But that single call of "big brother" struck a chord deep in his heart. Every time Yang Kai had returned home to visit their parents in the past, the little girl had always called him that — a bright, clear voice that never failed to bring a smile to his face.
He couldn't be wrong. The young woman before him shared his blood. That invisible bond between the closest of kin was something no one could ever fake.
So Yang Kai was certain that the girl standing in front of him was the very same little sister who, every time he came home, had clung to him and pestered him to play, who had cried every time he left, who had watched his retreating figure with unwilling, lingering eyes.
Yang Xue!
Yang Kai smiled, and the motion pulled at his wounds, making the smile look worse than a grimace. Stunned, he asked, "How did you…?"
He had been about to ask how she had suddenly grown so much, but then he remembered Lord Wind's situation. He and Lord Wind had entered the Temple of Time only moments apart, yet by the time Yang Kai arrived, Lord Wind had already been waiting here for a hundred years. In that time, his injuries had healed, and he had refined the Endless Hourglass.
If even Lord Wind had experienced such a thing, then what about Yang Xiao and Yang Xue, who had entered this place several years before him? How many years had they spent here?
So Yang Kai shifted his question: "How old are you this year?"
Yang Xue was sobbing too hard to speak clearly. "I don't know… we've been cultivating here for at least five hundred years…"
Five hundred years… Yang Kai was momentarily speechless. No wonder the little girl had suddenly become a young woman. No wonder she had broken down the moment she saw him.
Five hundred years was more than enough time for a child to grow up. Five hundred years of lonely cultivation, cut off from family, and then suddenly seeing her closest kin — how could Yang Xue hold back her tears? Yang Kai himself had spent years away from home and sometimes been delayed for long stretches, but the longest he had ever been gone was twenty or thirty years. What did five hundred years even mean? His entire life of cultivation so far was barely a century.
"Stop crying." Yang Kai raised his hand and wiped the tears from Yang Xue's cheeks, but no matter how many he wiped away, more kept falling. "You're already five hundred years old. Why are you still acting like a child?" As he spoke, he suddenly pulled a funny face at her.
It was an old game from when she was little — one that had always managed to make her laugh.
Sure enough, Yang Xue laughed, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She was caught between crying and laughing at the same time. "I'm not a child anymore — I'm older than you now!" But then she caught sight of Yang Kai's face and his snow-white hair, and it suddenly dawned on her that he probably looked several thousand years old. She really wasn't older than her big brother after all, and she burst into tears all over again.
Yang Kai rubbed her head, trying to redirect her attention. "You've grown up so much. Is that Xiao over there?" He nodded toward the other side with his chin.
When the young man had first appeared, Yang Kai had naturally noticed him. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it — just surprised that there were outsiders in the Temple of Time. But given his own precarious situation, he hadn't bothered with that variable. Besides, the young man's target had been Lord Wind, which Yang Kai had been more than happy to watch.
Now that Yang Xue's identity was confirmed, who the young man was went without saying. Yang Xiao was a white dragon — he had been born with a head of white hair, a trait that would never change over the course of his life. It all matched.
Without turning her head, Yang Xue kept her eyes on her big brother and nodded through her sobs: "Yes, it's Xiao."
Yang Kai chuckled. "They've both grown up." Then something suddenly occurred to him, and his face twitched slightly. He gave a small snort.
Over on the other side, Yang Xiao was pummeling Lord Wind with punches and kicks, beating him until he coughed up blood and collapsed. A False Emperor — when had he ever suffered such humiliation? He wanted to fight back, but he simply couldn't. His battle with Yang Kai had drained every last drop of his strength, and the Endless Hourglass had been taken. Forget Yang Xiao — even a mere Dao Source Realm cultivator could flatten him at this point.
Yang Xiao fought ruthlessly, but he didn't go for the kill. So while Lord Wind looked utterly wretched, his life wasn't actually in danger.
Having finished his round of rather undignified combat, Yang Xiao turned around, his expression turning solemn. From a distance, he cupped his hands and bowed toward Yang Kai. "Your son greets Father. To see Father again in this temple brings this child more joy than he can bear."
Yang Kai's heart swelled with satisfaction, and he nodded repeatedly. "Good child. Come here and talk to me. Let me get a good look at you."
Yang Xiao blinked and answered with a touch of hesitation: "Yes." As he spoke, he began walking toward Yang Kai.
When he drew near, Yang Xiao bowed again. "Whatever Father commands, your son will carry out. Xiao is not what he used to be — I will not disappoint Father's trust."
Yang Kai looked him up and down, his face full of approval, nodding again and again. "Good, very good. You've truly both grown up. As long as you're all right, that's all that matters." Although he had always been confident that the two children entering the Temple of Time was a blessing and an opportunity, the involvement of the Time Emperor's inheritance had still left him somewhat worried. Seeing them safe and sound, seeing them grown into adults, the great weight in his heart finally lifted.
At last, he could give the two Dragon Clan elders an explanation. At last, he could face their parents with a clear conscience.
It was a simple sentence, but it made Yang Xiao's eyes redden, as if something deep within him had been touched. With heartfelt emotion, he called out: "Father…"