Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Touching Motherly Love

Please follow me, both of you." The concierge extended his hand in a gesture of invitation, his tone respectful and impeccable.

Although there was no expression on Gu Shiyan's face, Hua Ling noticed that his hands were clenched into fists. After all, he was still a young boy and was a little nervous about such things, Hua Ling sighed in her heart.

Over the past three years, Gu Shiyan's cultivation had successfully reached the ninth level of the Free and Unrestrained Realm. This shouldn't have been so rapid, but thanks to Zhu Zhe's Nine Heavens Thunder Soul-Devouring Formation, Gu Shiyan absorbed the energy contained within the heavenly thunder and quickly established himself in the ninth level of the Free and Unrestrained Realm. This effectively eliminated the adage that "one cannot return home unless they reach the ninth level of the Free and Unrestrained Realm." Ji Ruoxi, delighted to see his disciple's cultivation far surpass his own, recounted the decades-long story to Gu Shiyan.

Gu Shiyan had been poisoned at birth and was on the verge of death when Ji Ruoxi rushed from Yunliang Qianchi to the capital, used his inner strength to keep him alive, and brought him back. As for why Ji Ruoxi was there, it all came down to his master, the previous headmaster, who was well-versed in astrology and divination.

He had long sensed the imminent arrival of a martial star, but was framed by a villain, and the world couldn't accommodate such a brilliant individual. Coincidentally, the hexagram indicated that this child had a connection with Yunliang Qianchi, so he had Ji Ruoxi personally come to the capital to pick up his future apprentice.

That was pretty much the situation. Gu Shiyan didn't know how Ji Ruoxi had persuaded his biological parents to hand him over. Ji Ruoxi had been worried about Gu Shiyan's youthful spirit, worried that he might disregard the advice and go down the mountain to find his parents, so she had kept the matter a secret.

But now he obviously no longer has such concerns. Gu Shiyan also knows who his biological parents are. This time he came to the capital to find his relatives and to see if someone's oath is still effective.

As the saying goes, homesickness grows stronger when one is close to home. This is exactly what Gu Shiyan feels now. He will soon meet his biological parents, and he doesn't know if they will like him. Although he hasn't said it out loud over the years, he still misses them a little, especially when he sees his junior sister acting like a spoiled child in the arms of her master. This feeling is especially strong.

Hua Ling naturally noticed his unusual behavior. She hadn't expected the usually aloof, reserved, and awe-inspiring Yue Zun to behave like this. She walked over to Gu Shiyan and whispered in his ear, "Sir, are you nervous? I've heard about it before. The Duke of Ying and his wife are both excellent people. They haven't had any children in all these years, and it seems they're waiting for you."

After saying that, she lowered her voice again, her brows relaxed, and a smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "Sir, this Gu Mansion is extremely luxurious, and there must be a lot of wealth accumulated secretly. By then..." She didn't finish her words, and she looked like a money-grubber.

"If others heard this, they would think that Yunliang Qianchi was very poor," Gu Shiyan replied. From the two people's clothing, it could be seen that Yunliang Qianchi had a rich background. Gu Shiyan was puzzled and didn't know why his junior sister and Hua Ling were both obsessed with money.

Although there was some teasing in Hua Ling's words, they were mostly comforting. Although they were nominally master and servant, they were actually more like siblings. After hearing this, Gu Shiyan gradually calmed down his strange emotions and continued to walk behind the doorman with an expressionless face, as if nothing had happened.

The doorman on the side was just leading the way in front and did not notice the little movements of the two.

The flower hall was originally set up to entertain guests, so it was not far from the mansion gate. However, the Duke's Mansion covered a large area, so it still took everyone a quarter of an hour to walk there.

The flower hall was surrounded by layers of floating brocade, making it airtight. From the outside, the interior was invisible, and only the fragrance of precious agarwood could be smelled. After the curtains were lifted, the elegant yet luxurious layout was eye-catching. The first thing that caught the eye was the huge screen, which displayed a picture of Jiangnan scenery in Suzhou embroidery. The scene in the picture was not much different from the Jiangnan that Gu Shiyan had seen with his own eyes.

Then Gu Shiyan lowered his gaze and saw the tables and chairs placed around. Although they were made of wood, the patterns carved on them were very complex. As for the tea set on the table, it was made of fine porcelain. From the layout of this flower hall, it can be seen that the owner's character is probably that of an elegant scholar.

Suddenly, a curtain was lifted. Gu Shiyan turned around and their eyes met. They were both stunned.

A maid opened the curtains, and a woman in a gorgeous red dress walked in. Gu Shiyan's eyes met hers. Although she looked a little sick, if you looked closely, you would find that she looked about 80% similar to Gu Shiyan, as if they were cast from the same mold.

