Chapter 4 – Paying Respects
She didn’t know why, but when she saw him kneel, Yuan Chu’s originally horrible mood lifted, and she suddenly felt refreshed.
So she would be the male lead’s master from now on? Then couldn’t she do whatever she wanted?!
With this sudden revelation, she waved her hand, and a soft light broke through the gray, landing on Ye Chenyuan. The rain paused for a moment. Ye Chenyuan felt his wounds rapidly heal, and the acute pain around his dantian was soothed.
He raised his head and discovered that the black cloud above his head was receding like the ocean tide. Scattered sunlight shone through the gaps between the clouds. This scene was thousands of times more beautiful than the paradise he imagined.
But what he never imagined was that when the clouds dispersed, a lovely little girl wearing a golden robe appeared in front of him!
The sunlight melted into the complex designs on her robe and faded away at the corners. She looked like she was glowing. Ye Chenyuan swore that he… had never seen such a cute and pretty girl before. She was so small and cute she was just like a fine porcelain doll.
He only came to after his heart gave a slight jump. Could it be that the one who was just talking to him was this little girl?!
But when he remembered that Nascent Soul and above cultivators could reshape their bodies, it seemed like he really had encountered an old child. That she would choose the appearance of a child was truly unconventional.
Yuan Chu couldn’t help secretly nodding in approval when she saw him quickly calm down after his initial surprise.
He was worthy of being called the male lead. He was very mentally strong; he didn’t forget himself even when he saw that she was so young.
Her mood soared, and she slowly floated down from the sky. Seeing the fairy-like girl getting closer and closer to him, Ye Chenyuan averted his eyes, not daring to look at her.
This made Yuan Chu even more satisfied!
She reverted back to using her own voice. The child’s crisp and sweet voice descended upon him.
“From now on, you will be my disciple! Right now, I will take you to a place full of treasures. But we have to hurry. In a couple days, it’s my sect’s mountain opening ceremony. At that time, you’ll have to participate in the new disciples’ competition. But no matter how you place, I will accept you! You are my only disciple and also my last disciple!”
Ye Chenyuan’s heart was moved. He never thought that he would be her only disciple, and never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine that he would be her last disciple.
Were this person’s expectations for him really that big? If they couldn’t find the treasures and his dantian couldn’t be fixed, wouldn’t she regret it?
Ye Chenyuan’s emotions surged in his heart as he earnestly lowered his head.
“Thanking Master for her care! But before we leave, Disciple would like to… bury his relatives.”
Seeing the nearby ice-cold corpses, Yuan Chu’s mood turned serious and she nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Only now did Ye Chenyuan gather the corpses, preparing to bury them behind the mountain.
Because he couldn’t use spiritual force, his spirit tool was basically scrap metal right now. After he refused her offer to help, Yuan Chu could only watch as he used his spirit tool to dig.
Blood oozed out of the corpses and mixed with the not yet dried rainwater, seeping into the earth. The heavy smell in the air still hadn’t dispersed, even after the rain stopped.
Yuan Chu looked at those corpses and then looked at Ye Chenyuan.
The Ye Chenyuan in the book was the kind of person who could keep a straight face even if Mount Tai collapsed. He was a righteous person with stable morals. Whenever he met someone, he always had a smile on his face.
Yuan Chu used to believe that perhaps his reflex arc was too long. Otherwise, how could someone be able to calmly take revenge after seeing his mother meet a violent death before his eyes without shedding a single tear?
Only now did she know… he could be calm because he experienced much as a child, tribulations ordinary people couldn’t begin to imagine. Yet the book only glossed over his childhood.
For instance, Ye Chenyuan was the patriarch’s son, but he lived worse than a servant. He was able to grow up without a hitch because of his aunt. Without her, he might have died a premature death.
But his aunt was killed, and he was driven out of his family, nearly dying on the streets from sickness. If he hadn’t accidentally activated the Sky Pearl, he would have died several times already. So now, he could calmly confront a major event like his dantian collapsing because he was no longer afraid of any challenges.
But he was still young right now, so he couldn’t hide his emotions so perfectly yet.
Yuan Chu saw that his eyes were red as he tried his best to endure silently. Watching him silently dig on even as the flesh on his hands became horribly mutilated, the last sliver of regret at not killing him vanished like smoke.
Sure enough, she shouldn’t have acted as the villain boss who was so determined to get rid of the male lead, but instead become good brothers with him! Plus, this guy was pretty easy-mannered and mingled well with his little brothers. And with a careful look, he wasn’t that hateful…
Finally, Ye Chenyuan finished digging the graveyard. He gently placed the blood-dripping corpses into the tomb.
He sealed the tomb with earth and used his own blood to write a tombstone.
Uncle Zhang, Aunt Wen, Older Sister Xiao, Uncle Tiancheng… I’m sorry. I’m the one who implicated you all!
A single tear fell onto the dirt as the young boy kowtowed. It was so quick it was like it never happened.
I will avenge you! I will use the entire Hunyuan Clan’s blood to appease your deceased souls!
And please be reassured. I will properly take care of myself. From today on, I have someone to depend on because I have a master!
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help glancing at Yuan Chu, who was sitting on a nearby branch as her soul was exploring elsewhere. A hint of indescribable gentleness flashed across his eyes.
After he finished kowtowing, his mood visibly improved. When facing Yuan Chu, there was even a slight smile on his face.
“Thank you, Master. Disciple has troubled you.”
Yuan Chu glanced at the graveyard and then jumped down from the tree. She patted his shoulder.
“Little Yuan Yuan, separation by death is something us cultivators cannot avoid. I hope pain can become your motivation to move forward. Remember, only a soul tempered by suffering can walk farther on the path of cultivation. And I think very highly of you!”
Ye Chen was touched at her words, although this nickname of “Little Yuan Yuan” was a bit… But the natural intimacy in her words left him without words. He only lowered his head respectfully.
“Disciple thanks Master for her guidance!”
Yuan Chu nodded, her expression saying ‘this boy is teachable’. With a wave of her hand, she activated her spirit tool, leaving with her new disciple.
“Okay, let’s go repair your dantian! Hold on tight!”
Ye Chenyuan obediently situated himself on the spirit tool. Soon, it rose, and he watched the Tidal Kingdom grow farther and farther. He couldn’t help being a bit dazzled seeing the vast world beyond but quickly turned resolute!
Cultivating into an immortal, if I can’t do it, then who can? I will walk the path of the immortal and be freed from the shackles of this world!