45: relatives

"Brother Liu, Brother Liu, your second son has made something of himself!"

In a humble little courtyard by the foot of the mountain, a villager ran to the gate and shouted.

Liu Yi, who was sleeping, heard someone coming in a daze, but he didn't get up; he just rolled over and continued to sleep.

He had stayed up all night gambling and lost quite a bit. Since someone was here at this hour, they were likely here to collect debts.

Zhao Yu recognized the voice of their next-door neighbor, so she hurriedly extinguished the fire in the stove, pushed open the door, and asked: "Xu Erniu, it's the middle of the day, what are you shouting about?"

Xu Erniu saw the spatula in Zhao Yu's hand, assuming she was cooking, and then noticed the bruises on her Face, guessing in his heart that Liu Yi had lost money again recently.

"Sister-in-law Liu, your second son, Liu Xuan, has made it big! I heard the old village chief say that he is now a big shot in a city Sect, and even the County Magistrate has to give him Face!"

"The matter regarding your eldest daughter has also been resolved; the county is offering a reward of one Spirit Stone to find her whereabouts."

One Spirit Stone! Xu Erniu had only seen others use them in the city; it was enough to feed his family for three years.

"The second son, Liu Xuan?"

Zhao Yu was a bit dazed!

In her memory, Liu Xuan was still a seven or eight-year-old child; she hadn't seen him in nearly ten years.

Back then, little Liu Xuan was tested and found to have a Spiritual Root, but the family couldn't afford to send him to the Dao Academy, so he was eventually taken to the city by her disobedient eldest daughter.

The family was already poor, so since the eldest daughter was willing to support the youngest son, they didn't interfere.

Time flies so fast!

In the blink of an eye, more than a decade has passed.

Xu Erniu said Liu Xuan had made it big and became a big shot in a Sect; could it be...

"The second son passed the Sect examination and became a Sect Disciple!"

Liu Xuan had a Spiritual Root, but it was the worst Ninth-Grade Spirit Root. Coming from a farming family like theirs, even if he luckily passed the examination, he would only be a small, low-level figure.

"Sister-in-law Liu, this is a great joyous event!"

Just as Zhao Yu was reminiscing, another villager ran over to share the good news.

"Sister-in-law, where is Brother Liu? Hurry and get him out. How can he still be sleeping at a time like this?"

"Hehehe!"

Their relative, Fourth Aunt, came over carrying an old hen and said with a chuckle: "Zhao Yu! Your body is weak, I'll stew this chicken for you to build up your strength."

...

Before long, a large group of villagers had gathered in front of the Liu Family's small courtyard. Villagers and relatives who used to avoid them when they met were now enthusiastically crowding around.

"What's all the noise about!!"

Liu Yi was finally woken up by the noisy commotion outside. Looking out through the window, he saw a group of neighbors and relatives.

After going out and asking, once he understood the general situation, a huge surge of excitement welled up in his heart!

He, Liu Yi, had been down on his luck his whole life, but today he was finally going to turn things around!!

His son had become a big shot in the city; from now on, couldn't he gamble whenever he wanted?

"Big Brother, Little Xuan hasn't seen us for ten years. What if he doesn't recognize us when we go?" asked Liu Yi's younger sister, Liu Xuan's aunt, Liu Yan, worriedly.

"This..."

Liu Yi was also a bit panicked; he hadn't seen this son of his for ten years.

But recalling the scenes from back then, when a single word from him could scare the boy into kneeling and begging for mercy, did he really think the boy would dare not acknowledge him as his father now?

No matter what! He would just go to the city and see for himself. He heard from Brother Cheng, who lent money in the village, that Liu Xuan was currently in the city.

Liu Yi joyfully celebrated for the day surrounded by villagers, planning to go to the city tomorrow to find his "good" son.

...

Tianma Town.

Ruyi Inn.

A person dressed as a waiter came to the third floor, the top floor, and pulled a crumpled bounty notice from his bosom to show a young woman in black, "Boss, take a look at this."

