txolops Chapter 45 Mother, I'll take you in next time.
Chapter 45 Mother, I'll take you in next time.
Dong Xuan'er, who was stroking her daughter's hair, suddenly stopped, raised her head in disbelief, her beautiful eyes wide open, as if she had heard something unbelievable.
In the past, whenever Han Xiaoliu was mentioned, her father would look disgusted and be as hard as stone. He would argue with her at the drop of a hat and even threatened to kill everyone in the Han family.
Why have you changed your mind now?
Why?
Although Dong Xuan'er had countless doubts in her heart, this sudden reassurance was like a timely rain after a long drought.
At the very least, next time they meet, they won't have to fight like enemies, and they won't even have to worry about whether Han Xiaoliu will harm Yunlu in the future.
"Thank you, Father, for your kindness!" Dong Xuan'er bowed deeply, her voice choked with emotion and gratitude. Then she raised her head, a look of confusion on her face, and asked, "Father, why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Ancestor Yunlu didn't answer directly. Instead, she leaned back lazily in her chair, a playful smile playing on her lips, and gestured with her gaze, "Didn't you notice anything different about Xiaobai?"
Upon hearing this, Dong Xuan'er was taken aback. She quickly took Han Baibai's small hand and immediately extended her divine sense to examine her closely from head to toe.
Upon seeing this, Dong Xuan'er's expression froze instantly.
The rough village girl's clothes were gone, replaced by a shimmering brocade dress that faintly radiated spiritual energy.
"This is... a mid-grade magic artifact?" Dong Xuan'er was startled, but this was not the most shocking thing for her.
When her divine sense touched her daughter's body, a surge of spiritual energy several times stronger than before suddenly appeared.
The originally dry and thin spiritual veins are now surging like rivers, and a ball of liquid magic power has condensed in the dantian.
This aura... is stable and pure, definitely not a superficial illusion.
Dong Xuan'er abruptly released her grip, staggered back half a step, her face deathly pale, her lips trembling, and her eyes filled with utter horror.
Seeing her mother's surprised expression, Han Baibai knew that her mother had discovered her hidden cultivation level.
She puffed out her little chest, put her hands on her hips, raised her chin slightly, and looked at Dong Xuan'er with a smug expression that said, "Mommy, please praise me!" Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Dong Xuan'er.
"She's reached the Foundation Establishment stage!"
The voice of Ancestor Yunlu suddenly rang out, as cold as ice in the twelfth lunar month, yet carrying an indescribable sense of awe.
He stared intently at Dong Xuan'er and said, word by word, "Disappeared for a day, skipped several levels, and directly established his foundation."
Dong Xuan'er felt a "buzz" in her head, as if she had been struck by a thunderbolt.
Foundation building in a single day?
Even with her master's guidance and the resources of Yellow Maple Valley back then, she had never achieved such rapid progress! This isn't cultivation; it's ascension!
Looking at his daughter's shocked expression, Ancestor Yunlu felt a storm raging in his heart.
He originally thought Han Xiaoliu only possessed a great treasure, but now it seems that the man's methods are far beyond his imagination.
"This child... is terrifyingly powerful." Ancestor Yunlu thought to himself, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table again, but this time the rhythm was more rapid, clearly his mind was no longer calm.
The next words from Ancestor Yunlu were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the warmth that had just risen in Dong Xuan'er's heart, leaving her feeling cold from head to toe.
"This situation," Ancestor Yunlu's voice was low and serious, each word seeming to strike Dong Xuan'er's heart, "is unprecedented in the entire cultivation world, and even in the ancient times recorded in the classics. Any cultivator who hears this news will want to find out more. Especially those old monsters who have been stuck at their bottleneck for hundreds of years and whose cultivation has not progressed an inch."
He paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing Dong Xuan'er: "If the news leaks, you should know that Xiaobai will become a coveted prize in the eyes of all the old monsters. At that time, they will do anything to get her and to force her to reveal the secrets of that secret realm. Not to mention you, even the Hehuan Sect may not be safe."
Dong Xuan'er felt a buzzing sound in her mind, and her mind went completely blank, like a lump of paste. She stared blankly at her still bewildered daughter in her arms, her heart filled with helplessness and fear.
She never imagined that her daughter's extraordinary adventure would lead her into such a high level of conflict.
Which of those old monsters wasn't ruthless and unscrupulous, willing to do anything to achieve their goals?
Her face instantly drained of color, her expression clouded with sorrow. She stood there helplessly, just as desperate as she had been seven years ago in Yellow Maple Valley when she heard the news of Han Xiaoliu's death.
Seeing his daughter like this, Ancestor Yunlu's heart softened, and he couldn't bear it after all. He sighed softly, his tone softening a bit: "But don't worry, I've already dealt with everyone who knew that Xiaobai had disappeared. No one will know that she was gone for a day."
He glanced at Han Baibai, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "The technique Xiaobai has cultivated to conceal her aura is quite good, extremely skillful. As long as she doesn't deliberately circulate her spiritual power in front of outsiders, it will be difficult for ordinary Core Formation cultivators to discover her true level."
At this point, Ancestor Yunlu's expression turned serious, and she solemnly promised, "However, just in case, starting tomorrow, I will arrange for several trusted Core Formation cultivators to come and protect Xiaobai's safety. If you need anything, you can directly instruct them; there's no need to be polite."
After he finished speaking, he stood up and went to the mother and daughter. His tall figure enveloped them, bringing them an unprecedented sense of security.
