"B-Brother?" Murong Wanyue's voice caught in her throat. She didn't dare step forward, afraid this was only a dream brought on by how much she missed him.
"Are you really my brother? I'm not dreaming, am I?"
"Silly girl, why are you crying?" Murong Huai let go of his mother and grandmother and held out a hand to her. "Wanyue, your brother's back. I promised I'd personally hunt a Spirit Ring for you, didn't I? Well, here I am."
Those words shattered Murong Wanyue's last defenses. The girl ran to him in tears and threw herself into his arms, wrapping both arms tightly around his waist. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, unable to get a full sentence out.
"Brother... sniff... I missed you so much... I thought I'd never see you again... Waaah—"
Murong Huai stroked Murong Wanyue's hair and spoke gently. "Silly girl, look at you! Our Murong Clan's young lady has already become a Soul Ancestor. Wonderful!"
The three men standing in the doorway had long since lost their usual composure. Gui Mei's usually expressionless face was frozen in place. He knew that face better than he knew his own.
Yue Guan rubbed at the corners of his reddened eyes. The fastidious man let his tears fall onto the hem of his golden robe. His lips moved, and after a long moment, he managed to force out two words, his voice trembling. "First Seat..."
Dugu Bo turned away and wiped his face. When he looked back, tears streamed down his cheeks, but he was grinning. Back then, Murong Huai had won him over by "honoring men of talent," and had also cured him and his son of the backlash from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison. Dugu Bo had carried that debt in his heart all his life.