Chapter 41: Family

Walking down the familiar streets, Ye Qingxuan stood before his own doorstep, hesitating to move forward.

He did not use his spiritual power or divine sense to probe the surroundings; instead, like a mortal without any cultivation, he looked at the doorstep, which was mere inches away, with trepidation.

After taking a deep breath, Ye Qingxuan finally mustered the courage to knock on the door.

*Knock! Knock! Knock!*

Hearing the knocking, a voice Ye Qingxuan knew all too well came from outside

"Who is it?"

Immediately after, the door slowly opened. The moment Ye's mother saw Ye Qingxuan, she froze. Looking at this man who felt both strange and filled with a familiar aura, she said in disbelief

"You... you... are you Xuan'er?"

Looking at his mother's increasingly aged face and her whitening hair, Ye Qingxuan could no longer control himself. Fighting back the tears in his eyes, he stepped forward to embrace her, his voice trembling

"Mother, I'm home!"

Hearing his words, Ye's mother lifted her head and cradled Ye Qingxuan's face, looking at him over and over again, before bursting into tears of joy

"It is Xuan'er! My Xuan'er is back! My Xuan'er is back!"

She then hurriedly shouted toward the inside of the house

"Old man, Xuan'er is back! Xuan'er is back! Come out quickly!"

A clatter followed from inside, and a figure rushed out of the room. Upon seeing Ye Qingxuan, the figure paused, looking somewhat dazed.

Seeing this figure, Ye Qingxuan smiled through his tears

"Father, I'm home!"

Only then did Ye's father snap out of it. He forced himself to remain calm and said

"Good! Good! It's good that you're back!"

However, the hands he kept behind his back could not stop trembling!

Noticing this, a hint of a smile appeared in Ye Qingxuan's eyes. His father was still the same father as before!

He stepped forward to give his father a hug, and then, at his mother's invitation, the three of them entered the house together.

Inside, Ye Qingxuan listened to his mother's stories and questions.

She spoke of everything that had happened in the family over the past twenty years, and asked about his experiences during those same two decades.

Occasionally, Ye's father would interject with a few details, earning him a roll of the eyes from Ye's mother.

Ye Qingxuan watched this scene warmly, choosing not to interrupt.

As time passed, the emotions of Ye's parents gradually settled. Once they had regained their composure, Ye's father seemed to remember something and said to Ye Qingxuan with a hint of pride

"By the way, you have a younger brother and a younger sister now. Your brother is named Ye Qingao, he is twenty years old this year; and your sister is Ye Qingying, she is sixteen!"

Seeing her husband's proud expression, Ye's mother couldn't help but give him a light swat.

Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan said with pleasant surprise

"Really? Where are my brother and sister now?"

In response to the question, Ye's father said irritably

"Qingao went to the Library. As for Qingying, that girl is out playing like a madwoman all day; she won't be back until nightfall."

Speaking of Ye Qingying gave Ye's father a headache. A young lady, acting like the leader of a gang outside all day? Didn't she realize how old she was?

"If only this girl were as steady as you, I would be satisfied!"

Fortunately, Qingao was quite sensible; he usually just went to the Library to read books, which was somewhat similar to his eldest son.

Hearing his husband's lament, Ye's mother couldn't help but cast a sideways glance at him, undermining him

"The reason Qingying is like this is because you, as her father, spoiled her!"

Meeting his wife's gaze, Ye's father gave a sheepish smile and said nothing.

Ye Qingxuan smiled inwardly. A moment later, as if remembering something, he asked

"Father, Mother, now that there are a brother and sister, should we move to a larger house?"

Ye Qingxuan's family lived in a small courtyard. While the rooms weren't small, it was necessary to move to a larger place now that his siblings were grown.

Upon hearing the suggestion, Ye's mother suddenly fell silent. Finally, Ye's father spoke slowly

"After you left, the clan arranged a large manor for us, but your mother was worried that if we moved, you wouldn't be able to find us when you returned, so we never moved."

Ye Qingxuan was stunned, his nose stinging with emotion. He forced a smile and said

"Father, Mother, your son is back. We will move to the new house tomorrow."

This time, Ye's mother hesitated for a moment, thinking of Ye Qingao and Ye Qingying, before finally nodding in agreement.

As evening approached, Ye's parents were busy in the kitchen, while Ye Qingxuan sat alone in the small courtyard.

Suddenly, the courtyard gate opened, and a young man walked in. His appearance bore a slight resemblance to Ye Qingxuan.

Looking at Ye Qingxuan sitting in his courtyard, the young man asked hesitantly

"Who are you?"

Looking at the youth, Ye Qingxuan understood immediately and smiled

"Qingao? I am your elder brother, Ye Qingxuan."

"You're my elder brother? Brother, you're finally back! Hahaha!"

