My Celestial Ascension

The city appeared more lively than when they had left, with bustling streets and crowds of people filling every corner as Yuan and his wives made their way toward Miss Zara's inn.

"It seems the city's popularity has skyrocketed after the 'Expedition'. This is a good opportunity for King Richard to expand his influence and fame across the nations," Valeria murmured quietly, glancing around at the shops that hadn't been there before.

Many new buildings had sprung up, with several still under construction to accommodate the influx of people coming into the city.

"I wonder if our rooms are still available," Sylvia mused, noticing the city's population had grown significantly in just a few weeks. "Miss Zara's inn must be fully booked by now."

Anna, seeing her concern, smiled. "Knowing Miss Zara, she's probably kept our rooms reserved. She knew we'd eventually return to her inn."

As they navigated through the crowded streets, they attracted a lot of attention, standing out from the rest of the people. But Yuan and his wives were accustomed to this and continued moving forward without paying it any mind.

"This city is bustling... The architecture is so unique. I've never seen buildings like these before," Fang Xiaoyan said in awe, her eyes darting left and right. It was her first city visit after leaving the Secret Realm.

"The culture here is vastly different from what you knew inside the Secret Realm," Sylvia explained with a smile. "It's only natural that the city's infrastructure reflects that."

A few minutes later, they reached the inn, only to be momentarily stunned by the long line of people waiting to book rooms.

"Well, I definitely didn't expect this…" Yuan muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"It seems Miss Zara's business is booming! I'm happy for her," Anna said, smiling.

Fang Xiaoyan eyed the building before asking, "Is this where we'll be staying?"

"That's right," Lily nodded. "The owner is a dear friend of ours, and she's very kind. We'll stay here for a few days before continuing our journey."

"I see…" Fang Xiaoyan smiled warmly.

"Let's go inside and greet her. I'm sure both Miss Zara and Little Zoe will be thrilled to see us," Yuan said.

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Ignoring the long line of people, they entered the inn, sparking irritation among the waiting crowd. However, when they recognized Valeria in the group, their complaints quickly died down, fearful of provoking her wrath.

As soon as they stepped inside, Little Zoe's eyes widened with excitement. She dashed off, shouting for her mother.

"Mom! Mom! Big Brother Yuan and the others are back! They're in the lobby! Come quick!" she yelled excitedly as she ran.

"What?! Lily and the others are back?!" Miss Zara, hearing her daughter, immediately stopped what she was doing. She quickly wiped her hands and hurried to the lobby.

When she arrived, she saw Yuan and his wives waiting for her, including a new face among them.

'Who is this woman? She's stunning... like a goddess!' Miss Zara thought, momentarily speechless as she admired Fang Xiaoyan's otherworldly beauty.

"Finally! You're back after two weeks! I was so worried when you didn't return after a week! I'm so glad you're all alright!" Miss Zara exclaimed, pulling Lily into a warm hug.

After a few moments, she released Lily and asked, "So, did you finish your business in Roth City? I've heard rumors about a few people disappearing there…"

"How about we settle somewhere more comfortable to talk?" Yuan quickly suggested. "I don't want others overhearing our conversation. It might be a bit… sensitive."

Even though he wasn't planning to tell Miss Zara everything about the Secret Realm, even revealing a small portion of the formation could create sensational news and make people come after their lives if word got out.

"Oh, I almost forgot how serious this matter is." Miss Zara immediately realized the gravity of the situation and said, "Let's go to my private guest room and talk there. I'll also bring some tea and cookies for us to enjoy while we talk."

As they followed Miss Zara, Little Zoe moved closer to Yuan and asked, "Big Brother Yuan, did you fight a powerful monster this time?"

"That's right." Yuan nodded with a smile. "I fought many powerful monsters, and so did everyone else. We all faced numerous powerful creatures that could easily destroy this city."

"Wow! Incredible! Big Brother Yuan, you're the best!" Little Zoe gazed at Yuan with sparkling eyes, clearly impressed.

"And what about me?"

Suddenly, a cold yet melodious voice came from behind, causing Little Zoe's small body to shiver as if she'd seen a ghost.

'This is very bad! Big Sister Lily seems super angry with me!' Little Zoe panicked inwardly, feeling cold sweat form on her back.

After taking a deep breath, Little Zoe slowly turned her head and looked at Lily with an awkward smile on her face.

"B-Big Sister Lily…" Little Zoe quickly thought up a clever response. "I was just about to say that you must have also fought many powerful monsters and defeated them with ease, which is really cool and incredible!"

