Family

Having walked through familiar streets, Ye Qingxuan stood at his own doorstep, hesitating to move forward.

He did not use Spiritual Power or Spiritual Sense to investigate. Instead, like a Mortal with no cultivation, he gazed nervously at the house before him, so close he could almost reach it.

After taking a deep breath, Ye Qingxuan finally gathered his courage and knocked on the door before him.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

At the sound of knocking, a voice Ye Qingxuan knew beyond measure came from inside the house:

"Who is it?"

Then the door slowly opened. The instant Mother Ye saw Ye Qingxuan, she froze. Looking at the unfamiliar yet familiar-aura-bearing Ye Qingxuan, she asked in disbelief:

"Y-you... are you Xuan'er?"

Looking at his mother's gradually aging face and her increasingly gray hair, Ye Qingxuan could no longer contain himself. Fighting back the tears in his eyes, he stepped forward and embraced his mother, trembling as he said:

"Mother, I'm back!"

Hearing Ye Qingxuan's words, Mother Ye raised her head and held his face, looking at him again and again. She immediately burst into tears of joy.

"It's Xuan'er. My Xuan'er is back! My Xuan'er is back!"

Then she hurriedly called into the house:

"Old man, Xuan'er is back! Xuan'er is back! Come out quickly!"

A series of clatters sounded from within. A figure hurried out of the room, then halted upon seeing Ye Qingxuan, his expression dazed.

Seeing the figure, Ye Qingxuan smiled through his tears.

"Father, I'm back!"

Only then did Father Ye snap back to his senses. He forced calmness and said:

"Good! Good! It's good that you're back!"

Yet the hand hidden behind his back would not stop trembling!

When Ye Qingxuan noticed, a faint smile appeared in his eyes. His father was still the same father as before!

He stepped forward and gave his father a hug. Then, at Mother Ye's urging, the three of them entered the house together.

Inside, Ye Qingxuan listened to his mother's recounting and questions.

She recounted what had happened at home over the past twenty-odd years, while asking about Ye Qingxuan's experiences during those same years.

From time to time, Father Ye would interject with a few additions, earning himself a round of eye-rolls from Mother Ye.

Ye Qingxuan simply watched the scene warmly without interrupting.

As time passed, Father Ye and Mother Ye gradually calmed down. Once they had recovered, Father Ye seemed to recall something and looked at Ye Qingxuan with slight pride.

"Oh, right. You have a younger brother and younger sister now. Your younger brother is called Ye Qingao, and he's twenty this year. Your younger sister is called Ye Qingying, and she's sixteen!"

Seeing Father Ye's proud expression, Mother Ye could not resist giving him a smack.

Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan asked in pleasant surprise:

"Really? Where are my younger brother and younger sister now?"

Upon hearing Ye Qingxuan's question, Father Ye replied irritably:

"Qingao went to the Library. As for Qingying, that girl runs wild outside all day long. She won't come home before nightfall."

Whenever Ye Qingying was mentioned, Father Ye got a headache. What kind of girl spent all day outside acting as the king of the children? Did she not even look at how old she was?

"If that girl could be as steady as you, I'd be satisfied!"

Fortunately, Qingao was fairly sensible. Usually, he merely went to the Library Pavilion to read books. In that regard, he was somewhat like his eldest son.

Hearing Father Ye's sigh, Mother Ye could not help shooting him a sidelong glare as she exposed him.

"Isn't Qingying like this because you, her father, spoiled her?"

Facing Mother Ye's gaze, Father Ye smiled sheepishly and said nothing.

Ye Qingxuan secretly smiled. The next moment, he seemed to recall something and asked:

"Father, Mother, now that I have a younger brother and younger sister, how about we move into a larger house?"

Ye Qingxuan's home was a small courtyard. The rooms were not small, but now that his younger brother and younger sister had grown up, it was indeed necessary to move into a larger house.

Hearing Ye Qingxuan's proposal, Mother Ye suddenly fell silent. In the end, Father Ye slowly spoke.

"After you left, the Lineage arranged a large residence for us. But your mother feared that if we moved away, you would not be able to find us after returning, so we never moved."

Ye Qingxuan was stunned upon hearing this. His nose stung slightly, and he forced a smile.

"Father, Mother, your son has returned. We'll move into our new home tomorrow."

This time, Mother Ye hesitated for a moment. Then, thinking of Ye Qingao and Ye Qingying, she finally nodded in agreement.

As dusk approached, Father Ye and Mother Ye were busy in the kitchen, while Ye Qingxuan sat alone in the small courtyard.

At that moment, the courtyard gate suddenly opened, and a youth entered from outside. He bore a faint resemblance to Ye Qingxuan.

Seeing Ye Qingxuan sitting in his family's courtyard, the youth hesitantly asked:

"You are?"

Ye Qingxuan looked at the youth before him and immediately understood. Smiling, he said:

"Qingao? I'm your eldest brother, Ye Qingxuan."

"You're my eldest brother? Eldest Brother, you finally came back! Hahaha!"

From a young age, Ye Qingao had known that he had an eldest brother who had gone out to cultivate immortality. He had long yearned for cultivation himself, but regrettably, he had no Spirit Root and could only learn about the outside Cultivation World through the Library Pavilion.

