by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
“Good child, don’t cry. As long as you’re back, everything’s fine… Xiaoyu, why are you hiding? Haven’t you been missing your brother every day? Now your brother’s back. Do you not recognize him?”
After a while of crying, Mrs. Long helped Long Chen wipe away his tears as well as her own. Only then did she see Long Xiaoyu hiding behind her, stealthily staring at Long Chen.
When Long Chen looked at her, she hid herself completely, seemingly afraid of him.
“This child…” sighed Mrs. Long.
“Xiaoyu, do you not remember me? I brought you a gift!” enticed Long Chen.
“I remember you… but you look different… You’re too frightening and… you don’t look quite the same.” Xiaoyu stuck out her head to glance at Long Chen before retracting it once more.
Long Chen bitterly smiled. After all these years, his appearance hadn’t changed that much. However, although his aura was suppressed right now, he had slaughtered too many people.
Perhaps his mother was unable to sense it, but a child’s pure nature was very sensitive to such a thing. For her to feel afraid of him was instinctual.
Long Chen took out a small ball. Rainbow light roved around it, and flowers of light blossomed on it repeatedly. He smiled. “This is a gift I prepared specially for you. Do you like it?”
Yes, it had been prepared specially. But the amount of time he had spent preparing was rather short. Actually, it was just a few breaths’ time.
As soon as Long Chen had seen Xiaoyu, he had had the Blazing Dragon Cauldron work with Huo Long to refine this special medicinal pill.
It was a ninth tier medicinal pill, but in reality, it had no medicinal effect. It was not used for consuming, but for testing an alchemist’s control over their Pill Flame and Spiritual Strength.
The greater their control over their Pill Flame and Spiritual Strength when refining this pill, the more beautiful the end result would be. This pill was purely used to test an alchemist’s talent.
However, the quality was so high that some extra lines had appeared on it, making it appear even more glorious and attractive. It was as enticing as a shining pearl, but that pearl now seemed to possess its own life. Let alone a child, even an adult would be drawn over by it.
When Xiaoyu saw this fun object, it was unknown whether her aversion toward him had vanished or not, but she accepted it.
“Your father’s fishing beside the river. You should go see him.” Mrs. Long Chen was extremely happy to see Long Chen return, and she wanted her husband to be happy too.
“Father really is in an interesting mood. He can calm down enough to fish?” Long Chen was surprised by this, as well as a bit sad.
Back in the day, Long Tianxiao had been the Phoenix Cry Empire’s famous and powerful Border Suppression Marquis. He had used his great power and leadership abilities to protect the borders from the invading barbarians. He had been a brilliant warrior, but now he was forced to live in seclusion within the wild mountains. That made Long Chen feel guilty; this was all because of him.
“He’s actually gotten in a better mood after coming here. Back in the Phoenix Cry Empire, we often bickered, but your father actually seems much calmer now. He lets me have my way most of the time. Perhaps a person’s environment can really change them. We’re now in the green mountains, living a carefree life away from the struggle of the world. We don’t have to worry every day like when we were in the Phoenix Cry Empire, and your father is no longer busy with work all day. He likes living this comfortable life. Although he wasn’t a bit used to it at the start, we both feel very satisfied with our current lives.” Mrs. Long smiled at Long Chen.
After undergoing huge upheavals, a person’s frame of mind would change. Mrs. Long was like that. This was precisely the kind of life that she wanted. Her husband and daughter were beside her from sunrise to sunset, and each day passed peacefully. These days were ordinary, but they were happy.
Hearing this, Long Chen’s guilt was alleviated slightly. He asked them why they had moved from the village to this place.
“Those villagers are actually very nice. At first, they warmly welcomed us, and your father helped them with hunting. But later, the flavor changed. Although your father didn’t expose his status as a cultivator, the villagers sensed that he was particularly powerful. Each day, he would bring back as much as a month’s worth of hunting spoils from several other people. Plus, there was no danger to anyone’s lives. It was very easy…” Mrs. Long sighed.
