Although seeing the Dog Daoist and Monk Miaoji at the police station was a surprise to Yan Shouyi, he was quite happy once he regained his senses.
After all, with two master seniors by his side, his sense of security skyrocketed.
Moreover, their return meant his father would be back soon.
After breakfast, everyone took a car back to the Folklore Research Association. On the way, Changshan and Miaoji recognized each other. They were fellow disciples, though with a significant age gap. In fact, with Miaoji's abilities, he was qualified to be Changshan's master.
Being from the same sect, they got along very well. Miaoji seemed to like his junior brother Changshan, perhaps also because Changshan was bailed out of the police station by Yan Shouyi, fostering a sense of mutual appreciation.
Speaking of which, the Dog Daoist and Monk Miaoji had also returned to Rongcheng after a long absence, so they couldn't help but feel emotional upon seeing the Folklore Research Association built on West Lake.
However, after their initial awe, they could no longer smile when they saw Yan Chou standing at the entrance of the association, side-by-side with Lin Ruofu and Wei Changqing.
“Dad?”
Yan Shouyi got out of the car, looking at Yan Chou in surprise.
Yan Chou remained silent, but a wisp of his soul flew out, which was his grandmother Wen Yuxian, who had been residing in the Yin wood.
Wen Yuxian flew directly to Yan Shouyi’s side and affectionately patted his head. “Good grandson, you’ve grown so much again!”
Yan Shouyi had long been an adult. The word “grown” was somewhat inappropriate for him, but in his grandmother’s eyes, he was still a child. After not seeing him for a long time, she felt as if he had grown again.
“Grandma, you’re back too!” Yan Shouyi smiled.
Yan Chou looked at the group of men with surprise and asked, “Where were you all this early morning?”
He seemed unaware of the Dog Daoist and Monk Miaoji being caught for soliciting prostitution, so the two immediately winked at Yan Shouyi, asking him to help keep their embarrassing incident a secret.
Yan Shouyi understood immediately and explained, “I took everyone to try the seafood pot side dishes.”
Yan Chou nodded upon hearing this, showing no suspicion. “The seafood pot side dishes in Rongcheng are quite good, it’s good that you tried them.”
The Dog Daoist and Monk Miaoji breathed a sigh of relief. Yan Shouyi quickly changed the subject, “Dad, when did you get back? Why didn’t you say anything in advance?”
“I’m not a child, you don’t need to pick me up,” Yan Chou said sternly as a father, but his eyes soon softened. “The Folklore Research Association is our base now, and everyone will likely be going out frequently in the future. There’s no need for such grand ceremonies every time.”
Lin Ruofu nodded. “You’re right, coming home doesn’t require too much ceremony, otherwise it feels distant.”
Yan Chou’s gaze swept past Yan Shouyi to the group of friends behind him.
Han San and the others had seen Yan Chou before, even at Longhu Mountain. They were a bit embarrassed to greet Yan Chou now.
Yan Chou nodded gently, smiling in response. Long Feicheng and the others, feeling guilty, found an excuse to leave first and returned to the association.
After everyone else had left, Yan Chou finally asked Yan Shouyi, “It seems the heirs of the major sects have all arrived, and even the new Celestial Master is here?”
“Yes, the Lu Shan Sect will be holding Zi Tong’s sect leader succession ceremony in a couple of days, so I’ve asked everyone to stay until after the ceremony before they leave,” Yan Shouyi replied truthfully.
“Hmm, we need to make this succession ceremony a grand event, so I came back early as well,” Yan Chou said.
Regarding Yan Chou’s return, Yan Shouyi was still a bit curious.
Where had his father gone to see some old acquaintances that he sent Uncle Dog and Uncle Miaoji back to Rongcheng first?
Was there someone they both couldn’t see?
Could it be Aunt Zheng Zhaodi in Hong Kong?!
If that were the case, it would be understandable. Yan Shouyi felt it was necessary to talk to his father and express his view that he didn’t oppose him finding a stepmother.
However, if he actually said it, he would probably be beaten to death by his father, so Yan Shouyi decided not to mention it.
“You’ve been through a lot during this time. When you have time, tell me about it while we drink tea,” Yan Chou said, taking Yan Shouyi’s arm. He felt a sense of both closeness and unfamiliarity.
The few of them went to the tea room of the association and sat around the tea table. Lin Ruofu brought out his treasured Jasmine Silver Needle to entertain them.
The teapot hissed as it boiled, and the aroma of jasmine filled the air as the tea leaves were steeped.
“I have already visited Zi Tong. Her injuries are not serious, and she will be able to get out of bed and walk tomorrow. Although she cannot engage in strenuous activities, she should be able to manage the succession ceremony,” Yan Chou said.
Yan Shouyi nodded. “I have killed the Xi Po of the Twelve Zodiacs, and her soul was collected by Xue Kai. However, it will take a few more days before I can question her; the Painting Skin Master and his old flame, the Fox Demon Island Master, are both locked up in the dungeon and can be interrogated at any time.”
“These matters are not urgent, we will plan them later,” Yan Chou said, not particularly concerned. He changed the subject to another topic. “What I’m more interested in is your experience in Chang’an.”
In Chang’an, Yan Shouyi entered the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and obtained the ancestral dragon sword qi, which not only perfected Lin Zitong’s soul but also fulfilled the wishes of General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu. It was a rich and rewarding experience.
Although only a little over a week had passed, Yan Shouyi felt as if a long time had gone by.
He needed to recall his experiences carefully to remember them.
So, he began to talk to his father about everything, starting from when he left Qiantang.
Yan Chou listened attentively, occasionally interrupting Yan Shouyi to ask a few questions.
After he finished recounting his experiences, Yan Shouyi found his mouth dry and realized he hadn’t taken a single sip of tea in the process.
So, he downed the tea in his cup and, feeling it wasn’t enough, quickly poured himself another cup. “That’s the whole story.”
After listening to Yan Shouyi’s narration, Yan Chou remained silent for more than ten seconds, seemingly processing the information.
“The person who designed your entry into the imperial tomb, whom even I believed to be that mysterious national teacher, turned out to be Huo Ban, a descendant of Lu Ban trusted by Qin Shi Huang. This is indeed beyond my expectation,” Yan Chou said. “Although it was bumpy, the outcome was good in the end. You’ve obtained Qin Shi Huang’s legacy and can now wield the Ancestral Dragon Sword.”
“It’s just a pity that General Qing Jiang and Princess Yu Shu had such a short time together, after waiting for a thousand years for this,” Yan Shouyi said with some regret. Da Feng Novel Network
“A thousand years is but a fleeting moment. Spending too much time together has no meaning. Even if it’s just one minute, as long as they can be together, there’s no difference between one minute and a thousand years,” Yan Chou had a deeper understanding of this.
He mused for a while and said, “You obtained quite a few treasures in Qin Shi Huang’s tomb. I asked you to keep them safe and study them after I returned. Now, you can take out all those treasures.”