The Way of The Dao

"Are you fine, Senior Brother?"

Stares fell on Yi Jingwen, who was nervous and shy as she saw everyone staring at her. But she was still not completely inhibited and even moved slightly closer to Daihang Guan.

Daihang Guan blinked slightly in confusion before nodding with a smile.

"Yes, Wenwen, I really am fine!" Daihang Guan almost immediately understood her worry and calmly moved his body, showing Yi Jingwen that he was uninjured.

No doubt everyone had seen that he had been hit by the impact of the thunder tribulation, so Yi Jingwen couldn't help but worry about him. Even part of his robe was torn, but it was only that.

"That's great..." Yi Jingwen whispered full of relief, her eyes filling slightly with tears as she let go of the stone in her heart.

"Wenwen..." Daihang Guan couldn't help but whisper with a grateful smile full of affection as he looked at Yi Jingwen and felt her intense worry.

An atmosphere subtly filled with affection and harmony developed between Daihang Guan and Yi Jingwen as they looked at each other happily.

"So this girl is Wenwen?"

Ling Tian's voice was heard almost at once, bringing the pair of little lovebirds out of their world.

Daihang Guan and Yi Jingwen blushed at once as they realized the place and time. Yi Jingwen blushed intensely as she lowered her gaze and nervously clutched part of her lower robe.

Ling Tian watched silently as he was instantly slightly dumbfounded, with his gaze losing itself.

'Mengmeng! Zhuzhu! Yaoyao! I'm done, let's play!'

'Yeah, brother Tiantian! I'll be your main partner!'

'No! This time I want to be elder brother's partner!'

'Big brother Tiantian! You said you'd let Yaoyao be your wife today!'

'How about we play something else instead? Then there would be no problem to choose...'

'No!!!'

'Waah~ If Yaoyao isn't big brother Tiantian's wife then I won't play anymore! Boohoo~'

'Cry~! Cry~!'

'Brother, I also want to be your partner and your sword maiden...'

'Mengmeng...'

'It's unfair, elder sister! Now it's my turn to be his wife and guardian! Elder brother, you promised that today would be Zhuzhu's turn to choose!''

'Uhm... well! How about we do this so that we can all play...' 

'...'

"Husband, are you okay?!"

Feeling as if he was pulled from an endless black hole, Ling Tian blinked in confusion as he realized Long Yuyin was looking at him full of worry, cupping his cheeks with both of her small, soft hands.

Daihang Guan and the others were also looking at him worried and quizzical.

Those flashbacks... were they more memories of his childhood?

Ling Tian was surprised as he kept vaguely remembering those voices that he found very familiar and somehow he could never forget that feeling even if time passed. Somehow the affectionate name Daihang Guan said to Yi Jingwen seemed to retrieve some more memories for him.

Mengmeng... Zhuzhu... Yaoyao...

Those names again appeared, with their same voices and laughter, showing him that they were all playing together. These names and memories he had also remembered the next morning after his wedding night on the Divine Star continent.

Although there was still a black fog preventing him from really seeing and he could only hear, Ling Tian was more certain that something must have happened in his childhood. It was like a feeling in his heart urging him to remember more and more, assuring him that something very important happened to the point where he couldn't remember anything from his childhood.

Ling Tian smiled inwardly strangely as he vividly recalled how these girls mentioned a lot about marrying him. Most likely they were all too close to play without reservation.

"I'm fine, I just remembered something."

Ling Tian smiled calmly towards Long Yuyin, nodding to her not to worry. His hands covered her delicate hands, conveying reassurance and confidence to her.

Long Yuyin finally smiled in relief. It was very rare to see Ling Tian in this kind of state, so worry attacked her heart. Her husband is everything to her, he is her heart.

"So this interesting girl is the famous Wenwen?"

Ling Tian smiled slightly changing the subject, turning his gaze to Daihang Guan and then to Yi Jingwen.

"Mhn?" Yi Jingwen was startled to hear him.

"Master, you know about Wenwen?" Daihang Guan was surprised and asked nervously.

"You think I wouldn't know what each of my bratty disciples have been doing?"

Ling Tian narrowed his eyes, shifting to look at Yi Jingwen directly. But this time, his gaze had no other charming or wicked intent; unexpectedly there was only a hint of indifference.

Yi Jingwen couldn't help but feel extremely nervous and shy as she was looked at by Ling Tian in a different way, but this time with a different feeling than before. 

"Her name is Yi Jingwen, Master. I met her at one of the Great World Alchemy Tournaments on the continent. I have been teaching her everything I know about alchemy while she also helps me in many things, becoming a great helper to me. She has been following me ever since..."

Daihang Guan nervously explained towards Ling Tian, behaving like a nervous kid explaining what he had done to his parents. There was even a hint of fear. His body trembled nervously as he introduced Yi Jingwen, hoping that somehow Ling Tian wouldn't reject her.

"Greetings Senior! My name is Yi Jingwen! Although I was a servant and attendant in the past, I obtained the grace of senior brother Daihang Guan! I hope you won't dislike my status and appearance!"

At once, Yi Jingwen cupped her fists and bowed towards Ling Tian respectfully. Her body was also trembling full of nervousness, feeling her heart shaking fiercely with nervousness and a bit of fear. She already understood this man's identity!

"Senior brother?" Ling Tian raised his eyebrows at Yi Jingwen and then looked at Daihang Guan.

"I told her that she didn't have to be so formal with me, but she has insisted ever since..." Daihang Guan quickly explained.

