Chapter 348 - 345: Returning Home
Chapter 348: Chapter 345: Returning Home
In the plaza before the Qingxuan Sect’s main gate, disciples gathered in small groups.
Some carried travel packs on their backs, others traveled light. Most faces showed the relaxed anticipation of returning home.
Carriage after carriage arrived to pick people up, parked across the plaza. Among them were several uniform, blue-canopied carriages.
They were all pulled by strong horses with glossy coats and long, slender legs. The cloud-pattern insignia of the Qingxuan Sect was engraved on the carriages.
These were the carriages prepared by the Sect for True Disciples and some Stewards and Elders who required them. They were spacious, comfortable, and quite fast.
"Senior Brother Fang."
"True Inheritor Fang."
Carrying a bundle, Fang Han walked with a steady gait through the crowd, acknowledging the respectful greetings of the disciples along the way. He arrived beside the carriage the Sect had prepared for his journey.
"Senior Brother Fang!"
Xiao Chen called out from beside the carriage.
He had shed his usual blue disciple robes for an indigo cotton robe, covered by a deep gray, wind-proof cloak.
"Have you been waiting long?"
Fang Han walked over and gave a slight nod.
"Not long. I just got here a moment ago," Xiao Chen said with a smile.
"Getting to ride home in a True Inheritor’s exclusive carriage... I’m really basking in your glory this time, Senior Brother Fang."
For an ordinary disciple, being able to ride home in a True Disciple’s carriage signified a close relationship with a True Inheritor. It was a rare honor.
Many of the surrounding disciples, who were preparing to leave the mountain on foot or by hiring ordinary carriages, looked at Xiao Chen with undisguised envy.
The opportunity to befriend a Celestial Pride True Inheritor like Senior Brother Fang and gain his patronage was something countless people desperately wished for.
Fang Han exchanged a few simple words with Xiao Chen, then prepared to board the carriage.
Just then, a slight commotion arose from the other side.
Beside another standard-issue, blue-canopied Sect carriage stood two eye-catching, slender figures.
One of them had an aura as cold and elegant as a winter plum blossom on a snowy peak. Her face was veiled by a piece of pristine white silk, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as a frozen pool and as deep as a sea of stars.
Her waterfall of black hair was loosely tied up with a simple white jade hairpin, a few stray strands falling beside her cheeks, stirring gently in the wind.
She just stood there quietly beside the carriage, her entire being exuding a pure, icy air that warned others to keep their distance, as if she were separated from the bustling mortal world by an invisible barrier.
It was none other than Yun Muyao, ranked sixteenth on the Celestial Pride List, with whom Fang Han had crossed paths several times.
The other person also wore a silk veil, but hers was a faint purple, adding a touch of mystery to her cold demeanor.
She had a tall, slender figure. Above the purple veil, her bright eyes held a natural aloofness and chill as they moved.
This was Yun Qianyue, a fellow disciple from the same Sub-Branch as Fang Han, and someone he was quite familiar with.
The two sisters were clearly also preparing to take a Sect-arranged carriage home.
"Senior Sister Yun, Junior Sister Qianyue, let me wish you a happy new year in advance."
A smile appeared on Fang Han’s face as he spoke to Yun Muyao and Yun Qianyue.
"Thank you."
Hearing him, Yun Muyao gave a slight nod in return.
"Senior Brother Fang, have a safe journey."
The corners of Yun Qianyue’s lips seemed to curve up slightly beneath her purple veil.
Her cool voice came through the veil, still carrying its characteristic indifference, yet it held an almost imperceptible softness that was absent when she spoke to others.
After the simple greeting, Fang Han delayed no further. He and Xiao Chen boarded his blue-canopied carriage one after the other.
The driver was an experienced old man arranged by the Sect. Seeing that everyone was aboard, he gave a soft cry and flicked the reins.
The strong horse set off, pulling the carriage smoothly forward. It rolled over the green flagstone plaza and headed toward the main road.
