Chapter 13

This was a joyful anticipation.

However, after such a long day of activity, the little one was already somewhat tired.

Yu Youyou was lazily dozing on her father’s shoulder, occasionally letting out small yawns.

Master Yu was naturally very pleased.

Now that the whereabouts of the previous sect leader had become somewhat clear, and with his beloved daughter by his side, sharing an intimate bond with him, his face was full of smiles.

Besides managing sect affairs, he still had two disciples to instruct.

Although the two disciples were quite independent, as their master, he couldn’t simply leave them to cultivate alone.

So, whenever he encountered difficult cultivation problems that he understood, he would teach them to the two disciples.

Chu Xingyun and Zhu Changshu both gained much from these lessons.

Yu Youyou, listening half-heartedly on the side, felt as if she vaguely understood something too.

Yet she wasn’t quite sure what she had comprehended, and, just as she was about to drift into sleep on Master Yu’s shoulder, a streak of light appeared outside the hall.

The light landed in Master Yu’s palm. He raised his hand to catch it, glanced at it, and let out a low “huh.”

Seeing his surprised expression, Yu Youyou quickly became concerned and snuggled closer to her father, acting like a devoted little warmth. Meanwhile, Master Yu carefully stored away the jade slip formed by the light.

Since the information within the jade slip had not been concealed from everyone, Chu Xingyun, standing nearby, also heard it and softly asked Master Yu, “Master, is Elder Wen coming to the Primordial Sect?”

Master Yu nodded slightly, gently stroking Yu Youyou’s small head as he spoke warmly to her, “He is an elder with a past connection to the Gong family. Knowing that you suffered and fell ill while by your mother’s side, he wishes to come and visit you.”

Fearing that the little cub couldn’t have learned much about past events from Gong Miaohua, Master Yu sat her down, explaining the background in detail.

“Your ancestral master and Elder Wen were youthful friends of your maternal grandfather. When your grandfather passed away and the Gong clan was annihilated, your ancestral master and Elder Wen were heartbroken. Over the years, they have worked together to investigate the Gong family’s history. Elder Wen has always cared deeply for your mother.”

Such friendships forged in youth were naturally extraordinary—sincere and genuine.

When the Gong clan was wiped out, Gong Miaohua was sent to the Primordial Sect. Although Elder Wen could not raise her personally, he sent countless cultivation resources to the sect every year for her.

Even when Gong Miaohua traveled outside, Elder Wen would dispatch members of the Wen family to accompany and protect her, guarding against those from the Gong clan who still harbored ill intentions.

Because he regarded Gong Miaohua as a daughter, though he did not approve when she eloped with the Crimson Flame Demon Lord, Elder Wen refrained from harsh criticism. Instead, he advised Master Yu to let it go, fearing Gong Miaohua would suffer grievances.

Of course, neither Master Yu nor Elder Wen knew until recently about how poorly Yu Youyou had been treated by her biological mother. Upon learning this, Elder Wen immediately sent a visit request, wishing to see her.

Although Yu Youyou was aware of Elder Wen from the book she had read, she obediently listened to Master Yu’s explanation as if hearing it for the first time.

Elder Wen was a figure who appeared fairly often in the story of Yu Youyou’s life.

He had always been kind to her.

In the book, Yu Youyou had lived in the Demon City in her early years, then later stayed with her biological father at the Primordial Sect. The Wen family frequently sent various rare spiritual items as gifts, all from Elder Wen.

…Not only gifts, but sometimes even people.

At the thought of this, the little one shivered suddenly, curling her neck slightly.

“Don’t be afraid. With Elder Wen’s status, he won’t bully you.” Assuming that Yu Youyou had heard of Elder Wen from Gong Miaohua, Master Yu soothed her, stroking her small head with his large palm.

Because of his old friendship, Elder Wen had always treated Gong Miaohua with special affection. If he hadn’t cared for her, he wouldn’t have had the audacity to urge Master Yu to endure such humiliation after the marriage fell apart and to “forgive her once more.”

Such care was genuine. Now that Yu Youyou wasn’t loved by Gong Miaohua, she feared Elder Wen might harbor resentment or dislike her for being unloved by her mother.

But there was no need to worry about that.

After all, Elder Wen had come personally to visit Yu Youyou, proving he was not entirely partial to Gong Miaohua.

The little cub had no way to express her troubles.

Seeing her father’s kind expression as he comforted her, and unable to reveal that she knew things in advance, she could only quietly nod.

Elder Wen truly was kind to her.

So kind, in fact, that he even wanted to marry his eldest grandson to her.

That thought was a bit scary.

The little one hastily grabbed a handful of spirit pills, stuffing them into her mouth to calm her nerves.

“Should Elder Wen also be informed about the junior sister’s previous illness?” Chu Xingyun knew the former sect leader had several close brothers-in-arms, Elder Wen among them.

Since Yu Youyou’s strange condition had been unheard of before, and Elder Wen had close dealings with the Gong family in earlier years, he might know something about the Gong clan’s cultivation matters.

He asked this instinctively. Master Yu hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

“It’s better not to let Elder Wen know.”

Of course, he was concerned about the oddities in Yu Youyou’s body.

