Father and Son

At night, the residential complex grew quiet.

"Welcome home," the smart voice system at the courtyard gate announced. Fang Yu, who had been sitting in the living room, heard it and rose to meet the arrival at the front door.

From a distance,

Fang Yu saw a burly, casually dressed middle-aged man walking in. His temples were slightly gray, and the weariness on his rugged face was impossible to hide.

But when the man saw Fang Yu, he still smiled. "Fang Yu."

"Dad," Fang Yu said.

This was his father, Fang Ping'an, who had held the family together on his own since Fang Yu's mother passed away.

The two walked over to the living room sofa.

"Where are Xiaolong and Siyue?" Fang Ping'an asked as he put down his bag and took off his jacket.

"I told them to go to bed first," Fang Yu said. Then he pointed to a glass of water on the coffee table. "Dad, you just got back. Have some water first. I bet you haven't had any all day."

"All right." Fang Ping'an smiled.

He had attended a martial arts junior college in his youth. At his peak, his life level had reached 15, but as he grew older, he neglected his training. Between that and all the dinners and drinking parties, he had developed a number of chronic illnesses.

One important recommendation from his doctor was to drink plenty of water regularly.

"Come on, let's go upstairs and pay our respects to your great-grandfather and your mother," Fang Ping'an said slowly.

"Okay." Fang Yu nodded. A few years ago, when he had just been accepted into college, his father had told him some things about the family, and he had come to understand some of the responsibilities he had to bear.

The villa had a martial arts room in the basement and three floors above ground.

On the third floor, a small room set aside for the purpose served as the Fang family's "little ancestral hall." Father and son pushed the door open and entered.

After they closed the door, the motion-sensor lights came on automatically.

The room was not large, and even its decor was quite modern. The incense and candles were electronic, and the room was quiet.

There were only three memorial tablets.

Fang Ping'an stood before them. Fang Yu stood silently at his side, his gaze passing over the names on the three tablets: his great-grandfather, Fang Tiankuo; his grandmother, Tao Yujie; and his mother, Bai Qing.

Then,

Fang Yu followed his father in paying their respects.

"Fang Yu, do you remember what I told you about your great-grandfather after you finished the college entrance exam?" Fang Ping'an turned to look at him.

"I remember." Fang Yu nodded.

Back then, after Fang Yu had finished the college entrance exam and been accepted into a martial arts junior college, his father had told him that his great-grandfather, Fang Tiankuo, had been among the first immigrants to New Moon.

Later, however, for reasons unknown, he had returned to Blue Star, to his hometown of Wuling City.

Of all the last words his great-grandfather had left behind, the most important were: "If any of my descendants ever awakens the upper astral aspect Sun-Devouring Python, they must return to New Moon."

That was why Fang Yu had been so surprised to hear that both his younger brother and sister had awakened the Sun-Devouring Python. It seemed their great-grandfather had foreseen it.

"Your great-grandfather had already passed away by the time you were born," Fang Ping'an said slowly. "He was once an advanced martial artist. At his peak, he was level 39. Later, he was injured and returned to Wuling City, but he still had the strength of an intermediate martial artist. In his day, that was considered impressive."

Fang Yu fell into thought.

It was not until year 38 of the New Era that the Blue Moon Civilization produced a starry sky martial artist. Before that, its strongest had only been sky-roving martial artists... Anyone who reached level 39 in that era, coming incredibly close to becoming an earth martial artist, was unquestionably formidable.

Even now, a level 39 martial artist was impressive.

"Your great-grandfather actually had high hopes for your grandfather. He named him Fang Zhiyuan," Fang Ping'an said with a sigh. "Unfortunately, your grandfather didn't even want children back then."

Fang Yu was speechless.

His father had brought up this old story countless times.

The meaning behind the name Fang Zhiyuan that his great-grandfather had given his grandfather went without saying, but his grandfather had coasted through life in pursuit of pleasure. Even now, at the advanced age of ninety, he was no different.

His grandfather had also always claimed to be a DINK. It was not until he was in his forties that his great-grandfather threatened to donate his inheritance to the state and forced him to marry.

Only then had Fang Yu's father been born.

