NOVEL WEB Chapter 131 Entrusting the Orphan
For reasons unknown, Yue'er had been persistently glum recently, causing her Master Lin Daoyan to pull his beard out in worry, fearing the child might be harboring some serious illness.
Given this situation, Hong Yuan would finish his work early each day and arrive at the White Frost Stone House to play with Yue'er.
「White Frost Stone House, Study Room.」
Hong Yuan sat on the floor, smiling warmly at Yue'er as she crawled around.
"TEE HEE~"
Yue'er's laughter, crisp like a bell, filled the room, easing Lin Daoyan and Lin Yiru's concerns.
Lin Daoyan's study room used to be adorned with numerous calligraphy and paintings. However, to cheer Yue'er up, he had ordered all those items to be moved out, turning the study into a space suitable for children to play.
"Yuan has quite the knack for entertaining children," Lin Yiru commented softly, envious of Hong Yuan's affinity with the child.
Her father, Lin Daoyan, stroked his chin in satisfaction and chuckled like a pleased old man.
The atmosphere remained harmonious until Zhu Wushang arrived, a look of sorrow on his face.
Upon seeing his beloved disciple's expression, a sense of foreboding struck Lin Daoyan's heart, especially as his gaze returned to little Yue'er.
"Master, Nine Nether—"
"Let's talk outside."
Lin Daoyan's face turned ashen as he led Zhu Wushang to a side room.
In the study room, Hong Yuan and Lin Yiru exchanged looks of confusion, while Yue'er continued to crawl on the floor.
At that moment, Lin Daoyan's heart pounded erratically. The abnormal rhythm evoked memories of his two departed, favored disciples.
Losing those two children back then had filled him with the same unease.
In the side room, Zhu Wushang shakily produced a secret Sect message. His eyes were red and swollen, filled with tears.
Seeing his disciple's action, Lin Daoyan instantly grasped the situation. He raised his head high and painfully closed his eyes.
Zhu Wushang's hands hovered mid-air, as did the secret Sect message.
"Nine Nether, Nine Nether..." Lin Daoyan whispered twice, his voice laced with pain.
It took a while for Lin Daoyan to somewhat suppress the tidal wave of emotions surging within him before he began to read the secret Sect report.
*One of the Seven Sons of King's Sword, Li Zixing, along with Zhang Baicun and other disciples from the Qinglu Taoist Temple, besieged Mo Jiuyou and his wife. The couple failed to hold on to the very end, perishing in resistance, their bodies dismembered...*
"Li Zixing! Zhang Baicun!" Lin Daoyan gritted his teeth.
His expression suddenly twisted with rage, like a man-eating tiger, then contorted with the anguish of a father who had lost his beloved son.
"Master..." Zhu Wushang began, wanting to console him.
Lin Daoyan's brows furrowed deeply. "You go out first," he said, slumping into the wicker chair. "Don't let Yue'er know about this."
After Zhu Wushang left, Lin Daoyan could no longer control his emotions and secretly shed tears.
His thoughts lingered on Mo Jiuyou—
Their first encounter, when they became master and disciple.
The young Mo Jiuyou, with his bright, clever eyes, bowing respectfully.
"Disciple Mo Jiuyou greets Master..."
Becoming a First-Rank Forging Master, brimming with pride.
"Master, I'm better than Senior Brother Bai Ge, right? HEH HEH."
Acting as Jiuyou's father, arranging his wedding.
"Master, I want to marry Xiao He."
The birth of his child, helping him choose a name.
"Master, I'm a simple man. Could you help me think of a name? HEH HEH."
The deeper Lin Daoyan delved into his memories, the more imprisoned he felt by them, unable to break free.
"SOB... SOB..." Lin Daoyan covered his face with his hands, tears falling uncontrollably.
"It's all my fault, my incompetence. If I had been able to support your cultivation more, you wouldn't have had to be stationed outside the Sect. Nine Nether, I'm sorry, so sorry."
Words of regret spilled from Lin Daoyan's mouth as he wept inconsolably.
He had already experienced the agony of an elder burying the younger twice. Why must he endure it again?
In the corridor outside the side room, Zhu Wushang lay slumped on the ground, his robe covering his face.
It's all my fault, all my fault.
If I had successfully taken the position of Phoenix Creek Tutelage and become the master of Eagle Immortal Blessed Land, then Junior Brothers Nine Nether and Bai Ge wouldn't have had to leave the Sect.
My fault, all my fault.
Underneath his robe, Zhu Wushang cried bitterly, hating his own mediocre talent.
His master and elder senior brothers had perfectly inherited the Eagle Immortal Blessed Land. But he, the third senior brother, had been a disappointment. Despite receiving countless resources, he was unable to achieve the status of one of the Nine Great Phoenix Creek True Transmissions and inherit the Eagle Immortal Blessed Land.
Ultimately, his junior brothers had to gamble their lives for a future, leading to their deaths on the battlefield.
"SOB SOB SOB..." Zhu Wushang choked out.
