After hearing Yun Tianheng’s account of the events outside the manor, everyone in Yun Family Manor was horrified and filled with questions. Now that the two men had returned, they naturally wanted a clear explanation.
Hearing Yun Zhenhai’s question, Xu Ziqing glanced toward Yun Tiangang. “Senior Brother.”
The words “Senior Brother” only astonished Yun Zhenhai and the others further.
Yun Tiangang nodded slightly. “Tell them.”
Xu Ziqing answered, “Yes, Senior Brother.”
Seeing this exchange, Yun Zhenhai drew a deep breath, realizing that some great secret was about to be revealed. After a pause, he dismissed a number of the younger family members. Of those in Yun Tiangang’s generation, only Yun Tianheng was permitted to remain. Soon the room held only a dozen or so people: the direct-line family members who could make decisions, and the Xiantian clan elders of the older generations.
Only then did Yun Zhenhai speak. “Apothecary Xu, please explain everything to us.”
Xu Ziqing nodded. Now there was no need to conceal his identity or that of his senior brother. The people of Yun Family Manor were mostly honorable and loyal, so he did not fear they would be unable to keep the secret.
He began, “I am an inner disciple of the Wuling Immortal Sect in the Qingyun Great World. My senior brother Yun Lie and I have always been very close…”
Thus he explained his identity and his senior brother’s, how the conflict with Patriarch Ultimate Bliss had arisen, and how it had developed into enmity. He concealed a few finer details but told them almost everything else.
The expressions of the Yun family changed repeatedly as they listened.
They had never known that the world was so vast. Their Hengwu Small World was only an insignificant speck among innumerable small worlds, and the Xiantian power of which they had been so proud amounted to no more than that of ants in small worlds dominated by immortal cultivators. Beyond those lay nine thousand great worlds, magnificent and boundless.
For a time, they all felt their own insignificance, and could not help being rather ashamed.
Yun Zhenhai’s emotions were especially complicated as he looked at his beloved son.
It turned out that his son was the reincarnation of a powerful cultivator’s primordial spirit from a great world. He still remembered the many years he and his wife had been childless. At last Qingxiao had conceived, but the physician had initially believed the child could not be saved. Only after a difficult birth did they finally have Tiangang, filling them with boundless joy. They cherished him like a priceless treasure.
Tiangang had been cold and reserved since birth. Even toward his parents, he showed only a little more warmth than he did to others. But his will had always been tenacious, and he had endured years of physical weakness until Tianheng brought Apothecary Xu to the manor.
How could Yun Zhenhai not understand now? Apothecary Xu had clearly come all that way specifically for Tiangang. The two had been fellow disciples all along. No wonder Tiangang was so much closer to Apothecary Xu than to anyone else.
Now Tiangang was gradually regaining his previous identity. Would he still recognize them as his parents? Though they had brought him into the world, they were merely mortals. Even if he refused to acknowledge them, they could hardly call it unreasonable.
Meng Qingxiao had devoted even more of her heart to Yun Tiangang than Yun Zhenhai, and her reaction was correspondingly more intense.
She had poured her entire life into raising him. How could she bear the thought that her beloved son was somehow not truly her child?
The fingers gripping Yun Tiangang’s arm tightened involuntarily, until she was using every ounce of strength she possessed.
Yun Zhenhai saw this and hurriedly pulled her back. “Qingxiao!”
Meng Qingxiao froze. Coming to herself, she slowly loosened her grip, grief written all over her face.
Then Yun Tiangang gently patted her hand twice.
Yun Zhenhai and Meng Qingxiao both caught their breath.
Yun Tiangang spoke. “Father. Mother.”
The words made their hearts tremble, and at last their taut bodies relaxed.
Thankfully, Tiangang was still their son.
Yun Zhenshan, the clan elders, and the other leading members of the Yun family also felt relieved by the sight.
