Chapter 61: Parting Ways

Gu Qingyi, who had been pretending to be dead in the room, had long since opened his eyes, his face etched with shock. He had intended to keep up the act with his eyes closed.

But two sudden bursts of power clashed against him with such force that he couldn’t keep pretending any longer.

And so, overhearing the conversation, Gu Qingyi nearly let out a cry of astonishment.

The shock was simply too much. Reflecting on the places he’d been, he realized they were just the tip of the iceberg of this vast continent!

He used to feel a bit smug about his achievements, but now he saw that the city he lived in was among the weakest. His meager cultivation suddenly seemed far from enough.

…………..

In the living room, the Nalan siblings were still processing this sudden flood of information. It felt like their brain cells were about to burn out, the reality too hard to accept.

Learning that their parents had raised them to cultivate, after living sixteen years as ordinary people, only to be told one day that they were descendants of a cultivation family.

This revelation hit like a thunderbolt. They had nearly missed the optimal time for cultivation, wasting over a decade of precious years.

A span of time, enough to drink a cup of tea, passed.

“This place isn’t safe anymore. My husband and I have decided to leave tomorrow. I’ll go see my mother first to see if there’s any room for negotiation,” Zhao Fang said, her eyes filled with helplessness as she looked at everyone.

“But the journey is fraught with danger. My two children are just ordinary people with no cultivation. I’m deeply worried something might happen to them on the road,” Zhao Fang continued, lowering her head in distress.

“Sister Zhao, I have a suggestion. Why don’t they come with me? There’s an academy in Xuanwu City, and enrollment will start once I return. They can join the academy with me!” Nangong Lin noticed Zhao Fang’s predicament. “This way, we can look out for each other. To be honest, I’m actually the only daughter of the City Lord of Xuanwu City, Nangong Lin!”

Hearing this, Zhao Fang’s previously gloomy face lit up with joy in the next moment. “I knew there was something special about you, young lady. This works out perfectly. Now my husband and I can rest easy!”

“Xue’er, Su’er, you’ll go with Miss Nangong. Remember to listen to her, understood?”

“Don’t worry, Mother. We understand,” the siblings nodded in unison.

Zhao Fang glanced at the darkening sky outside and advised everyone, “It’s getting late. Let’s all rest early. We can discuss anything else tomorrow!”

With that, they retired to their rooms for the night.

Nangong Lin seemed to recall something. She headed to the kitchen, prepared a bowl of chicken soup, and brought it to Gu Qingyi.

Gu Qingxiao watched the scene with a knowing smile and a shake of her head before heading back to her room to rest.

…………………

After a while, Nangong Lin opened the door, carrying the bowl of chicken soup as she stepped inside.

Gu Qingyi feigned weakness as he sat up in bed. The two locked eyes, gazing at each other.

In the silent exchange of looks, their lips twitched slightly as if a thousand unspoken words lingered in their hearts, only to remain unsaid as they closed again.

The air grew still for a few seconds.

“Um, I made some chicken soup for you. Would you like to drink it while it’s still hot?” Nangong Lin broke the silence, offering the bowl to him.

Gu Qingyi eyed the bowl of soup before him, giving a gentle nod. His gaze then fell on a faint scar on Nangong Lin’s hand, and he asked with concern, “Is the wound on your hand alright now? It was my fault that day. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

Hearing this, Nangong Lin paused mid-motion as she handed him the soup. A flicker of complex emotions passed through her eyes, but she forced a smile.

“It’s fine now. Hurry and drink the soup before it gets cold. It won’t taste as good then.”

“It’s… getting late. I won’t disturb your rest. See you tomorrow.” Amid their intimate exchange, they slowly finished the bowl of soup. Nangong Lin felt her cheeks flush and stood up, avoiding his gaze.

With a soft creak, the door to the room closed behind her.

Gu Qingyi slowly turned his head to look out the window.

The sky was pitch black, as if freshly painted with ink. A few scattered stars gleamed like specks of light dropped by the round, luminous moon as it crossed the heavens.

Everything on the earth was bathed in the serene glow of moonlight, frozen in stillness as if time itself had stalled. Only the occasional rustle of leaves brushing against each other broke the silence.

The world had never seemed so quiet, or perhaps it was always meant to be this tranquil.

Gazing at the scenery outside, Gu Qingyi slowly channeled his inner energy to heal his wounds. A wave of drowsiness soon washed over him, and he drifted off to sleep.

………………..

The night faded silently, a gentle breeze brushing past with a hint of coolness. A faint blush of dawn painted the horizon as a new day arrived without a sound.

Everyone rose early, taking their time to pack the necessities they’d need for the journey.

Nangong Lin went to the room to help Gu Qingyi out. Seeing the time was about right, the group gathered.

Nalan Qiang and Zhao Fang looked at their two children with longing. They wanted to take them along, but the road ahead was filled with unknown dangers.

With no other choice, they bid a reluctant farewell. Zhao Fang took out an exquisite jade pendant engraved with her name, snapped it in half, and gave each piece to her children.

“If we ever get the chance to meet again, I’ll find you with this jade pendant!”

“Su’er, you’ll need to protect your little sister from now on. Take good care of her!”

“Mother, rest assured. Anyone who wants to harm my sister will have to step over my dead body!” Nalan Su’s gaze was resolute as he looked at his mother, then glanced at the tearful Nalan Xue beside him. Patting his chest, he vowed, “As long as I’m alive, no one will bully her. The road is long, so please take care of yourselves, Father and Mother!”

Zhao Fang held her two children tightly. To prevent an impending disaster, they had to return and resolve this matter, all for the sake of their children.

“My dear, it’s time. We must go!” Nalan Qiang saw the scene and knew they couldn’t delay any longer. He reached out and pulled Zhao Fang close.

Zhao Fang wanted to hug her children one last time, but Nalan Qiang held her tight. In an instant, they soared into the air, casting one last reluctant glance at their children before steeling their hearts.

With a whoosh, they vanished in a flash, traveling a thousand miles away from their little wooden cabin.

Nalan Su looked at his still-sobbing sister, pulling her into his arms to comfort her. “We’ll see Father and Mother again. Don’t be sad!”

“Brother, how did your injuries heal overnight? When are we leaving?” Gu Qingxiao teased as she watched Nangong Lin supporting Gu Qingyi, pretending to inspect him with mock disbelief.

Gu Qingyi coughed awkwardly, glancing at the group before speaking slowly, “Have we got everything? It’s time to hit the road!”

Everyone nodded, having packed some daily necessities and useful items.

The Nalan siblings cast a lingering, reluctant look at the little wooden cabin they’d lived in for sixteen years before turning to follow Gu Qingyi and the others.

They had only been gone for two hours.

……………….

A large group of men in black descended upon the area, converging on the little wooden cabin. A few subordinates returned with reports after scouting.

“Report! Hei San and his team are all dead by the river not far from here!” one man in black knelt on one knee.

“Report! The cabin is empty!” another man in black arrived with news.

“Report! No traces found within a hundred-mile radius!” yet another man in black rushed over.

“Damn it, we’re still too late!” Heishan, the leader of the Shadow Guards, gritted his teeth in fury after hearing his subordinates’ reports. With a single strike, he reduced the delicate wooden cabin to rubble.

“Pursue them! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find them!” Heishan turned around, his fists clenched tight.