"I will personally set up a grand formation on the mountain where Tingfeng Garden is located, turning it into a forbidden zone for the sect, prohibiting anyone else from going there. I will also arrange trusted confidants to guard the surrounding mountain peaks day and night."
He looked at Dong Xuan'er, then at his granddaughter who was secretly glancing up at him, his eyes more serious than ever before: "Rest assured, I, Yunlu, hereby swear that I will never let anyone hurt Xiaobai."
Seeing the gratitude and relief finally appear in her daughter's eyes, Ancestor Yunlu breathed a sigh of relief.
He then turned to Han Baibai, his tone slightly probing: "Baibai, do you remember how to get to that place you visited before? Could you... bring other people in?"
Han Baibai was incredibly clever and immediately understood her maternal grandfather's desire to enter the "Dreamlike Minor Realms".
She pouted, let out a disgruntled snort, and said without any politeness, "Grandpa will beat Dad to death if he goes in, so I'm not taking you in!"
After saying that, she leaned close to Dong Xuan'er's ear and whispered mysteriously, "Mother, next time I'll take you in to play. We'll sneak in without Grandpa!"
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Ancestor Yunlu was not angry at all; instead, she was amused by her granddaughter's protective attitude.
He happily reached out and pinched the little girl's chubby cheeks, laughing, "Okay, okay, no grandpa involved."
He withdrew his hand, glanced at the mother and daughter, and finally said, "You two should rest well. Someone will come to tidy up the yard in a while, so don't worry about it."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure vanished silently from the courtyard like a ghost, leaving only a faint scent of perfume lingering in the night breeze.
The figure of Ancestor Yunlu had just disappeared into the night, as if taking away all the oppression and gloom.
Han Baibai, whose face had been tense, instantly perked up, like a little sparrow that had broken free of its cage, chirping and chattering around Dong Xuan'er, eager to tell her about her adventures in the Dreamy Little Third World.
"Mommy, you don't know how fun the Little Three Realms are!" Han Baibai's big, dark eyes sparkled with excitement as he gestured wildly. "As soon as I went in, I smelled a really fragrant spiritual energy, and I couldn't resist... so I secretly dug up a spiritual herb." At this point, he seemed to remember something terrible, his face fell, and he rubbed his bottom pitifully, as if that beating was just yesterday. "Then Daddy caught me red-handed, pinned me down, and gave me a good spanking. It hurt so much!"
His tearful, pitiful appearance was exactly like that of a little kitten who had suffered a great injustice.
Dong Xuan'er's heart softened instantly. She was both amused and annoyed as she pulled him into her arms, gently rubbing his head with her slender fingers and softly comforting him, "Alright, alright, it doesn't hurt anymore. Don't be so naughty next time."
Hearing her son's innocent voice, Dong Xuan'er couldn't help but smile slightly, her heart filled with the joy and relief of having regained what she had lost.
She's still alive and can still be so lively and playful in front of her; that's more important than anything else.
However, when Han Baibai excitedly mentioned that "Han Xiaoliu" was accompanied by a maid, Dong Xuan'er's smile instantly froze.
She subtly tightened her arms around her son, asking in a calm tone, "Oh? What kind of maid?"
"She's a very pretty older sister, and very obedient!" Han Baibai continued, completely unaware of what was going on.
Alarm bells rang in Dong Xuan'er's mind, and a strange sour feeling welled up in her heart. Her fingertips unconsciously dug into her palm.
It wasn't until Han Baibai added, "But she's so short! She's two months older than me, but she's not even as tall as me!" that Dong Xuan'er's tense body slowly relaxed, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out to be a false alarm.
Before she could fully relax, Han Baibai's next words made her heart leap into her throat again. "By the way, Mother, Father has a really beautiful aunt by his side. She's so alluring, like she stepped out of a painting! And her place is really big. She makes Father delicious food every day."
After saying that, he poked his mother's chest with his hand!
Alluring? Big?
Thinking of the "S" shape that Han Xiaoliu had drawn in front of her, Dong Xuan'er's brows furrowed instantly, and a nameless anger flared up in her eyes.
She could almost see a graceful woman with alluring eyes, gently and considerately serving him.
She clenched her fists instinctively, her knuckles turning white, thinking to herself: You little rascal, Han Xiaoliu, you like big things, don't you! When I see him, I'll definitely give him a good beating!
"However..." Han Baibai tilted her head, seemingly recalling, "That aunt seems to be sick, her face is always very pale. Han Xiaoliu said that her lifespan is almost over, and in order to survive, she has switched to cultivating the ghost path."
Upon hearing the words "lifespan is about to end" and "the path of ghosts," the anger in Dong Xuan'er's eyes gradually subsided, and her clenched fists silently loosened.
A dying person who has also cultivated the path of the ghosts is ultimately on a different path from oneself and poses no threat whatsoever.
The ripples of jealousy in her heart turned into a faint sigh.
As night deepened, one person spoke tirelessly, their voice clear and crisp like a bell; the other listened quietly, sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling.
All the worries, suspicions, and longings flowed away slowly in this moment of sharing and listening, eventually returning to calm.
Han Baibai talked until her mouth was dry and her little head was nodding off. Finally, she couldn't resist the sleepiness and fell into a deep sleep in Dong Xuan'er's arms.
Dong Xuan'er gently placed him on the bed, tucked him in, and then lay down on her side, embracing her daughter's small body.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the peaceful sleeping faces of the mother and daughter.
In their sleep, they all wore faint smiles, as if they were dreaming of the most beautiful and peaceful future.