Chapter 558: How Pitiful Are the Hearts of Parents Everywhere

"Gouzi Ge, I know you don't believe this, but actually I didn't believe it at first either, yet the facts are exactly like this!"

Le Wenmao gave Xuanqing Daozhang a complicated look; he too grew up with Xuanqing Daozhang and Zuo Wenjun, and he had seen from childhood how Kumu Daozhang treated Zuo Wenjun, so even as a child he could tell that Kumu Daozhang treated Xuanqing Daozhang and Zuo Wenjun differently, and he sighed:

"Actually you misunderstand your master—no, can't say you misunderstand, it's your master deliberately doing this; he treats you differently, actually to force you to cultivate, and in fact he deeply likes Wenjun, to the point that when Wenjun gave birth he couldn't rush over in time, leaving him unable to get over it until his death!"

When he was young, he had seen Kumu Daozhang repeatedly treat Zuo Wenjun differently, and he had once advised Zuo Wenjun that if it didn't work out, he could come live at his house, where he would have food and would never let Zuo Wenjun go hungry.

He had once asked his parents about this, and at the time he was worried they would refuse, but he never imagined that when he posed the question, both his father and mother would readily agree.

At that moment he was completely caught up in excitement, paying no attention to why his parents had agreed so readily, not even asking the reason.

What disappointed him was that when he told Zuo Wenjun and Xuanqing Daozhang this, Xuanqing Daozhang didn't object, but Zuo Wenjun refused no matter what.

She said Xuanqing Daozhang was her brother, and she wanted to stay with him for life, never leaving him.

This matter.

He had brought it up more than once or twice, but each time, even after Zuo Wenjun had been driven to tears by Kumu Daozhang's sarcastic remarks, he still refused his kindness.

Later.

Once during a casual chat, he finally understood: when he had asked his parents whether they would agree to let Zuo Wenjun live with them, he wondered why they had readily agreed.

Because his parents could see at a glance that his whole heart was set on Zuo Wenjun, they actually liked Zuo Wenjun quite a bit and were willing to have her as their daughter-in-law, so they readily agreed to his request.

"What are you saying? All this is my master deliberately doing this; he actually cares a lot about my family's Wenjun!"

Xuanqing Daozhang very much wanted to laugh; even though many years have passed, the scene of his master deliberately targeting his family's Wenjun still occasionally pops up in his mind and dreams. He took a deep breath, suppressed his complicated emotions, and said:

"Did your master personally tell you this? Could you tell me exactly what happened?"

At this moment he suddenly recalled the few things his master often said when he was young.

Such as, if he didn't obey his master's words, his master would drive away his family's Wenjun; or if he didn't diligently practice the skills his master taught him, his master would likewise drive away his family's Wenjun.

He said many similar things, all meant for his own good, yet likewise he would threaten to drive away his family's Wenjun.

As a youngster, having grown used to such talk, he was angry but bore no grudge against his master, because when his parents brought him fleeing famine, they endured hunger on the road and had to face other refugees' hostile stares, having seen much misery, his master was the only person besides his parents who treated him well.

He wasn't the kind of person with a wolf's heart and dog's lungs; how could he hold a grudge against his master over some trivial matters?

Now hearing Le Wenmao say this, he realized his master was very likely deliberately using the threat of driving away his family's Wenjun to scare him into obedience, to make him do what his master had instructed.

Perhaps.

His master truly did care deeply about his family's Wenjun!

"Gouzi Ge, you might not know, but ever since my family's Wenjun left, I often go to Kumu Guan to bring food for Kumu Daozhang; he frequently appears before me, recounting events from your and Wenjun's childhood, and each time he mentions it, it feels as if you and Wenjun appear before my eyes!" Having said this, Le Wenmao could no longer hold back, tears pouring down, and only after a long while did he recover enough to continue speaking.

"Kumu Daozhang, whenever he brings up your and Wenjun's childhood, often tells me that he feels most sorry for Wenjun; each time he deliberately targets Wenjun and uses the threat of driving her away to scare you, seeing Wenjun's flustered state makes him feel uneasy, yet he does this because he fears you won't listen, won't diligently learn the skills he teaches!"

"How could this be…"

Xuanqing Daozhang wanted to retort, but the words stuck in his throat; tears glimmered in his eyes as the scene of his master sarcastically commenting on his family's Wenjun seemed to reappear before him, he let out a faint sigh and self-mockingly said:

"Who made my master teach such inferior skills? Besides being extraordinarily hard to cultivate, they yield little reward; if my master didn't use the threat of driving away my family's Wenjun to scare me, I might truly not have been able to persist again and again in learning his teachings!"

At this moment.

He had become certain that back then his master repeatedly used the threat of driving away his family's Wenjun to intimidate him, which was actually meant to scare him, and his master truly did care about his family's Wenjun.

Upon thinking of this, Xuanqing Daozhang felt his heart torn like by a knife; he looked up at Le Wenmao, took a deep breath as if gathering courage, his voice trembling as he asked:

"You say my master died of depression over Wenjun's affair? Back then my master wouldn't let me return, yet he personally told you this?"

He actually wasn't clear about his master's cultivation level, age, lifespan… the news of his master's passing had come from a letter Le Wenmao wrote him.

Moreover, he added a sentence: let him take cultivation as his priority, not dwell too much on his passing, there's no need to rush back to see his grave.

If possible, his master hoped he would acquire excellent skills, preferably becoming a figure remembered in history, so that he could appear before his master's tomb at that time.

This novel you have reached

Only then would his master be content!

Unfortunately.

He does have talent for cultivation, but among cultivators who are few and far between, he is merely an ordinary practitioner.

To be remembered in history?

Unless a miracle occurs!

How could he still have the face to return?

"Yes, back then Kumu Daozhang, on his deathbed, personally told me these words, asking me to write a letter telling you not to come back; even now I clearly remember the situation: when I went to bring food to Kumu Daozhang, saying I was bringing food, I actually wanted to check on his condition, after all his mood was sinking day by day."

Le Wenmao said with a complex expression: "When I arrived at Kumu Guan, Kumu Daozhang was sitting under the peach tree, his face glowing red, he spoke a few words to me, arranged his after affairs, murmuring my family's Wenjun's name, and not long after he passed away."

(End of chapter)