Chapter 6: The last surviving members of the Chu family.

Ji Xuanyuan’s heart tightened at the minister’s reply.

“The Chu family’s fief?”

“Exactly!”

Roughly three thousand years ago, shortly after the founding of the Immortal Dynasty, the founding ancestor welcomed merchants from all directions and worked hard to govern prosperously.

The Holy Domain seized the opportunity and brought their specialty products such as Mystic Star Sand and other rare spiritual materials to trade at court.

At that time, the Immortal Dynasty’s artifact refining techniques were just beginning to flourish. As soon as the Chu family’s materials entered the market, they were snapped up instantly.

Over the following century, with the Grand Void Holy Domain as the source and Xuanji City as the hub, a cross-domain spiritual material trade route was carved open.

All kinds of rare resources were transported to the Immortal Dynasty via the Chu family’s merchant caravans and then distributed to major sects and noble families.

Today, within the Immortal Dynasty, almost every notable auction house or treasure pavilion has the shadow of the Chu family behind it to some extent.

After three thousand years of operation, they have firmly taken root across the four domains of the Immortal Dynasty, sharing both fortune and misfortune with it.

The Xuanji City where the Chu family is based has also become renowned throughout the True Emotion Realm as the number one trading metropolis in the world.

The annual tax revenue generated within the city alone constitutes a major source of income for the Immortal Dynasty.

Ji Xuanyuan listened quietly. Only one slender figure appeared in her mind as she asked almost unconsciously.

“Is the current Holy Son of the Grand Void Holy Domain named Chu Yuan?”

Chu… Yuan?

The civil official hesitated.

“Your Highness, to this humble minister’s knowledge, the Holy Lord of the Grand Void has not yet designated a Holy Son. He only has one son—Chu Yunlan.”

Ji Xuanyuan was stunned.

“Besides him, the Holy Lord has no other heirs?”

The civil official silently shook his head.

Ji Xuanyuan lowered her head, brows furrowed.

Strange!

She clearly remembered that her junior brother had entered the Heavenly Sword Sect as the Holy Son of the Grand Void. Why is there only Chu Yunlan now?

Could there be some hidden story behind this?

Never mind! Better to get the Divine Treasure Meditation Cushion first!

Ji Xuanyuan’s red lips parted slightly.

“Prepare the carriage! This palace wishes to visit Xuanji City!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The civil official accepted the order and left in a hurry.

Shortly after, the imperial phoenix carriage rose into the air.

The divine phoenix cried out, its voice piercing the nine heavens.

Elite guards rose in formation, following on both sides.

As the divine phoenix pulled the carriage, flames trailed from its wings, leaving a blazing golden scar across the azure sky.

Ji Xuanyuan sat upright inside the carriage, the curtains half-rolled up.

Wind blew in from beyond the sea of clouds ten thousand li away, stirring her flame-like long hair.

She gazed toward the horizon ahead. The morning light spread upward from the edge of the cloud sea.

Thinking that her junior brother was somewhere in this world, the dimness that had clouded her eyes for a hundred years was gilded with a layer of golden light by the rising sun.

Several moments later.

Ji Xuanyuan caught sight of it from afar—

A massive pyramid-shaped giant city swallowing and spitting out hundreds of millions of spiritual lights in the morning glow.

“…This humble official, Fang Henian, City Lord of Xuanji City, respectfully welcomes Your Highness’s sacred arrival!”

A streak of flowing light suddenly shot out from the city wall. In an instant, it arrived three zhang in front of the phoenix carriage and condensed into human form.

The elite guards all placed hands on their sword hilts, killing intent surging.

However, the newcomer showed neither fear nor evasion. He bowed deeply with hands clasped.

“Upon hearing of Your Highness’s personal visit, this humble official is overwhelmed with trepidation. I have already prepared a light banquet at the Moon-Embracing Pavilion and selected a heavenly-grade quiet courtyard for Your Highness to rest…”

“No need.”

Ji Xuanyuan’s voice drifted out from behind the curtains, calm as autumn waters.

“This palace’s trip is not for inspection. Do not have so many people following. Arrange a guide for this palace—preferably someone familiar with all the major and minor anecdotes and strange tales of the city, and who does not talk too much.”

City Lord Fang Henian raised his head, stunned for a breath.

Is Her Highness… conducting a private visit in plain clothes? Or simply here to relax?

Fang Henian cautiously probed.

“If Your Highness does not mind this humble official’s dullness, I am willing to serve as Your Highness’s guide.”

