Chapter 29

The little one could not quite understand. If a long-lost ancestor were found, wouldn't that be a joyous occasion that would make one rush to meet them immediately? Shouldn't one be eager to joyfully welcome their elder home and provide them with proper care and comfort?

That is how she would feel. When her own grandmaster returned to the sect, Yu Youyou was overjoyed; she wished she could be with him every single day. Yet, the Sun family seemed completely unhurried. They did not even send anyone in person, choosing instead to send only a single jade slip. Their response felt indifferent, even bordering on annoyed, as if the news were a troublesome burden.

She looked on, bewildered. Chu Xingyun, not wanting such a response to dampen her happy spirits, crushed the jade slip in his hand. Stroking the top of Yu Youyou’s hair, he smiled and said, "The Sun clan are merely inconsequential people; pay them no mind."

The Sun family’s response had been so lackluster that it hadn't even piqued his interest, at least not until Sect Master Yu and Zhu Changshu brought the matter up. It was rare to see Zhu Changshu this angry. Taoist Lord Sun was a sword cultivator, and since Zhu Changshu also practiced the sword, she had received unreserved guidance from him in her cultivation and held him in high esteem.

Now that Taoist Lord Sun was at the Taigu Sect, Zhu Changshu visited him daily to pay her respects and had even refined high-quality elixirs to nourish the meridians of the former sect master and Taoist Lord Sun. Over the years that Taoist Lord Sun was missing, she had repeatedly provided the Sun family with aid and many medicinal pills, all out of gratitude for his teachings. Who would have guessed that all those precious elixirs had been fed to dogs? The Sun family dared to be so unfilial toward him.

"Have they forgotten that the Sun clan has been able to establish itself in this realm for so many years entirely because of whose protection?" With the former sect master and Taoist Lord Sun currently resting in their quarters, she didn't have to hold back. Zhu Changshu wiped her spiritual sword over and over, looking as if she would gladly sever the heads of those Sun family members if they were standing before her.

This aura reminded Yu Youyou of the look in Zhu Changshu’s eyes in the book when she discovered the wicked deeds committed by the original Yu Youyou. Knowing that she was truly furious, the little one leaned obediently against her Second Senior Sister and joined in, loudly condemning them: "Bad!"

Sect Master Yu frowned as well.

"Hit them!" the little one suggested, waving her small claws. Now that she had dragon claws capable of digging deep pits, the cub was full of confidence! She felt she could take on ten of the Sun family!

"If Taoist Lord Sun still possessed his cultivation and clarity of mind, they would naturally be the most filial of descendants, rushing here to welcome him," Chu Xingyun said, though he was loath to even mention such wretched people. Still, seeing the cub in high spirits—eager to find ways to punish the villains rather than feeling despondent—he found her feisty, indomitable attitude worth encouraging.

He smiled slightly, turning his head to Sect Master Yu. "But now that the Taoist Lord is considered 'useless' and suffers from a seal that even our Taigu Sect cannot break, he has lost his utility to the family. Moreover, they are afraid."

Taoist Lord Sun had been fighting someone; they were likely worried about the consequences. If a figure powerful enough to seal Taoist Lord Sun were to come after him, would that trouble not be drawn to the Sun family as well? This fear, coupled with the belief that a crippled Taoist Lord was not worth the effort, was the true reason for their evasive jade slip. They knew it would displease the Taigu Sect, but as long as Taoist Lord Sun was still alive, the Taigu Sect wouldn't do anything to the Sun family.

"And they call it a 'joyous occasion'... it’s nothing more than sending a clan daughter to be a concubine for the Wen family. A clan as large as the Sun family, and all they can come up with is such a clumsy tactic."

Zhu Changshu let out a cold snort. Having reached her current position through her own efforts, she naturally looked down upon the Sun family’s tendency to rely on their ancestors when possible, and when they couldn't, to resort to selling their daughters into concubinage for the sake of political marriages. Wiping her sword, she clicked her tongue and said, "A waste of my elixirs." Since the Sun clan insisted on this path, she couldn't be bothered to mention them again.

Seeing Sect Master Yu lost in thought, she scooped up the cub who was nudging against her and asked, "Master, is there something troubling you?"

"Nothing of great concern. It’s just that, seeing Youyou in good health lately, the Grand Elder’s thought is that she should return to the Gong clan to pay respects to her ancestors," Sect Master Yu replied. "I intend to take Youyou there myself. Changshu, I will need you to shoulder more of the burden here."

During the years he spent traveling, it was almost always Zhu Changshu who assisted the elders in managing the sect's affairs. Used to this, she nodded in agreement.

Sect Master Yu turned to Chu Xingyun and added, "You will come with me." The close friend of Chu Xingyun, an ancient medical immortal, would soon be emerging from seclusion. Although Yu Youyou’s constitution was unique, when Sect Master Yu discussed it with Ao Qing, the elder didn't see any harm in letting a skilled physician take a look. After all, Yu Youyou had been examined by many doctors during her time in the Demon City, and none had been able to identify her unique nature. If so, a little extra scrutiny wouldn't hurt. Besides, even if it were discovered, what of it? The cub’s natural talent needed no concealment. Surely a massive institution like the Taigu Sect had the confidence to protect one child.

