Chapter 390: Parting Sorrows

“Sigh…” Guo Sufei let out a deep sigh and said: “No matter how auspicious the occasion, as long as you’re leaving, your mother can’t possibly be happy.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Mother, don’t worry. As soon as there’s any news about Second Brother, I’ll have someone bring word back right away. Just get ready to make some braised pork to reward me.”

Guo Sufei forced a smile as she wiped her tears. Yes, Xiaohua is her son, and Xiaohu is also her son. Whether palm or back of the hand, both are flesh and blood. How could she bear to keep her younger son from searching for his second brother just because she missed him?

Seeing the situation, Zhang Cai changed the subject and said: “Today, Xiaohua, just stay at home and don’t go anywhere. Spend some good time with your mother. Oh, and dear, why don’t you show Qianqian the nice things Xiaohua brought back?”

“Alright, I’ll go right away.” Guo Sufei replied, and the three of them prepared to head next door.

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said: “You all go ahead. I’ll head back to my room for a bit and join you in a moment.”

Guo Sufei took out the two jade talismans and showed them to Liu Qian, explaining their uses. Liu Qian had previously received a small yuan stone from Zhang Xiaohua, so she naturally knew her younger brother was no ordinary person and did not doubt him. She immediately found suitable silk threads from her sewing kit and strung up all six jade talismans, giving one to each person to wear. Even Bairen received one to hang around his neck. As for the two pale-red jade talismans, she kept them close to her body.

Seeing their daughter-in-law trust Xiaohua so much, Zhang Cai and Guo Sufei also followed suit.

Not long after, Zhang Xiaohua arrived as well, taking out a dozen more pale-red jade talismans and saying: “Big Brother, Sister-in-law, these are all I have left. Please keep them.”

Liu Qian shot a glance at Zhang Xiaolong and said: “Xiaohua, don’t you still need these? You should keep them for yourself.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “No need to be polite, Sister-in-law. I won’t be needing these. Please use them as you see fit, just don’t use them recklessly—only for your own protection.”

At this moment, Guo Sufei took out her jade pendant she had strung with a thin cord, and said: “Xiaohua, let Mother put this on you.”

“Mother, I really…” Zhang Xiaohua started to speak but couldn’t finish. Tears welled up in his eyes as he lowered his head, allowing his mother to hang the jade pendant around his neck.

Seeing this, Liu Qian quickly threaded another talisman and handed it to Guo Sufei. Zhang Xiaohua said: “Mother, you should wear one too. Or should Father help you put it on?”

“Forget it, I’ll do it myself.” Guo Sufei said with a smile, fastening the jade pendant around her own neck.

Afterwards, Zhang Xiaohua handed the ten or so jade pendants to Liu Qian. Liu Qian only took half, passing the rest to Guo Sufei. Guo Sufei looked them over, took half of what she was given, and returned the other half to Liu Qian.

At that moment, Bairen, lying on the heated brick bed, had already woken up. He babbled softly, rolling about on the bed.

When he saw Zhang Xiaohua by the bedside, his eyes seemed to light up. He reached out his tiny hands, wanting to be held. Zhang Xiaohua smiled and picked Bairen up into his arms. Only then did the little one stop fidgeting, simply gazing at him and giggling.

Zhang Xiaohua swept his divine sense over Bairen once more, but Bairen was still like any other child, showing not the slightest fluctuation of Yuan Qi. If not for the fact that this eight-day-old child looked as robust as a five-month-old, Zhang Xiaohua would hardly believe that this was the very infant he had personally taken from the innate formation.

By the side, Liu Qian asked: “Xiaohua, I heard from Mother that you’re leaving tomorrow. Bairen hasn’t even reached his first month yet. Why not stay and have some of his full-month banquet before you go?”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said: “Sister-in-law, I have to leave sooner or later, so why cling to the timing? Speaking of Bairen’s full month, I’ve already prepared a gift for him in advance.”

With that, he took out a large yuan stone from his robe and handed it to Liu Qian, saying: “This is just like the one I gave you last time. I reckon Bairen will like it. I don’t have much else to offer, so let this serve as his toy.”

This yuan stone was about the size of an adult’s fist, and the Yuan Qi contained within was truly abundant. Even after all his years of qi refining, Zhang Xiaohua had never drawn in so much heaven and earth Yuan Qi at once.

Though Liu Qian didn’t fully grasp the value of the yuan stone, she knew that her son’s birth was already tied to a stone, though that one was much smaller than this. This piece, she thought, must be even rarer. Still, Zhang Xiaohua was her own younger brother, so there was no need to stand on ceremony. Before she could even thank him, Bairen’s eyes were already shining, and he reached out his tiny hands, eager to grab this object nearly as big as his own head.

Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohua placed the yuan stone on the heated brick bed and set Bairen down beside it. Instantly, Bairen wrapped his arms around the stone and began to roll about, completely forgetting about Zhang Xiaohua.

A day can pass quickly or slowly, but for Zhang Xiaohua and his family, they spent the entire day in Liu Qian’s room, keeping Bairen company.

Since Liu Qian was still in her confinement period and couldn’t leave the house, the family shared their reunion dinner for the seventeenth day of the first lunar month right there in the main hall. Mr. Liu, Liu Kai, and Li Yinfeng also joined them, making it a truly complete and joyous gathering.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the small room, Zhang Xiaohua opened his eyes, let out a gentle sigh, and quietly pushed open the door. He hadn’t planned to go outside to practice the Big Dipper Divine Fist; he simply wanted to slip away quietly, hoping to avoid the heartache of parting. But as soon as he stepped outside, he saw the dim red glow of the fire in the kitchen hearth.

