123: Real or Fake Young Master, I'm Not a Sniper 2

The words "true Young Lord" rolled off his tongue with extreme ease, but Qin Jiuge noticed that when he said them, a shadow of gloom flickered in the eyes of the ten children beside him.

Especially the five Elder sisters; they exchanged a meaningful look.

"I... I've always been dreaming, dreaming that I had a Family."

Qin Jiuge continued his act, his eyes turning slightly red.

"I didn't expect that all of this was real..."

Luo Qingxue seemed moved by his performance for a moment, but she immediately returned to her cold demeanor.

"Child, come home with Mother. We have everything at home; it's thousands, tens of thousands of times better than this Mortal Realm."

Qin Wuya also urged impatiently,

"Let's go, there are still many matters to handle in the Sect."

The cold sneer in Qin Jiuge's heart grew even stronger.

So eager to send me to my death?

But on the surface, he still nodded obediently.

"Alright, I'll go back with you. But... I have to arrange the affairs of the merchant guild first."

"No need."

Qin Wuya waved his hand grandly.

"What is there to miss about these worldly trifles of the Mortal Realm? Let's go."

Before his voice had even faded, a surge of Spiritual Qi swept up Qin Jiuge, carrying him directly onto the flying ship in the sky.

The flying ship was incomparably luxurious, pulled by nine flood dragons; its entire body was forged from Star Iron, emitting a shimmering, precious light.

Qin Jiuge was placed in a side cabin, while the rest of the Qin Family laughed and talked in the main cabin.

Through the porthole, Qin Jiuge saw those five Elder sisters discussing in low voices:

"This is that missing brother of ours? He looks so rustic."

"Staying in the Mortal Realm for too long, he's covered in the smell of money."

"His Aptitude is indeed quite good. Did you sense it? A Five Elements Heavenly Spiritual Root, unheard of in ten thousand years."

"It's a pity. For the sake of Brother Qin Lovable, we can only sacrifice him."

"Keep it down, don't let him hear you."

Qin Jiuge closed his eyes, but the smile at the corners of his mouth grew deeper and deeper.

Interesting, how very interesting... The Divine Sword Sect was situated at the peak of a sea of clouds, with the Wanjian Peak piercing into the heavens, immortal cranes dancing, and Spiritual Qi as thick as mist.

The Holy Radiance Holy Land was located in the adjacent Holy Light Mountain Range; the two Sects were closely related, together controlling nearly one-third of the Cultivation World's power.

When the flying ship landed on the Divine Sword Sect's square, thousands of Disciples had already lined up to welcome them.

"We welcome the Sect Master and the Saintess back to the Sect!"

The sound waves shook the heavens, their Aura magnificent.

Qin Jiuge was led off the flying ship by Qin Wuya, instantly becoming the focus of the entire field.

But in those gazes, there was no welcome, only curiosity, scrutiny, and undisguised contempt.

"This is the true Young Lord who was missing for many years?"

"He looks quite ordinary."

"I heard he was a merchant in the Mortal Realm, covered in worldly air."

"What a waste of such a good Spiritual Root. If he had been nurtured in the Sect from a young age, he'd probably be at the Nascent Soul stage by now, wouldn't he?"

"Shh, stop talking. I heard he was brought back just to save Senior Brother Qin Lovable..."

"Oh? So he's just a tool?"

Whispers spread through the crowd like mosquitoes. Though the voices weren't loud, with Qin Jiuge's hearing, he heard them crystal clear.

Qin Wuya seemed to have heard them too, but he made no sign, only saying indifferently to Qin Jiuge:

"Let's go, I'll take you to see your brother."

Qin Jiuge followed obediently, his gaze sweeping over the crowd on the square.

He discovered that it wasn't just the Disciples of the Divine Sword Sect; even the Elders and Disciples wearing the robes of the Holy Radiance Holy Land looked at him with eyes full of coldness and contempt.