The power of immortal cultivators was simply overwhelming. Although Yun Tiangang had reincarnated as one of Yun Family Manor’s descendants and had saved the family from catastrophe, whether he chose to acknowledge them made an enormous difference. Besides, they had watched him grow up. Losing him this way would have been a sorrow in itself.
Xu Ziqing watched everyone’s reactions and felt comforted.
The people of Yun Family Manor really had not disappointed him.
Though they yearned for the powers of cultivators and feared them as well, they still valued kinship above all else.
As for Senior Brother…
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly.
Given his senior brother’s nature, he would never refuse to acknowledge his parents, much less abandon them and leave without another thought.
A debt of blood and familial affection could not go unrepaid.
Once everyone had settled down, Yun Zhenhai gathered himself as master of the manor and asked first, “Tiangang, what do you intend to do now?”
Xu Ziqing and Yun Tiangang exchanged a glance. Then Xu Ziqing smiled and said, “Senior Brother’s sword intent has awakened, and he must restore his original cultivation. He needs to enter seclusion for a time. After he emerges, he can see everyone again. We have come here now only to take our leave.”
Yun Tiangang added, “I will return.”
Now that his primordial spirit had been fully repaired, he needed to return to his original body as soon as possible. There was no reason to delay.
Seeing Yun Zhenhai and his wife reluctant to part, Xu Ziqing simply smiled and produced a bottle of medicinal pills. He handed it over. “There are two pills inside. If Senior Brother takes too long to return and you can no longer afford to wait, take these. They will extend your lives by a hundred years.”
These were the pills he had prepared for Dongli Xi and Jiao Tu in their reincarnated lives. When refining them, he had also thought of his senior brother’s parents by reincarnation and made a few extra pills against future need. Now they were exactly what was required.
Yun Zhenhai relaxed somewhat. “…Such a wondrous medicine? Apothecary Xu, thank you for looking after us.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “It’s a small matter, hardly worth mentioning. You are Senior Brother’s parents, so naturally you are my elders as well.”
Yun Zhenhai was taken aback. Recalling what Tiangang had felt in the past, a suspicion arose.
Could it be that Tiangang had loved Apothecary Xu even in his former life, and that was why he was so attached to him after reincarnation as well…? So be it. Matters of the children’s hearts were theirs to decide. There was no need for an old man like him to interfere with or arrange anything.
Xu Ziqing had no idea what Yun Zhenhai was thinking. After a moment’s consideration, he beckoned Yun Tianheng over. “By now you must have guessed that the method I taught you is a method of immortal cultivation.”
His guess confirmed, Yun Tianheng struggled to contain his delight. “…Yes.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “I’ve observed your character, and it is good. Now Senior Brother and I must enter seclusion, and we may not return for several years. The Wu’ao Sect is no longer worth considering, but Thunder Gate has also made an enemy of Senior Brother. For a while, the rules of the Xuanwu Assembly should prevent them from troubling Yun Family Manor, but there is no telling what will happen after more time passes. I want you to protect the manor. Even if a Xuanwu Invitation arrives, you must not leave. Until Senior Brother and I return, you are not to take a single step outside the manor. Can you do that?”
Yun Tianheng answered solemnly, “That is my duty in any case.”
After witnessing the two men’s heaven-shaking abilities, his horizons had broadened considerably. At most, the Xuanwu Assembly involved Xiantian power. He no longer held it in such high regard.
Xu Ziqing was pleased, but he still would not accept Yun Tianheng formally as a disciple just yet. He regarded this as the young man’s final test. If Yun Tianheng faithfully kept his promise until Xu Ziqing returned, then he would take him as a disciple.
Xu Ziqing turned toward Yun Tiangang and called, “Senior Brother.” Turning his palm over, he produced three green leaves, each shaped like a sharp little sword and gleaming with a translucent luster.
They were naturally Sword-Shaped Leaves.
