The ancient return was exposed by his sister's live stream.

Qin Xiaoyu glanced around the living room, her gaze landing on the two torn packets of dried fish on the coffee table, then looking at Xiaoqing, who was perched on the coffee table, tilting its head and watching them. Qin Xiaoyu recognized the bird.

"I'll go call my brother." Chen Siyao stood up from the sofa and ran into the study.

Yang Wanqing invited them to sit down and poured them tea.

Qin Xiaoyu sat on the sofa, her back ramrod straight. Her complexion today was completely different from yesterday; her skin was even whiter, not from makeup, but from a jade-like radiance that shone through.

Ying Wenjie sat next to her. Although he had never cultivated, his spirit and energy were different.

Yang Wanqing could sense that the energy emanating from them was quite different from before. She asked them curiously how their cultivation was going.

Qin Xiaoyu said, "Since using the Flame Spirit Stone, I went from the early stage of Dark Force to the peak of Transformation Realm in one night. I will soon be able to enter the Return to Truth Realm."

Yang Wanqing was relieved. It turned out that they had also used the Flame Spirit Stone for cultivation. No wonder their demeanor was completely different from before.

Ye Chendong continued, "I've also reached the Transcendent Realm." Wu Tian nodded, "Me too."

Ying Wenjie sat beside him without saying a word. He wasn't cultivating, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

In this world, there are no more than five experts at the True Realm, and each of them is a reclusive patriarch who is over half a hundred years old and on the verge of death.

And they, at only twenty-something years old, can reach the Return to Truth Realm in as little as a few days and become the top beings in the world!

They still find it incredible.

The study door opened. Chen Hao came out, having changed into a light gray loungewear set; his hair wasn't completely dry.

The four of them stood up simultaneously the moment he appeared, their movements synchronized, and quickly walked to Chen Hao. They knelt on one knee. "Master."

Chen Siyao stood frozen in the study doorway, a book still in her hand. Yang Wanqing's mouth formed an "O." She turned to look at Chen Siyao, and Chen Siyao turned to look at her in return.

When did my brother secretly take these four people as his apprentices?

Yesterday I went out and not only brought back Xiao Qing, but I also took on disciples from the four major families?

Chen Hao glanced at her but didn't answer. He looked down at the four people kneeling before him and said, "Get up. In modern society, there's no need for such formalities."

The four people stood up and stood beside the sofa, their hands hanging at their sides, their posture respectful.

Chen Hao's gaze swept over the four people. Qin Xiaoyu had already reached the peak of the Transformation Realm, Ye Chendong and Wu Tian were both in the early stage of the Transformation Realm, and Ying Wenjie had not yet started cultivating, but his physique was good and he had some foundation.

"Not bad talent," he said casually.

Upon hearing these four words, the four people were happier than if they had received any treasure. Chen Hao asked them to sit down and said he would teach them his cultivation techniques.

Ying Wenjie's eyes lit up immediately. All three of them had started cultivating, but he hadn't, which made him so anxious that he couldn't sleep all night.

Chen Hao told them to sit cross-legged. He sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm, and his gaze slowly swept over the four of them.

He began, "Mortal martial arts cultivate the skin, flesh, muscles, and bones, ultimately limiting one to a mortal body. Lifespan is no more than a hundred years, and combat strength is merely the bravery of a common man. What I am passing on to you today is the ancient and supreme body-refining technique—the Eight-Nine Mysterious Technique."

"The Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, through nine transformations to sainthood, refines the physical body, strengthens the soul, and grants mastery of transformations, making one impervious to all magic. It is one of the top-tier techniques throughout the ages, along with the Nine Transformations of the Azure Dragon, with no distinction of superiority or inferiority. Ultimately, how far you can go depends entirely on your own comprehension and character."

As soon as the words were spoken, the four men were terrified, their eyes widened, and their breathing became rapid.

With a wave of his right hand, four beams of spiritual light flew from his fingertips and entered the foreheads of the four people.

