Sidekick Fights Back (Married The Protagonist’s Mother)

As the night deepened, the vibrant energy of the banquet gradually mellowed. Hearty laughter softened to contented murmurs, and the rhythmic clinking of wine cups became less frequent. It was understood that in the coming weeks and months, the Su estate would see a slow but steady influx as more family members returned from their various duties and expeditions; some would even be recalled from the Qingyun City branch.

Slowly figures began to depart, heading back to their respective courtyards. Su Kang shared a final round of farewells.

"Cousins, I will see you all later," Su Kang said, a faint smile touching his lips.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Kang'er!" Su Liang and the others bid goodnight, a lingering warmth from their camaraderie accompanying Su Kang as he made his way back to the courtyard he shared with Bai Yunxi. Moonlight bathed the stone paths in a pale glow, and the distant sounds of the estate settling for the night—the rustle of cold wind through jade bamboo—followed them like a gentle lullaby. .....

The following morning, the crisp air of the Su estate carried the distant sounds of diligent practice. Su Kang watched the battle between Su Ting and Su Jiao. Su Jiao furrowed his brow in intense concentration, using a series of talismans – sometimes a flame spell, other times a thunder talisman – to break Su Ting's attacks. Su Ting moved and retreated, sidestepping to avoid the onslaught, his expression focused. It was evident that Su Jiao had indeed been "persuaded" into a training session, restricted to his talisman skills and forbidden from using other techniques against Su Ting.

After the session concluded, with Su Jiao looking thoroughly exhausted and Su Ting barely breaking a sweat, Su Kang noticed two small figures approaching him.

A boy, around twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a green robe, walked with youthful confidence, his bright brown-black eyes sparkling with amusement. Clinging to his hand, her steps small and slightly hesitant, was a little girl of about five or six. Her dark hair was neatly tied into twin ponytails that bounced with her movements, and she wore a cute white-green dress that framed a face with large, inquisitive black eyes and charmingly puffy cheeks. Su Kang paused, a gentle expression appearing on his face as they drew nearer.

"Uncle Kang, you are back!" the boy greeted him with a cheerful, respectful bow, his voice clear and bright.

A familiar pang of sorrow tightened Su Kang’s chest as he looked at them. The boy was Su Ren. He gently guided his little sister forward. "Meying, this is Uncle Kang. Do you remember him? You saw him about a year ago."

The little girl, Su Meying, peered up at Su Kang from beneath her lashes, then shook her head, her pigtails swaying. Her memory of this particular uncle was clearly vague, a distant impression at best.

Su Kang bent to his knees, bringing himself to her eye level. Her small hand tightened its grip on Su Ren's, a flicker of nervousness and childish fear in her eyes that made Su Kang's heart ache. These children… in that other, terrible future, they had witnessed their father's brutal death, their mother's humiliation. Though this nightmare had not affected him much after the formation of his Soul foundation, the pain of those visions, the helplessness he had felt, could not be entirely erased, even with a changed timeline.

"Are you… new uncle?" Meying finally asked, her voice a small, hesitant whisper, her eyes carefully scanning his face as if trying to recognize him.

Su Ren chuckled, his tone light as he ruffled her hair. "Uncle Kang isn't new. He's Uncle Ting's older brother. Uncle Kang didn't live at the manor much before, so you just don't remember him well.”

"Uncle Ting's brother?" Meying tilted her head, a flicker of understanding dawning in her eyes as she processed this connection. She nodded slowly.

Su Kang offered them a warm, reassuring smile, consciously pushing back the tide of sorrowful memories. "Su Ren, it's good to see you. You've grown taller," he observed, his gaze briefly assessing. "From the look of your meridians and acupoints, you should be ready to begin your formal cultivation within two years."

For a child of a prominent cultivation family like the Su, starting formal cultivation a little after the age of fourteen was possible. "You've only recently returned from your visit to the Lin family, yet you are here in the training ground?”

"Uncle Kang, Su Meying wanted to see Uncle Ting," Su Ren explained, a mischievous laugh bubbling up. "He promised us gifts before we left for the Lin Clan, and now she's here for them!" He winked, but Meying tugged at his hand insistently.

"Big brother, Mother said not to lie!" she admonished, her small face a picture of seriousness.

