Chapter 507: Close Kin
It would be no exaggeration to say that beneath the Divine Xuan realm, no one could match Yun Che's recovery ability. When Yun Che woke up, the sky had already grown dim. His nearly exhausted mental energy and profound force had recovered by about seventy or eighty percent. As he sat up, he found himself lying on a soft, small bed. The surroundings were very quiet, and the room's furnishings were simple yet elegant. Looking out the window, Yun Che immediately recognized that he was still in the small courtyard where Yun Qinghong lived, likely the bedroom adjacent to the main hall.
Yun Che sharpened his ears and faintly heard the voices of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou conversing in the next room. To avoid disturbing his rest, their voices were very low. Yun Che jumped down from the bed, quickly organized his thoughts, then picked up the Sound Transmission Jade and located the imprint he had previously left from Tianxia Diyi.
"Brother Tianxia, there is something I would like to ask for your help," Yun Che transmitted.
Soon, a flash of profound light flickered on the Sound Transmission Jade, and Tianxia Diyi’s hearty voice came through the rotating profound array: "Brother Yun, speak freely."
Yun Che got straight to the point: "Two months from now, the Yun Clan will hold a clan-wide competition to prepare for the Demon Empress Ceremony three months later. I hope that Brother Tianxia can be present at that time… As for the reason, please forgive me for not being able to explain it now. You will know it when the time comes."
Without making Yun Che wait long, Tianxia Diyi’s voice came through again: "The reason doesn’t really matter. Compared to you saving my little sister’s life, this trivial matter is nothing. At that time, I will certainly be there. I will not break my word."
Tianxia Diyi was an extremely straightforward person, and the whole process went even more smoothly than Yun Che had anticipated. After all, Yun Che had saved Tianxia Diqi’s life first, and Tianxia Diyi was naturally proud—he would never be willing to owe anyone a favor. Moreover, he had already given his word earlier, so even though Yun Che hadn’t explained the reason, he would absolutely not refuse.
The door was pushed open. Hearing the sound of voices, Yun Xiao hurried in. Seeing Yun Che, he said with pleasant surprise, "Big Brother Yun, you’re awake!"
"Mm!" Yun Che nodded. "Yun Xiao, you came at just the right time. We can begin the ceremony now."
"Huh? Ceremony?"
Yun Che grabbed Yun Xiao by the arm and pulled him directly to kneel side by side. Then, pointing to the heavens, he declared in a resolute tone, word by word: "I, Yun Che, today swear brotherhood with Yun Xiao. I am the elder brother, Yun Xiao is the younger brother. From now on, we will share fortune and hardship alike. Yun Xiao’s family is my family, and my family is Yun Xiao’s family. Let the heavens bear witness to this oath. If I break it, may heaven and earth destroy me!"
Yun Xiao stood there, completely stunned. After Yun Che finished his oath, he nudged Yun Xiao’s shoulder: "Alright, your turn."
Yun Xiao turned his head, his face filled with fluster. He moved his lips and then suddenly said, "Big Brother Yun, I… I…"
"What? You don’t want to swear brotherhood with me?" Yun Che asked with a smile.
"No, of course not." Yun Xiao shook his head. Looking directly at Yun Che, he said sincerely, "Big Brother Yun’s talent is extremely high, his medical skills are terrifyingly powerful, and he has done an enormous favor for me and my parents. But as for me… although I am nominally the Young Family Head of the Yun Clan, you saw today what my actual status is like. Even though I’ve only spent one day with Big Brother Yun, your brilliance is already so dazzling that I dare not look directly at you. In front of Big Brother Yun, I feel like a firefly before the bright moon. I don’t understand… why would Big Brother Yun be willing to swear brotherhood with me? And on your own initiative, at that…"
Yun Xiao’s temperament was gentle, and he always acted with restraint and caution, but he was definitely not dumb. It was only natural for him to have such doubts, and Yun Che was certainly not surprised. He looked at Yun Xiao and said in an even more sincere voice, "Yun Xiao, it’s normal for you to have such doubts. Your father’s suspicions about me are even greater than yours. Indeed, in this world, no one is kind to another person for no reason. I am no exception. But Yun Xiao, please believe me. I have absolutely no ulterior motives or ill intentions toward you or your family. I do not now, and I will never have any. I genuinely want to be a brother as close as family to you, and I truly want to regard your family as my own… I cannot explain the reason for now, but within at most… at most half a year, I will make it clear to you. If a single word of what I said is false, may I, Yun Che, die a miserable death!"
"Ah!" Yun Xiao was greatly startled by Yun Che’s final curse upon himself. If he had still harbored a trace of suspicion before, then Yun Che’s decisive words and firm, sincere gaze made it impossible for Yun Xiao to feel any remaining doubt or wariness. He nodded, then faced forward, raised his hand to the sky, and recited the same oath as Yun Che had earlier: "I, Yun Xiao, today swear brotherhood with Big Brother Yun Che. Big Brother Yun is the elder brother, I am the younger brother. From now on, we will share fortune and hardship alike. Big Brother Yun’s family is my family, and my family is Big Brother Yun’s family. Let the heavens bear witness to this oath. If I break it, may heaven and earth destroy me!"
