After paying respects to his three masters and spending a few days with the women, it was already the fifth day of the first lunar month. Yan Zhen piloted the Holy Son’s Mount, heading to the Yu Family alongside Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan.
On a side note, Big Aunt Yu Yan and Little Aunt Yu Qing had already returned ahead of them, urging Yan Zhen and the others to hurry along.
The Yu Family’s customs differed slightly from the outside world. Though no longer a mundane clan, they still retained some mortal traditions, with festivals throughout the four seasons.
The Welcoming Spring Festival in early spring; the Listening Rain Festival in midsummer; the Moon Appreciation Festival in early autumn; the Warm Winter Festival in the depths of winter.
The spring and summer festivals were the most emphasized, while those in autumn and winter were comparatively more relaxed.
They set out in the morning and arrived at the Yu Family near noon. Before the luxury speedboat could even land, a crowd of Yu Family elders came out to greet them, clearly having waited for some time.
Leading them, of course, were the Rain Clan’s Three Beauties. In the center stood the Family Head Yu Lu, dressed in her usual dignified matronly attire with subtle makeup. Though her expression was impassive and her gaze cold, she still exuded the vibrant allure of a blooming flower in full splendor.
She was the first to bow slightly in greeting.
“The Yu Family respectfully welcomes Your Highness the Holy Son’s gracious visit.”
The assembled Yu Family elders, including Big Aunt Yu Yan and Little Aunt Yu Qing, followed suit with their salutes.
“Welcoming Your Highness the Holy Son!”
Yan Zhen smiled faintly.
“I’ve come to pay my New Year’s respects as your son-in-law. There’s no need for all you elders to stand on such ceremony.”
The Family Head Yu Lu straightened up, gazing calmly at Yan Zhen as if confirming something.
“Mother.”
“Sister-in-law.”
Mentor Yu Xuan and Aunt Shui Bailan both stepped forward to pay their respects. The latter snapped back to attention and nodded.
“Let’s head inside first.”
With them leading the way, Mentor Yu Xuan walked alongside the Family Head Yu Lu, while Aunt Shui Bailan tactfully yielded her position. This allowed Big Aunt Yu Yan and Little Aunt Yu Qing to flank Yan Zhen, one with narrowed eyes and the other with wide ones, both scrutinizing him closely.
“Little Yan Zhen, are you alright?”
Yan Zhen gave a wry smile.
“It’s been so long now—what could possibly be wrong? Big Aunt, no need to worry.”
Little Aunt Yu Qing huffed lightly.
“That’s not necessarily true. What if that Evil Consort put a curse on you?”
At her words, Yan Zhen immediately delivered a playful smack to her backside, startling her into nearly crying out.
“It’s the New Year—can’t you wish me something good for once?”
Blushing with a mix of shyness and annoyance, Little Aunt Yu Qing bent her elbow to jab his side, only for an earthen shield to materialize and block her. Before she could pull back, Yan Zhen pulled her into his arms. The familiar embrace and scent made her face flush crimson.
“Y-You, let go of me.”
Yan Zhen, naturally, had no intention of doing so.
“Little Aunt, I’m a Four-Star Mystic Ancestor now. I’d advise you to treat me nicely from here on out—otherwise, heh, you’ll suffer for it~”
Little Aunt Yu Qing refused to back down, pretending to struggle as she retorted.
“How did you naughty boy cultivate so quickly? Aren’t you worried about an unstable foundation?”
Yan Zhen pinched the soft flesh at her waist.
“I cultivated using Extreme Flame. As long as you find it, your cultivation advances by leaps and bounds with no risk of an unstable foundation. After the surge, just consolidate for a while and you’re good.”
Little Aunt Yu Qing’s struggles were all for show. With her face still slightly flushed, she let him hold her. Yan Zhen chuckled and extended his other arm toward Big Aunt Yu Yan, who also blushed faintly. She glanced at her clansisters on either side, who were covering their mouths and giggling, leaving her feeling a bit awkward. Still, she didn’t resist, merely reminding him in a soft voice.
“Little Yan Zhen, behave yourself—everyone’s watching~”
Though her voice was quiet, it drew a glance back from Mentor Yu Xuan up ahead, who shot Yan Zhen a reproachful look.
