Chapter 123: The Return of Xiaolang

The chest of Ni Bodhisattva heaved with unrelenting fury, anger reaching its zenith. His once serene gaze, akin to still waters, now brimmed with boundless hostility.

"Tianxingzi, you scoundrel!" Ni Bodhisattva suddenly roared to the heavens.

With a thunderous roar, Ni Bodhisattva stamped his foot and soared into the sky, disregarding the presence of Zhongshan and Bei Qingsi before him. Like a cannonball, he shot towards the horizon, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Taking a deep breath, Zhongshan watched Ni Bodhisattva vanish into the sky with a perplexed expression. What kind of person was Ni Bodhisattva, after all? Zhongshan wasn't worried for Tianxingzi because he could tell that Ni Bodhisattva's overwhelming rage wasn't directed at him, but rather at whoever had killed his wife.

With Ni Bodhisattva gone, Zhongshan turned his gaze back to Bei Qingsi, a faint sense of reluctance shimmering in his eyes, while Bei Qingsi seemed hesitant to meet his gaze.

Sighing softly, Zhongshan spoke, "Are you leaving immediately?"

"Yes, I'll head north by sea and won't return to Kaiyang Sect," Bei Qingsi nodded.

Glancing at the lowered head of Bei Qingsi, Zhongshan gently suggested, "Let me accompany you to the seaside."

"Mm," Bei Qingsi softly agreed.

The two then set off towards the north without exchanging words. It wasn't until five days later that they arrived at the end of a river, which flowed into the vast sea. In the distance lay the boundless ocean, stretching endlessly out of sight.

Both of them instinctively halted by the riverbank.

Zhongshan looked at Bei Qingsi, who dared not meet his gaze.

"Do you know the way?" Zhongshan asked clumsily.

"When I first reached the Golden Core stage, I had been to the Divine Land. I know the way," Bei Qingsi replied softly.

Silence ensued.

Neither spoke, each bearing a faint sense of melancholy in their hearts, yet unable to articulate it, only allowing it to settle into a heavy silence.

After a while, Zhongshan suddenly spoke up, "Can you not go?"

It was Zhongshan's final plea, knowing that returning would be too dangerous.

Hearing Zhongshan's words, Bei Qingsi felt a surge of reluctance. In this moment, she truly wanted to say 'yes'. But the images of her parents kept echoing in her mind. Could she really not go back now?

Seeing Bei Qingsi's expression, Zhongshan could guess her thoughts. He sighed softly, "Let me wash your hair one more time."

At Zhongshan's words, Bei Qingsi, who had avoided his gaze, suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance, a faint sorrow lingering in her heart. She looked at Zhongshan as if trying to imprint his appearance into her memory once again.

"Mm," Bei Qingsi nodded softly. She bit her lip, refraining from saying anything extra, fearing that she might break down in tears.

At the riverside, Zhongshan still hewed a large stone for Bei Qingsi to lie on. Bei Qingsi could control the flow of water to her hair, making it easier for Zhongshan to wash, but she didn't. Instead, she let Zhongshan do it himself.

Running his hand through Bei Qingsi's darkened hair, Zhongshan took a deep breath. Without using a towel, he scooped water with his own hands, wetting Bei Qingsi's hair gently and attentively, washing it with great care and tenderness.

However, Bei Qingsi kept her eyes fixed on Zhongshan. He washed her hair with such concentration that Bei Qingsi didn't dare to look away.

Finally, after washing her hair three times, Zhongshan eventually took out a dry towel and carefully dried Bei Qingsi's hair, even though he could have easily used his True Qi to dry it instantly. But Bei Qingsi didn't use it, and Zhongshan seemed to forget about it too, instead opting to use the towel to dry her hair repeatedly until it was incredibly smooth and refreshing. Only then did Zhongshan put away the towel.

Looking at Bei Qingsi, Zhongshan took a deep breath. The time for farewell had arrived, yet, at this moment, he found it impossible to speak.

"I'm leaving," Bei Qingsi spoke softly.

"Mm," Zhongshan responded simply.

Turning around, Bei Qingsi stepped onto her sword and swiftly flew towards the sea in the northwest direction. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared from Zhongshan's sight. Bei Qingsi had been holding back for a long time. When Zhongshan offered to wash her hair, she had been holding back, but finally, after their farewell, she couldn't contain herself anymore. With tears streaming down her face, she flew away at a rapid pace, not daring to look back. She feared that if she did, she wouldn't be able to fly anymore.

By the riverbank, Zhongshan watched Bei Qingsi disappear into the distance, feeling a sense of loss in his heart. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before slowly calming the sorrow in his heart.

Bei Qingsi had gone, and he still had to strive. He had his own path to walk, and this sudden feeling should be buried deep in his heart. The road ahead was tough, and he had to work even harder.

