The Hidden Rain Pavilion was a five-story cylindrical building, blue in color and accented by white, located in one of North King City’s most prosperous neighborhoods. Well, the ones available to outsiders like Willow and myself. The location, among other things, was one of the reasons why it was one of the city’s most popular restaurants. It was well after nightfall when Willow and I arrived. Despite that, so many crystal lanterns decorated the exterior of the Hidden Rain Pavilion that it was almost as bright as day.

  To avoid any potential trouble, I adopted my human form. Good thing too. Despite the chill in the air, a small crowd of people lined up near the restaurant’s main entrance. All of them were dressed in luxurious clothing, showing that they had plenty of wealth to spare; or at least giving that impression. I wondered how many of them were actually wealthy, and how many were only pretending.

  They chattered with one another, which mixed with the faint sound of music that emerged from the Hidden Rain Pavilion, creating a low hum that sounded pleasant to my ears. My mouth watered as the smell of food wafted through the air.

  Unlike everyone else, Willow and I didn’t head towards the front entrance. Instead, we walked towards a side entrance, one located down a shadowed alleyway. A few people in the small crowd noticed this and frowned. Unlike them, Willow and I wore our usual attire, which looked plain and simple compared to everyone else’s. A few in the crowd muttered some cutting remarks about us, causing the rest to snicker. However, Willow and I ignored them.

  A young man in Qi Condensation stood next to the side entrance. He wore a set of blue and white robes with a raindrop motif, which I assumed was the uniform of the Hidden Rain Pavilion. When he saw us, he gave us both a martial salute.

  “Cultivator Darian and Cultivator Willow, I presume?” He asked in a respectful tone.

  “Yes.” I said.

  Willow and I showed our sect crests, proving our identities. When he saw them, the young man smiled.

  “Welcome to the Hidden Rain Pavilion, esteemed guests.” He said. “Your party is already waiting for you inside. Please, follow me.”

  Willow and I followed the young man through the side entrance. As soon as we stepped through, the sound of the music became clearer. It was a calm and relaxing tune, one played on a zither. The smell of food grew stronger as well, and I swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Like the exterior, the Hidden Rain Pavilion had a blue and white color scheme. Unlike the exterior, which was illuminated enough to rival daylight, the interior lighting was more subdued.

  Dozens of tables were laid out in a neat pattern on the first floor. They all surrounded a raised dais situated in the very center of the building. A woman in blue robes sat atop the raised dais, playing a zither. The image of a misty waterfall amidst a verdant paradise hovered in the air above the woman. The water in the image moved in tandem with the music, almost as if it were dancing.

  The upper four floors of the Hidden Rain Pavilion consisted of balconies that wrapped around the sides of the building, allowing an unimpeded view of the raised dais and the woman playing music. Privacy arrays and restrictions protected the rooms on the upper floor, making it difficult for outsiders to peer inside.

  Willow and I followed the young man up a set of stairs that led to the fifth floor. He guided us to a door leading to one of the rooms.

  “This is where I leave you.” He said. “I will return in a few minutes with your food.” He gave us another martial salute. “Thank you for gracing our Hidden Rain Pavilion with your presence. I hope you have a pleasant evening.”

  Once he left, I looked at the door and swallowed. This was the moment of truth. On the other side of that door was Willow’s grandmother and the head of Clan Stone Pillar. I thought back to the events leading up to this moment.

  Earlier today, after I left my mother in her courtyard, Willow and I spent hours preparing for our meeting with her grandmother. Following my mother’s advice, we decided to treat Willow’s grandmother to a feast. I asked one of Liaison Luella’s subordinates for help, and he recommended the Hidden Rain Pavilion.

  According to him, the Hidden Rain Pavilion was famous for its signature wine and nightly musical performances, in addition to its delicious food. I decided to go with this, since I wanted to make as good of a first impression on Willow’s grandmother as possible. Besides, the idea of eating and drinking while listening to music appealed to me.

  It was difficult to reserve a room and order a feast on such short notice, especially for a restaurant like the Hidden Rain Pavilion. Willow and I ended up using our status as core disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect, as well as sending a hefty bribe to the restaurant’s manager, but it was worth it in the end.

