I sensed two people approaching my chambers before hearing a gentle knock on the vestibule door. I got up from the floor and exited the cultivation room.
My steps felt less painful. My ability to heal was already beginning to show itself, and its ability would increase once my Qi was stabilized.
Opening the vestibule door, I found Diego and his wife Jacinta. They both bowed their heads.
"My Lord, the handover report is on your desk, and the clan official who's governing your territory is wanting a meeting." Deigo informed me.
"Arrange the meeting for noon Aynday." I told him.
"Yes, My Lord."
Jacinta then spoke.
"My Lord, your morning meal is ready." She informed me.
"I'm heading out, so I won't be eating, and don't prepare meals for me in the future." I told Jacinta.
Immortals rarely needed to eat, and I didn't have a habit of eating for pleasure.
"Yes, My Lord." Jacinta said while bowing her head.
"Do not be troubled. I understand that it takes time for a servant to understand their lord's habits."
"Yes, My Lord." Jacinta said while raising her head.
I dismissed them and headed for the main hall. As I stepped onto the teleportation circle, I began to slowly push my Qi into it. The circle's runes glowed with a golden hue. In my head two points could be felt. I could feel the direction of these points and a general sense of how far away they were.
I looked down at the circle. There were twenty black lines jutting away from the it, and each line was numbered. Slowly I turned until I could sense the point furthest away was directly in front of me. I found myself looking between the lines numbered ten and eleven. I then faced the position where the shortest distance was directly ahead and found myself lined up with the number one line.
My mother's priorities were obvious.
I activated the point closest to me, and my Qi drains away as a golden light enveloped me. There were gaps in the light where I could still see the main hall of my house. Then a flash of purple and my father's main hall came into view.
The golden light falls away and with it a chunk of my Qi. Teleportation is an expensive way to travel. A tenth of the Qi within my internal sea is gone. As an immortal, I would soon be able to fly this distance without losing a speck of Qi.
"Young Lord." A female voice called out to me. The voice belonged to one of the two household servants that was standing in the main hall. I didn't recognize them, but that wasn't surprising as my father's household had many servants in its employ, and the shuffling of personnel was occasionally needed.
The duty of these two seemed to be greeting whoever used the teleportation circle.
I increased the number of servants I needed by two as I realized the possibility of my mother entering my residence without my knowledge.
"I'm here for the morning meal." I told the two servants.
"Please follow me, Young Lord." Said the female servant.
I followed her through the familiar corridors until we arrived at the entrance of the dining room. A few servants were huddled in front of the doorway. One of them was Alma, the wife of the head servant Dimitri.
I nodded to her as I entered. I felt some melancholy at the sight of new wrinkles on her forehead and strands of white in her black hair.
Alma smiled upon spotting me. "Young Lord, your presence has been expected." She told me while opening the kitchen door.
I nodded to her as I entered.
I felt some melancholy at the sight of new wrinkles on her forehead and strands of white in her black hair.
In this household the number of servants I knew by name was dwindling.
In the dining room my family was already seated and had begun eating.
My father was seated at the head of the table flanked on the right by my mother, and on the left by his second wife Dido. The only other family member at the table was Dido's son Hanno.
"Your late." Said my father as a servant placed a chair next to my mother. I gave a wry smile as I sat down. I tend to lose myself when cultivating. Next time I'll have to schedule my servants to "awaken" me earlier in the morning.
Alma came in and placed a plate of food before me. Her and the rest of the servants then left the dining room.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough." Dido said with a smile.
The smile showed off her small dimples. The words young mother came to mind when looking at Dido with her black hair, blue eyes, white jade skin. Of course, she isn't young by mortal standards as she's almost a century old.
"Thanks" I said while returning her smile.
"Why don't I see Sophia or brother-in-law?" I asked.
"They've gone on pilgrimage to Natu Springs to pray for Astaroth's Bounty." Dido said with a hint of anticipation in her voice.
I nodded. I remember them having a son in my visions, but I didn't know if this pilgrimage would be fruitful as there were no exact dates in my vision.
"It's a good time for them to have a kid." I stated.
"She'll be upset that she missed your breakthrough." Dido said with an apologetic look.
"It's fine. I'm certain that her leaving wasn't her own choice." I said with a knowing look towards my father.
He ignored me and continued to eat.
There were quite a few houses that were hoping I failed my attempt to breakthrough. I'm certain their gleeful whispers grew in volume as I neared my battle with heavenly tribulations. Father had always been protective of Sophia and wouldn't want her around to hear those whispers.
My eyes drifted to Hanno who was woodenly eating his food. His golden eyes fixed to his plate.
"Do you have any plans to add to your own household?" Dido asked me.
I looked at Dido. This wasn't a good question for her to ask.
My marriage talks have been on hold for the last twenty-five years. A man in Qi Solidifying Realm wasn't considered a good marriage candidate as there was a strong possibility of him facing heavenly tribulations before he succeeded in impregnating his bride.
Now that I'm immortal. My marriage prospects should be good, but the landscape has changed.
"I'm planning on taking a couple concubines." I told her.
Both my mother and father looked at me.
Father opened his mouth, but quickly closed it.
I knew what he wanted to say. It was best to marry before taking concubines, but he stayed silent because he was also aware of the problem.
There were simply no suitable matches currently available.
My maternal relatives were the best political match for our house, but the clan leader's household had only one suitable maiden, and my uncle planned to marry her to Hanno, so his house could gain a firm connection with the reviving House Hesk.
As for the other houses, the ones with appropriate bloodlines were the elite houses which have been actively suppressing our house since father became the steward for House Hesk.
Even if one of them was willing to make a match, it would radically shift the ice beneath us, and we couldn't risk a plunge.
Dido looked at my father as she began to realize something was wrong. She was always quick to read the room, but politics wasn't her strong suit.
"Do you have any women in mind son?" Father asked, pushing the conversation forward.
I met my father's gaze but said nothing.
The only women I'm currently considering are the wolf sisters, but I knew father wouldn't approve of them, and I didn't want him to scout them and potentially discovering their secret.
"There are a few prospects in House Kypir." My mother stated. It was now her turn to move the conversation off an awkward pause.
My father's eyes moved to mother. "The daughters of your brother's concubines?" He asked.
My mother nodded and began to give details about the concubine prospects from House Kypir.
I stayed silently listened as their discussion continued until Dido gently interrupted.
"My husband, may Hanno and I leave? Hanno has training scheduled with Nestor." Dido asked.
My father nodded his approval.
I watched as the mother and son pair left. My eyes were on Hanno's back. He was sixteen years old, and had inherited father's tall wide frame, but his back looked small to me.