Ling Tian's expression did not change and asked, "She is your disciple? Assistant? Or is she just a good friend?" His eyes narrowed even more. A questioning aura emanated from his serious and deep gaze, pressing Daihang Guan and making Yi Jingwen more nervous.

Yi Jingwen couldn't help but sneak a glance at Daihang Guan as her expression saddened slightly, filled with worry.

"Wenwen is a very important person to me!" But Daihang Guan replied without hesitation, implying Yi Jingwen's importance to him.

Yi Jingwen's complexion blushed as she kept her head down, but she couldn't help a small happy smile from appearing on her face.

"Even if her past was that of a servant? Even if she doesn't have great strength? Even if she has that appearance?" Ling Tian asked without joy or sadness, questioning Daihang Guan. It seemed Ling Tian had seen through them and asked, even reminding him about her appearance.

Yi Jingwen's complexion immediately paled as she heard that Ling Tian had exposed all her weaknesses and past.

Daihang Guan was silent for a second before responding again, but this time more firmly and decisively to Ling Tian.

"I don't care about her past! Wenwen is Wenwen to me and that's all I care about!"

"And if I say that I do care? You still haven't fully made any progress for some reason... besides, with that face and her past, do you think I'll prove it? You'd better not get involved with her anymore!"

But unexpectedly Ling Tian replied with serious indifference, as if he didn't care about this matter and with his words alone he could decide for Daihang Guan. His cold and merciless gaze pierced through both of them mercilessly!

Daihang Guan was stunned while Yi Jingwen paled even more. Xue Ning frowned slightly as she listened to Ling Tian, but when she noticed that both Long Yuyin and Mu Shuiruo kept their expressions calm she began to think more deeply. Even she noticed that Lu Wuhu remained silent, watching without intervening for Daihang Guan.

However, Nalan Ziqing frowned as a tinge of disappointment crossed her eyes. It seemed that Ling Tian really took notice of women's beauty and past. She wondered if Ling Tian would still accept her Masters if they were not beautiful women.

Just as Nalan Ziqing was about to say something, an aura imprisoned her with a bit of force. She quickly narrowed her eyes at Xuanyuan Ling who had suppressed her with her aura, only to find that the latter shook her head at her, signaling her not to say or do anything. Nalan Ziqing stared at her with some annoyance for several seconds before withdrawing her gaze from Xuanyuan Ling when she felt the suppression withdraw.

Shan Qingwu and Xuanyuan Haoyun remained silent as they watched what was happening.

"Master, I have always listened to you and happily did everything you told me without retorting anything, and I was never displeased about anything because I knew very well that you did everything for my sake. I respect you and I am very grateful in my heart for having taken care of me and all my siblings since we were just children, without you we would not have become what we are now... and I will never be able to finish thanking you for everything in my life, but..."

Daihang Guan's eyes were filled with serious conviction and confronted Ling Tian's cold jet black eyes. His voice contained no trace of hesitation or doubt as he looked at him.

"But I can't agree with you, Master. Even if I have to be against you Master, even if I have to disappoint you, even if I have to make you hate me, I won't leave Wenwen!"

"Hoo? Even if her past could not be rewritten or erased, you would still stay with her? Even if that scar wouldn't disappear and remind you every day of her true identity, can you promise that you wouldn't look at her differently? That you wouldn't think badly of her in the future? The past is something you can't escape from and sooner or later you will suffer for it. It's better to avoid all that by leaving her right now... she's not worth it!"

Ling Tian was unaffected by Daihang Guan's gaze and on the contrary, an invisible pressure emanated from him with greater aura overwhelming the resistance attempt, leaving no breathing space, subduing Daihang Guan and Yi Jingwen at the same time. His voice at the last moment became much colder and emotionless.

Yi Jingwen gritted her teeth as she clenched the corners of her upper robe at the same time, feeling her heart fill with sadness, helplessness, bitterness, despair, pain... she understood Ling Tian's words very well and knew it to be true. Her past, her appearance, her origin was not something she could erase or change. It would not be strange if Daihang Guan left her at this moment, or even if he didn't at this moment, he might do so later. Despite this, Yi Jingwen would not hate Daihang Guan if he left her right now, she would still be very grateful to him, so she wished that he would be happy and not have any problems with his Master.

However, Yi Jingwen was dumbfounded to see that Daihang Guan did not retreat and even advanced with one foot, facing Ling Tian as his gaze turned cold and serious as well.

"I don't care about her previous status, her cultivation level, her origin or her appearance... her past is not what defines her, but her actions and thoughts in the present is what matters!"

Daihang Guan stared at Ling Tian, took Yi Jingwen's hand without hesitation and pulled her close to his side as he showed his Master his resolve. At the same time an aura also emerged from Daihang Guan and covered Yi Jingwen, as if he was protecting her. He was really worried that his esteemed Master would reject Yi Jingwen because of her face and past, but now Daihang Guan knew that there was no turning back.

"Her appearance may not be as dazzling or beautiful as your wives, Master, but to me Wenwen is the most beautiful woman in my eyes that could ever exist in life!"

"And I don't care what people say! I don't care about the thoughts of others! I don't care if I lose my status or place! I don't care if I have to fight the world to be with her!"

"Even if she was a servant in the past, even if she has a scar that cannot be healed, even if her background is poor and simple, even if you order me to leave her, I will still be with her!"

"Master, even if you don't agree with me... still I will fight for Wenwen!"

"Because she is very important in my heart!"