His grandfather had named his father Fang Ping'an, intending only for him to live a carefree, peaceful life... Yet his father had worked hard and shown some of his great-grandfather's qualities, bringing the Fang family considerably greater prosperity once more.

"I was raised by your great-grandfather."

"I was only eighteen when he died. Almost thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye." Fang Ping'an's voice was calm. "He didn't say much before he passed, but I knew he regretted not seeing a truly talented person emerge among his descendants."

Fang Yu listened.

Both his grandfather and his father had awakened only lower astral aspects, a far cry from the upper astral aspect Sun-Devouring Python his great-grandfather had spoken of.

His great-grandfather surely had some secrets. Otherwise, how could he have predicted it in advance?

"Later, I married your mother, and we had the three of you," Fang Ping'an said. "The names I gave you also reflected some of my hopes."

Fang Yu nodded slightly.

His own name and his younger brother's came from the idea of "a great python undergoing a tribulation and transforming into a dragon," while his sister's name, Fang Siyue, carried the hope of returning to New Moon.

His father had been raised by his great-grandfather and had been deeply influenced by him. His attachment to the idea ran deep as well.

"I thought that since I hadn't awakened a powerful enough void star aspect, it would be hard to return to New Moon through martial arts, so I'd use money to immigrate and settle there instead," Fang Ping'an said with a sigh. "Unfortunately..."

"Dad, you've done enough," Fang Yu couldn't help saying.

New Moon.

In this era, it was a "paradise on earth" in the hearts of countless people on Blue Star's old homeworld. According to all kinds of news reports, everyone there was a martial artist, and its technology was highly advanced.

If someone only wanted to visit and see it for themselves, the cost wasn't too great. Traveling through a star gate with a tour group, a hundred thousand Star Coins would be enough for the trip.

But immigrating and settling there was far more difficult.

One path was to become a powerful martial artist, though the standard kept rising. Now, only an earth martial artist could directly bring their family over to immigrate, and the Blue Moon Alliance would assign them a house.

An advanced martial artist who wanted the whole family to settle on New Moon had to complete various missions to accumulate "immigration points."

The other path was "investment immigration," which required purchasing real estate. Fang Yu had looked into it before: commercial housing on New Moon cost over a million Star Coins per square meter.

Even the smallest commercial residence cost tens of millions of Star Coins, and there were limits on the number of occupants. A large family had to buy a bigger home.

In short,

To become a resident of New Moon, one had to be either a powerful martial artist or wealthy...

As far as Fang Yu knew, the inheritance his great-grandfather had left was not small, but unfortunately, his grandfather had spent most of it on enjoying himself. In particular, his grandfather's life level had been below level 10 in his early years, and it was not until his forties that he had spent a large sum raising it to obtain a "parent certificate"... It had been far from easy for his father to get where he was today with his grandfather's "help."

"I can't stand your grandfather, but there's some truth to one thing he said."

"Times have changed, and people live differently. The older generation shouldn't force its ideas on the next... Besides, the chance of awakening an upper astral aspect is really rather low," Fang Ping'an said.

Fang Yu sighed inwardly as well.

Across the world, or even the entire civilization, the chance of an upper astral aspect appearing was not particularly low. A great many appeared every year... But for an individual, the odds were very low.

In Wuling City, for example, the chance was about one in three thousand.

"So when you didn't awaken the Sun-Devouring Python back then, I stopped hoping for too much. I even doubted whether what your great-grandfather said was true." Fang Ping'an's voice carried a trace of barely restrained excitement. "But I never imagined Xiaolong and Siyue would both awaken it..."

An older sister and younger brother awakening upper astral aspects at the same time.

It was indeed rare.

Fang Yu understood that his younger brother and sister had rekindled hope in their father's heart... He himself had never met his great-grandfather, so he was not particularly attached to returning to New Moon.

For his father, however, it was entirely different.

"The best talent

"also needs the best training conditions," Fang Ping'an said. "Your brother and sister are only fifteen. It would be best for them to use Myriad Phenomena Life-Transforming Fruits to build their foundations, taking one a year for three consecutive years, until they turn eighteen."

"Mm." Fang Yu nodded.

