Homecoming

Golden Jade City lay in the northern part of the Eastern Domain. It was a mortal kingdom known as Liang Kingdom, and the region was governed by no more than a single Golden Core sect. Fang Xiao could only be said to have been fortunate, catching Tianlan Sect during its large-scale recruitment of disciples. Otherwise, that Golden Core sect would likely have been his final destination.

Fang Xiao arrived through the teleportation array at an immortal city called Tianyun. Tianyun City was the nearest immortal city to Golden Jade City that possessed a teleportation array, yet there were still a full four million li between them.

If he disregarded the expenditure of spiritual power and traveled day and night without pause, he could have arrived in seven or eight days. Clearly, he was not in such a desperate hurry. He stopped and went along the way, taking a full thirteen or fourteen days to reach the outskirts of Golden Jade City.

When he had left, he had merely been a child of Zongjiao Age. In the blink of an eye, he had become a graceful youth of Ruoguan Age. More than six years had passed, yet they had brought no great changes to the city.

Fang Xiao entered Golden Jade City like an ordinary mortal. As he passed the city guards collecting the entrance tax, they behaved as though they could not see him at all.

After entering the city, he did not hurry home. Instead, he slowly walked the streets. The bustling thoroughfares and old shops lining both sides stirred memories of his past, and he hoped to find even a trace of familiarity. Unfortunately, the surroundings remained the same while people and things had changed. He wondered how his father had been doing.

Before long, he arrived at his home. The plaque hanging above the entrance now read Fang Manor, so his old man must have been doing well. He quickly stepped forward and knocked on the door knocker. Not long after, someone opened the gate.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Steward Liu, you don't recognize me?"

The man before him was Steward Liu, whom Fang Xiao had known since childhood. Hearing this, Steward Liu carefully scrutinized Fang Xiao once more.

"You are? You're Young Master? You're Young Master Fang Xiao?"

Seeing that the young man resembled his master by seventy or eighty percent, Steward Liu asked uncertainly.

"Hehe, it's been many years. I was worried you wouldn't recognize me."

"This old servant often thinks of Young Master. How could I fail to recognize you?"

"How has my father been lately?"

"Everything is well. Don't stand out here. Please come with me to the inner courtyard. During the years you were gone, Master often spoke of you."

"Then let's go."

Upon arriving at the main hall, the sight before him brought scene after scene from his youth flooding back. Then Steward Liu's shouts rang out from the rear hall.

"Master, Young Master has returned! Young Master has returned!"

Soon, hurried footsteps sounded.

"Xiao'er, where is Xiao'er?"

"Father, I'm here."

Looking at his father, whose face bore a few more marks of time, Fang Xiao's eyes reddened without his realizing it.

Without saying a word, Fang Yuan strode forward, grasped Fang Xiao's shoulders, and carefully studied his face. Then he pulled him into a tight embrace.

"You little brat, I thought you weren't coming back."

Tears welled up in the eyes of even Fang Yuan, now in his forties.

The father and son embraced for quite some time before slowly separating. After Father Fang pulled Fang Xiao down to sit, he began asking about Fang Xiao's experiences over the years.

Before his father, Fang Xiao gave a detailed account of some of his experiences in the Cultivation World. Naturally, he did not mention being injured.

Fang Yuan listened with great longing, but unfortunately, Fang Xiao had already checked and found that he possessed no spiritual root aptitude. Otherwise, even though he had long passed the suitable age for cultivation, Fang Xiao would have found every possible way to help him cultivate.

Since Heaven's will had decreed it so, Fang Xiao could only ensure his father enjoyed wealth and honor for the rest of his life. He also asked Fang Yuan whether he was willing to move with him to an immortal city, where Fang Xiao could visit him often.

"Just decide everything yourself. It's only these household servants..."

"Father, you can inform everyone. Those willing to go may bring their immediate family along. Those unwilling can simply be given a severance payment."

"Then we'll do that. Steward Liu, you heard him. Let everyone know. They can decide for themselves whether to stay or leave."

"Yes, Master."

Once Steward Liu departed, only the father and son remained in the main hall.

