Chapter 1663: Brother-In-Law (I)

Faced with this pointed question, Yang Ruiyi remained silent for a long time. He paced around the pavilion with his hands clasped behind his back, seemingly unable to bring himself to speak.

After a long silence, Yang Xiao'er spoke again, "I knew nothing about any of this before. Even when you told me that Xia Mountain held an opportunity related to Rainbow Mist, I said nothing. I simply accepted it in silence and made arrangements for him to come to Xia Mountain...

"Day after day, he has remained in the mountain without taking a single step outside. Now you have come looking for me again. What more would you have me do?"

Yang Ruiyi felt a pang of sorrow at her words. Deeply moved, he said, "You... If you resent father because you are unhappy with your present circumstances, that would not be fair. The Dao lineage chosen for him was meant to protect him from the very beginning. Every arrangement that was made, including the marriage, was done with you and Xizhi in mind...

"Even after matters reached this point, father still made concessions for your sake. That position at Xia Mountain... was not easily secured!"

Yang Xiao'er lowered her head with a faint smile and replied, "What are you saying? I chose this path myself. Even if I had the chance to choose again, I would still go to Qingsui Peak. As for resenting father..."

She shook her head. "There is nothing to resent. Now that he has entered the Underworld and taken charge of its affairs, he is merely someone who wears the face he once had. Just like... Just like the ancestor... The moment he attained divine ability, he became someone we were no longer even permitted to look upon."

When his younger sister spoke of their father's role in the affairs of the Underworld, Yang Ruiyi fell silent. He seemed unable to find any words to refute her; perhaps he even agreed with her deep down. Yet when she mentioned Yang Tianya, genuine awe appeared in his eyes.

Lowering his gaze, he said, "We must not speak too much of this. It was already a tremendous blessing that the ancestor attained the Purple Mansion Realm, and was honored to become the vessel in which the lord now resides. If he and the lord had not fought so hard for it, how could father have been entrusted with the affairs of the Underworld... And how could our family have received such a great opportunity?"

He picked up his cup. Flecks of brilliant light shimmered across his otherwise ordinary face, lending him an air of nobility. He glanced at Yang Xiao'er and said, "Some days ago, the lord came from the Underworld to meet the White Qilin, then returned soon afterward. He spoke only a few words... Tianyou was fortunate enough to overhear some of them, and she and I have been pondering them ever since..."

The news was clearly shocking. Yang Xiao'er raised her brows, her expression turning solemn. "Th-This... Is this permitted under the rules? Why has it happened so soon?"

Yang Ruiyi gave a wry smile and replied, "You must understand that, in those days, the lord was someone who could share wine and conversation with True Monarch Cui. After Wei fell, the lord rose ever higher through the ranks of the Underworld. Now, the lord may ascend the steps, enter the hall, and take part in deliberations on the affairs of the dead. If the lord truly visits the mortal world once without taking any action, who would dare object... Even Judge Jiang now stands below the lord."

Yang Xiao'er felt both worried and pleased. After pacing once around the pavilion, she asked, "What did Tianyou say?"

Yang Ruiyi's expression turned grave. "First, one may save a person, but not their line. One may save the dead, but not the living."

Yang Xiao'er was momentarily lost for words. Lowering her gaze, she considered the statement before saying, "That is not unexpected."

Yang Ruiyi paused, then continued, "Second, it concerns the situation in the north. This is not the place to discuss it, so I can only put it this way... The tide is rising now, and with father gone, I cannot watch over him at all times. The Yang Family will not confine your husband, but if he leaves Xia Mountain, the consequences will certainly be dire, and he will have to bear them himself."

Yang Xiao'er looked up sharply and remained silent for a long time. Yang Ruiyi met her gaze openly and said with solemn sincerity, "Xiao'er... You are my only sister. This is the only thing your elder brother can do for you."

Yet Yang Xiao'er had been kept in the dark too many times. As though trying to judge whether his words were true, she suddenly asked, "The lord was actually willing to tell Tianyou all this?"

Yang Ruiyi shook his head and replied, "Bright Yang is still Bright Yang, after all. The former Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion also had ties to the Underworld. It is only that..."

