Li Zhiyuan can choose one and then let Alii apprentice later, so that no matter which family, there would be no grievances.
"Li Zhiyuan, have you made your choice?"
"I have. I will join both the Qin and Liu families."
Liu Yui was taken aback; she hadn’t expected this young man to be so forthcoming. She had even been prepared to haggle over him choosing another when he proposed taking on both.
But combining what he had said before, upon further thought, she imdiately understood his intention.
For a mont, even Liu Yui herself almost couldn’t help but want to laugh.
This rascally boy had firmly decided to make Alii his junior apprentice sister in the future!
Do you think the inheritances of the Qin and Liu families are so sort of toy for amusing young girls?
Lucky for her, the young girl being amused was her own granddaughter, otherwise, no matter how talented the person standing before her was, Liu Yui would have risen to commit violence!
But being poked in her soft spot like this, she found herself unable to get angry, nor did she think it appropriate to laugh.
"Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!"
Thunder rolled over and over nearby, and on this day, every plugged-in TV set, washing machine, and light bulb in the residential area was likely fried.
With a "whoosh," it was unclear whether the breaker was struck or simply tripped, leaving every ho pitch black under the heavy clouds at noon.
Only here, unaffected due to the pre-lit candles, did the light remain.
Liu Yui rolled her eyes towards the window: What a ruckus, a bunch of old fogies, just knowing how to cause a stir!
At this point, with a flick of her finger, the invitation token from the Liu family flew into Li Zhiyuan’s hand.
When Liu Yui moved to take the Qin family’s invitation token for Alii, she saw Alii making the sa motion as her, and with a light flick, the Qin family’s invitation also flew into Li Zhiyuan’s hand.
Li Zhiyuan stacked the two invitations, knelt on the cushion, and placed them atop the first lamp’s python head.
The invitations ignited themselves, the flas dropping like rcury.
The python lamp lit up, and the serpent’s eyes opened, locking gaze with the boy.
Deeply versed in the art of fate divination, Li Zhiyuan felt his fate chart changing at this mont.
After the invitations burned to ash, Li Zhiyuan straightened his kneeling posture, and bowed reverently to the ancestral tablets on the altar.
With each bow, the thunder outside responded with a boom, as if in echo.
This scene left Run Sheng, Binbin, and Yin ng, who were standing against the wall, with eyes wide open.
They could see that Brother Xiao Yuan was not deliberately waiting for the thunder to accompany his movents but was steadily performing the ritual at his own pace.
Even if, for argunt’s sake, Brother Xiao Yuan were deliberately coordinating with the thunder to create an imposing atmosphere, when have you ever seen thunder striking with the sa rhythm nine consecutive tis?
The ceremony ended.
The thunder ceased.
Liu Yui: "Pay respects to the Dragon King!"
Li Zhiyuan turned around, facing Run Sheng, Binbin, and Yin ng.
Then all four knelt facing each other, bowing thrice.
Since Liu Yui said she didn’t care about formal customs anymore, Li Zhiyuan proceeded with the brotherhood ritual.
Once the respect to the Dragon King was complete, from that mont on Run Sheng and the others were nad disciples of both the Qin and Liu families.
Many families at the Ding family banquet in Mountain City had passed down their legacy in this way from a very long ti ago.
Li Zhiyuan turned back to face Liu Yui, and with the final step of admonition, the entrance ceremony was fully complete.
Liu Yui spoke: "Li Zhiyuan, now a mber of both Qin and Liu families, you must strive for progress, not bring sha upon your new families, and from now on at River Crossing..."
At that mont, the second lamp’s Golden Dragon slowly raised its head, its jaws opening to spout a fla.
With the Golden Dragon’s lift, River Crossing had begun!
Liu Yui’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu also showed astonishnt; clearly, no one had lit the lamp, yet the wick ignited on its own.
Li Zhiyuan too was surprised, but looking at the burning fla, he felt a sense of relief in his heart.
So, his journey at River Crossing had already begun.
But precisely, when had it started?
Run Sheng and the others were also filled with curiosity, as they hadn’t seen Brother Xiao Yuan light the lamp just now.
In the entire room, the only one who remained calm was Alii, because the young man had shared all his secrets with her.
Liu Yui’s expression was extrely serious. She had intended to wait until the boy was fully grown before preparing to formally initiate River Crossing, but now that the lamp was lit, what’s done was done.
Unless the lamp was extinguished now and relit again, which would directly an admitting defeat and failing at River Crossing.
Liu Yui’s hands lay on the chair’s armrests, the solid wood chair splintering in her palms like foam plastic.
Aunt Liu looked worriedly at Li Zhiyuan: River Crossing would be incredibly difficult at such a young age, wouldn’t it?
Uncle Qin’s eyes held not only concern but also reminiscences and expectations, and even deeper, a sense of release.
He was a failure of the Qin family at River Crossing and hoped that soone after him could succeed.
Li Zhiyuan was the first to adjust his mindset, pointing to the fla where the Golden Dragon lifted its head, he said calmly:
"How wonderful, this saves the trouble of searching slowly later on."
Things had reached this point.
Liu Yui looked at the young man: "Xiao Yuan?"
Li Zhiyuan nodded.
Liu Yui slowly stood up,
and declared:
"With utmost sincerity, I announce to the rivers, lakes, and seas:
’From this day on, our Qin and Liu families once again send a disciple forth to tread the waters of River Crossing!’"
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