Chương 198: Aftermath

I blinked awake to sunlight streaming through the thin window of my childhood bedroom. For a moment, I just lay there, staring at the familiar wooden beams above me. The events of yesterday felt like some strange fever dream: the ancient shrine, Ke Jun's blood domain, that desperate final battle where I'd drawn on stellar energy. But the lingering soreness in my meridians confirmed it had all been real. Somehow, I'd survived channeling power that should have killed me. Not only survived but improved?

I could feel the difference in my body, stronger, more refined, with physical essence reserves that were beyond my cultivation stage.

"Good morning, Master," Azure's voice echoed in my mind.

"Your spiritual pathways have stabilized, though I recommend a full meridian examination when convenient." I groaned, stretching my arms above my head.

"Let me guess," I said.

"You've been monitoring my vital signs the entire time."

"Naturally. Your body underwent significant changes during the battle. The integration of Ke Jun's blood essence appears to have had some interesting effects." I immediately sat up, remembering the strange statue I'd glimpsed in my inner world.

"Right. I should check—" A gentle knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Yin? Are you awake?" Mother's voice called softly from beyond the door.

"Breakfast is nearly ready."

"I'll be right down!" I called back, reluctantly pushing aside my curiosity about the changes in my inner world. It would have to wait. I quickly tidied myself, noting with some surprise that someone, likely Mother, had washed my clothes. My sect robes now hung by the window, the fabric still carrying a hint of dampness despite being mostly dry. She must have stayed up late to clean them. As I dressed, I caught my reflection in a small bronze mirror on the wall. The changes were subtle but unmistakable.

My jawline had sharpened, becoming more defined. My cheekbones seemed higher, giving my face a more aristocratic cast. Even my eyes had changed slightly, still the same dark brown, but somehow deeper, with tiny flecks of crimson that hadn't been there before. I looked like... well, like a young cultivator from a powerful clan rather than a village tailor's son. The irony wasn't lost on me, now I actually matched the backstory I was supposed to have.

Last night, my parents had been a little concerned about the changes when they saw me but they calmed down after I attributed it to my recent breakthrough. With one final glance at my reflection, I headed down.

When I stepped into the main room, the scent of congee, pickled vegetables, and fried dough sticks filled the air. Father sat at the table, carefully mending what appeared to be a festival banner, while Mother bustled between the cooking area and the table.

"There he is," Father smiled warmly.

"Our hero returns to the land of the living."

"Just doing what anyone else would do," I replied, sliding into the seat.

"Hong," Mother scolded gently, though her own smile belied any real displeasure.

"Don't tease him. Sit, Yin. You must be hungry after, well, after everything." After defeating Ke Jun, we headed to the mountains to retrieve the villagers. The trek through the mountain paths had been slow, with wounded teammates, but the relief on the villagers' faces when we arrived had made it worthwhile. The journey back to the village had been a strange mixture of celebration and solemn procession. The villagers had been overjoyed to return home safely, but the mood among our team remained subdued.

We'd completed our mission, yes, but at a cost that felt unnecessarily high. We had a brief team meeting at the village elder's house in which Liu Chang had announced we would stay in the village for a few nights.

"Everyone needs time to recuperate," he'd said.

"We're in no condition to travel immediately." Yan Li had agreed, noting that rushing back while injured would only risk further complications. I was secretly relieved, not because my body needed recovery time, but because it meant a few more days with my family. The entire team had been given accommodations throughout the village, with the more seriously injured members staying at the village healer's home for monitoring.

"How are you feeling?" Mother asked, placing a steaming bowl of congee before me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I'm fine," I assured her, accepting the bowl with a grateful nod.

"Just tired. Using certain techniques can be draining." My ancestor's blood essence did a great job at healing my body, the tiredness I was referring to was more of a mental fatigue. Father raised an eyebrow.

"Must have been some technique. Liu Chang tells me you were instrumental in defeating the... creature... in the shrine." I nearly choked on my congee. Last night, I'd stayed up late with my parents, recounting a carefully edited version of what happened at the shrine. I'd strategically omitted the part where I channeled energy far beyond my cultivation level and nearly burned out my meridians. Instead, I'd focused on the revelation that the Ke family apparently descended from a powerful ancient cultivator.

Father had stroked his chin thoughtfully at that, admitting there had been family legends passed down through generations, whispers of a great ancestor who had achieved immortality, but he'd always assumed they were just stories to make children dream big.

"You spoke with Liu Chang?" I asked, setting my spoon down carefully.

"He came by early this morning," Mother answered, refilling my bowl without being asked.

"Very polite young man. Wanted to make sure you were recovering well."

"He also mentioned something about a star?" Father raised an eyebrow.

"Said it appeared above your head during the battle." I sighed internally. Of course Liu Chang would mention that particular detail, it wasn't exactly something you saw every day, even in a cultivation world.

"It was just something I've been working on," I said vaguely.

"Not quite perfected yet."

"Well, it certainly seemed to do the job," Father said, his fingers working deftly as he repaired a tear in the festival banner.

