Under the warm afternoon sun, a cozy atmosphere filled the humble living room of Chu He's home.
After a long, heartfelt talk, Chu He finally learned his parents' true names.
His father was Chu Laidong, and his mother was Yang Xiaochun.
The young woman sitting beside them was his sister, Chu Jiaqing, who was a year older than him.
Chu He also had a younger sister in high school, who was not present.
As they talked, the distance between Chu He and his parents gradually faded, replaced by profound kinship and warmth.
Yang Xiaochun stood, gently wiping tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. Her smile radiated a mother's love. "He, you stay put. I'm going to make you something delicious."
Though Yang Xiaochun was only in her early fifties, the ravages of time and a life of hardship had etched deep lines onto her face.
She looked far older than her years, but at this moment, her eyes were exceptionally bright.
Chu He could feel the profound and intense love radiating from his mother.
He stood up, walked over, and took his parents' hands firmly in his.
A stream of pure Elemental Power flowed from his body, seeping into Chu Laidong and Yang Xiaochun as gently and silently as a spring rain.
Simultaneously, his Spiritual Power spread out like an invisible net, enveloping them completely.
In that instant, it was as if Chu He had entered a bizarre new world.
He could clearly see every detail of his parents' bodies—their hunched backs, their full heads of white hair, their wrinkled faces...
Then, something astonishing happened.
The bodies of Chu Laidong and Yang Xiaochun began to change.
Their backs gradually straightened as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders.
Their full heads of white hair turned a lustrous black at a speed visible to the naked eye, and their wrinkled skin smoothed out, becoming supple and fine as if time itself were reversing.
In just a few minutes, his parents' vitality and physical condition had been restored to that of someone in their thirties or forties.
Everyone present was stunned by the sight.
They stared wide-eyed, scarcely believing what they were seeing.
Among them were several dignitaries who had accompanied Her Majesty the Queen, Lu Yinxing, and their faces were masks of utter disbelief.
'How on earth did Chu He do that?' they wondered. 'Just what kind of power does he possess?'
Lu Yinxing's smile grew even more radiant.
Watching Chu He perform this Divine Skill, she couldn't help but rejoice inwardly. 'I knew this wouldn't be a waste of effort.'
She knew her efforts had not been in vain.
To confirm that Chu Laidong and Yang Xiaochun were truly Chu He's parents, she had gone so far as to mobilize several professional agencies within the Great Xia Empire to conduct a rigorous verification.
Clearly, it had all been worth it.
The very reason Lu Yinxing had gone to such lengths to win him over was her recognition of his potential and value.
Chu Laidong and Yang Xiaochun stood before a mirror, their eyes filled with incredulous excitement.
Their reflections were of their younger selves.
Their hunched backs were straight, white hair was now black, and their wrinkles had been gently smoothed away.
They looked at each other and smiled, their eyes glistening with tears of joy and overwhelming emotion.
"I... Our bodies..."
Chu Laidong's voice trembled, his eyes full of deep gratitude and pride for his son.
Yang Xiaochun squeezed his hand, sharing in the joy and warmth of the moment.
The son they had lost for so many years had now grown into a being of unimaginable power.
Such power, such abilities, brought an honor to their family that they had never known before.
Suppressing their excitement, the couple went into the kitchen to prepare a lavish home-cooked meal for Chu He.
The kitchen was filled with a dazzling array of expensive ingredients—delicacies their family had never seen, much less tasted.
This was all thanks to their son, and the honor and pride filled them with immense gratification.
At the same time, however, they also felt a pang of sadness,
for they couldn't begin to imagine the hardships and trials Chu He must have endured all these years.
Chu Laidong and Yang Xiaochun began to busy themselves in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Chu Jiaqing stood to the side. Much like her parents, she was reserved and shy.
Her heart swelled with emotion, and tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't know what to say.
But the care and affection she felt for her younger brother were clear in her eyes, more eloquent than any words.
Chu He turned to the ever-smiling Lu Yinxing and said, "Thank you.
I'm so happy I was able to find my family, and I'm grateful for what you've done for me.
If you need me for anything in the future, don't hesitate to contact me.
After all, I'll most likely be staying in the Great Xia Empire now that my family is here."
"If you ever need anything, Mr. Chu, you have only to ask."
Joy was evident in Lu Yinxing's voice; this promise from Chu He was exactly what she had hoped to hear.
To her, Chu He's gratitude and promise were worth more than any treasure in the world.
She looked at Chu He and continued, "I am truly gratified to see you reunited with your family, Mr. Chu.
Now, we will disturb you no longer.
This is a bank card we've prepared for you. It has been pre-loaded with a balance of one billion, and one billion will be automatically transferred to it each month.
As for other benefits and items, our Great Xia Empire will do its utmost to ensure that everything is even better than what the Great Jing Empire provided."
Chu He gave a slight nod. He knew Lu Yinxing was telling the truth.
The Great Xia Empire, a vast and expansive land, had always possessed national power far exceeding that of the Great Jing Empire.
In times of peace, the Great Xia Empire was a world-renowned power, and even the Great Jing Empire had to bow before it.
Even after the invasion of the Evil Spirits, though the Great Jing Empire had enjoyed a brief period of glory thanks to the appearance of Chu He—their National Guardian War God—and the emergence of other talented individuals, it still paled in comparison to the Great Xia Empire.
"What is your impression of Liu Yuzhu, Mr. Chu?"
Lu Yinxing paused just as she was about to leave, asking the question softly.
Chu He thought for a moment before answering earnestly, "She's a good person, very capable."
Lu Yinxing smiled faintly. "In that case, I'd like to assign Liu Yuzhu as your personal assistant to help you with day-to-day matters.
If you find her unsatisfactory at any point, you are free to request a replacement.
After all, you've just arrived in the Great Xia Empire, Mr. Chu, and you will need assistance with many things.
I'm confident she will make things much easier for you."
Chu He understood Lu Yinxing's intentions, of course, but he didn't call her out on it. He simply gave a faint nod, accepting the arrangement.
With Lu Yinxing's departure, tranquility returned to the yard.
Chu He looked up at the sky. The sun was gradually setting, its afterglow bathing the land and painting the horizon a brilliant gold.
"Why isn't our sister back yet?" Chu He asked softly.
He was quite looking forward to meeting this sister he'd never known.
"Normally, she gets out of school at noon," his sister Chu Jiaqing said, equally puzzled. "Today's the start of her high school's weekend break, so she should've been home early. Maybe I should go look for her."
"Maybe something held her up," Chu He said reassuringly. "I'll go with you."