When Zhongshan opened his eyes again, the sorrow had vanished, replaced by a firm determination, a resolve to control his destiny.

Meanwhile, atop a nearby mountain peak, not far from where Zhongshan had been washing Bei Qingsi's hair, a pair of eyes watched intently.

These eyes flickered with confusion and incomprehension. Yet, as if sensing the sorrow of the two figures below, they also bore a hint of eerie melancholy.

Why melancholy? Because the owner of these eyes was a silver-white little wolf, standing over two feet tall—

Outside the Kaiyang Sect, by the Kaiyang Hall.

Tiansha approached, his sword in hand, a furrow on his brow, filled with a sense of frustration. It had been almost nine months since he and Zhongshan had parted ways, and they still hadn't returned?

For the first time, Tiansha harbored a special hatred for someone: Zhongshan. How could someone with such mediocre cultivation like him have such good luck? With such poor aptitude, he had still been accepted into the Kaiyang Sect? And his luck didn't stop there; even their Master had taken him as a disciple early on, when he was just at the Fifth Stage of the Natal Realm. Tiansha himself hadn't received such an honor back then.

What was most infuriating was Bei Qingsi, the Ice Lotus of the Kaiyang Sect. Had she lost her mind? She had actually fallen for Zhongshan. Tiansha had pursued her for so long, yet she had never shown him any tenderness. And now she was infatuated with Zhongshan?

Tiansha gritted his teeth in anger.

Approaching the Kaiyang Hall, just as he was about to enter, a commotion came from within.

It was Tianxingzi and Nie Qingqing's voices.

"I must take Ling'er away, I must, it's necessary," Nie Qingqing shouted at Tianxingzi.

"No, Ling'er can't go with you," Tianxingzi immediately retorted.

"Why not? What can you offer her here? Can't you see? She has reached the Golden Core stage. With her potential, cultivation is so easy. But here with you, she'll only waste her talent. I must take her away. Only within the family can she receive the best upbringing. I can't just stand by and watch her ruined by you, this useless father," Nie Qingqing angrily insisted.

"Not a chance, I said no and that's final," Tianxingzi retorted firmly.

"How can you face my sister?" Nie Qingqing hurled the most hurtful words she could muster.

"No way. If Wuyou were alive, she would make the same decision as I did. Your family is too complicated. Ling'er doesn't need your family's support. All we want is for Ling'er to be happy. As long as Ling'er is joyful, that's all that matters. That's the best thing for her," Tianxingzi immediately countered.

"You...!" Nie Qingqing pointed at Tianxingzi, seething with anger, unable to say a word.

Outside the hall, Tiansha, upon hearing Nie Qingqing mention that Ling'er had the "Li Ding physique," was utterly stunned. His eyes filled with astonishment, delight, and a sense of sudden realization.

Tiansha was overwhelmed with excitement and took a deep breath to forcibly calm himself.

"Is that Tiansha outside?" Tianxingzi's voice came from within the hall.

Tiansha quickly walked inside.

Seeing Tianxingzi, Tiansha immediately bowed respectfully, "Yes, Master. The tasks you assigned have been completed."

"Good. Very well. You may go rest now," Tianxingzi nodded.

"Yes," Tiansha replied swiftly and exited the hall.

After leaving the Kaiyang Hall, Tiansha, seeming somewhat anxious, flew towards a distant peak.

At the base of the peak, Yun Qian was guiding several low-ranking disciples of the Kaiyang Sect in their cultivation.

"Yun Qian," Tiansha called out urgently.

"Ah, Senior Brother?" Yun Qian immediately looked at Tiansha.

"Where is Ling'er?" Tiansha asked at once.

"Ling'er? She's been at the entrance of the Kaiyang Sect lately, outside the mountain-guarding formation. It seems she's waiting for someone," Yun Qian pondered for a moment and replied.

"Waiting for someone?" Tiansha frowned.

"Yes, Senior Brother. Do you need Ling'er for something?" Yun Qian asked, puzzled.

"No, nothing. Carry on with your work," Tiansha shook his head and said.

Then, under Yun Qian's confused gaze, Tiansha tossed his flying sword and flew towards the entrance of the Kaiyang Sect.

At the entrance of the Kaiyang Sect.

Outside the small hut where the mountain was guarded, there were two rocking chairs.

Beside one of the rocking chairs was a teapot, and the mountain guardian was lying on it, half-closed eyes, rocking back and forth, thoroughly enjoying himself.

In front of the mountain guardian, Tian Ling'er was gazing expectantly into the distance, looking at the empty expanse.

"Grandpa Shan, when do you think Zhongshan will come back?" Tian Ling'er asked, pouting, her face full of worry.

As she spoke, Ling'er idly kicked a small stone by her feet.

"Pa!"