~ Star Boundary, High Heaven Palace ~
"Welcome home Palace Master, Mistresses, Young Master. I trust your journey was fruitful." Hua Qing Si said, as we all flew down to the ground.
"It was quite a good journey. We were able to accomplish everything we had set out to do and then even a little extra. You have my thanks for managing the Palace while I was gone this time." Yang Kai smiled.
"A mere 3 month trip is nothing to me. And what's more, I knew that the Young Master would return with you at the end of it. With him returning, well, managing things will become significantly easier." Hua Qing Si giggled, lightly. "On that note there are a couple of matters that the Palace Master should attend to at his earliest convenience." She added.
"Brother Yang, where is my junior Sister Ruo Xi? Didn't she leave with you on this trip? Did something happen to her?" Gu Pan said, rushing up to Yang Kai. She had been staying as a guest in hopes of seeing Ruo Xi upon Yang Kai's return.
"Calm down, nothing bad has happened. It's just that, Ruo Xi has found herself a great opportunity and decided she couldn't miss out on it. As a result she opted to stay behind and cultivate." Yang Kai replied, explaining the situation in no uncertain terms, yet remaining vague on purpose.
"Martial Aunt Gu, there is no need to worry. The training environment is quite nice. Even I am a bit jealous of Martial Aunt Ruo Xi's good fortune this time." I said in a slightly nervous but light hearted manner.
"Oh, so this is the cutie martial nephew I've heard about. He's cute. Oh, do you like snacks! There is this super good new cookie around here. I can't get enough of them. So much lemony goodness. So refreshing." Gu Pan said with quite a bit of energy behind her words, as her eyes lit up. "I'd love to make them at home so I can have them anytime. Though no one in that city was willing to give out the recipe. Ah, I'd consider marrying the man that created such a delightful snack." She went on to swoon over the recipe.
"Father, I knew from our several conversations over the years, but Martial Aunt Gu is quite glutinous isn't she? Even going as far as marrying someone she just met just to get the recipe for something so simple." I said, with a wry nervous smile, and then I saw the look on Yang Kai's face. "Uh oh, that's the same face he had before." I thought. "Oh would you look at the time, I have to, uhm, I have to go and stabilize my cultivation." I said in a slight panic and then vanished from the area using teleportation. And a piece of paper fell where I had been standing.
"Oh, what's this?" Gu Pan said in surprise, willing the paper up from the ground, and then read it. "This... This is, heh heh." She snickered. But her face turned red as a face could possibly ever get.
"Achem... Palace Master, Lady Lan Xun from Star Soul Palace has been awaiting your return as well. She has been quite insistent upon an audience with the Palace Master." Hua Qing Si said, abruptly changing the subject.
"I see, inform her that I have some time now. Since it seems my son has, matters to attend to. In the meantime, Sister Gu Pan, I'd suggest we have a discussion amongst ourselves at once." Yang Kai said with a slightly exacerbated sigh at the end.
"Void, would you mind kindly if we join in this conversation? I heard some words just now that I'd like some explanation for." Iron Blood Great Emperor said, as he and a young woman, behind him, arrived.
"That's probably for the best. The more that helps to inform Sister Gu Pan of her insatiable loose mouth when it comes to food things... Well, anyways, let's go. I already have an idea about what you're here to talk about. I can't finalize anything at present but we can at least discuss it." Yang Kai sighed, he was tired but now had this mess to deal with. "Leiji! I know you don't have to work that hard to stabilize your cultivation! So you better show up within the hour!" He yelled out, loudly.
"Husband, don't torture our precious boy like that! His cultivation is vastly different from our own, it's fair to say he has his own difficulties." Su Yan said in a sinisterly sweet voice. The air around everyone grew unbearably cold by some.
"That and with Sister Gu Pan's out right declaration right then. It's honestly no wonder why she wasn't able to acquire the recipe until now. She was offering herself for a snack recipe, she's a 6th rank open heaven realm core disciple of lang ya paradise. Of course no one's going to willingly offer themselves like that. If it were me, I'd it was a trap." Xue Yue said, shaking her head with a sigh.
"Well, little Leiji already has 6 wives and I'm certain there will inevitably be more. Plus Sister Gu Pan is in our generation, making it a jump in the generations. But that isn't even that big of a problem here. Leiji was already writing the recipe down before Gu Pan said that comment. It must have been quite the shock to hear a respected martial aunt say that, while he was preparing to hand the recipe over as a gift." Qu Hua Chang explained.
"Ah! I'm sorry, but it was just a brand new flavor. I might have gone a bit overboard with my enthusiasm. But, I, I really wanted that recipe." Gu Pan said, pushing her fingers together nervously.
"That's enough for now. Let's take this discussion to a private room. And get some tea, I'd prefer to be prepared before the headache sits in." Yang Kai said, putting his hand to his forehead, sighing.
~ A Private Meeting Hall ~
Yang Kai, his wives, Gu Pan, Hua Qing Si, Iron Blood and his disciple, along with a few others had gathered in the hall. The discussion wouldn't begin until the tea was poured and the main subject, myself, arrived.