The Mystic Boat, crafted from azure mystic wood, glided steadily above a sea of clouds, leaving Cloud Brocade City-the place that had worn Third Master Si out in body and mind-far behind.
Inside the cabin, Si Shuo let out a long breath and plopped onto a cushioned seat, feeling more exhausted than if he had fought three hundred rounds against a cultivator of his own rank.
He glared at his nephew, who sat opposite him looking perfectly calm, and felt his temper flare.
"Boy, come here." Si Shuo tried to make his voice sound more authoritative.
Si Chen obediently walked over, tilting his little face up with clear eyes, looking every bit the humble pupil ready to learn.
"Sit." Si Shuo pointed to the seat beside him.
Si Chen sat down obediently, his two short legs dangling in the air, his posture proper.
Seeing him behave so well, Si Shuo inexplicably lost half his anger, but what needed saying still had to be said.
He cleared his throat, trying hard to assume the bearing of an elder. "Chen, do you know why your third uncle was in such a hurry to take you away?"
Si Chen recalled what his third uncle had said over the past few days and answered earnestly, "Because Cloud Brocade City's feng shui clashes with yours, Third Uncle?"
Si Shuo choked so badly he nearly failed to catch his breath. He smacked the back of Si Chen's head irritably. "What clash? It was because of you!"
He pointed at Si Chen, looking thoroughly pained. "Of all the things you could learn, why did you have to learn to scatter your wealth around? Do you know those modest gifts of yours that were 'hardly worth presenting' could feed ordinary families for several lifetimes?"
Si Chen rubbed the spot where he had been smacked and answered honestly, "No."
Si Shuo faltered. Remembering that his nephew truly had no concept of money, he could only try another tack. "Then let me ask you this. Why did you give away so many spirit stones?"
"Third Uncle, didn't you say that 'opening your purse generously and helping those in danger and distress is a great virtue'? I was practicing that virtue."
"I..." Si Shuo was momentarily speechless, feeling as though he had dug a pit and buried himself in it.
He rubbed his brow, trying to explain the distinction to that little head. "A virtue is a virtue! But that doesn't mean handing things out to everyone you meet and turning yourself into the Child of Wealth! That's being indiscriminately kind, understand? True charity is delivering charcoal in the snow, not giving to whoever cries the most pitifully. Do you understand?"
Si Chen listened quietly. He did not entirely understand what his third uncle meant, but his mother had told him to listen to his third uncle while away from home and let him make the decisions whenever possible.
He thought it over. Since his third uncle said this was wrong, he had probably misunderstood something.
So he nodded. "I understand. I was wrong and made you worry, Third Uncle."
Seeing his nephew admit his mistake so obediently, the last embers of Si Shuo's anger went out with a puff. Instead, he felt a little uneasy, wondering whether he had been too harsh just now.
He sighed and ruffled Si Chen's hair with his large hand. "All right, all right. As long as you know you were wrong. You... sometimes you're frighteningly clever, and sometimes you're... ah, go play over there. Give your third uncle a little peace."
He needed to think carefully about how to explain this journey's "glorious achievements" to his eldest brother and sister-in-law once they returned.
Si Chen went to the window as instructed, sat down quietly, and gazed absently at the billowing sea of clouds outside.
Watching his nephew's tiny figure from behind, Third Master Si felt both amused and helpless.
This boy. Scold him, and he admits his mistakes faster than anyone, with such a good attitude that you can't stay angry. But who knows what new trick he'll pull next?
The Mystic Boat passed through layer after layer of clouds and mist. The outlines of mountains and rivers gradually emerged below, and the familiar blessed land of the Si Household came into distant view.
They passed through the familiar barrier, and familiar pavilions and towers came into sight.
Before the boat had even settled, Si Shuo spotted his eldest brother, Si Kai, and his sister-in-law, Ye Fu, already waiting in the square before the main courtyard below.
He drew a deep breath, picked up Si Chen, and landed on the ground in a flash.
"Eldest Brother, Sister-in-law, we're back." Si Shuo tried to keep his expression as natural as possible.
"Chenchen!"
Ye Fu swept her son into her arms and examined him carefully from head to toe, as though he had not gone traveling but ventured into a dragon's pool and a tiger's den.
"Let Mother have a look. Have you lost weight? Did anyone mistreat you out there?"
Si Chen leaned into his mother's warm embrace, feeling her unreserved concern. The feeling of being cared about like this... was deeply reassuring.
He shook his head gently. "Mother, I'm fine. Third Uncle took very good care of me. The people outside... were mostly very friendly."
Standing nearby, Si Shuo could not help twitching at the corners of his mouth when he heard that. "Friendly," indeed. They practically worshipped you like a little ancestor, while trying to empty your storage ring on the side.
Si Kai came over as well. He first nodded to Si Shuo in greeting, then turned his gaze to his son. Discovering that the spiritual energy around him was harmonious and contained, and that the depth of his foundation far surpassed that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could not help feeling a jolt of surprise.
He knew his son could not be judged by ordinary standards, so he reached out and gently patted Si Chen's shoulder. "It's good to have you back."
When his gaze turned to Si Shuo, however, a questioning look entered his eyes.
Si Shuo's scalp prickled slightly. He knew there was no escaping this ordeal.
Sure enough, once they returned to the hall, Si Kai spoke before the tea had even arrived. "Let's hear it. This trip seems to have caused quite a stir."
Third Master Si braced himself and began reporting the "results" of their visit to Cloud Brocade City.
From the sensation caused by "Foundation Establishment at seven," to the earth-shattering declaration at the banquet, "This old man feels even more ashamed of his own inferiority," and finally the glorious deeds of the "Child of Wealth"...
Si Shuo talked until his mouth went dry, carefully watching his eldest brother's and sister-in-law's expressions as he spoke.
Ye Fu could not suppress her amusement and drew her son closer. "Our Chenchen has a kind heart. He takes after me."
Second Master Si Che slapped his thigh and laughed so hard he rocked back and forth. "Hahaha! 'This old man feels ashamed of his own inferiority'? 'A few modest gifts, hardly worth presenting'? Eldest Brother, this son of yours is bound to become someone remarkable! That mouth alone could leave his opponents half-dead with words stuck in their throats!"
Si Shuo shot his second brother an irritated look. You'll understand when it's your turn to look after the boy!
As Si Kai listened, he too looked torn between laughter and exasperation.
He looked at Si Chen, who sat quietly beside his mother as though their discussion had nothing to do with him. After a moment's consideration, he said, "Let it be. It was only a few spirit stones. Chen is still young. Going through these things isn't necessarily bad for him."
"Chen, now that you've reached Foundation Establishment, you've officially set foot on the path of cultivation. Though our lineage's blessed land is rich in spiritual energy, building a cart behind closed doors is hardly the best approach."
He paused, then continued, "After some time, perhaps we should find a suitable sect or academy for you, so you can see a wider world and... spend more time with children your own age."
He put it tactfully, but his meaning was clear.
If they kept the boy at home, or only let him follow his second and third uncles around, he would probably never learn how ordinary social dealings worked. They needed to toss him among his peers and let the rough edges be worn down.
His experiences in Cloud Brocade City were the best proof. His lineage's protection and other people's reverence had instead distorted his understanding of the real world.
Si Chen raised his head.
A sect? An academy?
Would that be somewhere more complicated, and more interesting, than Cloud Brocade City?
Before you continue