inspire-indiana Chapter 207 Your dad... isn't coming.
Chapter 207 Your dad... isn't coming.
Chapter 207 Your father... he won't be coming back (6000 words)
Lu Yuan didn't show much surprise after listening to Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan's words.
He leaned slightly against the carriage wall, looking calmly at the two of them, and slowly said, "This isn't the first time I've encountered something like this."
"This is similar in nature to the Demon-Nourishing Ground of the Wang family of the Destiny King."
"Even if you didn't say it, I had already considered it."
"Whether it's the mother-child evil god I encountered before, or the predecessor of the goddess of beauty, the places where these evil gods are worshipped are mostly outside, protected by the Ghost-Controlling Liu family."
"Now that Liu Xuanyin is dead, even if the Ghost-Controlling Liu family isn't completely wiped out, they certainly won't dare to show their faces again; they might have already run away."
"These places are left unmanaged; sooner or later, trouble is bound to break out."
He paused, his tone still calm: "The solution is quite simple. Just as you said, find the distribution map and eliminate the targets."
"but----"
Lu Yuan changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan with a hint of scrutiny and doubt: "You two are so eager to jump out and talk about this—"
"What do you want to do?"
Lu Yuan's directness caught Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan somewhat off guard.
They hadn't expected Lu Yuan to be so calm, and they had even anticipated what would happen next.
Moreover, they harbored such obvious doubts about the "help" that the other party offered.
The two looked at each other and saw the bitterness and helplessness in each other's eyes.
They knew that last night's experience, especially Lu Yuan's distrust and reprimand, had left Lu Yuan with the impression that they were "a den of snakes and rats" and "incorrigible."
Turning things around now will be no easy task.
Li Guanqi took a deep breath and decided to be honest.
His purple eyes gleamed, and his tone carried an unprecedented heaviness and frankness: "Master Lu, I know that because of Hu Huhu's matter and Liu Xuanyin's matter, you have a deep prejudice against the Ten Families outside the pass and against us, believing that we are of the same ilk and are in cahoots."
"The ten families outside the pass have been passed down to this day, but they have long lost the original intention of their ancestors who worked hard to overcome all difficulties."
""
Fu Yuanshan also sighed and took over the conversation, his voice hoarse and tired: "In recent years, some families have become increasingly outrageous and have no bottom line in their behavior."
"Raising corpses and refining souls, controlling evil spirits, and even colluding with heretics have long deviated from their respective ancestral teachings."
"If this continues, the ten families outside the pass will likely be rejected and despised by the righteous path throughout the region."
"At that time, what will be brought about is hatred and purges against all ten families outside the pass."
"That was the real—utter catastrophe."
Li Guanqi nodded, looked at Lu Yuan, and said sincerely, "The destruction of the Liu family was their own fault, but it was also a way to set things right."
"We don't want the ten families outside the Great Wall to go further and further astray and eventually become the common enemy of the people outside the Great Wall."
"Our Li family, who have helped us through the disasters, and our Fu family, who have faced the gloom, may have done some dishonorable things, and may have turned a blind eye to the evil deeds of the Liu family, but our roots are still in this land beyond the Great Wall."
"We—we still want to do something for this land, for our respective families, to salvage some of our reputation."
"Leave a way out—not one that is completely cut off."
Fu Yuanshan said earnestly, "So, we want to help."
"Find out these lingering poisons from the Liu family and assist the Taoist priest in cleaning them up completely."
"This is both to make up for our previous failure to report the incident and to prevent it from happening again."
"It is also to show our attitude to the righteous path outside the pass and to the Taoist priests."
"Not all of the ten families outside the pass are like the Liu family and the Hu family."
"We are also willing to contribute to the peace and tranquility outside the Great Wall."
Their words were frank and heavy.
Lu Yuan listened quietly, his face remaining expressionless.
But the scrutiny and doubt in his eyes gradually faded.
He could tell that the two men were speaking from the heart.
At least, a large part of it is.
They were terrified by Gu Qingwan's power and their souls were shaken by last night's "purification".