Yan Zhen grinned mischievously but knew better than to push it. He fell into proper step and followed them into the banquet hall.
Only a single large round table was set in the hall. As the sole man present, Yan Zhen took the seat between Mentor Yu Xuan and the Family Head Yu Lu.
Once everyone was seated, the feast began.
As always, the Family Head Yu Lu served Yan Zhen dishes, acting as if nothing had happened—like the doting mother-in-law to her daughter and son-in-law. The other elders occasionally offered him toasts as well, polite and warm without any sense of distance.
While responding in kind, Yan Zhen quietly placed his hand on the Family Head mother-in-law’s thigh and gave it a deliberate rub. Her delicate frame stiffened slightly, but she showed no reaction, simply ignoring it.
This left Yan Zhen puzzled. After a moment’s thought, he decided against pressing further, lest he upset Mentor Yu Xuan beside him.
After the meal, the group moved to the parlor. Yan Zhen retrieved the gifts he’d brought from his storage ring and distributed them to the elders.
He hadn’t brought many, but all were at least Tier 6, mostly Tier 7—befitting the wealth of Holy Son Peak.
Beyond the Holy Land’s allocations, a good portion came from the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce run by Ji Ya. To reward her, Yan Zhen had helped elevate her cultivation to the Mystic King Realm, fulfilling her dream of free flight.
Little Aunt Yu Qing saw that Yan Zhen was nearly out of gifts and their sisters still hadn’t received theirs. Unable to hold back, she spoke up.
“Brat, where’s the gifts for me, Big Sis, and Second Sis?”
Before Yan Zhen could reply, Mentor Yu Xuan said.
“Right here.”
She produced three boxes, lining them up in the air above her palm, and sent them floating steadily to the three closest kin.
“Go on and open them.”
Little Aunt Yu Qing eagerly lifted the lid. A brilliant glow shot straight to the ceiling, filling the parlor with a thick medicinal fragrance. Visible wisps of aroma formed an image of a flood dragon traversing waters, stunning the Yu Family elders in the room.
“Pill fragrance phenomenon… An Eighth-Tier Mystic Pill!?”
Even for a super force like the Yu Family, they had no more than a handful of Tier 8 Mystic Pills in stock at any time—their value spoke for itself.
“These are Eighth-Tier ‘Rain Leap Dragon Gate Pills’ that Yan Zhen specially requested from Master Chen Xi for Big Aunt, Little Aunt, and Mother,” Mentor Yu Xuan explained with a smile. “Taking one will allow a Water Attribute Mystic Ancestor to advance to the Mystic Venerable Realm. Alongside them are three Tier 7 ‘Seven Treasures Water Dragon Pills’ refined by Yan Zhen himself, which can swiftly boost a Water Attribute Mystic Ancestor’s cultivation… With these, I believe Big Aunt, Little Aunt, and Mother will become Mystic Venerable experts within two years! At that point, even without the Lotus Root Person’s power, the Yu Family will truly be a super force!”
The Family Head Yu Lu’s heart trembled. She stared dazedly at the unopened box in her hands before, like her sisters, turning her gaze to Yan Zhen.
“Son-in-Law Yan Zhen, how did you—”
Yan Zhen smiled lightly, teasing her deliberately.
“Does Mother-in-Law dislike the gifts I prepared?”
The Family Head Yu Lu’s expression froze for a moment before she murmured softly.
“Of course not…”
Big Aunt Yu Yan beamed.
“I’m very pleased, Little Yan Zhen. Thank you—and thank you to the Technique Saint Lord as well.”
Little Aunt Yu Qing chuckled happily.
“You’ve got a conscience after all, you brat.”
The rest of the Yu Family elders looked on with undisguised envy.
The Mystic Venerable Realm was the dream they all pursued, yet none had ever achieved it due to flaws in their cultivation methods.
The clan even had a rule: anyone who advanced to the Mystic Venerable Realm would enjoy treatment equal to the Family Head’s, with additional benefits extending to their bedchamber mates and bloodline kin.
Once these three sisters successfully broke through to the Mystic Venerable Realm, their status would solidify further, tightening their grip on the Yu Family.
From then on, the Yu Family might well become the domain of the main household.
