Chapter 21: Family

Lou Mu Yan felt happy when she saw her family members all adorned a gentle and doting smile.

In her previous life, when she was only three years old, she was sent to the Sect to practice cultivation. When she finally returned, her parents and brothers had long passed away, so she, who had never enjoyed any family affection since she was a child, cherished the Lou family dearly.

She spun around in front of them, with a bright smile: “Did you guys not notice that my cultivation base has advanced?”

“Great Sword Master.” Lou Zhan Tian gasped in surprise. Before, he only cared about whether his granddaughter had returned from the Blazing Mountain Range safely or not and didn’t really pay attention to her cultivation base.

Lou Mo Yu’s refined, elegant appearance also revealed slight surprise and said: “You really are an Initial-Phase Great Sword Master!”

“You were able to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill?” Lou Mu Yan was delighted, then continued to ask: “Yan’er, you really cured your Terminal Meridians constitution?”

“Yep, I refined it.” Lou Mu Yan smiled and nodded: “I also obtained a few more Flame Fruits. I’ll refine a few more batches of Marrow Cleansing Pills, and you all can take it.

“The Marrow Cleansing Pill can cleanse the marrow and your body, as well as broaden the meridians. Now the meridians of my whole body were more than doubled in size, so the absorption of the Spiritual Force was much faster.”

“There’s actually such a Heaven-defying pill. Then wouldn’t it be able to change the combat power of the entire country?” Lou Zhan Tian’s eyes burst with a sharp glint.

Lou Mu Yan held her forehead, looking at her grandfather speechlessly: “Grandpa, the Marrow Cleansing Pill isn’t so easy to refine. The Flame Fruit alone isn’t easy to find, and right now I’m the only one in the entire Yan’zhou Country who’s able to refine it.”

Right now, she didn’t have any sense of belonging to Yan’zhou Country, so naturally she wouldn’t bother to unconditionally help them refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill. It was more important to increase the combat power of the Lou Clan.

“True, it’s better to take our time making a decision.” Lou Zhan Tian stroked his beard, then looked at Lou Mu Yan and said: “Let’s keep the fact that you can refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill a secret for now.”

Once such a pill was known, who knew how much it would shock the superiors of Yan’zhou Country, not to mention the entire land.

Lou Mo Yu also nodded in agreement: “Yan’er, your current strength is still a little too weak, so it’s not recommended to reveal it. Even if others discovered the existence of the Marrow Cleansing Pill, just say it was gifted by an expert.”

Lou Mu Bai had told them before, so even though they were shocked and excited, they were still able to maintain composure.

“Excellent! My family’s Mu Yan can finally absorb the Spiritual Force of Heaven and earth and cultivate Elemental Energy!” Lou Zhan Tian was filled with joy—his granddaughter could finally eradicate her Terminal Meridians constitution. It was even more exciting than knowing he could double the size of his meridians after taking the Marrow Cleansing Pill.

“Yan’er is indeed a person of great luck.” Lou Mo Yu’s eyes showed gratification.

The Divine Seer’s divination was indeed correct. His family’s Yan’er really did change after experiencing life and death, and there wasn’t any need to bear the name of ‘trash’ in the future.

Although Lou Mo Yu was hailed as the God of War in the Empire, but he was exceptionally handsome and elegant. His body wasn’t as burly as Lou Zhan Tian, and on the contrary, he usually appeared like a civil official.

“That’s only a matter of course! My family’s Yan’er is naturally the best.” Lou Zhan Tian looked full of pride of his granddaughter.

Lou Mo Yu smiled: “Your mother went to stay at your maternal grandfather’s family, so she’d only be back after a few days. If they heard you’ve cured your Terminal Meridians constitution, then they’d be extremely happy as well. I’ll have someone send them a message later.”

“Yes, yes, we need to send a message to our relatives. It’s a big deal for our Yan’er to finally be able to cultivate.” Lou Zhan Tian laughed happily and said: “We’ll also pass the news to your younger sister.”

“Yes, father.” Lou Mo Yu nodded with a smile.

Lou Mu Ting reached out and poked Lou Mu Yan on the cheek and said: “Little sister, your skin has become fairer and brighter after taking the Marrow Cleansing Pill.”

