After surviving my ordeal, I learned that the school beauty had given birth to twins for me.

Chapter 185 Merit and Seclusion

"Really?" Jiang Xinlan's eyes lit up, a look of surprise on her face. "Are you going to break through?"

"Hmm, that's about it." Shen Yu nodded. "After a couple more days of consolidation, and three days of seclusion, I should be able to successfully break through to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment."

"That's great!" Jiang Xinlan hugged him happily. "Then you can go into seclusion with peace of mind. I'll take care of things at home. I'll look after Niannian and Guigui."

"Thank you for your hard work." Shen Yu lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "Tomorrow is the weekend, so I'll go out with you guys for a day. I'll start my seclusion the day after tomorrow."

The next morning, Shen Yu took his family to the forest park in the suburbs.

The autumn air was crisp and clear, the sun shone brightly, and golden ginkgo leaves covered the ground.

Niannian and Guigui were like two happy little birds, running and hopping ahead, holding colorful kites in their hands.

Shen Yu held Jiang Xinlan's hand and followed slowly behind, his eyes full of tenderness as he watched the children laughing and playing.

"Dad! Mom! Come quick! The kite is flying!" Niannian held up the kite string and waved excitedly at them.

Shen Yu walked over and helped her adjust the angle of the kite string. With a gentle pull, the butterfly kite soared higher and higher, standing out prominently in the azure sky.

Not to be outdone, Gui Gui ran with his little dragon kite in hand. Shen Yu patiently taught him how to let out the line and how to use leverage. Soon, the little dragon kite also flew into the sky.

As the sun set, the family drove home. The two children, exhausted from playing all day, fell asleep in the back seat.

Jiang Xinlan looked at the children's sleeping faces, then at Shen Yu driving, and a happy smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.

These simple yet heartwarming days are truly wonderful.

The next day, Shen Yu set up a simple spirit-gathering array in his study.

He summoned Jiang Xinlan to his study and instructed her, "During my three-day seclusion, do not let anyone disturb me. If there is any emergency, knock three times on the door; I will hear you."

"Don't worry." Jiang Xinlan straightened his collar. "I'll take good care of the house. You can focus on your cultivation. No need to rush, take your time."

Shen Yu nodded, then lowered his head and placed a light kiss on her lips: "Wait for me to come out."

Jiang Xinlan walked out of the study and gently closed the door.

Shen Yu sat on the futon, closed his eyes, and began to circulate his internal energy.

The Spirit Gathering Array slowly activated, drawing in the sparse spiritual energy of heaven and earth, which merged with the power of merit within his body, and launched an attack on the barrier of the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.

At the same time, the news of Su Mu's retirement from the entertainment industry caused a huge uproar online.

At 3 a.m., Su Mu posted a long article on Weibo, officially announcing his retirement from the entertainment industry.

There was no sob story or complaint; he simply recounted his experiences over the past five years, saying that he had achieved his initial musical dream and now wanted to return to a normal life to do something more meaningful.

Finally, he attached a donation receipt, stating that he had donated all his savings since his debut, totaling 8.26 million yuan, to the Xinyu Charity Foundation to help trafficked children and out-of-school children in impoverished mountainous areas.

The Weibo post shocked the entire internet.

"What's going on? Su Mu just became a sensation and he's retiring from the entertainment industry? Am I seeing things?"

"Is he crazy? This is the prime of his career, an opportunity that many people would kill for, and he's just giving it up like that?"

"Seeing how much money he donated, he must have really come to his senses. He was suppressed so badly by Lu Xingci before, and after finally becoming popular, he chose to retire at the peak of his career. He really has courage."

"Regardless, we respect his decision. Thank you for bringing us such a wonderful song as 'The Abyss.' We wish you all the best in the future."

Although many netizens expressed their confusion and regret, most offered their blessings.

Although Su Mu's fans were reluctant to see him go, they left messages expressing their support and saying they would wait for his return.

Su Mu did not reply to any more comments, closed Weibo, packed her luggage, and left Beijing.

He went to a small county in the southwest and became a music teacher at a local Hope Primary School. He taught the children to sing and play the piano every day and lived a peaceful and fulfilling life.

On the afternoon of the second day of Shen Yu's seclusion, Su Wanqing brought Tang Rou to visit him.