The next day, after a restful night in the estate, Arin was summoned to a private courtyard deep within the Vale residence.
The moment he stepped inside, a gentle pressure settled over him — heavy like a mountain, yet strangely comforting.
Sitting under an ancient cedar tree, sipping tea leisurely, was an old man with silver hair tied neatly behind his back.
His eyes, though weathered with age, were sharp and clear like the stars.
Arin immediately knew — this was his grandfather.
Vale Dorian — the current Patriarch of the Vale Family — a cultivator who had reached the rare and elusive sixth realm.
Arin quickly bowed deeply, his voice firm.
"Arin Vale greets Grandfather."
Dorian smiled faintly, setting aside his tea.
"Good. You've grown steadily," he said, his voice neither harsh nor overly soft — like an iron hand in a silk glove.
"You've made good progress for your age. Reaching the second realm within a year is no small feat."
Arin remained quiet but inwardly swelled with pride.
His grandfather nodded approvingly.
"Three days from now," Dorian continued, "all the juniors of the Vale Family will gather here.
You will meet your cousins — descendants of your grand uncles and aunts. A time for rewards… and assessments."
At Arin's curious glance, Dorian chuckled lightly.
"The rewards are a surprise. It will depend on your performance and potential."
As Dorian spoke, another presence entered the courtyard.
Arin instinctively straightened as a man strode in — older than his grandfather, yet his back was perfectly straight, his step light as a feather.
Unlike Dorian, this man wore plain robes without any family crest, and his expression was distant, almost detached from the world.
His aura was vast — a sea without visible shore — and though he said nothing, Arin could feel the sheer depth of his cultivation.
Even compared to his grandfather, this elder carried a deeper, more profound pressure.
Dorian stood up slightly and gestured respectfully.
"Arin, this is my elder brother," he said. "Vale Alric."
Arin immediately bowed deeply again, even lower than before.
"Junior Arin Vale greets Grand Elder Alric."
The older man waved a hand casually, as if brushing away formalities.
"No need for stiff courtesy," Alric said, his voice surprisingly youthful. "Grow strong. That will be enough."
His eyes, sharp as sword edges, sized up Arin once, then closed again as he turned away to sit beneath the cedar tree, meditating without another word.
Dorian chuckled quietly.
"My brother has no interest in family affairs," he said softly to Arin. "His heart belongs to the path of cultivation alone.
He has no wife, no children. Only endless horizons."
Arin nodded respectfully, sensing the vast difference between mere power and true detachment.
As they walked through the courtyard gardens, Dorian spoke more openly.
"In truth, Arin," he said, "you have not met many of your cousins because the Vale Family has always been scattered.
Each branch of our family oversees different regions, different responsibilities.
Only the elder generation and the Head remain here at the family estate to maintain our roots."
Arin listened closely, the pieces falling into place.
"Now that cultivation has returned to the world, the family has called back its juniors.
The bloodlines must strengthen together.
Only in unity will our legacy endure."
It made sense — Arin had grown up mostly among his immediate family, rarely interacting with the broader Vale clan.
The only vague memory he had was of a spirited little girl with silver-black hair — Elira — during a brief childhood visit.
Dorian's voice softened as he continued.
"And among those returning, you will meet Elira Vale, daughter of your father's younger brother.
She is a year older than you — already at the third realm, close to stepping into the fourth."
A flicker of pride crossed Dorian's face.
"Our blood remains strong."
As the sun began its slow descent over the Vale Estate, Arin returned to his courtyard, thoughts swirling like the autumn breeze.
In three days, the juniors of the Vale Family would gather.
And with it, a new chapter of challenges — and opportunities — would begin.