After introducing the boys to their uncle, Liana urged that they rushed back to the clan's mansion to rescind his execution.
"My execution?" Perplexed, Luan uttered.
"Yes, the elders complained that they had spent a lot of resources and money trying to heal you, that even maintaining your life was costly. The only reason they continued to show support is because of the contribution father has made over the years.
Father…
A rough memory of his father came to his mind and Luan couldn't help but smile.
If one would have told him in the past that he would miss his father as much as he does, he would have fought the person.
His relationship with his father was a fiery one.
"Though many of us opposed this notion, they still went ahead with the order, saying that they wanted to help put you out of your misery… if father was around, things wouldn't have degraded this much." Liana finished clenching her fists.
"Father is dead?" A strong surge of grief filled Luan heart. "I see, it's been over two thousand years, surely he lived a fulfilled life."
"What?" Liana uttered, not hiding the mirth in her voice. She found what Luan said to be funny.
It wasn't a strange thing to hear her brother curse their father. The only thing strange was he expression he made.
"It's only been twenty years since your illness began, father's not dead yet. He left to join the war, a mandatory summon from the Emperor. And if it has been over two thousand years, won't you be the first to become a corpse? Your cultivation realm can barely support you for two centuries." She finished with a chuckle.
It was at this point some realization hit Luan.
Indeed, before his illness… before he left this world, he had barely achieved anything cultivation wise. If two thousand years had truly elapsed, then how was he still alive?
The younger Luan didn't think he was suited to be a cultivator, and so he opposed the idea by not taking his lessons seriously.
He also deliberately restrained his progress, claiming that he had no talent for it.
Luan, then, wanted to be allowed to choose his path, but how could they let him do such?
This was a world of cultivators, yes there are mortals in this world, but his family didn't come from a line of mortals. Their lineage was filled with powerful cultivators.
And as one of the Military Families under the Emperor, they took pride in producing powerful and loyal soldiers from their bloodlines.
All of this made the rebellious and youthful Luan angry. Was he born to die for the ambitions of another man?
Work around his goals just so he could soothe the path of a bigger man?
But this wasn't the question with the most weight to him at the moment.
Luan wondered…
Was everything he experienced in that world only a dream? Was any of it real?
Had he only been asleep for over twenty years?
If he hadn't so stubbornly held on to his life in that world, would he had returned earlier?
There were many instances where he considered death, long before he took in disciples. But he refused to give in.
Father did say that I was a stubborn fool…
A bittersweet feeling.
He was happy to be back, at the same time, Luan couldn't forget the experience he had in that world, real or not, he experienced it.
The pain, the suffering of two thousand years…
Seeing that her brother was in his thoughts, Liana feared that he would relapse. "Let's head back home."
Quickly, She placed her boys on her brother's laps, one on each, before pushing the wheel chair.
She had only taken a step, but they had already crossed a considerable amount of distance.
The weight of the boys had woken Luan from his thoughts. Though they were not as heavy as his sister, they still made his legs hurt. But he wasn't going to say anything.
With how fast his sister moved, at the same time, protecting him and his nephews from the pressure of the air with her Qi, he couldn't help but be proud.
Liana has definitely achieved much in the last twenty years. Luan smiled, feeling proud of his sister.
Wait, it's only been twenty years. Meaning that I'm around thirty-eight years old… Liana should be thirty-three… who got my sister pregnant at such a young age?
As this thought crossed Luan's mind, something similar to the rage that turned him into a demon filled his heart. His killing intent was about to surge out, but he restrained himself, knowing how much damage it could cause to his nephews.
Let's take things slowly. I'll figure out who the bastard is sooner or later and make him pay.
With an exhale, Luan smiled.
If anyone from his family, or even anyone with general awareness heard his thoughts, they would laugh at him for being ignorant and arrogant.
Due to his inability to cultivate for the past twenty years, his meridains had dried up, making him no different from any mortal on the outside.
Someone like this wished to deal with the man who impregnated his little sister…
Mind you, his family wasn't a small one that could be easily bullied by anyone. Would they have let some hobo mess around with his sister?
As they moved, Luan to notice of his surroundings. The scenery looked familiar, nostalgic even, but at the same time, everything looked different.
It didn't take long before the stopped in front a bronze gate, one that Luan recognized very much.
Etched on the bronze gate was a gigantic ape holding a halberd.
The Spirit Beast of his clan. The same very beast that his clan's Cultivation Manual was derived from.
The Red Demon.
Nine Hells Ape.
An ancient Beast.
Or so the story was told to them as kids.
Luan even believed the story in the past, taking pride in their ancestry. However, now it was a bit… lackluster.
The gate swung open, courtesy of the guard.
A man clad in a simple iron armor. As soon as he opened the gate, he froze.
"Young master Luan?" His gaze held questions that he dared not say.
Luan smiled at the man, as though answering his unspoken question.
Not caring about the guard, Liana took a step forward, leaving a blur in her wake as she sped into the land of her family's home.
Their family was well to do.
A pseudo noble family, a very wealthy one. Blessed with fortunate findings and talented individuals that turned many of their opportunities into profits.
Luan's family's land was quite big, capable of housing a few villages with some space to spare. The entire family lived here, at least to the best of his knowledge.
"Elders! Elders! Second Grandpa! Good news!" Liana shouted as she approached the main building of her family's mansion.
Almost immediately, several figures appeared in front of the main building.
They were alarmed by Liana's calling, at the same time, they could hear the excitement in her voice.
A few of the elders doted on Liana too, and they couldn't help but respond to her calls.
Seeing her rush forward, none of them paid attention to Luan at first, not until they saw the kids seated on his lap.
"Elders! Brother is back, he's not ill anymore?" Liana said as she stopped in the middle of the gathered elders.
None of them questioned the validity of her words as they could also see a stark difference in the countenance and eyes of Luan.
"Luan?" A man with grey hairs all over his head and a long beard, called out. This was who Liana referred to as Second Grandpa, her grandfather's elder brother.
Second Grandpa was unsure, even suspecting that the young man had been possessed.
Though he could tell that there was some clarity in the young man's gaze, however, his gaze held something else that felt abnormal.
All the elders here that met his gaze felt a chill run down their spines. It was almost as if they we're staring into an abyss.
Many of them even assumed that Luan had been possessed.
"Liana, get the boys." Second Grandpa said. His tone and reaction was completely different from what Liana expected.
Before she could react, two elders went forward and picked the boys off Luan's laps. Then a third elder stepped forward and a silver disk appeared on his palm, alongside a talisman.
This elder had a stern face, and carried much resemblance to Second Grandpa, albeit a long beard.
Seeing this, Luan's brows arched. Their reactions to his return, also surprised him.
Almost every elder present was related to him by blood, and though he disliked them when he was younger, he somewhat missed them too after two millenniums.
Nonetheless, he didn't sense any intent of harm, rather, they were suspicious.
Moreover, even if they did wish to harm him, Luan's body was too weak to do anything about it.
A light burst from the silver disk and enveloped Luan. It felt as if the light was peering into his mind and soul, which was very uncomfortable.
But the process ended as quickly as it came.
"He's not been possessed. This is indeed, Luan." The elder with the silver disk announced. His stern face morphed into a relieved smile.
The other elders smiled.
It was indeed a joyous thing to have a family member back, at least they wouldn't have to execute him and carry the guilt of their forced decisions to their graves.
Luan looked at the elder. If I'm not mistaken, he should be grandfather's second cousin.
"Liana, come," Second Grandpa called out to her. "How did this happen? How was your brother healed?"
Liana began recalling what had happened to her elders as they moved into the building.