"We've finally returned to Cang County."
At the gates of Cang County, Mago and Wei Zian looked ahead, their faces filled with excitement.
Although their journey through Zhongzhou had exposed them to many grand cities, including the ancient wonders of Azure Dragon City and the Sacred City, which seemed like immortal realms, the small town before them was what they missed and cherished the most.
"Isn't that the young master of the Wei family and his master, Mago?"
"The young master of the Wei family has returned! Didn't they say the master and apprentice were traveling?"
"What are those steeds? They look so extraordinary!"
"What powerful auras! The blood energy from those two horses is far stronger than ours!"
Lu Qingâs carriage naturally drew attention, especially the two Dragonblood Horses, which were even more striking. Not only were they majestic in appearance, but the aura they exuded also left the onlookers in awe, far surpassing even the Bone Refining Realm experts.
Naturally, such a sight caught the attention of the spies at the city gate, who soon saw Wei Zian and Mago disembark from the carriage. The spies, who were quite familiar with these two, quickly spread the news of the Wei familyâs young master and his master's return throughout the town.
"Is this where Master Lu's home is?" Hu Zezhi and Hu Laosan peered curiously out of the carriage window.
"My master and I donât live in the town. Zian and Master Ma are the ones who reside here," Lu Qing explained with a smile.
"Old doctor, Brother Lu, should we enter the town first or head back to Jiuli Village?" Mago inquired, even though they had already reached the town.
Lu Qing thought for a moment and said, "Letâs enter the town first. I have some matters to discuss with Senior Wei."
"Very well, then letâs all head to my home first!" Wei Zian responded joyfully.
Xiao Yan, upon hearing this, also seemed happy. It had been a long time since she had seen her aunt, and she missed her dearly.
So, Mago drove the carriage slowly into town, with the guards at the gate not daring to search the carriage, knowing that it bore the Wei familyâs emblem. No one would dare to stop a carriage from the Wei family.
The carriage smoothly arrived at the Wei familyâs ancestral residence, where Chief Steward Wei had already gathered a group of servants, waiting at the gate. Given the many spies at the city gates, it was natural that the Wei family would have already received the news before Lu Qing and the others arrived.
"Uncle Hai, Iâm back!" Wei Zian jumped down from the carriage, excited.
"Itâs good to have you back, young master. You seem to have grown taller and stronger," Chief Steward Wei said, looking at Wei Zian with a comforting smile. However, as he sensed Wei Zianâs aura, he was somewhat surprised. He couldnât perceive the young master's cultivation level; it was as if his aura was entirely concealed in a mist. Although surprised, Chief Steward Wei didnât show it and respectfully looked toward the carriage.
"Greetings, Old Doctor Chen, Young Master Lu," he said as Lu Qing and the others descended from the carriage.
"Chief Steward Wei, thereâs no need for formalities. We will likely be troubling you again for a while," the old doctor said with a smile.
"Old Doctor, you honor us with your presence. The master and mistress will surely be delighted to see you," Chief Steward Wei replied hurriedly.
Afterward, Wei Zian briefly introduced Hu Laosan and his daughter. Upon learning that they were guests from Azure Dragon City, Chief Steward Wei, although startled, didnât dare show any disrespect and greeted them courteously.
After some polite conversation, they all entered the residence. The Wei familyâs servants had already removed the threshold so the carriage could pass through smoothly. But upon seeing the two Dragonblood Horses, Chief Steward Wei was once again shocked. The carriage and horses had been arranged by him when they first set out, and he had personally chosen two fine steeds. However, in such a short time, those horses had transformed into majestic beasts with jade-like horns, exuding an overwhelming aura that made him feel inferior.
If he hadnât recognized the markings on the horses, he wouldnât have believed they were the same ones he had personally selected. It was clear that their journey to Zhongzhou had been filled with unimaginable experiences, something he could deduce just from the changes in the horses.