They recognized the internal problems of the ten families outside the pass and also foresaw the future crisis.
They wanted to seize this opportunity to completely sever ties with the Liu family and secure a relatively "clean" future for themselves and their families.
There was calculation and self-preservation involved, but there was also a trace of—a sense of responsibility and conscience that was not completely extinguished.
At least, it's much better than the pure betrayal and scheming of Hu Huhu.
Moreover, their offer of help does indeed save a lot of trouble.
Having a local guide is always better than being completely clueless and having to search around everywhere.
Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment, then glanced at the unconscious old man again.
The old man was an upright man throughout his life. His attitude towards the ten families outside the pass was not one of hostility, but rather he emphasized "whether the current head of the family is virtuous".
If the old man wakes up, he will know that Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan are willing to "atone for their crimes" and help clean up the remaining poison of the Liu family.
They would probably be willing to give them a chance.
"I understand your thoughts."
Lu Yuan finally spoke, his voice still calm, but less cold than before.
"If you really want to help, then take concrete actions."
"First, organize the information and approximate locations of the Liu family's outlying strongholds that you know."
Upon hearing this, Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan both showed expressions of relief and quickly bowed, replying, "Give us fifteen days, and we'll get everything sorted out!"
Lu Yuan said no more, closed his eyes again, and focused his mind into his body, trying to sense the truth that was sealed by the "Spirit Locking Forbidden Land".
Meanwhile, they continued to monitor the old man's faint pulse.
The goddess remained with her eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place.
The carriage continued its journey, heading towards Zhenlong Temple.
The carriage fell silent again, but the atmosphere was completely different from before.
There was less suspicion and estrangement, and more of a tacit understanding—a subtle consensus based on a shared goal.
The carriage bumped along the rugged mountain road for another half an hour.
Inside the carriage, Lu Yuan kept his eyes closed, his brows furrowed, and focused all his attention on his body, fighting against the remaining binding power of the "Spirit Locking Forbidden Land".
He also tried to guide the faint, thread-like essence within his body, allowing it to circulate slowly, nourishing the parched meridians and repairing the damaged organs.
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and two small figures flashed through his mind.
Hu Huhu's two daughters.
Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit.
Hu Huhu betrayed his promise and deserved to die.
But these two little girls—they knew nothing.
They're still eagerly waiting for Hu Huhu to come home.
There's no reason for two clueless little girls to bear the consequences of Hu Huhu's misdeeds.
The old man often said that those who cultivate the Tao should be able to distinguish right from wrong and clearly distinguish between gratitude and resentment.
The harm should not extend to the wife and children; what wrong have the young child done?
Now these two little girls are orphans, their mother is long gone, their father is gone too, if they are not taken care of—
"parking."
Lu Yuan suddenly spoke, his voice not loud.
The driver was taken aback, but quickly let out a "whoosh" and pulled on the reins.
The carriage slowly came to a stop.
Inside the carriage, Li Guanqi, Fu Yuanshan, and even the goddess who had been resting with her eyes closed all opened their eyes at the same time and looked at Lu Yuan with doubt in their eyes.
"Master Lu, what's wrong? Is it Abbot Li—"
Li Guanqi quickly asked, thinking that something had happened to Li Xiuye.
Lu Yuan shook his head, looked at the Goddess of Beauty, and said in a deep voice, "Goddess of Beauty, escort my master back to the True Dragon Temple first."
The goddess of beauty slightly furrowed her perfect brows and asked softly, "Where are you going?"
"Your current state ————"
Lu Yuan had no reason to hide this matter.
The goddess knows about Tiger Rabbit.
As for Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan, they are both from the Ten Families, so they must know this as well.
Moreover, there's nothing wrong with saying this; Lu Yuan has already planned to bring those two little rascals back to Zhenlong Temple.
Immediately, Lu Yuan couldn't help but sigh and say, "Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit—"
Upon hearing this, the goddess understood. After looking at Lu Yuan for a few seconds, she finally nodded slightly: "Okay."
"You—be careful."
"Your vital energy is sealed and your injuries have not yet healed, so do not overexert yourself."
