A few days later

Anna Fox was the first child of Tundra Fox with his second wife, and also the strongest of all the children in her generation. Which wasn’t much. She was born in the Imperial Year 33710, and officially, she is the mistress of the Verdant Snow Sect.

Unofficially, it was the 6th child of Tundra Fox, and the 1st child of Elly Mistburn, Edison Mistburn Fox, that held the role of young master of the Verdant Snow Sect.

It was rare that her father summoned her. As far as Anna could recall, he seemed happy to pretend she didn’t exist. “Father. You called?”

She bowed politely, gathered in her father’s private tea room. She could not remember how many times they spoke this year. Probably less than five times.

Tundra was alone.

“Anna. Come, sit with me.”

She gulped. Something was weird. She heard that father attended last night’s dinner. She wasn’t there. She didn’t like eating with her stepmothers. They annoyed her, and the fact that she was the same age as Lady Marin Eastheart made her uncomfortable, even though it was not strange in the world of cultivation.

“What realm are you now?”

“3rd realm, 2nd stage.” Anna said. She was also the only one to reach 3rd realm among all his children.

“Can I feel your cultivation?” Tundra asked.

Anna paused, her mind wondering what offense she committed. “Father. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Sush. I did not call you here to punish you. Can I feel your cultivation?”

She gulped and lightly nodded. She placed her palm in his hands, and immediately felt his probing energies.

“How’s your daughter?”

Anna sighed. Anna had a daughter, Annaly. She’s 90 years old. “She’s okay. She’s a handful and doesn’t take cultivation seriously. She failed the last mission the Elder Jashen gave her.”

“If I recall correctly, do you also have a wood element spirit roots?”

His daughter nodded. “I’m also practicing the Verdant Snow’s Forest Cat Claws, but my progress has been slow.”

“It should be. Turn around. Servants, leave the room and close the door.” The servants nodded and closed the door, leaving Tundra and Anna alone in the room. “Anna, I want to check your meridians, but I’ll need to touch your back.”

Anna gulped. “Father! Is- is something wrong? What are you trying to do with this?”

Tundra remembered Anna died somewhere over the next hundred years, and annoyingly, he didn’t even remember why. He also couldn’t remember whether her husband was also alive, but if Celestia was around, it most likely meant her husband had already passed away due to a fatal attack during an expedition to a secret realm.

“Father?”

“Anna. I’m looking for bugs and blockages in your meridians.”

“I know, but why? You don’t normally do this. This is weird!”

Tundra paused. He realized that his wives were willing to give him some benefit of doubt, and accept his explanations, but his new behavior would likely cause his children to view him with great suspicion.

He was foolish to think that he’d be able to change everything just by behaving differently. It doesn’t work like that. For his family, they still held the baggage from how he treated them before this.

He sighed.

Anna shifted uncomfortably.

“I apologize, my dear daughter.” He took out one of the Roseflame Essence Pill. “I want to help you get better at cultivating.”

“Are you-” Anna paused, and stared at his father strangely. “Are you trying to bribe me? Do you plan to take a new wife, father?”

Tundra recoiled in response. “-no? Why?”

“Why else would you try to bribe me? You want to convince me to accept whoever you’re going to introduce to our family, isn’t it?”

“Not like that.” Tundra realized he’d have to explain everything, just like his wives. “I had a long dream, and well, I realized I was wrong. I’d like to start changing, and be a better father.”

Anna turned back and slammed the tea table. It shook violently, but did not break. But the tiles on the ground had some cracks. “Now? Of all times, Now? Father. No. Sect Master Fox. You’ve never been a father and now you want to come back in my life and pretend that you are a father? Is that it? Did you see a dream where you went to hell and the gods cursed you for never being there for your family?”

Tundra had no response to his daughter’s outburst. He looked at her, and after a long sigh, nodded. “Yes. I’d like to start rebuilding our family. I was wrong.”

“All you ever cared about was this damned Sect. Power. Strength. New recipes, new alchemical formulations. Did you remember how you just spoke a few words at my husband’s funeral and then left because there was some damned secret realm to explore?” Anna countered, as her own wounds opened. “Why now?”

Tundra’s face flushed. He had no recollection of that event. “I don’t. And I’m sorry. I truly am, and I’d like to start again.”

Anna trembled. Her fingers shook. She looked at him. She judged him. “Did you think about how I felt when you went on some alchemy tournament and came back with a new wife?”