"Uncle Hai, where are my father and mother? And what about our ancestor?" Wei Zian finally voiced the question that had been on his mind since their return.
"The master had a premonition a few days ago and decided to enter seclusion. He hasnât emerged yet. As for the mistress, she went to Qingyue Pavilion today to listen to music. Iâve already sent word of your return, and she should be back soon," Chief Steward Wei replied.
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside, followed by the arrival of Lady Wei, her face filled with joy as she quickly walked in.
"Mother!" Wei Zian leaped up from his seat, ready to rush into her embrace, but then he remembered that he was grown up now and should not act so childishly, so he stopped in his tracks.
To his surprise, his mother walked straight past him and embraced Xiao Yan.
"Xiao Yan, youâre back! Let me take a good look at you. Did you get tanned? Did you suffer any hardships out there?" Lady Weiâs sudden embrace left Xiao Yan momentarily stunned, but the concern in her voice made Xiao Yan's eyes well up with tears.
"Auntie, Xiao Yan didnât get tanned, and with Brother here, I didnât suffer at all," she replied softly.
Lady Wei examined her for a moment and, seeing that she indeed wasnât tanned, smiled. "Auntie knew it. Xiao Yan, following your brother, you wouldnât suffer. But after being away for so long, did you miss Auntie?"
"Yes, Xiao Yan missed Auntie many times. I even bought a gift for you," Xiao Yan replied sweetly.
"Really? Auntie will have to take a good look at it later."
As Lady Wei beamed at Xiao Yan, a somewhat resigned voice came from the side. "Mother, Iâm back."
Lady Wei turned to see her youngest son, who wore a slightly resentful expression. She nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Youâve become more mature after your trip."
Had it been before, he would have rushed over without hesitation.
Wei Zian was speechless. He had forgotten how his mother frequently visited the Jiuli Village courtyard over the past two years, mainly to see Xiao Yan, whom she had long regarded as a daughter. At times, she even seemed closer to Xiao Yan than to him. He was relieved that he hadnât rushed over, for if his mother had ignored him, it would have been truly awkward.
Lady Wei observed her son, noting that aside from being a bit darker, he seemed unscathed and had become much sturdier. She knew then that he hadnât encountered any major hardships during his travels, and she sighed with relief before calming herself.
She then gracefully bowed to the old doctor and Lu Qing. "Greetings, Young Master Lu and Old Doctor. My sonâs growth is thanks to your care along the way."
"Hehe, thereâs no need to be so formal, Lady Wei. This old man isnât skilled at taking care of others. On the contrary, Zian was the one looking after me," the old doctor replied with a laugh.
"Old Doctor, youâre too modest. I know my sonâs temperament well. If he has indeed learned to care for others, itâs all thanks to your guidance," Lady Wei said, not fully believing him, thinking the old doctor was just being polite.
The old doctor chuckled but didnât argue further. He knew that Wei Zianâs changes would become apparent to the Wei family soon enough.
After more pleasantries, Lu Qing suddenly asked, "Lady Wei, where is Senior Wei? Why havenât we seen him?"
"The ancestor? Heâs been living at Jiuli Village since you left on your journey. He rarely comes back to the county town," Lady Wei replied.
Lu Qingâs heart trembled at this. He knew that Wei Shanhai was fulfilling the promise he made to them to watch over Jiuli Village and ensure nothing went wrong.
"Young Master Lu, do you have urgent matters with the ancestor? Should I send someone to summon him?" Lady Wei asked when she saw Lu Qing's contemplative expression.
Lu Qing thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, please. Tell him I have urgent matters to discuss with Senior Wei."
Seeing the seriousness on Lu Qingâs face, Lady Wei became apprehensive. She realized that if Lu Qing was so grave, it must be an important matter. Without delay, she said, "Very well, Iâll have someone send the message immediately."
Naturally, Lady Wei didnât need to go personally. With just a word from her, Chief Steward Wei quickly made the arrangements.
