Night had fallen, and the residential compound was extremely quiet.
"Welcome home." The smart voice at the courtyard gate spoke. Fang Yu, who had been sitting in the living room, heard it and immediately got up, going to the main gate.
From a distance, he saw a burly middle-aged man in casual clothes walk in, his temples slightly graying, his rugged face showing fatigue he could not hide.
But when the middle-aged man saw Fang Yu, he still smiled. "Fang Yu."
"Dad," Fang Yu said.
The man was his father, Fang Ping'an. Since his mother had passed away, he had single-handedly supported this family, right up to today.
The two walked toward the living room sofa.
"Where are Xiaolong and Siyue?" Fang Ping'an asked, setting down his bag and taking off his clothes at the same time.
"I already sent them to sleep first," Fang Yu said, then pointed to the cup on the coffee table. "Dad, you just got back. Have some water first. I bet you haven't had anything to drink all day."
"All right, I will." Fang Ping'an smiled.
Back then, he had also been a Martial Junior College student. At his peak, his Life Level had reached 15, but with age, lack of exercise, and endless dinner parties and drinking sessions, he had developed many chronic illnesses. Kidney stones were one of them—not life-threatening, but deeply tormenting.
"Come on. Go upstairs with me to pay respects to your great-grandfather," Fang Ping'an said slowly.
"Mm," Fang Yu nodded. A few years ago, when he had just entered university, his father had told him some family matters, and he understood the responsibilities he had to bear.
The underground level of the villa had a martial arts room; above ground there were three floors. On the third floor, a small room sectioned off specially was the Fang family's "small ancestral hall." Father and son went straight up to the third floor and pushed the door open.
They closed the door, and the motion-sensing light turned on automatically. The room was not large, even the decor was modern, and the incense and candles were all "electronic incense and candles." It was very quiet. Only three spirit tablets were placed there.
Fang Ping'an stood before the spirit tablets in silence, while Fang Yu stood to the side, his eyes sweeping over the names on the three tablets: great-grandfather Fang Tiankuo, grandmother Tao Yujie, and mother Bai Qing.
Afterward, Fang Yu first performed the rites with his father, Fang Ping'an.
"Fang Yu, do you remember what I told you when you came of age, about your great-grandfather?" Fang Ping'an turned to look at Fang Yu.
"I do," Fang Yu nodded.
Back then, after the College Entrance Exam, once he had been admitted to Martial Junior College, his father had told him that great-grandfather Fang Tiankuo had been among the first immigrants to New Moon. But later, for some unknown reason, he had returned to Blue Star, to his hometown of Wuling City. And among great-grandfather's last words, there was only one line: "If any descendant awakens the Upper-Rank Star Aspect 'Swallowing-Sun Python,' they must return to New Moon."
That was why he had been so shocked to hear that his younger brother and sister had both awakened the Swallowing-Sun Python.
"You were born after your great-grandfather had already passed away," Fang Ping'an said slowly. "Your great-grandfather was actually an Advanced Martial Artist. At his peak he was Level 39; after being injured, he still had Intermediate Martial Artist strength. In his era, that was considered very formidable."
Fang Yu nodded involuntarily. In New Calendar Year 38, Blue Moon civilization had produced its first Star-Sky Martial Artist. Before that, the strongest had been Sky-Patrolling Martial Artists. To reach Level 39 in that era had come incredibly close to Earth Martial Artist—he was absolutely a formidable figure. Even now, Level 39 was nothing to sneeze at.
"He had high hopes for your grandfather, which is why he named him Fang Zhiyuan," Fang Ping'an sighed. "Unfortunately, your grandfather didn't even want to have children."
Fang Yu was left speechless. He did not know how many times his father had told this story. Great-grandfather had named his grandfather Fang Zhiyuan, the meaning self-evident, but his grandfather had spent his whole life lounging in ease and pleasure, calling himself part of a child-free family—not even now, at ninety years old, was he an exception. Only when he was in his forties did great-grandfather threaten to donate the inheritance to the state, forcing him into marriage. That was how his father came to be.
