Chapter 92.3

Liu Yumei had already made up her mind: these two kids would carry the weight of both families. But the formal process still had to be followed—let the boy choose one first, then she’d persuade him to take on the other as well.

Thunder rumbled outside. Liu Yumei glanced toward the window, annoyed. What are you rushing for!

Clearing her throat, she asked,

“Li Zhuiyuan, before you are the Qin and Liu families. Which will you choose?”

Li Zhuiyuan looked at Ah Li.

“Ah Li, have you joined the Qin family yet?”

Liu Yumei shook her head.

“Our Ah Li hasn’t gone through the induction.”

Even without joining, she was already so haunted by those things. If she officially joined… they'd cling even harder.

That was exactly why Liu Yumei had kept putting off Ah Li’s induction.

“Will Ah Li be inducted in the future?”

“Once she’s well, of course.”

“Then… which family will she join?”

“Whichever one you don’t. If you pick one, Ah Li will join the other.”

Liu Yumei was both a Liu family daughter and a Qin family daughter-in-law. She had to keep the balance.

Li Zhuiyuan could choose one and then be persuaded to take on the other. Then later, Ah Li could be inducted into whichever remained. That way, neither family could complain.

“Li Zhuiyuan, have you decided?”

“I have. I will enter both the Qin and Liu families.”

Liu Yumei paused, surprised. She hadn’t expected the boy to be so tactful. She’d even prepared for a round of bargaining before he’d agree to take on the second.

But thinking back to his earlier questions, she quickly realized what he was getting at.

And almost couldn’t keep herself from laughing.

This little scoundrel was clearly planning for Ah Li to be his junior apprentice someday!

So this is what you think of the Qin and Liu legacies? Toys to amuse a girl?

If it weren’t her own granddaughter being teased, even if a genius stood before her now, she’d have been ready to kill them on the spot!

But with her soft spot poked just so, she couldn’t stay angry. Laughing would be even more inappropriate.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The thunder exploded over the residential compound. Every TV, washing machine, and light plugged into the wall had probably just been fried.

With a loud “snap,” the power cut out completely—whether from a strike or a blown fuse, no one knew. Under the noonday clouds, everything went pitch black.

Only this room was mostly unaffected—thanks to the candles lit ahead of time.

Liu Yumei rolled her eyes at the window. Riling things up again, are you? A bunch of noisy old ghosts!

With a flick of her fingertip, the Liu family’s induction card flew into Li Zhuiyuan’s hand.

When she turned to grab the Qin family’s card on Ah Li’s side, she found Ah Li already mimicking her gesture. With a light flick, the Qin family’s card also landed in Li Zhuiyuan’s hand.

He stacked the two cards together, knelt on the mat, and placed them atop the serpent’s head of the first lamp.

The cards ignited on their own, flames dripping like liquid mercury.

The serpent lamp lit. Its eyes opened—and locked onto the boy’s gaze.

In that moment, as someone versed in fate and physiognomy, Li Zhuiyuan sensed a shift in his own destiny.

Once the cards finished burning, he straightened up and bowed toward the offering table.

Each bow was met with a crack of thunder outside—as if echoing his gesture.

Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng, still pressed to the wall, watched with wide eyes.

They could tell—Xiaoyuan wasn’t timing his bows with the thunder. He moved in his own steady rhythm.

And even if he was syncing it on purpose, when have you ever seen thunder hit the exact same beat nine times in a row?

The rite completed.

The thunder ceased.

Liu Yumei spoke: “Bow to the Dragon King!”

Li Zhuiyuan turned to face Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng.

The four of them knelt and bowed to one another three times.

Since Liu Yumei had said she didn’t care for hollow formalities, Li Zhuiyuan had decided to follow the sworn brotherhood ritual instead.

From this moment forward, the three became registered disciples of the Qin and Liu families.

Many of the families at the Ding family banquet in the mountain city had passed on their legacies in this exact way, long ago.

Li Zhuiyuan turned again to face Liu Yumei. One final step remained—her words of warning. Once spoken, the induction would be complete.

Liu Yumei began,

“Li Zhuiyuan, now that you’ve joined the Qin and Liu families, you must strive to bring honor, not shame. In the days to come, as you walk the sh—”

The second lamp—the golden dragon—suddenly lifted its head. Its mouth opened, and fire spilled forth.

The dragon rises—walking the shade has begun!

Liu Yumei’s eyes widened. Utter disbelief.

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu were also stunned. No one had lit that lamp. But the flame had sparked on its own.

Li Zhuiyuan, too, was surprised—but when he saw the fire, a strange calm settled over him.

So, he’d already begun walking the shade.

But when exactly had it started?

Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng were just as puzzled. They hadn’t seen Xiaoyuan light the second lamp.

The only one whose expression didn’t change was Ah Li—because the boy had told her everything.

Liu Yumei’s face grew somber. She’d planned to wait until the boy was fully grown, better prepared, before opening the altar and igniting the second lamp.

But now the lamp had lit. The die was cast.

Unless she extinguished the flame now and re-lit it later—which would count as surrender, as failure.

Her hands gripped the arms of her wooden chair. Under her palms, solid wood splintered like foam.

Aunt Liu looked at Li Zhuiyuan with growing worry. So young—just how hard would his path be?

Uncle Qin’s eyes held concern, yes—but also memory, hope, and somewhere deep within… release.

He had failed the Qin family’s walk. So now, he hoped the next could succeed.

Li Zhuiyuan was the first to compose himself. He pointed at the dragon-headed flame, voice calm.

“Good. Saves me the trouble of hunting it down slowly later.”

What was done, was done.

Liu Yumei looked at the boy. “Xiaoyuan?”

He nodded.

Liu Yumei slowly rose to her feet.

And began:

“With utmost sincerity, we announce to the rivers, lakes, and seas:

‘From this day forth, the Qin and Liu families once again send a disciple to walk the shade!’”

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