Chapter 9: Home & Scolding

Chapter 9: Home & ScoldingMorning sunlight began spilling gently through the treetops, casting golden rays over the Yu Clan’s back mountain.

In many clans, it was tradition for male cultivators to sunbathe at dawn — it was believed that morning sunlight helped enhance yang energy, which contributed to bodily vitality and long-term health. Definitely not for suspicious purposes, no matter what certain Elders implied.

And in this serene atmosphere, two children were still peacefully asleep on the forest floor — Yu Xuan and Yu Lingluo. Their clothes were no longer damp, having dried mysteriously overnight, as if the forest itself respected a good nap.

Unfortunately, not everything in nature had manners.

High above, an Egirl — a rare flying spiritual beast known for its breathtaking blue feathers and unreasonably sharp eyesight — soared through the skies.

And, deciding it was time to bless the world...

...it pooped.

Right onto the sleeping face of Yu Xuan.

With expert aim.

The Egirl screeched in satisfaction and vanished into the clouds.

Meanwhile, in the dream realm, Yu Xuan was heroically slaying a great evil dragon and preparing to marry not one, but seven princesses who were all clapping for him.



Then... the sky in his dream suddenly turned blue.

Suspiciously... creamy blue.

He woke up.

And realized his lips felt wrong.

Something... moist. Soft. Foreign.

He licked his lips instinctively.

Then paused.

His entire being froze.


"...No."

He raised his hand slowly to wipe his mouth, and his expression turned thunderous.

"DAMMIT!!!"

His voice echoed across the quiet trees like a war cry from a fallen general.

Lingluo jerked awake with a grumble. "What are you screami—"

She looked at him.

And burst into laughter.

Loud, unrestrained laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!! What happened to your face?! Did a divine beast declare war on your dignity?!"

Yu Xuan didn’t reply. He simply stood up with dead eyes and walked straight to the river.

He knelt, cupped water in both hands, and furiously scrubbed at his face with all the desperation of someone trying to erase history.

Lingluo followed, still trying to suppress her laughter.

"I’m not laughing, really," she said, biting her lip. "This is... just inner joy."

Yu Xuan growled. "If this ever leaves your mouth, I’m telling everyone about the flying goat incident."

She went quiet.

Then nodded solemnly. "Understood."

After a few minutes of scrubbing, Yu Xuan finally looked clean — but his expression remained stormy.

"We should head back," he muttered. "If Dad finds out we were gone all night, he’ll definitely increase my training."

"Yeah," Lingluo agreed, stretching. "It’s morning anyway. Let’s sneak back before breakfast."

The two siblings dusted themselves off, glanced one last time at the shattered raft remains, and began their quiet trek back toward the core area — unaware that they were already being watched.

In the morning light, atop a winding cliff path overlooking the back mountain stream, three robed Elders stood calmly — teacups in hand, gazes serene.

They said nothing at first, watching as the two small figures — muddy, tired, and still somehow bickering — emerged from the forest clearing below.

A breeze carried the sound of the girl’s laughter, followed by the boy dramatically splashing river water on his face.

One Elder sipped his tea. "Well. Looks like they survived."

Another nodded. "And possibly learned something."

The third smiled faintly. "Youthful chaos... It does bring back memories."

And with that, they turned and strolled back toward the Clan Hall — leaving the morning to the children, and the lessons to life itself.



***

By the time Yu Xuan and Yu Lingluo reached the outer gardens of the Yu Clan’s core estate, the sun was fully up.

And so were the guards.

And the maids.

And the Elders.

And about half the clan’s core disciples doing morning sword practice.

Basically... everyone.

The moment they stepped through the ornate stone archway, three maids gasped in collective horror.

"Young Master! Young Miss! You’re both filthy!"

"You’ve been out all night?!"

"What is that smell—OH HEAVENS, IS THAT... BIRD POOP?!"

A chorus of shocked murmurs followed.

Yu Xuan’s eye twitched. "It’s gone now. Let us never speak of it again."

Before they could slink away and pretend none of this had happened, a calm, deep voice cut through the courtyard like a sword of responsibility.

"So... this is the grand adventure I was not informed about."

Both siblings froze.

They turned slowly.

Standing with arms folded, looking more like a celestial statue than a man, was Yu Changming — Clan Patriarch and their father. His robe flowed like clouds, and his face was calm... with a smile.

Yu Xuan coughed and replied, "Father. We were... strengthening our survival instincts."

"Yeah... I saw that coming," said another voice.

From behind a hallway curtain stepped Huan Lianhua — their mother, in full Matriarch-mode. She was dressed in flowing robes, her moonlight hair pinned with silver petals, and her eyes gleamed with gentle amusement... and a hint of interrogation.

"Xuan’er," she said sweetly, "you’re not still spending half your library time on fairy tales, are you?"

Yu Xuan avoided her gaze. Indeed, he had been spending long hours at the clan library. He was supposed to be reading about cultivation manuals and ancient clan history. But in truth... the mythical fairy books with talking beasts and sky castles were way more interesting.

Both of them got lightly scolded. Not harshly — just enough to sting the pride, not the heart.

Then their parents’ tone shifted.

Soft amusement gave way to quiet gravity.

"From tomorrow," Yu Changming said, "your training begins."

"Proper training," Huan Lianhua added. "Not fairy tale sword swings or floating down rivers."

"You must be prepared."

The words were said kindly, but firmly.

Yu Xuan and Lingluo nodded obediently... but only half-seriously. They didn’t quite grasp what "proper training" meant yet.

They would come to regret that.

"Before you run," Lianhua said with a smile far too radiant to be comforting, "a bath has been prepared."

Yu Xuan’s face lit up. "Finally!"

"In the purification pool," she added.



Both siblings stopped.

"...The cold one?" Yu Lingluo asked, horrified.

"With the bitter herbs?" Yu Xuan whispered.

"The very same." Lianhua said, still smiling.

"...I regret everything," said Yu Xuan.

"I regret nothing," said Lingluo proudly.

And with that, two cheerful maids appeared and began dragging the muddy, squealing duo toward the Purification Pool — their complaints echoing through the estate.

Yu Changming sighed, watching them go. "They remind me of us."

"Oh? So you were the well-behaved one?", Lianhua raised an eyebrow.

Yu Changming looked away suspiciously.

Lianhua gasped. "Wait. You were really...?"

He cleared his throat and straightened his sleeves. "Let us not dwell on the past."