The goddess of beauty naturally wanted to follow Lu Yuan, but at this critical juncture, she had to escort the old man back to Zhenlong Temple first before considering anything else.
"I know."
Lu Yuan responded and then looked at Li Guanqi and Fu Yuanshan.
"You should follow Senior Beauty back to Zhenlong Temple and wait."
"The conditions in the temple are simple, but it is quiet enough. You can take this opportunity to treat your injuries and organize information about the Liu family's stronghold."
"I'll be back soon."
Lu Yuan said no more, took a deep breath, endured the pain, gently removed his hand from the old man's wrist, and carefully tucked the old man's cloak in.
Then he turned around, lifted the carriage curtain, and jumped down from the carriage.
A cool mountain breeze blew by, giving him a slight boost of energy.
He checked the direction and found that Xu Denghu's village was in another direction, not too far from here.
With his current speed, even with an injury, he can arrive in half a day.
Despite the pain in his body and the stagnation caused by the sealing of his true qi, Lu Yuan continued to travel at a rapid pace.
After spending most of the day traversing mountains and valleys, as darkness fell again, he finally saw the familiar little village nestled in the mountain valley in the distance.
-
The village is still the same as before, not big, with a few dozen households scattered along the foot of the mountain.
The house was built with stones from the nearby mountains, and the roof was covered with blackened thatch and a few pieces of tarpaulin for wind protection.
The chimneys were mostly cold; it wasn't time to cook yet.
The chickens were huddled in their coops, and the dogs were also huddled in their nests; everything was as quiet as usual.
The last rays of sunlight were about to fade, casting a hazy, dark gold hue over the village.
The old, crooked willow tree at the village entrance still stands there, bare and bare.
This village is just like any other ordinary small village outside the Great Wall, relying on the mountains for sustenance: quiet and simple.
It even carries a hint of loneliness, as if isolated from the world.
If Lu Yuan hadn't known the inside story, he would never have guessed that the "Xu Denghu family" lived here.
Without alerting anyone, Lu Yuan bypassed the village entrance and followed the path, arriving at Hu Huhu's house with practiced ease.
The courtyard wall was low, and through the gaps in the stones, Lu Yuan could see the scene inside the courtyard.
The yard wasn't big, but it was kept very clean.
Beside the well in the center of the courtyard, there were two small wooden buckets, their rims wet, as if they had just been used.
The door to the main room was open, and a dim, flickering light from an oil lamp shone through.
Soon, Lu Yuan arrived at the half-open gate of Hu Huhu's house. Looking at the figure quietly sweeping the yard, he hesitated for a moment.
In the yard, Tiger Sheep was facing away from him, holding a worn-out broom that was almost as tall as her, slowly sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground.
She wore two simple pigtails and a faded floral blouse. From behind, she looked small and frail, which was heartbreaking.
But her movements were unusually steady, even carrying a kind of indifferent focus that was inconsistent with her age.
It was as if they weren't cleaning, but rather completing a pre-arranged procedure.
Hearing the creak of the courtyard gate, Tiger Sheep stopped what he was doing, but did not turn around immediately.
She tilted her head slightly and glanced at the doorway out of the corner of her eye.
When they recognized Lu Yuan, their clear, bright eyes, which should have belonged to a child, showed no surprise or curiosity.
There was only a calm, almost indifferent expression that seemed out of place on her youthful face.
And ——— a very faint, barely perceptible sense of estrangement.
She didn't run over happily like a normal child, nor did she take the initiative to greet him.
even!
They didn't ask her about her father, Hu Huhu.
She simply turned around quietly, holding the broom, and stood there looking at Lu Yuan, as if waiting for him to speak first.
"Have you eaten?"
Lu Yuan suppressed the complex emotions in his heart, tried his best to make his voice sound calm and natural, and stepped into the courtyard.
"Master Lu."
Tiger Sheep's voice was clear and crisp, but without much intonation. She nodded slightly as a greeting.
Clearly, she already knew some of this from certain sources.
