Chapter 48: The Height of Irony—The Attitudes of the Two Women After Drinking

“You brat, you act with such sharp edges—today, I’ll show you just how treacherous the world can be…” Xiao Ding was truly angry; he’d thought the combined resources of the two sects had simply been handed over, not realizing that the price was letting this boy take his own daughter away.

How could he endure this?

So, in the end, it was this kid who took all the advantage. He gave nothing and yet walked away with his precious daughter.

Seeing this, Ling Tian didn’t hesitate; he immediately pulled out his protective gear. If Xiao Ding were to land a few blows on him, he’d probably be bedridden for days, if not weeks.

Luo Changsheng, for his part, didn’t even try to intervene. Truth be told, his protective efforts were rather lacking.

Faced with Ling Tian’s defenses, Xiao Ding was momentarily at a loss. After a bout of futile flailing, failing to land a single hit, his anger gradually dissipated.

In fact, he’d never truly intended to do anything to Ling Tian. Even if Ling Tian had let him vent his anger, he wouldn’t have dared to use real force. The boy’s background was no secret—laying a hand on him would be courting death.

Besides, if his daughter stayed by Ling Tian’s side, it might not be such a bad thing after all.

“Enough. Treat my daughter well. If she ever tells me you’ve wronged her, I swear on my life I’ll come after you!” Xiao Ding sighed, letting Ling Tian go. He realized it was better to spend this time talking with his own daughter, to ask her what she truly felt.

“Fellow Daoist Tianling, stay a moment. I have something to discuss with you.” As Xiao Ding and his daughter were about to leave, a weathered voice called Ling Tian to a halt—Old Xu Yun himself.

Compared to before, the old man now seemed even more haggard.

“It’s fine, I’ll talk with him,” Ling Tian said, noticing Xiao Ding’s guarded look. He shook his head—Xu Yun wasn’t about to kill him now, nor did he have that ability.

Having witnessed Ling Tian’s means of self-preservation earlier, Xiao Ding felt reassured and took his leave.

“I thought introducing Xiao Yao to Yan Chen was a good choice... I believed she would handle it rationally; I never expected her to act as she did. Young people… they lack steadiness. I thought…” Xu Yun produced two chairs, offering one to Ling Tian before settling into the other. His speech began with repeated “I thought,” shifting the blame onto Xu Yao.

Ling Tian sat down, then chuckled softly and shook his head. “Heh. But you got what you wanted, didn’t you? At least, your Dao injuries have healed.” His words were light, but his meaning was sharp—if not for Xu Yun’s deal with Yan Chen for the sake of his own cultivation, would any of this have happened?

Xu Yun’s lips trembled, as if he wished to say more, but could only sigh heavily instead. Yes, he had grown close to Yan Chen for that reason. But he’d never imagined his granddaughter would truly be caught up in it—let alone in such a fashion.

“You’re here because you’re afraid I’ll blame your family for Yan Chen’s actions, aren’t you?” Ling Tian sneered. No one visits unless there’s a reason. Everyone knew Yan Chen was his disciple; with things turning out this way, Xu Yun couldn’t be uninvolved. Rather than wait anxiously, it was better to act and probe for news.

“These are tokens of our family’s sincerity,” said Xu Yun, saying no more. Ling Tian had already exposed his motives; denying them now was pointless. He produced a storage ring, handing it to Ling Tian—an unspoken rule: spend money to avert disaster.

Ling Tian’s gaze flickered. “Do you know what Xu Yao’s last words were? She said this matter had nothing to do with me, and hoped you wouldn’t trouble me over it. Isn’t that a bit ironic?” He repeated Xu Yao’s words, watching Xu Yun’s reaction closely.

In the end, Xu Yao had been thinking of her grandfather and her family, but now Xu Yun used her as a shield—there was an irony to it.

Hearing this, Xu Yun trembled, his eyes briefly losing focus. He didn’t recall anyone relaying those words, and even if he had heard them at the time, his mind was wholly occupied with saving his family. How could he have listened?

Now, in the quiet, hearing Ling Tian speak, he realized the granddaughter he’d used as a scapegoat had acted with such nobility.

“I—I owe her an apology,” Xu Yun muttered, his voice hoarse, his body deflated like a punctured ball.

“It ends here,” Ling Tian said, rising from his seat. Having spoken his piece, there was no need to remain.

Xu Yun managed a weary gesture of farewell, as if it took all his strength. Even as Ling Tian left, he did not rise, his figure etched with desolation.

But… was this not the way of cultivation? Why, then, did his heart ache so much…?

…

Ling Tian returned to the banquet hall, where only a few stragglers remained. Xiao Ding and Xiao Ling’er were already gone.

“Hey handsome, have a drink with me!” An arm draped over Ling Tian’s shoulders with boisterous camaraderie, while the other hand tried to press a wine cup to his lips.

“You’re drunk…” Ling Tian looked helplessly at Hu Yunying, her cheeks flushed, eyes dreamy, and her clothing in slight disarray.

“Nonsense! How could I be drunk? See her over there? She tried to outdrink me—skinny arms and legs, how could she hope to beat me?” Hu Yunying pouted, waving her arm and pointing to Chu Xuan, who was already slumped over the table in a drunken sleep.

“Are you disgusted because I used this cup? Wait, I’ll get you a clean one…” Hu Yunying muttered, heading to the table to find another glass, determined to prove her sobriety.

Yet, the world spun before her eyes; her steps grew unsteady, as if treading on cotton. In a moment of carelessness, she toppled to the ground and fell asleep on the spot.

Ah, youth—able to sleep wherever they fall.

Ling Tian could only shake his head with a wry smile. So hopeless, yet so full of fun.

With no other choice, he hoisted both young women—one on each shoulder. It seemed improper to entrust their care to anyone else.

And truth be told, though both looked slender, they were not exactly light.

“You two don’t seem surprised at all,” Ling Tian remarked the next morning, gazing at the pair lying on the same bed, their clothes disheveled yet showing no sign of panic or outrage—so eerily calm.

Wasn’t this the moment where they should interrogate him about what happened last night?

“What’s there to be surprised about? I have a favor to ask; even if you did something to me, could I kill you? It’s just a look—nothing lost,” Hu Yunying replied, utterly unconcerned, even adjusting her clothes in front of Ling Tian.

Chu Xuan’s cheeks were tinged with pink, as if the effects of the wine lingered, but she raised her eyes to Ling Tian with earnest seriousness.

“You were chosen as my partner to overcome my love tribulation. There’s nothing improper about it. And if you prefer the three of us together… I wouldn’t object.”