He paused before explaining tactfully, "Once the Great Ancestor of Wei ascended to the throne, he ceased to set foot in the Underworld and no longer concerned himself with the affairs of the dead. Those matters were all left to Heavenly Radiance. As a result, the lord had frequent dealings with True Monarch Cui... And a bond formed between them. That was why the lord turned a blind eye when father supported the Ning's Li Family, and why the lord was willing to say a few extra words to Tianyou."

The last of Yang Xiao'er's doubts faded. She bowed slightly and replied, "Many thanks, Daoist Master!"

Yang Ruiyi's breath caught. He looked deeply at her, a note of pleading entering his voice. "Xiao'er, your brother... My opportunity and my tribulation will both come within the next few years. In terms of cultivation and mastery of the arts, I am inferior to father. Even he failed, so what hope do I have... I have cultivated a dharma body since childhood, but in the end, I am only a general... If I perish while seeking gold, then, as you said, whoever reaches the Underworld will no longer be me...

"The days when we brother and sister can still see each other are numbered... And I may never hear you call me elder brother again."

Tears shimmered on Yang Xiao'er's face, but she smiled and said, "Then you will have to visit Xia Mountain a few more times."

Leaving the silent Yang Ruiyi alone in the pavilion, she turned and departed. She rode the wind down the mountain, her expression already calm and betraying nothing. Then, taking a path up the mountainside, she arrived at a small peak.

The small peak was remote and rugged, with none of the magnificent palaces or towering pavilions found elsewhere. There was only a small pond, beside which stood a modest hut, along with a stone table and several stone chairs.

A middle-aged man in a straw rain cape and hat stood by the pond with his sleeves rolled up, washing his sword. His back was turned to the woman, making it impossible to read his emotions. Only the hand holding the sword betrayed anything at all, remaining perfectly steady without the slightest tremor.

The gentle sound of water was pleasing to the ear. The snow-white blade rippled beneath the surface, casting shifting patches of white sword light across his face and illuminating a pair of dark gray eyes whose sharpness remained carefully concealed.

Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, the middle-aged man raised his head, revealing a warm, gentle face with a refined and dignified air.

A smile lingered at the corners of his eyes as he lifted his brows and said, "Xiao'er."

"Husband!" Yang Xiao'er's face immediately brightened. Her smiling eyes fell upon the gleaming, cold blade in the water as she asked, "You put away your sword so early today?"

Li Xizhi helped her to a seat and replied softly, "It is not that early. Fellow Daoist Xii Du did not come today, so I practiced two sets of sword techniques on my own before sheathing my blade. I had only just finished when I saw you arrive."

His wife smiled. "Xii Du certainly visits often. A few days ago, he even brought over some spirit materials. They may not have been especially valuable, but to him, they were precious treasures. It is clear that he put a great deal of thought into the gift."

Li Xizhi chuckled. He took a cloth from his sleeve and began wiping the gleaming blade as he replied, "He is utterly devoted to the sword and does not give much thought to anything else. He simply knows that he can learn something from me. He intends to use my sword techniques to compare against and refine those of his Chunyi Dao.

"Nor do I mind letting him learn from me... After all, I cultivate here on the mountain and cannot easily venture outside. If I can earn a little goodwill from him, and have him lend a hand to the younger members of the family, or to those few disappointing disciples of mine... that would be a good thing."

The man raised his head, his expression gentle as he asked, "You went out?"

Yang Xiao'er fell silent for a moment before sighing. "One of my elder brothers came to visit."

"Oh?" Li Xizhi rose to his feet and rolled down his sleeves, a trace of puzzlement appearing on his face as he asked, "Since my brother-in-law came to visit, how could you leave him standing outside? You should have invited him in for a cup of tea."

He raised a brow and asked, "One of your elder brothers... Not Ruizao? I do not recall you ever mentioning another."

Yang Xiao'er rarely spoke of the Yang Family. Even when it came to Yang Ruizao, the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator at the Azure Pond Sect, she had always seemed rather indifferent. Since news of anyone from the Yang Family was rare, Li Xizhi listened with considerable interest.

Yang Xiao'er looked somewhat awkward and shook her head. "He... and I are not particularly close. He merely happened to be passing by, so we exchanged a few words. He was also in a hurry to attend to other matters and could not afford to linger..."

Li Xizhi nodded and lowered his eyes slightly. He did not press the matter and merely smiled. "That is a shame."

He returned to the stone table and poured tea into the cups, asking casually, "Have you heard any news from the children?"

If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.