To parents, a kid can be a total slacker, bomb their exams, be short, plain, whatever—but the one thing they absolutely won’t tolerate is danger. Whether you’re off at school or working, you’ll get nonstop calls from Mom and Dad, full of everyday nagging. Cold? They worry you don’t have a thick enough coat. Hot? They fret about the AC. Out late? They panic you’re not home. Up early? They’re scared you didn’t sleep well. All those endless calls? It’s just one thing—worry.
Thirty days. That’s how long Jill Young’s been missing from Earth. Not a single trace, nada.
Three days. That’s how long since Jasper Xiao brought bad news—and Jack Young still hadn’t shown up.
When Jack finally got home, John Yang was instantly on high alert, firing off questions—proof they’d barely slept. They’re not kung fu masters, so unless they were up all night, how could they hear such a tiny click at the door? Jack felt lucky he was only three days late; any longer and Mom and Dad would’ve been total wrecks. (Seriously, if parental worry were a martial art, these two would be grandmasters.)
So when Jack saw their faces light up with relief, he thought, ‘If I can avoid leaving again, I will.’ Jill Young’s all about adventure, but Jack? He likes seeing the world, sure, but he’s not the restless type. He’s sentimental, a homebody, and big on family. When things get weird, his first thought is always his loved ones. That’s just how he’s wired.
Back when everyone took turns for short trips, Jack thought that was ideal—no long disappearances, no globe-trotting, nothing important missed. But now? No dice. Who knows where the world’s headed? Sitting tight is basically digging your own grave. A problem pops up, you fix it—no point waiting for some maybe-someday miracle.
The biggest headache right now? His memory’s shot.
Every day in the past made Jack who he is now. Sure, memory isn’t everything, but for a kung fu ace, missing chunks is a huge no-no. Martial arts have three levels: know yourself, know the world, know all beings. If you can’t remember your own story, how can you know yourself—let alone the world or everyone else?
His Insight Technique just wouldn’t hit level seven, his internal energy couldn’t break into Innate Power, and Jack knew it was all tangled up with his memory. He should’ve aced the Heart Severing and Thought Cutting Technique, but a few days back, Jasper Xiao’s offhand comments nearly sent him off the rails. Clearly, that’s memory messing with him.
What’s hiding in those memory blanks? What happened back then? Jack can’t recall, but he knows for sure: his Inner Demon is lurking in that empty space. For now, if he leaves it alone, things stay chill. But if he starts poking around, really digging, he might just trigger the biggest disaster of his cultivation journey—the Heart Tribulation. (Note to self: sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.)
What does the future hold for this world? Jack Young didn’t know, and neither did John Yang or Susan Morrow. So instead of sticking their heads in the sand, this family chose to face things head-on. That’s just how they all are—stubborn to the core.
"We worry about your safety. We’re afraid something might happen to you, so we always want to keep you close and protect you."
"But in the future, we might not be able to protect you forever, so we can’t keep you tied down."
"The world right now is like a wild jungle. There are a million seeds hoping to grow into towering trees, but if you don’t grow tall, you’ll be left in the shade."
"We don’t mind if you don’t become some giant tree. Big trees catch the wind, after all. Being safe and sound is better than anything."
"But who knows what kind of storms are coming in the future, or what threats you’ll face. If only the tallest trees can survive the storm, then keeping you close now would actually hurt you."
"You need to weather the wind and rain to grow, to learn how to protect yourself. So if you really have to go out there, then... go ahead."
Faced with parents like these, Jack Young was silent for a moment, then threw his arms around them both. "Don’t worry, I’m not going to go looking for trouble on purpose."
"People with power can lose themselves real easy. Those corrupt officials and filthy rich folks? Lost their hearts ages ago." John Yang patted Jack’s back, every word full of fatherly wisdom: "You’ll run into all sorts of things in life—setbacks, bumps, choices. The stronger you get, the tougher the calls you’ll have to make. Every decision you make will affect others and your own heart. When you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, just ask yourself what your heart wants. Go where your heart points, and you’ll never regret it."
