Chapter 531: Virtual scare

Yun Qinghong's reaction was even more intense than Yun Che had anticipated. For someone like Yun Qinghong, even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, he would remain unfazed. However, "loyalty" and "righteousness" were more important to him than life itself. How could he accept the fact that his best brother in this life, who had saved his entire family, had died because of him, leading to the collapse of his brother's own family?

Mu Yurou supported Yun Qinghong. She was the person who understood him best in the world, and she knew how devastating this news would be for him. She offered no words of comfort, instead silently weeping with him.

Yun Che comforted him, "Father, Uncle Xiao passed away twenty-two years ago. Perhaps he has already been reincarnated and is living a more perfect life than his previous one. Please don't blame yourself or be sad anymore. You are the head of the Yun family, the pillar of our entire clan, and father to both Yun Xiao and me. Nothing in this world can defeat you."

"I'm fine... I'm fine... I'm fine... I'm fine..."

Yun Qinghong repeated "I'm fine" four times, his eyes unfocused and his face still deathly pale, showing no sign of actually being fine. Yun Xiao bit his lip, stepped forward, and said loudly, "Father, please don't be like this. This isn't your fault. And... my birth father was your good brother. Even if he died saving you, he surely died without regret or unwillingness. I believe that if my birth father had been the one escaping back then, you would have made the same choice, even knowing the consequences. So, Father, please don't blame yourself. This was my birth father's own choice. He wouldn't blame you, and no one else will blame you either. If you live well and take care of yourself, it will bring even more peace to my birth father's spirit in heaven."

Although Xiao Ying was Yun Xiao's birth father, he was a name Yun Xiao had never seen or remembered. In fact, it was only today that he learned of his existence. Therefore, he had no substantial emotional connection to his birth father beyond their blood ties. Upon hearing that Xiao Ying was no longer alive, there was a momentary, piercing pain and emptiness deep within his bloodline, but not much profound sorrow, at least not like the shock Yun Qinghong experienced. Meanwhile, Yun Qinghong had been his guardian for over twenty years.

Yun Che hadn't expected Yun Xiao to not only keep his emotions in check but also turn around and comfort Yun Qinghong. For Yun Qinghong, Yun Xiao's words of comfort were more meaningful than a thousand others', because Yun Xiao was Xiao Ying's descendant, a continuation of his bloodline. Yun Qinghong's endless gratitude and self-reproach towards Xiao Ying could now be repaid and focused on Yun Xiao. The comfort from Yun Xiao was almost akin to a forgiveness from the Xiao family itself.

Yun Qinghong's eyes gradually regained their clarity. He stared blankly at Yun Xiao, then suddenly reached out and gripped Yun Xiao's shoulders. "Xiao'er, do you really... not blame me? It was I who caused you to lose your birth parents..."

"No, I don't." Yun Xiao shook his head without hesitation. "And even though I lost my birth parents, didn't Heaven compensate me with the most loving father and mother? I only feel respect and gratitude for you both; how could I ever blame you? My birth parents, if they have spirits in heaven, surely wouldn't blame you either. On the contrary, saving a good brother with one's life should be a kind of satisfaction and happiness for them. Just like... if one day, Big Brother were in danger, and my life could save him, I would do so without any regrets."

"Yun Xiao..." Yun Che murmured.

"Good... good child!" Yun Qinghong patted Yun Xiao's shoulder heavily, then looked up and suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha... You truly are my son, Yun Qinghong's son! And Xiao Ying's son! Brother Xiao, if your spirit is in heaven and you see that you have such a son, you must be laughing freely too... Brother Xiao, your son is my son! Rest assured, as long as I, Yun Qinghong, still draw breath, I will never allow anyone to bully our shared son!"

"Xiao'er, thank you," Mu Yurou said softly. She knew that without Yun Xiao's words, Yun Qinghong, who valued loyalty more than life itself, would have found it difficult to accept all of this so quickly.

"Che'er, how is Grandpa Xiao, who raised you?" Yun Qinghong asked.

"Grandpa is very well, and quite healthy now," Yun Che said, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "It's just that he has endured a lot of hardship over the years. The pain of losing a son, the grief of losing his wife... he had to bear all of it and raise both my aunt and me. Moreover, my profound veins were crippled from childhood, making me unable to cultivate profound energy, which made me a laughingstock in the family and even the entire Floating Cloud City. This also subjected Grandpa to endless ridicule, and his status in the Xiao family plummeted. Yet, despite bearing all of this, Grandpa never showed an ounce of resentment towards me, the 'culprit.' Instead, he showered me with the same love he gave my aunt, watching me grow, shielding me from adversity, teaching me how to be a person, and comforting me time and again when I was mocked and bullied. All the while, he painstakingly searched for the culprit who killed Uncle Xiao and tirelessly sought renowned doctors and miraculous medicines that might heal my profound veins..."