"Old man, what's with you? You didn't remarry, and you didn't even give me a younger brother or sister."

"What do you know? I have passed through ten thousand flowers without a single leaf clinging to me. And you have the nerve to talk about me? Where's my daughter-in-law?"

"Impossible. With that time, who knows how much further my cultivation could advance? Women only affect the speed of my cultivation."

"You little brat, are you trying to leave the Fang family without descendants?"

Fang Yuan was so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes bulged.

"I've said it before, old man. Your treasured blade is not yet old. You'll have to work harder."

Fang Xiao said it without the slightest concern.

The father and son chatted until deep into the night before finally resting.

Fang Xiao also casually informed Xiao Yan's family that they could leave with him or wait for Xiao Yan to return. Furthermore, he had learned through the sect that one of its Cross-Domain Flying Boats would pass Golden Jade City in ten days. These days would also give those planning to leave some time to prepare.

Three days later, Steward Liu had counted those willing to go. There were more than a hundred people in total. It looked like many, but in an immortal city, such a number did not even count as a hair from nine oxen.

News that Fang Xiao had succeeded in cultivation and returned from the immortal sect also spread throughout Golden Jade City. People continually came to visit Fang Manor, but aside from the families of those who had entered the sect alongside him, he refused to see them all.

Of those who had entered the sect at the same time, he knew none but Xiao Yan. Naturally, Zheng Daoxing did not count; Fang Xiao had long since sent him on his way.

For the sake of their former sect ties, he informed these people that disciples whose cultivation had not reached a certain level were not allowed to return home, much less bring their families to an immortal city. As for their current circumstances, he frankly said he did not know. He then gave them no chance to ask further questions and had Steward Liu see them out.

The visitors could only leave helplessly. Yet Zheng Daoxing's father, believing Fang Xiao could not hear him, began stirring up resentment.

"Hmph, he merely returned a step earlier. What is there for him to be so arrogant about? Such a wild and rude brat. When my son returns, he will surely be a thousand, ten thousand times more impressive than him."

Fang Xiao did not care about such words in the slightest. I already sent your son ahead to reincarnation. Seeing how pitiful you are, I won't hold what you said against you.

Still, the man seemed somewhat strange. Though he was a mortal, there was a faintly unusual aura about him. Fang Xiao planned to look into him after sending his father away.

Ten days later, the sect's Cross-Domain Flying Boat hovered above Golden Jade City. This one was even larger than the one Fang Xiao had previously seen, spanning the size of two Golden Jade Cities.

Fang Xiao and the others were already waiting in the Fang family courtyard. More than a hundred people craned their necks in anticipation.

A streak of flying light descended from the flying boat. Fang Xiao had already released his aura, and the streak flew straight toward him.

"Would you be Junior Brother Fang? I am Lu Baichuan, responsible for relocating Junior Brother's family."

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Lu. There are rather a lot of people."

"Hehe, not many, not many. Yours is considered a small number."

This Senior Brother Lu possessed False Core cultivation, yet he wore a smiling expression.

"May I ask whether there is a Martial Uncle from the sect aboard the flying boat? I should first go pay my respects."

"That won't be necessary. Martial Uncle Yun instructed us earlier not to disturb him unless there is an urgent matter. I'll directly guide Junior Brother's family aboard."

"Since Martial Uncle has given instructions, then so be it. I'll have to trouble Senior Brother with guiding them aboard. Which sect immortal city is the flying boat headed for?"

"The flying boat will travel directly to Xundao City. Does Junior Brother have anything that needs to be conveyed?"

"Nothing else. I only ask that Senior Brother help settle my family. This Junior Brother has other matters to attend to and cannot return for the time being."

"Junior Brother may rest assured. The sect properly settles every disciple's family, and I will keep an eye on them as well."

"Then many thanks to Senior Brother Lu."

Fang Xiao had already explained the situation to his father. A beam of golden light descended from the flying boat, enveloping everyone in the courtyard. The next moment, Fang Xiao was the only one left in the courtyard; Fang Yuan and the others had already appeared aboard the Cross-Domain Flying Boat.

Now he could set off for Donghua Prefecture without worry.