Soon, a falcon soared from the Wei mansion, circling once before flying swiftly towards Jiuli Village.
After handling this, Lu Qing introduced Hu Laosan and his daughter to Lady Wei. Upon learning that they were from Azure Dragon City, Lady Wei treated them with great respect. Although she was from a small town, as the mistress of the Wei family, she had read many of the Wei familyâs books and had heard of the renowned Azure Dragon City.
As they continued chatting, about half an hour later, a figure suddenly appeared in the courtyard.
"Young Master Lu and Old Doctor have
returned?"
Before he even entered the room, Wei Shanhaiâs booming voice, filled with joy, could be heard from outside.
"Ancestor!" The Wei family servants all bowed in reverence.
"Ancestor, youâre back!" Lady Wei also greeted him with delight.
"Yes, I just received the message from the mansion that Young Master Lu and the others had returned, so I hurried back," Wei Shanhai said with a hearty laugh.
"Senior Wei," "Old Sir," "Grandpa Wei," Lu Qing and the old doctor greeted him in unison.
As for Hu Zezhi and his daughter, they were secretly shocked. They hadnât expected that such a remote town would have an expert of the Precelestial Realm.
"Old Doctor, I thought you would need at least a year or more to return from Zhongzhou. Yet itâs been less than three months, and youâre already back?" Wei Shanhai, though happy, was puzzled as he looked at Lu Qing and the old doctor. Despite his recent progress in cultivation, he still couldnât sense their cultivation levels, only feeling that their auras had become even more profound.
"We encountered some unexpected events, so we returned a bit earlier," Lu Qing replied with a smile.
"I see." Wei Shanhai nodded, not inquiring further about the nature of these events. Instead, he said, "Young Master Lu, in the message, you mentioned you had an important matter to discuss with me. What is it?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingâs expression became more serious. "Itâs a significant matter, Senior Wei. May we speak in private?"
Wei Shanhai, seeing Lu Qingâs serious demeanor, also became solemn and nodded. "Very well, letâs talk in the secret chamber."
He then led Lu Qing and the old doctor to his training chamber. Once they were inside, he closed the stone door, and Wei Shanhai said, "Young Master Lu, this chamber is where I usually practice in seclusion. Itâs the most secure place we have. You can speak freely now."
However, Lu Qing suddenly released a mysterious aura that enveloped the entire chamber.
"A domain? Young Master Lu, youâve mastered such a technique! Have you broken through to the Precelestial Realm?" Wei Shanhaiâs face instantly filled with shock. Over the past two years, he had become well-acquainted with the old doctor and had often sparred with him, experiencing the wonders of a domain firsthand. He immediately recognized that the technique Lu Qing was displaying was indeed a domain.
This realization left Wei Shanhai utterly astonished. He wasnât surprised that Lu Qing had reached the Precelestial Realm; after all, Lu Qing had been at the peak of the Postnatal Realm for a long time before setting out for Zhongzhou. He wouldnât have been surprised if Lu Qing had broken through at any time. What truly shocked him was that Lu Qing had already mastered a domain.
Wei Shanhai himself had tried to comprehend the domain, but he hadnât made any progress at all, even when the old doctor had demonstrated it for him. He couldnât grasp even the slightest clue. And yet, in such a short time, Lu Qing had not only comprehended the domain but had also mastered it completely. Even though he had always known Lu Qing was a peerless genius, destined for greatness, the speed at which Lu Qing had advanced was still hard to believe.
"I recently had a lucky breakthrough, Senior Wei. Forgive me for surprising you," Lu Qing said with a smile. "The matter I wish to discuss is extremely serious, so I thought it best to be cautious."
"Young Master Lu, what matter could be so urgent that you need to be so cautious?" Wei Shanhai took a deep breath, calming himself, and asked seriously.
"The matter concerns the giant cauldron you brought back all those years ago," Lu Qing said gravely.
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