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墨書 Inktalez
Is this still the timid and pale child from before? What everyone saw was a rosy face, a slightly pointed chin, and a straight nose. Although he currently appeared somewhat refined, it was clear that he would grow into a handsome young man in the future.
Seeing everyone staring at him, a surge of courage compelled the boy to straighten his chest and declare loudly, "I am Yue Ting. My father's name is Fei; he is the general who defeated the Jurchens and a great hero of our Song Dynasty."
Zhao Ding was immediately moved to tears. He recognized the features of his late friend in this small face and was overwhelmed with emotion. He rushed forward, embraced Yue Ting, stroked his head, and choked out, "I finally found you! Child, where have you been these past three years? We were so worried about you."
Yue Ting felt a lump in his throat but held back his tears to comfort Zhao Ding: "Uncle, don’t cry. Yue Ting is back now and will never be taken away by bad people again."
Zhao Ding nodded repeatedly, wiping away his tears. Thinking of his deceased friend only made him cry more.
Li Hong couldn't help but feel teary-eyed as well, and everyone else sighed in sympathy.
After a long while, Zhao Ding composed himself and sat down. Suddenly, he pushed Yue Ting toward Li Hong and exclaimed, "Why aren’t you bowing to your master? He is the one who saved you!"
Yue Ting shook his head and pointed at Shui Qingzi and Shui Miaozi, saying loudly, "No, those two immortal uncles are my saviors." He knelt before Shui Qingzi and bowed three times. When Shui Qingzi tried to help him up, Yue Ting stubbornly resisted and completed three deep bows. Then he knelt before Shui Miaozi and bowed three more times, raising his head firmly to say, "Thank you both for saving my life."
Li Hong grew even fonder of him. This child knew how to be grateful at such a young age; he acted with courtesy and had excellent character. If nurtured properly over time, he would surely become a pillar of society.
Seeing the appreciative smile on Li Hong's face, everyone understood what was happening. Zhao Ding pretended to be angry and glared at Yue Ting: "No manners! You owe your return to Chu Hongzi, the National Protector. He has long said he wanted to take you as his disciple. This is a great opportunity; there’s no need to inform your brothers about it. Uncle will take charge; you should perform the formal bowing ceremony."
Yue Ting hesitated for a moment but then knelt before Chu Hongzi without performing the formal bow first. He suddenly felt a strong force lift him up as Li Hong said, "Wait! I have a few questions for you first. You must tell us how you have spent these past three years. Who or what took you? If you don’t clarify this, you cannot become my disciple."
This was a test of Yue Ting's intelligence and courage.
Thinking back on those three years made Yue Ting's face pale slightly. After a long pause, he said, "Yue Ting doesn’t remember very clearly; I just recall that something happened at home long ago—my father and elder brother went away and never returned. Then I was taken south with my second brother and others. One night on the way while we were sleeping, I suddenly felt cold all over and woke up in a dark cave. There were some other kids around my age with me. We were all very scared. Deep inside the cave lived a monster that emitted green light when it came out; that’s when it wasn’t so dark anymore. Sometimes the monster would make us do chores like cleaning the cave or gathering food, but it didn’t seem to eat much itself. After some time, it would bring one of our companions deeper into the cave; when it came back out with them, they would be unwell and often died shortly after. I was very scared and always tried to stay at the back, but one day it was my turn too. I remember being taken inside by the monster; I felt cold all over like I was in an ice cellar but can’t recall anything else after that. When I woke up again, I was outside the cave again. This kept happening; every so often one of us kids would die while the monster would go out to bring in more children. Because I was brave and often helped with chores, that’s why the monster didn’t take me inside as often. That’s how I managed to survive."
At this point, his eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at Li Hong: "Can you also fly like those two immortal uncles? Then I must become your disciple! Once I learn how to do it, I’ll fly there to kill that old monster and avenge my friends!"
Li Hong nodded slowly and said solemnly, "I promise you that in the future I will personally take action."
Hearing this made Yue Ting overjoyed; he rubbed his head and laughed heartily.
Zhao Ding quickly said, "Silly child, your master has already agreed to take you as a disciple. Hurry and pay your respects!"
Yue Ting immediately knelt down, preparing to perform the formal bowing ceremony to Li Hong. However, Li Hong said, "Wait a moment."
Upon hearing this, both Zhao Ding and Yue Ting became anxious. Zhao Ding exclaimed, "What does Celestial Master mean? Is it possible that Yue Ting is not qualified?"
Li Hong smiled and replied, "This is my first time accepting a primary disciple, so I must first report to my sect before formally taking on a disciple. But rest assured, I am determined to accept this student. For now, I will take Yue Ting as a registered disciple. He can only officially join our Mountain Gate when I open the Mountain Gate for accepting disciples."
Zhao Ding immediately felt relieved and joyfully said, "That’s right! Yue Ting, go ahead and pay your respects. This registered disciple will eventually become the primary disciple of Chu Hongzi, the National Protector!"