  After we secured a reservation, I started to dress up in my best clothing. However, Willow dissuaded me. She told me that her grandmother preferred to meet people in their day-to-day attire, since how a person presented themselves to the world said a lot about their character. At first, I was reluctant.

  “What if she thinks I’m an exhibitionist?” I asked.

  “Aren’t you?” Willow asked back, leering at me.

  In the end, I heeded her advice and wore my usual gold-trimmed red vest, white trousers, and black boots.

  The Hidden Rain Pavilion was a fair distance away from the Dragon Palace, so Willow and I decided to take a spirit beast carriage there. Liaison Luella’s subordinate, the same one who recommended the Hidden Rain Pavilion, made the arrangements for us. This left us with a bit of time to spare, which I spent pacing around my courtyard. The movement helped me work off my nervous energy. The snake twins, Willow, and Harlow were there as well, sitting in various chairs. They watched me with amused expressions on their faces.

  “What happened to your confidence from earlier?” Willow asked, propping her chin up with her hand.

  I shot her a look.

  “Gone like morning mist facing the light of the rising sun.” I said.

  Harlow raised an eyebrow at me, before glancing at Ellen.

  “Was he this nervous when meeting your family?” She asked.

  Ellen and Elliot’s expressions turned complicated. I gave them both an amused look and rolled my eyes.

  “No,” I said, answering for the snake twins, “Because I haven’t met them yet.”

  Harlow blinked at me in surprise. Even Willow seemed caught off guard by this.

  “Really?” Harlow asked in disbelief. “Why not? Isn’t Big Sis Ellen supposed to be your main wife?” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Or are you looking down upon her family because they serve yours?”

  When did Harlow start calling Ellen “Big Sis”? No. Never mind. It didn’t matter. Considering how close those two had become due to their shared love of poisons, I wasn’t going to ask.

  “I wanted to meet them.” I said. “In fact, after we returned from East Mesa City and I recovered from my injuries, I brought the topic up.” I gestured to Ellen and Elliot. “According to those two, it isn’t the right time yet.”

  Willow and Harlow looked at Ellen and Elliot.

  “What?” Ellen asked. “It isn’t.”

  “Why not?” Harlow demanded.

  “It just isn’t.” Elliot said.

  Willow frowned, before looking at me.

  “That was enough to stop you?” She asked.

  I shook my head.

  “No.” I said. “When Ellen and Elliot refused to explain further, I tried going behind their backs and talked with my eldest sister about it.”

  Ellen and Elliot whipped their heads towards me, alarmed expressions on their faces.

  “You did what?” Ellen exclaimed. “When?”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “It doesn’t matter,” I said, “It didn’t work. I failed. Big Sis Sidra sent your father and your mother out on a mission. They won’t return to the Dawn and Dusk Sect for at least a few years, maybe even longer.”

  The snake twins relaxed at this.

  “Why are you so against Darian meeting your family?” Harlow asked, mystified.

  The snake twins grimaced.

  “It’s… Complicated.” Ellen answered. “My family views it as inappropriate and dishonorable for a servant to covet and seduce her master. If they realized that Darian and I were together, they would try to separate us.”

  I stopped pacing and faced Ellen.

  “That was one of the reasons why Big Sis Sidra sent Ellen off to East Mesa City.” I said. “However, things are different from how they were five years ago. I’m now in Foundation Establishment and we have my family’s support.”

  “Be that as it may, Darian,” Elliot said, “Our parents are stubborn and set in their ways. I doubt even Mistress Nova could change their minds. Young Mistress Sidra knew this, which was why she sent them away from the Dawn and Dusk Sect. As my sister said, it isn’t time for you to meet them yet.”

  I sighed.

  “Wait,” Willow said, “Does this mean your parents don’t know that Darian and Ellen are married?”

  The snake twins glanced at each other, before looking back at Willow and nodding.

  “Huh.” Harlow said, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. “So this means tonight is Darian’s first time meeting his in-laws.”

  I looked up at the sky.

  “Speaking of which,” I said, “The carriage should be ready by now. We need to leave now if we don’t want to be late.”

