"Reporting to the Venerable One," Huang Tianqin murmured respectfully. "My Yu Huang Sect has incurred the enmity of a rogue Void Realm expert named 'Jing Yi,' who possesses a demonic beast of the Void Realm. Today, I dispatched Yu Tonghai and Liu Xia, along with the Rending Wind Dragon-Falcon, the Six-Eared Earth-Drilling Rat, and Shen Gongtu from the Sun-Shooting Divine Mountain, to jointly eliminate Jing Yi. Who knew, halfway through, Jing Yi acquired an ally—the Undying Phoenix that once followed the supreme expert, the Poetry Sword Immortal."
"The Fire Phoenix?" A trace of surprise entered the deep, resonant voice.
"Yes. This Undying Phoenix killed Shen Gongtu and also Yu Tonghai of our Yu Huang Sect. Furthermore, we discovered that the true identity of this man named Jing Yi... is actually the twenty-two-year-old youth, Teng Qingshan, who was once hunted across the entire world. Last year, he was already a formidable Void Realm expert."
"Meaning Teng Qingshan reached the Void Realm at twenty-one! Perhaps even earlier!"
"I beg the Venerable One for guidance. How should our Yu Huang Sect proceed now?"
Silence descended.
The Venerable One remained quiet for a long time; Huang Tianqin dared not press further.
Finally...
"Tianqin, handle this as we handled the Heavenly Emperor of Qinling back then. Take a step back, and the sea will be vast and the sky boundless! Also, quietly spread the news that Jing Yi is Teng Qingshan, let it permeate all of Jiuzhou. As for what happens next, just watch," the deep, resonant voice echoed in the quiet chamber before fading away entirely.
Huang Tianqin let out a flicker of astonishment, musing inwardly, "The method used against the Heavenly Emperor of Qinling back then? The Venerable One actually intends to yield... Could it be because of that Undying Phoenix?"
Although doubt lingered in his heart, Huang Tianqin’s mind settled. The command of the Venerable One must be followed by the Yu Huang Sect.
That very day, Huang Tianqin arranged for men to disseminate the earth-shattering news: 'Jing Yi' is that 'Teng Qingshan' who once fled across the world.
**
That afternoon, just as the torrential rain ceased, Teng Qingshan and his wife, Li Jun, rode the Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' together, flying toward Jiangning Commandery City in the east.
"Qingshan, you are truly impatient," Li Jun laughed softly.
"Of course, I am impatient."
Teng Qingshan gazed toward the east, "I have been away from home for too long, too long. After returning from the Duanmu Continent, even seeing Father and Mother, I could only pretend not to see them. I never dared to reveal my identity... I could only let my elderly parents grieve for me, their son. Since my identity no longer needs to be concealed, the first people I must tell now are my father and my mother!"
His voice was calm, yet Teng Qingshan felt his breath catch in his throat.
Nervousness! Apprehension!
Guilt! Excitement!
A multitude of emotions churned within him.
"Qingshan, don't worry. Your father and mother will be overjoyed when they see you," Li Jun smiled reassuringly.
"Calling them Father-in-law and Mother-in-law already?" Teng Qingshan teased, glancing at Li Jun. Li Jun's face flushed slightly, and she couldn't help but give him a slight glare, yet the atmosphere between them became considerably warmer.
The Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' flew exuberantly, occasionally casting curious glances down at the boundless earth below.
A moment later, a colossal city appeared on the vast expanse below—Jiangning Commandery City.
"Xiao Qing," Li Jun pointed downward, simultaneously emitting clear chirps to guide Xiao Qing.
The Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' immediately dove downwards, leaving a trail of fiery red afterimage in mid-air before landing precisely at the former residence of Elder Wu within the Guiyuan Sect in Jiangning Commandery City. After settling Xiao Qing at Elder Wu's residence, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun employed their light-foot skills to head toward the dwelling of Teng Yongfan and his wife.
...
Teng Yongfan and his wife generally resided in their courtyard within the Guiyuan Sect. This arrangement allowed them to frequently visit their daughter, Qingyu, and their grandson and granddaughter.
It was a tranquil, ancient courtyard, with moss clinging to the walls. Grapevines covered the interior courtyard walls, and in one corner, a small patch had been tilled for growing vegetables. On the veranda outside the main hall, Teng Yongfan lay reclined on a lounge chair, occasionally glancing at the courtyard and then at the azure sky following the rain.
"Woof!" "Woof!"
A large, pitch-black dog bolted from the woodshed and immediately trotted before Teng Yongfan.
"Come here, boy," Teng Yongfan chuckled, grabbing the dog's two front paws and making it stand upright.
Meanwhile, Yuan Lan was tending the fire in the kitchen, periodically peeking out toward Teng Yongfan, smiling faintly.
Everything appeared perfectly peaceful.
This was the life of the couple, Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan. Suddenly—
"Hmm?" Teng Yongfan, still reclining, turned his head toward the courtyard entrance as if sensing something. Two figures, a man and a woman, had already walked in through the gate, which wasn't fully closed. The man was handsome; the woman was beautiful.
Thud!
Teng Yongfan slackened his grip, allowing the large dog to drop back to the ground, yet he remained stunned, staring at the two figures in the courtyard, involuntarily blinking several times.
Seeing his father's reaction, Teng Qingshan felt a pang of heartache.
