Longevity Clan Starts with the Patriarch’s Marriage

10 Chapter 10 Taking Care of Senior Brother’s Wife and Daughter_1
Translator: 549690339
Leizhou, Fenglei Manor.

Han Li, accompanied by Zhang Xuan, finally arrived at Qiu Xuan’s location after twelve days; they even rested several times along the way, almost exhausting Han Li.

Fenglei Manor was even farther from Tianxuan Mountain, and given that Han Li maintained his Qi Sea at over fifty percent for safety, they took additional time.

“He hasn’t passed away yet, has he?”

Gazing at the city in front of him which was several times larger than Lingjun City, Han Li muttered to himself.

The city ahead was the city of Fenglei Manor, with a population of over ten million, including many more cultivators and naturally, more powerful ones.

On the way, Han Li had already asked Zhang Xuan about the situations in Fenglei City and the Qiu Family in detail.

In Fenglei City, there were over ten Gangyuan Realm cultivators who belonged to three major forces, and there were even more in the Pihai Realm—over a hundred, with Qiu Xuan being just one of them.

Twenty years ago, for some unknown reason, Qiu Xuan left Tianxuan Mountain to settle in Fenglei City, where he married and had children, establishing the Qiu Family. Zhang Xuan was the first disciple Qiu Xuan took over a decade ago; he was clearly trusted, or else he wouldn’t have been entrusted with the task of delivering the message.

A year ago, Qiu Xuan hurried back from the outside, haggard and seriously injured. Knowing that he didn’t have long to live, he started making arrangements for his affairs, with the most important being finding someone to entrust his wife and daughter to.

Originally, Qiu Xuan had someone else in mind, but three months prior, when he accidentally learned of Han Li’s return to Tianxuan Mountain and breakthrough to the Pihai Realm, he changed his mind and decided to entrust them to Han Li—his brother in arms who was naturally the most trustworthy.

Therefore, Qiu Xuan sent his first disciple to Lingjun City to deliver a message, and since Zhang Xuan was not highly cultivated, he could only ride an ordinary precious horse, and only managed to deliver the news to Han Li over a dozen days ago.

As Han Li thought about this, he entered the city with Zhang Xuan, heading to the Qiu Family.

This scene also caught the attention of the scheming, with Qiu Xuan on his deathbed, there were quite a few who had set their sights on his inheritance. The legacy of a mid-stage Pihai Realm powerhouse was substantial, and a widow and orphan couldn’t possibly guard it.

Qiu Family.

Han Li was led by Zhang Xuan all the way to Qiu Xuan’s bedroom, holding his breath along the way, ready to lash out at any moment.

Qiu Xuan would naturally not attack him, but he feared that Qiu Xuan had long since died and enemies used his name to lure him here.

Having survived in this world for nearly two hundred years, Han Li was acutely aware of the perils of the Cultivation Realm; he had to be on guard, or else a single misstep could lead to disaster.

Upon seeing Qiu Xuan, Han Li finally let go of his last sliver of vigilance. Qiu Xuan was in a dire state, lying on the bed, barely breathing, close to death at any moment.

However, just to wait for Han Li’s arrival, he had suppressed his injuries with his cultivation, clinging to life, refusing to leave.

“Master!”

“Disciple has returned late.”

Upon entering and seeing Qiu Xuan’s condition, Zhang Xuan suddenly knelt on the ground, tears streaming down, filled with self-reproach.

The disciples of Qiu Xuan, who had been guarding outside, all had their eyes redden upon hearing the words. After taking them as disciples, Qiu Xuan had devotedly taught and cared for them. Now that their master was dying, they were naturally in great distress.

Moreover, Qiu Xuan was their greatest support in Fenglei City; with Qiu Xuan’s death, they, being only at the Body Forging Realm and Rebirth Realm, would struggle to survive in the city.

“It’s good you’ve returned, cough cough~”

Qiu Xuan turned his head with difficulty, looking at the two people inside the room. His face flushed with feverish excitement as his consciousness suddenly became clear.

“Disciple, go out and stand guard; I need to speak with your martial uncle.”

“Understood.”

Zhang Xuan immediately withdrew, leaving only Han Li and Qiu Xuan in the room.

