16 Chapter 16: Lin Hua and Chen Lian

Lin Hua and Chen Lian, after leaving the ancestral grounds of the Great Li Clan, flew to their palace, which is also Li Tian's residence. As they settled side by side, Lin Hua expressed her concerns: "Sister, I was very worried about my husband today. I thought that he would leave us."

Chen Lian nodded in agreement. "Yeah, after seeing him all old and without any life energy, I thought so too."

"Even if our husband didn't die, he wouldn't be coming to see us like always. We have been his wives for a thousand and five years, and not once, since the time of our marriage, has he visited us. To top it all off, he hasn't even talked to us face-to-face since the day of our marriage," continued Chen Lian with a hint of sadness.

Lin Hua agreed, "You are right, sister, but he has taken care of us all this time. If our clan ever needed help, we could even dispatch some Li Clan cultivators who are under our husband. He has allocated the entire budget of his to us, and we can do whatever we want, and he has given us many precious, rare treasures from time to time." Lin Hua said, smilingly acknowledging the support they received.

Chen Lian sighed. "True, he has fulfilled his responsibilities towards the clan and us. However, I can't help but wish for more. I long for moments when he would come to us not as the clan ancestor but as Li Tian, our husband. I want to share laughter, stories, and just simple moments together, but he is busier with his cultivation."

Lin Hua, her expression thoughtful, added, "I understand, sister. I just wish he saw us not just as responsibilities but as companions. I want to know him beyond the role he plays in the clan."

Chen Lian's expression softened, and she placed a comforting hand on Lin Hua's shoulder. "Perhaps this breakthrough into the Half Immortal realm will bring about a change. He seemed sincere when he smiled at us, which he had never done before. Maybe he realizes the importance of our connection now."

Lin Hua looked into the distance, her gaze thoughtful. "I hope so, sister. I hope that this new chapter in his cultivation also marks a new chapter in our relationship. I want to feel like a wife, not just in name but in shared experiences, shared dreams, and shared moments in life together with the three of us."

Chen Lian smiled, her blonde hair catching the gentle breeze. "Let's give him a chance, Lin Hua. If he's willing to change, to be more present in our lives, then maybe we can truly build a family—a family where each member supports and understands one another."

As they sat by the small lake in the courtyard, the atmosphere shifted. There was a mix of anticipation in both women's eyes and fear that he would always neglect them. The bond between Lin Hua, Chen Lian, and Li Tian had weathered a thousand and five hundred years, and perhaps, with the winds of change blowing, it was time for a new beginning.

The two wives continued to share their thoughts and feelings, contemplating the complexities of their relationship with Li Tian. They discussed their desires, dreams, and the hope that the future held. The conversation became an emotional release, allowing them to express what had been hidden beneath the surface for too long.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, Li Tian, after vanishing from the palace main hall, had appeared in the courtyard, standing behind the two. He used a technique to hide his presence and observed them, overhearing their conversation.

A mixture of emotions surged within him—regret, understanding, and sorrow. Li Tian realized that, in his past pursuit of cultivation, he had neglected his responsibilities as a husband, inadvertently causing Lin Hua and Chen Lian to suffer. As he listened to their heartfelt conversation and hopes, a profound realization dawned on him. Overwhelmed, Li Tian felt the weight of his past mistakes, and he was on the verge of tears. because after he got his memories of the past life, his mind set changed, and he can now understand the importance of people and his family to him.

...

Li Tian approached Lin Hua and Chen Lian with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. The two beauties are sitting by the serene lake in the courtyard. The air seemed charged with unspoken emotions, and Li Tian took a deep breath before speaking.

"Lin Hua and Chen Lian, won't you greet your husband?".

Lin Hua and Chen Lian were startled by Li Tian's voice from behind them, as they hadn't sensed his presence. They stood up and turned around, their eyes widening as they saw a slightly smiling Li Tian. They were shocked.

As the shock subsided, they both greeted Li Tian, saying in unison, "Welcome home, esteemed Husband."

The shock lingered in their expressions because it was the first time they had heard Li Tian calling their names. They bowed stiffly, nervously anticipating their first encounter with their husband after so long.

After seeing them like this, Li Tian smiled, thinking, 'How cuter can my wives get than this? They look so beautiful when they get nervous, and this is my first time seeing these beautiful women this close to me.'

Li Tian said, "Why are you still bowing like that? You are greeting your husband, not some stranger."

After hearing Li Tian, Lin Hua and Chen Lian straightened up, but their faces darkened as they thought they had messed up their first meeting with their husband face-to-face. Simultaneously, they said, "We are sorry about that. We will try to."

Before they could say any more words, Li Tian interrupted with a saddened expression: "You two are not my maid servants or servants in the palace who have to bow down and greet me. And why are you saying sorry?"

Lin Hua and Chen Lian looked at Li Tian's sad face, bewildered by his expression. Lin Hua began to say, "We also didn't mean anything like that. We just wanted to greet you, and we didn't know how we could greet you as the ancestor of the Li clan, so we—"

Interrupting Lin Hua, Li Tian said, "You are my wives, not members of the Li clan. You are my most intimate family."

Unable to stop his emotions for the first time in his present life as a cultivator, Li Tian started to shed tears while saying, "Today, I wanted to see you both, so I came to the palace. I know that, as your husband, I've never spent any moments with you, but I always thought about you. Why do you think I cultivated so hard for thousands, no, for my whole life?"

After that, he observed the shocked faces of Lin Hua and Chen Lian, who had just witnessed a Half Immortal Realm cultivator shed tears.

Li Tian continued, "I cultivated so hard to protect the people who are precious to me. I don't want to see you two dying or taken away one day, and I feared that if a day like that came, I wouldn't have enough power to protect you."

After that, Li Tian took a deep exhale and continued with a determined look, "To avoid seeing a day like that, I cultivated so hard, and today I have reached the Half Immortal Realm. Now, I have the confidence to keep you safe from this cruel world. That's why I came to see you and wanted to live with you two like happy married couples."

Upon hearing his words and seeing him cry, both of the girls understood what kind of person their husband is. They, too, started crying—not for how much they had suffered, but for how much their husband had endured by dedicating his life solely to cultivation, all for the goal of protecting his family from harm.

Without hesitation, they ran toward Li Tian and hugged him, tears streaming down their faces. Feeling their bodies against him, Li Tian felt like it was a dream.