Lou Mu Yan slapped the hand of her twin elder brother off of her and rolled her eyes at him, saying: “That’s only natural.”

“Second elder brother, when did you come back?” Lou Mu Yan had a tacit understanding and feeling with her elder twin brother, Lou Mu Ting.

Lou Mu Ting’s eyes darkened upon mentioning this, and a chill rose on his face, “I heard that you were bullied, so I came back from the frontier. The Gu Clan’s daughter really doesn’t want to live anymore.”

He was different to Lou Mu Bai. He preferred exciting and thrilling battles, so he was thrown to the frontier, where his second uncle was stationed, by their grandfather for training. He hurried back because he heard that his little sister was injured by Gu Yan Ran and almost died.

Who knew that as soon as he returned, he heard that his little sister went to the Blazing Mountain Range. Originally he wanted to ‘take care of’ Gu Yan Ran but was stopped by his eldest brother. Since his little sister wanted to take revenge herself, he temporarily extinguished his thoughts of killing Gu Yan Ran.

“It’s just one Gu Yan Ran, she’s not worthy of second elder brother to personally take action.” Ferocity flashed by Lou Mu Yan’s eyes, and she raised an eyebrow and said: “During the Academy’s annual competition, I’ll let her taste the evil fruits she sowed.”

“Now that’s my little sister. Toleration’s not the style of our Lou Clan.”

Remembering how his little sister constantly tolerated Gu Yan Ran and Zeng Rou because of Chi Yi Xuan, fury rose in Lou Mu Ting’s chest.

He softened his tone and attempted to persuade Lou Mu Yan: “Even if Chi Yi Xuan doesn’t really like Gu Yan Ran, but you can’t change the fact that the Chi Clan wants him to marry that woman as a concubine. I heard that the Imperial Noble Consort and the Gu Family were trying to push for her to become the official wife. Regardless of whether it’s possible or not, such a man isn’t worth entrusting your entire life with.”

Hearing Lou Mu Ting’s words, the others also turned their attention to Lou Mu Yan.

Lou Mu Yan was obsessed with Chi Yi Xuan, and even asked her family to open a backdoor for her to enter the Imperial Academy despite still wearing the title of trash. Due to this, she often had to endure other’s ridicule and bullying, which caused a lot of headaches and heartaches for them.

“Grandpa, father, eldest brother, second elder brother, don’t worry.” Lou Mu Yan’s eyes were full of decisiveness, and she said firmly: “After dying this one time, my heart’s like dead ashes1. He isn’t a good match for me, and all my thoughts and energy are now on cultivation. As if I’ve got time to chase after him.”

Hearing Lou Mu Yan say this, they sighed with relief. Lou Mu Ting patted his little sister on the shoulder and said with gratification in his voice: “Thinking this way is correct. After having strength, who dares to belittle you? Bully you? Humph, there’ll be loads for Chi Yi Xuan to regret later. When that time comes, it’ll be our Yan’er who doesn’t want him and tell him to scram.”

“As expected of second elder brother, you understand me. Even if he changes his heart and comes back to beg me, I’ll still tell him to scram.” Lou Mu Yan raised her hand and clenched her fist in the air to express her determination.

She could tell from Chi Yi Xuan’s attitude that it wasn’t that he didn’t care about her at all. Combined with her previous memories, they had a good relationship when they were younger, but ever since Gu Yan Ran appeared, the two slowly walked to this point today.

But it was undeniable that Chi Yi Xuan wasn’t a qualified candidate as a potential partner. The fact that he was able to indulge Gu Yan Ran and Zeng Rou’s bullying of the original owner of this body was also because he used Lou Mu Yan’s deep love for him.

But right now she had no feelings for Chi Yi Xuan, and even if she inherited the feelings of the original owner, she didn’t even have a trace of attachment or daydreams left for Chi Yi Xuan. She had no interest in that sort of man and they were destined to not be fated.

Afterwards, Lou Mu Yan had dinner with her family and chatted, then went to the treasury of the Lou Clan where they stored their valuables, found the rest of the Spiritual Herbs required to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill, then went to her room to refine pills.

1she had no hope for Chi Yi Xuan anymore. Given up on him entirely.