Chapter 192: Aunt

“Welcome back to the manor, Young Master Feng!”

Two respectful, loud greetings jolted Mu Feng out of his profound mental connection. Opening his eyes, he realized he had unknowingly walked back to the front gate of Mu Manor.

After being honored as the Jianning First Scholar, this former impoverished scholar gained the respect of everyone in Mu Manor. Defying the powerful at the Back Mountain, publicly defeating the bully Mu Qingyuan, and standing firm against the Chief Transmission Disciple Mu Tie without flinching—these acts deeply impressed the martial arts–loving members of the Mu family.

They admired not his strength, but his passion and courage. This was precisely what the younger generation of the Mu family had been missing in recent years! In Mu Feng, people saw the integrity and bravery of their ancestors.

“Heart cultivation?”

Mu Feng murmured to himself, nodding slightly to the guards on either side of the gate before striding inside.

The mysterious feeling of sensing the emotional fluctuations of everyone around him just moments ago left a lasting impression.

As soon as he pushed open the courtyard gate, Mu Qingzhu heard the noise and bounced out happily like a little sprite. While Mu Feng was away, to take good care of his ailing mother, Situ Qing, and the unconscious Sky Splitting Tiger, she had brought over a large number of her own servants. Guards, maids, laborers—all were present, and there was even a dedicated physician, showing Mu Feng, who had grown up accustomed to hardship, the luxury enjoyed by a direct descendant of the Mu family.

If his father had not died early, given his status, he too could have lived such a life from childhood; perhaps even more luxuriously, becoming a bully like Mu Qingyuan. Now, having experienced the hardships of life from a young age and learned self-reliance under his mother’s guidance, he wondered whether his childhood family misfortune was actually a blessing or a curse!

Upon returning home, Mu Feng eagerly went to see his bedridden mother. Seeing that she was all right, he breathed a sigh of relief. His only worry was that after more than a month, her complexion had worsened, and her illness had grown more severe. During this time, Mu Qingzhu had invited almost all the famous doctors in Jianning City to treat her, but unfortunately, none had much effect.

“Feng’er, where is Shuang’er? Why didn’t she come back with you?” Supported by a maid, Situ Qing sat up weakly, leaning against the headboard.

“Shuang’er met a reclusive master, became her disciple, and went with her to cultivate and gain experience. She won’t be back for a while.”

Mu Feng stepped forward and gently tucked the blanket around his mother. Then he said, “Mother, please don’t worry about other matters. Just focus on recovering. Once you’re better, we’ll go together to Jiangling Prefecture. There, I’ll study at the Scholastic Palace, and you can grow flowers and plants at home. It’s much better than living under someone else’s roof here.”

His encounter and conversation with the Family Patriarch made Mu Feng even more indifferent toward the powerful Mu Manor. According to the laws of the Tongtian Dynasty, all Xiucai who passed the Metropolitan Examination and went on to study further at local Scholastic Palaces not only didn’t need to pay fees but also received a few taels of silver each month as a stipend. Though not much, it was enough to cover a family’s monthly expenses with frugality.

“Good, good. It’s been almost twenty years since I last visited the Wangjiang Tower in Jiangling. The last time was with your father.”

Situ Qing smiled, leaning against the headboard for a while before feeling increasingly tired. As she spoke, she slowly closed her eyes. Hazily, it seemed she had returned to more than twenty years ago—to her youthful days as a talented woman, traveling the Great Thousand World, discussing state affairs, and writing passionately.

Seeing his mother gradually fall asleep again, Mu Feng and Mu Qingzhu turned and quietly left the room.

During this time, although his strength had greatly improved, he was helpless when it came to medical skills. Thinking of his mother’s weakened body and worsening condition, his eyes reddened slightly. The gentle, understanding figure of Jing Wushuang appeared in his mind once more.

“If Shuang’er, who is skilled in medicine and considerate, were here, would Mother’s condition improve?”

A thought suddenly crossed Mu Feng’s mind.

He had initially thought that after leaving the Hengling Mountain Range, busy with cultivation and preparing to study at the Xiangshan Academy in Jiangling Prefecture, his longing for Jing Wushuang would gradually fade. Unexpectedly, after returning to Mu Manor, exhausted from his journey, he missed her even more—remembering every moment they had shared.

“Brother Mu Feng, I’m sorry. I’ve done all I can.”

Though young, Mu Qingzhu was clever and quickly understood Mu Feng’s concerns. “I’ve invited all the famous doctors in Jianning City during this time, but Aunt’s condition hasn’t improved. Maybe when the time comes, I can go with you to Jiangling and find renowned doctors there to examine her?”

“We’ll discuss it then, Qingzhu. Thank you for all your help during this time!”

Looking at the concerned Mu Qingzhu, Mu Feng felt a warmth in his heart. In the vast Mu Manor, there were many relatives, but only she made him feel a true family connection. After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “By the way, Qingzhu, do we have an aunt named Mu Wuyan?”

“Mu Wuyan?”

Mu Qingzhu frowned, thought for a while, and then said, “I think I’ve heard of such an aunt, but I’ve never seen her since I was little. I heard that when she was young, she had a fierce argument with the Family Patriarch for some reason. After that, she secluded herself, spending years in secluded cultivation deep within Mu Manor’s Fu Tian. She broke through to the True Human Realm at a young age and became a Grand Elder of our Mu family. Oh, and I believe she is Sister Mu Qingling’s master.”

A Grand Elder?

Mu Feng was startled, suddenly understanding.

A Grand Elder in the True Human Realm—no wonder she was so powerful, even the old witch Ghost Mother was extremely wary of her.

Now, looking back, he finally understood why, at the summit of Stone Mountain, after learning his identity, she had gifted him the priceless Breeze Ring. She seemed quite decent, but for some reason, she remained in seclusion year after year, and he had never heard his mother mention having such an aunt.

“Brother Mu Feng, why are you suddenly asking about her?” Seeing Mu Feng lost in thought and inquiring about an aunt he had never met, the clever Mu Qingzhu looked curious.

“Nothing important. A Grand Elder in the True Human Realm—I was thinking of asking to become her disciple. But from what you say, since she’s in seclusion all the time, it seems there’s no hope.” Mu Feng smiled, then turned and left to check on his unconscious brother, Sky Splitting Tiger, who lay in a side room.

After enduring countless hardships and traveling a great distance to obtain the legendary Yang Soul Pill, he had rushed back to Mu Manor without resting, hoping to revive him as soon as possible.

Become her disciple?

Behind him, watching Mu Feng’s retreating figure, Mu Qingzhu was surprised, then thoughtful.