The two people following the woman with the scarlet letter were both a little confused, not understanding why the lady had suddenly stopped. They looked inside along the opened curtain and saw Gu Shiyan, who was now in a daze. "Alike, so much like," they sighed in their hearts.

The woman in red paused, then hurried forward, disregarding her image. However, fearing to scare the other person, she slowed down. She rubbed her hands back and forth, somewhat bewildered, tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping onto her clothes. She tried to suppress her emotions, but the pain of decades of waiting, transformed into tears, was unstoppable.

In just a moment, Gu Shiyan saw several emotions in the other person's eyes: a complex mix of worry, joy, excitement, hesitation, etc. At this moment, he finally believed that the other person must love him deeply. This passionate yet restrained love made him no longer confused. The purpose of this trip had been achieved.

Although he was happy, he felt a pang of pain in his heart as he watched her cautious movements. They should have been the closest of friends, yet they were now like this. He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped the tears from her eyes. She was a little bewildered by his sudden action, but the smile on her lips and the bright light in her eyes were enough to explain everything.

The moment Liang Qiulan saw Gu Shiyan, she knew for sure that this was her child, the one she had waited for nearly twenty years. She didn't know if he would blame them for entrusting him to someone else right after he was born, but at the time, they really had no choice.

When Liang Qiulan gave birth to Gu Shiyan, his breathing was extremely weak. The Duke of Ying secretly summoned countless doctors, but the only answer they received was that the child's life was numbered. The Imperial Preceptor had previously predicted that the child in Liang Qiulan's womb would be born with the destiny of a phoenix, a fact the late Emperor attached great importance to. Seeing that it was a boy, Liang Qiulan and Gu Shiyan were prepared to conceal the truth, determined to ensure their child's survival at all costs. If the late Emperor knew of this, even the execution of the entire Gu family would be considered a mercy, but their determination remained unwavering.

But the child's body wasn't strong enough to sustain him. Gu Cheng had already prepared to confess everything to the late emperor and ask the imperial physician to treat him. Suddenly, a chivalrous man with a sage-like demeanor arrived at the Duke of Ying's mansion and said, "I can save this child, but he needs to return with me to cultivate. I'll come back when he's reached the right level of cultivation."

Gu Cheng was a cautious man and wouldn't readily believe his words. Furthermore, how could he, as a father, accept the thought of his child leaving home so soon after birth? And how could he expect his wife to accept this? Suddenly, Liang Qiulan's cries could be heard from the inner room. Gu Cheng hurried inside, and the so-called expert naturally followed suit.

The first thing Gu Cheng saw when he came in was his wife holding their child and crying. He carefully placed his finger on the baby's nose, but the warm breath he expected did not come. This undoubtedly told them a cruel fact: their child had left this world.

Ji Ruoxi, who had followed him in, looked up and saw this scene. He took a step forward and tried to take the child from Liang Qiulan's arms. But Liang Qiulan held the baby tightly in his arms until he said, "I can save him."

Liang Qiulan suddenly raised her head and looked at him with scorching eyes. Her once beautiful features were gone, leaving only fatigue and despair. After hearing his words, Liang Qiulan grasped at a lifeline and held the child in front of him with both hands.

Seeing this, he pulled a blue and white porcelain vase from his sleeve and poured out a turquoise pill. He pried open the baby's mouth and swallowed the round pill. A moment later, the baby's loud cry echoed from the previously silent room, and both Gu Cheng and Liang Qiulan showed joy.

At this moment, Gu Cheng knew that no matter how reluctant he was, the child had to leave him. Only in this way could he survive. Gu Cheng looked at Liang Qiulan's joyful expression, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings. He didn't know how to tell her about this.

At this time, Ji Ruoxi was the first to speak: "This pill can only keep him alive for three days. He can only survive if he returns with me to practice. At most, you will be able to wait for him in twenty years."

Liang Qiulan's smile froze instantly. She turned her gaze to her husband, who nodded helplessly. The fire that had just ignited in her heart was now poured with a bucket of cold water, and it no longer ignited a single spark. A martial artist, not one who cared about small matters, how could they take care of a baby? And how could she accept the loss of her one-day-old child?

But the facts were before them, and they had no other choice. After a brief discussion with Liang Qiulan, Gu Cheng finally decided to let Ji Ruoxi take the child away.

Before they parted, Ji Ruoxi handed them a sachet and instructed them, "Except for your closest relatives, do not tell anyone that the child is still alive. The more people who know, the more danger he will be in. This sachet contains the same elixir as the one just mentioned. The old lady is old and may not be able to accept this. This elixir can save her life."

Gu Cheng handed him a jade pendant with the words "Shi Yan" engraved on it. He said, "Just call him Gu Shi Yan. I hope he will be well all the time and every day."