The carriage’s interior was quite spacious. It was lined with thick velvet cushions, furnished with a small, fixed table, and even equipped with a brazier for warmth and utensils for heating tea. The furnishings were simple yet practical and refined in every detail.
Fang Han and Xiao Chen sat facing each other.
"Finally, we can go home. If I count the days, it’s been almost a year since I left."
Xiao Chen was clearly in a good mood. He lifted the small curtain on the side of the carriage, gazing at the receding mountain scenery as he spoke.
Fang Han leaned against the carriage wall, a smile touching his lips as well.
He had been away from home for a long time. Even though the cultivation conditions at the Sect were excellent, his longing for his family had never faded.
Now, setting foot on the path home and thinking about seeing his parents, his little sister, and the familiar faces of his Fang Clan Members soon, a warmth spread through his heart.
The carriage entered the main road and gradually picked up speed, galloping along the wide official path toward Liangshui City.
The wheels rolled over the road, making a rhythmic and faint rumbling sound.
Back at the mountain gate, Yun Qianyue did not board her carriage immediately.
She stood rooted to the spot, her eyes above the purple veil watching the blue-canopied carriage carrying Fang Han and Xiao Chen as it grew more and more distant, eventually shrinking to a small black dot before vanishing among the trees at the end of the road.
A cold winter wind swept past the mountain gate, lifting the few strands of hair at her temples that were not covered by her purple veil.
’Sixty-eighth on the Celestial Pride List...’
’Without my realizing it, that figure has already reached a height that I must strain to see, a height that is perhaps even beyond my reach.’
A complex, ineffable emotion, like a slender vine, silently coiled around her heart.
It wasn’t jealousy, nor was it unwillingness to accept it.
It was more like the melancholy of watching a meteor streak across the night sky, knowing it was dazzlingly brilliant but forever untouchable, mixed with a faint sense of loss that even she hadn’t fully examined.
"Qianyue."
A voice as cool and clear as jade stones striking each other sounded beside her, interrupting Yun Qianyue’s thoughts.
She snapped back to reality and turned to meet her sister Yun Muyao’s gaze.
That gaze was as calm as ever, yet it seemed capable of piercing through her purple veil and seeing the subtle ripples in the depths of her heart.
"Sister, let’s get in the carriage."
Yun Qianyue’s heart skipped a beat, but her expression quickly returned to its usual cool detachment. She lowered her gaze slightly, avoiding her sister’s eyes, and spoke in a low voice.
Yun Muyao looked at her quietly for a moment without saying more. She just gave a soft "Mm" and turned to board the carriage gracefully.
Yun Qianyue followed close behind.
The carriage door curtain fell, cutting off the cold wind and prying eyes from the outside.
The carriage started moving slowly, heading in a different direction from Fang Han and the others.
...
Several days passed quietly to the sound of hooves and wheels.
The carriage Fang Han was riding in was specially made by the Sect, and the horses pulling it were no ordinary breed; they were extremely fast.
In addition, the main roads were in decent condition. Although it was deep winter, they didn’t encounter any adverse situations like heavy snow blocking the way.
Along the way, Fang Han and Xiao Chen either chatted idly about the recent situations in their families and interesting stories from the Sect, or discussed some shallow insights on cultivation. The time passed quickly.
Xiao Chen’s home was in another city called Celestial Wind City, which was in a slightly different direction from Liangshui City.
Therefore, when they passed through Celestial Wind City, Xiao Chen got out of the carriage to bid Fang Han farewell.
"Senior Brother Fang, I’ll take my leave here. See you after the new year!"
Xiao Chen shouldered his pack, stood by the edge of the city, and clasped his hands toward Fang Han in the carriage with a smile.
"See you after the new year."
Fang Han lifted the carriage curtain and nodded.
Xiao Chen waved, and his figure quickly disappeared.
Fang Han let the curtain fall and instructed the driver to continue toward Liangshui City.
