Chapter 2

### Chapter 2: Returning Home

"Since you're a friend of the Second City Lord, you should have said so earlier. The boss would have given you a 20% discount without hesitation."

"Really? You're all so afraid of the Second City Lord?"

"Not at all, not at all. It's not fear. It's been a few years since you last saw the Second City Lord, right? Don't rush. Let me start from when the Old City Lord brought the Second City Lord to take office a year ago. Hehe, I dare say no one in the entire Licheng knows more about this than I do."

"Really? Let's hear it. You're not just boasting, are you?"

"Boasting? Ask anyone in Licheng. Who doesn't know that I, the All-Knowing, never lie?"

After Feng Rui arrived in Licheng, he remembered that this was a city under his father's jurisdiction and did not want to cause a stir. So, he disguised himself as a common scholar.

Upon successfully completing his foundation stage cultivation and rushing back to the family, he found that the entire family was in Taicang City, where his father was serving, and not in the family estate. Following the old ancestor's instructions, he had to seclude himself to stabilize his realm, and thus could not see his parents for over a decade. He didn't want to return home empty-handed.

His parents were easy to please with carefully prepared gifts, and he wasn't worried about his brother and sister-in-law. However, he needed to buy gifts for his nephews on the spot. He bought a large amount of items from the largest shop in Licheng, regardless of their price, but realized he had no money on him. He had plenty of spirit stones, and there were shops in the city that exchanged spirit stones for gold, but Feng Rui didn't want to reveal his identity and feared it might cause trouble for his parents. So, he had no choice but to ask a shop boy to deliver the items to the City Lord's residence, promising to pay upon delivery.

Unexpectedly, the middle-aged man the shop arranged to deliver the items was very talkative, introducing himself as the All-Knowing and chattering non-stop without a moment's pause.

"Don't underestimate the Old City Lord, even though he's old, his authority is not to be trifled with. The First City Lord is valiant and mighty, the Second City Lord is wise and strategic, and the Third City Lord is cunning and resourceful. The bandits on Black Phoenix Mountain, who had been entrenched for years, were easily defeated. Leveraging the victory over the bandits, the Old City Lord issued orders to reduce taxes, execute corrupt officials, and eliminate tyrants. Within a year, Licheng became a place where no one picks up lost items on the road and doors are left unlocked at night. People's lives have improved significantly, and everyone praises the three City Lords. As a friend of the Second City Lord, you are a friend of Licheng, and the boss is more than willing to give you a 20% discount..."

As they approached the City Lord's residence, the All-Knowing, who was speaking enthusiastically, reluctantly stopped and concluded his story.

"Brother, please inform the old steward that I, Xiaogada, have come to see him and ask him to come out."

Feng Rui quickened his steps, glanced at the two imposing soldiers at the entrance of the City Lord's residence, and gave a slight bow to one of them.

"You're quite the big shot, asking Uncle Bao to come out to meet you. Did you make an appointment in advance?"

"Yes, I did."

"Then wait here."

The soldier, seeing Feng Rui dressed as a scholar with an air of nobility and carrying a large number of items, was puzzled that this person had not repackaged the items from the shop. Nevertheless, he turned and walked into the residence.

Soon, an elderly man, who looked to be in his sixties, rushed out hurriedly, with the soldier lagging behind.

"Uncle Bao, it's me, Xiaogada. I just came to see the Second City Lord, nothing serious, I just missed them." Feng Rui greeted the old man before he could speak.

The old man's face first showed surprise, then his eyes twinkled, and he immediately broke into a broad smile. "Good, good, good. It's great that you're here. Come in quickly. Today is truly a joyous day. Zhao Si, Zhang Wu, go and inform the two City Lords that... that Xiaogada has arrived. Tell them to come back as soon as possible."

The old man stepped forward, grabbed Feng Rui's hand, and tried to lead him inside.

Zhao Si and Zhang Wu, stunned by the scene, exchanged glances and quickly left.

"Uncle Bao, hold on. I bought some things for the little nephews in a hurry and haven't paid for them yet."

"Ha ha, it's great that you're here. The young master will be overjoyed. What else do you need to buy..."

Uncle Bao mumbled, then casually pulled out a silver note and, without looking, threw it to the All-Knowing, who was already stunned.

"The extra is a tip for you. Take it inside, take it inside, and move everything to the young master's courtyard. Xiao Qi, be careful, or I'll break your legs if you damage anything."

He gave a series of haphazard instructions to the group of people who had rushed over.

The All-Knowing, upon receiving the silver note, nearly fainted. It was a thousand taels of silver, and he earned less than one tael a month. A pile of children's toys, which were not worth much, at most twenty taels of silver, and that was only because the shop owner saw Feng Rui not haggling and picked the most expensive items. Normally, people would buy toys for children during festivals for a few copper coins.

