The Xu family.
South Mountain Courtyard.
"Husband, my brother sent a letter asking us to bring Zhao'er and Wen'er to the commandery capital. What do you think?"
Yang Ronghua carried a footbath over and placed it by his feet, then looked up at him.
Xu Mingwei sat at the edge of the bed, placed his feet in the basin, and slowly furrowed his brow in confusion, "Go to the commandery capital?"
Yang Ronghua stood up and said, "Firstly, Father and Mother want to see Zhao'er and Wen'er. Secondly, my brother said the clan elders want to test him again. Depending on the test results, they'll consider whether to teach Zhao'er the Yang family's inherited martial arts."
Xu Mingwei pondered for a moment, "Whether or not we obtain the Yang family's martial arts is secondary. Zhao'er and the others have never seen their maternal grandfather since birth. It's only natural to go see them. But as the Xu family head, I can't just leave whenever I want."
Hearing this, Yang Ronghua's eyes dimmed somewhat.
Xu Mingwei understood clearly in his heart. In these years of marriage, only Yang Shichang had come to visit once midway through. To say Yang Ronghua didn't miss her father and mother would definitely be false.
He saw it in his eyes and felt pain in his heart.
The room fell silent.
Only the sound of Xu Mingwei's feet moving against each other in the copper basin could be heard, like broken jade and jumping pearls.
The cold ripples in the basin broke and reformed, reflecting the dim candlelight.
After a moment, a glint of determination flashed in Xu Mingwei's eyes, "Tomorrow I'll tell Father and ask him to help keep watch. It should be fine. It'll just trouble Father."
"Thank you, husband. Has husband finished washing? This concubine will take it away to empty."
Yang Ronghua was truly happy at this moment.
"Such a small matter, tomorrow is also fine."
Xu Mingwei pulled Yang Ronghua over. Amid her startled cry, she fell into his embrace.
Her cheeks, like congealed cream, seemed kissed by rosy clouds. Two patches of crabapple pink spread from her cheekbones, making her skin look like fresh snow reflecting the morning sun.
Yet her eyes still dodged, causing the flush to spread down from behind her ears, even more vivid than the candlelight by three parts.
"Husband."
Yang Ronghua's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, as shy and charming as when they first met.
"The candle is still lit."
A smile played at the corners of Xu Mingwei's lips. As his wide sleeves swept through the air, a wisp of innate true qi shot out like a silver snake's tongue, instantly snuffing out the golden flame dancing on the candle wick.
The light in the room instantly dimmed, leaving only moonlight filtering through the carved lattice windows, casting half a scene of frost on the floor.
The bed curtains fell.
…
"Elder Brother, you and Sister-in-law are preparing to go to the commandery capital?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Mingyuan's eyes rippled slightly as he smiled, "I'm also planning to establish commercial arrangements in the commandery capital. Since you're going, why don't I go along as well?"
"You're going too? Then what about the family?"
"At most seven or eight days and we'll definitely return. Now Qingjiang County and the surrounding counties are stable. There won't be too many complications. We just need to ask Father to help keep watch. As for miscellaneous matters, there's still Zhou Ming and the others. We can't possibly oversee everything ourselves, can we?"
"Alright, I can't argue with you. But are you going alone? Will sister-in-law and the children stay at home?" Xu Mingwei asked.
"Let's first go up the mountain together to request Father's permission. When we return, I'll go ask. But I estimate Rushan probably won't go."
Xu Mingyuan smiled, "She's not like Sister-in-law. She has ambitions to match any man. Now that she's a first-rate martial artist and has obtained the Aperture Opening Pills, she somewhat neglects even Jing'er, wholeheartedly charging toward peak Postnatal realm."
"Sister-in-law really is something." Xu Mingwei shook his head with a laugh, "Then let's go up the mountain first."
…
Jade Cold Pool.
Both Xu Mingshu and Xu Mingxian were cultivating nearby.
One was charging toward peak Postnatal realm, the other was diligently cultivating the "Innate Five Elements Creation Art."
Xu Mingxian truly lived up to his [Qi Swallowing Mountains and Rivers] talent ability. After reaching the innate realm, his absorption of heaven and earth spiritual qi was already seventy to eighty percent faster than ordinary people.
This was just the beginning. As his cultivation deepened, his Qi Refining talent would gradually manifest.
Additionally, with one serving of Five Elements Returning to Origin medicinal diet daily, his speed of condensing five elements qi reached an extremely exaggerated degree.
Xu Chuan had been watching these days and estimated in his heart that reaching innate perfection would probably take him just two or three years.
Moreover, he originally possessed all five elements, with miscellaneous spiritual root aptitude.
Reaching innate perfection would allow him to purify his miscellaneous spiritual roots to true spiritual roots.
"Elder Brother, Second Brother, why have you come?" Xu Mingshu saw the two and asked with slight surprise in her eyes.
One handled family affairs, the other managed family businesses. Both were very busy people.
"We're looking for Father about something."
"Father is in quiet meditation in the bamboo house."
"Come over."
Xu Chuan had keen hearing and sight. He already knew when they arrived.
Xu Mingwei told Xu Chuan about his family's plan to go to the commandery capital, including Xu Mingyuan's plan to use the Yang family's banner to establish commercial arrangements in the commandery capital.
Xu Chuan pondered.
Xu Mingshu's eyes brightened, "Elder Brother, Second Brother, you're both going to the commandery capital? I want to go too."
"What, are you starting to find your father annoying?" Xu Chuan looked up at Xu Mingshu.
Xu Mingshu immediately walked to his side, grabbed his arm and shook it, acting coquettishly, "Father, how could Xueji possibly find Father annoying? Xueji just wants to see what the commandery capital is like."
"We'll talk about it after you reach the innate realm."
Xu Mingyuan also said, "Your second brother has heard that even ordinary families in the commandery capital have innate realm experts sitting in residence. Some great families have at least seven or eight, and even grandmasters."
"Peak Postnatal realm in the commandery capital are only qualified to be household guards."
"Families like Wu, Fang, and Wang, when placed in the commandery capital, are just third-rate nobodies."
"Second Brother, don't try to scare me. Is it really that extreme? Then wouldn't our Xu family in the commandery capital also just be a middle-tier family?" Xu Mingshu's eyes widened.
"Pretty much." Xu Mingyuan smiled, "That's why your second brother plans to establish arrangements in the commandery capital, making some preparations for our Xu family's future entry into the commandery capital."
"As for Elder Brother, he's not going to play either. Zhao'er has pure Yang family bloodline and is suited to cultivate the Yang family's inherited martial arts. The old fellows of the Yang family insist on testing again. Plus, your sister-in-law misses her parents, so the whole family is going together."
"Xueji, stop making a fuss. Stay home obediently and cultivate well." Xu Chuan said.
"Understood, Father."
Although Xu Mingshu would throw tantrums, she was still obedient.
"You got shut down." Xu Mingxian added insult to injury.
"Annoying little brother."
Unlike Xu Mingshu, Xu Mingxian was a natural immortal cultivator who could endure solitude.
Afterward, Xu Chuan looked at Xu Mingwei and the other, sighing, "Since you've both thought it through, then go. Be careful. The commandery capital is ultimately different from the county seat. It's a place where tigers and dragons hide."
"Yes, Father."
Having obtained permission, the two brothers Xu Mingwei and Xu Mingyuan were naturally happy. They immediately returned to the Xu residence to make preparations for departure.
"Father, Yunnu sees you seem to have concerns?"
Xu Chuan sighed slightly, "The commandery capital is a place where martial and immortal paths coexist. Great families stand in abundance. It's not so easy to venture into."