“Approved.”

Hearing this, Fang Henian immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Xuanyuan changed into plain clothes and stepped down from the carriage.

The divine phoenix folded its wings. The elite guards remained stationed outside the city.

She followed Fang Henian alone and stepped into Xuanji City.

Inside the city, streets and alleys crisscrossed in every direction.

Children laughed and played as they wove through the bustling crowds, their voices crisp and clear.

Following the system’s directional guidance, Ji Xuanyuan suddenly spotted a slender figure.

It was a youth standing in front of a spiritual material shop, speaking with the shopkeeper.

The noisy clamor of the long street prevented Ji Xuanyuan from hearing their conversation. She only saw the shopkeeper wave his hand and toss the cloth bag the youth had offered onto the ground.

Several pieces of low-grade ore rolled out of the bag, stained with dust and mud.

The youth sighed, bent down to pick them up, then turned and walked toward the next shop.

Ji Xuanyuan asked curiously.

“Who is that youth?”

The city lord sent out his divine sense and muttered almost subconsciously.

“This… seems to be that orphaned collateral descendant of the Chu family?”

Ji Xuanyuan hesitated.

“Orphaned descendant?”

Fang Henian lowered his voice and explained.

“Yes. To answer Your Highness, this person is named Chu Yuan. He is an orphan from a remote collateral branch of the Chu clan. His parents passed away early, and the clan has not treated him kindly. He currently does odd jobs in the city such as sweeping and running errands. Occasionally he transports spiritual materials for shops to earn some spirit stones for cultivation.”

Ji Xuanyuan’s heart tightened.

“Chu Yuan? Which characters?”

Fang Henian replied.

“To answer Your Highness! It is the ‘Yuan’ from渊源 (profound origin)!”

Yuan… Yuan?

Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes widened slightly, her face full of astonishment.

She remembered that in her previous life, her junior brother had been the illustrious Holy Son…

Why is he now an overlooked “orphaned descendant”?

No!

It might be that fox’s arrangement…

Recalling her previous life, Ji Xuanyuan had witnessed the methods of that thousand-year-old fox who served as both Supreme Protector and mentor to him.

That fox had been extremely harsh toward him.

Therefore, her junior brother had suffered no shortage of hardships since childhood.

Perhaps this was another form of training?

Ji Xuanyuan knew well that some families deliberately arranged for their direct descendants to be poorly treated in youth to temper their character and willpower.

Thinking of how skilled her junior brother had been at all daily chores back in the sect in her previous life, she could easily imagine—

Perhaps he lived in some rundown little courtyard in Xuanji City, worrying about not being able to afford Qi Gathering Pills tomorrow.

Perhaps he was squatting by the well washing clothes, cold water flowing over his cracked knuckles.

Perhaps he would wake startled from dreams in the middle of the night, roused by the wind whistling through cracks in the walls.

At the mere thought of these scenes, Ji Xuanyuan felt her heart being squeezed tightly.

Noticing the abnormality in Her Highness’s expression, Fang Henian asked hesitantly.

“Miss…?”

Ji Xuanyuan shook her head slightly.

“It’s nothing.”

Her voice carried a faint tremor.

Fang Henian grew even more puzzled.

Following her gaze to the grayish-green figure that was about to disappear into the depths of the crowd, he probed.

“Miss, would you like this humble official to call that Young Master Chu over for a talk?”

Ji Xuanyuan nodded.

“Go ahead. Use the purchase of those ores as an excuse and invite him to a nearby teahouse for a chat!”

“Yes!”

Fang Henian responded and quickly walked off.

Ji Xuanyuan moved to the teahouse.

Facing such an honored guest, the shopkeeper immediately cleared out the most secluded private room on the third floor.

She sat by the window. Snow-Top Emerald Green tea—the new tribute of this spring—was brewing on the stove.

Fragrant steam curled upward, lingering like mist around her lowered brows and eyes.

Knock knock!

Before long, Fang Henian’s respectful voice came from outside the door.

“Miss, Young Master Chu has arrived.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Xuanyuan inexplicably grew nervous.

Only then did she realize this might be her first meeting with her junior brother after more than a hundred years of separation.

Ji Xuanyuan could not help but tidy her appearance.

Seeing that the lady inside did not respond for a while, the waiting Fang Henian asked in confusion.

“Miss?”

Ji Xuanyuan startled.

After slightly calming her surging emotions, she composed herself and spoke with proper dignity.

“Please enter!”