The Myriad Phenomena Life-Transforming Fruit was a treasure he had learned about in a required junior college course. It could strengthen the muscles, bones, and flesh, enhance the mind, improve mental focus, and more. Its benefits were extremely comprehensive.

Apart from some incredible natural treasures, it was the best treasure for building a foundation.

In some wealthy families, children who aspired to martial arts would take it. It came from Primordial Star... Its effects were excellent, and its only drawback was its price.

A single fruit cost two million Star Coins.

If his brother and sister both used it, that would be four million Star Coins a year, not counting other expenses... The financial pressure on his father would be enormous.

"Dad.

"Xiaolong and Siyue are what matter," Fang Yu said directly. "I'm graduating soon too. You don't need to give me living expenses for my fourth year."

Fang Ping'an gave Fang Yu five hundred thousand Star Coins a year for living expenses.

Though it would not solve all their difficulties, Fang Yu believed that five hundred thousand less in expenses could ease some of his father's burden... He had made this decision when he learned that his brother and sister had awakened the Sun-Devouring Python.

For now, he could not help support the family, so he would lessen its burden.

As the eldest brother,

He had to make some sacrifices... Besides, after all his years of martial arts training, Fang Yu had made a rough calculation: his father had spent several million Star Coins on him.

Before Fang Ping'an could speak,

"Brother, I don't want it."

"Dad." Two urgent voices suddenly rang out as the door flew open. Fang Siyue and Fang Long pushed their way in, startling both Fang Yu and Fang Ping'an.

"You two aren't asleep yet?" Fang Ping'an frowned.

Fang Siyue did not answer the question.

She said directly, "Dad, my brother and I don't want to use Myriad Phenomena Life-Transforming Fruits. They're too expensive. After the assessment today, the teacher told us they weren't very cost-effective. With our astral aspects, ordinary training resources will be enough. It won't stop us from getting into a four-year martial arts college... But big brother is about to start his fourth year and transfer into a bachelor's program. He can't go without any training resources. This is his most crucial year."

"Dad, I think the same as my sister," Fang Long added.

"Xiaolong, Siyue." Fang Yu frowned. "What do you two kids know? The Myriad Phenomena Life-Transforming Fruit isn't for getting you into a bachelor's program. It's for your future."

"You're still young, and nothing is set yet. Spending a few million to build your foundations now will have an effect that even spending hundreds of millions of Star Coins later won't match."

"You don't need to worry about money. Go back to bed." Fang Yu stared at his brother and sister.

As soon as Fang Yu became stern, Fang Long felt intimidated.

That was the authority he had built up as their eldest brother over the years.

"I won't." Fang Siyue gritted her teeth and pouted. She was more stubborn by nature.

"Enough.

"What are the three of you arguing about? I'm not dead yet!" Fang Ping'an suddenly raised his voice, cutting off the siblings' argument. Yet there was a trace of a smile on his face. "Siyue, who said I was going to reduce your brother's living expenses?"

"But didn't he just say..." Fang Siyue grew anxious.

"I never agreed to it." Fang Ping'an shook his head. "Don't worry. Dad will take care of it. You and Xiaolong go downstairs and get some sleep."

"Really?" Fang Siyue seemed somewhat unconvinced.

"You don't believe your dad? When have I ever lied to you?" Fang Ping'an said with a smile.

Fang Siyue thought for a moment, then nodded. "Dad, make sure you're not lying to us."

"Don't worry," Fang Ping'an said.

Soon,

Fang Siyue and Fang Long went downstairs, leaving father and son alone in the third-floor room once more.

"Dad, do as I said. You don't need to give me living expenses for my fourth year," Fang Yu said softly.

"What, do you think I was really lying to Siyue? That I'm going to cut your living expenses?" Fang Ping'an shook his head. "Siyue is right. Your fourth year is crucial for you."

"I chose to bring the three of you into the world, so it's my responsibility to raise you well," Fang Ping'an said with a smile. "Otherwise, why have you?"

"But..." Fang Yu grew anxious.

Fang Ping'an waved a hand, cutting him off. "Your dad isn't dead yet. It's not your turn to worry about your brother and sister. By the way, is the list of students recommended for transfer to a bachelor's program out yet?"