Volume 2 Chapter 31

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Volume 2 Chapter 31: Ting’er

"Please, Venerable Ones, grant me this request." Xu Qingfan knelt before Xuan Xian and the others, earnestly pleading.

When Xu Qingfan agreed to adopt Ting’er at Xu Lin’s request, he had no idea that Ting’er was also a former holder of the Magic Pearl. Besides, Xu Qingfan had been lonely for so long and longed for a family member to accompany him. The thought of having someone by his side to raise as his own filled him with hope and desire, so he accepted Xu Lin’s request without a moment’s hesitation.

However, it was only later that Xu Qingfan discovered that Ting’er, like Xu Lin, had once been the previous owner of the Magic Pearl, and her body had been transformed by it when she was just ten years old. In the cultivation world, anything involving the Magic Pearl was different, especially after everyone had just witnessed its power.

With just an ordinary mortal body, Naxiu could easily defeat two Condensed Core Stage cultivators with the Magic Pearl in his possession. If Penance Valley’s cultivators hadn’t ambushed Naxiu and struck his Magic Pearl, defeating him would have been far from simple. At the very least, it would have been impossible to stop him from escaping. And that was even without Naxiu fully mastering the power of the Magic Pearl. If he had, his strength would have at least doubled. The power of the Magic Pearl was evident.

So, after the people of Penance Valley arrived at this Barbarian village, they immediately used large-scale spells to completely eliminate all the magical soldiers and mutated low-level demon beasts. Even after Naxiu lost all ability to resist, they collectively decided to kill Naxiu to prevent future dangers. In the hearts of cultivators, anything connected to the Magic Pearl was extremely dangerous to the Immortal Realm.

Xu Qingfan knew that the Penance Valley cultivators must have noticed Ting’er’s unusual nature as soon as she appeared. Although Xu Lin’s voice was weak and low when recounting Ting’er’s past, there were no secrets before these powerful cultivators. It was impossible to hide the fact that Ting’er had once been the master of the Magic Pearl from them. Now, it wasn’t just about Xu Qingfan adopting Ting’er—her very safety was in jeopardy. So after Xu Lin’s death, Xu Qingfan couldn’t afford to mourn or comfort Ting’er and instead knelt before Xuan Xian and the others to plea for her protection.

Unbeknownst to Xu Qingfan, these skilled cultivators of Penance Valley were also filled with hesitation.

They had been able to decisively kill Naxiu and his magical soldiers because they had already learned from Xuan Xiu’s report about the many heinous acts these people had committed in the Southern Wasteland, thus justifying their actions as bringing justice. But Ting’er was a mere thirteen-year-old girl who had never done anything wrong, nor did she possess any power. They couldn’t kill a defenseless young girl like Ting’er simply based on the notion that "she might have been influenced by the Magic Pearl and could commit evil in the future." Not only would they struggle with the moral implications of such an act, but doing so would ruin Penance Valley’s long-standing reputation if the story spread.

Imprison Ting’er? That’s even more impossible. The people of Penance Valley are all cultivators who absorb the energy of the world for sustenance, so they naturally don’t worry about food and drink. But Ting’er is just a mortal and would starve without food and drink. Unfortunately, while all the people of Penance Valley are masters of cultivation and the Tao, they truly lack the skills to cook for a mortal. Most importantly, the cultivators in Penance Valley are solely devoted to the path of longevity, spending all their time in practice and having no time to care for a mortal little girl.

As a result, the cultivators of Penance Valley are troubled, as they cannot kill the girl nor imprison her.

After hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the cultivators of Penance Valley were silent for a long time before finally, an elderly voice asked, "Young Taoist friend, do you wish to adopt this girl?"

"Indeed," Xu Qingfan nodded, speaking in a deep voice.

"Young Taoist friend, do you know that this girl has previously been claimed by the demon pearl, and her nature may have changed? If you adopt her, she might harm you in the future," asked Xuan Xian solemnly.

"I understand," Xu Qingfan replied earnestly. "She may have been claimed by the demon pearl, but she is the last remaining member of my family. Even if Ting’er’s nature has changed, I am confident I can help her find her true self again. Though the demon pearl is mysterious, it was created by humans and is merely a tool. Are we not capable of surpassing a mere object?"

