Chapter 436: The Feeling of Returning Home
As soon as Changyang Ba entered the gates, one of the servants came rushing over with a joyful expression. With a bow, he said, “Clan leader, good news! The fourth master has returned!”
Changyang Ba looked stunned for a moment. He had gone for several years without hearing about the fourth master to the point where hearing about it felt a little foreign to him. Quickly, he snapped out of his befuddlement and his eyes became daggers as he spoke at the servant, “What did you just say?”
“Clan leader, the fourth master, he has returned!” The servant spoke once more with tears in his eyes.
Changyang Ba’s eyes widened as he grew still and an incredulous look overtook his face. It had already been several years since his fourth son, Changyang Xiangtian had left the manor without any news or clues to his whereabouts. In his heart, he had secretly feared that he would never see his talented fourth son ever again, thus he had felt wounded. Now, the fourth son he had originally thought dead had unexpectedly returned! He was not prepared for such a feeling and could barely believe his ears.
“Are you speaking the truth, Xiang’er as returned?” Changyang Ba’s eyes stared intensely at the servant as his voice began to tremble with longing and hope.
“Clan leader, my words are absolutely true! The fourth lady and second lady have already confirmed his identity, there can be no mistake.” The servant replied.
Hearing that the fourth master, who had mysteriously vanished many years ago, had returned caused the soldiers behind Changyang Ba to become stupefied. Each one looked at each other in complete shock and confusion. Many of them were senior figures within the clan and had known about what had transpired in regards with the fourth master. In their hearts, they had already thought that the fourth master had already left this world, but not a single one of them had thought he would return just as suddenly as his departure.
“Where is Xiang’er?” Changyang Ba quickly asked. This sudden development was extremely important to him, after all, he was his father.
“The fourth master is currently in the fourth lady’s room.” The servant replied.
In an instant, Changyang Ba’s figure flickered away as he sped toward Bi Yuntian’s room.
At this moment, Jian Chen, his mother, and Yu Fengyan were sitting in the same room and talking to each other. The entire topic revolved around where Jian Chen had been the entire time he was gone. Although Jian Chen tried his best to water down the life or death situations he had experienced, the two women were still utterly frightened out of their skins. For her child, Bi Yuntian’s tears had stained her clothes a long time ago and her eyes were a puffy red.
The two women began to think about just how chaotic the outside world was. Neither of the two could imagine being out alone in such a world, or how torturous being in the terrifying Magical Beast Mountain Range would be. To be faced with so many life or death situations, both Bi Yuntian and Yu Fengyan felt their hearts about to shatter from fright.
“Bang!” Suddenly, the thick doors to the room slammed open as the black robed Changyang Ba stumbled into the room. Hurriedly looking around, he scoured the room in search for the figure of Jian Chen.
“My husband!”
“My husband!”
Yu Fengyan and Bi Yuntian stood up quickly and cried out in surprise.
Almost as if he hadn’t heard the two, Changyang Ba’s eyes landed upon Jian Chen’s body and instantly felt the emotions well up inside of him. His eyes began to flow with tears at the sight of Jian Chen’s figure. He could still recognize his son, despite the drastic changes.
Jian Chen looked to his father with just as much emotion. As soon as the two saw each other, Jian Chen’s lips began to move slightly, “Father!”
At the sound of being called ‘father’, Changyang Ba’s entire body was frozen in place before he stumbled closer to Jian Chen. Slowly, he studied Jian Chen’s entire figure before finally smiling, “Xiang’er, you’ve grown!” Finally, the tears that were pooled up in his eyes began to flow down.
Jian Chen and Changyang Ba had not seen each other for many years. After several words, Changyang Ba moved back to his own room, leaving Jian Chen behind with his mother and Yu Fengyan.
The war had just ended and the soldiers of the Changyang clan had only just returned. As the clan leader, Changyang Ba had many things to do and was thus very busy.
With the return of all the soldiers and a critical figure of the clan, the entire manor bustled with activities and light. Many of the rooms that had been empty for a long time were cleaned and filled with light. At the same time, news of Changyang Xiangtian’s return spread to each and every single one of the returning soldiers, much to their shock and surprise.
Jian Chen only left the room of his mother when it was night time. Personally accompanied by her back to his own room, he was then greeted by two maids.
