The silence behind the door lasted less than five seconds before chaos erupted.
"Dad! Mom! It really is Big Brother! The ID! Look at the picture!" Shan Qing's tearful shouts rang out, making Shan Hu's ears ring.
"Shan Hu? My son!"
WHAM!
The door was yanked open, and before Shan Hu could strike his best Immortal Emperor Returns pose, a massive force crashed into him.
It was his mother, Wang Fang, who tackled him first. Her permed hair from ten years ago was now dyed jet-black, but the wrinkles around her eyes were deeper. She held him tight, crying and pounding his back with her fists. "You rotten kid! You finally decided to come back! Do you have any idea what your father and I went through for ten years?!"
Shan Hu held back his own tears, letting his mother pound away. While her fists were less than a tickle to an Emperor, he played along, letting out a slight, cooperative 'oof.'
He reached out and gently patted her back, simultaneously and subtly deploying the "Life-Force Nurturing Technique," injecting a gentle thread of spiritual energy into her chronically tired lower back. His mother stiffened momentarily. Her usually aching lumbar spine immediately felt as comfortable as if she were soaking in a hot spring.
Next was his father, Shan De. His father looked much older, his formerly straight posture slightly stooped. He didn't wail like his mother, but his eyes were red-rimmed as he clapped Shan Hu hard on the shoulder, his voice hoarse: "Just… just glad you're home…"
Shan Hu turned to his sister, Shan Qing.
Shan Qing had progressed from shock to pure, unadulterated anger. Her eyes were red and puffy, but before her tears were even dry, she launched a fierce kick toward Shan Hu's knee.
"You absolute jerk, Shan Hu! Ten years gone! Do you know how many people mocked me? I swear, I'm going to break your leg right now!"
The Emperor's defense was naturally unshakable. Shan Hu easily caught her furious flying kick, then wrapped her up in a quick hug. "Little Devil, all grown up, huh? Your brother brought you a gift from the Immortal Realm, wanna see it?"
At the mention of a "gift," half of Shan Qing's rage dissolved, but she still pushed him away stubbornly. "Who wants your trash gift! Tell me! Where the hell have you been for ten years? Spill it!"
The family finally settled into the living room. Wang Fang rushed to the kitchen to prepare food, while Shan De sat on the couch, staring intently at his son, his eyes filled with lingering worry.
"Xiao Hu, no lies. Tell Mom and Dad the truth. What exactly happened ten years ago? Why did you disappear without a word?" his father asked sternly.
Shan Hu knew he couldn't avoid this. He couldn't claim to be an Immortal Emperor. So, he began his 'Emperor-level lie.'
Shan Hu sighed, putting on a weighty expression. "Dad, Mom, I never meant to cut contact. Ten years ago, during an outdoor expedition, I was scouted by a secret international exploration team. They recruited me into a global top-tier research unit."
Shan Qing rolled her eyes. "Pfft, international exploration team? Sounds totally fake."
Shan Hu glared at her and continued his fabrication. "We were sent deep into an uncharted, pristine rainforest—a place not on any map. The magnetic field was chaotic; all communication devices failed. We were conducting research on 'special biodiversity,' and for ten years, we were cut off from the world."
He paused, his voice turning sincerely regretful. "It was only half a month ago that our team finally found an opportunity to be extracted by a military helicopter. The very first thing I did once I was free was rush straight home."
The lie was flimsy, but it hit key emotional notes like "ten years missing," "cut off from the world," and "military extraction," which were enough to convince ordinary parents that this was a national security "Big Deal."
Sure enough, Shan De and Wang Fang exchanged glances; the worry in their eyes softened into a mix of understanding and pride.
"So, you were out there contributing to the country…" Wang Fang said tearfully. "Oh, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters."
Shan Hu breathed an internal sigh of relief. Lying is more exhausting than surviving a Heavenly Tribulation.
He pulled out the ten "Spirit Jades" he had condensed earlier and handed them to his mother.
"Mom, these are little 'souvenirs' I brought back from the expedition. They're natural jade stones, imbued with the energy of the deep rainforest. You and Dad take five each, keep them by your bedside. They'll help you sleep and are really good for your health."
Wang Fang took the smooth, cool "jades." They felt pleasant to the touch, and she immediately adored them.
Shan Qing pouted. "Psh, just some dull stones! Where's my gift?"
Shan Hu grinned, retrieving an ancient-looking bronze tripod from the storage ring. In the Immortal Realm, it was a discarded low-level refining furnace, but its style was classic Eastern antiquity.
"This is for you. It was excavated from the rainforest—thousands of years old. It's an artifact. Keep it on your desk; they say it brings good luck for academic progress."
Shan Qing took the heavy bronze tripod, examining it skeptically. Though she didn't know what it was, hearing it was an "artifact" made her instantly cradle it protectively.
The family finally settled down. Shan Hu sipped the tea his mother made, savoring the warmth of home after a thousand years. He was just about to offer to buy them a massive new house when he noticed the smiles on his parents' faces seemed strained.
"Dad, Mom, what's wrong? You guys look troubled," Shan Hu asked.
Shan De sighed, and Wang Fang's eyes reddened again.
"Ah, Xiao Hu, it's great you're back, but the family is in a bit of… trouble," Wang Fang admitted. "It's about this building, your old home."
Shan De took over, his voice filled with anger. "Longcheng Ascent Group has targeted this old district for commercial development. They offered us ridiculous, low-ball compensation—not even enough to buy a small apartment in the suburbs! Everyone in this building, except for us and Old Grandpa Li next door, has been forced to sign the contract!"
Wang Fang added with a shaky voice, "They send people to harass us every few days, threatening to cut the utilities and even demolish the place! Next Friday is the deadline. They said they'll go legal, but who knows what kind of connections they have…"
Shan Hu's eyes instantly went cold.
Forced demolition? Harassment? Messing with his family?
In the Cultivation World, anyone who dared threaten an Emperor's kin would have their entire clan exterminated. These mere mortal ants dared to scheme against him on the very day of his return?
"The Ascent Group?" Shan Hu gently set his teacup down. The sound was quiet, yet it carried an indescribable, heavy pressure.
Shan Qing quickly pulled out her phone and showed him a picture. "It's them! There's this guy, a 'Young Master Lu,' totally arrogant. His dad is the group's chairman!"
Shan Hu glanced at the picture, a dangerous smirk curling on his lips.
He leaned back into the sofa, looking casual and relaxed, but his eyes were radiating contempt for everything in creation.
"Dad, Mom, you don't need to worry."
He rubbed his temple lightly with his finger, his tone as casual as if he were discussing what to have for dinner.
"Longcheng Ascent Group? Excellent. Tomorrow, I'll make sure they stop 'ascending' anywhere on Earth."