Little Zoe then quickly hugged her and asked with an excited smile, "So how many monsters did you defeat, Big Sister Lily?"

"More than a thousand," Lily replied casually before picking her up and kissing her soft cheeks.

"Amazing!" Little Zoe exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise at the large number of monsters Lily had defeated.

A few seconds later, Lily looked at her and asked, "So, have you been training with the sword properly while I was gone? Or have you been slacking off?"

"I wasn't slacking off! I've been training hard! Now I can easily swing a thousand times," Little Zoe replied with a serious expression.

"Is that so? Then I'll have to personally verify your claim later. Let's do it tomorrow morning," Lily said with a knowing smile.

"And if I can do it, then you have to give me a gift. Deal?"

"Sure, sure, whatever… fufu~" Lily giggled softly at Little Zoe's request.

Soon, they arrived at the private guest room, and Miss Zara invited Yuan and his wives to sit on the sofas while she went to prepare tea for everyone.

After a few minutes, Miss Zara returned with a large tray filled with an assortment of delicious cookies, a teapot, and several beautiful cups. She poured tea for everyone and placed the tray in the center of the table, so everyone could easily reach the cookies.

"So, would you mind explaining who this new beautiful woman is, and what's your relationship with her?" Miss Zara asked with a smile, sneaking a glance at Fang Xiaoyan, who was sitting beside Yuan.

"She is Fang Xiaoyan, a resident of the Secret Realm we explored. Her family has lived there for many generations, and they've been tasked with a very important responsibility," Yuan introduced her.

"While we were inside the Secret Realm, her family helped us out a lot, just like you, Miss Zara," Yuan said, smiling warmly.

"I see…" Miss Zara nodded, but then her gaze sharpened as she looked at Yuan. "However, that doesn't explain your relationship with her."

"Well… I'm basically his wife," Fang Xiaoyan replied shyly before Yuan could say anything, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "But we haven't consummated our marriage yet," she added, feeling a bit embarrassed as this was her first time meeting someone outside the Secret Realm.

"What?!" Miss Zara immediately stood up from her seat, staring at Yuan in disbelief.

"U-Unbelievable… to think you'd acquire another woman so quickly! How could you get another wife while you already have so many women by your side?!" Miss Zara exclaimed, clearly shocked.

'At this rate, I suspect he might even try to marry me as well… I need to be careful around him and not fall for his charm. No matter how handsome he is, I have to think about Zoe's future,' Miss Zara thought to herself, her expression serious.

"Don't worry about us, Miss Zara. We gave him permission to make her his wife," Anna said with a reassuring smile. "And just so you know, she isn't human. She's a Divine Beast, just like our Xi Meili." Anna's words helped to calm Miss Zara's frustration.

"By the way, I'm Zara, and this is my daughter Zoe. It's a pleasure to meet you," Miss Zara introduced herself and her daughter with a warm smile.

"Likewise," Fang Xiaoyan nodded, returning the smile.

"Now, please enjoy the tea before it gets cold, and let's hear about your adventure inside the Secret Realm, shall we?" Miss Zara said as she picked up her teacup and took a cookie, sipping the tea gracefully.

"This is what happened…"

Yuan began recounting everything that had occurred inside the Secret Realm to Miss Zara and Little Zoe. He trusted Miss Zara as much as he trusted his wives, so he didn't hold back in sharing the details. Miss Zara and Little Zoe listened eagerly, hanging on to every word, shocked to learn there was an entire city within the Secret Realm.

"Unbelievable… to think you faced something so terrible and dangerous…" Miss Zara covered her mouth in astonishment as Yuan described his battle with a terrifying being—an actual demon.

"So, did you defeat the demon, Big Brother Yuan?" Little Zoe asked, her curiosity shining through her sparkling eyes as she waited eagerly for the answer.

"That's right." Yuan smiled and nodded. "Not only did I defeat that demon, but I also fought a few others. I managed to slay all of them using a special technique—it's the only way to kill a demon."

"We also uncovered a startling truth about our world after encountering the demons inside the Secret Realm," Valeria said, her tone serious as she looked at Miss Zara.

"And what is that?" Miss Zara asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

Valeria took a deep breath, her expression grave. "The beings we call 'demons' in this world aren't actually demons. They're a race of demi-humans, similar to Elves and Dwarves."

"The real demons are far more terrifying and dangerous. Their very presence is suffocating, and the smell of blood that follows them is overwhelming," Valeria said, recalling the horrific image of the demons she encountered inside the Secret Realm.

"What?!" Miss Zara almost shouted in shock, struggling to process what she had just learned.