Qin Xiaoyu felt as if a huge wall of black iron had appeared in her mind, and she didn't recognize any of the ancient characters on it.

But the words seemed alive, floating up from the wall, lining up, and seeping into the depths of her consciousness. She saw a figure, blurry in shape, practicing a set of martial arts techniques.

The movements were slow, yet each stance was clearly visible, resembling a monkey, a crane, a dragon, or a tiger—unconventional and endlessly varied. It was far beyond the limited repertoire of their family's martial arts.

Ying Wenjie also saw the same scene, but since he had never practiced martial arts, he couldn't understand the deeper meaning of those moves; he only thought they were beautiful.

Before long, the four of them opened their eyes one after another. Only Yang Wanqing and Chen Siyao remained in the living room; Chen Hao had already returned to his study.

Just then, a burst of laughter that could no longer be suppressed suddenly erupted from the side.

"Hahaha...hehehe..."

Yang Wanqing rested her chin on her hands, leaned back on the sofa, and laughed so hard that she almost cried. Her mouth stretched to her ears, and she couldn't suppress her laughter. She was shaking with laughter, looking extremely happy.

The four people: "???"

Qin Xiaoyu stepped forward with a bewildered expression, bowed slightly, and asked respectfully yet questioningly, "Senior Sister, what's wrong? Why are you smiling so happily?"

The moment Yang Wanqing uttered the word "Senior Sister," her laughter amplified, becoming even more maniacal, and she nearly slipped off the sofa.

Ying Wenjie, Ye Chendong, and Wu Tian were also completely bewildered, standing there at a loss for what to do.

They didn't do anything, nor did they tell any jokes, so why is Senior Sister laughing like that? Is there something on their faces?

The group subconsciously touched their faces; they were clean and dry, with nothing on them.

Seeing the four of them looking bewildered and helpless, Chen Siyao rubbed her forehead, sighed speechlessly, and waved to them.

He explained on her behalf, "Don't mind her, she's overjoyed. She's been holding a grudge about being demoted in seniority. Now she suddenly has four more junior brothers and sisters, of course she's thrilled!"

She then asked, "By the way, when did my brother take you as his disciples?"

Qin Xiaoyu replied respectfully, "Master, it was yesterday in Laoshan."

Upon hearing the words "Master Sister," Chen Siyao awkwardly picked at her fingers.

She was only in her early twenties, yet someone older than her was calling her "Shigu" (a term of respect for a senior female disciple). She had joked with Yang Wanqing about seniority before, but it was all in jest; who would take it seriously?

She felt extremely uncomfortable. "You'd better not call me 'Master Aunt' anymore, it's too awkward. That's not common in society now, let's just call each other what we call each other."

Qin Xiaoyu and Ye Chendong exchanged a glance, looking somewhat embarrassed. They came from an ancient martial arts family and were extremely strict about seniority.

Ye Chendong thought for a moment and tentatively suggested, "How about we call you Aunt Yao Yao?"

Chen Siyao couldn't go against their wishes, so she could only let them call her that.

"Fine, whatever you want."

The four of them then recounted everything that had happened in Laoshan the previous day to Chen Siyao and Yang Wanqing in detail.

From the reappearance of the ancient Lao Kingdom ruins and the ocean of bones in the sealed land, to the appearance of the Taotie, the rescue by the Three Bluebirds, and then to Chen Hao's appearance, appearing in the void and destroying the Taotie with a flick of his finger, and so on!

With each verse, Chen Siyao and Yang Wanqing gasped in surprise, their eyes widening as they covered their mouths with their hands, their faces filled with shock.

They only knew that their brother had gone out and resolved the trouble, but they had no idea that such a terrifying and earth-shattering event had occurred outside!

She had no idea that her brother was so powerful!

In just over an hour, I managed to travel from Shenzhen to Laoshan and back, and accomplished so many amazing things.