He had not expected that his eldest brother, who had embarked on the Cultivation Path, would suddenly return today. Ye Qingao was exceedingly excited and pestered Ye Qingxuan to tell him about the outside Cultivation World.

Seeing that this younger brother of his felt no unfamiliarity toward him at all, Ye Qingxuan's eyes flashed with a smile, and he began telling him about the outside Cultivation World.

However, the vast majority of what he described was what Ye Qingxuan had learned from the Library Pavilion of Xuantian Sect. After all, he had never gone out to roam the world and had not personally experienced the outside Cultivation World yet.

Of course, he would not tell Ye Qingao any of this.

Just as he was speaking, a loud and crisp voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard:

"Father, Mother, is dinner ready? I'm starving!"

This was followed by a burst of cheerful footsteps.

Hearing that voice, Ye Qingao immediately covered his face, his expression full of helplessness.

Ye Qingxuan, meanwhile, was rather curious. This should be his younger sister, Ye Qingying, right? Her personality truly did not match her name!

Very soon, Ye Qingying entered the courtyard.

Seeing Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingao in the courtyard, she tilted her little head. Her exquisite face was full of confusion as she raised a hand and pointed at Ye Qingxuan.

"Brother, who is he?"

Seeing Ye Qingying point at Ye Qingxuan, Ye Qingao's expression immediately darkened, and he rebuked her:

"Younger Sister, do not be rude. This is our eldest brother!"

"Eldest brother?"

Ye Qingying bit her finger as though thinking of something. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she extended a hand toward Ye Qingxuan.

Ye Qingxuan was stunned by this.

"What?"

"Of course it's a gift?"

Ye Qingying could not help rolling her eyes at Ye Qingxuan. Her eldest brother seemed rather foolish, as though he was not very smart.

Ye Qingxuan came to a realization. This time, aside from some Medicinal Pills prepared for his parents, it seemed he truly had not prepared any other gifts.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Qingxuan looked at Ye Qingying and asked:

"Do you want Medicinal Pills?"

This time, he had prepared quite a few Medicinal Pills that Mortals could use.

"Medicinal Pills?"

Hearing Ye Qingxuan's words, Ye Qingying's eyes lit up as she hurriedly asked:

"Do you have the kind of pill that makes people have diarrhea?"

"Huh?"

Ye Qingxuan was somewhat at a loss. Diarrhea? He could not keep up with his younger sister's way of thinking. Neither able to laugh nor cry, he shook his head.

"No!"

"Ah! Is that so? Then forget it!"

Upon hearing that there were no pills that caused diarrhea, Ye Qingying shook her head in disappointment.

Ye Qingao, standing to one side, was so frustrated that his face turned red. If she did not want the other Medicinal Pills, she could give them to him!

Seeing Ye Qingying's disappointed expression, Ye Qingxuan had an idea and took out a Green Pill.

"Do you want this kind of pill?"

"What kind of pill is this?"

Ye Qingying looked curiously at the Medicinal Pill in Ye Qingxuan's hand.

Ye Qingxuan said nothing. Instead, he gave it a squeeze. Once the pill shattered, it turned into starlight and merged with the surrounding Spiritual Energy, continuously drawing in more Spiritual Energy and forming even more dazzling radiance.

This was a Qi Gathering Pill he had refined many years ago. Because its price was too low, he had never sold it.

Seeing this, Ye Qingying immediately cried out excitedly:

"Wow, Eldest Brother, I want this kind of pill!"

Little stars gleamed in Ye Qingying's eyes. She had already begun imagining herself acting as a spirit medium before her Companions.

"Hehehe!"

Seeing Ye Qingying suddenly start giggling foolishly for no reason, Ye Qingxuan stepped forward and tapped her little head.

"What are you thinking about?"

After Ye Qingxuan tapped her, Ye Qingying came back to her senses. She covered her head with both hands, pouted in annoyance, and refused to answer him.

Seeing this, Ye Qingxuan raised an eyebrow and took out another Green Qi Gathering Pill, tossing it up and down in his hand.

As the Qi Gathering Pill rose and fell, Ye Qingying's little eyes could not help drifting toward it. She stared fixedly at the Qi Gathering Pill in Ye Qingxuan's hand.

Noticing Ye Qingying's small action, Ye Qingxuan stopped teasing her. He took out all the Qi Gathering Pills, put them into a cloth bag, and handed it to Ye Qingying.

Ye Qingying impatiently accepted the Qi Gathering Pills and hurriedly ran toward her room. Before leaving, she did not forget to thank him:

"Thank you, Eldest Brother! Hehehe!"

Before her voice had faded, Ye Qingying's little figure had vanished from sight.

Then Ye Qingxuan took out several bottles of Medicinal Pills and handed them to the envious Ye Qingao.

"These are Body Strengthening Pills. They can gradually improve your physique. Taking one a day is enough."

Ye Qingao accepted the Body Strengthening Pills in delight and said jubilantly:

"Thank you, Eldest Brother!"

Having gained a younger brother and younger sister, Ye Qingxuan was immensely happy. Unfortunately, neither his younger brother nor younger sister had a Spirit Root!