Chapter 762 - 238: Disciplining Father at the Spirit Hall

It startled his mother, who then laughed and scolded him.

The alley clad in silver was silent. His mother carried him all the way back, and their footprints were soon covered by the heavy snow.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, not a single figure could be seen.

In the not-so-spacious alley, every household had tightly shut their doors and windows. There was no fire, no lights, as silent as a graveyard.

His mother was whispering something in his ear, but before long, even her voice disappeared.

He got off his mother’s back and walked on the ground again.

Stepping on the thick snow, he heard no sound and, for a moment, thought he had gone deaf.

Then he turned his head to look at the windows of the surrounding houses.

He saw his father continuously practicing alchemy, constantly failing.

His father started cultivating from a young man, and began practicing alchemy after marrying his mother.

People said, in the beginning, he wasn’t insane; he cultivated only for self-cultivation.

Since his father’s parents passed away gravely ill, his father seemed to be struck by something.

He became obsessed with the path of alchemy, seeking to cure all diseases and attain immortality.

What kept him going were the few successes in his alchemy practice.

He even felt some relief from his ailments after taking the Elixir.

So, he became even more obsessed with alchemy.

He lost his job, his friends, and had a falling out with his mother.

Almost leading to divorce.

Eventually living separately from his mother.

As he walked through the alley, he saw the arguments, the curses, and the mockery his father had endured in the mirror.

Since he was a child, he liked squatting beside his father’s pill furnace, watching him practice alchemy.

His father would tell him many tales about cultivating immortality.

The heartlessness of The Great Dao, immortality and freedom, and the various means of immortals.

Jiang Si didn’t think his father was a fool, nor did he think he was particularly smart.

He kept walking a path that was not feasible, even though better ways existed.

The snow had stopped.

He saw himself grown up in the windows of the houses beside him, starting school.

Then, he found the true path of The Great Dao.

At that time, his father had health issues due to practicing alchemy, spending years bedridden, his health declining.

When Jiang Si told him the true path of immortality he discovered in online novels.

His father merely tore up the book with a gloomy expression.

His mother cried, begging him not to end up like his father.

Half her life was destroyed by a father obsessed with alchemy, and she didn’t want to see her son follow suit.

But Jiang Si knew he was different.

He walked the true path of The Great Dao and never intended to let it affect his life.

All his pursuit of The Dao was outside his academic studies, even when seeking extraordinary powers worldwide.

He only did it during vacations, using spare change from his part-time jobs.

Learning from his father, he didn’t plan to ruin his life and family in his pursuit of The Dao.

But his parents tightened their control even more.

During holidays, he wasn’t allowed to go out, read online novels, or even work part-time.

They strictly controlled his outings and monitored the books he read.

Fortunately, there was Lu Ya.

Because of Lu Ya, his path on The Great Dao was never broken.

Even when locked inside, Jiang Si never felt bored or resentful.

This is the inevitable path of cultivation.

Only those who can endure loneliness have the right to embark on the path of immortality.

Indeed, this was true.

Looking at the path he came from, Jiang Si couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

The heart image path, not bad.

From the past to the present, when he saw a door again, Jiang Si casually pushed it open and walked in.

Continuing to stride forward, he saw the courtyard.

It was the house his father later diligently worked to buy. The yard wasn’t big, but it was much better compared to their previous rundown home.

However, now it wasn’t at all like it was in his memory.

Although the snow had stopped, the house was still entirely covered in white.

Wreaths and banners for the funeral covered the entire house.

In a daze, it was as if it was still a vast expanse of snow.

Jiang Si glanced around once more, noticing that the outside path had been paved with asphalt, the trash heap ahead was gone, and the mulberry tree he used to climb had disappeared, replaced by a small pavilion.

Beyond his memories.

Stepping on the ground, he felt a certain weight.

That was the weight of reality.

Not in a hurry to return, Jiang Si continued to walk forward, arriving at his unfamiliar home’s door.

Two elderly people sat at the courtyard gate, cracking sunflower seeds on small stools.

As soon as they saw Jiang Si, they both stood up abruptly.

"Ah! Isn’t this Jiang Changshou’s eldest son?"

"Jiang Si, why are you back? I thought you ran off with Lu Ya?"

"Heard it was an elopement?"

Jiang Si found it quite puzzling, simply asking, "Who died?"

The two elders laughed awkwardly:

"Your dad..."

"He’s been gone a while now; it’s only today that the funeral is being held."

Jiang Si looked up at the wreaths in the yard, "Did the Elixir make him sick?"

"No, he stopped practicing alchemy long ago. Your dad realized his mistakes, worked diligently, and never touched that stuff again. But the damage was done, and his health never recovered..."

When he entered, there were several tables in the courtyard, occupied by guests who had already eaten.

At that moment, they sat together, chatting leisurely.

On the tables were leftover dishes, some people laughing, others picking their teeth, with children running around.

From the main hall, cries could be heard faintly, heart-wrenching yet not very heartfelt.

Jiang Si made his way through the crowd into the main hall, enveloped in smoke, as if entering his father’s old alchemy room.