Tundra wanted to defend Celestia then, but he realized that defending her would only put Anna at odds with his 6th wife. There was no winning. He closed his eyes, and nodded. “I didn’t. I liked Celestia, and felt a connection. So I wanted her to be my wife. That was it. I did not recognise how it would feel, to the rest of you.”

“I wish you told us, at least.” Anna said, her face red. “People of power like you like to have many wives and concubines. It’s just the way the world is. But please communicate, father. Don’t just do things on a whim and leave the rest of us to pick up the pieces. We are not just ornaments and plants who you can just place in your house and then ignore us. We are people, and we are your children.”

Tundra realized his goal was going to be a lot more challenging than he hoped. Just with his first, eldest daughter he realized that winning over his family would be harder than ascending to the 10th realm all over again.

He nodded. “Yes. This time, I will try, and I’d like to start with you, Anna. You’re the eldest, and I wish I spent more time with you.”

The regressor wondered how much of it was guilt.

Anna sighed, still upset. “So how do you plan to try? What exactly is it that you want to do with us? Is this for some goal? Do you plan to butter me up and then marry me off to some other guy, for political reasons?”

“No.” The Sect Master wondered whether his 10,700 years of experience would be enough for this. In truth, his 10,700 years was mostly spent doing non-family things, and he was ill-experienced in this part. “I wouldn’t do that. No. I will not, and instead, whoever you choose to marry will be your choice. Or if you don’t want to marry again, it’s fine too.”

His daughter couldn’t believe it. “You won’t force any of us?”

“Not anymore. I was a fool to impose it on you all, and it wasn’t right to think that my children would agree with what I would’ve accepted.”

Anna immediately felt strange, wondering when did his father matchmake them. For Tundra, it was him momentarily confusing the past, the present, and the future.

One of the wars he fought in the future was when his great grandson assaulted his wife, and his wife’s sect declared war in retaliation. He naturally fought to defend his family’s honor, but a few centuries after that war, he greatly regretted taking his great-grandson’s side, without truly investigating the cause of the incident.

It also told him how horrible it was to impose marriage on others. He could accept marriages for political reasons. But he should not have expected his children to think the same way.

So, both father and daughter stared at each other a while, each thinking their own thoughts.

Anna’s attention went back to the pill in Tundra’s hand.

“What pill is that?”

“It’ll purge your meridians and spiritual root, and improve the quality of your spiritual root.”

Her eyes bulged. “I didn’t know we had that kind of pill.”

“Well, if you give me a chance-”

“Bribing your children won’t work.” Anna countered.

“Please?” Tundra asked nicely. At this point, he wanted to find someone to talk to. He tried to remember whether there are any other sect masters he was good friends with. Sect masters that were still alive.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Anna looked at him, and then sighed. “Fine. I’ll give you a chance. But I have not forgiven nor forgotten how you’ve been absent all these while.”

Tundra sighed. “But how do cultivators do it? We enter secluded cultivation all the time?”

The question made Anna think as well. All of them entered secluded cultivation. It was just how cultivators focused on absorbing the ambient energies to ascend. “Well, secluded cultivation doesn’t count, I guess. But when you’re not in secluded cultivation, I hope to see you and speak to you more often. If you want to be a father again, be present for us.”

The regressor had no choice but to agree.

Then Anna took the pill. She snatched it from his palm. “I just eat it?”

“Yes-” She swallowed it. “-It will hurt.”

Anna recoiled in pain as the pill picked in immediately and screamed. “Father, were you trying to poison me?!”

“No. Calm down!” She convulsed as the surging flames of the Roseflame Essence Pills flooded her meridians. Tundra briefly panicked, just a second, but immediately tapped her back and quickly injected his energies into her. He’d have to help her stabilize the effects of the Roseflame Essence pill.

***

Three hours later, Anna was exhausted, and when the pill’s effects were gone. She collapsed unconscious, and Tundra carried his daughter to her bedroom. It was embarrassing he didn’t even know where it was, and had to ask a servant to guide him there.

She would feel the benefits later, but as a father, her outburst made him think.

***

When he walked into Elly Mistburn’s room, she was reading some missives. There were two servants helping her with her hair, while a third servant was in the room cleaning. His 7th child, born from Elly’s womb, Evan Mistburn Fox was also in the room cultivating quietly.

She was clearly not expecting to see him, and stood. The servants were shocked and bowed. Elly curtsey before her husband. “Husband! Good afternoon.”

He smiled and just sat on a chair. “I just came to see my wife and my son.”

Elly’s eyes met Tundra’s briefly, and then she walked to sit next to him. “The servants are still doing my hair. I apologize for being so unsightly.”