But since Ao Qing, the great elder of the Azure Dragon clan and a man of vast knowledge, had said there was nothing wrong, Master Yu decided not to inform Elder Wen about Yu Youyou’s condition.

After all, given Elder Wen’s affection for Gong Miaohua, if he learned of any peculiarities in Yu Youyou, he would likely inform Gong Miaohua immediately.

No one knew what Gong Miaohua and the Crimson Flame Demon Lord might do then.

Master Yu was not ignoring his daughter’s affairs.

He said to Chu Xingyun, “Once Youyou is healthier, I will take her back to the Gong clan’s old lands. I once heard your ancestral master say that before the Gong clan’s annihilation, there was a family rule that descendants must pay respects to their ancestors at the clan lands. Although Youyou is still young, I think it is only right—after all, that is her maternal family—and she should go to honor her ancestors.”

Though the Gong clan had been wiped out overnight by unknown powerful forces, the ruins remained, including the various libraries scattered throughout the clan lands, which were largely undamaged.

Because the Gong clan’s head had been friends with several powerful cultivators, although the clan was destroyed, no one dared to seize the land. It still stood, abandoned but untouched.

Though the clan land was overturned by immense magical power, much of the remains still persisted, including the clan temple, where the ancestral tablets of the Gong forebears remained.

Some of the Gong ancestors had died prematurely, but others had ascended to immortality over the millions of years.

Though the truth behind the immortals’ ascension was mysterious, who could guarantee that those who had ascended would not someday return alive, descending again into this world?

If they found their ancestral home destroyed…

The original culprits might never be found, but who would dare occupy Gong clan lands or take their possessions? That would surely demand reckoning.

Since the Gong clan’s old site still existed, Master Yu planned to wait until Yu Youyou was stronger and able to endure the journey before investigating whether the Gong clan had left any clues about her peculiar condition.

In the past, he rarely set foot in Gong lands.

Though he had married Gong Miaohua, the last scion of the Gong family, he had no interest in their heritage and did not covet his partner’s family fortune, so he kept his distance.

It was Gong Miaohua who inherited the old clan lands. Over the years, she had never restored the lands, letting them lie desolate through wind and rain. Only the former sect leader would occasionally go to tend them.

Shaking his head slightly, no longer dwelling on Gong Miaohua, Master Yu said, “As for our Youyou, although she is also a Gong descendant, we have no desire to compete for those relics.”

He could afford to raise his own daughter; there was no need to eye the Gong family’s legacy.

If not for the bloodline duty of visiting ancestral shrines and the need to investigate Youyou’s peculiar condition, he wouldn’t have thought about the Gong clan at all.

Chu Xingyun nodded slightly, smiling at Yu Youyou.

“Master is right. We can raise our little junior sister ourselves.”

A destined soul who found treasures wherever she went and adventures every few steps had every confidence in raising the little cub.

Zhu Changshu had already rummaged out another batch of spirit pills and placed them into the little junior sister’s hand.

“As long as it doesn’t harm her, junior sister can eat as much as she wants,” she said lightly.

The alchemists could supply plenty.

“…I mean, I’ll raise her myself.” Although the disciples’ love for his daughter was heartening, Master Yu felt something was amiss.

His mouth twitched as he hurriedly stuffed several full storage rings into his daughter’s small paws.

Chu Xingyun smiled serenely and handed the little junior sister a storage bracelet.

Not to be outdone, Zhu Changshu placed several bags of spirit pills on the little sister’s open belly.

For a moment, Yu Youyou stretched out her small hands, looking at everyone competing to pull out all sorts of treasures.

She sniffed, feeling that her father and senior siblings all loved her.

And she…

“All of you!” The little one sincerely held her chest and said.

Did she love each of them?

The three inhaled deeply at the same time.

“Joy.”

But such love, like a contest for favor, was something she had never experienced before.

Whether it was Gong Miaohua’s disdain and dislike, or before that… Yu Youyou scratched her small head, thinking she had never once felt such affection.

She even saw flashes of pitch-black darkness, skies stained with blood, and boundless silence…

She shivered, the hazy darkness before her eyes fading, leaving only the warm, caring gazes within sight.

Tugging at her nose, she grew happy, happily hugging her father’s neck.

No need for telepathy.

Just by looking at her wagging tail in delight, one could tell her mood.

Chu Xingyun couldn’t help but smile.

Zhu Changshu wanted to laugh but feared scaring the little junior sister with a strange expression, so she held back.

She felt that the sect’s main hall was much warmer than before.

Her gaze softened as Yu Youyou happily swallowed another handful of spirit pills.

Though silently approving, concern lingered in their eyes. After all, spirit pills were not candy.

The little cub lowered her head and softly whimpered, “Hungry.”

She was better now.

When she had been sick, she constantly felt an unbearable hunger, a burning sensation throughout her body, as if her very blood and flesh were being consumed.

Now, though much improved and no longer ill, she still often felt not quite full.

Seeing her pitifully drooping head, Master Yu was overwhelmed with heartache.

“Then eat more. As long as it doesn’t harm you, eat as much as you want. Daddy swears, with me here, my Youyou will never go hungry again.”