Yun Qinghong had no doubt that a father who could raise a son like Xiao Ying must be truly great and extraordinary. He sighed deeply and said, "Che'er, our family must remember the Xiao family's immense kindness forever, for as long as we live! Grandpa Xiao, who raised you... he is your true grandfather for life! In the future, no matter what heights you reach or what remarkable achievements you attain, you can never forget this!"

"Yes!" Yun Che nodded emphatically. He turned to Yun Xiao and said, "Yun Xiao, even though your birth parents are no longer with us, you still have a grandfather in this world. He is a very loving and great grandpa. A few years ago, after I achieved some success, he felt relieved but also developed a desire to die. It wasn't until I told him you might still be alive that he regained hope and extinguished that desire. If there's ever a way to return to the Profound Sky Continent, I must take you back with me. Grandpa will be incredibly happy to see you... You also have a great-aunt. Although she's a year younger than you, she's a dear relative. She's very mischievous and kind; you'll be glad to have such a family member when you meet her... And you also have a fiancée by pre-arrangement... Uh..."

"Fiancée by pre-arrangement?" Yun Xiao's eyes widened.

Yun Che had been speaking a bit excitedly and inadvertently blurted out the "childhood engagement" that was actually between Yun Xiao and Xia Qingyue. The moment he said it, he was stunned. Facing Yun Xiao's innocent gaze, he could only give an awkward laugh and say, "Um, Father, Mother, there's something I forgot to tell you. I got married when I was on the Profound Sky Continent."

"Oh?" A smile appeared on Yun Qinghong's face.

"Really?" Mu Yurou exclaimed, her expression a mix of excitement and nervousness. "So, I have a daughter-in-law already? How old is she, and whose daughter is she? Is she pretty? Is her temperament gentle? Does she treat you well?"

After Mu Yurou's string of questions, Yun Che scratched his head, a little embarrassed. "I got married when I was sixteen, and... actually... the person I married was the one whose father and Uncle Xiao had arranged a marriage for before she and Yun Xiao were born. So... well... I ended up marrying her."

If it weren't for the events of that year, Yun Xiao should have been the one to marry Xia Qingyue. Although Yun Che had been completely unaware at the time, he had, in fact, taken Yun Xiao's fiancée. He said with a hint of trepidation, "Yun Xiao, you won't blame me for taking your... uh, childhood fiancée, will you?"

Yun Xiao froze for a moment, finally understanding. He then quickly waved his hands, a touch of panic even appearing on his face. "No, no, no... absolutely not! I already have Seventh Sister... It's good that Big Brother married her, it's good."

Yun Xiao even seemed a little relieved. After speaking, he lowered his voice and whispered to Yun Che, "Big Brother, this... the fact that I had this fiancée, you absolutely must not tell Seventh Sister. Otherwise... she might get angry."

"Oh! I definitely won't," Yun Che quickly promised. He had been unnecessarily alarmed.

"By the way... what's the name of my childhood fiancée... oh, no, no, I mean my sister-in-law? And is she pretty?" Yun Xiao asked cautiously. Although Yun Xiao had absolutely no interest in other women, anyone would have an uncontrollable curiosity about a "childhood engagement."

Yun Che stroked his chin. "Her name is Xia Qingyue, and she's the same age as us. She's quite pretty, but her personality is a bit detached. Her greatest pursuit is profound energy; she's not very interested in anything else besides cultivation. She joined her sect a few days after we got married, and in the years that followed, I barely saw her. As for now, she probably even forgot about me."

"Oh!" Yun Xiao nodded. Immediately, an image of a woman with lifeless eyes, a stiff face, and a cold expression formed in his mind. As he thought about it, he silently shrank his neck and let out a huge sigh of relief. *Phew!* It's a good thing Big Brother married her. If he had married such a woman, he would have died of boredom. Seventh Sister is the best; her voice is so cute, her eyes are so cute, her temper is so cute, and she's even cute when she's angry...*Wait? Pretty? Can she be prettier than my Seventh Sister?* Yun Xiao thought with firm conviction.

"Someone Xiao Ying was willing to arrange a marriage with would certainly not be bad," Mu Yurou said, her eyes becoming misty again. "I can't believe my son is already married."

Yun Che moved his lips but ultimately decided not to reveal that he actually had two wives. Furthermore, he couldn't mention that he had a child with another woman besides his wives, as that would only add to their worries.

"Che'er, what happened with your profound veins? Who healed them?" Yun Qinghong asked, voicing a long-held doubt.

Yun Che replied, "I had two masters. One taught me medical skills, and the other recast my profound veins when I was sixteen, guiding me in cultivation and training."

Yun Qinghong was deeply moved. "You are only twenty-two years old, yet your medical skills far surpass those of the number one divine physician in the Illusory Demon Realm... You had your profound veins recast at sixteen, meaning you've only cultivated for six years. In just six years of cultivation, your profound energy at the Sky Profound Realm can easily defeat an early Tyrant Profound practitioner. Your two masters must truly be unparalleled prodigies."

His Medical Saint master was indeed an unparalleled prodigy.As for Jasmine...She was simply an incomprehensible monster!