He immediately advanced two steps.
Bang! He knelt heavily onto the wet stone slabs of the courtyard, looking up at his father, whose face now bore wrinkles and whose temples showed threads of white. A voice erupted from the depths of his heart, "Father!"
"Father!"
This single cry caused Teng Yongfan to violently push against his wheelchair, attempting to rush forward.
Plop!
The wheelchair slipped on the veranda, tilting down into the courtyard and overturning. Teng Yongfan tumbled out, struggling to use his hands to prop himself up. "What's wrong? What is it?" Yuan Lan, who was in the kitchen, rushed out. But Teng Yongfan seemed oblivious; using his strong hands to brace against the ground, he stared fixedly at Teng Qingshan, his eyes already red and brimming with tears. He rasped hoarsely, "Alan, Alan, our son is back! Qingshan is back!"
Yuan Lan had already burst out of the house.
She too saw the young man kneeling in the courtyard. Her vision instantly blurred with tears; she strained to look... His features were very similar to those of the past, only more mature and composed now.
Teng Qingshan slightly turned his head toward his mother.
"Mother!" Teng Qingshan's voice trembled faintly.
Yuan Lan hurriedly wiped her eyes, then rushed toward Teng Qingshan as if in a desperate struggle, squatting down to grip his hands, and then caressing his face.
"Qingshan, Qingshan, you've finally returned." Yuan Lan couldn't hold back, pulling Teng Qingshan into a tight embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.
She would never forget...
The day her son carried her crippled husband home, and then, without hesitation, rushed back toward the Great Yan Mountain.
From that day on, she never saw her son again.
She had heard that in the battle of Great Yan Mountain, her son had slain numerous innate experts, earning acclaim as a genius seen only once in five hundred years.
She had also heard that her son had managed to escape with his life even from those above the Innate Golden Core level.
...
She cared for none of it. All she desired was her son's safety, for him to return safely.
"Qingshan, Qingshan, am I dreaming?" Yuan Lan bit her lip, forcing back the tears, examining Teng Qingshan's face meticulously.
Teng Yongfan, who had managed to push himself back onto his wheelchair, was a strong man. After his initial loss of composure, he had regained control, instead ordering in a low voice, "Alan, look at you. Stop crying. Qingshan has been away for almost five years; let him come in and sit down to talk properly. You will have plenty of time to talk with our son later."
"Yes, plenty of time later," Yuan Lan nodded repeatedly.
"Qingshan, quickly, get up," Yuan Lan urged, pulling at Teng Qingshan.
Toward his parents, Teng Qingshan held boundless guilt. Regardless of anything else, he remained kneeling rigidly, then kowtowed three times deeply toward his parents.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three heavy thuds.
He then looked up, his tear-filled eyes fixed on his mother and father: "Father, Mother... Your son has been unfilial. Starting today, your son will never leave again. Never again!"
"Good, good."
Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan looked on, Yuan Lan even pulling Teng Qingshan up.
"Qingshan, this young lady is..." Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan had both noticed Li Jun standing quietly behind Teng Qingshan. Because Teng Qingshan had resumed his original appearance, coupled with the look in his eyes and the faint familiarity in their blood ties, Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan recognized their son instantly.
But they had never seen Li Jun before.
"Father, Mother," Teng Qingshan took Li Jun's hand, "This is the wife I married while crossing the vast ocean; her name is Li Jun."
"Wife?" Yuan Lan's eyes immediately brightened.
"Our Teng family's daughter-in-law?" Teng Yongfan also began examining Li Jun closely.
Li Jun also knelt gracefully and performed three kowtows to the couple: "Your daughter-in-law pays her respects to Father-in-law and Mother-in-law."
"Good, good," Yuan Lan felt a bit flustered. "I haven't prepared anything, this..." Yuan Lan couldn't find anything on her person suitable to give her daughter-in-law; she was accustomed to frugality. Although Qingyu had given her some jewelry, she had tucked it away at the bottom of a chest.
"Father, Mother, it's unnecessary," Teng Qingshan quickly said.
The couple, Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan, their eyes filled with joyful tears. To see their son, and to see he had a wife, made them immensely happy.
"Father, Mother, Xiao Jun is already pregnant," Teng Qingshan shared another piece of news that delighted the couple.
"Hahahaha..." Teng Yongfan couldn't help but burst into laughter.
But just then.
"Father, what are you laughing about? I could hear your laughter from far outside the courtyard. What great happy news is it?" A familiar voice drifted from beyond the courtyard gate.
"Qingyu is here," Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan both turned to look.
Teng Qingshan had sensed his sister's presence earlier, but since his identity was now public, there was no need to hide. He simply smiled, watching the courtyard entrance. Dressed in shades of blue-green, her hair coiled up in the manner of a young matron, Qingyu walked into the courtyard, holding the hands of two children, a charming smile on her face: "Father, Mother, today I—"
Her words caught in her throat.
Qingyu stared blankly at the young man and woman standing in the courtyard, especially the familiar figure with a spear sheath on his back—the figure she had depended on so much since childhood.
"Brother?"
Hesitant, half-believing it was a dream, yet filled with extreme longing, Qingyu whispered the single word.
"Qingyu," Teng Qingshan revealed a trace of doting affection in his smile, the same tone he used when calling Qingyu as a child.