Chapter 3387 — What Sorts of Gifts

"Xianghua? Second Young Master?" Astonishment spread across Song Xiangda's face. "You are Second Young Master Xianghua? Second Young Master, you've come home?"

"Third Granduncle, don't you recognize me anymore?" By then, Xiao Rui had come over as well.

"It's Second Young Miss Lingrui—you've come back too?" Song Xiangda's forms of address had grown rather muddled; for Song Xianghua he still used the name of his boyhood, but for Xiao Rui he already spoke as a great clan's steward would.

"Yes, I came back together with Second Granduncle!" Song Lingrui nodded. She was Qiu Lingshan's younger sister.

"So it was the Second Young Miss who found the Second Young... Second Elder Master!" Song Xiangda nodded in sudden understanding, and his form of address for Song Xianghua changed to Second Elder Master as well, for he had already reckoned the difference in their ages. "Second Elder Master, come with me quickly—if the Elder Master sees you, he'll surely be overjoyed!"

"Good, I've missed my elder brother too!" Song Xianghua nodded. "How has our Song family fared all these years? You and my elder brother—are you both well?"

"Second Elder Master, we're all well enough. The Elder Master is now a fine expert at the peak of the late Yellow Rank, and so am I..." Song Xiangda said. "We can't claim to rank among the top of the great clans, but at least we've held on. This year is easier still, for the secular clans have formed a cultivators' alliance, and there's far less pressure now."

"Ah, I came back too late! Had I returned a little sooner, things would have been easier for you..." Song Xianghua said with some self-reproach. "But never mind—this time, Xiao Rui and I have come back to make our Song family renowned throughout the entire Central Plains cultivation world, to stand as no less than the ancient clans!"

"Ah?" Song Xiangda was slightly taken aback at his words, then nodded. "Indeed. When you left, Second Elder Master, you were a fine expert at the peak of the late Mystic Rank. These years, I fear you broke through long ago and became an Earth Rank expert?"

"Second Granduncle is now a great consummation expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank!" Song Lingrui cut in.

"What!" Song Xiangda was thunderstruck. He cried out and stood rooted to the spot, speechless.

Song Xiangda's cry carried into the rooms of the courtyard, and Song Xiangwen heard it. He had just stepped out of his room at that moment. "Third Brother, what are you shouting about? What's happened?"

"Elder Master, you're here? Good news, good news! Second Elder Master Xianghua has come home!" Song Xiangda cried excitedly. "Not only that—according to the Second Young Miss, the Second Elder Master's strength has already broken through to great consummation at the peak of the late Heaven Rank!"

"Third Brother, you mean my second brother has returned? Xiao Rui too? They've both come back?" Song Xiangwen trembled all over at the news and strode quickly over. When he saw Song Xianghua and Song Lingrui standing beside Song Xiangda, tears suddenly streamed down his aged face. "Second Brother, you've finally consented to come home!"

"Elder Brother, forgive me. I was young and foolish, and I simply left..." Song Xianghua lowered his head in shame. In that moment he was no longer the lofty Grand Elder of the Overseas Cultivators' Association, no longer a top-tier cultivator, but like a small child who had done something wrong...

"It's all right, it's all right—so long as you're home!" Song Xiangwen laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, just as he had when they were boys, full of fondness and kindness.

"Yes, I'm home. Only now have I realized how much this home means to me!" Song Xianghua sighed.

"By the way, Second Brother, I heard Third Brother say just now that you're now a great consummation expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank?" Song Xiangwen suddenly recalled what Song Xiangda had said.

"Yes, Elder Brother—and not only me. This precious granddaughter of yours is the same as I am, and she's a great consummation expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank of the external school besides!" Song Xianghua said with a chuckle. "Even I wouldn't dare claim I could best her!"

"What?! Xiao Rui? You too are a great consummation expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank? And of the external school?" Song Xiangwen said in alarm.

"I'm sorry, Grandfather. I kept it from you before—it's the organization's rule that we can't freely reveal such things to our families..." Song Lingrui stuck out her tongue a little sheepishly. "Second Granduncle is the Grand Elder of the Overseas Cultivators' Association, and I'm a guest elder of the association as well, so only he knew..."

"Oh? Then you two now..." Song Xiangwen was slightly taken aback. "Does that mean you still have to go back?"

"Well... the truth is, we've come back now precisely because of our strength! The organization behind us doesn't dare offend us lightly!" Song Xianghua explained. "Especially since Xiao Rui and I are bound by blood—we're one family. Two great consummation experts at the peak of the late Heaven Rank joining hands is enough to overawe the overseas cultivation world, so they don't dare say a word against our coming back now. Until it comes to an outright falling-out, they won't do anything to us; we need only return for a stretch each year, and we may spend the rest of our time here."

"That's wonderful!" Song Xiangwen said joyfully. "By the way, Second Brother, that you could become a great consummation expert at the peak of the late Heaven Rank doesn't surprise me—you've been a martial fanatic since you were small, and every day was spent in cultivation. That I understand. But Xiao Rui, how did you become a top-tier expert too? And a top-tier expert of the external school at that? I've heard that external-school experts rarely manage to cultivate to great consummation at the peak of the late Heaven Rank—at least, your grandfather here has never heard of it."

"I suppose it was a stroke of luck..." Song Lingrui paused to consider, but did not give the reason. Too much lay behind it all, and the fewer who knew, the better! She did not want to bring trouble down upon her family. Though the matter seemed to have died down for the moment, who could say whether those people might settle accounts afterward?

Song Xiangwen assumed she was constrained by the rules of the organization behind her and so did not press further. "So long as you're home, so long as you're home. Our Song family has truly been blessed twice over! It's only a pity your elder sister isn't at home—if she were, she'd surely be overjoyed!"

"I'll give her a call right now. I hear she's found a brother-in-law? This time I'll have her bring my prospective brother-in-law home with her—I want to see just what sorts of gifts this fellow has, to deserve being Song Lingrui's brother-in-law!" Song Lingrui said, rubbing her hands together eagerly.

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