Chapter 475: Chapter 475

Mushu’s stoic mask cracked. His eyes glistened, his jaw clenched as he whispered,

"Father... even in death, you guide me." Sisu reached for Mushu’s sleeve, his tears matching Mushu’s, and his voice quivering.

"He loved you, Big Brother. More than you ever knew."

The elders bowed their heads in respect.

El Padre murmured: "A vow beyond blood is stronger than lineage."

El Capitan, usually stern, placed a hand over his chest: "Your father’s honor now lives in you."

Ling Li rose, her aura vast, her voice carrying authority and compassion.

"Sisu, you are welcome among us. Mushu, your father’s legacy is now bound to the Li Clan. His spirit will watch over us."

The Second Chest – Mother’s Belongings

The hall of Peonies Castle was hushed once more, the air heavy with anticipation. Mushu’s broad hands trembled as Sisu placed the second lacquered chest before him. Its surface was worn smooth, faint scratches etched like scars of time. Mushu drew a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as though bracing for a storm.

Mushu’s fingers trembled as he lifted the lid of the second lacquered chest. The air seemed to thicken, as though the memories inside had been sealed for decades.

Inside lay treasures of tenderness, fragments of a life that had shaped him:

A silver locket – worn and scratched, but when opened, it revealed a tiny portrait of his mother smiling, her eyes radiant with warmth. On the opposite side was a faded lock of her hair, tied with a red thread. The sight pierced him — her presence preserved in something so small, yet so eternal. This is now their eternal bond together.

A jade bracelet – pale green, smooth as water, etched faintly with lotus patterns. Mushu remembered how she wore it every day, the sound of it clinking softly whenever she worked, the way she would touch it absentmindedly when she worried.

It was said to be a family heirloom, passed down through generations of women, carrying blessings of protection and fertility. His mother once said, "Once you find a wife, Mom will bestow this bracelet on her."

However, his father drowned in gambling, kept attempting to force his mother to hand it over to him to be sold, even beating her half dead, so his mother decided to keep it and told his father she had pawned it and presented some amount of money from her small savings to pacify her husband. Mushu held the bracelet tightly before returning it to the small chest.

An old sepia-toned photograph showing Mushu as a child standing between his mother and his birth father. His father’s hand rested awkwardly on his shoulder, while his mother’s smile lit the entire frame. Mushu’s throat tightened; though his birth father had failed them, the picture reminded him of the bond his mother had fought to preserve. It’s a bittersweet memory of his father.

A handkerchief embroidered with her initials – delicate stitches forming her name, faintly frayed from years of use. Mushu lifted it reverently, remembering how she would wipe his tears with it when he was small. It’s a remembrance of her tenderness and care.

Mushu’s stoic mask shattered further. His breath came unevenly, his eyes glistening as he whispered:

"Mother... you carried me through storms. Even now, you remind me to stand tall."

He pressed the locket to his chest, his massive frame trembling with vulnerability. The jade bracelet slipped into his palm, its cool touch grounding him in memory.

Sisu, standing close, touched the jade bracelet with trembling fingers.

"She wanted you to have these, Big Brother. Father said they would remind you of her love... and of the strength you gave her."

Clan’s Reactions and Blessings

Everyone bowed their heads, their voices hushed with reverence.

Ling Li stepped forward, her aura vast yet gentle. "A mother’s love is the first shield we ever know. Treasure it, Mushu. Let it guide you as much as your father’s honor."

Four Eyes added softly, his shield shimmering faintly: "Your father gave you strength. Your mother gave you a heart. Together, they made you whole."

Ren, tears in her eyes, clasped Mushu’s arm. "Uncle Mushu, her love lives in you. And now, it lives in us too."

Shun bowed his head, his flames dimmed in respect. "Even the Phoenix bows to a mother’s fire. Carry it proudly."

Lily’s carp voice resonated with clarity: "Truth binds us, and truth says her spirit is here, watching."

Fatty, wiping his eyes, grinned through his tears: "Brother Mushu, Brother Sisu... you’ve got me too. I’ll fight beside you, just as she would have wanted."

Chatty, scratching his head, muttered: "I’m not good with words... but welcome. Your mother’s love is now our clan’s blessing."

Shi Min gave Mushu a firm tap on the shoulder, his jaw tight. "You are not alone. Seven sisters, one brother... and all of us behind you."

Ling Li’s gaze lingered on Mushu and Sisu, her voice calm yet edged with steel.

"Tonight, we honored a father’s legacy and a mother’s love. Tomorrow, we defend both in the Family Competition. Their spirits will walk with us."

The hall erupted in applause.

Mushu stood taller, the jade pendant from his father resting against his chest, the jade bracelet of his mother in his hand. His parents’ words and love were etched into his soul.

Sisu stood beside him, no longer hesitant, his place in the clan secured. Together, they carried not only memory but destiny.

The nursery glowed softly under lantern light, its walls newly adorned with painted cranes and lotus blossoms. The triplets lay in their cradles, swaddled in silk, while the twins giggled in their tulle gowns, chasing each other around the room. Ren and Lily sat close to their mother, who was nursing the youngest of the triplets, her aura calm and maternal.

Ren tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Mom, will Shun and I have any possibility of having twins or triplets, too, in the future?"

Lily leaned forward, her crisp voice carrying a playful lilt.

"Yes, Mom, tell us! They’re so cute and irresistible — how can we not want one?"

Ling Li chuckled, shaking her head gently.

"I never thought both of you would be so eager to have multiple babies."

Her laughter softened the air, but her tone grew thoughtful as she answered.