Descending from Mountain Rain Peak, Chu Lingguang rode Little Red Horse to Eunuch Liu’s mansion.
The Palace Examination would be held in three days.
He and Guo Wei had agreed that after his training on Mountain Rain Peak was finished, he would return to Eunuch Liu’s mansion to wait.
He had been busy with his training for the past month.
Guo Wei, meanwhile, had traveled day and night, rushing to Wolf Valley Pass to secure a release.
Wolf Valley Pass was located in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, within the Northern Territory. Based on the travel time, even if the Court had sent the amnesty decree by falcon on the day it was issued and Guo Xiaotian was released immediately, Guo Wei’s round trip would still take a full month.
When Chu Lingguang arrived at the Liu Mansion, Eunuch Liu, who was supposedly home on sick leave, was training Xuanyuan Jinkang. Chu Lingguang led Little Red Horse to the stables.
"Red Boy."
He saw a familiar figure.
It was Guo Wei’s mount, Red Boy.
’If Red Boy is in the Liu Mansion stables, then Guo Wei must have already arrived in the Imperial City.’
"Master!"
Chu Lingguang ran toward the Liu Mansion’s Inner Courtyard.
WHOOSH!
Guo Wei, who was practicing the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear in the Inner Courtyard, paused mid-movement. Standing beside him was a young man with a limp—it was none other than Guo Xiaotian.
The conditions in Wolf Valley Pass were harsh. Guo Xiaotian had been dressed in rags and forced into hard labor every day. If he hadn’t known a Breathing Technique, he would have died there long ago.
The ordeal had left his feet permanently injured, causing him to walk with a limp.
Only after this period of recuperation had some color finally returned to his face.
"Master."
Chu Lingguang released his Spiritual Sense and immediately pinpointed the fluctuations of Guo Wei’s aura. Master and disciple were reunited in the Liu Mansion’s Inner Courtyard.
"Lin Guang, you’re back."
Guo Wei tossed his Long Spear back onto the Soldier Landing Platform. Before Chu Lingguang could kneel, his master caught him and held him up. "Tian," Guo Wei said to Guo Xiaotian, "this is the junior brother I kept telling you about on our journey—Chu Lingguang. He’s the one who saved you. Now, kneel to him."
THUD!
Guo Xiaotian dropped to his knees.
"Senior Brother."
Chu Lingguang tried to pull him up, but Guo Wei stopped him.
"Junior Brother," Guo Xiaotian said, "I can see the light of day again, and it’s all because of you. From now on, as long as you don’t look down on this crippled body of mine, I, Guo Xiaotian, will go through hell and high water for you without a second thought!"
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!
...
After speaking, Guo Xiaotian kowtowed repeatedly to Chu Lingguang.
He knew that Chu Lingguang had done all this to repay the kindness of their master. But regardless of the bond between Guo Wei and Chu Lingguang, the fact remained that Chu Lingguang had saved him. He had to repay this debt!
"Senior Brother, please get up."
Chu Lingguang quickly helped Guo Xiaotian to his feet.
A line of text appeared before his eyes.
(Helped Guo Xiaotian escape Wolf Valley Pass. Gained 32,199 Favor Points.)
"Senior Brother Guo, we are fellow disciples. We may not be brothers by blood, but our bond is even stronger. There’s no need for any more thanks."
Seeing the number of Favor Points, Chu Lingguang knew Guo Xiaotian was a man of loyalty and integrity. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have risked his life to teach the Day and Night Breathing Technique to Xie Xiaohuan.
"Mm."
Guo Xiaotian nodded emphatically. He didn’t dwell on it; repaying a debt was about action, not words. Too many promises would just sound hollow.
"Junior Brother."
Just then, a familiar voice called from behind him.
"Senior Sister."
Chu Lingguang’s face was full of surprise. The person behind him was Guo Fang.
’Then again,’ he thought, ’Guo Xiaotian was just released after so long. The two of them have been separated for years, so of course Guo Fang would accompany him. They could look out for each other on the road.’
At this thought, Chu Lingguang said apologetically, "Master, I didn’t think it through. Senior Brother Guo was just released; I should have let you all have a proper family reunion in Baiyang County. It was wrong of me to have you bring him all this way to the Imperial City to watch me take the Palace Examination. You’ve had such a long and tiring journey, I..."
"Junior Brother, what are you saying?" Guo Fang interrupted. "There are three great events in a man’s life: succeeding in the examinations, getting married, and having children. You’re about to become an Advanced Scholar! How could the three of us possibly miss it? If your aunt and her family had any Martial Arts foundation and we weren’t worried the long journey would be too much for them, they would have come to the Imperial City with us to see you too."
"Then I must become a Military Scholar! I won’t disappoint you, Senior Sister. By the way, how are my Second Aunt and her family doing?"
Speaking of Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family, Chu Lingguang hadn’t seen her in half a year and found himself missing her.
"They’re doing great," Guo Fang said. "Ever since Linghua married Hei Hu, Master Hei has been visiting your Liu Family Gully every few days. And after you became a Martial Scholar, Lord Xu had a grand mansion built for you there. Your Second Aunt is living like a lady of a wealthy house now; they want for nothing. Your two cousins are even taking the literary exams soon, and Mr. Liu says they have a very good chance of becoming Scholars."
As she spoke, Guo Fang took a letter from her robes and handed it to Chu Lingguang. "This is from your Second Aunt," she said. "Your two cousins wrote it out. You can read it in a moment. I’m going to the kitchen to whip up a few of your favorite side dishes."
"Okay, thank you, Senior Sister."
Only then did Chu Lingguang notice that Guo Fang had just returned from outside. Two baskets sat just beyond the courtyard, filled with all his favorite vegetables.
Guo Fang had clearly gone to the market to buy them herself. The Liu Mansion wanted for nothing—it had plenty of cooks, maids, and guards. The mansion’s chefs were incredibly skilled, serving delicacies at every meal. The only reason for Guo Fang to cook herself was that she wanted him to have a taste of home.
’It’s also her way of thanking me for helping Guo Xiaotian,’ he realized.
Chu Lingguang was deeply moved.
He broke the seal on the envelope. The letter’s contents were much as Guo Fang had described. It was filled with warm words of concern. Mrs. Chu of the Zhang Family hoped he would pass his examination with flying colors and return home soon for a family reunion. The letter also recounted some of the funny and absurd things that had happened in Liu Family Gully over the past six months for Chu Lingguang’s amusement.