Welcome home VI

"That's the spirit, Yang Yang!" Ember clapped her hands to show her excitement.

"Beat her into submission and make her fall in love with you!"

Submission? Why did that sound so forceful?

Yang cringed as he suddenly thought of Yin's past. With such a heavy past, she would most likely not take things lightly if she was forced.

He had to make her fall in love with her on her own accord, but he had to first of all prove that he deserved her. Thus getting stronger and wiser was a step on the way.

Suddenly, Yang's stomach started to growl.

"Are you hungry?" A wry smile appeared on Ember's countenance.

"Yeah." He nodded while he sat down.

"Then let's eat." Ember warmed up the dishes and grabbed a pair of chopsticks to place food in her son's bowl.

"Here, you need to eat more in order to grow stronger."

Soon the bowl was completely full of cold blended cucumber, sesame oil drenched pak choi, sweet fried chicken wings, hot tofu skin and so on.

Seeing this, Yang didn't stand on ceremony and dug in fiercely. To finally eat something better than grilled scorpions and dried nuts, was truly heavenly.

Ember was happy to see that her son was back to normal and started to eat as well.

After a while, Yang ceased eating as he thought of something.

"Mum, where is dad?"

"Your dad should still be in the Beast Realm." Ember answered her son as she put down her empty bowl on the table.

"Beast Realm? Why?" He picked up a chicken wing and cleansed it from meat.

"Recently there has been several attacks of feral beasts within the borders of the Fire Realm, which have reaped hundreds of lives already." Ember sighed as she thought of the poor lives that had passed away.

"Your dad left with your uncle Blaze to meet the Beast Emperor to ask for an explanation."

Yang nodded in understanding as he threw away the bones and picked up a new chicken wing.

"When did they depart?"

"7 years ago."

The answer caused Yang to stop chewing.

"7 years ago?! Why have they still not returned?"

"I don't know." Ember tried to not show her worry, but it didn't escape Yang's notice.

"Then have they at least sent back a message about their situation?" Yang asked impatiently.

His mother stared solemly at him as she shook her head lightly.