novelraw Chapter 379 - 378 - Return
Chapter 379 - 378 - Return
The Frey Clan in the Southern District of the Lotus Empire did not seem much changed from 2 centuries ago. The Gu Clan nearby had been transformed and moved away long ago, but their former lands and property were ceded to the Frey Clan.
Despite the largess, the Grand Master of the Clan chose to make the former Gu Clan properties into outlets for pills, refined items, and other clan business. The influx of resources secured their position as the most powerful clan but they had a whole generation that moved away to the distant Moebius Sect a century ago.
Now, the sect was too far but those that did well in the yearly Clan Tournament, as it was now called, could win a chance to go to the Lotus Empire. A few had been lucky to be selected by a visiting Elder from the Moebius Sect but only a handful since the first great migration.
Some wondered if Lind Frey forgot all about his old Clan, but the Grand Master knew the truth. The fine teachings of the elements helped Soul Realms progress smoothly to the World Realm and World Realms to reach the peak of Iron Tier.
The Old Man Fu was walking with a stick as he made his rounds to smile at the laughing children as they practiced their skills. His peak Gold Tier cultivation was rare, but with all the help Lind sent, he would be a wastrel if he had not made it that far.
He had been alive for almost 450 years but he could feel the cold or a storm come long before they arrived. His movements were so stiff and slow, but he still commanded respect from the other elders. If Fu used his full power, he could temporarily feel full of vitality once more, but it would burn his life to do so.
Still, he enjoyed the walk and looked at the empty space beside him with a frown. It had been 2 years since the Grand Mistress became bedridden. She had trained her replacement who was now doing much of the day to day administration with the Elders while Fu's own successor was finishing up his own education.
"Why are you still holding on?" No pill or elixir could help her anymore but she stubbornly clung to life without explanation. No one who knew her found that normal but no one dared accuse her of wasting resources to keep her going either.
"Good morning, Grand Master!" One of the peak Iron Tier guards saluted him and he waved back as he passed. That was the biggest change to the clan as that guard was not a member of the clan but issued by the Empire.
The Lotus Empire deployed an elite guard unit to the Frey Clan decades ago. No one questioned why but it was one of the many reasons that the Overlord had essentially become a figure head as time passed.
Fu had no interest in running the city but the next generation certainly dove into it. Still, they remained humble as they knew the Empire would not take kindly to stepping over the line, yet nothing came back as the Frey Clan quietly took over.
Taxes were still paid on time and no shady business was taking place. In fact, many Clans were pleased as the Frey Clan was a generous neighbor over the millenia. They had never crossed other clans nor caused issues.
In fact, they had often given support to clans that were in need so long as it did not threaten their own interests.
Part of the reason the Frey Clan was saddled by the former Overlord with the political prisoner was because of his jealousy of how the Frey Clan was spoken of.
Now, it was as if Fate had smiled on the Clan after their great difficulty.
Fu finally reached his destination. It was a rather small courtyard compared to some but it had been left in place as desired by Fu and Granny. He slid open the door and saw the sunlight dancing in the herb garden.
It was still well maintained and gathered from, but the center had a stone dias with a memorial laid out with flowers now. He was unsure who brought the flowers but they were violet and gold so they looked pleasing.
Fu slowly moved across the garden and saw in his mind's eye a tiny boy full of energy and questions running around Granny's legs as she laughed as she had not laughed in the decades previous.
The hole in her heart had been healed by the innocence of a child trying to help his mother live a better life. The motive had grown until a miracle happened so many years later. Who knew one of the most powerful men in the world would come from their little Clan?
Fu gently sat down on the bench and simply basked in the warm sunlight and gentle breeze. The garden always seemed to be a place of spiritual peace that he found soothing.
He was about to nap when he felt a presence. It was not forbidden to be in the courtyard, but the list of people that would come there when he was, were very few. An irritated look crossed his face as he opened his eyes but then he froze.
A tanned face with dark green eyes full of joy looked down at him framed with long dirty blonde hair. The deep crimson robes were a shade darker than his own but the giant clan symbol was nearly visible on his back .
