Brothers reunited

Late autumn, year 10008 of the Yulan Calendar.

The Earl Baruch manor stood on Fushi Road in eastern Chiyan City, the imperial capital of the O'Brien Empire.

Morning sunlight streamed through the study window. An sat cross-legged on a cushion.

Seven years of secluded training had brought astonishing changes to An.

He had already reached the Saint level as a warrior. Once he underwent Dragon Transformation, his strength would leap straight to the peak of the Saint level.

As a peak ninth-level wind mage, he was only one step away from the Saint level. He had also begun to grasp wind dimension, one of the nine profound mysteries of the Laws of Wind.

"Soon." An opened his eyes, a flash of azure light flickering through his dark brown irises. "Within a year at most, I'll become a Saint-level Magus."

He rose and walked to the window.

Outside, in the manor's rear courtyard, Hillman was putting several young guards through their drills. All had been recommended by the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, and every one of them was a capable fighter of at least the sixth level.

Hogg sat in a wicker chair in the courtyard, holding a yellowed book. Occasionally, he glanced up at the training grounds, a faint smile on his lips.

"Father." An left the study and entered the courtyard.

Hogg looked up at An, his eyes full of pride.

"An, aren't you training today?" Hogg asked.

An shook his head and sat in the chair beside Hogg. He picked up the teapot from the table, poured Hogg a cup, then poured one for himself.

"Father, our eldest brother will be back soon," An said.

Hogg's hand paused briefly. He looked up at An. "How do you know?"

"He sent word." An smiled. "He's already left the Magical Beast Mountain Range and is on his way to the capital. At his speed, he should arrive within the next few days."

Hogg's eyes reddened slightly.

Although An had always been by his side, he had not seen Linley, his eldest son, in seven years.

"Good, good." Hogg repeated the word, his voice trembling a little. "As long as he's coming home."

Three days later, outside Chiyan City.

An stood at the city gates, looking south. A tiny black speck appeared far away on the southern horizon. Within a few breaths, it had crossed the distance to him.

An azure-black figure descended from the sky and landed before An.

The newcomer was one meter eighty-five tall, dressed in a black training robe, his long hair loose over his shoulders. He bore a strong resemblance to An, but his features were more rugged.

"An."

"Brother." An smiled and spread his arms.

The brothers embraced tightly.

Seven years of separation vanished in that instant.

Bebe leaped off Linley's shoulder and flew up to An, speaking in a human voice. "An, did you miss me?"

An froze for a moment, then smiled. "Bebe, you can talk now too?"

"Of course!" Bebe proudly puffed out his chest. "I'm a Saint-level magical beast!"

"An, you..." Linley's pupils contracted slightly. "You've reached the Saint level?"

An nodded. "As a warrior, yes. As a mage, I'm still one step away."

Linley drew a deep breath, a thousand emotions stirring within him.

"I've made a breakthrough too," Linley said. "I'm an Early Ninth-Level Warrior."

An's eyes lit up.

"Brother, Father's waiting for you at the manor," An said. "Let's go."

The brothers walked into Chiyan City side by side.

Chiyan City was one of the largest cities on the Yulan Continent, with a permanent population of several million. People crowded the streets, shops lined both sides, and vendors' cries mingled with laughter, conversation, and the clatter of hooves. The city bustled with life. Linley took it all in, emotions welling inside him.

They reached the Earl Baruch manor.

The gates stood open, and Hillman waited at the entrance. The instant he saw Linley, his eyes reddened.

"Young Master Linley!" Hillman strode forward and pulled Linley into an embrace. "Seven years! You've finally come home!"

Linley patted Hillman's back. "Uncle Hillman, you've gotten older."

Hillman wiped his eyes and laughed. "How could I not?" He looked Linley up and down, making no attempt to hide the pride in his eyes. "Good, good. All that matters is that you're home."

Linley entered the manor.

Hogg stood in the courtyard, his hands clasped behind his back, watching Linley calmly.

"Father." Linley approached Hogg and dropped to one knee. "Your unfilial son has returned."

