Forbidden Area of Xuanyuan Mansion:
Xuan Yuancheng changed into the ceremonial attire with some unease, for some reason, he had a bad feeling.
My heart was pounding wildly, and I even felt a sense of loss, as if my right hand and right leg were about to slip out of my control...
When did it start?
While patrolling outside the city, he inexplicably felt a gaze watching him, but when he looked up, there was nothing there.
I forced myself to relax a bit. There was nothing to worry about. My father was just angry for a moment, and he would let me come back soon.
Even the ancestor valued him as always, and this time he even asked him to accompany him to the Floating Life Fruit ripening ceremony, to complete the most important step under the Floating Life Tree.
Just an hour before the ceremony began, he heard from his servants that someone else had come to the Xuanyuan family to claim kinship.
Who is it?
Why at such a crucial moment?
It is said to be a strange person with no hands or feet, brought by a farming couple. Not only did the head of the family personally come, but even the patriarch went.
Thinking of Tianning, Xuanyuan Cheng said, "Where did this swindler come from again!"
“This might not be…” said a cousin who was close to Xuan Yuancheng. “Xiao Cheng, someone went to take a look at that person’s appearance from afar, and I heard that he looks a lot like you. Who knows, he might really be some kind of brother of the family head… Sigh! Where are you going?”
The other young masters and ladies were curious, but they didn't dare to go and see.
Unlike Xuanyuan Cheng, he was the most beloved child of the Xuanyuan Ancestor from birth. He never had to worry about being beaten, and of course, he didn't care about being scolded for making mistakes.
He climbed over the wall and went into the yard to peek.
The farmers, their faces full of obsequiousness, said, "We heard that someone in the city stole something from the Xuanyuan family and fled. We felt that the girl who entrusted the person to us was acting suspiciously! So, we rushed here as fast as we could and brought the person over immediately... Ancestor! Clan Head! We are just rogue cultivators, we don't ask for much, we only ask that you consider our hard work even if we haven't done anything meritorious..."
He's just a guy who wants to get more benefits from the Xuanyuan family; Xuanyuan Cheng has seen countless people like him before.
Just as he was about to leave in frustration, he saw the face of the person lying on the stretcher, who had no limbs.
Xuan Yuancheng froze, his right hand trembling uncontrollably!
who is he?
"Xiao Cheng, what are you standing there for?" The kind voice of the Ancestor Xuanyuan came, clearly having noticed him long ago: "Since you're here, greet your uncle properly."
"uncle?"
Xuanyuan Cheng was puzzled?
“That’s right, he’s my distant cousin, so it’s not an exaggeration for you to call him uncle.” This time it was the head of the Xuanyuan family who spoke.
But the so-called uncle seemed to be a fool. He only glanced at him before his attention was immediately drawn to the crimson floating petals in mid-air. He seemed to like them very much and made "ah ah..." sounds, but he was completely unable to express himself.
"What's wrong with him?" Xuan Yuancheng asked.
"Don't worry about it, hurry back! Have all the preparations for the ceremony been completed?" the Xuanyuan family head urged.
“Sigh…Speaking of which, your uncle is pitiful, he’s been like this since birth,” the Xuanyuan Ancestor stopped the stern Xuanyuan family head. “Xiao Cheng, if you feel a connection with this uncle, you can stay with him a little longer. Your father and I have to go take care of some business.”
"But not for too long. Your uncle is not in good health. A servant will come to take him to my quiet courtyard later so he can take good care of his health."
The man's body trembled slightly as he mentioned the inescapable dungeon.
The two left the courtyard.
The Ancestor Xuanyuan removed the veil covering his face. His voice sounded as clear and melodious as a young man's, but beneath the veil was a thin, bony old man's body with graying temples and skin wrinkled like withered tree bark, which looked somewhat frightening.
He never revealed his true face to outsiders, and even members of the Xuanyuan clan rarely had the privilege of seeing this ancestor.
"After the ceremony, the two farmers who gave the gifts away should get rid of them quietly as soon as possible."
The old clansman Xuanyuan said coldly, "Fortunately, the person was brought back, so our losses this time weren't too great. It's just a pity about that runaway brat. If we had fed her to the Floating Life Tree, we wouldn't have had to kill so many people and waste so much time on this ceremony!"
"Yes..." the Xuanyuan family head replied respectfully.
"But Ancestor, is it really okay for you to let Xiao Cheng stay with that child? After all, they are also..."
"When did you become so timid?"
Ancestor Xuanyuan said dismissively, "They've come to this point, how can these children possibly turn things around? You've been Xiao Cheng's nominal father for so many years, what's wrong with letting them see him one last time?"
"Yes...yes...!" Patriarch Xuanyuan hurriedly replied, "I look forward to the day when you, Ancestor, accomplish your great task and allow my son's body to return to normal!"
"You've worked so hard for the Xuanyuan family for so many years, that's only natural."
...
Inside the courtyard, Xuan Yuan Chengye had absolutely no idea what to say to this silly uncle he had never met before.
He felt awkward and wanted to leave.
As he turned and stepped out, just as he reached the threshold, a deep voice rang out behind him: "Xuanyuan Cheng, you can call me Tianqi."
"You also have the surname Tian?"
Xuanyuan Cheng frowned and turned around, only to see that the farmer, whose face had been full of ingratiating smiles just moments before, now had a stiff expression and empty, lifeless eyes, like a puppet on a string.
The mentally challenged uncle seemed like a completely different person, especially the way he looked at him. Xuan Yuancheng couldn't quite put his finger on it... It was just like the way his ancestor used to look at him, like prey being watched, making him feel uneasy.
"you……"
“Your body is indeed quite good; no wonder Xuanyuan Hengzhi wanted it,” Tian Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “Speaking of which, you’ve seen her before, haven’t you?”
He stared at Xuan Yuan Cheng with a somber expression: "I think she would like it too." This body.
Xuan Yuancheng was completely baffled by the nonsensical words: "What are you talking about?"
Tianqi did not answer him: "You should call me brother rather than uncle."
This time, before Xuan Yuancheng could even speak, a servant came in.
"Young Master Cheng, we are following the instructions of the Ancestor to take people to the courtyard where they can recuperate."
At some point, the farmers reverted to their obsequious ways, and so did Tianqi.
It all seemed like an illusion—
Xuanyuan Cheng stood there in a daze until the servants took him away.
His entire right arm was in excruciating pain, and he had never felt so unfamiliar with the Xuanyuan family.
What does "younger brother" mean?
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