Ye Qingao had known since childhood that he had an elder brother out practicing cultivation. He had long yearned to cultivate as well, but unfortunately, he lacked a spiritual root and could only learn about the world of cultivation through the Library.

He hadn't expected that his brother, who had finally embarked on the path of cultivation, would return today. Ye Qingao was extremely excited, pestering Ye Qingxuan to tell him stories about the cultivation world.

Looking at this brother who felt no stranger to him, a smile flashed in Ye Qingxuan's eyes as he began to describe the world outside.

However, most of the content he shared was what he had learned from the Library of the Xuantian Sect. After all, he hadn't traveled the world himself and had yet to personally experience the cultivation world.

Of course, he wouldn't tell Ye Qingao that.

While he was speaking, a loud and crisp voice suddenly rang out from outside the courtyard

"Father, Mother, can we eat dinner yet? I'm hungry!"

This was followed by a burst of cheerful footsteps.

Hearing this voice, Ye Qingao immediately covered his face with an expression of helplessness.

Ye Qingxuan was somewhat curious; this must be his sister, Ye Qingying. Her personality certainly didn't match her name!

Soon, Ye Qingying entered the courtyard.

Seeing Ye Qingxuan and Ye Qingao in the yard, she tilted her small head, her exquisite face full of confusion. She pointed a finger at Ye Qingxuan

"Brother, who is he?"

Seeing her point at Ye Qingxuan, Ye Qingao's expression darkened as he scolded

"Little sister, don't be rude! This is our eldest brother!"

"Eldest brother?"

Ye Qingying bit her finger, seemingly thinking about something. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she reached a hand out toward Ye Qingxuan.

Ye Qingxuan was taken aback

"What?"

"A gift, of course!"

Ye Qingying couldn't help but roll her eyes at Ye Qingxuan. Her elder brother seemed a bit dim; he didn't look very smart.

Ye Qingxuan realized his mistake. Aside from some medicinal pills he had prepared for his parents, he indeed hadn't prepared any other gifts.

After a moment of thought, Ye Qingxuan looked at Ye Qingying and asked

"Medicinal pills—do you want some?"

On this trip, he had prepared many pills suitable for mortals.

"Medicinal pills?"

Hearing this, Ye Qingying's eyes brightened, and she asked urgently

"Do you have those pills that make people have diarrhea?"

"Huh?"

Ye Qingxuan was at a loss. Diarrhea? He couldn't quite follow his sister's train of thought. He shook his head, caught between laughter and tears

"No!"

"Ah! Is that so? Then never mind!"

Hearing there were no diarrhea pills, Ye Qingying shook her head in disappointment.

Beside them, Ye Qingao looked exasperated. *If you don't want them, can I have them?*

Seeing her disappointment, a thought occurred to Ye Qingxuan. He took out a green pill

"Do you want this kind of pill?"

"What kind of pill is this?"

Ye Qingying looked at the pill in Ye Qingxuan's hand with curiosity.

Ye Qingxuan said nothing. Instead, he squeezed it with his fingers. The pill shattered, turning into starlight that merged with the surrounding spiritual energy, continuously drawing in more qi to form an even more dazzling glow.

This was the Qi-Inducing Pill he had refined many years ago. Because its value was too low, he had never sold it.

Seeing this, Ye Qingying shouted with excitement

"Wow! Brother, I want this kind of pill!"

Her eyes were sparkling. She was already fantasizing about acting like a mystical medium in front of her little friends.

"Hehehe!"

Seeing Ye Qingying start to giggle for no reason, Ye Qingxuan stepped forward and tapped her small head

"What are you thinking about?"

After being tapped, Ye Qingying snapped out of it. She covered her head with both hands and pouted her lips in a huff, refusing to answer him.

Seeing this, Ye Qingxuan raised an eyebrow. He took out another green Qi-Inducing Pill and began tossing it up and down in his hand.

As he tossed the pill, Ye Qingying's eyes couldn't help but follow it, staring intently at the pill in his hand.

Noticing her little trick, Ye Qingxuan stopped teasing her. He took out all the Qi-Inducing Pills, put them in a cloth bag, and handed them to her.

Ye Qingying took the bag impatiently and rushed toward her room, not forgetting to say thanks before she left

"Thanks, Brother! Heeheehee!"

Before her voice even faded, her small figure had vanished.

Afterward, Ye Qingxuan took out several bottles of pills and handed them to the envious Ye Qingao

"These are Body-Strengthening Pills. They can gradually improve your constitution. Just take one a day."

Ye Qingao accepted them with joy and said happily

"Thank you, Brother!"

Having a brother and a sister filled Ye Qingxuan's heart with joy. Unfortunately, neither of them possessed a spiritual root.

(End of Chapter)