An old woman wearing a Holy Land Elder's robe even spoke directly to Luo Qingxue:

"Saintess, this is your son who was missing for many years? His Aptitude is indeed not bad, it's just a pity he wasted so many years in the Mortal Realm."

Luo Qingxue responded indifferently:

"Elder Li is right. But having brought him back now, it's not too late."

Qin Jiuge sneered in his heart.

Not too late? Indeed, just in time to be used as a medicinal catalyst.

The group passed through many halls and reached an exquisite and luxurious courtyard.

The Spiritual Qi here was so dense it almost turned liquid; it was clearly one of the Sect's top-tier cultivation locations.

In the courtyard, on a white jade bed, lay a pale-faced young man.

He had handsome features, but his brow carried a sickly frailty; it was none other than Qin Lovable.

When Qin Lovable saw Qin Jiuge, a flicker of complex light flashed in his eyes—there was jealousy, pride, and a hint of imperceptible fear.

"Father, Mother, brothers and sisters, you're back."

Qin Lovable spoke weakly, his voice as soft as a feather.

"Lovable, how are you feeling?"

Luo Qingxue immediately stepped forward, holding Qin Lovable's hand with concern.

Qin Wuya also showed a rare gentle expression:

"Don't worry, we've already found a way to save you."

The five Elder brothers and five Elder sisters crowded around even more, each expressing their concern, completely leaving Qin Jiuge aside.

Qin Jiuge stood quietly at the door, coldly watching this scene of a "warm" Family reunion.

After a good while, Qin Wuya seemed to finally remember Qin Jiuge's existence and turned to say to him:

"Jiuge, come and meet your brother."

Qin Jiuge stepped forward slowly, and Qin Lovable's gaze met his.

"Is this... Brother Jiuge?"

Qin Lovable revealed a weak smile.

"I'm so sorry, because of this broken body of mine, Brother had to be brought back..."

"It's no matter."

Qin Jiuge said indifferently.

"Between brothers, we should support each other."

These words were spoken plainly, but everyone present heard a hint of irony.

Qin Lovable's smile stiffened for a moment before returning to normal.

"Brother is truly magnanimous. But... I heard Father say that to save me, Brother's Five Elements Heavenly Spiritual Root is needed as a catalyst. This... how can that be?"

He looked at Qin Wuya and Luo Qingxue, his eyes brimming with tears:

"Father, Mother, I cannot harm Brother Jiuge's life just so I can live. He is your biological son!"

These words were spoken with such sincerity that if Qin Jiuge hadn't already known the truth, he would have almost been moved.

Luo Qingxue sighed softly and stroked Qin Lovable's head:

"Silly child, your life is also a life. Besides, Jiuge... he's doing it voluntarily, right, Jiuge?"

She turned to look at Qin Jiuge, her eyes carrying an unquestionable pressure.

Qin Wuya also said in a deep voice:

"Jiuge, you are a son of the Qin Family. Making a sacrifice for the Family is your honor."

"Furthermore, Lovable is also your brother. Between brothers, you should help each other."

Among the five Elder brothers, the eldest, Qin Wushuang, spoke up:

"Jiuge, we know this is unfair to you, but Lovable has brought so much joy to our Qin Family over the years."

"Just consider it doing your brothers a favor, alright?"

The five Elder sisters also spoke up one after another:

"Brother Jiuge, Lovable really needs you."

"Just agree to it, we will always remember your kindness."

"You are our biological brother after all; you should be able to understand how we feel, right?"

Qin Jiuge looked around.

In the room, besides the Qin Family, there were also a dozen or so Elders from the Divine Sword Sect and the Holy Radiance Holy Land.

They were all expressionless, but the meaning revealed in their eyes was clear—sacrificing one to save another was a very worthwhile trade.

A Holy Land Elder even said directly:

"Qin Jiuge, being able to sacrifice yourself to save Qin Lovable is a blessing you've earned over three lifetimes."

"Although Qin Lovable is only an adopted son, he has made great contributions to the relationship between our two Sects over the years."

