Chapter 64

Yu Youyou exchanged a few confused glances with Wen Yu, finding the situation rather baffling.

However, being a friendly little toddler, she still parted her lips and flashed a small smile at the youth, then hurriedly turned her gaze back to the Sun family siblings ahead.

She felt this was a thoroughly novel occurrence.

In her memories of the book, the Sun family siblings had never existed.

And that was a very strange thing indeed.

Given how fiercely capable Sun Qingrong had been earlier, effortlessly slicing through the might of Wen Shi's arms and legs, someone with such potential could never remain obscure once he grew up.

Moreover, hailing from the Sun clan, he ought to have frequent interactions with the Primordial Sect.

Yet in the novel, Yu Youyou had never even heard of the Sun family producing such a genius cultivator.

As for Sun Qing仪—let alone her... Yu Youyou couldn't even recall whether, in the original text, her Ancestor Sun had ever been found at all.

Things seemed to have diverged from the book in numerous ways: the former Sect Master had not returned to the sect so early, Daoist Sun had not been rescued alongside him, and as for the Sun family siblings, they probably hadn't returned to the Primordial Sect with them in this manner either.

Thinking of this, the toddler couldn't help but glance toward the Sun siblings.

Sun Qingyi noticed, turned her head, and caught sight of the little one staring eagerly in her direction.

She couldn't help but smile at the child who had just spoken up for her and her brother.

Embarrassed, the little one buried her face into her Eldest Senior Brother's lapel, yet she still couldn't resist peeking out at her again.

However, this was no place for conversation.

Because Sun Qingrong had forced his way through a breakthrough, the youth had indeed swallowed the spiritual pill gifted to him by Yu Youyou. Yet now that the Wen family members were gone, he could no longer suppress his turbulent spiritual energy. His blood surged in reverse, leaving his delicate face stark white.

Had it not been for his rigid spine refusing to show weakness, anyone else in his shoes would likely have already collapsed.

"Let's go, let's go!" Yu Youyou urged hastily.

The Sun family was hardly an interesting place anyway.

She only understood now why the Sun family had been so indifferent toward Daoist Sun.

Although the Sun family acknowledged Daoist Sun as their ancestor, throughout his life, Daoist Sun had devoted himself entirely to cultivation and the Sword Dao, never taking a cultivation partner.

These descendants of the Sun family were, in truth, the children and grandchildren of various other branches of the clan. While they shared blood ties with Daoist Sun, because they were not his direct offspring, their affection for him amounted to little more than viewing him as a pillar of support for the household, devoid of any genuine intimacy.

Had it not been for this, they wouldn't have left him hanging at the Primordial Sect to "wait" simply after weighing the pros and cons once Daoist Sun lost his wits, rather than rushing to bring him back to be filial and cared for.

The toddler clenched her tiny fists and muttered softly, "Despicable!"

Daoist Sun had acted as the pillar of support for this pack of ungrateful wolves for so many years, protecting them heart and soul. Just thinking about it made it feel like Daoist Sun had gotten the raw end of the deal.

Never mind giving Sun Qingrong time to stabilize his realm today.

Once she had some free time later, she would have to come back and make the Sun family hand over every last bit of "protection fee" for the centuries Daoist Sun had shielded their clan.

"Daoist, I wish to ask Senior Sister Yu a couple of words in private."

Just as the toddler was clenching her tiny fists and biting her little milk teeth, pondering how to make the Sun family pay up their protection fee, she saw the distant, dazed youth Wen Yu make up his mind and walk over.

He bowed slightly toward Chu Xingyun.

Chu Xingyun had not expected that after both Elder Wen and Wen Shi had departed, this youth—who had been standing far off—would actually walk over to speak with them.

Taken aback for a moment, he harbored immense resentment toward Wen Yu due to Elder Wen's consistently condescending attitude and treatment of Yu Youyou. Yet he did not refuse Wen Yu outright, instead looking inquiringly at Yu Youyou.

Yu Youyou held no animosity toward Wen Yu. Seeing that he seemed to have something to say, she nodded her little head and told Chu Xingyun, "Quick."

She would be back very soon.

Chu Xingyun gave a slight nod and first escorted Sun Qingrong onto the flying boat to enter seclusion and regulate his realm.

Ao Xin crossed his arms, standing right where he was, looking down at the handsome youth with a sidelong glance. He snorted disdainfully in his heart, having zero intention of stepping aside out of politeness to let them speak in private.

The little one stood on the ground, tilting her head up to look at the youth who towered over her. After gazing upward for a while, her little neck grew tired, so she lowered it a bit.

She waited for a moment, yet the youth who had just claimed he wanted to ask her something remained speechless. After waiting a good while longer, he still showed no sign of speaking.

Perplexed, Yu Youyou tilted her head up to look at him again, only to find that although his gaze was fixed upon her, he wore the expression of someone whose soul had departed.

After a long while, he seemed to snap out of it. He stared blankly at the well-behaved and patient child for a long time before asking softly, "...Senior Sister Yu, you are close to the Sect Master Yu and distant from Miao Hua—Miao Hua Immortal—is it because she treats you poorly?"

Gong Miaohua's deep aversion toward Yu Youyou was plain for all to see.

The relationship between this mother and daughter was terribly fractured, likely because Gong Miaohua lacked maternal warmth.

Yu Youyou had not expected him to ask about this.

The toddler had thought he wanted to ask about some grand matter.

Hearing this, she nodded decisively and uttered a single "Mn," completely unwilling to gloss over the truth.

"But if... if she also treated you well, how would you make your choice?" Making a clean choice between parents was easiest for someone like Yu Youyou.

