Volume 5 Chapter 21

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Volume 5 Chapter 21: Breakthrough (Part 1)

"Ting’er, are you ready to begin your seclusion?" Xu Qingfan asked with a smile.

"I’m ready," Ting’er replied softly.

Then, to the surprise of Zhang Ningmei, Bai Yu, and even Little Green, Xu Qingfan suddenly did something unexpected.

Xu Qingfan took a step forward, stretched out his arms, and embraced Ting’er.

When Xu Qingfan hugged her, Ting’er’s body stiffened for a moment, but then she relaxed, leaned gently against Xu Qingfan, rested her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.

With her eyes closed, the feelings stirring in her heart became more vivid and intense. She felt how warm Xu Qingfan’s embrace was, a warmth that quickly filled her heart, making her let go of all her defenses, feeling like a weary bird returning home. Her mood was more relaxed than ever.

In an instant, all the care Xu Qingfan had given her over the years and their time together flooded Ting’er’s mind.

"Father…"

Ting’er softly called out in her heart.

At that moment, the image of Ting’er’s father in her heart overlapped with Xu Qingfan’s appearance, making it hard for Ting’er to distinguish between them.

Perhaps, over the years, Xu Qingfan became a father-like figure in Ting’er’s heart? Neither Xu Qingfan nor Ting’er realized this; Xu Qingfan saw Ting’er as his responsibility, while Ting’er saw Xu Qingfan as her goal, both subconsciously ignoring this notion.

Truth be told, since Ting’er could remember, she had never been embraced by her father or any relatives. It seemed like she was always standing quietly in a corner, observing the rise and fall of the clouds and tides, feeling detached yet lonely. This sudden hug from Xu Qingfan, though simple, brought her an unexpected sense of comfort.

Perhaps, deep in a corner of Ting’er’s heart, she was always longing for an embrace like this from a family member—a warm and comforting hug to dispel the chill in her heart.

Perhaps Xu Qingfan’s sudden hug might have seemed inappropriate and abrupt to others, as Xu Qingfan was Ting’er’s elder, her mentor, and such an embrace seemed excessive. Even Ting’er, suddenly embraced by Xu Qingfan, felt the same way.

But as time passed, a warm feeling began to spread between Xu Qingfan’s and Ting’er’s embrace.

Xu Qingfan, having mastered the art of cultivation, maintained a youthful appearance, looking barely past his early twenties, and Ting’er was the same. Judging from their appearances, there wasn’t much age difference between them. Yet their embrace inspired no thoughts of desire, only warmth and naturalness.

Zhang Ningmei and Bai Yu, standing aside, watched their expressions change from shock to understanding and gentleness, a smile tugging at their lips. This warm scene also stirred a feeling of warmth within their hearts.

In this warmth, whether it was Xu Qingfan, Ting’er, or Zhang Ningmei and Bai Yu watching nearby, they all were immersed in this moment. Time seemed to flow slowly.

"Father…"

Who knows how long Xu Qingfan’s embrace lasted—an instant or a lifetime, with the sun and moon rising and setting in the sky — Ting’er whispered in her heart again. The little girl, who once hugged her knees, watching her father be killed, seemed to finally find her home and safety at this moment.

As the image of her father and Xu Qingfan’s face slowly merged, it became quite blurry—partly like her father, but also somewhat like Xu Qingfan.

However, as time passed and warmth gently flowed through, the image of her father became clearer again. Ting’er opened her eyes, and Xu Qingfan’s face vividly appeared in her eyes, which were as clear as autumn water.

Suddenly, Ting’er had the urge to pour out all the years of repression and grievance to Xu Qingfan.

But just as Ting’er was about to speak, Xu Qingfan suddenly released his arms, stepped back, and moved away from Ting’er.

When the warmth surrounding her abruptly faded, Ting’er was slightly taken aback. She opened her eyes again, looked up, and found that Xu Qingfan was already a step away, a feeling of strong loss arose in her heart.

Time seemed to halt for a moment, as if everyone was savoring that warm moment once more.

In the end, it was Xu Qingfan who broke the silence.