Grandfather had named his father Fang Ping'an, hoping he would live freely and in peace... but his father was determined to make something of himself, and actually had some of great-grandfather's mettle.
"I was raised by your great-grandfather," Fang Ping'an said. "I was only eighteen when he died. In the blink of an eye, nearly thirty years have passed," his voice calm. "When he left, though he didn't say much more, I knew he was full of regret."
Fang Yu listened silently. Neither grandfather nor father had awakened anything but a Lower-Rank Star Aspect, far too distant from the Upper-Rank Star Aspect 'Swallowing-Sun Python' that great-grandfather had spoken of. Great-grandfather definitely had some secrets.
"Later, I married your mother and had the three of you siblings," Fang Ping'an said. "The names I gave you also represent some of my expectations."
Fang Yu nodded slightly. His own name and his brother's were taken from the meaning "the great python endures tribulation, transforms feathers and becomes a dragon." His sister's name, Fang Siyue, carried similar significance. His father had been deeply influenced by great-grandfather.
"I thought that since I hadn't awakened a strong enough Void Star Aspect, I couldn't return to New Moon through the martial path, so I would try to immigrate with money," Fang Ping'an sighed. "Unfortunately..."
"Dad, you've done enough," Fang Yu couldn't help but say.
New Moon. In this era, it was the "earthly paradise" of countless people from the old lands of Blue Star. In news reports, everyone there was a martial artist, and technology was highly advanced. To go there as a tourist didn't cost too much: travel through a star gate with a tour group, and about 100,000 Star Coins would cover a trip. But if you wanted to immigrate and settle down? The difficulty was much higher.
One path was the martial artist's path, and its standards kept rising. Now, if you could become an Earth Martial Artist, you could bring your family to immigrate directly, and the Blue Moon Alliance would assign fixed housing. If you were merely an Advanced Martial Artist, you had to complete various tasks to accumulate "immigration points."
The other path was "asset immigration," meaning you had to buy fixed real estate. Fang Yu had followed this before: commercial housing in New Moon cost upwards of millions of Star Coins per square meter. Even the smallest commercial units cost tens of millions of Star Coins, and there were restrictions on the number of residents. One could say: to become a person of New Moon, you either had to be a powerful martial artist or a rich tycoon.
As Fang Yu knew, the inheritance left by great-grandfather was not small, but unfortunately most of it had been spent by grandfather, especially when grandfather's Life Level was below 10 in his forties, he spent a large sum to obtain a "Parent Certificate." For his father to make it to today was no easy feat.
"Your grandfather said something not without reason," Fang Ping'an said. "The times have changed, ways of living differ. The older generation's ideas shouldn't be forced on the next... and besides, the probability of awakening an Upper-Rank Star Aspect really is quite low."
Fang Yu sighed silently as well. If you looked at the whole world or even the entire civilization, the probability of Upper-Rank Star Aspects emerging wasn't low—a large number appeared every year—but applied to an individual, the probability was very low. Taking Wuling City as an example, the probability of an Upper-Rank Star Aspect emerging was about one in three thousand.
"So, after you didn't awaken the Swallowing-Sun Python back then, I didn't dare ask for too much," Fang Ping'an said, his voice carrying a barely contained excitement. "I just never thought that Xiaolong and Siyue would actually awaken it at the same time."
A sister and brother awakening an Upper-Rank Star Aspect simultaneously—indeed very rare.
Fang Yu also understood that his younger brother and sister had reignited hope in his father's heart... he himself had never met great-grandfather, so he had no great obsession with returning to New Moon. But for his father, it was entirely different.
"The best talent," Fang Ping'an said. "But also the best cultivation conditions. Your brother and sister are only fifteen. It would be best to use Myriad Transformation Fruits to build their foundation—one per year, taken continuously for three years until they turn eighteen."
"I understand," Fang Yu nodded.
Myriad Transformation Fruits were treasures he had studied in required courses at Martial Junior College. They could strengthen tendons, bones, flesh, and blood, fortify the spirit, improve spiritual focus, and so on—truly comprehensive. Aside from some miraculous natural treasures, they were the best foundation-building treasures. Some wealthy families, if their children were determined to pursue the martial path, would take them. They came from Primordial Star. Their effects were excellent; the only drawback was the cost.