Because Gong Miaohua treated her poorly, she could naturally and decisively choose Sect Master Yu.

Yet... yet he was different.

Wen Yu thought in a daze that his father had not treated his mother kindly, filling his quarters with concubines while openly doting on a so-called "white moonlight" whose relationship with him was ambiguous. He had even grandly celebrated taking a concubine without any regard for his mother's feelings or dignity, reducing his mother to an object of mockery and disdain within the clan.

He felt heartache for his mother, but his grandfather and father treated him well too.

They placed high hopes on him.

They always meticulously paved a better path for him.

Even powerhouses like Immortal Qingwu were invited by his grandfather to guide him.

He found himself trapped in a painful dilemma, aching for his mother yet forced to acknowledge that his grandfather and father had always showered him with genuine affection.

The little one tilted her tiny head, feeling as though her little brain was beginning to overheat.

She had never considered such a question before, but upon reflection, she would probably choose whichever side stood for fairness.

No matter what, she sought only a clear conscience.

Yet everyone's circumstances were different; there was nothing prescriptive about this.

She clutched her tiny paws for a long while, straining her brain to think, and stared at the handsome youth who had posed such a bizarre question to her. Pointing at the center of her chest, she said, "Justice."

In truth, by asking these questions, it already meant that in his heart, he had long understood right from wrong.

That being the case, why bother seeking answers from a toddler who couldn't speak fluently and could never serve as a confidante?

That faint, profound little look made even the bewildered Wen Yu unable to suppress a soft, gentle smile.

This seemed to be the first time the youth had ever smiled in front of Yu Youyou. But very quickly, his smile faded, and he bowed slightly to say, "Thank you, I understand now."

He actually claimed he understood.

The toddler, who had been straining her little face and racking her brains to squeeze out more toddler philosophy, froze in utter astonishment, looking up at him blankly.

Just like that... what on earth did he understand?

Ao Xin's head was spinning as well.

Wen Yu's questions had caused the black dragon's mind to buzz incessantly.

He couldn't afford to think too deeply; thinking too deeply made his head hurt.

Fearing the youth was somehow cursed, he hurriedly scooped Yu Youyou up into his arms and said briskly, "Let's hurry back. This damned place is annoying as hell."

Ao Xin had spent half a lifetime fighting battles; apart from having a rather turbulent personal history, he rarely encountered complicated emotional issues. Snatching up the chubby little toddler, he turned and left without a second glance.

As they flew back onto the flying boat without looking back, Wen Yu only felt the muddled fog in his heart gradually dissipate, his vision growing clear as he whispered softly, "I really do understand everything now."

A trace of release surfaced on his face, and the aura around him grew lighter.

Neither Ao Xin—who was bickering softly with the toddler over the issue of being a "mount"—nor anyone else noticed. But far away, on the lavishly prepared towering pavilion where the Sun family awaited in fearful trepidation, a tall, robust man stood by the window.

His gaze lingered on Wen Yu for a long time before shifting toward the exhausted elder inside the room.

Elder Wen's face looked haggard at that moment, perhaps heavily battered by today's events, leaving his hair and beard several shades whiter than before.

Immortal Qingwu immediately sneered, looking at his battered and dejected old friend as he said indifferently, "You brought this upon yourself."

Elder Wen trembled, looking up at him with reddened eyes.

"Yes, you're right, I did bring this upon myself."

Immortal Qingwu had arrived at the Sun family long ago, yet he had notified no one. Even when such a massive conflict had erupted earlier, he had not shown his face to put in a good word for the Wen family.

Thinking of the contemptuous gazes from the Primordial Sect's entourage moments ago, Elder Wen felt a wave of despondency wash over him. Covering his face, his voice grew hoarse and tremulous as he said, "I did harbor covetous intentions toward the Sun family's bloodline, but I never treated the Sun family's children poorly! The two families intermarried, and the Sun family gained protection. I merely, merely hoped that Wen clan's descendants could inherit a better bloodline in the future. Did I do wrong?"

"When he was still around, why didn't you dare mention taking one of his younger family members as your son's concubine?" Elder Wen was aged, looking truly pitiful.

Yet Immortal Qingwu remained unmoved, stating coldly, "The moment he disappeared, you immediately went knocking on their door demanding to marry the elder sister of the boy with natural sword bones. Unwilling or not, even if they had agreed, you were simply taking advantage of their misfortune."

"Is that why you refused to step out and help me just now?" Elder Wen couldn't help but raise his head in accusation.

Immortal Qingwu was one of the premier powerhouses in the cultivation world. Had he been present earlier to champion his cause, Chu Xingyun would never have dared to treat the Wen family with such disdain.

"Why should I help you? To help you forcefully seize a Sun family junior as a concubine?" Immortal Qingwu retorted. Seeing Elder Wen fall silent, he added coldly, "You should thank your lucky stars that he's witless now; otherwise, he'd be the very first to refuse to let you off."

The "he" referred to naturally was Daoist Sun.

Elder Wen shrank back instinctively, then couldn't help but look at Immortal Qingwu and ask, "Had I known he hadn't perished, I, I..."

"If he hadn't perished, you wouldn't have dared to show up at their doorstep?" Immortal Qingwu scoffed at Elder Wen's resentful gaze. "Utterly spineless."

"Spineless? Yet all these plans of mine were for the sake of the family!" Elder Wen protested angrily. "I know you've always looked down on me! Why must you humiliate me with every single word?"

"Ever since our youth, your petty schemes have always surpassed the rest of ours." Immortal Qingwu cast his gaze once more toward the handsome youth, whose demeanor had grown a fraction more resolute, and said quietly, "You desired too much; your excessive greed ruins others and yourself alike."