"Lie? I don't know what you're talking about, sister! Hahaha!" Su Ren laughed again, trying to brush it off with playful bravado. He then turned to Su Kang, his expression shifting to one of hopeful expectation.

"Uncle Kang, since we're meeting after such a long time, surely you'll give us something too? Uncle Ting always brings us interesting things from his adventures. And Meying has seen you after so long; if you give her something nice, she'll remember you for a long time," Su Ren finished, a hopeful chuckle in his voice.

Su Kang chuckled, amused by the boy's thoughts. Reaching into his storage ring, he produced a few items. He handed a small, intricately carved jade bottle to Su Ren.

"These are Meridian Opening Pills, Su Ren. With these, you might be able to open your meridians and acupoints a little sooner than expected, though the process will be quite painful. And these," he added, presenting a set of dark metal bracers and a few neatly folded talismans, "are some basic defensive artifacts, an escape talisman, and a few attack spell-sealed implements.”

Su Ren's eyes, which had initially lit up at the prospect of gifts, dimmed slightly. He had been expecting precious stones or ornamental jades like those Su Ting often brought back. He found cultivation boring.

Sensing the boy's slight deflation, Su Kang retrieved two more items. "These are a White Snow Jade pendant and a Blue Sea Pearl clasp," he said, his voice calm. ”I hope you will understand, Su Ren, that with true power, even the rarest items can be acquired easily." Su Ren nodded, a flicker of understanding in his eyes, though not fully grasping the intent behind the words.

Su Kang then turned his gentle gaze to the little girl, his smile softening further. "Meying, what do you want? Uncle will give you anything you desire."

Meying's eyes, which had been observing the exchange with quiet curiosity, immediately brightened, all previous shyness disappearing. "I want candies! And sweet Sunpetal Berries! Can you give me lots and lots of them, Uncle?" she pleaded, her voice filled with earnestness.

Su Kang chuckled, his heart warming at her innocent request. "Lots and lots of sweet things… I can do that. How about I give you some every day?”

"Every day? I can eat them every day?" Her eyes began to shine like polished jewels. She held up her small hand and started to count on her fingers, her lips moving silently as she made her delightful calculations.

"New candies from Uncle Ting… new candies from Uncle Kang… and I still have candies from Aunt Qingya! I have lots of candies!" she murmured to herself, looking with awe at the three fingers held up. Her eyes sparkled like a radiant star, unrestrained smile spread across her face.

“Yes! I want them every day! Hehe, thank you, Uncle!" She couldn't suppress her joyful laughter, her happiness pure and infectious.

“Alright, you two should be heading off now," Su Kang told them gently after a few more moments. "I will visit you later with uncle Ting and sweets." He watched as a maid, who had been waiting patiently at a distance, came forward to escort the children. As their cheerful voices faded, Su Kang turned to Su Jiao and Su Ting, who were deep in a discussion about talisman arrays. After listening briefly, he provided a few pointers before concluding the training session.

In the afternoon, Su Kang went to the ancestral hall to look for Senior Ma. Senior Ma was the only person who could complete the Seal Engraving Ceremony. Soon, a servant led him to a secluded courtyard where an old man with white hair and a long beard was seated within a small wooden temple. He was engrossed, using shells and stones, tossing them onto a golden plate on the ground where intricate runes were drawn.

“Junior greets Senior Ma,” Su Kang bowed respectfully.

Senior Ma continued his calculations for a moment, his fingers moving nimbly, occasionally jotting notes on a piece of paper before returning his attention to the runes. Finally, he turned to Su Kang and handed him several round, gray stones with faint runes carved upon their surfaces.

“Throw them,” he instructed, pointing towards the engravings on the golden plate.

Su Kang took the stones and carefully tossed them onto the inscribed plate.

Senior Ma observed their landing, then nodded slowly. “I have calculated and found that the most auspicious moment for the ritual will be four days from now, at midnight, precisely when the moon enters the Phoenix Ascendant constellation—a celestial alignment signifying courage and rebirth. You will have to come then. I will prepare everything; you just need to be on time.” Senior Ma spoke, his gaze keen despite his wrinkled face.

“I understand, Senior. I will be here on time,” Su Kang affirmed.