The entire day passed quietly.
Riven never left his room, and no one came to disturb him.
The family understood that after returning home after three years, he might wish to spend some time alone, so no one knocked on his door or called for him.
As evening gradually descended over Murong City, the manor became peaceful once again.
The sounds of servants moving about slowly faded, replaced by the chirping of insects outside the windows.
When night had fully fallen, a gentle knock sounded on Riven's door.
Knock. Knock.
"Young Master."
Xiaomei's cheerful voice came from outside.
"The dinner is ready."
Unlike before, there was a noticeable happiness in her voice.
Ever since Riven's return, it was as if the heavy cloud hanging above Millings Manor had finally disappeared.
Riven slowly opened his eyes.
He had been standing before the window, quietly looking toward the garden behind the manor.
Compared to the front courtyard, the backyard was much cleaner.
There were almost no weeds growing there.
However, only a handful of flowers remained, and even those had nearly withered from lack of care.
The once-beautiful garden had long lost its former appearance.
Riven looked at it for a few moments before replying,
"I'll be there shortly."
After changing into another robe, he left his room and walked toward the dining hall.
Warm candlelight illuminated the hall.
This time everyone was already seated.
His grandfather, grandmother, mother, and Rose, even the servants standing nearby, wore much brighter expressions than before.
The gloomy atmosphere that had surrounded the family for the past year had finally eased.
The moment the old master saw Riven enter, his face immediately lit up.
"Riven!"
"Come, sit here."
He happily patted the chair beside him.
Riven smiled faintly before walking over and taking his seat.
Soon, the servants began serving dinner.
As everyone started eating, the old master could hardly hide his excitement, and throughout the meal he continuously discussed the family's future.
"Now that we finally have some money, the first thing we'll do is repay the herb merchants."
"They've supported us for quite some time."
"We also owe several blacksmiths. We should settle those debts first."
He took another bite before continuing enthusiastically.
"After that, we'll repair the manor."
"The western courtyard also needs reconstruction."
"We should reopen two of our old warehouses as well. The weapon shop could use some renovations too."
The more he spoke, the more energetic he became.
Even Rose occasionally joined the discussion, suggesting improvements for the family businesses.
Lady Millings quietly listened with a gentle smile.
It had been a long time since she had seen the old master so full of hope.
Previously, every meal had been filled with silence; now, conversation flowed naturally once again.
Riven quietly ate his food while listening to everyone's plans.
After some time, he suddenly looked toward his grandfather.
"Grandfather."
The old master immediately turned toward him.
"Yes?"
"Is the garden behind the manor empty?"
The old master looked slightly puzzled.
"The backyard?"
Riven nodded.
"I want to plant something there."
Hearing this, the old master smiled without hesitation.
"Of course. You can plant whatever you like. That garden hasn't been properly maintained for years."
"If you wish to use it, then it's yours."
Riven nodded lightly.
"Thank you."
The conversation soon shifted to other matters.
By the time dinner ended, everyone's mood had become much lighter than before.
After saying goodnight to one another, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.
...
Meanwhile, inside the city lord's mansion.
The City Lord sat inside his study, carefully reading the reports gathered throughout the day. One report after another was placed before him.
As he continued reading, his brows gradually furrowed.
Even today, the hunters who had ventured deep into the surrounding forests had failed to find a single wild beast.
Wolves, tigers, and not even ordinary deer could be found. It was as though every animal within dozens of miles had completely disappeared.
However, the hunters had not returned empty-handed.
Without dangerous beasts roaming the forests, they had been able to venture much deeper than before.
As a result, they had collected a large quantity of medicinal herbs that were previously impossible to reach.
The City Lord leaned back in his chair.
"So my assumption was correct. The beast mount accompanying those cultivators frightened every animal in the surrounding forests."
That was the only explanation that made sense.
Only an extremely powerful beast could produce such an overwhelming deterrent.
This also meant something else.
The cultivators had not yet left Murong City.
After thinking for some time, he rang the bell on his desk.
A moment later, his trusted assistant entered the room and bowed.
"You summoned me, Lord?"
The City Lord nodded.
"What is the situation inside the city? Have those cultivators made any unusual moves?"
The assistant shook his head.
"No, Lord."
"They've been especially quiet."
He paused before continuing.
"Most of the noble families have already dismissed their appearance as nothing more than rumors."
"The city has slowly returned to normal. However..."
The assistant hesitated.
"Today, several guards observed the former head of the Millings family leaving the manor together with a young man."
"The guards confirmed that he was the same white-haired cultivator who entered the city yesterday."
As he spoke, he produced a folded sheet of paper.
"We had an artist sketch his appearance based on the guards' descriptions."
The City Lord unfolded it.
The portrait depicted Riven. Although only a rough sketch, his distinctive white hair and calm expression were immediately recognizable.
The City Lord studied the portrait carefully.
"He looks quite young. Has anyone resembling him ever lived with the Millings family before?"
The assistant shook his head.
"No, Lord."
"According to our investigation, no such person has ever appeared in their household."
He hesitated once more.
"There is... one rumor."
The City Lord raised an eyebrow.
"What rumor?"
"Some people believe..."
"...that this young man is Riven Millings."
"The son of the former family head who supposedly disappeared three years ago."
Silence filled the study as the City Lord slowly looked back at the portrait.
The more he thought about it, the more it seemed reasonable.
Three years ago, the Millings family had announced that their eldest son had disappeared while traveling.
Many had believed he had died, while others suspected the family was hiding the truth to avoid unnecessary attention.
If that missing son had actually become a cultivator, everything suddenly made sense.
The City Lord slowly folded the portrait.
"Continue observing the other cultivator as well. We still don't know their true strength."
"It's better to watch than to provoke them."
The assistant bowed.
"Understood."
After the assistant left, the City Lord leaned back in his chair once again.
His headache only worsened.
"In another two weeks, the Zhao family will host the annual martial arts tournament."
"Half the city's noble families will gather, and now two unknown cultivators have appeared."
He rubbed his forehead.
"I only hope nothing unexpected happens."
...
The next morning.
Before the sun had fully risen, Riven quietly left the Millings Manor.
The streets of Murong City had only just begun to awaken.
Shopkeepers were opening their stores and street vendors arranged their goods.
Some people swept the fronts of their homes while others prepared breakfast stalls for the coming crowd.
The city possessed a peaceful rhythm unlike the bustling cultivation cities Riven had recently visited.
Walking calmly through the streets, he eventually stopped before a small flower shop.
The elderly owner smiled warmly.
"Young Master."
"What would you like to buy?"
Riven looked around the shop before answering.
"I'll take these flowers."
"And those."
He then pointed toward several packets of seeds arranged neatly on a shelf.
"I'll take those as well."
The shopkeeper happily gathered everything together.
After calculating the price, he smiled.
"It will be twelve silver coins."
Riven casually placed a small gold leaf onto the counter.
The old shopkeeper's eyes immediately widened.
"Young Master!"
"This is far too much! The flowers only cost silver."
Riven merely looked around the shop once more.
"Then give me more flowers and more seeds."
The old man hesitated before hurriedly collecting nearly half the shop's remaining stock.
Even then, he repeatedly insisted that there was still value left in the gold.
Riven simply shook his head.
"Keep the rest."
The old shopkeeper stood frozen for several moments before hurriedly bowing.
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Without another word, Riven gathered the flowers and seeds before calmly walking back toward the Millings Manor.
When he returned, the servants were only beginning their morning duties.
Passing through the courtyard, he headed directly toward the quiet garden behind the manor.