SPMT : Chapter 57: Returning to the Xiao Family

Xiao Jingting looked toward Xiao Jinfeng and asked: “Second Brother, do you think we should go back?”

Xiao Jinfeng nodded and said: “We need to.”

Xiao Jingting: “…”

“I don’t have any cultivation techniques for advancing further,” Xiao Jinfeng said.

The reason great families could remain standing was largely due to their libraries. After commoners cultivated to Fourth Layer Qi Refining, it was very difficult to obtain Fifth Layer or higher cultivation techniques. The techniques were monopolized by great families, making them hard for others to access.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said: “That’s true!” Xiao family disciples could only access cultivation techniques one layer higher than their current level. Xiao Jingting’s Fifth Layer Qi Refining technique had been passed down by Xiao Jinfeng. Without techniques, advancing further would be impossible.

“Has Big Uncle gone back?” Xiao Xiaofan asked.

“He’s back.” Xiao Qingyan had originally been having a hard time at the academy. Because of Xiao Qingyan’s failed pursuit of the marquis household’s young lady, Zheng Pei’er felt she had lost face and was making a fuss about divorcing Xiao Qingyan. After the original host’s parents returned, Zheng Pei’er immediately didn’t dare mention this matter again.

Xiao Xiaofan puffed out his cheeks with a worried expression and said: “Xiaofan really hates Big Uncle!”

Mu Shuyu looked at Xiao Xiaofan and said: “Why does Xiaofan hate Big Uncle?”

“Big Uncle calls Xiaofan an idiot, and Big Uncle gave birth to two annoying ghosts,” Xiao Xiaofan said, resting his chin on his hands with complete disdain.

Mu Shuyu smiled. He also disliked Xiao Qingyan very much, but it wasn’t appropriate to say so.

Xu Mu’an looked at the two children with some heartache. Xiao Jingting looked at Xiao Xiaofan and Xiao Xiaodong and said: “If life at the Xiao family isn’t good, we can request a separate courtyard then.”

Hearing this, Xiao Xiaofan’s eyes immediately brightened.

Xiao Jingting didn’t particularly like the Xiao family, but he still wanted to go see Desert City. Earthmound Village was ultimately too small and limited their development. Xiao Jingting still had some longing for the big city.

“Then let’s prepare properly. If we’re going back to the Xiao family, let’s prepare well,” Xu Mu’an said.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said: “Good, I need to deal with the farmland.” Especially those few mu of premium farmland – the late fees on that broken thing were truly terrifying.

……

“Third Steward, where are we staying tonight?” one of Xiao San’s attendants came over to ask.

“The young master told us to go to the city and find an inn,” Xiao San said.

When Xiao San came to Earthmound Village, he thought Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng were living in dire poverty, and that seeing them arrive, they would be overjoyed and leave with them without a second word. After arriving, he realized it was nothing like that at all.

When villagers mentioned the two young masters, they were all full of envy, jealousy, and admiration. It was said that the few mu of farmland Xiao Jingting cultivated produced five or six thousand taels of silver every month, and they were living quite well.

Five or six thousand taels per month – converted, that was more than twenty pieces of spirit jade. Even favored young masters in the Xiao family only received two or three pieces of spirit jade per month from the clan.

The two young masters, Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan, who had been raised thin and scrawny in the Xiao family, were now raised sleek and glossy in the village.

Xiao Jinfeng had also married, far from what everyone had imagined – that after being rejected by Miss Sun Miaoyin, he would be depressed, solitary, and self-destructive. Not only had he married a wife, he even had a child.

“Who would have thought that after coming to Earthmound Village, Young Master Jingting would actually strive to improve himself,” one attendant said.

Xiao San nodded and said: “Indeed.”

According to the villagers, Xiao Jingting, Xiao Jinfeng, Xu Mu’an, and even Mu Shuyu had all reached Fourth Layer Qi Refining. The outstanding members of the Xiao family’s younger generation were all at Fourth Layer Qi Refining. Xiao Jingting had originally been at the bottom of the family – his cultivation had been forced up with medicinal pills.