"This is strange, I can't figure it out. It seems I, the All-Knowing, still have a lot to learn. Yes, I need to keep working on it. But the fortune-teller in the west of the city, Wang Banshen, said I would have good luck this month. That old man, when did he become so skilled? He's not bad, but only half-skilled. This is all thanks to my silver tongue, making Lord Xiaogada happy. Hmm, Xiaogada, what a good name. I should think about it more when I get back. Should I change my name to Laogada?..."

The All-Knowing, dazed, walked for a long time without realizing he was going in the wrong direction.

Feng Rui, of course, didn't know about the All-Knowing's confusion. Following Uncle Bao, he walked through a small garden. When they were alone, Uncle Bao turned around.

"Third Young Master, I'm so happy I forgot to greet you properly."

Straightening his sleeves, he was about to kneel and kowtow.

"That's enough, Uncle Bao. You don't need to do this. I should thank you. I haven't used silver for a long time, and it's a good thing you were here, or it would have been embarrassing. You've spent money today, and I have some good wine prepared for you. After seeing Father and Mother, remember to come and get it in the evening."

"Third Young Master, this is... this is..." Uncle Bao felt a gentle force supporting him, and despite his efforts, he couldn't kneel down. Knowing that Feng Rui never cared for such formalities, he didn't insist. "I haven't finished the wine you gave me last time. It's a treasure, worth more than a thousand taels..."

Uncle Bao was about to say more when he suddenly stopped. A light breeze passed by, and Feng Rui, who had been standing next to him, was already in front of an elderly couple a short distance away.

"Father, Mother."

Feng Rui held his mother's left hand with both hands, looking at the cane in her right hand and her silver hair, feeling his throat dry. He called out to his parents but couldn't say another word.

"You finally came back. Are you tired? How long can you stay this time? Come inside quickly, the wind is strong outside. You'll catch a cold, pah, pah, it's summer, how can you catch a cold? Come inside, come inside..."

An elderly woman with silver hair, holding a cane made of thousand-year-old redwood in her right hand and her left hand held by Feng Rui, kept saying to come inside, but her feet didn't move. She seemed to be unaware of what she was saying, but couldn't help but speak.

Uncle Bao, standing behind, shivered.

"This is a cultivator at the Foundation Stage. Tired? Catch a cold? The lady is usually talkative but sharp and capable, managing the entire City Lord's residence efficiently. She must be out of her mind."

The elderly woman tightly held Feng Rui's hands, speaking non-stop, her voice strong and steady, her eyes fixed on Feng Rui, tears streaming down her purple dress, as if afraid he would disappear.

The elderly man just smiled at Feng Rui, not saying a word, seemingly used to the situation.

Seeing the elderly woman talking endlessly, the elderly man finally found a chance to speak. "It's good that you're back. Let's go inside and talk. It's a joyous day, why are you crying? Don't you fear embarrassing the child? Uncle Bao, come in too."

The so-called Uncle Bao was the old steward. He had been Feng Mubai's book boy since he was ten, and everyone called him Xiao Bao. Poor man, he was eighty-six years old and still called Xiao Bao. The "young master" and "young lady" he referred to were always Feng Mubai and his wife, while Feng Rui and his two brothers were called First Young Master, Second Young Master, and Third Young Master.

Soon after the four entered the room, they heard footsteps outside. "Is it really you, Third Brother?" Two sets of footsteps, but only one person spoke.

"It's your older brother and second brother. Your second brother is still the same, not talkative."

"What's wrong with being like me? I'm eloquent and popular with young girls, unlike some people who only think in their heads."

"Mother, my son is already married. Do I still attract young girls? If Cai Xia hears this, there will be a show. Please spare me, Mother."

Feng Rui, hearing the laughter in the room, felt the loneliness of over a decade of seclusion vanish in an instant. He felt a spring-like atmosphere, and everything around him seemed real yet illusory. Even the small soul-nourishing tree in his dantian seemed to dance in the gentle spring rain, radiating boundless vitality.

When Feng Rui regained consciousness three days later, he quickly checked his cultivation. His spiritual power and divine sense hadn't changed much, but he knew his overall understanding of the Spring Rain Cultivation Technique had advanced, making it easier to break through future bottlenecks.

It turned out that Feng Mubai, with his extensive knowledge, saw that Feng Rui seemed to be in a state of enlightenment and immediately ordered absolute silence in the courtyard to avoid missing this rare opportunity.

...

Feng Mubai took a sip of tea, glanced at his three sons, cleared his throat, and Feng Rui immediately knew that the old man had something to say.

"Third Son, the family can't help you with your cultivation. Everything depends on you. What are your plans for the next year?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"I have an idea. What do you think?"

"For the next year, forget your identity as a cultivator and manage Licheng with your second brother. Outwardly, you will be his friend, and he will still be the Second City Lord, but in reality, you will be in charge. Second Son, within the year, no matter the size of the matter or the correctness of Third Son's decisions, even if there is a major disaster, you will only observe and not interfere. We can always start over if necessary. Third Son must act according to his own character and ideas, using only mortal methods. When we return home, the four of us will carefully review and discuss the outcomes."

"Father, I have no problem with that, but won't it affect Third Brother's cultivation? He has to go to war after a year."