Yue Ting was overjoyed and performed the three kneels and nine knocks ceremony. After completing the ritual, he immediately changed his address and referred to Li Hong as Master.
Li Hong was also very happy; it was his first time taking on a disciple, and it was indeed a joyous occasion since this disciple was the descendant of an old friend. However, there was one matter that needed Zhao Ding's intervention; this was his only concern about accepting this disciple.
He called Liu Zhong in and instructed him to take Yue Ting to change clothes, bathe, and eat. Once everything was done, Yue Ting could come back to see him.
After Yue Ting left, Li Hong ordered all the Little Yellow Gate members to withdraw and turned his attention to Zhao Ding. He spoke quietly, "How do you plan to explain the Yue Family matters to Yue Ting? If he blames the Official Family or the Zhao Family after he learns his skills, what will we do then?"
Zhao Ding understood that Li Hong was worried that Yue Ting might seek revenge for his father Yue Fei's issues with Zhao Gou in the future. He pondered for a moment and said, "This is also something I have considered. I have a plan for this; when his brothers come up, there will be things to discuss. Celestial Master can rest assured; this matter will be handled properly so that Yue Ting will not have any pressure or shadows in the future. Moreover, by the time he learns his skills and descends from the mountain, he may belong to a different generation altogether. At that time..." He did not continue speaking. After all, he was still a subject of Zhao Gou and could not mention matters concerning his demise at this moment.
However, Li Hong understood his meaning and felt completely at ease. It wasn't because he had a good impression of Zhao Gou but rather because if an outsider could not resolve their inner turmoil, Yue Ting would only think about revenge after mastering his skills, which would be detrimental to his cultivation. It would be better for Zhao Ding to resolve Yue Ting's inner conflict at this moment. As for how Zhao Ding would do it, Li Hong could guess; it would likely involve Confucian ideals of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country. Given that Yue Ting had been immersed in such thoughts since childhood, it should not be difficult for him to break free from the confines of hatred. Furthermore, the instigator Qin Hui had already been dealt with severely by himself. Zhao Ding would surely mention this point.
The deceased are gone; once one enters the path of cultivation, all worldly grievances should be set aside. The essence of being a cultivator lies in vanquishing demons and upholding righteousness.
Thinking of this made Li Hong feel as if he had been struck by lightning.
Could he let Yue Ting let go while he himself had not? Perhaps it was himself who had yet to let go!
A flash of insight crossed his mind; Li Hong smiled lightly and said, "I need to enter meditation." With that, he walked into his room and closed the door behind him.
No one knew what he was up to, except for Jiang Xuanzi, who smiled faintly.
Ten days later, Li Hong opened the door and stepped out again. He seemed changed, yet at the same time, nothing had changed; only he knew whether he had truly transformed.
********
The scene of Yue Ting reuniting with his brothers was extremely touching, which Li Hong learned about later from Liu Zhong.
Yue Ting was taken to Zhao Ding's home, where Yue Lei and the others cherished their long-lost younger brother, never leaving his side. The four brothers slept and sat together.
Zhao Ding took the opportunity to reveal everything and personally led them to Qin Manor to witness the current plight of the Qin Family. Upon hearing that Chu Hongzi, the National Protector, had orchestrated the death of Qin Xiang and that Qin Hui had been left without heirs, he felt a sense of relief in his heart. Although he could not fully let go of the grievances suffered by the Yue Family, it was still somewhat comforting.
At this moment, Zhao Gou heard about the reunion of the four sons of the Yue Family and summoned them secretly.
The loyalty to the emperor and love for the country were deeply ingrained in the minds of the four sons of the Yue Family. Even though they felt cold disdain toward this emperor, they still knelt calmly on the surface. Only Zhao Ding could perceive the chill and indifference in their hearts.
Zhao Gou was very pleased and immediately offered them official positions. However, Yue Lei firmly declined on behalf of his brothers, stating that they wished to live in Lingnan for farming and studying for the rest of their lives.
Zhao Gou then rewarded them with several tens of thousands of taels of gold and silver and took them to meet Empress Wei, performing a show of maternal kindness and filial piety. Although Zhao Gou did not explicitly state it, he subtly acknowledged that he had been deceived by the Jin people into mistakenly killing Yue Fei. He promised that after his death, the next emperor would clear Yue Fei and Yue Yun's names and would compensate the Yue Family well.
Yue Lei replied calmly, "Once a person is dead, they cannot come back to life. We only hope that Your Majesty cherishes the people of the Song Dynasty and recovers the Central Plains as soon as possible; that would be our greatest compensation." After saying this, he resolutely left the palace.
The Yue Family had already shown great benevolence toward the ruler of the Song Dynasty. Yue Lei repeatedly instructed Yue Ting not to concern himself with worldly matters from now on but to follow Chu Hongzi, the National Protector, wholeheartedly to learn Taoism.
After understanding everything, Li Hong thought carefully and sent Liu Zhong to call for Yue Ting.
