"So are we going back?"

  Chen Yinying asked him after taking a sip of the Sunheart flame tea which he had recently brewed. They had made camp in an open clearing not too far from the road.

  "Now that I've got what I came for, it's time to return."

  Ling Yun put down his empty cup. Only the two of them were present here. When they were leaving, his father announced his sudden decision.

  ***

  "What do you mean father? You're not coming with me?"

  Before their departure, his father announced that he was leaving with Granny Sha. With Ling Yun and his father leaving, the old woman didn't feel like remaining in the clan. Age was already catching up to her and this was the final straw.

  She was going back to her home village and his father decided to join her. Ling Yun couldn't fathom why his father would go to a small mortal village, where spiritual Qi would be negligible.

  "Son, being poisoned has damaged my cultivation. If I go with you, you will constantly worry about me. You have decided to get stronger to bring back Yaoyao. You don't need an old man dragging you down."

  "What are you saying father? You could never be a burden to me. We can find healers in the city who can completely restore the damage. Don't give up now."

  "It's not about that. I have no interest in cultivation left. Before I wanted to regain my strength as quick as possible but after seeing my son become so capable, I can rest easy." He gave Ling Yun a warm smile- full of affection and pride, before placing his hand on the top of his head. His father lightly ruffled his hair before looking in the distance.

  "As a former patriarch of the clan, my life had enough excitement but now I simply wish to live a quiet life, free of worries. Don't worry about me son, just visit whenever you feel like it, and someday bring Yaoyao with you.

  "Your father will always be waiting for you."

  His father and Granny Sha travelled with them till their paths diverged. Ling Yun gave them a couple of talismans Mu Feixue had given him for protection before they separated.

  "Are you fine with that?"

  As he was watching the backs of his father and Granny Sha move further, Brahma spoke up.

  "Letting the culprits behind your father's poisoning get away. If I didn't know you better, I would wonder if you really are born a man or not?"

  Her biting taunt rang inside his mind but Ling Yun responded with a light shrug. "You saw how strong my uncle was. I couldn't beat him so I decided to retreat."

  "True, you couldn't beat him but you had the power to kill him. I taught you my soul arts for times like this. With the Eternal Mourning Raven, you could've killed both father and son together with a single thought. Instead you chose to cower away with your tail between your legs. How disgraceful!"

  No matter how much she tried to cut deep with her words and rile him up, his heart remained firm. Normally he would listen meekly and end up agreeing with her but this time he fired back.

  "There is nothing disgraceful about my decision. I won't deny that I wanted my uncle and cousin to be punished. But after seeing the smile on my father's face, I don't care about revenge anymore. Uncle and cousin can rule the clan; instead of staining my hands with blood, I am going to use them to build a bright future for Yaoyao and my father."

  "Hmmph! You can justify however you want but all I can hear is running away because you lack the courage to kill."

  Brahma dismissed his words with a wave but her simmering eyes showed that she was angry at him for fighting back.

  "You let your uncle take back that trash who poisoned your father, surrendered your position as the heir and your father's position as the patriarch. Your uncle must be laughing inwardly at what big cowards you and your father are, letting him takeover so easily.

  "Ling Yun, is that going to happen every time you encounter a foe like that? Do you have any shame, any pride or will you surrender everything without even a fight?"

  "I will not surrender my conscience to mercilessly kill people." Ling Yun went inside his soul sea and there he met her heated glare head on.

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  "I know that you are trying to mold me in your image but it will never work. I will admit you are right about many things. But I've come to realise that you aren't always correct."

  Since Ling Yun was taller than her, Brahma had to look up at him. Facing the burning embers in her amethyst eyes, his gaze remained steady- like deep oceans unmoved by the storm around them.

  "I will always be grateful for your advice but don't expect me to follow that everytime. You may be my teacher but- I walk on my own path."

  Saying all that he needed to, Ling Yun turned back to leave. He heard Brahma fuming behind him but ignored it.

  "Ling Yun, mark my words. The day will come when you will shatter your ideals by your own hands. And then you will understand the path I'm guiding you is the right one."

  ***

  "Hey! What are you thinking so hard about?"

  Seeing Ling Yun staring at his cup blankly for some time, Chen Yinying called out to him, breaking him from his reverie.

  "Oh!" Ling Yun blinked once before his eyes snapped back into focus.

