"Second Uncle, how much longer until we reach Changyang County?"
A caravan was traveling along the road.
Inside one of the carriages, a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl lifted the curtain and asked her Second Uncle, Song Daitang, who was riding alongside on horseback.
"Almost there. We should reach Changyang County in half a day. What is it? Missing home?" Song Daitang replied with a smile.
His niece had insisted on joining the caravan this time. His elder brother couldn't talk his daughter out of it, so he'd brought the little girl along to Changyang County.
"Not at all! I was just asking. We've been traveling for nearly ten days already, and we still haven't arrived..."
"Keer...!"
An eagle's cry pierced the clouds.
Before she could finish speaking, Song Wanqing heard the cry and looked up at the sky.
A streak of green lightning flashed across the heavens, then vanished at the horizon in the blink of an eye, leaving behind only a tiny speck.
"What was that, Second Uncle?" Song Wanqing stared in astonishment and hurriedly asked Song Daitang.
"That should be a Green Feather Eagle from Qingfeng Mountain," Song Daitang explained, gazing toward the horizon.
The Song Family was a prominent family in Cangwu County, so of course they knew about Qingfeng Mountain's Green Feather Eagles.
Only his young niece was puzzled. She was still so little, and her elder brother usually kept her cooped up with the clan, studying martial arts and learning to read.
"Probably a Qingfeng Mountain Elder or disciple passing through on some business. Let's keep moving!"
"Second Uncle, it would be wonderful to ride on a Green Feather Eagle. Then we'd get from Cangwu County to Changyang County in no time, and we wouldn't have to travel for so many days."
Song Wanqing's little face brimmed with longing.
"Hahaha! As long as you practice your martial arts diligently, you'll be able to join Qingfeng Mountain one day. Then you'll get your chance," Song Daitang said with a hearty laugh, patting his little niece on the head.
"Mhm! When we get back, I'll practice hard. One day, I'm definitely going to Qingfeng Mountain!" Song Wanqing said, her little face full of determination as she clenched her fist.
Chen Qinglin had no idea that people down below were discussing the Green Feather Eagle he was riding.
Since he was coming back this time, he'd simply rented a Green Feather Eagle from Spirit Beast Peak.
Xie Jingyun had initially thought renting an Azure Scale Horse would be enough. After all, renting a Green Feather Eagle cost twenty Spirit Stones.
Ever since Meng Yunling had brought her to Qingfeng Mountain, she'd been cultivating on Qingzhu Peak. Her only income was the five Spirit Stones in her monthly disciple allowance.
After all, she'd only been at the Body Tempering Realm before. It was only after advancing to the Inner Qi Realm that she'd received the proper benefits of an Inner Disciple: ten Spirit Stones a month and a bottle of True Qi Pills.
She also needed to spend those resources on her own cultivation, so she didn't have much left over.
But Chen Qinglin had at least completed several missions. After setting aside what he needed for his own cultivation, he still had some Spirit Stones. He could always earn more later.
He'd rented the Green Feather Eagle without further discussion and taken Xie Jingyun straight to Changyang Commandery in Cangzhou.
Another quarter of an hour passed before a bustling city came into view.
Without stopping, the two flew over Changyang Commandery's city walls on the Green Feather Eagle and headed for Qingyan Town.
A small town sat at the foot of green mountains, with a little river flowing past one side.
"Look, Junior Brother! We're here!" Seeing the familiar place, Xie Jingyun grew excited.
Chen Qinglin gazed at the little town before him. Though he hadn't been gone long, seeing it again stirred different feelings in his heart.
He guided the Green Feather Eagle down into the woods not far from town and let it roam freely. Then he and Xie Jingyun entered Qingyan Town.
As they walked into town, the familiar calls of street vendors rang out.
They slowly made their way toward Iron Sword Martial Arts School.
He wondered whether his family and his uncle's family had moved into Qingyan Town.
Inside Iron Sword Martial Arts School.
"Jingjiang, I've failed you as your father," Xie Feng said to Xie Jingjiang, shame written across his face.
