Reborn as Murong Fu: This Time I'm the Protagonist

Chapter 530 Blood connection

Xiao Feng smiled and said, "Although I look a bit older than you, we are kindred spirits, so there's no need to keep calling me 'old sir,' it would seem too formal. From now on, let's address each other as brothers."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanshan was overjoyed: "I feel a deep connection with you, sir, and we hit it off immediately. Today, you have saved my family's lives, and I am truly grateful. If you don't mind, sir, how about we become sworn brothers despite our age difference? From now on, I, Xiao Yuanshan, am willing to treat you as my elder brother."

Xiao Feng felt something was strange – a sworn brotherhood with his own father? You probably couldn't find the first case like this even if you searched through all the historical records.

However, there was really no reason to refuse at this time, otherwise the other party would misunderstand that he looked down on them. Besides, he really wanted to stay with his parents for a while, even if he couldn't do so under his real identity.

Xiao Feng recalled the days when he and Murong Fu drank and competed in drinking contests in Gusu. When Murong Fu was in a good mood, he would always talk about all sorts of interesting things. Once, when Murong Fu was drunk, he mentioned something called "parallel universes."

Could this current situation be what Murong Fu referred to as a parallel universe? Through some fortuitous coincidence, he returned to Yanmen Pass thirty years in the past, personally preventing a tragedy from occurring. Therefore, he not only met his long-deceased parents but also his younger self. So, could it be said that he is both Xiao Feng and not Xiao Feng?
That's right, I am Qiao Feng, but the fake Xiao Feng is.

If that's the case, let's just treat this as a parallel universe and be willful for once.

Thinking of this, Xiao Feng clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Since Brother Xiao has this intention, then I will comply with Brother Xiao's wishes."

Xiao Yuanshan was overjoyed upon hearing this and shouted to the guards behind him, "Bring two bags of wine!"

The guards quickly brought over two bags of wine.

Xiao Yuanshan tossed a bag of wine to Xiao Feng, then uncorked it and said to Xiao Feng, "We hit it off immediately. On our journey, we've made do with what we have, so we won't bother with any of that 'slaughtering cattle and horses' or any of those rituals to appease heaven and earth. Come on, brother, drink this bag of wine, and we'll be sworn brothers, bound by life and death!"

Xiao Feng joked, "Fine, since I'm so much older than you, I won't take advantage of you. Let's skip the clichés about not being born on the same day, month, and year, but dying on the same day, month, and year. From now on, if you're in trouble, it's my problem. I'll face any danger, even death."

Even so, Xiao Feng felt that something was strange. In this way, his father became his sworn brother, his mother became his sister-in-law, and he became his uncle.
Well, it's a parallel universe, so these things aren't important.

Xiao Yuanshan and Xiao Feng exchanged a glance, burst into laughter, and drank the full bottles of strong liquor from their respective wine bags in one gulp. Then they pushed aside mountains of gold and jade pillars and bowed deeply in worship.

"Big brother!"

"Second brother!"

The two stood up and looked at each other. The more they looked at each other, the closer they felt to each other. Xiao Yuanshan smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying, "If it weren't for the huge age gap between my brother and me, I would have suspected that my brother was my long-lost brother."

Xiao Feng's heart skipped a beat, but he chuckled and said, "We're brothers now that we're born, why does it have to be blood ties? Perhaps my brother and I were father and son or brothers in a past life."

Xiao Yuanshan was greatly pleased and hurriedly called his wife: "Madam, come quickly and pay your respects to your elder brother!"

Xiao Yuanshan and Xiao Feng's actions had long been noticed by Xiao Yuanshan's wife, who naturally supported her husband's actions.

Xiao Yuanshan said, “Brother, your sister-in-law’s surname is Yelü, and she comes from a distant branch of the Liao royal family. My surname Xiao is the same as that of the Liao royal family. I am currently serving as the chief instructor of the Liao army. In the future, if you need anything in the Liao territory, please feel free to ask me to do it.”

Xiao Feng listened to Xiao Yuanshan's words: "So my birth mother was a member of the Liao royal family? It's a pity my mother was murdered by villains when she was just a month old in my previous life. From the time I can remember, I never enjoyed a single day of family happiness. Although my adoptive parents took meticulous care of me, there was still a blood relation between us. Now, thinking back, they treated me more like a distinguished guest. Heaven has mercy, allowing me to see my birth mother this time. How fortunate I, Xiao Feng, am to see my deceased mother's face in my lifetime!"