After Yun Lie’s primordial spirit had been severely injured, Xu Ziqing had stored away his immortal-demonic body, and with it all the storage objects that had been on that body.
He could therefore retrieve their contents now.
The next instant, a wisp of green flame abruptly appeared upon the leaves and burned without a sound.
Soon the leaves grew thin. Yun Tiangang beckoned, and three streams of sharp sword intent erupted from within the leaves, only to vanish the moment they touched him.
Then Yun Tiangang extended two fingers and touched each of the three emptied leaves. They swiftly turned black-gold and seemed suddenly to possess great weight.
The people of Yun Family Manor exclaimed in wonder. Such abilities were truly beyond anything they had ever seen!
Xu Ziqing turned his palm over again. The green flames disappeared, leaving only the three black-gold leaves.
He handed them to Yun Tianheng. “Senior Brother’s present body is mortal, but his sword intent remains intact. He has divided off three strands of it and sealed one inside each leaf. If we have not yet returned and a powerful enemy appears whom you cannot resist, pour spiritual power into a leaf and throw it at the enemy. You will see its strength then, and it will resolve Yun Family Manor’s danger.”
Yun Tianheng accepted the leaves and stored them away with great care.
Xu Ziqing then gave him several exceptionally powerful upper-grade magical artifacts. They were objects he could operate freely in ordinary circumstances, but in dire peril he could detonate them to attack his enemies.
Yun Tianheng accepted all of them, committing each one’s use to memory.
Only after finishing every instruction did Xu Ziqing feel reassured about Yun Family Manor’s safety. He no longer feared that a calamity befalling the family would damage his senior brother’s seven emotions.
Yun Tiangang stood beside him, silently watching him give all these instructions, his gaze intent.
Once nothing remained to be said, Xu Ziqing smiled gently. “Then we shall take our leave of everyone.”
He lightly took Yun Tiangang by the hand. The two became a streak of green light and vanished into the sky.
Taking Yun Tiangang with him, Xu Ziqing traveled by escape technique until they reached a mountain range, where he finally stopped.
At his present cultivation level, he could command myriad plants. Even those that had not been incorporated as seeds into his dantian could obey certain orders from him.
Finding a place rich in spiritual energy was therefore not difficult.
Within this range, one mountain concealed a small spirit vein.
A small world could nurture no more than small spirit veins, but though this one was limited, it would be adequate for a brief period of cultivation.
Nevertheless, Yun Tiangang was going to heal his injuries. Even within a small world, they ought to choose the best possible location.
Standing on a cloud, Xu Ziqing pointed toward the mountain. “What do you think of this place, Senior Brother?”
Yun Tiangang did not bother with polite formalities. He nodded slightly. “Not bad.”
Xu Ziqing smiled happily and descended with him.
Before long, the trees on the mountain shifted aside, opening a spacious cave directly above the little spirit vein.
Xu Ziqing flicked out several hand seals and laid barriers and restrictions all around. Even though no one in this small world was likely capable of threatening them, he could not be careless.
Once everything was prepared, they walked into the cave together.
Xu Ziqing took a deep breath and swept his sleeve. A stern-looking man in white appeared on the ground, seated cross-legged.
The man’s aura was icy cold, as though he were enveloped in pure killing intent. His face showed neither fear nor dread, neither happiness nor sorrow.
It was Yun Lie’s original physical body, the immortal-demonic body!
At the sight of it, Yun Tiangang’s gaze flickered. He also sat cross-legged.
Xu Ziqing moved aside. Very soon, surging sword intent began to wrap itself around Yun Tiangang’s entire body!
His eyes grew brighter and brighter until black-gold light nearly filled the whole cave. Then it suddenly burst forth!
At once, Yun Tiangang’s head tilted slightly to one side, his physical body left without support.
Before him appeared something black-gold, resembling light yet seeming almost solid.
Then the black-gold object flickered and plunged directly between the brows of the immortal-demonic body.