Tundra shook his head. “Evan’s hardworking.”

“After I lectured him about how he’s falling behind and I forced him to cultivate here.” Elly said with a roll in her eyes. “I wish our children inherited your seriousness, focus and drive.”

He laughed, and turned to look at Evan cultivating on the dais. Now that his father was here, he actually tried to focus on cultivating. His son didn’t seem particularly keen on talking to him. No, his son was afraid of him, and so, tried his best to actually cultivate.

Tundra smirked, and Elly naturally noticed how focused Evan was. “Well, husband, it seems it would really help your children if you came more often. They seem to only behave well when you are around.”

Evan wasn’t young. He was born almost 165 years ago, and should be treated as a full grown adult instead of a child. And yet, Tundra couldn’t help but wonder whether cultivation extends their lifespan, but slows down their mental development.

It’s been something on his mind for centuries. After all, cultivation is a mostly solitary activity, focused on absorbing energies from the surrounding environment, or from pills, or from foods. But mental and character growth comes from suffering, from pain and failures, and from achievements. A cultivator who hid away without facing pain and suffering, without experiencing life, had no reason or push factor to gain maturity at all.

“What have my children been doing, that they are just in the 2nd realm?” Tundra wondered. In his earlier life, he hardly had time to care. Around this time, he was trying to prepare for an attack on Blackbone City, and claim the area from the mid tier sect, Black Ash Temple. He remembered he was already in the 4th realm by the time he was 50 years old.

Elly looked back at him, curious. “Are you saying they are too slow, husband?”

“-well, yes.” Tundra said. When their children were placed next to his own speed, they all certainly paled.

Elly paused. It took a while before she actually mustered a response. “If you helped to control them and force them to cultivate instead of chasing your own goals all day, they would’ve moved a lot faster.”

Tundra looked back at Elly, and somehow felt a little defensive. “You’re their mother.”

“And you’re their father.” Elly countered, her voice less than gentle.

Tundra faced his incompetence in this aspect once more. He wondered whether parents were scolded and screamed at all the time. He really needed to find a friend. A fellow parent who he could confide with. But for now, he looked back at his 4th wife, and tried to make amends. “What should I have done?”

Elly looked into his eyes, a little surprised at the question. But she was a lot less worried than a few days ago. “Guide them. Do you remember how many times you explained the cultivation concepts to your children? Provided guidance? Provide advice? Not all your children are natural alchemy geniuses, they don’t just get it like you did. If you want to make something out of them, share some of your genius and insights. You know we’re less than competent on this part.”

Tundra’s defensiveness emerged. “But the elders could have helped them.”

He immediately regretted that response. Maybe its why his family broke apart anyway. He was too defensive. Criticisms attacked his pride. But what was the point of pride?

Elly frowned. “Husband, do you think your elders have time with all the things you wanted to achieve? Even if they could spare some time, how much attention could they give your children?”

Tundra had no words. Three elders. He only had three elders and they are all overworked in their own way. He conceded the point.

“You are right.” Tundra’s eyes darted to the corner and looked at Evan. “Evan. Come here.”

His son’s eyes opened, and he walked close. He was a fully grown man, and yet in front of his father, his hands trembled. It didn’t help that he was in the 2nd realm, while his father was in the 6th. The gap between the two was so large that it was like a fly staring down an elephant.

It was once again embarrassing for Tundra that he didn’t remember much about Evan, the only thing that he could recall was he loved being close to his mother, and frequently hung around Elly. He died fairly early, because of old age.

He didn’t have much expectations when he touched Evan’s wrists, and began to sense his meridians.

“You have a High-grade Metal Spirit Roots.” In the wider scheme of things, it really wasn’t much. Tundra’s own cultivation roots were originally of the peerless grade, and the gifted chosen ones of many great sects usually had at least peerless or celestial grade.

Evan panicked, but eventually, as Tundra stared into his eyes, he reluctantly nodded.

“So, why are you so slow, then?” Tundra asked bluntly. His son trembled. His wife, Elly, frowned at Tundra’s question.

Elly countered, a little surprised at her son. “I thought you said you were a mid-grade? When did it become a high grade?”

“I- I don’t know, mother.” Evan answered. “It just happened one day.”

Tundra nodded. “Gradual Spiritual Root Mutation is not entirely unusual. But if you have high grade cultivation roots, it should have accelerated your cultivation, and taken you to at least high 3rd realm or early 4th realm over the last 150 years. What have you been doing?”

He gulped and looked away. Evan didn’t dare look at his father.

