Chapter 92.2

The once clear sky was now blanketed in dark clouds. A sudden summer thunderstorm—nothing unusual.

Tan Wenbin slapped his thigh. “Tsk, tsk. Granny, look at that. Even the heavens are showing respect.”

Liu Yumei glanced sideways at him and smiled without replying.

Just then, Li Zhuiyuan walked over and said to Liu Yumei,

“Granny, both ancestral lines have reminded us—the auspicious hour has arrived.”

Liu Yumei pointed at Li Zhuiyuan and said to Tan Wenbin, “Hear that? Now that’s something worthy of our new Dragon King.”

Tan Wenbin gave a wry smile. “Granny, now you’re just making things hard for me. If I had a brain like Xiaoyuan’s, I would’ve…”

He couldn’t even picture what he’d be like with a mind like Xiaoyuan’s.

Liu Yumei tapped a finger against his forehead. “What’s so hard about it? When you’re rowing a tiny boat, of course you’ve got to speak humbly wherever you go. But once the Dragon King’s aboard, and you’re standing at the prow shouting orders, just remember one thing.”

“Granny, please teach me!”

“Fake it ‘til you drop.”

With that, Liu Yumei turned and waved to Ah Li, who had walked in with Xiaoyuan. “Come, it’s time we got down to business.”

No guests. No lanterns. No banquet. Even the ritual room was small. A third of the space was taken up by ancestral tablets, two chairs below them, and a prayer mat in the center.

In front of the mat, three lamps were placed on the floor.

One held the gaze of a deep-sea serpent.

One showed a golden dragon lifting its head.

One depicted a phoenix perched in a tree.

These represented initiation, walking the shade, and returning to the nest.

Only the Dragon King’s family would dare to lay out all three. Not because others couldn’t—but because they didn’t dare risk the consequences.

Just like how disciples from other families say they’re “wandering the world,” never “walking the shade.” The heavens have eyes. The rivers and lakes have spirit. However bold your claims, they will answer with equal pressure.

Today, Li Zhuiyuan only needed to light the first lamp, signifying his induction.

Only when he was ready to walk the shade would he set the second aflame.

That second lamp marked the true beginning—when fate would shift. From that point on, certain things would come to find you whether you looked for them or not.

When Aunt Liu explained this to him, the details felt strangely familiar.

Li Zhuiyuan had even asked whether his family might be affected when he walked the shade.

Aunt Liu said: the moment you announce your family name while walking the shade, your family becomes part of the equation. It’s the same for every clan. In the early stages, the family carries you a bit, leaning on its deep roots and sturdy foundations.

But beyond that first stretch, you walk alone.

Whether you manage to transform from serpent to dragon—that’s still on you. And the farther you go, the heavier the burden becomes. No matter how grand the family, they can’t carry it all.

To put it plainly: walking the shade is a gamble, both personal and familial. You bet small, aiming big. But if you wager everything, there’s no point anymore.

When Aunt Liu mentioned “grand and wealthy households,” Li Zhuiyuan instinctively looked toward the offering table stacked with ancestral tablets.

If Runsheng, Binbin, and Yin Meng hadn’t shown up this morning, the true “family” could’ve fit on a single wooden stool.

So this is what “grand and wealthy” means.

Still, with Uncle Qin, Aunt Liu, and Granny Liu around, he’d have help in the early stages. But after that... their relationship would return to what it had been at the great-grandfather’s home.

They could eat and live together—but they couldn’t intervene in matters beyond the mundane.

As for that third lamp—the phoenix on the tree—only those who failed would light it. It marked a retreat. Uncle Qin had lit it once.

Lighting it meant giving up the opportunity.

Liu Yumei, dressed in green ceremonial robes, sat on the left. To her right was Ah Li in red.

Today, Liu Yumei represented the Liu family. Ah Li, despite the generational gap, bore the Qin surname and represented the Qin family. In this moment, the two sat side by side as stand-ins for their ancestors, accepting a disciple.

Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu stood to either side, wearing red and green serpent-embroidered training robes.

Aunt Liu’s surname must’ve been Liu. When she lived at Li Sanjiang’s home, she had to change it to keep up the three-generation ruse.

From the dragon and phoenix on the lamps, to the serpents embroidered on their robes—it was clear just how powerful this family would’ve been in ancient times.

The Canal Guild was as enduring as iron. Dynasties came and went like flowing water. In countless times of chaos throughout history, their presence remained.

And families like this paid close attention to luck and feng shui, never flaunting themselves. That’s what allowed their legacy to persist quietly in the shadows.

Li Zhuiyuan stood before the prayer mat.

Behind him, Yin Meng, Runsheng, and Tan Wenbin each held a stick of burning incense.

Space was tight—they had to stand pressed against the wall.

Liu Yumei spoke. “The setup is modest. Apologies to all.”

Li Zhuiyuan replied, “It’s not the depth of the water, but the dragon within that matters.”

Liu Yumei nodded with a smile. She could’ve made this a grand affair—she still had the old mansion in Jinling—but she’d deliberately chosen this narrow, humble space.

Smaller rooms made for warmer hearts.

Boom!

The thunder outside grew louder. Lightning flashed in rapid bursts.

Liu Yumei looked out the window. What a beautiful day for it.

On the offering table, only expensive wood sat in tribute. So, are you all watching from the window then?

She looked at Aunt Liu, who said, “Begin the rites.”

Li Zhuiyuan bowed first to Liu Yumei, performing the Liu family’s rite. Liu Yumei rose and returned the gesture.

Next, he bowed to Ah Li, performing the Qin family’s rite.

Uncle Qin stepped forward, ready to return the salute on her behalf.

But Ah Li stood up on her own.

Uncle Qin had no choice but to step back.

Ah Li returned the gesture to Li Zhuiyuan.

She knew how to do these things. She just never wanted to—because it depended on who was asking.

Aunt Liu chuckled to herself. But with thunder roaring and the air solemn, she had to hold back her smile.

She remembered back when they visited the Ding family in the mountain city—Granny had made Xiaoyuan receive the salutes and even take Ah Li’s seat.

Granny only recently loosened her words. But her actions had always been honest.

Now that she saw the two of them bow to each other, it was time to look forward to the next step.

This life… really did feel full of promise.

After all, she’d loved watching those two together from the moment Li Zhuiyuan first took Ah Li’s hand and led her forward.

Every morning before making breakfast, she would lean at the kitchen door, watching them read and play chess on the terrace. Only after smiling to herself would she go cook.

With the formal rites done, it was time to choose the legacy.

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