His mother had already gotten up before him.

Standing silently at the doorway, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but feel his eyes grow moist.

Guo Sufei had risen very early. By the time Zhang Xiaohua came out, she had already made a large stack of flatbreads. When she saw him enter, she smiled and said: “Xiaohua, go get some more sleep. You’ve got a long journey ahead today—you’ll need your strength.”

Zhang Xiaohua replied softly: “Mother, you didn’t have to make so many flatbreads. I can’t eat them all.”

“These are for you to take on the road. Meals outside aren’t always satisfying, and I’m afraid you won’t be used to them.”

“Mother…” Zhang Xiaohua choked up, his voice trembling.

“Alright, if you can’t sleep, go wash your face and get your Huanhuan ready. It still has to carry you on your journey—don’t let it go hungry.”

Zhang Xiaohua acknowledged her instructions and went off to prepare.

It seemed his plan to slip away quietly had completely failed.

Before long, Mr. Liu, Liu Kai, and Li Yinfeng also arrived.

After breakfast, the whole family escorted Zhang Xiaohua out, surrounding him like stars around the moon. Only Liu Qian and Bairen remained inside. Zhang Xiaohua made a special trip to bid farewell to his sister-in-law; Bairen was still sleeping soundly, so Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t help but hug him and plant a kiss on his chubby little face.

Many villagers were up early as well. Seeing that the Zhang family’s third son was heading out again, they all paused in their work to offer their careful blessings. Zhang Xiaohua felt deeply ashamed—he had thought too poorly of these people before. Now, he smiled gently and greeted those he knew.

There was no need to describe the reluctance and attachment at the village entrance. This time was different from before. The first separation, though sad, had carried no real danger—at worst, he could simply come back. But now, everyone knew the road ahead was perilous. Although Zhang Xiaohua had shown some of his skills yesterday, easing most of the elders’ worries, what parent could bear to see their child head off into danger?

Guo Sufei’s face was still streaked with tears.

Zhang Xiaohua was sorrowful as well, but at eighteen, he was no longer a child. The tears only brimmed in his eyes, refusing to fall. After saying a few words to his mother, father, and the others, he leapt lightly onto his Sibu Xiang mount. With a pat on Huanhuan’s bald horn, the beast lifted its legs and started forward. After a few steps, Zhang Xiaohua couldn’t resist turning back for one more look. Everyone was waving, but his mother had one hand covering her mouth and the other raised with difficulty, waving gently.

Zhang Xiaohua’s own hand felt as if it bore the weight of ten thousand catties as he forced himself to wave back. The tears that had lingered finally escaped, sliding down his cheeks!

He thought, if he was heartbroken, his mother must be even more so. Forcing a smile, Zhang Xiaohua turned resolutely away, letting his crystal tears fall to the ground. Huanhuan seemed to understand his feelings, letting out a low whine before breaking into a gallop toward Lu Town. As they rounded the foot of the mountain, Guo Village was hidden from view.

The mountain blocked their sight, but it could not block the longing in their hearts.

Zhang Xiaohua had already extended his divine sense, watching his sorrowful family from afar.

Such partings are always desolate—desolate enough to chill the heart.

As Zhang Xiaohua drew closer to Pingyang City, his mood gradually settled. Guo Village was a tranquil harbor, a place he would always yearn for in his heart, but it was not the stage for his life.

He already understood that ever since he obtained the Carefree Heart Sutra and began cultivating the path of immortality, his life had become vastly different from ordinary people—even those who pursued martial arts could not compare. As the saying goes, “With greater power comes greater responsibility.” To try and escape? That was out of the question!

Looking at the city gates of Pingyang drawing nearer, Zhang Xiaohua felt a trace of anticipation. How were Nie Qianyu and Little Orange, those two young girls, doing?

Of course, he could simply extend his divine sense and see whatever he wished to know, but—where would be the fun in that?

Arriving at the inn, everything seemed much the same as before. It was just after the New Year, so the flow of merchants had increased, and business was bustling, the place lively and crowded.

However, the inn servants seemed to be acting strangely. When they saw Zhang Xiaohua enter, they were not as enthusiastic as before, almost as if they were avoiding him.

“Could it be that last time, this young master didn’t tip them enough? Is that why they’re being so distant?”

“Or perhaps Nie Qianyu, that little girl, has run out of money and owes them for the room?”

With suspicions swirling in his mind, Zhang Xiaohua walked into the small courtyard of the inn. In one corner, the carriage sat all alone, as if it hadn’t been moved at all.

Zhang Xiaohua left his Sibu Xiang behind and approached Nie Qianyu’s door. Inside, there was none of the usual lively chatter from the two girls, which made Zhang Xiaohua frown even more deeply.

He walked up to the tightly closed door and knocked gently, calling out: “Excuse me, is anyone home?”

From inside, a somewhat hoarse voice immediately replied, “No one’s here…”

But before the words had even faded, there was a startled cry: “Ah~~ Big Brother Ren!”

“No way…” Zhang Xiaohua was taken aback by the surprised and delighted voice, breaking out in a cold sweat. “This… it’s not like I’m that close with Miss Nie, is it? It’s only been ten days since we last met—could she really have missed me this much?”