Parents and Family

"A first-meeting gift? But I've met the Celestial Empress plenty of times already!" Grace was puzzled.

"This is the first time I've met you since learning about your relationship with Evan," the Celestial Empress explained. "This gift is from me as your elder!"

So Sophie Shang really didn't lie—she actually told the Celestial Empress about their relationship...

This feels so awkward...

Evan Xiao chimed in from the side, "It's a celestial artifact, extremely strong in defense. Aren't you going to thank Mother?"

"Thank you for your generosity, Celestial Empress," Grace quickly said.

"Sophie Shang has already told me about you two. You met down below, right?"

Grace sneaked a glance at Evan Xiao, then lowered her head and stayed silent.

"Mother's talking to you! Aren't you usually quite the chatterbox?" Evan Xiao said, full of mock annoyance.

"Celestial Empress, I didn't mean to keep it from you. I'm sorry..." Grace said.

"It's alright!" The Celestial Empress laughed. "I'm not upset with you at all. In fact, I'm very happy!"

Grace looked at the Celestial Empress in confusion.

Was she really that happy?

"I was just telling Sophie Shang the other day, once you become immortal, I'll keep you by Evan's side! Turns out, I didn't even need to say it—look at you two, already so close! Wonderful! Just wonderful!"

Grace fiddled with the pearl, unable to hold back a smile.

"By the way, what happened last night? Li Zan came and said you were leaving?"

"Last night, my family sent a letter about some trouble at home. But then they sent another saying everything was fine, so I stayed."

"Oh... So who do you have in your family?"

"I've got my grandparents, three aunts, two uncles, and... my parents," Grace replied.

"Oh! Sounds like a big family!" The Celestial Empress nodded approvingly.

Grace said, "Yeah, there are quite a few of us."

"You're a Spiritual Alchemist, right? Have you joined the Spirit Alliance?"

"Yep! I'm with the Spirit Alliance! My mentor is even one of the elders there!" Grace said.

"Oh? Which elder?"

"It's Elder Jun Lionhead."

"Jun Lionhead?" The Celestial Empress turned to Evan Xiao. "Is there still a Jun Lionhead at the Spirit Alliance? Wasn't that ages ago? I thought he passed away?"

"My mentor is his son," Grace explained.

Jun Lionhead once told Grace his father was an elder, so she naturally made the connection.

"Ah, I see!" The Celestial Empress nodded, then warmly took Grace's hand. "Good! Very good! Keep training hard, and when you ascend to immortality, stay with this old lady for a long, long time, alright?"

Grace grinned and nodded.

She'd worried her future mother-in-law would be difficult, but it turns out she's wonderful.

"Where are you staying now?"

"In the little thatched hut next to Grandpa Gene the High Saint," Grace answered.

"How could anyone live there?" The Celestial Empress shook her head. "Yunxi, hurry and prepare two rooms here for them!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yunxi replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but that's not necessary for now," Grace said. "I'm learning to identify Drake Abyss's magical herbs from Grandpa Gene the High Saint. If I move here, it’ll just make things harder for me."

"Ah!" The Celestial Empress nodded. "When it comes to the plants of Drake Abyss, no one knows more than him! He's an immortal of wood, after all—even Li Zan can't compare! You stick with him and study hard. It'll do wonders for you Spiritual Alchemists."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Grace replied.

...

She really hadn't expected the Celestial Empress to treat her so kindly.