“Why has Aunt come?” Seeing the woman approaching, Xiao Qing felt a stir in his heart.
The newcomer was Xiao Zhan’s wife, the Clan Chief’s wife, Yan Qian!
Not only that, Yan Qian and Xiao Qing’s mother were biological sisters, which meant she was also Xiao Qing’s maternal aunt!
It was precisely because of this blood relation that Xiao Zhan showed such care for Xiao Qing.
As Yan Qian drew closer, her features became clear.
Yan Qian had a refined appearance, and one could see a faint resemblance to Xiao Qing’s mother in her eyes, carrying the beauty of a lady from a noble house.
However, this beauty seemed to be shrouded in a layer of sickness.
Her face had an unhealthy pallor, lacking color, and her lips, which should have been rosy, now appeared pale.
Even her breathing seemed fainter than that of an ordinary person.
Xiao Qing knew the root cause of all this.
This was the ailment Yan Qian had suffered since giving birth to Xiao Yan years ago due to the severe loss of her Origin Qi.
Years had passed, and instead of recovering, it seemed to be growing heavier.
Looking at his aunt’s forced spirit which could not hide her frailty, a complex bitterness welled up in Xiao Qing’s heart.
‘Who would have thought that such a gentle and kind woman would pass away in just over half a year?’ Thinking of this, the thought entered his mind uncontrollably, causing his gaze to dim slightly.
The world is fickle; fate sometimes seems so cruel!
Watching this warm yet faintly tragic scene, Xiao Qing suppressed his emotions and put on a smile, saying to Yan Qian, “Aunt, why have you come over?” Yan Qian had reached them.
She first glanced at her husband, Xiao Zhan, and then fixed her gaze on Xiao Qing.
A warm smile appeared on her pale face as she said, “I saw you two talking from afar.
Qing’er, when it’s your turn for the test later, just relax and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.” Her voice was gentle, carrying the care of an elder for a junior, yet it also held a hint of weakness from a lack of strength.
As she spoke, she gently nudged the sturdy little Xiao Yan beside her and said, “Yan’er, quickly greet your cousin Xiao Qing.” Xiao Yan looked up, a light not typical for his age flickering deep in his eyes as he began to size up Xiao Qing.
He seemed somewhat curious but still called out in a “childish” voice, “Cousin Xiao Qing…” Xiao Yan tilted his head.
He had a vague impression of this cousin who was several years older than him, but mostly he was curious.
In his current memories, this Cousin Xiao Qing seemed to always stay at home, buried in hard cultivation.
Wouldn’t it be boring to sit facing the air for so long?
At this time, Xiao Yan had not yet begun to Cultivate, so his heart was filled with confusion.
“Wife, why have you come?
Didn’t I tell you to rest well at home?” Xiao Zhan’s tone was full of worry and love for his wife.
As soon as he saw her, he immediately stepped forward and carefully supported her slender arm.
When his gaze touched her still-pale face, his brow furrowed involuntarily, his heart filled with concern.
Xiao Zhan’s broad palm could feel the thinness of his wife’s arm and a frailty that seemed as if she could be easily blown away by the wind.
Sensing her husband’s worry, Yan Qian gently patted Xiao Zhan’s large hand and gave him a reassuring smile.
She said softly, “Isn’t today the day for the clan’s Dou Zhi Qi test?
Yan’er is very curious about the test, so I brought him to take a look.
He’s also nearly at the stage to begin cultivating Dou Zhi Qi!” As she spoke, her gaze fell on the “little tot” at her feet.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan immediately gave a “harsh” glare to Xiao Yan, who was hiding beside his mother, and let out a dissatisfied snort from his nose.
Did this brat not know his mother wasn’t feeling well?
But seeing his son, who wasn’t even as tall as his own leg, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything too harsh.
He just kept a stiff face and muttered a low scolding, “You little brat!” Glared at by his father, the pressure from his Bloodline made Xiao Yan subconsciously shrink his neck.
His small head drooped, and his eyes stared at his own toes.
At the same time, he “discreetly” tugged at his mother’s sleeve.
—Father is most afraid of Mother!
This was the valuable conclusion Xiao Yan had reached through long-term observation.
“Don’t scold Yan’er,” Yan Qian said, shaking her head with a chuckle.
She reached out her other, slightly cool hand and gently stroked her son’s soft hair, her fingers lightly brushing through his black locks to bail him out.
“Actually…
I also wanted to come and see the children of our Xiao Family, to see the future of our Xiao Family…” As she spoke, her gaze returned to the bustling plaza, her eyes full of hope and care for the Family’s future.
Xiao Zhan looked at his wife’s gentle yet persistent manner and could only shake his head helplessly, his tone full of indulgence: “You…” He knew his wife’s character too well; she seemed weak on the outside but had her own persistence and opinions on the inside.
If he said a few more words, he was afraid he would be the one getting a gentle “reprimand.” Yan Qian looked away from her husband and back at Xiao Qing.
She sized him up, her eyes showing a bit of emotion.
She let out a soft sigh and said, “Before I knew it, Qing’er has grown so much…” The youth before her was tall and upright, his height almost catching up to hers.
His features held a faint shadow of her sister from years ago, making her heart ache slightly while also feeling greatly relieved.
At this moment, as if remembering something, Yan Qian took an object from her bosom and placed it in Xiao Qing’s palm.
It was a ring, entirely black and extremely ancient in style.
One couldn’t tell exactly what material it was cast from, but it brought a heavy, chilly sensation.
The surface of the ring seemed to be inscribed with some long-blurred patterns, but because of its age or wear, it was difficult to discern any specific shapes.
“Sigh,” Yan Qian looked at the black ring, her eyes dimming with a faint sorrow.
She sighed and said, “This is a keepsake left behind by my sister.
I only happened to find it while organizing old belongings recently.
I thought…
perhaps it should be given to you to keep.” ‘A black ring…’ ‘Could this be…
the very ring from the original story that sucked dry Xiao Yan’s Dou Zhi Qi for three years, eventually causing him to become a waste?!’ ‘The hiding place of Yao Lao from the legendary Heaven Rank Dou Skill—Ghost Possession?!’ Xiao Qing’s gaze involuntarily fell on the black ring in his palm.
His pupils couldn’t help but shrink, and his heart rate accelerated sharply!
Immense shock instantly welled up in his heart as countless memory fragments regarding the original work flooded his mind!
Xiao Qing tried his best to control his facial expressions so as not to reveal his shock.
But deep inside, a monstrous wave had already been stirred up!
This seemingly ordinary ring represented the beginning of a legendary story!
An old man capable of changing the fates of countless people!