branches, some snow had accumulated.

A light snowfall must have occurred last night.

The snowflakes on the ground had already melted away.

Gazing at the familiar Yun'an City, Shen Han did not feel particularly nostalgic.

If not for Madam Yun and Cailing being there, he would indeed prefer not to return.

Entering Yun'an City, Shen Han headed straight for the Shen Mansion.

What needs facing certainly has to be faced; now that he had reached the Sixth Grade, it wasn't easy to be at a disadvantage.

Nearing the mansion, a servant at the gate immediately recognized Shen Han.

Hastily, the servant ran inside to inform the others.

Shen Han wasn't concerned about whether someone would tip off anyone; he returned openly without worrying about such matters.

Not far away, Madam Xie's son, Shen Lei, was staring intently at Shen Han.

The last time Shen Han retorted Madam Xie in court, they had exchanged harsh words.

Back then, Shen Lei wanted to subdue Shen Han with force, but upon confronting Shen Han directly, he came away empty-handed.

Over the past month, he intensively trained his boxing skills.

His fists now could deliver blows that echoed through the air.

He had been waiting a long time for Shen Han, and today Shen Han finally returned.

Beside him, the younger generation of the Shen Family stood, prepared to watch the spectacle.

Shen Han proceeded along the path.

Suddenly, with a shout, Shen Lei formed his right hand into a fist and struck hard at Shen Han's chest.

Success!

The young generation of the Shen Family behind them watched with wide eyes.

They anticipated that Shen Lei's punch might miss, but it surprisingly struck.

Before they could get excited, Shen Lei gritted his teeth, his entire face turning crimson.

His fist had already become deformed...

That punch just now, Shen Lei felt like he had hit an unimaginably hard rock.

The terrifying hardness left all the bones in his hand fractured.

Shen Han glanced at him, speechless, dusted off his clothes, and then walked away.

Those gathered to watch understood.

After this experience, Shen Han was even harder to provoke.

"He must be at the Eighth Grade already..."

"I think it's more than that; last time he could already spank Shen Ao's butt; he must have been at Eighth Grade then.

Now, he's probably at the Peak of Grade Eight..."

"Peak of Grade Eight..."

Apart from Shen Ye and Shen Ao, the strongest among the ordinary disciples of the Shen Family was only at the Peak of Grade Eight.

Seeing Shen Han possess such strength, they realized they needed to show more respect to him.

This minor disturbance didn't bother Shen Han at all.

His current strength far surpassed the Peak of Grade Eight.

This return was to prove his strength.

Shen Lingsheng's words were spot on.

One sacrifices oneself because the strength is not enough, and the value is not sufficient.

Like this, let's see how much value he really has.

Walking through the familiar corridors, Shen Han did not feel comfortable.

Staying within the Shen Mansion, he always felt like an unwanted outsider, preferring instead the humble courtyard of a farmer.

As custom dictates, upon returning home, Shen Han first went to pay respects to Madam Shen.

Just past noon, someone living as leisurely as Madam Shen was naturally taking an afternoon nap.

Seeing Cai Xue, the maid close to Madam Shen, she indeed suggested he wait until Madam Shen summoned him for a visit.

That was exactly the answer Shen Han was waiting for.

He didn't want to meet Madam Shen first, just doing so out of decorum.

Turning around, he made his way to Madam Yun's courtyard.

In the courtyard, Madam Yun held a string of wooden beads, praying devoutly.

There wasn't much she could do, except sincerely pray at home, praying for Shen Han's safe return.

Hearing footsteps outside the courtyard, Madam Yun instinctively turned her head to take a look.

She always thought the sound of those footsteps was Shen Han returning.

But over the past month, each time she turned her head, it was merely a servant passing by.

Turning back as usual, she suddenly felt she truly saw Shen Han this time...

Quickly turning her head again, she saw the elegant young man behind her, none other than Shen Han!

Madam Yun, with joy on her face, hurriedly ran towards Shen Han, looking him over.

"You've slimmed down, must have had a hard time outside."

With a tinge of heartache on her face, she also blamed her lack of capability as a mother.

If she could win over Madam Shen like Madam He and Madam Xie, perhaps Shen Han wouldn't have to suffer as much.

While speaking, Madam Yun led Shen Han to sit in the courtyard.

Soon after, she brought out two plates of snacks from the house.

"The Bodhisattva of Jinhe Temple is indeed efficacious. A few days ago, Cailing and I drew fortunes and were told you'd return these days.

My snacks were prepared just in time~"

On the table were two plates of snacks, one with pumpkin pastry and the other with osmanthus cake.

Shen Han pleasantly enjoyed the treats, but still left some.

"Save some for Cailing, doesn't she also love these snacks?"

Madam Yun nodded, knowing Cailing had a sweet tooth, so saving some for her was a good idea.

Sitting in the courtyard, Shen Han began recounting his recent experiences to Madam Yun.

He crossed the western border, reaching Qianyang Country.

Stayed at an inn costing fifty taels a night, then went to a graveyard to transcribe cultivation techniques.

When it came to discussing the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Shen Han hesitated and chose not to mention it.

That matter was too significant and could easily lead to unnecessary trouble.

Moreover, he hesitated to talk about his experience with Shi Yuezhu...

Even after omitting much of the danger, Madam Yun listened with lingering concern.

"Let's not venture out for practice anymore, it's too dangerous..."

Shen Han consoled her with a smile:

"Third Madam, don't worry too much, I am aware of my limits.

The future is long; it's impossible for you to protect me forever.

In the future, it will be my turn to protect you."

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