Once Xiao Jingting and Xiao Jinfeng returned to the Xiao family, they would surely make the family members look at them with new eyes.

Mu Shuyu held the child and circled around Xiao Jinfeng anxiously.

“Shuyu, what’s wrong?” Xiao Jinfeng asked.

“I’m about to meet your parents, and I’m a bit worried – do your parents not like gers very much?” Mu Shuyu said.

Mu Shuyu had never met Xiao Jinfeng’s parents and was somewhat nervous. These past few days he had been asking Xu Mu’an for advice, but Xu Mu’an himself wasn’t liked by Father Xiao and Mother Xiao either. If it weren’t for Xiao Jingting being unambitious and them being unable to find a suitable person to be Xiao Jingting’s principal wife, Xu Mu’an might have been divorced long ago.

Xiao Jinfeng lowered his head and said gloomily: “You don’t need to worry too much. Our parents care most about Big Brother and have never paid much attention to me. If you can’t get used to living in the Xiao family, once I get the Sixth Layer Qi Refining technique, we’ll move and find another courtyard to live in.”

Mu Shuyu nodded and said: “That’s fine.”

Xiao Jinfeng kept his head down, thinking: His big brother was actually someone with extremely heavy jealousy. If he learned that both he and Xiao Jingting had advanced to Fifth Layer Qi Refining, he probably wouldn’t be able to accept it. His qi-concealing technique wasn’t very sophisticated – it could fool ordinary villagers, but fooling Eighth Layer Qi Refining parents and a Ninth Layer Qi Refining grandfather would be difficult. After returning, it would be best to avoid Xiao Qingyan as much as possible.

When he was young, Xiao Jinfeng would think of doing things to attract his parents’ attention. Now his thoughts had faded considerably.

Mu Shuyu tilted his head and said: “Jingting said it’s good that the latest batch of spirit wine hasn’t been sold yet. Jingting said this batch won’t be sold, and told you to remember to put it away.”

Xiao Jinfeng raised his eyebrows with some joy and said: “Jingting is really looking out for me!”

……

Xiao family first branch.

Xiao Muhong sat to one side drinking sullen wine. “Stop drinking,” Sun Miaomiao came over and said.

Xiao Muhong kept his head down, his eyes full of sinister qi. As soon as Xiao Linfeng returned, everything changed, and grandfather’s attention was entirely on the second branch again.

Father, Third Uncle, and Fourth Uncle, who had originally been fighting fiercely, were forced to unite again.

“Xiao Jingting is coming back. Are you having regrets?” Xiao Muhong looked at Sun Miaomiao and asked.

Sun Miaomiao said coldly: “If you continue to be so self-destructive, then I really will have regrets. Don’t be so spineless. Your second uncle is just Eighth Layer Qi Refining. You’re already Fifth Layer Qi Refining – work a bit harder, and by the time you reach your second uncle’s age, becoming Eighth Layer Qi Refining is also possible.”

“On the second branch’s side, Xiao Qingyan had conflicts with people at the academy and seems to have injured his meridians, so his cultivation has made no progress. Xiao Jinfeng suffered poison injuries, so his achievements are also limited. As for Xiao Jingting, there’s no need to mention him – he’s just a wastrel second-generation heir. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river – there are still long days ahead. The Xiao family’s future will most likely still be your domain.”

A flash of light appeared in Xiao Muhong’s eyes.

Seeing Xiao Muhong rally himself, Sun Miaomiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After news of Xiao Linfeng not being dead spread back, Sun Miaomiao actually had some regrets about hastily marrying Xiao Muhong. However, “marry a rooster, follow a rooster; marry a dog, follow a dog” – now that she was married, she could only walk this path to the end.

Thinking of Xiao Jingting, Sun Miaomiao’s heart immediately became more complex. Previously, Xiao Jingting had always acted submissively and circled around her. She didn’t know how he was now. If Xiao Jingting’s feelings for her remained unchanged, perhaps that fool could be a decent chess piece.

