Originally, Xuanji thought she would be homesick after going down the mountain for a few days. Who knew that it has been almost a year since she left. After so many things, she thought about her parents in the beginning and missed the carefree life in the Shao Yang Sect, but later the thoughts slowly disappeared.
When revisiting the old place, there is a different feeling in the heart. The scenery has not changed, the mountain is still the same mountain, the water is still the same water, the martial arts arena still has a lot of teachers and brothers diligently practicing. The only thing that has changed is the state of mind of the people.
Xuanji stood at the foot of the mountain, quietly looking at the magnificent gate of Shao Yang Sect, and could not help but sigh from the bottom of her heart, whispering, “Sifeng, I now …… seem to understand why my father is willing to risk his life to protect the Shao Yang Sect.”
Just as she wants to protect a piece of paradise in her heart, everyone has their own most cherished things, worth defending with life. Chu Lei as the master, in his heart, the entire Shaoyang Sect from top to bottom, this is the most precious, his sense of responsibility and burden, it was not something she could understand when she was a child.
Téngshé sneere at the scenery and snorted, “Crap! Any corner in heaven in much more beautiful than this.”
Xuanji gave him a blank look, “Heaven is so nice, but you still came down!”
“You have to understand that being driven down and sneaking out are completely different!” The beast’s dignity was involved, and he immediately jumped out to defend himself, “You were driven out. I, on the other hand, came down by myself! That’s proof that you and I are different!”
“Yes, I am the master, you are the spirit beast. It is true that we are of different ranks.”
Xuanji was too lazy to pay attention to his yelling, and walked up the steps with Yu Sifeng step by step. Téngshé cursed for a long time, but when no one paid attention to him, he had to follow him in a bored manner.
The gatekeeper disciple had spotted Xuanji already, greeted her happily, and warmly asked after her. Although most of the people here she did not know, but once she saw their familiar clothes, she felt warm from the bottom of her heart. The feeling of home, really good.
When they arrived at Shaoyang Peak, Chu Lei and He Danping were already waiting at the entrance, and several other branch elders were also looking at them with smiles.
When Xuanji saw her parents, she couldn’t help but burst into tears and called out, “Father, Mother!” And no more words came out. He Danping was also in tears of joy when she first saw her daughter return unharmed, and did not care that outsiders were present. She hugged her tightly and caressed her. Xuanji went out to gather experience, her stature has frown a lot and her head is almost flat, her face is more thin, and she looks a lot more mature. He Danping was so relieved and heartbroken that she caressed her face and choked up, saying, “You’ve lost a lot of weight.”
Xuanji hugged her neck and cried so much that she couldn’t speak. Chu Lei touched her head, said warmly: “You’re home, why suddenly sad. All the elders and masters are here.”
Xuanji only then stopped her tears and wiped her face with some embarrassment. Emerging from He Danping’s embrace, she jumped into the arms of Chu Yinghong who has been waiting behind her, clinging and cried out, “Aunt Hong!”
Chu Yinghong smiled and touched her head, “I haven’t seen her for more than half a year, Little Xuanji has grown taller again. In a couple of years, she will be taller than Aunt Hong.”
Xuanji blushed and saluted the elders, each of whom said a lot of encouraging and caring words. He Yang saw Yu Sifeng standing at the back, so he walked over and asked, “How is your injury?”
Recognizing that he was Elder He Yang, who had taken good care of him, Yu Sifeng immediately bowed with his fist and said, “Senior, I am grateful for your kindness in saving my life! This Junior is indebted!”
He Yang laughed and said, “What kindness? I am a little bit familiar with medicine, but I can’t talk about saving lives. It is not my fault that you are well now, but your own health is strong and you recovered quickly.”
Yu Sifeng smiled slightly, remembering that he had to untie the two seals when he was in a hurry. This Elder He Yang must know, but he did not ask. He is really a sincere person, and he admires him even more in his heart. Maybe he should find an opportunity to tell him the secret.
After entering the house, the first thing Xuanji did was to take out Linglong’s soul and whispered, “Father, mother, we have brought Linglong’s soul back. This time it’s a real soul.”
Chu Lei was slightly surprised, strange: “Didn’t you bring it back last time?”
Xuanji’s face darkened, shaking her head: “No …… we were cheated. It is our inexperience …… this soul, Sixth Brother stole ……”
The words had not finished, only to hear Chu Lei coldly snort, “There is no Sixth Brother, he is not your brother!”
Xuanji anxiously said, “Father! You listen to me, Sixth Brother was deceived by someone! Someone pretended to be you and tricked him! He always thought it was your order! Now Wu Tong is using him, Shao Yang Sect abandoned him …… that …… is he not too pitiable?”