The young woman in black had tender, fair skin and a pair of Peach Blossom eyes that were bright and alluring. Although she didn't look very old, she gave off the feeling of a married woman or a young matron.

She Xiaorong opened the bounty notice and examined it carefully before placing it on the table, "A new trick from the yamen?"

"It shouldn't be!"

The waiter took out a few more identical bounty notices and said: "I sent people to check. Everywhere in Yongning, the previous wanted posters have been replaced with these bounty notices."

"Those few constables who have been chasing us relentlessly don't have that much power."

"Oh?"

She Xiaorong looked surprised.

"So you mean this is true?!"

Their Flower Snake Gang was just a Gang of Martial Artists; all their branches and most of their upper management had been wiped out by the county government a year ago.

It was just her, the Gang leader, leading a portion of the surviving Gang members hiding here.

The big shots in the city didn't care about them at all; only a few constables were still investigating their whereabouts, otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to hide for so long without being discovered.

"It should be true. Liu Miao from the Battle Hall does indeed have a younger brother who finished his studies at the Dao Academy over a year ago and went to the Red Pine Sect to participate in the examination."

"And her younger brother is named Liu Xuan, which matches the information of the current Red Pine Sect patrol envoy, Liu Xuan, perfectly."

The waiter's tone became somewhat excited as he spoke.

The position of Red Pine Sect patrol envoy in Yongning must be held by an Inner Sect Disciple. If this is true, with Liu Xuan's status, they, these Gang members, could easily wash their criminal records clean, and perhaps even rise to a higher level.

The Flower Snake Gang's previous backer was only a collateral Disciple of the Lu family; their status was far inferior to an Inner Sect Disciple of the Red Pine Sect!

"What about Liu Miao? Where is she now?"

Gang leader She Xiaorong quickly realized the key to the problem.

"Don't worry, Gang leader. I have already sent someone to invite her; she should be here very soon."

"Knock, knock, knock!"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!"

"Gang leader, what did you need me for?"

Liu Miao bowed and looked at Gang leader She Xiaorong and the Intelligence Hall Master, Ma Kun.

"Take a look at this first!"

She Xiaorong picked up a bounty notice and personally handed it to Liu Miao.

Liu Miao was a bit flattered and suspiciously picked up the bounty notice to read it.

'Liu Miao, Liu family member from Luoying Village, former Flower Snake Gang member, elder sister of patrol envoy Liu Xuan. Her crimes are pardoned. Anyone who provides information on this woman will be rewarded with one Spirit Stone...'

"patrol envoy Liu Xuan!"

Liu Miao froze, looked at She Xiaorong, and asked anxiously: "Gang leader, what... what does this mean?"

She Xiaorong took Liu Miao's hand and smiled: "It's just as you think! That younger brother of yours is already an Inner Sect Disciple of the Sect and the Yongning patrol envoy!"

'Life is truly unpredictable!' She Xiaorong sighed inwardly.

Back then, when she heard that Liu Miao used most of her money to support her younger brother at the Dao Academy, she had mocked her for being foolish. Who could have imagined today?

Every year, countless Dao Academy students participate in the Red Pine Sect examination. How many of them can become Inner Sect Disciples?

Spiritual Root talent can be measured at age six. For a Dao Academy student with poor talent and no background like Liu Xuan, it would be good if one in ten thousand could make it!

"It really is Little Xuan!"

A mist of tears covered Liu Miao's eyes. For over a year, fearing that her affairs would implicate her little brother, she hadn't dared to contact him, nor had she sent him any money.

Had her little brother passed the examination? Did he have enough money to spend? Would he be bullied by others? ...

She worried every day, yet was powerless to do anything!

Now it was good; her little brother had grown up and no longer needed her, his sister, to worry about taking care of him.

"Gang leader, I want to go to the city to see my younger brother."

Liu Miao wiped the corners of her eyes and said happily.