"The village is safe, thanks to you and your friends." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"The whole village is planning a celebration tonight," Mother cut in, adding pickled vegetables to my bowl.

"To thank all of you immortal cultivators for your protection."

"We're hardly immortals, Mother," I corrected gently.

"Just cultivators. Qi Condensation realm is barely the first step on the path."

"To us, you might as well be immortals," Father said, setting aside his mending.

"Supernatural movement, throwing lightning and fire... what else would we call you?" I couldn't argue with that perspective. To ordinary villagers, even the most basic cultivation techniques must seem miraculous. I remembered feeling the same way when I first read about such abilities in novels from my previous life. As we ate, I considered the question that had been forming in my mind since the battle with Ke Jun. This village, my ancestral home, was no longer safe.

Not because of any remaining threat from Ke Jun himself, but because word would spread about what happened here. Curious cultivators, treasure hunters, or worse might come investigating.

"Have you ever thought about moving?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"Perhaps to a village closer to Azure Peak?" Mother nearly dropped her spoon.

"Moving? But we've lived here for generations. Your father's shop has a reputation here. Why would we leave?"

"The Ke family has been in Floating Reed Village since before the Eastern Emperor's grandfather was born," Father added, his brow furrowed.

"Our roots run deep here." I set down my spoon, choosing my words carefully.

"I know, and I understand the importance of heritage. But after what happened... this place might attract unwanted attention."

"You mean other things like that ancestor?" Mother asked, her face paling slightly.

"Not exactly like him, no. But word spreads. A powerful relic, an ancient technique, even just rumors of something unusual, they all attract attention. Some of it dangerous." Father frowned.

"But surely after defeating that creature, the village would be considered safe?"

"That's not how cultivators think," I explained gently.

"They'll wonder what made this place special enough for a Civilization Realm cultivator to establish a formation here. They'll wonder if there are other treasures or secrets hidden nearby." Mother and Father exchanged worried glances.

"Besides," I continued, seeing their hesitation, "there are other advantages to living closer to Azure Peak. The spiritual energy is richer there, which would be healthier for everyone, especially..." I let my gaze drop meaningfully to Mother's abdomen, where my unborn sibling was growing.

"For the baby," Mother finished softly, her hand instinctively moving to her stomach.

"And," I added, "I could visit more often. Watch my little brother or sister grow up." That seemed to hit home more than any safety argument. Mother's eyes softened, and even Father's expression became thoughtful. They exchanged another look, having one of those silent conversations that long-married couples seem to master.

"We'll... consider it," Father said finally.

"This isn't a small decision, Yin."

"Of course," I nodded, relieved they were at least willing to think about it.

"That's all I ask." Until the day I could bring my family into my inner world, it wouldn't hurt having them closer to the sect. Though not close enough that they get dragged into sect complications. Picking the ideal village will require a delicate balance. Mother reached across the table to squeeze my hand.

"It means a lot that you want to be part of your sibling's life. After you left for the sect, we worried that you might grow beyond us." The sincerity in her voice was genuine. These were real people with real feelings, people who loved their son. The fact that I wasn't technically that son made their unconditional acceptance all the more meaningful.

"I'll never grow beyond family," I promised, and meant it, though I knew it would be a difficult promise to keep.

"Speaking of the celebration tonight," Mother said, clearly wanting to change the subject to something lighter, "you will attend, won't you? The whole village is eager to properly thank their hero." I suppressed a grimace. Public adulation wasn't exactly my idea of a good time, but refusing would disappoint not just Mother but the entire village.

"Of course I'll be there," I said, forcing enthusiasm into my voice.

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Wonderful!" Mother beamed.

"They're setting up in the village square. There'll be food, music, even some simple fireworks that Merchant Zhao brought back from his last trip to the city." She paused, her smile turning sly.

"And you know, Zhang Mei's daughter has grown into quite a beauty while you've been away. And there's Widow Chen's niece who just moved here from Greenleaf Village. I hear she can play the guqin beautifully." I nearly choked on my tea.

"Mother, please tell me you're not thinking…"

"What?" She blinked innocently, though the effect was ruined by her barely contained smile.

"A mother can't hope to see her son happily matched? You're of age now, and a respected cultivator besides. Any girl would be fortunate to catch your eye." Father chuckled behind his hand, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

"I'm focused on cultivation right now," I managed, feeling heat creep up my neck.

"The sect doesn't... that is... relationships are discouraged at my stage."

"Nonsense," Mother waved away my excuse.

"Even immortals need companionship." The thought of being paraded before eligible village women like some prize bull at a market made me want to flee back to the shrine and take my chances with Ke Jun's ghost.

"I'll keep an open mind," I conceded weakly, knowing it was the only way to end this conversation. As Mother continued enthusiastically listing the virtues of various village maidens, I found myself wondering how my fellow cultivators would handle such an event. Liu Chang and Yan Li might adapt well enough with their diplomatic nature, but I couldn't imagine someone like Shen Xuanyu or Zhang Wei mingling comfortably with village commoners, let alone surviving the matchmaking ambitions of village mothers.