Chu Lei heaved a sigh, did not say anything. Elder Huan Yang on the side said in a deep voice, “Whether that is the case, it is not yet possible to draw a conclusion. Even if it is true as you say, he was deceived. He can admit that he is wrong, the mentor who raised him since he was a child ordered, and he can obey such an absurd order, this person is really absurd!”
“That’s because he ……” because he thinks too highly of Linglong! He thinks too highly of the master! Xuanji didn’t know how to explain, and her face turned red with anxiety. She doesn’t know how to explain this, but she’s so anxious that her face is flushed. Yu Sifeng patter her sleeve comfortably, and whispered, “This junior is rude. I want to say a few words. My time with Minyan is not too short. Although he is smart and clever, he tends to panic when it comes to big things. That day we went to Buzhou Mountain, originally with the certainty of certain death. In such an environment, someone could easily impersonate Master Chu and compel him, it is really very easy. Not to mention Minyan, this year also just turned 18, just went down the mountain for experience. He is inexperienced and was deceived, although helpless, but also justifiable. The seniors matter can be dealt with discretion, and then deliberate about the expulsion from the Sect.”
Chu Lei sighed again, said, “What happened to Minjue …… how to say? That day Zhong Minyan personally sent his corpse back ……”
“Personally?” Xuanji and Yu Sifeng were astonished.
Chu Lei felt uncomfortable, shook his head and couldn’t speak anymore. He Yang then continued, “Yes, Zhong Minyan personally sent it back to Shaoyang Sect. Minjue’s body was packed in a wooden box and dropped by him in front of the Shaoyang Sect’s main gate. He ignored the greetings of the disciples at the gate and left. You have not yet seen Minjue …… he ……”
He could not go on, only a long sigh.
“What happened to Second Brother?” Xuanji saw everyone’s expression grew stiff and her bad premonition grew stronger.
Huan Yang sighed, “Master, the mourning hall is still there, let these two children go give him incense, right?”
Chu Lei nodded his head. Xuanji said urgently: “Wait! How did the Second Brother die? Tell me ah!”
He Danping said in tears: “Xuanji …… your Second Brother was sent back …… not the whole body, from top to bottom, was cut into more than ten pieces ……”
Xuanji only felt black in front of her eyes, heart thumping, and she could not breath.
Chu Lei said sternly: “Whether he was cheated or inexperienced, to do such a thing, there is no reason big enough to forgive him!
The people no longer know what to say, only one after another shake their heads and sigh. Xuanji was stunned for a long time, and then whispered, “I … will go to the mourning hall … give incense to Second Brother.” Before the words finished, she burst into tears.
Chen Minjue’s mourning hall was located in his original room. He collected a lot of playthings during his lifetime. He Danping personally cleaned them up and piled them up behind the curtains.
Xuanji remembered that he had given her a kaleidoscope beofe, saying that he loved it and refused to give it to her, but in the end he didn’t care about it. Obviously, he gave it to her fearing that she would be lonely. At that time, he said that he had saved a lot of treasures, everyone just thought he was bragging, but it turns out that he really collected a lot of good things. She had a sour nose, thinking of the care he gave to her in the past, only to choke back tears.
He Danping was softly comforting, but after hearing her, she also could not help but cry together, murmuring, “This child …… after he came to the mountain also did not have a good life. His qualifications are ordinary, people have not given him any good face …… poor child …… surprisingly he ……”
Yu Sifeng also put the incense with a solemn expression, respectfully kowtowed three times, and was about to get up when he heard Téngshé let out a ‘huh’ behind him. He knew Téngshé’s temperament, no big and small, and was scornful of such mortal rituals of life and death. If something unpleasant occurs here, it is not good for either sides, so he turned around and said, “What’s wrong, Téngshé?”
Everyone had seen Xuanji followed by the white-haired man, tough and fierce, proud and unruly attitude, but Xuanji had not introduced, their elders also have no reason to ask the younger generation, could only hold back their curiosity. Chu Lei asked softly: “Xuanji, this is ……?”
Xuanji wipes her tears, and hurriedly got up and said, “Father, this is the spirit beast I received! I was too excited just now that I forgot to introduce it. He’s called Téngshé, he’s very powerful! It is a divine beast! Téngshé, this is my father, my mother, and my master, uncle, and elder …”
She introduced one by one, Téngshé has long been impatient and waved his hand, “So many relatives, so annoying!”
Chu Lei was surprised, “Divine beast Téngshé? Your spirit beast?”
