Chapter 111: Return to the Tengshe Clan

As You Xiyue and Jun Yang stepped through the gates of the Tengshe Cavern, they were greeted by Jun Jue, who was rushing out to meet them.

"Big Brother?"

Seeing You Xiyue leading the way, Jun Jue was momentarily stunned, then offered a nod to Jun Yang behind her. "You’ve finally returned. Who is this?"

Jun Yang stepped forward and introduced her, "This is my Little Ancestor."

"Little... Ancestor?" Having heard from the Candle Dragon clan that his brother had become the contracted beast of a young girl, Jun Jue nodded in realization. He bowed respectfully toward You Xiyue. "Little Ancestor."

"..."

It was the first time You Xiyue had encountered someone so rigid and formal. She gave an awkward grunt and continued walking deeper into the cavern, followed by the hulking form of Xue Yu.

Jun Yang patted Jun Jue on the shoulder, pulling him upright. "There’s no need to be so formal; the Little Ancestor is quite easygoing."

"Understood." Jun Jue nodded slightly, then asked with anticipation, "How long do you intend to stay with the clan this time, Big Brother?"

"Probably not long. The Little Ancestor is only here in the Holy Realm to purchase something."

Jun Jue pursed his lips. Since childhood, Jun Yang had been his role model, a figure he held in deep reverence and respect. He had taken on the role of acting clan leader out of necessity, but he knew he was ill-suited for the position. Even when Fan Wuwai of the Candle Dragon clan had attacked, he hadn't been able to hold his ground for long. Only Jun Yang had the strength to lead the Tengshe clan and secure its future, so he truly hoped his brother would remain. Though he felt a pang of disappointment upon hearing that Jun Yang wouldn't stay long, he kept it to himself.

"I wonder what it is the Little Ancestor wishes to buy? The clan treasury holds many treasures."

"She said she wants a Dao artifact capable of retrieving memories and eavesdropping on gossip," Jun Yang replied after a moment of thought.

"..." Jun Jue’s reaction was identical to Jun Yang’s when he had first heard the request. "Does such a Dao artifact truly exist in this world?"

"If the Little Ancestor says it exists, then it certainly does." Jun Yang’s trust in You Xiyue was comparable to the trust Jun Jue had in him.

"Very well. I will immediately dispatch people to search for it." Jun Jue bowed to Jun Yang and hurried to the outer courtyard to instruct the Tengshe clan's steward, Jun Jiuyuan.

The Tengshe Cavern had a history spanning a million years, its interior a complex maze where outsiders could easily lose their way. Furthermore, various restrictions prevented the use of divine sense, making it impossible for strangers to find their own path. Unfortunately, these restrictions were meaningless to You Xiyue. She navigated the twists and turns with ease, arriving directly at the main hall.

***

Jun Yang had not visited this main hall in a decade. He felt that without You Xiyue leading the way, he would have been lost himself. Xue Yu dashed into the hall first, finding a comfortable corner to curl up and fall into a deep sleep.

Jun Yang followed You Xiyue inside and glanced at the creature. "This cat used to be a glutton; why has it become such a sleepyhead?"

You Xiyue glanced at Xue Yu. "It’s probably going through a growth spurt."

"A growth spurt?" Jun Yang’s expression turned complex. How much larger could it get? It already had the build of a seven or eight-year-old child. "Could Xun Yu’s inner demon obsession be deepening?"

"I don't know." You Xiyue had no idea what Xun Yu was thinking.

After giving his instructions to the steward, Jun Jue quickly returned to the main hall. "I have sent men to look for the Dao artifact the Little Ancestor requested."

You Xiyue chose a chair and sat down casually, nodding at Jun Jue. "Thank you for the trouble."

Jun Jue remained respectful, bowing as he asked, "You are too kind, Little Ancestor. Do you have any other orders?"

"The auction at the Liuli Pavilion..."

Jun Jue looked up. "Does the Little Ancestor wish to attend? I hear attendance requires an invitation from them. The Tengshe clan only recently arrived in the Holy Realm; I am not sure if we received one. I will go inquire about it immediately."

"Good."

Jun Jue looked at Jun Yang, seeking guidance. "Where should I arrange for the Little Ancestor to stay?"

"She will stay in my personal quarters. I will handle the arrangements. You focus on finding out about the Liuli Pavilion."

"Understood." Jun Jue agreed, though he hesitated.

Jun Yang looked at him in confusion. "Is there something else?"

"The younger generation of the clan wishes to pay their respects to you."

"..." Jun Yang looked at You Xiyue with a sigh of defeat. He knew he wouldn't be able to avoid this. "I will take the Little Ancestor to her room first. Tell them to wait a moment."

"Yes." Jun Jue retreated from the hall.

Jun Yang led You Xiyue to his quarters, dragging the sleeping Xue Yu along. Although he hadn't been back in years, the rooms were clean and tidy, with fresh bedding, indicating that someone had been meticulously maintaining them.

"Little Ancestor, please rest. I will return shortly."

"Mm." You Xiyue responded, taking the Dream-Ghost Mushroom out of her storage pouch and placing Xue Yu upon it. Inside Xue Yu’s stomach, a swirling vortex of light had formed, spinning incessantly. You Xiyue watched it for a moment before lying down beside it.

The Tengshe clan had many juniors; Jun Yang was gone for two full hours.

***

Back in the main hall, Jun Yang sat at the head of the table, his face numb from receiving the endless bows of his clansmen. He hadn't realized their clan had such a prolific ability to multiply. It seemed that during the years he had been away, a multitude of new faces had emerged.

"Old Ancestor, was it you who brought us to the Holy Realm?" The juniors looked at Jun Yang with a mix of excitement and adoration.

"Yes, I fed the clan spirit a Golden Crow seed," Jun Yang admitted with a nod.

"Old Ancestor, why did the clan spirit change color?"

"..." Jun Yang glanced at the junior. He wanted to know why that old geezer had suddenly decided to molt himself. "Perhaps he just wanted to change his skin; he was tired of the old one."

"..." Jun Jue cast a helpless look at Jun Yang. No other ancestor would spin such nonsense to the juniors; it was clearly a fabrication.

Yet, the junior didn't think it was a lie, nodding earnestly. "It must be that only a skin color like the Old Ancestor’s represents true power."

"..."

Jun Yang gave the junior another indifferent glance. *If that makes you happy, so be it.*

To his surprise, the other juniors agreed wholeheartedly, sighing together.

"It seems only the Old Ancestor has white skin, doesn't it?"

"That’s why he is the Old Ancestor of the Tengshe clan."

"Exactly, exactly."

"The Old Ancestor is invincible! Didn't he just beat that arrogant Candle Dragon ancestor into the ground a while ago?"

"Right, I heard that too!"

A group of little rascals began to discuss it among themselves. Jun Yang, while dealing with the various questions of the other clansmen, found himself drawn into the children's conversation.

"That Candle Dragon ancestor was kicked away by our Old Ancestor in a single blow! He kicked him right in the rear—I heard it even broke the base of his tail."

"I heard the Candle Dragon ancestor’s hand was shattered too, and he won't be able to use it for months!"

"..." Jun Yang could no longer bear it and interrupted their discussion. "Who... who told you all this nonsense?"

The juniors chuckled, faces full of pride. "Old Ancestor, don't be so humble! We heard it from Fan Lihua of the Candle Dragon clan. If their own people say it, how could it be false?"