I Have a Golden Crow

When the vehicle returned to Xishu Garden, it was already afternoon.

Under Yang Qingqing's instructions, Lin Shiwei and Li Mengnan nodded repeatedly in agreement, respectfully bidding farewell to their master, and then drove away, heading home for some well-deserved rest.

Only Du Yu and Yang Qingqing were left standing at the entrance of the apartment building, watching the vehicle fade into the distance.

"What, you can't bear to say goodbye?" Seeing the complicated look on his young apprentice's face, Yang Qingqing teased with a smile.

"No, no." Du Yu quickly diverted his gaze.

There was nothing to be reluctant about. Outside the Otherworld Gate in Shiyan City, Du Yu had been alone in a small camp for seven days, not staying with his teammates.

The reason he felt downcast was merely because he had experienced something akin to the end of the world.

Of course, calling it an "end of the world" wasn't entirely accurate, it could at most be considered a crisis onset.

Now, that part of the Demon Spirit Realm had become clear and calm, seemingly indicating the crisis had been resolved. But regarding those two mysterious figures, Du Yu still felt uneasy.

Who knows what will happen in the future...

I hope the military forces can capture those two and extract some useful intelligence.

With his head lowered, Du Yu followed Yang Qingqing into the elevator.

Arriving at the seventeenth floor, just as Du Yu was about to step out of the elevator, he noticed his master standing at the door, waving toward somewhere in the distance.

"Master Qing?" Intrigued, Du Yu held down the door open button, not knowing what she was doing.

A flower vine stretched out from the home, crossing the long corridor to reach Yang Qingqing.

Casually, the woman took a keychain from the flower vine and then handed it to Du Yu: "Here you go."

"What's this?" Du Yu looked at the keychain, momentarily not understanding.

"Your house key." Yang Qingqing pointed a flower vine fingertip past Du Yu's side and lightly tapped the "16" button on the elevator's control panel, then tapped the close door button.

As the elevator doors closed slowly, Yang Qingqing stood outside with a gentle smile, quietly watching Du Yu.

It wasn't until the elevator doors were shut that Du Yu came back to his senses, looking at the keys and access card in his hand, feeling even more conflicted for some reason.

"Ding~"

The elevator only descended one floor, leaving Du Yu with no time to overthink.

Outside, the scenery had already changed.

There was no green corridor covered with flower leaves, only white walls, a tiled floor, and the sunlight streaming through the corridor windows, projecting patterns on the ground.

"Wow..."

The elevator doors closed again, and Du Yu hurriedly reached out to stop them.

He stepped out, looking both ways; on the left, the corridor extended out of sight, a spacious area enough to store some odds and ends or build several cat and dog shelters comfortably.

On the right...

Unlike the seventeenth floor, which led directly into the home through the corridor, Du Yu's place had a security door.

Inserting the key into the keyhole, Du Yu gently opened the door.

Inside was an empty space, clean and bright, almost impeccably spotless.

He thought for a moment and then decided to take off his shoes, stepping inside, and then paused slightly.

The room wasn't without things.

In the northeast corner of the living room, a tree stood silently, unmoving.

"Brother Tree?" Du Yu was startled for a moment, unsure of his query.

"Shasha~"

The Firethorn Tree finally "came to life."

It seemed as though it had endured for a long time, quietly waiting, until Du Yu finally noticed it, at which point the Firethorn Tree stopped pretending altogether!

Branches reached out rapidly, winding around Du Yu's wrists and ankles.

Du Yu: "..."

"Oh!" With a light exclamation, he was drawn directly in front of the Firethorn Tree.

The leaves rustled, revealing a red ribbon tied with a bow in front of Du Yu's eyes.

A gift?

A gift from a Celestial Level·Peak Stage Demonic Plant seemed a bit too valuable.

The Firethorn Leaves tumultuously parted, exposing a card with a string of elegant handwriting:

May you achieve all that you desire.

And at the back, there was a scribbled signature: Qing.

Looking at Master Qing's handwriting, a torrent of emotions surged in Du Yu's heart.

Such a beautiful blessing, and it sounded quite extravagant.

In the next moment, countless branches rushed forward, enfolding Du Yu into a tree leaf cocoon, though only for...

A dozen seconds later, the branches of the Firethorn Tree retracted, leaving Du Yu sitting on the ground.

Clearly realizing the new owner was not in the mood for play, the Firethorn Tree wasn't playful.

It lowered a branch, gently nudging Du Yu's cheek, as if to ask something.

"It's not because of you." Du Yu sat cross-legged in front of the flower pot, pulling a branch lightly, fidgeting with it.

"Du Yu Du Yu~"

"Hmm?"

Little Fen Yang's petite voice rang out, sounding very excited: "Why aren't you happy? We have a home now!"

"Yes, we have a home." Du Yu raised his eyes, looking around.

The large house was spacious and bright, with the afternoon sun streaming through the windows, bringing a unique kind of warmth and comfort.

Even if it was empty, without furniture, for Du Yu, this was the home he had dreamed of.

Little Fen Yang, curious, asked: "Then why aren't you happy?"

Du Yu scratched his head, feeling troubled.

I finally have a home, but does it all mean anything?

After seeing the battlefield, gaining a superficial understanding of the truths of the world, he realized that the glory of Great Xia was but a fantasy bubble built on a field of ruins.

Yet at that time, Du Yu still longed for a home.