All the people here are immortal cultivators, naturally know the great name of the Téngshé, but all thought it was just a legend, who thought it really existed, but actually accepted to be Little Xuanji’s spirit beast, this is really more surprising than the sun coming out of the west.
Téngshé laughed and said, “Come on, you don’t have to introduce me. These mortals have no eyes to recognize Lao Zi, so it’s useless to talk about it.”
Xuanji glared at him, “He is my father, you have to be polite!”
He turned his face away and snorted like a grumpy kid. Chu Lei half-heartedly, arched his hand, saying, “My daughter is causing your honor trouble …… just …… Téngshé……”
Téngshé frowned and said, “You old man are so long-winded! Téngshé is a fake? But your daughter did cause me a lot of trouble, but Lao Zi is broad-minded and I don’t take it to heart. Haha!”
Seeing his arrogance, Chu Yinghong couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She wanted to find a way to suppress him, and immediately smiled. “You said you are a snake, but what evidence is there? While there are not many white-haired young people, but it is not a special feature. The divine beast Téngshé is very famous, but not many people have seen it, so it is not difficult to impersonate it. Someone who deceives a little girl is not a hero.”
Seeing Téngshé’s grumpy temper, she thought it would be a good tease, but he snorted and ignored her, saying calmly, “Lao Zi does not mingle with mortals.”
Chu Yinghiong wondered, “Then how did you become a mortal’s spirit beast?”
Téngshé expression looked like “how can you be so stupid” and sighed, “That’s because she is not a mortal ……”
“You talk a lot of nonsense.” Yu Sifeng interrupted him, and said, What did you find out just now?”
Téngshé was not bothered by this, just rubbed his nose and said, “I have smelled this person before. That night, at the lake, one of the men smelled of his blood.”
Xuanji hurriedly said, “Who is it?”
Téngshé shrugged his shoulders, “The one who used marbles! Wow, you can’t even smell this? How useless!”
Ruo’Yu? Xuan Ji and Yu Si Feng looked at each other, he was the one who killed Chen Minjue! But why did they let Zhong Minyan send the corpse?
“Father, it wasn’t the Sixth Brother who killed the Second Brother.” Xuanji turned her head and said sternly, “It’s another person.”
She quicky explained Ruo’Yu’s story, and finally said, “He was the one who stabed Sifeng.”
Chu Lei pondered for along while, seemingly unable to make a decision. He Yang said, “Sect Leader, I also think the decision to expel Zhong Minyan from the sect is a bit reckless. Its better to wait for the Zanhua Conference, then let’s go to Buzhou Mountain again. Zhong Minyan was after all a disciple of Shaoyang Sect, so I can’t ignore it.”
Chu Lei silent for a long time, finally nodded: “Well, so be it.”
Xuanji was overjoyed and looked back at Yu Sifeng. The two of them giggled for half a day before she said, “By the way, I haven’t gone to see Linglong yet!”
He Danping wiped away her tears and smiled lovingly, saying softly, “She’s sleeping in her room. I’m just waiting for the person you mentioned to come and nestle her soul back, then I’ll be relieved.”
Xuanji laughed and said, “It will be ready soon! I’m going to write a letter to Brother Liu and ask him to take Ting Nu to the Shaoyang Sect, okay? Oh, also, mother, who in Shao Yang Sect knows earth magic?”
He Danping wondered, “Your father knows it. Silly girl, you don’t even know what kind of spells your father knows?”
Xuanji was overjoyed again, and immediately wrote a letter with Yu Sifeng, and asked Hong Luan to look for Liu Yihuan, and to bring the letter to him.
Chu Lei and his wife have not seen this little girl in over a year, she has changed a lot, their hearts can not help but feel a lot of emotion. No one would have thought, Xuanji who was bothersome as a child, tired lazy Xuanji, now actually became a real big girl. The change is really impressive.
What’s more, there was Yu Sifeng beside her. This young man was shrewd and capable and loved by Chu Lei. He Danping was attentive, and she had already seen his unusual feelings for Xuanji. It is undeniable that as parents, they used to worry about Xuanji’s lifelong affairs. She is so bothersome, who would want to marry her in the future? Seeing Yu Sifeng’s handsome character right now, several elders immediately liked him, and he was deeply in love with Xuanij. The mother, He Danping has been thinking happily about when they will be married.
The parents’ hearts are pitiful, their children and grandchildren have a good life, is their greatest happiness. He Danping and Chu Lei look at each other, only feel satisfied, can not help but look at each other and smile.
<<Previous – Chapter List – Next>>
If you would like to show your support for the translator, please consider visiting my Ko-fi ^-^
Lazy Cat Translations 