A slight sneer appeared on Long Chen’s face. “And then they grew dependent on him, saying that since he was so powerful, why didn’t he go hunting some more and split what he couldn’t finish with them?”
Mrs. Long nodded. As soon as Long Chen had heard the start, he had known the conclusion.
Long Chen shook his head. “This is moral extortion. They feel that stronger people should put in more effort and that wealthy people should donate their wealth more. They don’t realize that this kind of thinking turns them into parasites without the slightest feeling of urgency or danger to better themselves. If they lose their parasitic target, they simply end up dying. Other people can help you for a while, but they can’t help you for a lifetime. Father was right to leave the village. If they relied on him too much, it would result in apathy from them. But I trust when he left, he had to have been cursed quite a bit. Heh, if you help someone once you’re a good person, but if you help them a thousand times and then don’t help them once, you’re an irredeemable devil. Viewing other people’s help as simply proper without being grateful is a common problem in this world.”
“Chen-er, you have really grown up.” Mrs. Long sighed emotionally upon hearing Long Chen speak with such frank assurance. Long Chen was no longer that willful child. He had matured but perhaps too much.
“Mom, can you make some food? I’ll go find dad. Let’s have a proper meal together. You should know that I dream about your cooking.” Long Chen smiled.
“Alright, then I’ll make your favorite pork with spring bamboo.” Mrs. Long smiled and returned to the grass hut.
Long Xiaoyu was playing with the medicinal pill delightedly. She was a bit enraptured and didn’t even pay attention to Long Chen.
Helplessly, Long Chen walked to the riverside on his own.
Chapter 1518 A Father’s Teachings
The river was only a few dozen meters wide, and the water was very clear and slow-running. It reflected the surrounding mountains.
A person was sitting on a rock beside the river. He had a fishing rod in his hand and he was staring at the ripples coming from the float on the river. A fish was currently teasing the hook.
Most fish would test the bait a couple of times before eating it to confirm it was edible. Suddenly, the float sank and the fishing rod bent. The fish had taken the bait.
“Hahaha, my luck’s pretty good today. I got a big fish.” He laughed heartily. His voice was still heroic and unrestrained. He was the old Border Suppressing Marquis of the Phoenix Cry Empire, Long Tianxiao.
A two-foot-long fish flew out of the water. Long Tianxiao pulled fiercely. The fish was strong, but it was pulled over by Long Tianxiao in just a short moment. He caught it in a net.
This fish had to be over ten pounds. Such a catch was quite rare, delighting Long Tianxiao.
“Now Xiaoyu will have a good snack.” Long Tianxiao smiled.
“Yup. I’ll also have a good snack.” A voice rang out behind Long Tianxiao.
Long Tianxiao jumped, almost dropping the fish. He saw a black-robed man smiling at him.
“Chen-er… you’re back?” Long Tianxiao dropped the fish and grabbed Long Chen’s arms, shaking him fiercely, his eyes reddening. “Little brat, you’re getting quite strong.”
With Long Tianxiao’s power, how could he possibly shake Long Chen? Although Long Chen had given Long Tianxiao some medicinal pills to change his constitution, his innate talent was limited. Even now, he hadn’t broken through to the Xiantian realm.
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“Yes. If I wasn’t strong, I would be suppressed by others. How else am I supposed to block the wind and rain?” Long Chen smiled.
Back when Long Chen was a child, Long Tianxiao would always give his share of meat to Long Chen, often saying that men needed to grow up strong to shield others from the wind and rain.
Now, Long Chen was no longer that small child. He had become a true expert.
“Have you seen your mother and sister yet?” asked Long Tianxiao.
“I saw them first,” said Long Chen.
“Good. Let’s go home. You really came back at the right time. This small river has a kind of fish called the Golden Mouth Catfish. Ordinary catfish live in dirty water and eat rotten meat. Its meat is like mud and has a bad mouth feel. There’s also a strange taste to it. But these Golden Mouth Catfish eat the fruit that drops to the top of the river. Their meat is delicious and feels good as it flows down your throat. Today, my luck is good, and I actually caught such a big one. It seems the heavens knew you would be back and specially prepared it for me, hahaha…” laughed Long Tianxiao.
