Chapter 654 Family?
Shi Lang finished reporting the things he had discovered about the old man to the Head-hunter operative and left for the city Lord Palace. He needed a place to stay, and Yu Xiedi could use a silent atmosphere to practice the basic level of body refinement. Although his growth in the forest has been remarkable, Shi Lang still preferred a balanced manner of things.
There was another thing that he needed to do inside the city lord's Palace, and that was to collect the rewards he had exchanged. It was crucial for the growth of the master and disciple pair.
It just so happens that after how he led the mission against the Wang House, the city lord had become overly curious about the Terran. In a nutshell, the City Lord wanted to learn the tactics and the various methods that Shi Lang used to predict and tackle the enemy.
Yes, City Lord Qiling had taken notice of how Shi Lang alerted them about the Wang Family having a trump card that they did not know about and how they might fall into a disadvantageous situation if caught unprepared. However, the alert itself was not a big contribution. However, the way Shi Lang issued commands spontaneously and his sudden attack to take down several Wang Family experts made this incursion smooth.
They did have some injuries, but nothing devastating. This time, City Lord Qiling came to the gate of the Palace to welcome Shi Lang. The former smiled and asked, "Brother Ace, you took some time with training your disciple."
Shi Lang patted the head of the little girl beside him and said, "Well, she is a hard-working one. I cannot help but have high hopes for her. City Lord, may I ask if the requested things are prepared?"
The man nodded and replied, "They are ready to take whenever you wish, Brother Ace. Also, we could be called brothers-in-arms. You make it sound too distant by addressing me as City Lord. How about this? I am a decade older than you. Why not call me Uncle Yuwan?"
Shi Lang was surprised by this sudden burst of affection. He was a cautious man and more than a scowl; he was cautious of an amiable smile. He thought, 'I did not expect this guy to be a scheming old fox, but well, he is an Immortal Emperor, while I am a weakling. Forget it.'
The Terran smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Yuwan."
City Lord Qiling smiled. It was such an exaggerated expression that Shi Lang shivered a bit. Yuwan led Shi Lang and Yu Xiedi inside the city palace, and he found out while talking that the girl needed a controlled environment to practice body refinement.
He arranged a room near the garden. This way, she can practice with her bunny and cultivate in a silent place. It was dinner time, and Yu Xiedi was gazing at Shi Lang with hunger in her eyes. The Terran smiled and said, "Do not look at me like that. We are guests at the City Lord's residence. He had invited us for dinner earlier. Now, tell me what you want to wear?"
Yu Xiedi had a spark run through her eyes, and she rushed to Shi Lang and said, "Red one."
lightsΝοvεl ?οm Shi Lang smiled and took out a red hanfu from his space ring. The girl took the dress behind a wooden partition and quickly changed into it. She rushed to Shi Lang and said, "Master, let's go."
Shi Lang could not help but chuckle at this girl. He poked her nose and said, "Xiao Yu, you are very adorable?"
Yu Xiedi nodded and replied, "My mom used to say the same. Xiao Yu knows it well."
Shi Lang smiled at her and held her hand as they left the room. They reached the dining hall under the guidance of a servant. Shi Lang found that the City Lord was not alone, but he had two children sitting at the table. Shi Lang did not expect City Lord Yuwan to have him dine with his family.
Yuwan sensed his arrival and stood up to greet him. Shi Lang smiled and said, "I did not expect you to have kids at home too."
Yuwan smiled and said, "They only returned from their uncle's house in the evening. Come, let me introduce them. Yan'er, Jingjing, come here."
The two kids looked at each other, and they stood up from the table and walked up to Yuwan. The latter said, "These two are my grandchildren. Their father is posted at the front; they are now with their mother. She is cooking in the kitchen."
Shi Lang nodded and said, "Now that you have told me that their mother is cooking, I am missing my mother and her cooking, too."
He gazed at the two kids. Yan'er was a girl, while Jingjing was a boy. Yan'er was taller than Jingjing by one head. Shi Lang smiled and squatted down to reach their eye level. He said, "Hmmm, so you two little guys have not started cultivating, have you?"