"As for you, besides this Spiritual Root, what other value do you have?"

Another Divine Sword Sect Elder echoed:

"Indeed, you wasted decades in the Mortal Realm. Even if you started to Cultivate now, it would be difficult to reach Major Achievement."

"It's better to use your Spiritual Root to save Qin Lovable; consider it a contribution to the Sect."

Qin Jiuge listened quietly, no anger in his heart, only a cold sense of amusement.

When everyone had finished speaking, he finally spoke slowly:

"I can sacrifice myself to save Brother Qin Lovable."

As soon as these words came out, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and an irrepressible joy flashed in Qin Lovable's eyes.

"However,"

Qin Jiuge continued,

"I have one request."

Qin Wuya frowned:

"What request?"

"I want all of you, including the Divine Sword Sect and the Holy Radiance Holy Land, to hold a grand birthday banquet for me."

Qin Jiuge said calmly,

"I've lived for so many years, but I've never had a birthday."

"Before I die, I want to celebrate a birthday once. This request isn't too much, is it?"

The room went quiet for a moment.

Qin Wuya and Luo Qingxue looked at each other, impatience flashing in their eyes, but it was quickly masked.

"It's not too much."

Qin Wuya nodded,

"It is only right."

Luo Qingxue also said softly:

"Child, Mother will hold the grandest birthday banquet in the Cultivation World for you."

Although the five Elder brothers and five Elder sisters were somewhat reluctant, thinking that this was merely the final wish of a dying person, they also nodded in agreement one after another.

Qin Lovable even said considerately:

"Brother Jiuge, don't worry, I will definitely have Father and Mother make the banquet spectacular."

Qin Jiuge smiled:

"Then, thank you all."

He turned to leave the room, and when he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and pointed to a steep cliff in the distance shrouded in clouds and mist:

"The scenery on that cliff should be very beautiful."

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, but they only saw a hazy expanse of clouds and mist.

Qin Wuya didn't understand:

"You want to go there and see? After the banquet is over, I can have a Disciple take you."

"No need."

Qin Jiuge shook his head,

"I just think the view from there must be very good."

After saying that, he left the room directly.

Behind him, everyone looked at each other, all feeling that this Qin Jiuge was somewhat inexplicable.

"He probably knows he's going to die, so his mind isn't quite right."

A Holy Land Elder sneered.

Qin Lovable lay on the bed, but a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes.

For some reason, Qin Jiuge's last sentence made him feel inexplicably uneasy... Three days later, the Divine Sword Sect and the Holy Radiance Holy Land jointly announced that they would be holding a grand birthday banquet for the long-lost true Young Lord, Qin Jiuge.

When the news spread, the entire Cultivation World was shaken.

Under the joint efforts of the two Sects, the speed of the banquet's preparation was astonishingly fast.

The main venue was set at the Divine Sword Sect's largest "Tianjian Square," which was large enough to accommodate a hundred thousand people.

The square was rearranged, the ground paved with white jade stones transported from the South Sea, thousands of spiritual lamps were hung all around, and countless blooming spiritual flowers floated in the air.

The ingredients for the banquet were even more luxurious to the extreme—thousand-year-old Lingzhi as side dishes, ten-thousand-year-old spiritual fruits as snacks, dragon liver and phoenix marrow as the main course, and jade nectar flowing like water.

The invitees included all the prominent figures of the Cultivation World:

Sect Masters of major Sects, Holy Lords of Holy Lands, heads of great families, Loose Cultivator powerhouses... almost all the top-tier figures of the Cultivation World received invitations.

However, no one was truly celebrating Qin Jiuge's birthday.

All the guests knew full well that this banquet was merely a front; Qin Jiuge would soon be sacrificed as a medicinal catalyst.

They came to attend, on one hand, to give Face to the Divine Sword Sect and the Holy Radiance Holy Land,

And on the other hand, because they wanted to witness this play of "deep brotherly love" with their own eyes.