Two million Star Coins per fruit.
If his brother and sister used them at the same time, that would be four million Star Coins a year. The financial pressure on his father was simply too great.
"Dad," Fang Yu said directly. "Xiaolong and Siyue are more important. I'm about to graduate too. You don't need to give me living expenses for my fourth year."
Fang Ping'an gave Fang Yu 500,000 Star Coins a year in living expenses. Although it couldn't solve all the difficulties, Fang Yu believed that removing the 500,000 shortfall could ease some of his father's pressure. This was the decision he had made in his heart after learning that his brother and sister had awakened the Swallowing-Sun Python. For now he could not provide more help to the family, so he would reduce the burden. As the eldest brother, some things always required sacrifice. Besides, after so many years of martial cultivation, Fang Yu had roughly calculated that his father had spent several million Star Coins on him.
Before Fang Ping'an could respond.
"Dad, no,"
"Dad." Two urgent voices suddenly rang out. The door was suddenly thrown open, and Fang Siyue and Fang Long pushed in, startling both Fang Yu and Fang Ping'an in the room.
"Why haven't you gone to sleep?" Fang Ping'an frowned.
Fang Siyue did not answer that question. She spoke directly: "Dad, my brother and I don't necessarily need to use Myriad Transformation Fruits. That stuff is too expensive. After today's assessment, the assessment teacher told us that Myriad Transformation Fruits are not cost-effective. With our star aspects, using normal cultivation resources is fine—it basically won't affect our getting into Martial Undergraduate. But big brother is about to enter his fourth year, about to do the Junior-College-to-Undergraduate Upgrade. He needs all kinds of cultivation resources. This is his most crucial year."
"Dad, my sister and I think the same," Fang Long also said.
"Xiaolong, Siyue," Fang Yu frowned. "What do you two kids know? Myriad Transformation Fruits aren't for getting you into Martial Undergraduate. It's for the future. You're still young, nothing is set yet. Spending millions to build your foundation now brings effects that over a hundred million Star Coins in the future can't match."
"The money is none of your concern. Go back to sleep," Fang Yu said, staring at his brother and sister.
When Fang Yu got serious, it made Fang Long feel guilty. This was the authority of the eldest brother built up over many years.
"I won't," Fang Siyue said, gnashing her teeth and pouting her lips.
"Fine."
"What are you three arguing about? I haven't died yet!" Fang Ping'an's voice suddenly rose, suppressing the quarrel among the three siblings, yet a smile played on his face. "Siyue, who said I was going to reduce your brother's living expenses?"
"But big brother just said..." Fang Siyue became a little anxious.
"I didn't agree," Fang Ping'an said, shaking his head. "Rest assured. Dad will handle this matter. You and Xiaolong go downstairs to sleep first."
"Really?" Fang Siyue seemed not to quite believe it.
"Don't trust your old man? When has your old man ever lied to you?" Fang Ping'an said with a smile.
Fang Siyue thought about it. From childhood to now, her father really seemed never to have lied to her. She nodded slightly. "Okay, Dad, you can't lie to us."
"Rest assured," Fang Ping'an said.
Soon, Fang Siyue and Fang Long went downstairs. In the room on the third floor, only father and son remained.
"Dad, just do as I said. You don't need to give me living expenses for my fourth year," Fang Yu said softly.
"What, you think I really want to reduce your living expenses?" Fang Ping'an shook his head. "Siyue is right. Your fourth year is a very crucial year for you."
"Since I dared to have the three of you, I have the responsibility to raise you well," Fang Ping'an said with a smile. "Otherwise, why have you at all?"
"But..." Fang Yu was a little urgent.
Fang Ping'an waved a hand, cutting off Fang Yu's words. "Your old man hasn't died yet. Your brother and sister's affairs aren't for you to worry about. By the way, has the recommendation list for the Junior-College-to-Undergraduate Upgrade come out?"}
Chapter 10