Chapter 1. Visitor from the branch family
The early spring season, with grass growing long and warbler flying, was a wonderful time of year. Outside the Xu family village, where beautiful mountains met clear water, a teenager lay on his back on the grass with his arms folded behind his head, his posture relaxed and comfortable.
The pale golden sun hit the teenager's face, warm and soft, so comfortable that he narrowed his eyes and rested in peace.
His stay lasted through the afternoon. At the end of the evening, when the last rays of light disappeared into the sky, the boy yawned lazily and sat up.
At the village entrance, a boy dressed as a manservant ran over and hurriedly said, "Young master, someone from the branch is here. This lowly one was sent to find you."
The youth wrinkled his brows, before immediately loosening them. "Then go back soon."
The boy hurriedly led the way, passing a few stone paths to arrive at a large house. Following the boy through the door, there was a guest seated in the hall - a middle-aged man in long robes1. His eyes twinkled and his temples bulged upwards. He seemed to be a Houtian practitioner.
The young man stepped forward and hurried over: "I heard that there was a guest. Apologies for not welcoming you sooner."
The middle-aged man, named Xu Cheng, was a capable steward of the branch family. He was very unwilling to be sent by the branch family master to welcome the young master.
It was not a good job.
What did the Xu family village count as? For a big clan like the Xu family, let's not talk about the main family first. Even the branch family was counted as the top one or two in a city like Fenglin. And this Xu family village was nothing but a tiny village to the branch family. Over the years, a few people were slowly sent over, which is why there was a small population.
If one was even a slightly favored young master, even if they were a bastard son, it was rare to be sent here. What's more, the young master's history was really not very easy to explain. He is not the son of the current branch family master, but the former master - the current master's older brother's only son. He is a legitimate son, but because of the former master's death from illness, his situation became awkward. Not long after, he was sent to the Xu family village in the name of gifting the entire village to him, but in fact, it was nothing more than some food and clothing. He didn't even have the main authority of the village.
If one really tried and was able to control the villagers, although it can't be counted as much, they could lord over the village. But this young master was soft-hearted and neither blames others nor has a bad temper. Over time, if not for the strict rules of the Xu family, even though the servants look as though they're doing their tasks, in their hearts they don't really respect him.
Xu Cheng's coming this time was naturally a major event. Otherwise how could he, an eighth-level Houtian martial artist acknowledged by other Houtian practitioners, come to such a place full of village bumpkins!
However, a master and servant are different after all. Xu Cheng was highly regarded by the branch family master, but he was a martial artist raised by the family. He could shock people with his power, but he cannot forget the basic rules. The master is the master and the servant is the servant. Even if the young master Xu Ziqing was forgotten and neglected, Xu Cheng still had to maintain basic politeness.
He stood up, relying on his eighth-level practitioner status to avoid bowing, and smiled lightly. "Young master, Xu Cheng is here on orders from the branch family master to bring you back."
Xu Ziqing smiled: "I don't know what's the reason for my uncle calling me back?"
Xu Cheng said: "The young master is thirteen years old this year. Regardless of bloodline, once a descent of my Xu family reaches this age, they will be sent to the main family to test their spiritual roots. Young master is a direct descendant2 and is naturally included."
Xu Ziqing looked down. He was reluctant to leave the Xu family village, but how could the weak resist the strong? What would come, would come, so he readily agreed. "When will we leave?"
Xu Cheng saw that the young master was not arrogant and behaved generously, and his goodwill increased by two points. "If the young master doesn't mind, the sooner the better. It is better to follow me tomorrow morning."
Xu Ziqing nodded. "We'll do as you say."
Xu Ziqing tossed aaround that night and couldn't sleep.
He was not originally a man in this world, but a child from a family in a world completely different from this one. He grew up loved and cared for, but unfortunately his body was not well, and he spent most of his 18 years on the hospital bed and by the window. Even taking a few steps downstairs to enjoy the flowers was difficult.
The power system of that world was also very different from this world. People's physical quality was naturally good, and they rely on something more called "scientific technology". With this technology as the foundation, human beings have traveled back and forth in the universe several times. However, their life expectancy was short, and at most one could live up to two hundred years.
In this world, however, people take the aura of heaven and earth, and use it to temper their bodies. Even if a person doesn't have a spiritual root, they can go down the path of a martial warrior, and through achieving dao in martial arts, reach the Xiantian realm. And those with spiritual roots and dream of being immortal, unlike those on the warrior path, as long as they can absorb spiritual energy into their dantian, they will no longer be a mundane person.
Xu Ziqing was reborn into his mother's stomach. He knew she should be a beautiful woman, but has never laid eyes on her since birth. His father was a gentle and elegant man, but unfortunately his health was not good. He died before Xu Ziqing could speak. His father was clearly the legitimate son and had led the branch family for several years, but once he died, it fell into the hands of his younger brother.
His uncle's name was Xu Mengqian. He had some ideas and his heart wasn't bad. However, when he had his own children and heirs, how could he let his nephew stay? Xu Ziqing couldn't only be raised in one way. If he hadn't drank less from Meng Po's bowl in his previous life3, he would have been raised astray by those around him and ruined his life.
Xu Ziqing had no big ambitions. He had been sick in his last life, and now he finally had a healthy body. After growing up, he fell in love with the beautiful scenery of mountains that were hard to come by in his last life. He expected to stay in the Xu family village for a lifetime, and didn't expect to come out. Now he only hopes to find out he has no spiritual root, otherwise if he had to stay with the main family, he really does not know how what life will look like in the future.
The next day, a carriage wobbled out of the village. Because Xu Ziqing never studied martial arts, and rarely did physical labor, his physical fitness was not very good. Xu Cheng expected this, such that when he arrived, he arrived by himself using the strength as an eighth-level practitioner, but when leaving had a horse-drawn carriage prepared. He drove the carriage, and let Xu Ziqing sleep inside. The two traveled day and night, eating dry food and drinking from the stream. Xu Cheng was full of energy, and the horse was not an ordinary horse and did not find it difficult.
Three days later, they arrived at Fenglin City, where the Xu branch family was.
The carriage did not stop on the road, and went straight to the Xu estate. It was a large family compound with many densely densely layered houses. Two stone lions stood at the door of the house, mighty and majestic. Xu Cheng jumped off the carriage, knocking twice on the vermilion gate, and a small servant opened the door.
He only listened to Xu Cheng say: "Little Master Xu Ziqing is back, so please come and help the young master get off!"
After his instructions, the door quickly opened and two servants hurried walked to the door of the carriage with their arms outstretched and heads bowed, to help the young master out.
An arm was placed on the maid’s wrist. The maid could not help but look up and saw a smiling face. Although childishness was still there, there was a graceful and gentle look between the eyebrows, and she couldn’t help but blush, and couldn’t speak. Just helped the person down sooner.
As Xu Ziqing got out of the car, he said, "I've troubled you", before letting go and standing. Xu Cheng was anxious, calling the young master a few times before Xu Ziqing followed him and they entered the estate together.
Someone reported it to the master in the house, and Xu Mengqian came out to meet Xu Ziqing. After exchanging a few greetings and calling "uncle" in response, he was taken to his room. He only heard that the people were already gathered, and after a few days, it would be time to leave to go to the main house.