Susan Morrow gave Jack’s cheek a playful pat and flashed that signature Queen’s Faction grin, sweeping away any lingering gloom. "Son, living by your heart isn’t a bad thing. Your old mom just wants you to do whatever feels right. Just like your sister—jump when you want, run when you feel like it, come home whenever you want. Your dad and I will always have your back!"
With parents like these, what more could you possibly need? They weren’t rich or powerful, but they gave Jack something no one else ever could. So Jack nodded hard, didn’t say a word, but made a promise in his heart: Follow my heart, no regrets. Live true, head held high.
All right then, time for me to meet this ever-changing world head-on!
—Even though he was fired up inside, when it came down to actually doing stuff, Jack was still just a regular homebody. His top priority right now? Fixing the memory loss. He’d tried all sorts of things: old photos, graduation pics, yearbook notes—every nostalgia trick in the book. He did remember a bunch of phone numbers, but his inner demons? Still kicking.
Next, Queen Susan went on a wild expert-hunting spree—professors, specialists, you name it. She even dragged Jack into the city’s top psychiatric hospital. This place was the real deal, one of the best in Shandong Province, packed with big-shot psychiatrists and neurologists. Lots of folks came here for rehab and detox. But instead of getting treated, Jack ended up treating other people!
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After that, Jack figured maybe he should develop his own internal martial arts, internal energy, and sound techniques—a triple-threat healing combo.
After that incident, Jack thought, "If I ever get some free time, maybe I should look into developing internal martial arts, internal energy, and sound techniques—a triple-threat for healing."
When the manic patient was finally dealt with, an old specialist came out to examine Jack. All the instruments and rulebook diagnostics did absolutely nothing. After the whole routine, they reached one conclusion: "Young man, you’re not neurologically ill, and you’re not mentally ill either."
In the end, after all their efforts, Dad and Mom still couldn’t solve the problem. Jack figured his memory loss wasn’t because the doctors were useless—it was just beyond their skill set. Like, a regular doctor can’t fix Linghu Chong; only Master Ping can. And Master Ping isn’t necessarily better for regular folks—he’s just got a special trick. It’s all about knowing your stuff.
Right now, Jack needed someone who really knew "internal energy." If they couldn’t cure him, at least they could point him in the right direction.
Looking over everyone he knew, Jack realized Xiao Jingzhe’s Holy Light could sort of touch the mind, but honestly, it was just skimming the surface—totally not professional. In the Pacific World, that guy Yuri-Alpha could hypnotize two Chosen Ones from start to finish—now that’s a real pro! Too bad he’s just XP for Jack’s Prajna Technique now.
So after thinking it through, there was really only one person left.
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"Sir, what kind of in-flight meal would you like? We have Chinese and Western options." A sweet, professional voice rang out. Jack looked up from his book and smiled at the flight attendant nearby. "First time in first class—I didn’t expect the food to be different too. I’ll take the Chinese option."
Jack was rocking the cool-guy-with-glasses look, and his smile made the flight attendant blush. But she was a pro—immediately gave a perfect bow and said, "Certainly, please wait a moment."
This was Jack’s first time flying first class. Usually, he barely flew at all, and if he did, it was economy. After that, it was always Uncle Chao’s private jet. This time, he was in a rush and couldn’t book a ticket, so he got to try out first class. It wasn’t as fancy as people said, but it was definitely quiet, smooth, and roomy. Plus, the flight attendant seats were right across from him, so during takeoff he could see two beautiful women strapped in tight. (Seatbelts, people!)
"Hmm, not bad." Appetizers, main course, dessert—the works. Ever since his time-syncing mishap with his other self, all those "shared eating, drinking, and breathing" superpowers had pretty much vanished. Now Jack had to take care of his own stomach, and he started eating on schedule. If you tossed him in a desert for ten days now, he’d totally get hungry and thirsty just like anyone else.
He ate with his left hand like a pro, while his right hand held a book, eyes never leaving the page. A curious flight attendant peeked over—turns out he was reading the famous martial arts novel "The Proud Twins." Jack flipped through it like a magazine, page after page, looking casual but actually reading super carefully.
"In the Earthspirit Palace, Fang Lingji poisoned herself to death and took her enemy Ouyang Ting down with her?" Jack snapped the book shut, looking annoyed. "Ouyang Ting—who the heck is that jerk?"
(End of chapter)