Lu Zhang's heartfelt words deeply moved his wife and even the guards outside, who had followed Lu Zhang through life and death, felt saddened upon seeing their once spirited commander reduced to his current state.
Clutching his wife's hand tightly, Lu Zhang rolled down the carriage window and peered at his once-familiar hometown.
In that moment, he seemed to have shed the heavy burden on his heart and spoke to his wife with a light tone about the memories from his past.
"My family was considered prestigious in the village. Both my grandfather and father were honest and greatly respected by the villagers. My uncle, at a young age, became a Scholar and earned a reputation, known throughout the region as a prodigy."
As a child, I never worried about food or clothing. I loved causing mischief with my uncle during the day, and I was very familiar with every plant and tree in these mountains."
"Husband, you must be mistaken. If your uncle became a Scholar at such a young age, he must have been studious. How could he have had time to engage in mischief with you?"
"That's where you're wrong. My uncle was brilliant from a young age. He remembered everything he read. People in the village said he was a Star Immortal descended to Earth. Despite playing with me, he made sure I learned all that I needed."
The woman was well aware that her husband, despite his ordinary beginnings and even resorting to begging when they first met, was not lacking in knowledge. That was the reason her father had seen potential in him.
"Where is your uncle now and how did you come to this plight?" she asked with an air of indignation, unable to understand how her husband, with such a capable uncle, ended up begging for a living.
"My uncle became a Scholar, but then he traveled afar to study and was never heard from again. At first, our family lived comfortably on the prestige and property he left, but then a plague claimed the lives of my family, leaving only me to wander alone. Sometimes I wonder if I am a cursed orphan star, responsible for the death of all my relatives."
For a moment, the woman found herself at a loss for words to comfort her husband. Just then, a whiff of floral fragrance revived her spirits.
"How wonderful!"
"It must be the scent from the old apricot tree back home. I can't believe it's still alive. I remember it was starting to wither when I left home to seek a living," Lu Zhang said, noticing his wife's rare display of girlish behavior, a warm smile spreading across his face.
Unbeknownst to him, as the carriage moved forward, his health was gradually improving. His pale complexion became rosier, and his weak voice grew stronger.
By the time his childhood home appeared before Lu Zhang, he had fully recovered his health.
The woman, visibly excited, watched her husband, noticing his transformation. She clasped her hands and kept muttering prayers for ancestral blessings.
She believed her husband's miraculous recovery must be a blessing from the Lu Family ancestors. Otherwise, how could his incurable illness, deemed hopeless by countless doctors, suddenly heal upon returning home?
Lu Zhang stepped down from the carriage, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from his body, feeling incredibly light all over.
What caught his eye was the splendid apricot blossoms, like clouds of rosy twilight sweeping in, stunningly beautiful, leaving everyone in awe.
Pushing open the gate, there stood a scholar under the old apricot tree, his presence seemingly in harmony with nature, as if he were one with the universe, commanding respect from all who saw him.
Lu Zhang stared at the familiar face in front of him. Thirty years had left no trace on that youthful face, whereas the once snotty kid following behind him now bore a face full of age.
"Uncle?" Lu Zhang murmured in disbelief.
This call of "uncle" shocked the people around, as the young Scholar who appeared to be only in his twenties was actually Lu Zhang's uncle, likely in his late forties.
The term "immortal" echoed in their minds, leaving them somewhat at a loss. They had grown up hearing stories of immortals, yet when myth became reality, they were still astonished, feeling as if they were in a dream.
"My prodigal qilin has returned, good, good, good! To survive countless trials and see my kin again, how wonderful!" Lu Yu looked at his nephew from this lifetime, his weathered face stirring emotions within him.
"Uncle, you still look as splendid, but sadly your nephew has already aged." Lu Zhang was also filled with emotion, never expecting his uncle to still be alive.
"It's good you're back. In this world, nothing is more precious than peace. Come in quickly. I've repaired our home, and your room is ready too, just like when you were a child," Lu Yu said with a smile, waving Lu Zhang inside.
At that moment, Lu Zhang's face was already covered in tears. Having just recovered from a severe illness and now seeing his kin, he couldn't help but weep for joy.
"By the way, uncle, Zhanger has married a wife named Han Jiangxue and they have a child, though they didn't come with me this time."
Lu Yu, looking at the couple before him, felt a surge of relief in his heart. Having lived two lifetimes, his actual age was over seventy, and although his appearance had not changed, his heart had indeed weathered many storms.
"That's great, having a family is good. When I see your big brother and sister-in-law in the future, I will have something to report."
He let everyone into the courtyard and then took his nephew's hand, recounting the trials and tribulations of the past years in detail.
Both uncle and nephew had experienced many hardships and naturally had much to talk about.
When uncle disappeared years ago, the village was hit by a plague that decimated it—nine out of ten households were empty. Our parents didn't survive, and I, along with the remaining children of the village, buried them before fleeing to Qingqiu City.
Who would have thought that the world would fall into chaos and I, insignificant as I was, would have no choice but to join the Rebel Army and fight everywhere. Fortunately, my father-in-law valued me and entrusted Jiangxue to me as a wife and the family business to me as a steadying foundation.
In the following years, I fought fiercely on the battlefield and my territory grew. But recently, I was beset by a strange disease, so weak during the day that no renowned doctor could cure me. Thinking my end was near, I decided to visit my hometown.
As they were talking, a sudden clamor arose from outside. Lu Zhang frowned; he valued discipline highly, and his troops had always been strictly controlled. The noise from the guards outside made him feel that his recent ill health had allowed some slack in military discipline.
"What's all this noise about outside? Have you forgotten all the rules I set on a daily basis?" Lu Zhang asked, furrowing his brow.
"Boss, you can't blame everyone. There's a handsome young man outside who indeed possesses great strength, which is why everyone is so surprised!" The head of the guards, who had been with Lu Zhang for a long time, was quick to explain.
Lu Zhang looked outside and, indeed, not far away was a handsome young man, carrying a huge wild boar carcass on his back.
The mountain-like boar, with its tusks protruding menacingly, looked fierce and was a stark contrast to the young man's delicate features. What surprised him even more was that, despite carrying such a massive object and walking on the uneven mountain road, the young man showed no signs of fatigue, clearly demonstrating his incredible strength.