In the study room, Hong Yuan noticed movement in the corridor and went to take a look. He immediately realized his senior brother seemed upset.
He was about to ask his senior brother what was wrong when he saw him lift his robe, feigning nonchalance and smiling at him.
Zhu Wushang had already wiped away his tears, presenting an image of forced vitality to Hong Yuan.
Hong Yuan didn't press further, quietly waiting for his senior brother to speak.
"Yuan, you're eighteen now, right? Come have a drink with me tonight," Zhu Wushang asked.
"Mhm," Hong Yuan nodded.
It was apparent his senior brother had something on his mind, a matter pressing to be voiced.
As his junior brother, and having received so much help from him, this small favor was nothing.
...
「Night. Phoenix Creek Tavern, Third Floor, Jia Yi Pavilion.」
Zhu Wushang raised a pot of Clear Ant Wine and drank, finishing one after another, clearly trying to drown his sorrows.
Hong Yuan said little, simply accompanying his senior brother drink for drink.
Clear Ant Wine was a potent spirit from the northern lands, its rich, intense flavor delivering a fiery burn that spread through the chest. Often, a single cup could knock an ordinary person out for half a day.
Of course, for Martial Artists like Hong Yuan and Zhu Wushang, circulating their True Essence with their Cultivation Techniques could quickly dissipate the alcohol's effects.
But clearly, Zhu Wushang had come specifically to get drunk.
What could possibly make Senior Brother so sorrowful? Hong Yuan wondered.
Zhu Wushang currently looked like a complete drunkard, a stark contrast to his usual composed image, which surprised Hong Yuan.
GLUG GLUG~
Zhu Wushang kept drinking. The delicious dishes on the table grew cold, but still, he drank.
Gradually, Zhu Wushang's face flushed with intoxication, and soon he was deeply drunk.
Seeing this, Hong Yuan promptly activated a few Energy Arrays to isolate sound and shield them from prying ears.
"Yuan, I've failed Nine Nether! I'm so useless! SOB... SOB..."
Zhu Wushang burst into tears, pouring out his feelings of incompetence to Hong Yuan.
"Master and my senior brothers had high hopes for me, but my talent is only mediocre. I failed to become one of the Nine Great Phoenix Creek True Transmissions, and I couldn't protect Eagle Immortal Blessed Land."
"If it weren't for my incompetence, Nine Nether and Xiao Ge wouldn't have had to be stationed away from the Sect."
"And Nine Nether wouldn't have been killed! SOB... SOB..."
Hong Yuan's head shot up at these words, his heart trembling.
Dead? Senior Brother Nine Nether is dead?! Hong Yuan was stunned for a moment.
Mo Jiuyou had treated him well. He hadn't expected him to perish so suddenly in the war. The battlefield was indeed cruel!
"Yes, Nine Nether was killed by Li Zixing, Zhang Baicun, and their cohorts," Zhu Wushang choked out.
Hong Yuan was speechless.
While he felt regret over Mo Jiuyou's death, the pain wasn't overwhelmingly deep.
With a Life Span now measured in thousands of years, he had long ago prepared himself for the eventual parting of those around him.
"Yuan, Nine Nether entrusted this to me for you. He said if anything happened to him, I should give it to you. If not, then I should just forget about it."
Zhu Wushang, as if suddenly remembering something, hastily fumbled through his robes. He was so drunk that it took him a good while to find what he was looking for.
For me? Hong Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Two giant storage bags and a personal letter.
Hong Yuan first took the personal letter, opened it, and began to read.
*My brother Hong Yuan, when you read this letter, I will likely no longer be in this world. You are a person of great destiny; I have never doubted that. The two giant storage bags contain a total of fifty million Energy Stones. This is my final gift to you; I hope you will accept it. I wish to entrust you with Yue'er's care. Please don't let her suffer any grievances...*
Hong Yuan's heart grew heavy.
An entrustment of care, like in the stories of Baidicheng? But wouldn't Master and his senior brothers be more reliable than me?
No, not necessarily. Hong Yuan turned his head to glance at the thoroughly inebriated Zhu Wushang.
Senior Brother Mo Jiuyou, I accept your final wish.
I will take good care of Yue'er for her entire life and ensure she suffers no grievances.
I will also seek vengeance for you against Zhang Baicun and Li Zixing. As for Eagle Immortal Blessed Land and the position of one of the Nine Great Phoenix Creek True Transmissions, I will do my best.
Hong Yuan put the giant storage bags, filled with fifty million Energy Stones, into his robe, accepting this weighty entrustment.
Including the previous twenty million Energy Stones, this Senior Brother Mo Jiuyou had given him a total of seventy million Energy Stones! An extravagantly absurd amount!
Therefore, Hong Yuan was willing to fulfill Mo Jiuyou's final wish.
The main reason was that his incomplete version of the Nine Blood Differentiation Skill was nearing the peak of its cultivation, and he was about to condense a Cultivation Worm!
His Avatars would work while his Original Body enjoyed the fruits of their labor.