He passed on the introductory teachings of the Li Fire Scripture to Yue Ting and instructed him to memorize it perfectly before telling him to leave the palace and return to Lingnan with his brothers. He assured him that he would personally come to Lingnan to fetch him in due time.
Yue Ting became anxious and exclaimed, "Master, do you think Yue Ting is too foolish to serve you?"
Li Hong laughed and said, "You child, I am your master, not your owner. Where does this idea of serving come from?"
Yue Ting replied seriously, "Once a teacher, always a father. My father has passed away, and now you are my father, Master. Of course, I must serve you and listen to your teachings every day."
Li Hong found it amusing that this child had only stayed at Zhao Ding's house for a few days and had already been filled with rigid ideas. It seemed his decision was indeed correct. He continued, "It's not that I don't want you by my side; it's just that you have just reunited with your brothers. I cannot bear to let you part ways again for a long time. This will only be for three years at most. Our Nine Li Sect will reopen the Mountain Gate to accept disciples then, and I will personally come to bring you back. During these three years, you should serve your brothers well, enjoy family bonds, and diligently practice your skills. If you fall behind in your studies, I will have to punish you when the time comes."
Yue Ting obediently agreed but felt his eyes slowly redden with reluctance. He had already heard from Zhao Ding that the ones who saved him were Shui Qingzi and Shui Miaozi, but it was his current master who sent them. Thinking of this made him feel immensely grateful and reluctant.
Li Hong also took a liking to him and took out several bottles of Supplementary Spirit Pills and Fire Origin Pills for him to keep safe. He then drew seventeen or eighteen low-level Spirit Talismans on the spot, all of which would be useful for Yue Ting. With a heavy heart, he called Liu Zhong in to take him away.
Yue Ting walked out the door, turning back three times as he left. The image of Li Hong's resolute bronze face was deeply etched in his mind, tears welling up in his eyes. Suddenly, he turned around and knelt outside the hall, knocking his head three times on the ground while loudly saying, "Yue Ting will definitely serve his brothers well and practice diligently! Master, when the three years are up, please do not forget to come and fetch Yue Ting!"
Only then did he resolutely follow Liu Zhong away.
Watching that small figure depart, Li Hong's eyes became moist; making this decision was for Yue Ting's own good.
Firstly, he truly needed to report to Master Spirit Stone before accepting disciples. Secondly, Yue Ting was still young; having just reunited with his brothers only to separate again was something he could not bear. Most importantly, he did not want Yue Ting to get involved in the conflict between the Immortal Sect and the Demon Sect.
There was always a deep-seated worry in his heart that he could not share with anyone, including Master Spirit Stone and Shibo Ling Xuzi.
Li Xiaolou had already been confirmed as a high-ranking member of the Demon Sect. How many experts were there hiding so deeply that they seemed not to appear before anyone in the Immortal Sect? What was the true identity of that Azure Robed Man? Was it possible that the Demon Sect had really been driven back into fear?
Li Hong did not think so at all. All signs indicated that the Demon Sect had never been an enemy that would retreat after one battle. The hard fights were still ahead.
In this situation, it would be best to quietly place Yue Ting among the common people while frequently guiding him in his cultivation. However, Li Hong wanted to wait until the situation became clearer before formally accepting him into the Mountain Gate. In other words, saying he would come to fetch Yue Ting after three years was actually a lie but a kind-hearted lie meant for Yue Ting's benefit.
After ensuring loyalty and righteousness, he must guarantee his safety.
As Li Hong thought about this, he began to smile wryly; he had truly started to take on the demeanor of a master. Having just accepted his first disciple, he had already learned how to protect those close to him like Master Spirit Stone did.
From this moment on, Li Hong felt the responsibility of being a master.
Thinking of his master, Li Hong suddenly missed that face adorned with sparse, yellowish mouse whiskers. He walked into the room, drew a sound transmission talisman, recorded what he wanted to say inside, lit it himself, and watched as the Little Yellow Paper Bird flapped its wings and disappeared at Cloud's Edge.
*******
Just after finishing, he heard Green Lotus's voice outside the Emerald Cold Hall: "Chu Hongzi, the National Protector. Are you there? I need to talk to him."
Li Hong's brow twitched, and he reluctantly walked out.
When Green Lotus saw him come out, her cheeks immediately flushed with a hint of red as she slowly approached.
Today she was dressed particularly splendidly, wearing an extravagant wide-sleeved phoenix robe that only a Song Princess could wear. On her head was a dazzling Embroidered Gold and Jade Crown, and several hairpins inlaid with large dragon eye pearls sparkled brilliantly. Long pearl tassels hung down from her phoenix-shaped hairpiece, creating an incredibly beautiful sight surrounded by jewels.
Green Lotus walked up to Li Hong and looked up at him, her starry eyes hazy as she gazed at him with infinite reliance and affection. She softly said, "There's going to be a big celebration tonight. Will you accompany me to see it?"
********
There are matters today; only one update. I apologize.
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