Until a week ago, until the first Twin Tree in the world collapsed, and cold qi engulfed a portion of heaven and earth like dark clouds...

It was then that Du Yu realized the apocalypse was not far from him.

Little Fen Yang softly said: "You're about to advance to Demon Tamer, training the Demon Pet so well. We've also gained spiritual power and have Sister Ta!

We're so powerful, and now we have our own home, you should be happy, right?"

"Mm." Du Yu nodded, "Right!"

He wiped his face, stood up, and a trace of Demon Breath pieced together before his forehead.

"Ying?" Xiaoyan, who was soaking in the Acupoint Home enjoying the nourishment from the Shadow Gu Tower, reacted very quickly to being suddenly summoned. Her tail swiftly wrapped around Du Yu's neck.

Little You Ying floated beside Du Yu's face, curiously observing the surroundings.

This place... seems to be the master's master's home, huh.

But why is there nothing left, only a Firethorn Tree?

Could it be that the Firethorn Tree went crazy and threw everything away?

Little You Ying widened her eyes and retreated slightly behind Du Yu's head, cautiously eyeing the Firethorn Tree, as if afraid it might throw her out too?

"Come, Prince Yan, take a tour of our home." Du Yu tapped on Xiaoyan's fluffy head with his finger.

"Ying~"

"Yes, I did promise you back then." Du Yu's mood improved and he said with a smile, "Go pick your chamber."

"Ying!" The fiery red figure leaped down and frolicked around, choosing her room.

Strictly speaking, it was to choose Du Yu's bedroom, as even if she slept, she'd cuddle in the master's arms.

The layout was the same upstairs and downstairs, with the only difference being that the 16th floor was a flat level, without an upper floor.

While Xiaoyan and Little You Ying were touring the new home, Du Yu went to the balcony, gazing thoughtfully at the Changting Lake view below.

He could still remember what it was like when he first came to Xishu Garden.

At the time, a young security guard drove him in with a sightseeing patrol car, and it was his first time seeing such a high-end community, which was quite eye-opening for him.

Yet only a few months later, he had moved in here.

Though this mortgage might take a long, long time to repay...

In his reverie, Du Yu wasn't sure how long he had been thinking when a cold voice came from behind:

"This world is very beautiful."

Startled, Du Yu turned around quickly.

Yang Qingqing seemed to have just finished bathing, her long hair slightly damp, and she had changed into a luxurious robe.

"Master Qing."

She didn't respond, merely taking two steps forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Du Yu, looking down at the window view.

The trees surrounding the lake, with autumn leaves in full bloom, had a unique quiet beauty.

After quietly appreciating the view for a while, she asked, "What do you think?"

Du Yu: "Mm... it is very beautiful."

"Don't look at me, look out the window."

Du Yu felt a little embarrassed and turned his gaze to the window.

With hands clasped behind her back, Yang Qingqing softly said, "That's why we must protect it well."

Du Yu: "..."

He knew that his emotions must have been noticed by his master.

Otherwise, being as tired as she was, she would have been home sleeping soundly instead of coming downstairs at this hour.

"When I first joined the military, every time I came back from the battlefield, I would feel a sense of being in a different world."

Yang Qingqing looked far away, gazing at the distant city streets, the traffic flowing ceaselessly: "The dark Bottomless Abyss and the prosperous city seem like two separate worlds.

Shuttling back and forth between these two worlds, I knew better what I was protecting."

Du Yu also raised his gaze, looking into the distance.

Yang Qingqing: "The crisis has always been there and never stopped, only you hadn't encountered it before.

There are people like me who have protected people like you well. Your worries have been confined to ordinary life, without concern for the deep abyss below."

"Mm..."

"But now it's different, you are one of us."

"What?"

Yang Qingqing slightly raised her head, gesturing to the bustling city buildings in the distance, her meaning clear without words.

Du Yu looked at the scene of peace and prosperity and said deeply, "Yes."

Yang Qingqing smiled, raising her hand as if to ruffle Du Yu's hair.

Du Yu quickly stepped back, whispering, "Dirty."

Since entering the home, he hadn't had time to clean up, not even changing his clothes.

Yang Qingqing didn't insist, turning to leave, her voice calling from afar: "Put some thought into decorating the home warmly.

You spent a lot buying a house from me. In the next thirty to fifty years, you probably won't be able to afford a new house and will be living here."

Listening to her teasing words, Du Yu grinned slightly.

He knew his master was using another way to put his mind at ease, to let go of any chaotic thoughts.

"Nai~"

Though Master Qing had left, a snow-white figure ran over, dashing straight into Du Yu's arms.

Du Yu petted Xiaobai's head, watching Xiaoyan and Little You Ying happily roam around the house, and silently made a decision.

Master Qing was right.

The crisis never ceased, but the Great Xia was still here, the sun damn well rose every day!

Besides, with our rate of progress, how could the Twin Trees possibly fall?

In less than a year or so, if the Twin Trees were to tilt again, I'd personally go and straighten them up!

"Du Yu, Du Yu~"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you in a good mood again, you're so fickle~"

Du Yu: ???

"Hee hee~"

Du Yu, with a slight pout, looked at the vast living room.

This is the first home of my two lives; I must think carefully about how to decorate it, hmm... a palace style would be quite nice?

Sounds luxurious and extravagant,

quite fitting with the name of my "Prince Du's Mansion"...