Chapter 542: Reunion (part 1}

Near the hot spring, two elderly people were kneeling on the ground, holding their ears and begging a beautiful woman for forgiveness after being caught spying on her while she enjoyed the hot spring with a handsome young man.

"Dear Xiaoyan, you can't punish me like this. I'm your beloved grandma; you can't do this to me," the old lady pleaded pitifully for forgiveness from Fang Xiaoyan. Then, she glanced at the old man beside her with a furious expression.

"It's all because of this old fool! He was the one who suggested we keep an eye on you while you enjoyed your time with Yuan... and to make sure that Yuan would, you know, plant a baby in you so we could have a grandchild sooner."

"Believe me, dear Xiaoyan, this has nothing to do with me! If you want to punish someone, punish this old fool for suggesting something like that... Aren't you my dear granddaughter? Please, have mercy on this pitiful old lady..." Grandma Fang said with fake tears in her eyes, blaming everything on her husband, hoping to see him get punished by their granddaughter.

'This old witch will be the death of me one day! She's the one who suggested this, and now she's blaming everything on me! Damn it! This is so unfair!' The old man cried inwardly, trying his hardest to keep his mouth shut, knowing that any response would only make things worse for him.

'What have I done to deserve this? I don't even remember doing anything that would have made her angry! So why is she blaming everything on me?' Grandpa Fang could only stare at the old lady with a dumbfounded expression.

If he denied her claims, things would only get worse—he might even be made to sleep outside for months, and his old bones couldn't handle the cold. Speaking up for himself was clearly out of the question.

'I'd rather be punished by my granddaughter than poke an angry lioness,' Grandpa Fang decided.

"Shut up, Grandma! I know you're in this together with Grandpa, so keep your mouth shut and keep kneeling until I say so!" Fang Xiaoyan commanded. She knew her grandma was putting on an act and wasn't swayed by her pitiful face.

"Ugh! What a pity it didn't work!" Grandma Fang muttered, glaring at the old man fiercely, sending a shiver down his spine.

Fang Xiaoyan turned to Yuan and apologized, saying, "Sorry for everything you had to go through, Yuan. I didn't expect them to spy on us like that."

"It's alright. I understand, so don't worry. I don't blame anyone for this," Yuan replied with a kind smile, taking it all in stride.

The old couple just wanted to hold their granddaughter's child so they could pass their time playing with a grandchild. Having already lived a long time inside the secret realm, everything else had become very boring for them.

"They just want some excitement in their lives. After all, they're quite old and need some entertainment," Yuan added with a smile.

"You're right. If only we could leave this place... They wouldn't be so bored if they could visit the outside world," Fang Xiaoyan nodded and sighed.

"I'm sure that all of you will be able to visit the outside world one day; I'm very certain of it," Yuan replied confidently.

A couple of minutes later, Fang Xiaoyan decided to end the punishment for her grandparents. Despite being harsh with them earlier, she loved both of them dearly.

"This is the last time I'm forgiving the two of you. If it happens again, I won't show any mercy. Remember that!" Fang Xiaoyan said sternly before unconsciously grabbing Yuan's hand and heading toward the house.

Seeing their granddaughter leave with Yuan, the old couple finally sighed in relief.

"For a moment, I thought I was going to die..." the old man mumbled under his breath, wiping the dust from his knees.

Anna stepped forward and said, "Enough about the house now. Let's go ask whoever owns this place about our darling's whereabouts."

"Let's go." Everyone agreed with Anna and began approaching the house.

Meanwhile, inside the house, Fang Ling watched Yuan chatting with her daughter, feeling incredibly happy to see them growing closer and more open with each other.

"Did you two have fun in the hot spring?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

"The hot spring was quite relaxing and comfortable. It was an amazing experience that washed away my fatigue. I'd say I enjoyed every second of it," Yuan replied with a smile, being completely honest.

"I'm glad you liked our hot spring," Fang Xiaoyan's mother smiled at Yuan. "So, when can we expect a grandchild from the two of you? Since you've shared a bath together, it seems only natural..."

"Mom! What are you saying?! Nothing happened between us—it was just a normal bath!" Fang Xiaoyan immediately stood up, shouting at her mother with a flushed face.

But suddenly, Fang Xiaoyan and her mother's expressions changed, turning serious, surprising Yuan with the sudden shift in mood.

At that moment, the old couple entered the room with equally serious expressions, as if something significant had occurred.

"Xiaoyan, did you feel it too? Some people have managed to discover this place and have come here!" Grandpa Fang said, his face tense.

"Let's go confront whoever came here! We can't let them go unpunished!" Fang Ling added with a wide grin, ready to defend their territory against any intruders.

Just as they were about to leave, Fang Xiaoyan turned around and asked, "Yuan, do you want to come with us, or would you rather wait here?"

"I'll go with you. I have no one to talk to here, and I'd probably get bored," Yuan replied, quickly tagging along with them.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the spot where they sensed multiple presences. Fang Xiaoyan and the others were on high alert.

"This is the first time someone has managed to find their way here despite the complex mechanisms of the formation our ancestors set up to protect us from those who seek our blood," the old man mumbled in a surprised yet serious tone. He had never thought anyone would discover this place.

"You old fool, be quiet and wait for them to show themselves," the old lady snapped, smacking the back of his head and glaring coldly at him.

"I-I'm sorry..." The old man immediately fell silent.

A few minutes later, several figures emerged from the formation, shocking Fang Xiaoyan and her family. Yuan was also taken aback by the sight of the intruders.

"Who are you people? And how did you find this place?" Fang Xiaoyan demanded, raising her hand as a golden flame ignited in her palm, its heat intense and threatening.

"Mom Anna! Mom Grace! How did you get in here?" Yuan's surprised voice rang out from behind, catching everyone's attention.