Long Chen smiled self-mockingly. If the heavens had known he was coming back, it probably would have been impossible to fish up anything at all. He helped his father carry the net. Other than the Golden Mouth Catfish, there were a dozen other random fish. There was definitely enough to eat.
“If the Golden Mouth Catfish tastes so good, why don’t I catch a few extra?” asked Long Chen. With his current power, catching fish didn’t take any effort. If he wanted to, he could pick this entire river clear.
“No, no. Then it wouldn’t have any meaning. Fishing is a kind of pleasure, not a means of survival. These two things must be differentiated.” Long Tianxiao walked alongside Long Chen as he slowly said, “Although your cultivation base is higher and you’re stronger, your mental realm hasn’t progressed. That isn’t a good thing.”
“Dad, are you transmitting your teachings to me?” Long Chen smiled.
“What, because your cultivation base is higher, you’re looking down on me?” demanded Long Tianxiao humorously.
“How could I dare? In front of you, I will never strike or curse back when you beat and curse me,” laughed Long Chen.
“Little brat, wasn’t that because you were too naughty? If we weren’t strict enough and instead indulged you, you’d have long since ascended,” scolded Long Tianxiao.
Long Chen laughed and didn’t argue. To be scolded by his father was a kind of blessing as well.
They quickly arrived at the grass hut, and they saw Long Xiaoyu playing with the medicinal pill, throwing it high into the air. When it was thrown, the medicinal energy would ripple and unleash light similar to fireworks.
She was so focused on it that she didn’t even notice Long Tianxiao and Long Chen, making them speechless.
There was a stone table outside the grass hut with four stone seats around it. Seeing that fourth seat, he knew it had been prepared for him this entire time, but it had gone empty.
Even while he wasn’t present, his family was always thinking of him. As for him, it had been so many years, but he hadn’t even returned once.
Mrs. Long ran out when Long Tianxiao returned, taking the Golden Mouth Catfish. Seeing such a big one, she smiled. She told them to have some tea while she prepared the fish.
Long Tianxiao took out a teapot and placed it on the stone table, steeping the tea. Long Chen hastily said, “I have some good tea leaves here.”
“Tea isn’t differentiated by good or bad. What matters is the state of mind of the drinker. When it comes to fish, what matters isn’t size, but what you want.” Long Tianxiao shook his head and used his own tea leaves.
“Chen-er, you’re too tired. I can see the weariness in your eyes. You need to adjust yourselves, or if you continue like this, with your nerves tight constantly, you won’t be able to release your burden. Your mind will close off, and when you encounter troublesome situations, you won’t be able to make the correct decision. Although I don’t know what you’ve experienced, I can feel that you’re under too much pressure. If you stay in that state for too long, it’ll cause problems.”
Long Tianxiao looked at Long Chen with some distress. Long Chen’s worn-down face couldn’t conceal his weariness.
However, he had also become an adult now and had his own world. Long Tianxiao could not block the wind and rain for him.
“Some stuff has really been causing me some trouble lately, and it feels a bit hard to breathe because of it,” said Long Chen.
As soon as he had returned to the Martial Heaven Continent, he had seen the Xuantian Dao Sect’s destruction and become surrounded by powerful enemies that wanted to kill him. Practically, the entire Eastern Xuan Region was after him.
Pill Valley, the ancient races, the ancient family alliance, and the Bloodkill Hall were all watching him. As for the Corrupt path, they had been silent this whole time. But he knew they were plotting something.
That was the most frightening thing. The open dangers could be defended against, but the enemies at your back would lie in wait until they could launch one fatal blow.
This kind of pressure was something that would probably drive someone else mad.
“You’re tired,” said Long Tianxiao.
“Yes, a bit.” Long Chen nodded.
“If you’re tired, then stop for a moment.”
“But I can’t stop.” Long Chen bitterly smiled.
“Why can’t you stop? Do you still remember the first time you learned to swim?” Long Tianxiao passed Long Chen a cup of tea.