……

“Father, Mother, thank goodness you’re alive. During this time, I was nearly suffocated with frustration. That bitch Zheng Pei’er, seeing me in a weak position, actually wanted to divorce me. I want to divorce her…” As soon as Xiao Linfeng and Wang Lu returned, Xiao Qingyan acted as if he had found his backing and poured out his grievances.

Xiao Linfeng looked at Xiao Qingyan, who kept complaining, and said earnestly: “You’re not young anymore – you should learn to stand on your own.”

“What’s the situation with you and that marquis household’s young lady? You already have a wife, yet you’re still provoking young ladies from the marquis household. If the marquis household finds out, you won’t be able to handle the consequences,” Wang Lu said.

Xiao Qingyan said sheepishly: “I naturally wouldn’t dare pursue the marquis household’s legitimate daughter, but I was pursuing a concubine daughter. At the academy, she also showed interest in me, but… born of a whore, always a whore – she changed her attitude immediately.”

Xiao Linfeng sighed and said: “You should stay away from that girl. As soon as I returned, everything changed. Your second brother was expelled from the mercenary corps and was rumored to covet his sister-in-law. The Sun family’s Sun Miaoyin also broke off her engagement with your brother. That marriage was something Old Sun came to beg for himself – I didn’t expect him to turn his back so quickly.”

“When your second brother got into trouble, why didn’t you help him out? You’re blood brothers. If you gain power in the future, with your second brother’s personality, if you help him, he’ll definitely help you back,” Wang Lu said.

Xiao Linfeng nodded and said: “Yes! A single tree cannot make a forest.”

Hearing his parents mention Xiao Jinfeng, Xiao Qingyan felt somewhat uncomfortable. Xiao Qingyan’s reputation was completely ruined. Students at the academy would take any opportunity to mock him using Xiao Jinfeng’s situation. Xiao Qingyan was already thoroughly annoyed and wished he didn’t have this brother.

Xiao Qingyan secretly thought: Xiao Jinfeng is nothing but a brute, and he’s been poisoned too. This lifetime he’ll probably remain at Fourth Layer Qi Refining. Hoping for Xiao Jinfeng’s help – he’d probably just end up drinking the northwest wind.

“Your second and third brothers are actually together now. I hadn’t noticed before, but their relationship is quite good. Your third brother has been pampered since childhood, and being sent to that kind of place, he probably suffered quite a bit. When they come back, you brothers need to get along well,” Wang Lu said.

Xiao Qingyan nodded, but his heart was thinking: Third brother is just mud that can’t stick to walls, spending all day chasing after women. If Sun Miaomiao becomes sister-in-law when he returns, he’ll probably spend all day circling around her, doing disgraceful things. Getting along well with third brother would just drag down his own reputation.

Xiao Qingyan walked out the door to find Zheng Pei’er standing at the entrance with their two sons, looking at Xiao Qingyan with an awkward smile.

Xiao Qingyan snorted coldly. Previously, after their parents died, Zheng Pei’er had been disdainful of him everywhere, making Xiao Qingyan somewhat annoyed with her.

Xiao Qingyan’s two sons, Xiao Yuefeng and Xiao Yuerong, ran to Xiao Qingyan’s side to act cute. Although Xiao Qingyan was dissatisfied with Zheng Pei’er, he was still good to the two sons he had doted on since childhood. Seeing the two sons acting cute beside him, his expression finally softened somewhat.

“Daddy, I heard the little fool is coming back, is that right?” Xiao Yuerong asked.

Xiao Qingyan nodded and said: “Yes!”

“That little fool’s life is really tough! Being sent to that kind of place and still surviving,” Xiao Yuerong said, pursing his lips.

Xiao Qingyan touched Xiao Yuerong’s face and said: “You really dislike him that much?”

“He’s dirty and stupid. Having such a cousin makes me lose face too,” Xiao Yuerong said with his hands on his hips, full of disdain.