Yun Xiao’s emotions were even more stirred than Yun Che’s. Yun Che had told him there was truly a reason, but what Yun Xiao felt more keenly was Yun Che’s sincere heart. Earlier, when Yun Che had been clearing the meridians for Mu Yurou, his urgency and concern were written all over his face, to the point that he had even fainted from overexerting his mental energy…
Although he didn’t understand the reason, at this moment he believed wholeheartedly that Yun Che would never harm him or his family… perhaps he really was a divine son sent by heaven to save their family.
"Little brother Yun Xiao pays respects to Big Brother." Yun Xiao knelt on one knee and bowed to Yun Che with excitement and sincerity.
Yun Che accepted his bow, then helped him up. After Yun Xiao stood, they nodded to each other with smiles. Yun Che said, "From now on, we are brothers as close as blood brothers. From now on, no matter what happens, we must rely on each other. Neither of us is allowed to stand on ceremony with the other."
"Alright! Hehe… I have a big brother now, and such an extraordinary one at that. It feels like a dream." Yun Xiao’s face was flushed, still immersed in excitement. "It’s just that I, as the younger brother, am really a bit useless. I’ll probably end up owing you a lot in the future."
"Haha, we’re brothers now. Don’t say such formal things." Yun Che laughed heartily. Seeing Yun Xiao’s excitement, he sighed silently in his heart: Yun Xiao, you think you owe me, but I have saved my own biological parents. And your parents, along with your grandmother, all died because of me. Your grandfather endured the pain of separation from his children to raise me with hardship. Your little aunt was the warmest pillar of support in my youth. Even you, because of me, have borne cold stares and humiliation for twenty-two years…
If we’re talking about debts, I owe you, I owe your entire family… a debt that can never be repaid in a lifetime. All I can do is make sure you are no longer bullied, reunite you with your grandfather and little aunt, and find the true culprit who killed my adoptive father… and that is all.
"Let’s go. Your parents’ meridians have been initially cleared. We can begin removing the cold poison now." As he spoke, Yun Che walked toward the door.
"Ah? Now?" Yun Xiao said worriedly, "But Big Brother, you fainted from exhaustion earlier. You just woke up. What if you hurt yourself again? You should rest a bit more. Starting tomorrow would be fine too."
"Do I look tired to you?" Yun Che twisted his neck and said seriously, "I told you, your parents are my parents now. And your mother’s condition is especially dangerous. You might be willing to wait until tomorrow, but I’m not. Let’s go."
"Ah… alright."
The two walked side by side and pushed open the door to the main hall. Inside, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were sitting there, smiling at them. Yun Xiao looked a bit sheepish, then chuckled, "Father, Mother, you must have heard everything Big Brother and I said just now, right?"
The two rooms were separated only by a thin wall, and they hadn’t lowered their voices. Even an ordinary person could hear clearly.
"Hehe, we didn’t miss a single word." Yun Qinghong said with a gentle smile. "Xiao’er, congratulations on gaining such a good big brother. Your father can also sense that Yun Che has absolutely no intention of harming our family. As for the so-called ‘reason,’ it no longer matters."
Mu Yurou’s eyes were as soft as water. She said with delight, "Husband, since they have already sworn brotherhood, how about we take this child as our adopted son?"
Yun Qinghong chuckled, "If we can gain such an outstanding son, it would certainly be a wonderful thing. But of course, we need to see what Yun Che thinks."
Yun Che’s chest heaved violently. He stepped forward and knelt down, "Your son Yun Che pays respects to Adoptive Father and Adoptive Mother!"
Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong exchanged glances, their faces beaming with joyful smiles. Yun Qinghong clasped his hands lightly and said emotionally, "Good… good! I, Yun Qinghong, have resented the heavens for decades. Today, they have finally compensated our family by giving me another son."
"Child, get up. The floor is cold." Mu Yurou stood up and gently helped Yun Che to his feet. Looking at the warmth in her eyes that could melt everything, Yun Che almost involuntarily said, "May I… not address you as Adoptive Father and Adoptive Mother, but call you Father and Mother, just like Yun Xiao does?"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Yun Che regretted them… In just one day, he had sworn brotherhood with Yun Xiao and acknowledged them as his adoptive parents—it was already too hasty. These words were even more rushed. He quickly explained, "Since I was little, my birth parents left me. The adoptive father and mother who raised me also passed away shortly after I was born. I never even got a clear look at them. My grandfather raised me. So I have never known what it feels like to call someone Father or Mother, and so…"
Yun Che’s words inadvertently touched a nerve in Mu Yurou. Her eyes instantly grew misty. "You poor child… Che’er, if you don’t mind, from now on, we will be your father and mother. We will love and cherish you just like our own son. You may call us whatever you wish."
Yun Qinghong also nodded gently.
Yun Che’s heart pounded violently. He knelt down again, looked up at them, and softly called out, "Father… Mother…"
Though he tried his best to control himself, the two addresses still carried a heavy tremor.
This was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had uttered these two terms, so familiar to ordinary people… and he was facing his own biological parents…
At last, I have parents too… Yun Che closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of kneeling at his parents’ feet. In that moment, he felt that his life, his existence, had become much more complete. The vague emptiness and sense of lack that had quietly existed in his heart also faded away. It was also at this moment that he finally understood what that persistent sense of absence had been all along…