Chapter 237: Recognition II

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In Liu Jin’s experience, control is usually a good thing. Control over one’s power allows precision. Control over one’s body allows discipline. Control over one’s emotions allows clear thinking. There has never been a time in his life when having too much control was somehow a bad thing.

By contrast, there have been many times where a lack of control has led to mistakes. It has led to unwise excesses and caused people to miss obvious things. Important things.

For example, Leader Liu’s Qi right outside the door.

Normally, it would be unthinkable for someone like Liu Jin to fail to notice the Qi of a True Realm cultivator. However, due to having shared a very emotional moment with his grandfather, Liu Jin was wholly unprepared to end up face-to-face with his uncle immediately upon leaving his grandfather’s room.

Uncle and nephew stare at each other in silence for ten tortuous seconds.

“You heard,” Liu Jin says.

“I did,” Leader Liu says. His tone is every bit as lively as Liu Jin’s. He has his arms crossed and looks down at Liu Jin with an utterly unreadable expression, not that there is any need for Liu Jin to try to decipher it. Leader Liu must surely be thinking what any sane person would.

After all, why would he believe they are related?

“I realize how unbelievable it sounds,” Liu Jin says, rushing out his words. “But if you’d just listen-”

“Hold.” Leader Liu raises his hand to stop him. At that moment, the man might as well be a statue carved from the hardest stone. “Not here. Follow me.”

The two walk in silence through the City Lord’s mansion. So tense is the atmosphere around them that every single servant in the house suddenly has some other place to be.

Leader Liu leads Liu to the roof of the City Lord’s mansion. There is a platform there from which one can look down at the city. It occurs to Liu Jin that the City Lord stood here several times and took pride in how small everything looked from above.

Liu Jin can only think of how small and narrow the roof feels.

“My father is old,” Leader Liu says, facing away from Liu Jin. “He’s wiser and smarter than I am, but he’s old. That’s undeniable. Last time we spoke, you told me that he might have a few weeks left. Is that still the case?”

Liu Jin shakes his head softly.

“No,” he says. “He does not. Days at best. It’s inadvisable that he make another trip.”

“I see.” Leader Liu breathes deeply.

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For a moment, all goes silent on the roof.

“He always spoiled her, you know?” Leader Liu suddenly says. “My sister, I mean. It was annoying when I was a kid, but now that I’m older, I can see it was because of her condition. She was frail, and I wasn’t.”

Liu Jin does not know what to say, so he stays silent. Leader Liu snorts.

“Not that being frail ever stopped her from doing anything. She was very troublesome…” He sighs. “She was also easy to love. I can understand why my father would still be seeking her shadow after all these years.”

“I swear I’m not trying to-”

“I am not finished talking!” Leader Liu’s voice is like the crack of thunder. “I… am not finished talking.”