"It's all right, Father." Xie Jingjiang fell silent for a moment.
"It's all because I'm useless. Sigh... Forget about that Yan girl..." Xie Feng looked dejected.
Looking at his father's slightly stooped figure, Xie Jingjiang noticed that gray hairs had appeared on his head.
His father's face, once always stern, had gradually softened.
"It's really all right, Father. She's not the only woman in the world. There are plenty of good women waiting for your son."
Xie Jingjiang forced a stiff smile.
" Sigh..." Xie Feng didn't know what to say.
Ever since they'd gone to Dingyuan County for the Martial Arts Competition before the New Year, Jingjiang had often gone to see a young woman surnamed Yan. When he came back, he'd told his father about her.
Unfortunately, after Xie Feng asked around, he learned that she'd already been promised to another family during that time.
The other party had come from Changyang Commandery and promised to marry the young woman in exchange for giving the Yan Family a Qi Gathering Pill.
It went without saying that Xie Feng didn't have a Qi Gathering Pill. But even if he did, he'd give it to Xie Jingjiang to help him break through, not send it away as a betrothal gift.
Jingjiang was the one who'd suffered.
"Qingshi, have you noticed that Master and Eldest Senior Brother have seemed down lately?" Li Lin asked as the two practiced martial arts in the courtyard.
"Have they? I hadn't noticed." Chen Qingshi wasn't particularly perceptive and hadn't picked up on anything unusual about Xie Feng and Xie Jingjiang.
"Forget it. Get back to practicing!" Li Lin felt that Master and Eldest Senior Brother really did have something on their minds. Lately, Eldest Senior Brother hadn't been practicing as diligently, and Master didn't seem as spirited as before.
Master had been so happy when Qinglin took first place. Now, though, he seemed a little... dejected?
Li Lin figured he might be imagining things. He shook his head and began practicing too.
Suddenly, he saw Qingshi point behind him. Qingshi's mouth opened, but for a moment, no words came out.
Only after a long pause did he shout, "Qinglin!"
Li Lin turned around. He saw Chen Qinglin, and the woman beside him.
"Qinglin, you're back!" Chen Qingshi ran over to him.
"Brother Qingshi, I'm back."
"Fourth Senior Brother, what's the matter? We've only been apart for a few months. Have you already forgotten your Junior Brother?" Chen Qinglin said.
"It's been a few months, but I really do barely recognize you."
"Qinglin, who's this beside you?" Though he'd only been apart from Chen Qinglin for four months, Chen Qinglin had changed so much during that time.
Before, Chen Qinglin had looked rather refined, but he'd grown up in the village and spent years under the sun. His skin hadn't been dark, but it hadn't been fair either.
He hadn't been very tall, either.
Now, Chen Qinglin seemed to have suddenly grown into himself. His skin had turned fair, and he looked quite handsome.
"Fourth Senior Brother, this is Master's daughter, Senior Sister Xie Jingyun. Don't you recognize her?"
"So you're our Junior Sister. Master brought you up the mountain back then, before he took me in."
"I've often heard Master and Eldest Senior Brother talk about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Come in—I'll take you to see Master."
Li Lin was delighted. To him, the martial arts school was like home, and Master was the only family he had left in the world.
Master would surely be happy to see Xie Jingyun.
"Fourth Senior Brother!" Xie Jingyun knew that her father had taken in this disciple, but she'd never met him.
She hadn't met Third Senior Sister Wu Jianxue or Fifth Senior Brother Zhao Dingming, either. She'd only known that her father had several disciples.
When she left, her father had taken in just one disciple: Second Senior Brother Jiang Zhong.
Following Li Lin into the inner courtyard, Xie Feng and Xie Jingjiang were delighted to see them. For a while, they even forgot their earlier troubles.
Not wanting to disturb Master's family reunion, Chen Qinglin excused himself and walked out of the courtyard with Chen Qingshi.
He also needed to visit his parents and younger siblings.
Before you continue