The residence of the Yu Family's second son was known as Wutong Garden, a na derived from the classical allusion, "a phoenix alights on the wutong tree."
In the beginning, many disciples from the great clans and noble families within Celestial Province spread the rumor that the Yu Family's second son had grand ambitions. They claid he intended to support his elder brother, with the two working in harmony—a dragon and phoenix dancing in unison—to propel the family to new heights.
But as the second son's actual behavior gradually beca known, people realized that was never the case at all. When he chose that na, he probably didn't have the slightest thought of "dragons and phoenixes sharing the sky." It was far more likely that "upending dragons and toppling phoenixes" was closer to the truth.
Even before he ca of age, Wutong Garden never lacked for stunning beauties and gorgeous maids. Every single Attending Maid there would be considered a "seductress" if seen outside! As he grew older, the second son's indulgence only grew more extre. Throughout Celestial Province, any music hall, brothel, or pleasure quarter with even a hint of renowned allure would inevitably find its beauties summoned to Wutong Garden.
Later on, the master's appetite grew ever larger, no longer confined to the sixteen counties of Celestial Province. He even ford a personal guard unit specifically responsible for scouring the world for beauties on his behalf. Yu Xiaolong gave this unit a na: "Rouge."
Despite its delicate-sounding na, the strength of this guard unit was astoundingly formidable. Among its ranks were seven or eight Earth Immortals below the Twelve Tribulations alone. Its leader, "Hongluan," was said to be not only a master of the Heavenly Immortal Realm but also a woman of devastating beauty.
...
The amorous tales of the Yu Family's second son were endless; one could speak for days and nights and still not cover them all. Picking any story at random would provide enough gossip to entertain people for nights on end.
However, other rumors also circulated among the public. It was said that despite the second son's terrible reputation, the woman who controlled the entire Ruyi Comrce Guild—Yu Xiaolong's aunt, Jade Ruyi—intended for him to inherit her position and beco the new Jade Ruyi. She felt that although Yu Xiaolong lacked diligence in his cultivation and was prone to dissipation, he possessed a natural talent for worldly affairs, making him the most suitable candidate to manage the Ruyi Comrce Guild.
Such news was, of course, scoffed at by outsiders. They believed that with the second son's temperant, if the Ruyi Comrce Guild were truly handed over to him, it wouldn't be long before absurd stories erged of him spending a nation's wealth just to win a beauty's smile. How could the famously shrewd Jade Ruyi make such a foolish decision?
Only the mbers of the Yu Family themselves knew this was not a rumor, but the truth.
To convince Yu Xiaolong to study under her and eventually take control of the Ruyi Comrce Guild, Jade Ruyi, herself a legendary beauty in her youth, had truly exhausted herself with worry. She was on the verge of getting on her knees and begging him. Regrettably, he always seed uninterested, preferring to lose himself among the "flowers."
But in recent years, the second son seed to have beco a different person. Not only had it been a long ti since he had summoned any of his favored concubines to his bed, but he had also begun to voluntarily follow Jade Ruyi, diligently observing and learning.
As it turned out, Jade Ruyi hadn't misjudged him. In just a few short years, Yu Xiaolong had effortlessly mastered the business, capable of handling the vast majority of the comrce guild's affairs on his own. By now, Jade Ruyi had almost completely ceded her authority to him, allowing him to adjudicate all matters at his own discretion.
His status had completely changed. It was no exaggeration to say that he could easily decide the life or death of countless people, let alone one of his own Attending Maids.
...
Under the desperate gaze of the Attending Maid, two figures quietly erged from the void and dragged her away, vanishing from sight.
Yu Xiaolong lowered his head and continued with his official duties, his expression focused and serene, as if he had just dealt with a trivial, insignificant matter.
A graceful figure appeared by the window, letting out a sigh. Though just a sigh, it was so captivating one could imagine the speaker's beauty from the sound alone.
"Why must you do this?"
Yu Xiaolong did not speak.
The person spoke again, "Your brother... he was only doing it for your own good!"
Yu Xiaolong's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard a word.
The person said, "Even if you had gone back then, there was nothing you could have done!"
At last, Yu Xiaolong's movents paused. He slowly raised his head and gazed out the window. His line of sight fell upon a wutong tree in the courtyard, which was thriving splendidly.
"I know."
The person by the window remained silent, knowing he had more to say.
"But that wasn't a reason for him to stop !" Yu Xiaolong enunciated each word.
"Since we were children, I've supported everything he wanted to do and helped him get anything he desired. I did it because he's my big brother—my own flesh and blood. After our parents died, the only people I have left are you and him!
"I've never had much ambition. All I ever wanted was to revel in life's pleasures; I thought it would be perfectly fine to just drift along like that until I died!
"You all always said I lacked ambition, that I had no goals!
"So when I finally found sothing I truly wanted to do, why did you have to stop ?"
Outside the window, silence reigned. After a long mont, the captivating sigh sounded once more. "That person's karma is too deep. Our Yu Family is already a target for many; we cannot afford to get involved!"
Yu Xiaolong said, "But he saved my life!"
"That doesn't an you have to repay him with your own life!" the person replied. "Not all lives are equal. You are the future head of the Yu Family; your life and death concern the fate of the entire clan!"
If an outsider were to hear this, they would surely be puzzled, even incredulous. No matter how one looked at it, even with the second son's recent improvents, how could the title "Head of the Yu Family" possibly have anything to do with him?
Only those who knew the inside story were aware that this was no empty boast. In fact, it could be said that Yu Xiaolong's position as the family head was absolutely unshakeable.
...
The Yu Family's eldest son was Yu Tianlong. He was born with the Five Elents Sacred Body and also possessed a Chonglou Immortal Bone, a constitution so rare it was almost unseen in history.
Either of these traits alone would be enough to shake Celestial Province to its core, let alone when combined in one person. Legend has it that on the day of his birth, day and night were inverted. An undying divine city materialized above the Yu Family's ancestral ho, while the ethereal forms of nine Five-clawed Golden Dragons coiled around the holy city in the night sky.
That night, the Nine Heavens were moved. Countless ineffable beings crossed realms just to witness the child's birth. The Yu Family, already standing at the pinnacle of the Yaoguang Domain, was instantly propelled to an unprecedented peak, becoming the focus of all eyes.
The old patriarch of the Yu Family deeply understood the principle that a tree that stands out from the forest is bound to be toppled by the wind. He realized that even with the Yu Family's profound heritage, it would be difficult to guarantee the child's safe growth. There were simply too many who did not wish to see Yu Tianlong reach his full potential.
Thus, he made a decisive move: he sent Yu Tianlong to the Yaoguang Holy Land and announced to the world that Yu Tianlong's right to inherit the position of Yu Family Head was revoked.
To many, this seed as if the Yu Family was severing ties with Yu Tianlong, essentially gifting him to the Holy Land. But there were plenty of astute individuals who understood this was an ingenious move. No one truly believed that the Yu Tianlong who was sent away had no connection to the Yu Family anymore.
After all, Yu Tianlong still had a younger brother with whom he was very close.
As compensation, it was only natural that Yu Xiaolong, as the sole remaining male heir of his lineage, would beco the next head of the Yu Family.
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