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  Willow nodded, before standing up. The two of us walked towards the entrance of the Dragon Palace. The carriage stood there, waiting for us. Ellen, Elliot, and Harlow saw us off. Willow and I climbed aboard, before the carriage took off and headed for the Hidden Rain Pavilion.

  Willow touched my arm, pulling me back to the present.

  “Ready?” She asked.

  I shook my head.

  “No.” I said. “However, after all the trouble we went through, it would be a waste to back down now. Let’s go in.”

  I opened the door in front of me. It led to a spacious room. Like the rest of the Hidden Rain Pavilion, it was blue with white accents. The low lighting gave it a soft and intimate atmosphere. In the center stood a jade table large enough to seat six people. The far wall had a large opening, providing a view of the musical performance on the first floor. Despite the distance, I had no trouble hearing the music.

  The room’s single occupant stood next to the far wall with her back turned towards us. She had a similar build to Willow, though she was a little shorter and less muscular than my wife. Even so, she still towered over me. The woman had bronze, sun-kissed skin and short black hair. Like Willow, she wore yellow trousers and a yellow top, though the latter left her arms and abdomen exposed.

  With my spirit sense, I saw that the woman was at Nascent Soul, with an affinity for Earth and Metal. Looking at her was like looking at a mountainous pillar, one that could hold up the sky: solid and reliable.

  Ava Stone Pillar, Willow’s grandmother and the head of Clan Stone Pillar.

  When Willow and I entered, Senior Ava turned around and looked at us with a neutral expression on her face. She shared Willow’s rough features and amber eyes. In terms of age, she looked like she was in her late-thirties or early forties. However, given her cultivation base and what I knew about her history, she was at least a few centuries old.

  “Grandmother!” Willow cried out in a joyful voice.

  She rushed over and pulled the older woman into a hug. Senior Ava’s expression softened as she returned the embrace. After several seconds, they pulled apart and kissed each other on the cheek.

  “Willow, my child.” she said, her voice rich and deep. She cupped Willow’s face with one hand. “It’s good to see you again. I’ve missed you!” She looked Willow up and down. “Look how you’ve grown. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

  Willow closed her eyes and leaned against Senior Ava’s hand.

  “I’ve missed you too, Grandmother.” She said. “How is everyone?”

  Senior Ava snorted.

  “The usual.” She said. “Causing trouble and giving me headaches.”

  Willow opened her eyes and pulled away from Senior Ava’s hand.

  “Grandmother,” she said, gesturing towards me, “This is the man I told you about, Darian. The one I consider my husband.”

  I stepped forward and gave Senior Ava a martial salute.

  “Greetings,” I said, my voice calm despite my nervousness, “I am Darian Wind Dance.”

  Senior Ava’s expression turned stony when she looked at me.

  “Ah, yes.” She said in a wary voice. “The one who claims to be Connor Wind Dance’s son.”

  “Yes.” I said.

  I faced her head on. The weight of her aura felt heavy on my shoulders, and she wasn’t even trying to pressure me. Despite this, I refuse to flinch or back down. Senior Ava and I regarded each other for several seconds. Willow stood off to the side, biting her lip. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

  “You don’t look like Cultivator Connor.” Senior Ava said, breaking the silence.

  “I take after my mother,” I said, “Except for my eyes. I inherited those from my father.”

  Senior Ava narrowed her eyes at me.

  “Yes, I can see it.” She said. “Your eyes do look similar to Cultivator Connor’s.”

  I sucked in a breath.

  “You met my father?” I asked.

  “Of course I met Cultivator Connor.” Senior Ava said with a snort. “I’ve known him since he was a child.”

  Willow frowned.

  “I thought you just met him the one time.” she said. “At least, that’s what you told me.”

  Senior Ava raised an eyebrow at that.

  “We met once after he became the head of Clan Wind Dance.” She said. “However, I never said that was the only time I met him at all.”

  Willow huffed.

  “You should have used less misleading language then.” She muttered under her breath. “Now I feel like an idiot.”

  I gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, before turning towards Senior Ava.

  “What was my father like?” I asked. “As a child, I mean. I never met him and my uncle never told me about my father’s childhood.”