Elly wanted to know too. “Evan. Answer your father.”

Tundra didn’t know why he felt like his temper was about to burst out. Yet, looking at Evan’s worried face, he realized it wouldn’t help. He was getting better at observing faces and reactions, and so, he sighed.

Mellowed.

“Are you afraid, Evan?” Tundra said, his voice wasn’t angry. Instead, it was gentle.

He still looked away, but nodded.

“Tell me the reason, I will not punish you.”

“Really?” Evan said. He turned around a little surprised.

Tundra closed his eyes, and decided he would let his son go, whatever he said. It took a lot out of him, but he nodded. “Yes. I will not punish you.”

“I don’t really want to be a cultivator, father.” Evan said.

Elly’s eyes popped out. She stood angrily, and almost wanted to hit her son. “Evan! You useless-!”

But she didn’t, because Tundra looked at Elly. No, he glared. “Elly. Please sit. Let him explain.”

Evan gulped. “I- I just want to play. Get drunk. Read story books written by poets and writers. Sleep. This cultivating thing is so hard, but everyone in our family is forced into it. I hate it.”

Tundra felt his identity was attacked then. He worked so hard to build his sect up, but why was his son squandering away his potential when he had High-grade cultivation roots?! Tundra’s hands trembled, and Evan noticed. His son took three steps back.

Anger. Useless. He wanted to lash out like he used to. But no. He took a deep breath, and eventually calmed his anger. “I see. It is disappointing, but I am glad to hear it.”

Elly frowned. “I didn’t know I gave birth to a useless-”

Tundra looked back at her. “Elly, stop. I am angry too, but I suppose this is how it is. Not everyone wants to chase my dreams. Especially my children who see me, and realize I am not someone they want to copy.”

His wlfe gulped. The servants shifted. A few wanted to sneak out.

Father, mother and son. They looked at each other.

Tundra looked back at Evan. “Then you will stop. I will not force you. But I will still need you to be useful. What other skills do you have?”

Evan’s turn to gulp. He looked at his mother for assistance, but his words annoyed his mother so much that his mother didn’t even want to look at him.

He scrambled to think of an answer, but eventually he confessed. “-I don’t have any.”

“Can you read and write?”

“Yes.”

Elly rolled her eyes. “Of course. Every one of the Sect Master’s children must know how to read and write.”

Tundra nodded. “Then you will be tasked to sit alongside the administrative team, read the general letters we receive as a sect, and write me a summary every week. Will that be better than forcing you to cultivate all day long?”

Evan paused, shifted uncomfortably in his position, before nodding. “-yes.”

“But as you stopped cultivating, your allowance will be adjusted accordingly to that of an official aide.”

“What?!” Evan looked offended. “I can’t live on that?!”

“You can still live here. You are still family, my son. But, your rewards and privileges are granted based on the expectation that you perform as cultivators. If you stop, then it is what it is.”

“But you said you won’t punish me!”

“I did not hurt you, did I?” Tundra said, his anger boiling. Were all his children so spoiled? “I am giving you a role you can do, and adjusting the rewards to match it. The exceptional privilege as the Sect Master’s family cannot be given to those who don’t deserve it.”

“That’s punishment.”

“No. I’m withdrawing a privilege. Know the difference.” Tundra countered.

Evan stormed out.

Elly stared at Tundra, a little torn and unsure what to say. But a part of her actually looked pleased. “I- I didn’t know our son was so useless.”

“I wouldn’t say useless. That is a strong word.” Tundra said. “If his interests lie elsewhere, I should encourage it. But he should know his benefits will be a reflection of his roles.”

His wife looked at him and smiled. It seemed genuine, but Tundra wasn’t sure. “I was briefly worried that the dream made you soft, with all that talk about spending time with family and changing your strategy. I’m glad to see that you haven’t lost your mettle.”

Tundra sighed. Too soft, or too hard. Did anyone ever mention how hard it is to be a parent? “As a father, and grandfather, I hope they realize that they are very lucky, and should make the most of the benefits. Not squander it being useless second and third generations.”

Elly chuckled. “Oh, you’re going to have a hard time doing that. You’ve been absent for the past hundred years.” The cultivation society and families of this world remained highly patriarchal, despite the immense powers mothers and females could gain through cultivation. In every family, it is the male line that executes punishment. For a mother to duke out punishment, the mother had to be significantly more powerful.

But his wife had a point. That conversation with Evan needed to happen with his entire family. They all benefited from the privileges as the Sect Master’s family. It’s time they learn and remember it is a privilege, and can be withdrawn.