Chapter 175: If My Dear Nephew Doesn’t Mind

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: If My Dear Nephew Doesn’t Mind

"It’s common courtesy to visit elders before a formal apprenticeship. You don’t need to be so dejected about it."

In the pavilion, after hearing the whole story, Liu Chen glanced helplessly at Ji Suyao. ’I thought my master’s instructions would lead to some drama, but it turns out it was just Ji Suyao making a fuss over nothing.’

Ji Suyao wanted to explain herself, but after glancing at Ye Linglong—who was pretending to admire the scenery with a slight smile playing on her lips—she decided to keep her mouth shut. ’I have no desire to become a sacrificial lamb in a test to see if Senior Brother is looking for a dao companion.’

After more idle chatter, Ji Suyao’s father, Ji Ming, arrived. Liu Chen and Ye Linglong then boarded their respective carriages.

As the carriage slowly pulled away, Liu Chen lifted the window curtain and looked back. His normally lively junior sister was watching the carriage quietly, looking somewhat dejected.

"This is tricky..."

Liu Chen shook his head. ’Perhaps the Great Xia Royal Family’s thinking isn’t wrong, but I won’t rashly agree to something I can’t deliver. It’s still uncertain whether I’ll even return to the Mo Family, let alone the matter of a dao companion.’

’Body Tempering grants but a hundred and twenty years of life, and Meridian Passage only a hundred and eighty. Only Qi Refining brings four sixty-year cycles. The Road of Longevity has only just begun. Even if I were to find a dao companion, I would only consider it after I was certain I could protect myself.’

Ji Suyao’s figure disappeared from view. Liu Chen slowly lowered the curtain and sat back in the carriage, contemplating what might happen next.

’The ideal situation would undoubtedly be to find a place where I can cultivate smoothly all the way to the Bright Aperture Realm, then return to the Mo Family. If things are stable by then, the matter of a dao companion might be feasible.’

’Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen. Even if I wanted to find a place to cultivate peacefully, Master said the entire Profound Nether Province is about to fall into turmoil. And turmoil in the Cultivation Realm is different from turmoil in the mortal world.’

’In the mortal world, ten or twenty years of upheaval is considered a chaotic era. But for the Cultivation Realm, ten or twenty years might just be the beginning. Anything less than a century hardly even counts as turmoil.’

While Liu Chen was lost in thought, the carriage slowly came to a halt. This time, without needing anyone to prompt him, Liu Chen stepped out of the carriage on his own.

What came into view was a reasonably luxurious mansion. This was the Ye Mansion. To Liu Chen’s surprise, there were no guards on duty. The mansion’s decor was nice, but it gave Liu Chen a sense of desolation.

Ji Ming led the three carriages away. Liu Chen turned his head to look at the street. It seemed it wasn’t just the Ye Mansion that was desolate, but the entire street.

"This entire street used to be our family branch’s property, but a few years ago, it was handed over to the Nangong Family, for the purpose of keeping an eye on me."

Ye Linglong spoke from the side, her tone somewhat light. The past was the past. Now that her senior brother had turned Nangong Mu into a Soul Slave, the Nangong Family wouldn’t dare to provoke him or their master.

"If you have any regrets, Junior Sister, I can still hand Nangong Mu over to you to deal with."

Liu Chen glanced at Ye Linglong. He was relieved to see that she showed no emotional turmoil at the mention of the Nangong Family. ’Bringing up the past often leads to emotional outbursts. Thankfully, that didn’t happen this time.’

"Even looking at him disgusts me. Senior Brother can deal with him. However, there might still be people from the Nangong Family nearby, so it’s best if you don’t let Nangong Mu out."

Ye Linglong shook her head, then stepped forward and pushed open the main gate of the Ye Mansion. Liu Chen was a little stunned watching this. ’Has the Ye Family really fallen so far they don’t even have guards?’

"Our guards used to get beaten up by the Nangong Family’s guards whenever they went out. Over time, no one dared to come work for us anymore."

