Returning Home in Glory

Outside Azure Cloud Village, on the official road.

A scarlet streak whistled past. The wind in its wake flattened the roadside grass and sent several villagers carrying loads to market scrambling aside.

"Good heavens! Which immortal master was that?"

An old farmer straightened his straw hat and gazed after the figure vanishing in a cloud of dust. His eyes brimmed with awe and envy. "At that speed, he must be countless times faster than the county magistrate's thousand-mile steed!"

"Of course. That's an immortal's art. We're blessed just to glimpse it in this lifetime," another man exclaimed.

Great Zhou lay beneath the Law Net. Though cultivators were extraordinary, they did not hide from the world, so ordinary people were no strangers to them. But familiarity went no further than awestruck looks from afar.

Little did they know that the streak of light that had amazed them was Chu Bai, who had once run through the fields at the edge of their village.

The gate to the Chu family courtyard stood ajar.

When a figure in blue robes appeared at the entrance, the vegetables Li was sorting slipped from her hands. Then she cried out in delight:

"Big Brother?!"

"Dad, Mom, I'm home."

Chu Bai drew in the spiritual pressure surrounding him and strode into the courtyard. A pure, easy smile appeared on his face, the kind rarely seen when he was away from home.

Hearing the commotion, Chu Xianglin hurried out of the house. At the sight of his eldest son, his weathered face broke into a broad smile.

Reunited, the family had no end of things to say.

Chu Bai said nothing of the life-and-death battles he had fought, nor did he mention the glory of placing first among the Immortal Clerks. He chose amusing stories from the