  Senior Ava pursed her lips as she regarded me for several seconds. Each one felt like an hour. For a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer me. To my relief, I was wrong.

  “Solemn and serious.” Senior Ava said. “That is how I would describe Cultivator Connor. Even as a child, he was solemn and serious. Some even thought he was cold and emotionless because of this. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. From what I observed, he was always a sensitive child, which he hid behind that icy demeanor of his.”

  I mulled over her words. The image of my father that I held in my mind was like a puzzle with missing pieces. Learning about my father’s childhood, even a small snippet like this, added another piece. The more I collected, the clearer the image became, and I intended to collect as many as I could.

  “Thank you for sharing this with me, Senior Ava.” I said, trying to convey my sincerity.

  Senior Ava stared at me for a while, before she burst out into laughter. I looked at her in confusion. I glanced at Willow for clarification, but she seemed puzzled as well.

  “You really must be Cultivator Connor’s son.” Senior Ava said, regarding me with far more warmth than before. “After Willow told me about you, I had my doubts. However, you put those doubts to rest.”

  Her words just deepened my confusion.

  “What do you mean, Grandmother?” Willow asked.

  Senior Ava gestured to the jade table.

  “Let us sit down first,” she said, “Unless you want to stand around the entire time.”

  We followed her suggestion and sat at the jade table. Willow and I sat next to each other, while Senior Ava sat across from us. I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant earlier. However, at that moment, someone knocked on the door.

  “Enter.” I said.

  The door opened. Several servers wearing the blue and white uniforms of the Hidden Rain Pavilion entered the room, led by the young man who escorted us up here. Each server carried a silver platter laden with food. The feast we ordered had arrived. An enticing aroma filled the air. I swallowed to keep from drooling.

  Without a word, the servers deposited the food onto the jade table before leaving the room. The young man who escorted us placed a clear crystal bottle filled with a light blue liquid on the table.

  “A bottle of our Hidden Rain Pavilion’s signature wine.” He said.

  “Can we have one more?” I asked. “I doubt one bottle is going to be enough for us.”

  The young man smiled, before pulling another bottle out of his storage ring and placing it next to the first one.

  “Make that two more,” Senior Ava said, “Since we’re celebrating such a momentous occasion, we might as well enjoy ourselves to the fullest.”

  The young man nodded, before pulling a third bottle out of his storage ring.

  “Is there anything else you would like?” He asked.

  We all shook our heads.

  “Very well.” The young man said. “If that changes, flag down any server and we will be more than happy to help you. Otherwise, please enjoy yourselves for the rest of the evening.”

  The young man gave us a martial salute, before exiting the room. After he left, I gazed at the feast spread out on the jade table. While I recognized a few of the dishes, the rest were unfamiliar to me. They were all seafood dishes. This was a novel experience. I lived inland for my entire life, so I could count on one hand the number of times I had eaten seafood and fish.

  “Why don’t we eat first?” Senior Ava asked with a chuckle. “Before we continue our conversation? You look ready to eat this entire feast by yourself, Grandson.”

  I stiffened with shock for a moment, before turning to look at her. Even Willow seemed surprised by her grandmother’s choice of words.

  “Does this mean you approve of Darian, Grandmother?” She asked in a hopeful voice.

  Senior Ava nodded.

  “As my own person, yes.” She said. “As the head of Clan Stone Pillar…” She paused. “… Well, that’s complicated. We’ll talk more about it later.”

  That was enough for me, at least for now.

  “In that case, may I call you Grandmother as well?” I asked.

  Senior Ava smiled at me and nodded.

  “You may.” She said.

  “Thank you… Grandmother.” I said.

  The word felt unfamiliar in my mouth, but not unpleasant. I had never met my grandparents on either side of my family. My paternal grandparents died long before I was born. As for my maternal grandparents, I had no idea who they were. In fact, since my mother was a heart demon born from another being’s soul, did I even have maternal grandparents?

  I stopped from going further. If I continued down that line of thinking, I didn’t know where it would end.

  The three of us devoured the feast before our eyes. I enjoyed the myriad of new flavors, moaning with each bite. This quirk of mine amused Senior-… Grandmother Ava.