This is not surprising; if Hu Hu Hu knows it, Hu Yang Yang will naturally know some too.
Lu Yuan's heart sank slightly.
But to be honest, I felt inexplicably fortunate.
It's good that we knew in advance.
Otherwise, Lu Yuan really wouldn't know how to change his tune about this.
Even if Hu Huhu wasn't killed by Lu Yuan himself, to be honest, it wouldn't make much difference.
Lu Yuan naturally had no problem with killing Hu Hu.
After all, it was Hu Hu Hu who plotted against Lu Yuan first, wanting to kill him.
only----
How should we explain this to the two children?
It is indeed a bit difficult to say.
"Where's the bunny?"
Lu Yuan changed the subject, turning his gaze to the half-open door of the main room.
"He's inside the house; he just woke up."
When his younger sister was mentioned, a very subtle change finally appeared on Tiger Sheep's indifferent face.
That was genuine worry and—exhaustion.
It seems that during the time Tiger Rabbit was in a coma, this little girl, who is only eight or nine years old, has endured too much on her own.
Lu Yuan nodded and walked towards the main house. He needed to check on Hu Tutu's condition first.
Pushing open the half-closed door, in the dim light, Lu Yuan immediately saw the small, pale figure curled up on the small wooden bed against the wall.
Tiger Rabbit woke up, but was clearly in very poor condition.
She sat leaning against the headboard, covered with a thin, patched quilt.
Her face was so pale it was almost transparent, and her lips were completely bloodless.
Those already large and empty eyes had now lost all their luster, covered by a layer of hazy mist.
Staring blankly ahead, as if his soul had not yet fully returned to its place.
The hand exposed outside the blanket was so slender it looked as if it would break at the slightest touch, and the skin had an abnormal, almost translucent, porcelain-white color.
You can even vaguely see the pale blue, paper-like fine veins under the skin.
The creases on his neck and palms, which belong to "paper dolls" and only appear on the night of a full moon, were not visible at this moment, but his whole person exuded a sense of weakness and fragility that was "inhuman".
Upon hearing footsteps, Tiger Rabbit's empty eyes moved extremely slowly.
When the gaze focused on Lu Yuan's face, the hazy mist seemed to have been rippled as if a pebble had been thrown into it.
"Taoist priest?"
A weak, hoarse voice, as if she hadn't spoken in a long time, filled with uncertainty and caution, drifted from her chapped lips.
This "Taoist Master" stands in stark contrast to Tiger Sheep's cold and distant "Taoist Master Lu".
There was no wariness, no alienation, only a pure dependence and closeness, like a drowning person grabbing onto a piece of driftwood.
Before Lu Yuan could answer, Hu Tutu, after getting a clear look at him, immediately asked, "Where's my dad?"
For a moment, Lu Yuan didn't know how to answer and just stood there stunned.
Tiger Rabbit looked towards the area behind Lu Yuan, blinked her big eyes, and said, "She said my dad went out on business with the Taoist priest."
Looking at the tiger and rabbit in front of him, Lu Yuan took a deep breath and suppressed his surging emotions.
"Your father has something to do and won't be back for a while. I'll come and pick you up to stay at Zhenlong Temple, okay?"
Tiger Rabbit has absolute and unconditional trust in Lu Yuan.
Without giving Lu Yuan much thought, he immediately tapped his porcelain-doll-like forehead and said crisply, "Okay!"
Seeing that Tiger Rabbit didn't ask any further questions and agreed, Lu Yuan felt a little relieved. He went to the bedside and gently patted Tiger Rabbit's little head: "You rest for a bit, and then we'll pack our things."
Tiger Rabbit obediently responded, and although it was still weak, it seemed to be in better spirits.
Lu Yuan felt even more heartbroken. He tucked the blanket around Hu Tutu, comforted her for a few moments, and then got up and left the room.
In the yard, Tiger Sheep was still standing in the same spot, still holding the broom in his hand.
She wasn't eavesdropping; she simply gazed quietly towards the direction outside the courtyard gate. Her profile, illuminated by the dim light, appeared exceptionally serene, and also exceptionally—lonely.