Sitting alone in the carriage, he could no longer pass the time with conversation, but it was also much quieter.
He would sometimes circulate the Profound Wind Technique to practice his Inner Qi, and at other times, he would mentally practice the Nine Swords of Wind Splitting and the Wind and Cloud Escape.
Thinking of the Netherworld Pavilion’s obvious targeting of him, the sense of urgency in his heart never faded.
The path of the Martial Dao is like rowing a boat upstream; if you don’t advance, you fall behind.
...
「Another day passed.」 When the familiar, not-so-tall silhouette of Liangshui City’s walls appeared on the distant horizon, the warmth of homecoming finally bloomed completely in Fang Han’s heart.
"I’m finally here."
He let out a soft sigh, a trace of relief showing in his eyes.
The carriage drove straight toward the city gate.
Liangshui City was just a small, remote city. When the gate-keeping soldiers saw this extraordinary carriage bearing the Qingxuan Sect’s insignia, they even skipped the routine questioning.
They hastily cleared a path and watched with awe-filled eyes as the carriage entered the city.
Once inside the city, a familiar streetscape rushed to greet him.
Although it was deep winter and everything had withered, with the new year approaching, there were actually more pedestrians on the streets than usual.
The shops on both sides had also hung up red lanterns, adding to the festive new year atmosphere.
The carriage wound through streets and alleys, finally stopping before a sprawling complex of buildings in the eastern part of the city, one whose appearance was now completely different from the past.
This was the Fang Family.
Compared to a year ago, the current Fang Mansion had undergone several expansions and renovations, nearly doubling in size.
The towering courtyard walls were built of blue bricks. The vermilion-lacquered main gate was magnificent, fronted by two powerful and majestic stone lions. The "Fang Mansion" plaque hanging under the eaves was written in strong, vigorous calligraphy.
On either side of the main gate stood several spirited guards with slightly bulging temples and sharp eyes.
All these changes were, of course, due to the influence of Fang Han’s continuously rising status in the Qingxuan Sect.
"Young Master Han is back!"
The carriage had just come to a stop when a sharp-eyed guard at the gate recognized Fang Han getting out and shouted in pleasant surprise.
That shout was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples in front of the Fang Mansion.
"It’s Young Master Han!"
"Young Master Han has returned home!"
The news spread through the mansion as if it had grown wings.
Some Fang Clan Members who heard the news poured out from the gate, their faces showing unconcealed joy and excitement. They bowed one after another, their voices a clamor of enthusiasm.
"We welcome Young Master Han back to the mansion!"
In the gazes these clan members directed at Fang Han, besides awe, there was even more heartfelt reverence and affection.
The Fang Family’s prosperity was due to Fang Han. This glory and sense of identity were already deeply ingrained in the heart of every Fang Clan Member.
Fang Han responded to each of them with a humble attitude, showing none of the arrogance one might expect from such a genius.
Surrounded by enthusiastic greetings, Fang Han walked through the Fang Mansion.
The scenery inside the mansion was completely transformed. Pavilions and towers were artfully arranged, connected by winding corridors. Although it was the dead of winter, the garden was still dotted with hardy pines and bamboos, giving it an elegant and dignified air.
Servants and maids bustled about. Upon seeing Fang Han, they all respectfully stepped aside and bowed, their eyes filled with curiosity and adoration.
Fang Han walked straight toward the depths of the mansion, heading for the most tranquil and elegant courtyard, the one that had now become a symbol of the Fang Family—Tingyu Pavilion.
After several expansions, Tingyu Pavilion’s scale had long surpassed that of the main courtyard where Patriarch Fang Lingyuan resided.
It had an independent moon gate, within which were rockeries and flowing water. A winding path led to a secluded area, and clumps of green bamboo stood tall in the cold wind, rustling softly.
The main building was an exquisite three-story structure with upturned eaves, carved beams, and painted rafters. The environment was supremely tranquil.
This was the residence of Fang Han’s parents and his little sister. It was also his true "home" in this world.