Fu's hands were shaking as tears welled in his eyes. His heavily wrinkled face was displaced by a wide smile as a single name passed his lips.
"Lind?" The man smiled and hugged Fu hard in a way the old man would recognize anywhere.
"I am home, Old Man." The nickname, more than anything, let the tears flow as Fu laughed and cried at the same time! The 2 men reminisced for a moment before Lind stepped back and sat on the other bench.
"When did you arrive?" Fu would have been told, but Lind pointed up and scratched the side of his cheek.
"I bought the flowers from a good shop and brought them to my aunt's memorial. I have been an unfilial nephew for too long." Fu waved that off as anyone knew the young man had been mired not only in work but adversity.
Fu looked up and checked the formations but found no issue with them. He looked sternly at Lind then.
"You are setting a bad example, young man!" Lind actually smiled wider under the scolding. It felt good to be treated as just Lind once more. He now knew why his heart did not want to let go of this place.
Here, he was just Lind Frey, the boy or young man. Not the Sect Master, honored elixir master or Forger, but just a man. An ache in his heart was soothed by that fact as the stress seemed to melt away as he sat in his old courtyard.
He had been surprised when he found no one living there but the memorial and garden were well kept as well as the rooms neat and tidy.
His question must have been clear as Fu shrugged and it was his turn to scratch his cheek innocently. Lind felt sad seeing how old the Old Man really was right then. His heart hurt to ask a question but he had to know.
"I did not hear anything from the sect or Sapphire Auction House, so is Granny ok?" Fu's face immediately fell but he quickly waved off the sadness in Lind's face.
"She is alive and aware, but bedridden. There is nothing anyone can do, and believe me, experts have tried." Even if Fu had not asked, those that kept a good relationship with Lind made sure to offer services to the Frey Clan now and again.
If any knew the importance of Granny to Lind, it might have been possible that even the Starfire House would have moved to try to help her, but Lind had not wanted their lives too upended.
Lind nodded solemnly and then closed his eyes. A feeling of pressure faintly hit the Old Man and his eyes widened! He could not tell what cultivation Lind was in!
So long as it was the World Realm, he would be able to divine the tier if not the level within it. The fact Lind felt so powerful without a shred of cultivation leaking out meant he had done it! Lind had reached the Sky Realm!
His eyes opened and he nodded to Fu before leaving the garden. Fu was about to follow when he saw a vial glistening on the bench next to him. Fu examined it carefully but the glittering liquid shifted from dark violet to luminescent blue as it moved under the sun.
He did not recognize it at all but knowing Lind, it likely did something both beneficial and insane. Fu considered not drinking it but then shrugged, time was not something Lind could heal.
The elixir burned down his throat, it was very powerful but a soothing feeling began to permeate Fu's body as all the aches and pain of his joints vanished! He did not get younger but his internal ligaments and bones were restored to a point of much younger days.
Fu slowly stood up without the cane and smiled! There was no pain!
He was still weaker than his old days, but he could move with ease once more! Tears fell as Fu paced around the garden with a sure step. His muscles got a little sore as they had not moved in such a way for decades, but it was only a matter of time for it to come back.
"You truly never forgot us, bless you my boy, bless you." Fu remembered wanting to show gratitude to the young boy that saved his granddaughter. He had simply allowed him to test like all the other children and he had passed with flying colors.
He had thought that would be the end of it but as the years passed, it was as if Lind changed the Clan inside and out. The gloomy and selfish attitudes began to fade until laughter and joy were far more common.
Pride had returned to them, all because they took a leap of faith on a child so long ago. Fu wondered why the spirits made it so hard to see such things but then he realized people did not treasure what came easily.
Love hard won would endure compared to simple indulgence of lust almost every time. Carving out the future through hardship was nearly impossible to take away once achieved compared to that which was based on luck of birth.
So many examples and Fu now laughed in the old herb garden as he knew his last years would be much better. He felt like the final shadow of the old difficulties was gone and his Qi flowed like a stream of a mighty river compared to the reluctant trickle it had been before.
The heart of the clan had returned!