Chapter 216: Have You Ever Regretted It?

The next day, outside the Ling Yin Fang's outer gate.

The sky was bright.

Sunlight fell upon the snow-mulberry trees covering the hills and fields, weaving countless rainbow glows into a curtain, extraordinarily magnificent.

Such a sight could be seen every year when the snow-mulberry trees flourished, yet it still drew many tourists to take photos as mementos.

Not long after, a streak of light vanished into the colorful rainbow curtain, not even pausing a moment in the sky, before disappearing entirely.

Beneath a tall snow-mulberry tree, Ning Wan Zhu gazed up at the sky, silent for a long time.

That streak of light had been Ming Yu.

She had left…

She had come with Yuan; now that Yuan had departed again, she would not remain at Ling Yin Fang.

Shh~ shh~ Only when an unusual sound came from behind did she draw her gaze back and turn around.

Seeing the person, she bowed deeply.

"Master, Master Jianzu."

The one who had come up behind her was Xu Xing and Ning Ruo; the earlier sound had been the crunch of snow-mulberry leaves crushed beneath footsteps.

"Let's go," Ning Ruo said coolly.

"Yes."

Ning Wan Zhu walked to their sides, and together they headed toward the wide, flat road beyond the snow-mulberry grove.

Xu Xing and Ning Ruo walked ahead; she followed behind.

After walking a distance in this manner, Ning Wan Zhu heard Xu Xing speak from ahead.

"Yuan told me you know where he left his belongings in Qing Xu."

"... Yes."

"I plan to go to Qing Xu and retrieve them."

A straightforward statement.

This was something he ought to tell her.

"..." Ning Wan Zhu fell silent for a long while, "Disciple understands. He already told me of this."

Not this time, but long ago, when the true Yuan last came to Ling Yin Fang, he had already informed her.

As they spoke, the three had already reached the wide, flat road.

Ning Wan Zhu was about to continue speaking when her gaze suddenly caught sight of someone not far ahead.

There stood a figure of ordinary appearance and gentle aura.

She paused, then fell silent.

"Brother Dao, Spirit Ancestor," Huo paused, then smiled, "I never expected to meet you here."

Huo could not possibly have known their whereabouts.

"Yuan has left. You should go too," Ning Ruo said calmly.

Although Huo had not concealed himself, he was an equal-level being; without actively probing, Ning Ruo could only sense his approximate location,

so this truly was an accident.

"Yuan left?" Huo looked surprised, then his tone turned suddenly sorrowful, sighing, "He didn't even come to say farewell to an old friend?"

Seeing neither of them moved, he set aside that mournful expression.

"Besides Yuan's matter, I came to Ling Yin Fang also to beg for a 【Spirit Insect Body-Refining Elixir】 for my disciple."

"With your methods, you have no need for such an elixir," Ning Ruo said. The Spirit Ancestor's divine transformations were boundless, her techniques unfathomable; no elixir, no matter how potent, could compare.

"Let him walk step by step."

The 【Spirit Insect Body-Refining Elixir】 on the market all originated from Ling Yin Fang; the Spirit Ancestor surely possessed one with superior effects.

"Take it."

Ning Ruo flung a streak of light, which landed in Huo's hand and transformed into an elixir.

Inside the transparent vial, a pure, flawless liquid swayed gently, emitting a soft glow.

But if magnified and examined closely, the liquid was clearly composed of countless extremely tiny, constantly wriggling semi-transparent spirit insects.

It was merely one elixir; she was not so stingy.

"Thank you, Spirit Ancestor," Huo tucked away the elixir.

With a flick of his hand, Xiao Fan, still far away, was instantly summoned to him.

As Xiao Fan remained in a daze, his master introduced him: "These two are the Master Jianzu and the Spirit Ancestor; the one behind is the Spirit Ancestor's disciple. You may call her 'Sister Ning.'"

Regaining his composure, Xiao Fan's expression returned to its usual indifference, and he bowed with perfect formality.

"Greetings, Master Jianzu, Spirit Ancestor, Sister Ning."

Although he had participated in the trial in Xuan Jian City, he did not recognize Xu Xing.

Xu Xing looked at him and suddenly asked, "After Xuan Jian City, have you contacted your family?"

At these words, Xiao Fan's otherwise still eyes finally flickered with surprise.

This Master Jianzu seemed to know his situation well?

But why? "Oh! I forgot to tell you!" Huo exclaimed as if struck by sudden realization, genuinely late to understand, "This Master Jianzu is the founder of the trial in Xuan Jian City."

The trial's... founder? So the mastermind behind that trial was this man? Xiao Fan turned to Huo, as if asking how he should respond.

"Answer truthfully."

Hearing this, Xiao Fan replied:

"Report, Master Jianzu: Disciple has not contacted his family since leaving Xuan Jian City."

"After our visit to Ling Yin Fang, I plan to take him back to Xuan Jian City," Huo added. "My disciple's current state truly requires returning there for adjustment."

Then, go to the Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect and have him visit his elder brother, while also training on the Thousand Chaos Sea.

The 【Spirit Insect Body Forging Elixir】 obtained from Lingzu was meant for that time.

"So that's how it is."

Xu Xing said no more; after all, Xiao Fan was Huo's disciple.

How to cultivate him—Huo has his own plan.

What surprised Xu Xing was that Huo had truly taken great interest in Xiao Fan's affairs this time.

In the past, those "lucky ones" who received his blessings, he always gave them the blessing and then ignored them completely.

"After all, he is my only disciple; naturally, I must pay closer attention," Huo smiled.

Though the world once revered him as the Patriarch of the Demon Dao, he had never taken a single disciple before.

Xiao Fan's expression remained unchanged—he clearly had not heard that remark.

"Disciple, do you know that when you were in Xuanjian City, the Master Jianzu had already noticed you?" Huo suddenly said.

"If I hadn't interfered, the one who should have granted you this opportunity would have been Brother Dao."

"For instance, your 【Method of Clarifying My True Source】—Brother Dao specially sent it to you, tailored to your condition at the time."

At this, Huo suddenly smiled.

"His methods are far gentler than mine."

"So now, do you regret accepting the blessing I gave you?"

"..."

Xiao Fan fell silent for a moment.

He remembered that this so-called blessing had been forcibly shoved upon him...

Even later opportunities he had missed due to lack of funds were bought for him by his master.

"I do not."

Without his master, he would have remained forever stuck at Foundation Establishment.

Though the process was hard to accept.

But these seven trials, the countless times he teetered on the brink of death, had taught him that what he held now was what mattered most.

To gain, one must give up.

Greed leads only to one's own downfall.

"Good," Huo smiled in satisfaction.

Perhaps some resentment still lingered in his heart, but to say this much was enough.

"Brother Dao, my disciple is after all someone you once took notice of, so..."

"... Then let this be given to him."

Xu Xing understood his meaning, flicked out a wisp of spiritual light, which landed in Xiao Fan's hand and transformed into a red jade.

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(End of chapter)