Ye Linglong sighed helplessly. ’I felt so oppressed back then, but thinking about it now, it’s almost laughable. To think they’d resort to such petty tricks... Nangong Mu probably never received any formal grooming from the Nangong Family.’

"Senior Brother, please."

Ye Linglong extended her right hand. Liu Chen nodded and stepped directly into the Ye Mansion. Sweeping his Spiritual Sense across the area, Liu Chen discovered there were only two people in the entire estate.

The two were busy in the rear courtyard. Their clothes were so plain they couldn’t compare to Ji Ming, who had just left; even the Imperial Palace Guards and Palace Maids Liu Chen had previously detected with his Spiritual Sense were likely dressed better.

To Liu Chen’s surprise, the lady—Ye Linglong’s mother—had a cultivation at the Meridian Passage Late Stage, while the father was only at the Meridian Passage Middle Stage.

The sound of the main gate opening startled the two busy people. They hurried toward the front courtyard, where Ye Linglong and Liu Chen were waiting.

"Linglong!"

Upon seeing Ye Linglong, Father Ye and Mother Ye ran over and hugged her tightly. It was a good thing there was some distance between Liu Chen and Ye Linglong, or he might have been knocked over.

"Mom, Dad, this is the Senior Brother I told you about, Liu Chen. He’s also the Ye Family’s Honored Guest Elder."

"Prodigy Liu..."

Father Ye began to speak hastily, but was immediately pinched from behind by Mother Ye. Beside them, Ye Linglong glanced guiltily at Liu Chen. ’If Senior Brother makes a connection to me because of this, it’ll be a little awkward.’

"Honored Guest Elder Liu, your presence honors us..."

Lady Ye had just begun to speak when Ye Linglong, at her side, simply closed her eyes. ’I’d forgotten. My parents have grown so accustomed to a quiet life that they’ve long since forgotten how to entertain guests—or more accurately, how to entertain friends.’

"Greetings, Uncle and Auntie. I am here to participate in the Great Xia Dynasty’s festival as a disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak. Please forgive me for this sudden visit."

Liu Chen watched this scene quietly. Although the meeting was a bit of a disaster, that wasn’t why he was here. ’If I wanted to be fawned over by the masses, I could have just stayed at the posthouse. I’d be guaranteed to have people visiting with gifts every day.’

"Not at all. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble for Linglong, worthy nephew."

Father Ye walked over, speaking stiffly. He had no idea what the relationship was between Linglong and this Second Grade Spirit Chef, this Inner Sect Disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak. He was afraid of saying the wrong thing and damaging the connection Linglong had worked to maintain.

Meanwhile, Lady Ye pulled Ye Linglong aside and gave her a meaningful look. Ye Linglong understood what her mother meant and quickly shook her head.

"If it’s no trouble, worthy nephew, you can reach another of the Ye family’s manors through the rear courtyard. It has been unused for many years. Princess Suyao used to stay there when she visited."

Father Ye didn’t notice the exchange between mother and daughter, nor did he pay any mind to Liu Chen’s reaction. He simply started walking toward the rear courtyard on his own.

Liu Chen took a moment to glance at Junior Sister Linglong. Only after she gave a slight nod did Liu Chen follow Father Ye.

While passing through the rear courtyard, Liu Chen saw a large pile of tea leaves that contained faint traces of Spiritual Power. This must be Spirit Tea.

Unlike Spirit Wine, Spirit Tea is generally sold as tea leaves. The leaves, combined with the most basic brewing techniques, produce a cup of Spirit Tea.

"Please wait a moment, worthy nephew. I will go prepare some tea and food."

After showing Liu Chen to the empty manor, Father Ye didn’t linger. He immediately crossed the path—neither long nor short—and returned to the original Ye Mansion.

"What exactly is your relationship with this Honored Guest Elder Liu?"

In the front courtyard, Lady Ye looked at Ye Linglong with a smile.