The two kids shook their heads. Yuwan watched the two of them from the side and did not interrupt. Shi Lang nodded and said, "Well, it is my first time meeting you; I wonder what I shall gift you with. Tell me, what do you like?"
The kids first looked at each other and then at Yuwan. Only when the elder nodded did they speak. Yan'er said, "Uncle, Jingjing likes cotton candy."
Jingjing was surprised at this, while Yan'er was blushing faintly. Shi Lang smiled and asked, "Jingjing, what does your sister like?"
Jingjing said in a daze, "Sister says she likes to practice swords, but she always gives them to me and takes the candy away. She says that my teeth will rot."
Shi Lang chuckled, and so did Yuwan. Yan'er pouted and smacked her brother on the shoulder, who ran to hide behind Yuwan.
Shi Lang calmed down and said, "Well, I do not have any cotton candy on me, but I have a practice sword. If I give any of you a gift, then it will be unfair. Here, take these satchels."
He took out two red satchels from his space ring. They contained some high-grade spirit stones, and Yuwan did not reject Shi Lang either. The purpose of this meal was to integrate Shi Lang into the family. He was very impressed by the skills this young man had displayed, and people love to ride on the coattails of a talented person.
The children looked at their grandpa for permission. Yu Xiedi was also watching all this from the side. However, she did not feel envied because, as a child who longed for love and had been taught by Shi Lang, materialistic gifts had lost value in her eyes.
Yuwan asked, "Ace, come, have a seat. Xiao Yu, come along."
When she heard this, Yu Xiedi inched closer to Shi Lang and said, "Yu Xiedi."
Shi Lang was surprised and sighed, 'Uncle Yuwan, I apologize, but Xiao Yu does not warm up to people quickly. She has a traumatic past. Please do not mind her.'
He said this with spirit communication because he noticed the City Lord was shocked. Even grown-ups do not correct him, let alone this child; it was an obvious reaction.
Shi Lang stood up, and they all took seats around the table. Yuwan and Shi Lang began discussing the battle against the demonic cultivators when a lady entered the dining hall with a row of servants in her tow.
Yu Xiedi gazed at the woman in shock and said, "Mother!"
The entire dining hall was echoing with silence. Shi Lang opened his eyes wide, but by the time he could react, Yu Xiedi had rushed off the table and stood before the lady. Shi Lang stood up quickly and asked, "Xiao Yu, why did you address her as your mother?"
Yu Xiedi did not care about the question but gazed at the stunned lady before her. She could not sense any warmth or familiarity but endless doubt from those blue eyes. She looked at Shi Lang and said, "Master, this lady looks like my mother, but her eyes are different."
Shi Lang asked softly as he walked over to her, "What do you mean by that, my dear?"
He crouched before the girl as the latter said, "My mother had black eyes. They were deep and warm."
Shi Lang nodded, raised his head to look at the stunned lady, and bowed slightly before saying, "I apologize for the misunderstanding. Xiao Yu is my disciple, Young Madam. Her mother is no more. Probably, your face matches her late mother, and that is why the child had such a reaction. I apologize. Please do not take offense to her words."
The terran bowed, and the lady woke up. She had a faint blush of embarrassment on her face. After all, Shi was a cultivator and the host, losing composure before a guest and that too a child, how stupid of hers.
She hurriedly shook her head and replied, "Do not think as such. How can I take offense from such a little girl, and she is so lovely as well."
Shi Lang thanked her, and they went back to the dining table. Yu Xiedi was eating, but her usual excitement was missing. She would sneak a peek at the lady now and then. During the introduction, Shi Lang found that the lady was Yu Mingxue. Something clicked in his mind, and he gazed at his disciple.
He raised his head and asked the lady with spiritual communication, "Young Madam Yu, may I ask if you are familiar with the Northern Wind Sect?"
The lady raised her head and was shocked. Her reflex action caught the attention of the City Lord, too. Shi Lang told the old man what he had asked the lady. He stated that he wished for the communication to be a secret lest the result saddened Yu Xiedi.
He had a hunch that Yu Mingxue and Yu Xiedi were related, but how, he was not sure. He wanted to find out if his disciple was family with this lady.
Visit freewe𝑏n(o)vel.𝑐𝘰𝑚 for the best novel reading experience