Long Chen received it. He scrunched his eyebrows. “How could I not remember? Back then, you really were vicious and directly tossed me into the pool. I choked and floated on the water. I still remember you had a fierce fight with mother because of it.”
Long Tianxiao nodded. “That’s right. Your mother loved you too much to do that. But some things can’t be taken step by step. That’s why it just took you a few hours to learn how to swim. Although you were just two years old, I trust you remember everything at that time.”
“Of course I remember. I remember your dark face very clearly. It was just as frightening as Yama King’s face,” grumbled Long Chen.
Long Tianxiao had truly been frightening at that time. If Long Chen had a son, he wouldn’t be able to treat him like that.
Long Tianxiao shook his head. “It seems you don’t remember enough. Do you still remember when I told you this: life is like drowning. The more you panic, the more afraid you are; the more you struggle, the closer you are to death.”
Long Chen was startled. Now that Long Tianxiao brought it up, Long Chen truly did recall that he had said this.
“Your current situation is like drowning in a sea. You are struggling to maintain a moment’s safety, but you are unable to escape the crisis. You can’t see hope. That’s why you’re tired, because you can’t see the shore or any islands. In this kind of situation, the more you struggle, the more energy you’re wasting. Do you still remember how you managed to learn how to swim in just a few hours?”
Long Chen sank into thought. “You told me that in a crisis, when no one else can help you, you have to learn a way to breathe for yourself. Once you get a chance to breathe, you adjust your current state to face the danger, instead of blindly fighting against the crisis. What you’re saying is…”
“Yes. Just like back then, you have to think of a way to breathe. Your nerves are tight all the time now. That won’t help you, and it’ll hold you back instead. You don’t have a way to relax? That’s just an excuse. You have to relax, and that’s the only way you can face the next challenge better. When drowning, you have to find a way to breathe before learning how to swim. Only once you know how to breathe can you begin the race against time. With it, you’ll be able to last longer on the waves. You can last until someone saves you, or until you reach the shore. Sometimes, the principles behind a single breath of air can be the foundation of the entire world’s
cycle. The Dao is always right beside us, but most people turn a blind eye to it. So, Chen-er, don’t be in such a rush to run. Sometimes, you have to stop and look at the scenery around you. You might even have to look back at your path. Then you might come to an enlightenment. Don’t blindly follow the flow of the waves. Having a target doesn’t mean you won’t get lost. You have to comprehend your own Dao. Don’t follow the same path that someone else walked, because if you do, you won’t surpass them.”
Chapter 1519 True Wisdom
Long Chen was deeply shocked. He hadn’t thought that his father, who hadn’t even reached the Xiantian realm, would have such a deep understanding of the Heavenly Daos.
His last sentence struck a special cord in Long Chen. He couldn’t walk the same path as his predecessors, or he would never be able to surpass them.
He had always relied on the Pill Sovereign memories, the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, the Dragon Blood Body Tempering Art, the Nirvana Scripture, and his other peerless techniques.
He felt that these techniques were incomparably powerful, and that as long as he could comprehend them, he would be unrivaled.
It was because he relied on them so much that he had never created his own move. Now his father’s words woke him up to this point.
The paths of other people, no matter how far they managed to walk, would always come to an end eventually. What would Long Chen do once he reached the end? Was he supposed to just stop there?
If he walked someone else’s path, wouldn’t their end also be his end?
This was a problem he had never thought about. He had been too dependent on what he possessed. What if one day he couldn’t progress in the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art any longer? Or what if the sixth star never revealed itself?
“Thank you for your teaching. Dad, you really are the wisest,” said Long Chen respectfully.
“Wisdom doesn’t mean anything. The difference between us is our viewpoints. You are looking from within, while I am looking from outside. I’ve escaped the clamor of the secular world. Each day, I go fishing or hunting, and I see Xiaoyu growing. These days have been the happiest days for me and your mother. By leaving the struggles of the world, by distancing yourself from the devils of your heart, you will be able to understand many things that you couldn’t before,” said Long Tianxiao.