Chapter Seventy-Nine: Uncle and Nephew

After the party from the Eastern Ridge Wang clan departed, Chaoyang Street finally regained its calm. Yet the peace lasted only a brief moment before the center of Fish Dragon Fort at the end of the street erupted with lively commotion once more—likely a clash among the people of the three forts.

Qin Yi sighed helplessly, “Let’s go sort this out. Please help me look after my father for a bit.” He then followed Zhang Chen to resolve the issue. It wasn’t difficult; without the backing of the Eastern Ridge Wang clan, the Yan and Mao forts hardly had any means to stir up trouble. As for how to handle certain people, it was done as it needed to be.

Upon their return, Qin Yi found that the damaged tents had already been cleared away, and everyone was gathered at Zhang Chen’s house, drinking again.

“Senior, I have nothing to offer for the grace you’ve shown in saving my life—let me first toast you,” Qin Tian said, having quickly bandaged his wounds before coming to offer Old Man Jiang a drink. With his cultivation, wounds mattered little, and a bit of wine was hardly a concern; he could easily dispel its effects with his own power.

“Heh! Young man, I suspect you’re just here to meddle with my drinking,” Old Man Jiang replied, arching a brow with a sly smile.

Qin Tian couldn’t deny it and merely nodded awkwardly.

Old Man Jiang raised his cup, smiling. “In that case, if you rely on your cultivation to cheat with this drink, it won’t mean much—wouldn't show much sincerity!”

Qin Yi’s face darkened. “Old Man Jiang, don’t push your luck! Do you even know how much wine money you owe Uncle Zhang now?”

“The elder is right; it should be as he says,” Qin Tian interjected, not waiting for Qin Yi to finish. Without another word, under He Wanting’s anxious gaze, he drained the cup in a single gulp.

“Well done, a true man,” Old Man Jiang said, smiling as he too drank his cup in one go.

Qin Tian clasped his hands in salute. “Elder, everyone, I am already gravely injured today and won’t join you for more drinking. If there’s a chance another day, I will make up for it.”

The others nodded, urging him to go rest and recover.

Qin Tian turned to Qin Yi. “Xiao Yi, you come as well.” Then he looked at Jiang Yao, and after watching her for a moment, said, “Miss Jiang, if it’s not too much trouble, please come with me too.”

Qin Yi had already prepared himself, waiting for Qin Tian to call for him. He Wanting and Qin Yi supported Qin Tian, with Jiang Yao following behind. The four returned to Qin Tian’s place and sat at the wooden table beneath the old tree in the courtyard.

After some time in silence, Qin Tian finally spoke, his gaze shifting between Jiang Yao and Qin Yi. “Xiao Yi, I suspect Miss Jiang has already discerned my identity with her keen eye, and you know our family’s background as well.”

Qin Yi nodded, but what he truly wanted to know was something else.

Seeing this, Qin Tian continued, “Xiao Yi, after you went to Taiyi Mountain, did you ever wonder why your name is identical to that of the Taiyi Mountain prodigy? Your master, Immortal Zixuan, and your senior brothers must have commented on your striking resemblance to that prodigy. Do you think it’s merely coincidence?”

He then fixed a sharp gaze on Jiang Yao. “I don’t know why you are now traveling with Yi’er, Miss Jiang. Is it because Yi’er looks so much like that Qin Yi?”

Jiang Yao made no reply, simply waiting for him to go on.

Qin Tian continued, “But what I must tell you is—I suspect that Qin Yi is my own blood brother, Xiao Yi’s uncle.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yi’s mind exploded. Was it possible he had been reborn as his own nephew? These two before him, whom he should call father and mother, might actually be his older brother and sister-in-law.

Jiang Yao was shocked too. She knew this was the Qin Yi, but hadn’t expected such a connection.

Qin Yi quickly composed himself. He believed that no one in this world knew more about his origins than his master.

Qin Tian went on, “Sadly, before the news returned from the Wild Marsh a year ago, I never dared attempt to recognize him. Now it’s too late.”

Qin Yi smiled. “Father, I’ve already entered my master’s tutelage—I still might have a chance. Please tell me about his distinguishing features, ideally something physical, so I can look for him.”

Qin Tian glanced at He Wanting and then Jiang Yao. Slowly, he removed his robe, revealing a swirling azure dragon pattern on his chest. The dragon seemed not inked by human hands but as though it had always been there.

Qin Yi stared in amazement, and so did Jiang Yao, for in his previous life, Qin Yi had never seen such a dragon pattern on his chest, nor had Jiang Yao.