The midday sun shone warmly on the woman's face, casting a hazy glow that made her appear as if seen through a mist. Xiao Feng strained to make out his mother's features, and finally recognized her—kind and serene, just as he had imagined. Xiao Feng felt his eyes well up with tears. He looked down at the infant still in her swaddling clothes and asked in a trembling voice, "What's this child's name?"

Xiao Yuanshan said, "Xiao Feng. I hope that when this child grows up, he will become a man as upright and indomitable as a mountain."

"Yes, this child will definitely grow up to be a great man and a hero."

Xiao Feng said in a trembling voice.

Madam Xiao said softly, "I don't want my son to become some great hero. To be a hero, one can't avoid fighting and killing, and his life will be full of hardships. That would be too bitter. I only hope that he can live a peaceful and happy life. Even if he is just an ordinary shepherd in the desert, raising children with a woman he loves and who loves him, and growing old together, I will be content."

Xiao Feng almost burst into tears, and quickly turned his face away so that no one could see the tears in his eyes. When he turned back, his eyes were still red, clearly indicating that he had been crying.

Xiao Yuanshan asked curiously, "Why is Brother Qiao crying?"

Xiao Feng forced a smile and said, "Brother, please don't be offended. My parents died at the hands of villains not long after I was born, and I was raised by adoptive parents. So I have never known what my biological parents looked like. Seeing your family enjoying happiness today has made me a little sad. Please don't be offended."

Xiao Yuanshan sighed, "So it turns out that my elder brother's life story is so full of hardships."

"In that case, why don't you come and live with my family of three from now on? You are a man of noble character and have excellent martial arts skills. If you can teach Feng'er, he will surely achieve great things in the future."

Xiao Feng's heart stirred. Looking at the sleeping baby in the swaddling clothes, he couldn't help but feel a strange sensation. It was a feeling that transcended blood ties and came from the depths of his soul. Fate had bound the two individuals together.

He taught his younger self to become a strong and upright man, and did his best to protect him throughout his life, so that he would never again be tormented by fate.

Xiao Feng's hands trembled slightly as he stammered, "May I...may I hold this child?"

Xiao glanced at her sworn brother, who was looking excited, and inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity with him, as if she had met him many years ago. For some reason, a maternal sympathy welled up in Xiao's heart when she faced this white-haired old man.

"His hair is so white, and his face is so aged. He must have suffered a lot. My poor sworn brother has never seen his biological parents since he was a child. I hope that my Feng'er will never have to suffer like this in the future. Feng'er, your mother must see you grow up to be a happy and healthy adult."

A warm feeling flowed through Xiao's heart. She reached out and handed the baby in her arms: "Big brother, hold him gently, don't frighten Feng'er."

As if realizing that leaving its mother's embrace meant facing endless sorrow in the world, the baby cried loudly the moment it left her arms. Xiao Feng steadily took the baby, held it in his arms, and looked excitedly at the little life in his palm. At this moment, his heartbeat and breath seemed to resonate.

Strangely enough, the baby, who had been crying loudly, stopped crying as soon as he was in Xiao Feng's arms. He opened his big, dark eyes and stared at the white-haired old man for a long time before suddenly grinning.

Xiao Yuanshan was overjoyed: "Feng'er has never smiled since he was born, but he smiled as soon as I held him. It seems that Feng'er and I are truly destined to be together. Brother, you must not refuse to be his master."

Madam Xiao was overjoyed, but said nothing. She looked tenderly at the infant in Xiao Feng's arms, her eyes filled with gentle affection.

Poor Xiao Feng, he finally saw his birth parents in the illusion, the mother who gave him life. The most heart-wrenching scene in the original novel is when A'Zi, holding Xiao Feng's body, jumps off a cliff—the same place where Xiao Yuanshan jumped with his beloved wife's body thirty years ago. The winds of Yanmen Pass have blown for thirty years; thirty years ago, the baby thrown from the cliff finally returned to his birth mother's embrace. Poor King, damned Murong Bo, and the wicked Xuan Ci—they are unforgivable.