"However, the Grand Elder’s intention is that after we leave the Gong clan—should we find no records of a similar constitution there—we might as well consult this physician."

The young doctor might not find anything either, but Sect Master Yu felt it was worth a try. As he spoke of leaving, the little one, who had been listening while munching on an elixir, tugged at his sleeve. Upon hearing they were to travel, she gave Zhu Changshu’s beautiful cheek a reluctant, affectionate rub before rushing to say, "Ancestor!"

"We will return to reunite with your grandmaster very soon," Sect Master Yu said, comforting her as he saw her reluctance to leave the former sect master. The little one nodded, deciding to bid farewell to both ancestors later.

Sect Master Yu whispered, "It is precisely because of those two words—'Gong clan'—that your grandmaster remembered even through the fog of his sealed soul, that the Grand Elder believes there must be a mystery there. He wants to take this opportunity of Youyou’s visit to search and see if the Gong clan left behind any previously undiscovered information."

Chu Xingyun asked, "Will the Grand Elder be coming with us to the Gong clan this time?"

"Why?"

"We don't know if the enemies of our grandmaster and Taoist Lord Sun have given up. If the Grand Elder leaves with us, I fear the grandmaster’s side will be left vulnerable."

"There is no need to worry about that," Sect Master Yu said gently. "The sect’s grand array is still active, and the other elders will be guarding them. Even if someone of immortal rank were to attack..." He hesitated for a moment, implying something his disciples understood: "Elder Feihong possesses the token to break the seal."

Break what seal? Sect Master Yu looked down at the ground, and Chu Xingyun and Zhu Changshu both lowered their eyes, their faces showing realization. Right. A formidable figure was still imprisoned within the Taigu Sect’s barriers.

"But if the situation becomes so dire that the seal must be broken, won't the one inside... bite back?"

"That won't happen. The Grand Elder has it under control." Sect Master Yu knew that the history between Ao Qing and the Black Dragon, Ao Xin, was extraordinary. Although the Black Dragon was suppressed by the sect, in a crisis, he would only help Ao Qing protect the Taigu Sect... though, naturally, Sect Master Yu could guess what the Black Dragon would do immediately after the threat was dealt with: seek revenge on Ao Qing. But if the Black Dragon dared to try, he would be walking straight into a trap. Thinking of this, the Black Dragon seemed almost pathetic.

Sect Master Yu cleared his throat and finalized the plans with his disciples.

Yu Youyou did not know how long she would be away from the sect, so she spent the remaining time clinging to her two elders and Zhu Changshu. Her whimpering reluctance softened even the cold-hearted Zhu Changshu. Zhu did not attend to anything else, instead refining several large pouches of elixirs, placing them into the little one’s storage ring, and叮嘱ing her softly: "It is hard when you are away from home; you must nourish yourself well. Little Junior Sister, do not be sparing. When you return to the sect, I will refine even more for you, understood?"

"Yes!" the cub replied loudly, then stood on tiptoe to kiss her beautiful senior sister’s fair cheek.

"Miss you." She hadn't even left the Taigu Sect yet, but she was already starting to miss everyone at home.

Zhu Changshu hesitated for a moment. She was not a warm person, but with the little one’s soft affection against her cheek, she hesitated for a long time before leaning over and gently kissing the cub’s tender face. "...I will miss you too, Little Junior Sister." Had this not been the cub’s first time traveling, Zhu Changshu might never have been able to speak such gentle words.

This display of affection made Ao Qing glance over, bewildered—how could the Azure Dragon Grand Elder not understand why they were acting as if this were a tragic parting rather than a trip of a few days? He stood with his arms crossed, watching the little thing go to rub against the former sect master and Taoist Lord Sun, waving her little hands repeatedly before finally being carried away by Sect Master Yu.

Chu Xingyun released his magnificent golden flying ship. It was unclear if the ship possessed its own spirit, but as soon as it sensed Yu Youyou being brought aboard, the entire vessel gave a subconscious jolt. This startled Sect Master Yu, who bounced the cub in his arms, feeling relieved only when he saw she hadn't been crushed like the time before.

"We will stop by the Azure Dragon clan first," Ao Qing said, having seen the master and disciple release the ship. He found the vessel quite comfortable and gave his instructions to Chu Xingyun. Clearly, despite saying he was "in no rush," he still took to heart the frequent requests from the Azure Dragon clan to inspect the dragon egg that had failed to hatch for three hundred years.

Since the home of the Azure Dragons was not far from the Taigu Sect, they arrived quickly. The ship hovered over the surging ocean, and Yu Youyou, seeing the vast sea for the first time, smelled the damp, fresh sea breeze. The boundless surface of the water seemed to merge with the sky in the distance. The sea and sky were of one color, a truly refreshing sight. Wide-eyed with wonder, she let out a "Wow," leaning out of her father’s arms to look. Her ignorant, wide-eyed expression made Ao Qing look on, amused.