Hearing Lu Yuan's footsteps, she slowly turned around, her calm eyes looking at him with unwavering composure, as if she had already anticipated what he would say.
Lu Yuan walked up to her, looked at this precocious little girl who was heartbreakingly mature, and remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice low and solemn: "Yangyang, your father—he won't be coming back."
He didn't use the euphemism "went to a very far place".
When dealing with a child like Tiger Sheep, being tactful might be an insult.
Lu Yuan chose to be direct, which was cruel, but at least it was real.
Tiger Sheep's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and the knuckles of his fingers gripping the broom turned slightly white.
But the expression on her face didn't change much.
It was still that almost indifferent calm, but deep within those calm eyes, something seemed to have shattered and gone out completely.
She gave a soft "hmm," her voice flat and emotionless, as if she were merely confirming something insignificant.
Lu Yuan felt a pang of pain in his heart and continued, "He did something wrong, a very big mistake, which harmed others and himself."
"This was his choice, and this is his retribution."
Tiger Sheep grunted "Mmm" again.
There was still no extra reaction; she simply lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow on her face.
"But you are not wrong."
Lu Yuan's tone became more serious: "You and Rabbit shouldn't have to bear the consequences of your father's mistakes."
"You are innocent."
Tiger Sheep finally raised its eyelids, its calm eyes fixed on Lu Yuan.
There was no resentment, no sadness, only an almost empty sense of understanding.
She seemed to have understood this principle long ago, or rather, she had already accepted the worst possible outcome.
"so----"
Lu Yuan took a deep breath and announced his decision.
"I've come to take you away."
"Leave here and go to Zhenlong Temple."
"That's my home, and it will be your home too."
"I will take care of you, protect you, teach you skills, and help you grow up safely."
"Are you willing?"
Lu Yuan didn't ask "Is it good or bad?", but instead asked "Are you willing?"
Lu Yuan gave the choice to this precocious, calm, and thoughtful girl.
Tiger Sheep stared at Lu Yuan quietly for a long time.
Lu Yuan had been waiting so long that he almost thought she wouldn't answer, or that she would refuse.
Then, she uttered a single word softly, almost inaudibly: "Okay."
There were no follow-up questions, no doubts, and no bargaining.
It was just a simple "okay," but it seemed to have taken all her strength.
After saying that word, her straight back seemed to relax slightly.
The hard shell that she had been maintaining, the one that belonged to the "older sister" and the "little adult," had also begun to crack.
But she still didn't cry, didn't show any weakness, and just silently leaned the broom in her hand against the wall.
Lu Yuan breathed a long sigh of relief, but at the same time, an indescribable feeling of sorrow and pity welled up inside him.
He stepped forward, intending to pat Tiger Sheep's head as he would Tiger Rabbit, but stopped halfway through his outstretched hand.
He felt that this aloof yet resilient girl might not need, or even be accustomed to, such comfort.
Go pack your and Bunny's things.
Lu Yuan withdrew his hand, his voice becoming softer.
"Just bring the most important things: clothes and small items you like. Everything else is available at the temple."
Tiger Sheep nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
He turned around, and with steady but slightly heavy steps, walked into the side room next door, where he began to tidy up silently.
Lu Yuan stood in the courtyard, looking at the dim yellow light inside the house.
Hearing the faint rustling sounds of tidying up coming from the side room, I felt a mix of emotions.
Think positively —
Also good.
Otherwise, following a father like Hu Huhu, he's bound to cause some big trouble in the future.
At that time, the two children, Tiger Sheep and Tiger Rabbit, will probably suffer and be unlucky, or even lose their lives.
After arriving at Zhenlong Temple, at least Hu Yangyang wouldn't be like he is now.
As for Tiger Rabbit————
To be honest, it's still a big problem —
Tiger Rabbit's situation is very complicated. If she wants to live, she has to keep the "gods" burning lamps.
But there aren't many "gods" outside the pass to continue her life.
Unless you include those evil gods too —
Lu Yuan thought about it for a moment and decided to just ask the old man later.