Qin Tian, seeing their reactions, dressed again and explained, “This dragon pattern appears only after coming of age for members of the Eastern Ridge royal family. It’s not artificially tattooed. I wasn’t sure myself, so I wanted to wait until he came of age to confirm it—but fate is unpredictable.”

Qin Yi suppressed his questions. “Father, I’ll remember. If I get the chance, I will search for him.”

Qin Tian nodded and handed Qin Yi a blue scroll. “This is Two Sleeves Azure Dragon. Go rest early.”

Qin Yi accepted it and returned to his room with Jiang Yao.

“Brother Tian,” He Wanting called as Qin Yi and Jiang Yao left.

“These things cannot be concealed. I cannot sacrifice brotherhood for my son—I simply cannot,” Qin Tian replied.

He Wanting sighed helplessly. The fate of her younger brother-in-law was uncertain, but as a mother, she naturally hoped for her son’s happiness.

Back in his room, Qin Yi stood by the window, lost in thought. Everything had happened so suddenly.

“Your mother must be worried sick now—her daughter-in-law is about to vanish,” Jiang Yao teased from the bed, cradling Little White.

Qin Yi shook his head. “It’s awkward, us possibly being uncle and nephew. Now I’ve been reborn into his body.”

Jiang Yao comforted him, “Don’t fret. It’s not something you can control. What you need to consider now is whether you’re truly the crown prince’s blood brother. If so, when Uncle Qin learns you’re not his son, it’ll soften the blow.”

“As for Aunt He, that will be difficult,” Qin Yi said. What mother doesn’t fiercely protect her child? Suddenly, a wild idea struck him. “If only I could revive the original owner of this body.”

Jiang Yao shook her head. “Whether folklore or Daoist texts, there’s no credible account of resurrection. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be living so peacefully now—not to mention those who would never let it go, even the elders of Taiyi Mountain would dig to the roots of it.”

Qin Yi chuckled. “Regardless, it’s good to have ideas.”

Jiang Yao smiled brightly. This was the Qin Yi she knew.

Suddenly, Qin Yi remembered something. He took a golden sheet from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Yao.

She took it, curiosity in her eyes. “What is this?”

“Take a look and you’ll see,” Qin Yi replied.

As Jiang Yao read the words on the golden sheet, her expression grew increasingly astonished until, at last, she spoke, “So it’s true—the lower volume of the ‘Great Luo Scripture’ can only be cultivated by successive family heads of the Eastern Ridge Wang clan.”

Qin Yi grinned, “We’ve really lucked out—thanks to Wang Hong.”

He continued, “The complete ‘Great Luo Scripture’ is far better for resisting your internal Moonlit Night Tribulation than just the upper volume. I used to wonder why the Wang clan’s secret art was so weak.”

“Let’s rest early. So much happened today—exhausting,” Qin Yi said, sprawling onto the bed and falling asleep.

Jiang Yao tidied the bedding for him and then rested as well.

At dawn the next day, even before Qin Yi awoke, news arrived that Jiang Fengnian was leaving Fish Dragon Fort. Qin Yi jumped up, determined to see off this legendary figure. To his surprise, Jiang Fengnian was not traveling alone—nor with Old Man Jiang, but with Bai Yunfei, a fellow Dao Palace disciple.

“Mr. Jiang, Brother Yunfei, safe travels,” Qin Yi and Zhang Chen said together outside the north gate, fulfilling their duties as hosts.

Bai Yunfei smiled, “If you two ever get the chance, you must visit the Dao Palace—or better yet, join the Dao Palace Academy.”

Zhang Chen was eager. “We’ll definitely come!”

Qin Yi just smiled along, knowing it was a matter for the future.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Fengnian looked at Qin Yi seriously. “Qin Yi, you must come to the Dao Palace someday.”

Qin Yi asked, “Is there any advice, sir?”

Jiang Fengnian didn’t answer, only repeating, “No matter what, you must come to the Dao Palace one day.”

Qin Yi didn’t press further and readily agreed, “Since Mr. Jiang has asked, I’ll certainly make time to visit.”

Jiang Fengnian nodded, mounted his horse, and Bai Yunfei did the same. Both waved to Qin Yi and Zhang Chen and rode off in a cloud of dust.

Qin Yi didn’t dwell on Jiang Fengnian’s words. He would go to the Dao Palace—his previous life had left him regretful for never visiting the foundation of humanity. Most of the world’s prodigies had trained there, and the Dao Palace was the place all renowned talents aspired to reach.