“Brother Qiu, it’s been a long time.”

Han Li walked to the bedside, looking at Qiu Xuan lying on the sickbed with a rather complex expression.

Qiu Xuan’s aptitude was somewhat better than his, and although he started learning later, his cultivation speed was faster. In the Cultivation Realm where strength is respected, Han Li had been calling him Senior Brother Qiu for a hundred years.

A few years after he left the mountain, he heard that Qiu Xuan had broken through to the Pihai Realm, but he never expected that their next meeting would be under such circumstances; truly, the unpredictability of life spares no one.

Now Qiu Xuan was merely experiencing a brief rally before his death and wouldn’t live much longer.

“Indeed, it has been fifty years.”

“Han Junior Brother has also ascended to the Pihai Realm, truly a cause for celebration, cough cough~”

Qiu Xuan, too, wore a complex expression, falling into reminiscence, and began to gasp for breath as he spoke.

“What exactly happened? With your strength, there can’t be many in Fenglei Manor who could inflict such a severe injury on you. Surely it wasn’t those from the Gangyuan Realm who made a move?”

Han Li’s brows furrowed tightly. Qiu Xuan was a Pihai Realm sixth-layer practitioner and a disciple from the Major Sect Tianxuan Mountain; even a late-stage Pihai Realm practitioner should be no match for him, and he should be able to escape from a powerful Pihai Realm Powerhouse unharmed, let alone sustain such grave injuries.

Qiu Xuan shook his head and said bitterly, “It wasn’t from the Gangyuan Realm, just two from the Pihai Realm who coveted a treasure I obtained from the outside world and ambushed me.”

“Though I managed to kill them using a secret technique, I also suffered extremely serious injuries that are beyond healing. Moreover, the secret technique considerably shortened my lifespan, and even if I could be cured, I would have only two or three years left to live.”

Han Li’s frown deepened as he initially thought there might still be a chance to save Qiu Xuan, but now it seemed hopeless. Qiu Xuan was enveloped in the aura of death, and the brief rallying only made him appear normal, but he had at most half an hour left to live.

“Sigh~”

Han Li exhaled a sigh, deeply affirmed in his conviction by Qiu Xuan’s fate—never to take risks without absolute certainty.

It was for a treasure that Qiu Xuan was attacked and killed, and although he managed to counterattack successfully, his end came just the same.

Fortunately, the assaulters were from the Pihai Realm, and Qiu Xuan had dealt with them; if they had been from the Gangyuan Realm, things would have been much trickier.

The room fell silent suddenly, with no one speaking.

After a while, Qiu Xuan spoke again, “Han Junior Brother, we share a bond forged in life and death, and you are the one I trust the most. Now that I am facing death, what I worry about the most are my wife and daughter. If possible, I hope the Junior Brother can look after them.”

“And my disciples too, it would be best if the Master could look after them a bit. If not, let them all leave the manor and city.”

“Everything I’ve saved is here. Regardless of whether the Junior Brother agrees or not, you must take it.”

With trembling hands, Qiu Xuan raised a hand to pass the Space Ring he was clutching to Han Li.

He was well aware that his inheritance, wife, and disciples would not be able to protect themselves; leaving it to them would only bring disaster. But entrusting them to Han Li, given his understanding of Han Li, he was sure that Han Li would take good care of them.

“Why make it so difficult, Senior Brother?”

Han Li sighed, and seeing Qiu Xuan’s pleading gaze, he reluctantly said, “Rest assured, Senior Brother, I will take care of your wife and daughter. Farewell.”

He actually didn’t want the Space Ring; the treasure that had brought about Qiu Xuan’s calamity was most likely inside it, which could bring trouble to Han Li. Trouble meant risk, and he did not wish to see that.

Seeing Han Li agree, a smile emerged on Qiu Xuan’s face, and his arm fell limply.

Han Li reached out to close Qiu Xuan’s eyes. He stared blankly at Qiu Xuan’s body when the eyes opened again, and in a weak breath, Qiu Xuan said:

“If my wife… chooses to follow in death, Junior Brother can… let her be, just take care of my… daughter…”

He did not finish his statement, nor could Qiu Xuan continue.

Han Li closed his mouth and eyes and waited a while longer before saying, “You may come in now.”