  "Nothing particular. Just thinking how fortunate it was that I came here in time to save father."

  Ling Yun had never planned on seeing his father. He had originally wanted to simply meet Granny Sha and quietly leave. But upon arriving, he discovered an assassination attempt on his father. His father had been poisoned and would die in a few days.

  With the soul arts and alchemy that he had learned, he was able to save his father. And most of all, he got the chance to reconcile with him. Ling Yun had always felt guilty for abandoning his father but now they could make a fresh start.

  No, I didn't do it all alone.

  He looked at Chen Yinying sipping her tea in delight and automatically, his lips curved into a smile.

  Yinying. Little Bai. Without their help, my father would have surely died. Both of them fought hard for my sake.

  After giving him the flower, little Bai went inside the spatial bracelet to recuperate. The snake had been sleeping since then. Ling Yun had seen the injuries on little Bai and understood the dangers it had braved for him.

  Brahma...

  You told me that trusting others is a sign of weakness, that the only strength I can rely on is my own.

  You were wrong.

  When I was about to be crushed by my troubles, their hands lightened my burden so that I could stand up.

  Whenever I encountered an obstacle, they stepped up and cleared the path for me to walk ahead.

  My strength alone was not enough. Yet they reached out to me without asking. And that... saved me.

  I agree that your own cultivation is important but having such great friends on your side is also a vital strength.

  So I reject the solitary path you've shown me. I will walk forward- together with them.

  ***

  "Now that we are alone, I think it is time for us to have that talk."

  Her face instantly stiffened. Chen Yinying took a final sip and put down the empty cup. She had revealed her true identity a few days ago. At that time, Ling Yun was busy trying to save his father so he didn't probe further. After that with everything going on, it got delayed till now.

  She took a deep breath and then put on a teasing smile. "Finally ran out of patience. I was wondering when you would ask. So tell me what do you want to know?"

  He must have plenty of questions.

  Having kept him in the dark for far too long, she wasn't going to hide anything from him. Whatever he wanted to know, she would tell him everything.

  Well, almost everything.

  "I only want to know how I can help you. You approached me because you must have needed me for something. So tell me about that."

  Her lips parted in surprise but no words came out. She expected he would ask more regarding her identity as the head of the sect but not this.

  "You... you really don't want to ask anything else?"

  "I would be lying if I say I wasn't curious about why a head of a sect was in a brothel playing the role of a simple musician."

  He had a wry smile on his face. "But since you kept it a secret, there must be some important reasons. Just because I told you about my past, there is no reason for you to do the same.

  "You said you wanted to be my friend, and that's all I need to know."

  His soft gentle eyes were shining full of sincerity that she was stuck staring at them. Then she started to giggle. The melodious sound grew louder and louder until she was laughing freely, letting herself go.

  "You really are something else, don't you. Always reminding me why I chose to become your friend."

  Her laughter subsided after sometime. She wiped a tear below her eye before composing herself.

  "Since you told me about your past, I shall do the same. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair."

  "So what type of sect is the Joyous Harmony sect? I have never heard about it before and from its name, it doesn't seem like a combat-oriented one."

  "It was a dual cultivation sect."

  At this unexpected answer, Ling Yun's mouth was gaping open like a fish. His mouth opened. Closed. Then opened again but no words came out. She bit her lips to hold herself back from bursting into laughter as a red flush covered his face.

  When their eyes met, he instantly averted his gaze. Ling Yun cleared his throat and began awkwardly, "I'm sorry but did you say 'dual cultivation'?"

  "Yes but calm down your imagination. Most of the rumours you have heard about dual cultivation are greatly exaggerated or false. But it is true that it was a dual cultivation sect and I am its current head for what it's worth. It is just an empty hollow title."

  There was a sudden shift in her demeanor and a sad smile formed on her face.

  "The Joyous Harmony sect, it doesn't exist anymore. Me and the girls at the Thousand Fragrance Palace are the only members left after its destruction. Many years have passed but I still remember that nightmare clearly- the smell of blood, the echoes of screams across the halls as the walls collapsed around us, one after the other."

  Her lips pulled into a thin line and her fingers tightly clutched the hem of her skirt.

  "To this day I wonder how things would've turned out if my mother had made a different choice.

  "It all started when we let that man enter our gates. How ironic... that we brought inside the omen of doom ourselves."