Feng Rui closed his eyes, rubbed his ears, and after a long silence, slowly nodded.

"Alright, let's do it as Father said. Cultivation will be delayed a bit, but it's worth it."

"Good, then it's settled. We'll start tomorrow, and Second Son will accompany you throughout. Take some time to explain the basic situation of Licheng to Third Son. Remember, only state the facts, not your interpretations, speculations, or judgments. We'll discuss those later."

"Understood."

"Actually, cultivators are still human, just with more powerful abilities. The struggles among cultivators may seem different from those among mortals, but ultimately, they are all struggles of the heart. Cultivators spend most of their time in seclusion, and in matters of the heart, they may not be as refined as mortals. Third Son, pay attention this year, don't fear hardship or mistakes. Once your father and brothers are gone, you won't have such opportunities. These skills will be useful for a lifetime. Alas, a year is too short. I originally planned for you to spend ten years learning from your older brothers."

"What can Third Son learn from our mortal army?" Feng Rulong couldn't help but interject.

"Father, rest assured, I will."

"By the way, I have a stone here that's a bit unusual. Third Son, see if it's useful to you." Feng Mubai pointed to a box on the bookshelf. "Older Brother, take the stone out of the box."

Seeing his older brother take out a fist-sized, green stone with faint cracks on its surface, Feng Rui was startled. He had never seen the box before, let alone the stone.

"Is this...?"

"Is it useful to you?" Feng Mubai asked casually.

"Very useful. If I'm not mistaken, this is likely a..."

"Then keep it and study it later." Feng Rui's attention was entirely on the green stone, not noticing that Feng Mubai had stopped him from saying the name of the stone twice. Feng Mubai and Feng Rui exchanged a glance, nodding slightly, feeling relieved.

"Thank you, Father. What is this stone...?"

"Keep it. I'm a bit tired, let's sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow. Alas, I'm getting old, not like you young people."

"Father, rest well." The three sons bid farewell.

"Second Son, come here." As the three sons left the room, Feng Mubai suddenly called out.

In the vast study, the charcoal in the tea stove glowed red, and the moonlight filtered through the window, casting a mottled light. The father and son were silent, a cool breeze passing by, adding a touch of chill and oppression.

"Second Son, what do you think?"

After a long while, Feng Mubai took a sip of tea, not noticing that it had already cooled.

"I'm afraid that if Third Son makes a mistake, it might affect his confidence. As a cultivator, if he suffers a setback in the mortal world, it could leave a lasting shadow, which would be hard to erase later."

"I've been thinking about this since I learned Third Son had reached the Foundation Stage. You are all my sons, and I know you best. As long as you are careful, there won't be any major problems. I'm old and can't help him much. Older Brother's personality isn't suitable, so this year, it will be tough for you."

"Father, why are you saying this? The day Third Son reached the Foundation Stage, you were appointed City Lord the next day. We understand."

"Hehe, a small City Lord is nothing. My two grandsons have spirit roots, and with Third Son leading the way, it's not impossible for our family to produce a Golden Core Ancestor. Unfortunately, I won't be around to see it."

"Ha ha, then you'll become the ancestor of the Golden Core Ancestor."

"Ha ha. About that stone."

"It's best for Third Son. If it's useful to him, that's all that matters. As long as Third Son is safe, the family has nothing to worry about. Besides, the idea of 'misfortune from possessing a valuable object' doesn't apply here. Rest assured, Father, I have no objections, and I guarantee Older Brother feels the same."

"You are my sons, and I'm not worried about this, or I wouldn't have told you. Do you remember the case last month where the only son of Zhang's Pawnshop killed someone and was sentenced to death? He somehow found out I like stones, and this stone was used to buy his son's life. He said it was a dead pledge from his grandfather."

Feng Rui also took a sip of tea.

Feng Mubai took another sip, playing with the small teacup with his withered fingers, which moved restlessly. After a long time, he tightly gripped the teacup.

"Mr. Zhang likes to pretend to be refined, writing bad poems and keeping a diary."

"I understand. Father, rest well."

"His son is quite good at squandering the family fortune."

That night, Zhang's Pawnshop in Licheng was burglarized, the owner was beheaded, and the study caught fire, destroying all his books. Fortunately, the financial loss was minimal, and the son, Zhang Haogu, felt secretly grateful to the thief: finally, no one would control him anymore.

Three months later, one of Feng Rui's personal attendants accidentally drowned.

Six months later, the City Lord's residence of Licheng issued an announcement: due to drought, the tax for the year would be halved, and all death sentences in the city would be suspended for a year.

Five years later, Zhang Haogu gambled away his last family property and wandered off, his whereabouts unknown. The oldest Zhang's Pawnshop in Licheng was converted into the Licheng Academy, known for its low tuition fees in the Qishan region.

To Feng Rui, the death of Mr. Zhang was just a common theft case, forgotten in a couple of days, as there was too much for him to learn.

From then on, Feng Rui developed a hobby of carving stones, though his carving skills were... well, let's not talk about it.