Hogg said nothing. He reached out with a trembling hand and stroked Linley's head, then helped him to his feet.

"Get up, get up." Hogg's voice was a little hoarse. "You're home. That's all that matters."

Linley stood, and the tears shimmering in Hogg's eyes sent a pang through his heart.

Wharton rushed out of the house.

Of all of them, Wharton had changed the most over those seven years. He was now twenty-three, standing two meters twenty tall, towering over both Linley and An.

"Brother!" Wharton rushed over and threw his arms around Linley.

"Wharton, you've grown so much." Linley patted his back. "When I left, you didn't even reach my shoulder."

Wharton released him and chuckled. "Brother, I'm half a head taller than you now!"

Linley looked at his younger brother, overwhelmed with emotion. When he had left Wushan Town for Ernst Academy, Wharton had been only two and a half, still unsteady on his feet. In the blink of an eye, that tiny child had grown into a man who could stand tall and proud.

"Wharton, what level are you now?" Linley asked.

Wharton puffed out his chest. "Eighth-level Warrior."

Linley nodded, unsurprised. Wharton's Dragonblood Warrior bloodline was more concentrated than either his or An's, so his rapid progress was only natural.

"Good," Linley said. "With the three of us brothers working together, there's nowhere in the world we can't go."

Wharton nodded vigorously, his eyes brimming with excitement.

That evening, a table laden with dishes stood in the sitting room of the Earl Baruch manor.

Hogg sat at the head, with Linley and An on either side of him. Wharton sat opposite, while Hillman and Hiri took the lower seats. The family gathered around the table in warm harmony.

After several rounds of wine, Wharton suddenly set down his cup and looked at Linley. "Brother, there's something I want to tell you."

Linley put down his chopsticks. "What is it?"

Wharton's face flushed slightly, and he scratched his head in embarrassment. "I... I've fallen in love with a girl."

Linley paused, then smiled. "That's a good thing. Whose daughter is she?"

"The Seventh Princess, Nina," Wharton said. Then he sighed. "But her father keeps putting things off. He hasn't agreed to my marriage proposal."

Linley's smile faded. He looked at Wharton, countless thoughts running through his mind. He had experienced love himself and knew its joys and sorrows. He did not want Wharton to suffer as he had.

"Why is he putting it off?" Linley asked.

An explained from beside him, "There are two other suitors. One is Blumer, a personal disciple of the War God Sect and a Ninth-Level Warrior. The other is Kailan, the son of the Empire's Left Chancellor and a Level Seven Mage. The emperor is having trouble choosing between the three."

Linley frowned. "What does the Seventh Princess herself want?"

"She loves me," Wharton said. "Kailan has already given up. He told the Seventh Princess himself that he was willing to let us be together. Now only Blumer is left."

Linley pondered for a moment, then turned to An. "An, what do you think?"

An smiled. "Brother, you've only just returned. Rest for a few days first. There's no need to rush Wharton's affairs. If the emperor wants to delay, we'll give him some time. As for Lanmo, if he doesn't know what's good for him, we have plenty of ways to deal with him."

Linley nodded and said no more.

Late that night, after the guests had left, Linley and An sat in the courtyard.

Moonlight spilled like water over the blue stone paving. Bebe crouched on the stone table, his little head nodding as he drifted toward sleep. Haeru lay in a corner with his eyes closed, dozing.

"An, thank you for everything you've done these past seven years," Linley said.

An shook his head. "It wasn't a hardship. Father and Wharton are both well. It's just... we still have to be patient about Mother."

Linley's gaze turned icy. "The Radiant Church."

"Yes." An nodded. "Clayde was only a pawn. The true culprit was the Radiant Church."

Linley's fists clenched, his knuckles turning white.

"Brother, don't rush," An said. "We're still no match for the Radiant Church. Within a year at most, I'll reach the Saint level as a mage. Then I'll be a Saint-level warrior and mage, and after Dragon Transformation, I'll be at the peak of the Saint level. Besides, the Radiant Church still doesn't know we bear a grudge against it. We can build up our forces first and cut away its supporters."

"All right. We'll do it together."