Although Jian Chen hadn’t been back in this room for a very long time, the room was in the same shape it had always been. There was not a single speck of dust to be seen, and even the arrangements to his room looked untouched.
“Xiang’er, it’s getting late, you should get some rest.” Bi Yuntian’s eyes reflected with a motherly love as she looked at her child.
Jian Chen nodded his head, “Mother, you should rest up as well.”
Afterward, Bi Yuntian left Jian Chen’s room, leaving behind the two maids.
“Fourth master, please allow this servant to help you change your clothes.” One of the maids spoke softly. Seeing just how handsome Jian Chen was, the two servant girls couldn’t help but feel a little red in the face.
The two maids were around twenty to twenty-eight years old. Although their beauty was not outstanding, they were still quite pretty in regards to the entire Lore City. With how strong the Changyang clan was, just how could any regular person enter the illustrious clan?
Jian Chen looked around his room with a nostalgic eye before speaking up, “You two can leave for now. I’d like to rest for a moment. If there’s not anything important, please leave me be.”
“Yes!” The two maids spoke and left the room, but their eyes reflected their disappointment. Not only was Jian Chen the fourth master of the Changyang clan, but he was also very handsome. Both of the maids secretly wished to join beds with Jian Chen and perhaps make the leap to become a phoenix.
Jian Chen stood in the center of the room as he looked around at each and every single item he had left behind. His mind couldn’t help but think back to life when he was younger. A series of memories continued to fly through his mind, causing Jian Chen to feel it hard to rest.
“Home. This is home, my home. I’ve finally returned!” Jian Chen couldn’t help but mutter to himself in a stupefied manner and some pain. He waited for this day for a very long time. The very thought of coming home had occurred to him many times before, and now, his wish had finally came true, bringing peace to his mind.
For the sake of having today happen and reuniting with his Changyang clan, Jian Chen had sacrificed many things and done many herculean tasks. He had traveled the line between life and death many times and had nearly lost his life once. If it were not for the azure and violet Sword Spirits, he would have long since left this world, never to return.
He had used his own blood to mark the path back home.
Just thinking about the trail of memories that happened after he left, Jian Chen found them hard to stomach. Finally, his eyes let out a transparent but shiny teardrop.
“Mrrr…” As if sensing the unrest in Jian Chen’s heart, the white tiger cub grabbed onto Jian Chen’s neck and began to purr as it rubbed its head against Jian Chen’s face. A purring sound could be heard as if trying to console Jian Chen.
Jian Chen slowly brought himself to his bed, and without any last thoughts, Jian Chen fell asleep.
That night, Jian Chen’s rest was utterly peaceful and free from worry. This was the very first true period of sleep he had since leaving. It was very comforting. It was unlike the other times where he had to maintain a guarded composure.
The tiger cub didn’t sleep at all and instead curled itself by Jian Chen’s body. Its head continued to look left and right as it observed its surroundings.
……
“Xiang’er, are you awake?”
By the second morning, Bi Yuntian came by Jian Chen’s room. Waking up, Jian Chen felt his body refreshed and very light-hearted—a feeling he hadn’t had in a very long time. Was this the feeling of returning home?
“Xiang’er, did you sleep well?” Bi Yuntian’s motherly nature returned back to its original radiance as she asked her child. Jian Chen’s return caused her to feel extremely cheerful, and her entire body seemed to shine, indicating she had slept well for once.
Jian Chen and his mother spoke several words before leaving his room toward the eating hall for breakfast.
As the two walked to the eating hall, Jian Chen could only think about the memories of back then. Every day he had followed his mother to eat breakfast as well, this feeling he was having felt extremely consoling.
As Jian Chen and his mother entered the eating hall, the second aunt Yu Fengyan and third aunt Bai Yushuang were already eating their meals. By Bai Yushuang’s side, a noble looking youth could be seen. His age was not all that different from Jian Chen—it was Jian Chen’s elder brother, Changyang Ke.
After several years of not seeing each other, the third aunt’s face did not change much. However, Changyang Ke’s face seemed to have dropped slightly as his eyes looked to Jian Chen. His appearance was quite majestic with his pale skin, and although his age was far enough away from Jian Chen, his own appearance could match him.
“Xiang’er has returned, third aunt, take a look! After so many years, Xiang’er has grown even more handsome, he could practically charm any woman under the heavens.” Yu Fengyan laughed as she looked at Jian Chen with some concern.