"Ting’er, do you know? When I first adopted you, I planned to place you with a family in the mortal world. At that time, I wasn’t strong enough to protect you and had accidentally killed your father. I was afraid and unwilling to face you constantly. I also thought it would be nice for you to live an ordinary life among mortals. Do you know why I changed my mind?"

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s sudden soft words, Ting’er was taken aback, needing a moment to understand what Xu Qingfan meant, she gently shook her head. Then, seemingly remembering something, a trace of fear flashed in her eyes.

Noticing that fleeting fear, Xu Qingfan understood Ting’er’s thoughts. After experiencing such a warm moment, Ting’er feared that Xu Qingfan might say something harsh.

Xu Qingfan didn’t immediately explain. He just continued softly, "At that time, I intended to leave you with Grandfather Ningmei’s family. I even took you to their doorstep, but at the last moment, I suddenly changed my mind."

"I thought, what if you suffered any grievances in a stranger’s home? Who would you talk to about it? Surrounded by people unrelated to you, if I left you there, would your life be like when I first saw you—sitting silently in a corner, knees hugged, watching everything with cautious yet curious eyes? And would you continue like that until old age?"

"Also, in your eyes, I saw a hatred towards me, one hidden within indifference. Although you were just a little girl, it shocked me. But then I thought, I killed your father, albeit unintentionally, but your hatred is justified. If I left you with an ordinary family, how would you release your hatred? Would you live your whole life consumed by it, powerless because you were among mortals?"

"Furthermore, if you stayed with mortals, it meant you’d live as one, with a lifespan under a hundred years. You are my only blood relative in this world. How could I bear to watch you age and pass away?"

"Most importantly, my master and elder brother had died, leaving me with no friends on Jiuhua Mountain except Jin Qinghan, and due to frequent solitary training, we rarely met. At that time, I felt incredibly lonely, wanting someone by my side on this solitary path of cultivation. Just then, I had you, my only blood relative, sharing a similar solitude despite different circumstances. So, I decided to keep you by my side, teach you to cultivate, and have you accompany me on my journey."

Xu Qingfan slowly shared his thoughts from the time he took Ting’er as his disciple. His tone wasn’t particularly emotional, and his expression wasn’t particularly involved. He just spoke in a calm, ordinary manner. Yet, to Ting’er, these words pierced her soul and shook her entire being.

Over the years, Ting’er had always taken it for granted that Xu Qingfan had adopted her. It seemed natural to her that Xu Qingfan should be her guardian, and that she should follow him. It was all very simple to her, not having realized that Xu Qingfan had many thoughts when he decided to adopt her.

In a moment of reflection, Ting’er recalled the night when everyone in Penance Valley wanted her to be treated as a threat and imprisoned for life. But Xu Qingfan knelt before all of Penance Valley’s cultivators, pleading to adopt Ting’er.

At that time, Ting’er didn’t see it as a big deal. Her kin and her father spent their days kneeling to those demon gods. But now, after sixty years with Xu Qingfan, she could only recall Xu Qingfan kneeling twice—once for Liu Huaxiang’s death, and once for her.

After being altered by the White Demon Pearl, Ting’er lost the ability to cry, but at this moment, her eyes suddenly felt an ache.

"Uncle…"

Ting’er called softly, but after she spoke, she realized she didn’t know what else to say.

Xu Qingfan suddenly let out a carefree laugh and said self-deprecatingly, "Today is your retreat day, yet here I am, rambling on. Am I not disturbing your peace of mind?"

Ting’er gently shook her head.

Xu Qingfan seemed worried and asked, "Are you really ready now?"

"I’m ready."

Ting’er’s voice was unusually firm.

"Then let’s begin the retreat. If it’s too difficult, don’t force yourself; we have a long journey ahead and must keep moving forward."

Xu Qingfan pointed to Ting’er’s room and said with a smile.

Ting’er nodded slightly, glanced deeply once more, and then turned to head towards her retreat room.

Before the door closed, Ting’er’s soft voice suddenly came through.

"Uncle, we will keep moving forward."