To persuade the many cultivators of Penance Valley to let him adopt Ting’er, Xu Qingfan now disregarded manners.

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, the cultivators of Penance Valley fell into silence once more.

"In fact, my fellow Taoist friends need not worry."

In the midst of this silence, a young man’s voice suddenly emerged, floating mysteriously, making it impossible to pinpoint its origin. The voice sounded young, yet Xu Qingfan perceived a sense of age and wisdom within it.

"Could it be a senior who has mastered the art of reversing time and regained youth?" Xu Qingfan thought, astonished after hearing the voice.

Indeed, as the young voice faded, nearly a hundred cultivators from Penance Valley bowed their heads and said in unison, "Taoist Friend Xuanmoda, please speak."

"As far as I know, the magic orb cannot alter a person’s nature without reason. It only amplifies the existing wickedness in one’s heart. Hence, past masters of the magic orb have always been extremely evil, for every intelligent being harbors at least a trace of wickedness. However, Ting’er’s case is different. According to Naxiu, Ting’er was only ten when the orb chose her, still in her innocent phase. How could a child’s heart hold wickedness? It likely did not change her nature."

"Does this mean you agree to let me adopt Ting’er?" Xu Qingfan asked loudly, overjoyed by these words.

"Of course. We cultivators go against the natural order, taking the essence of the world for personal gain, committing immense sins. How could we stop you, a fellow Taoist, from adopting a loved one and creating obstacles?" Xuanmoda’s voice carried a hint of teasing.

Yet Xu Qingfan, filled with joy, didn’t notice. He quickly thanked everyone, suddenly remembering that decisions in Penance Valley required the collective agreement of all cultivators. He hurriedly asked the skyward cultivators, "What do the other elders think?"

"Since Taoist Friend Xuanmoda has spoken, we have no objections."

"What Taoist Friend Xuanmoda said is undoubtedly true. We have no objections."

In the sky above, many cultivators from Penance Valley echoed in agreement, obviously indicating that Venerable Xuanmoda held a very high reputation in Penance Valley.

"Thank you, Venerable Xuanmoda, thank you, all Venerable Ones." Hearing that all the cultivators of Penance Valley agreed to let him adopt Ting’er, Xu Qingfan felt great joy in his heart and respectfully bowed to the many cultivators in the sky.

"There is just one small thing, little Taoist friend, that you must be cautious of." Xuanmoda’s voice suddenly rang out once more, but this time it was a subtle sound, seeming to whisper directly in Xu Qingfan’s ear, clearly using the "Sound Conducting Technique" to speak with Xu Qingfan.

"Venerable One, please speak," Xu Qingfan said respectfully.

"Although Ting’er hasn’t turned evil due to the Demon Orb, the orb’s energy is indeed strange. From Ting’er’s complexion and expression, it seems the orb still affects her, and her character might become extreme and cold in the future. Plus, you indeed killed Naxiu with your own hands, which Ting’er witnessed personally. She may have shown nothing outwardly, but deep down, she might harbor thoughts of revenge. So, little Taoist friend, you must be extremely careful in the future. It might be best not to teach her any immortal cultivation techniques, as with her temperament, she could easily stray onto a dark path. The stronger she becomes, the greater the harm. With those words, take care, little Taoist friend."

Hearing Xuanmoda’s words, Xu Qingfan felt a sudden thud in his heart. Earlier, he was overwhelmed with grief over Xu Lin’s death, and then worried about the many cultivators of Penance Valley potentially harming Ting’er. It wasn’t until Xuanmoda’s reminder that he realized he had actually slain Ting’er’s father right before her eyes. How much damage would this do to Ting’er’s young heart? Xu Qingfan did not dare to imagine.

With this worry in his mind, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Ting’er. He saw her still quietly standing beside Xu Lin’s body. However, instead of fixating on Xu Lin’s face as before, she had turned and was silently watching Xu Qingfan, her gaze and expression as distant as ever. In the morning sunlight, the flame pattern on Ting’er’s face appeared even more sinister.

Seeing Ting’er’s cold expression, Xu Qingfan, for some unknown reason, felt a slight chill in his heart.