  As a Nascent Soul cultivator, she no longer needed to eat. However, unlike many of her peers, she didn’t disdain eating. She ate with the same enthusiasm as Willow and I. It helped that dishes were cooked from spirit beasts and spirit herbs, meaning it benefited our cultivation as well.

  After we finished eating, the three of us enjoyed the Hidden Rain Pavilion’s signature wine. It had a light taste. However, drinking the wine felt cool and refreshing. The sensation reminded me of experiencing a misty rain on a cool spring morning. No wonder it was so popular.

  “Good food and good wine, this is the life.” Grandmother Ava said, drinking directly from her bottle. Her actions reminded me a little of my mother. “I’m glad I decided to give you a chance, Grandson. After my previous experience with Clan Wind Dance, I almost didn’t.”

  That gave me the opening I needed.

  “Willow told me a little about that when we were in Clear Basin City on a mission.” I said. “She said that before she left for the Dawn and Dusk Sect, my uncle came to visit Clan Stone Pillar with my cousin, Lucius, and…” I sneered as I said this next part. “…Zayne Wind Dance.”

  Willow grimaced and made a disgusted sound.

  “Don’t remind me of that oaf.” She said.

  Grandmother Ava nodded, sharing Willow’s grimace.

  “Yes,” she said, “Zayne Wind Dance. Never have I met a young man so full of himself. I’ve met several arrogant young masters in my life, but he was the worst of them. I don’t know where he got his confidence from, considering his poor aptitude and laziness.”

  That was one of the many, many things I despised about Zayne. Not his lack of talent. I respected diligent cultivators with mediocre talent over lazy geniuses. However, Zayne was neither diligent nor a genius. Despite this, he acted like a dragon among men.

  I blamed Lucille Wind Dance, who was Lucius’ mother and Zayne’s aunt. She coddled and spoiled Zayne all his life because he was her favorite brother’s son. I think she even paid more attention to him than Lucius. Part of the reason why Zayne got away with tormenting me was because of her. As my uncle’s favorite wife, Lucille Wind Dance wielded a great deal of influence within Clan Wind Dance.

  “I can’t believe Cultivator Dominic attempted to pass that oaf off as Cultivator Connor’s son.” Grandmother Ava said. “I’m even more insulted that he thought I was stupid enough to fall for such a trick.” She drank from her bottle. “So, when I heard that my dearest granddaughter met someone claiming to be Cultivator Connor’s real son, I had my doubts.”

  I gave her a wry smile.

  “I don’t blame you, considering what happened.” My smile faded away. “What convinced you that I wasn’t lying?”

  Grandmother Ava snorted.

  “Zayne Wind Dance displayed no curiosity or interest in Cultivator Connor.” She said. “Even when I offered to tell him a few stories about his supposed father.” She sneered. “He even displayed some contempt for Cultivator Connor. That’s when I knew he was a fake.”

  I perked up when I heard Grandmother Ava mentioned that she knew some stories about my father.

  “Can you tell me those stories?” I asked. “Not now, of course, but later on.”

  Grandmother Ava gave me a kind smile.

  “I would be glad to.” She said, before she sighed. “You really are a good child. If it were just up to me, I would accept your marriage to Willow in a heartbeat. However, it isn’t just up to me. I have to consider the welfare of my entire clan, not just Willow.”

  The warm atmosphere between us dissipated. She wasn’t just Grandmother Ava anymore. Instead, I faced the head of Clan Stone Pillar once again.

  “Willow and I understand.” I said, sharing a glance with my wife. “You’re worried about the agreement between Clan Stone Pillar and Clan Wind Dance.”

  Grandmother Ava nodded.

  “Your grandfather, Cultivator Asher, and I made that agreement when our clans were on the verge of war.” She said. “That agreement became the foundation of the peace between our two clans. Many of my kin fear that if we break the agreement, war will break out.” Her expression turned grim. “Especially now, since Clan Wind Dance has aligned themselves with the Thousand Blade Sect.” She shook her head. “As of right now, I can’t in good conscience approve of your marriage to Willow. Not with the future of my clan at stake.”

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7