It was barely daybreak when the two of the reappeared on the peak of the
hill.
The did not return to town right away but waited for the sun to rise
before the two of the held hands and walked down the hill together. Their
feelings toward each other had grown much stronger than it was before.
Cheng Xiao Xiao and Mo Xuanzun returned to Cheng Yu’s courtyard. Cheng
Yu, his daughter, and his grandson were all packed and ready to go. When they
saw the two of them, Cheng Yu had a happy look on him.
Cheng Yu was the oldest. He could tell now that the two of them had been
much closer than they were a day earlier. There was a little distance in their
intimacy yesterday.
After they have greeted each other, Cheng Xiao Xiao summoned two
mystical cranes, one for herself and her aunty and the other for Cheng Yu and
his grandson. She also told him that the mystical crane was a gift for him.
Cheng Yu had long since heard that Cheng Xiao Xiao was a master beast
tamer, but he was still very emotional when he truly witnessed her summoning
mystical beasts. He, however, did not decline her generosity.
There was no reason to turn down a nice gift.
Cheng Huihui was envious of the mystical crane, but Cheng Xiao Xiao,
next to her, just pretended that she didn’t notice. Even if she wanted to gift
her a mystical beast, now was not the time. Sometimes the timing was as
important as the gift itself.
If she was just handing out mystical beast to anyone and everyone who
crosses her path, that was not being generous, that was just silly.
The three mystical crane quick rose into the air and disappeared from
the town of Chunyang. Naturally, Ma Chaoyu and Wang Siwei, who were still
standing guard in Chunyang, witnessed the three mystical cranes taking off and disappeared
in their envious look.
“Let’s head out too. At our pace, it will take no more than three days
to get to Daling. Once we get to Daling, it would be much easier to locate
them!” smiled Ma Chaoyu. They were merely a inside disciples, not among the top
10 disciples; if they were, the clan would have assigned them mystical beasts
as well. It would have made travelling much easier if they had mystical beasts
as their transportation.
Wang Siwei finally stopped looking on with envy. He nodded and, with a
cringed look, he asked, “I was only teasing shi xiong Mo, do you think
he will kill me the next time I run into him?”
“I can’t say for sure if shi xiong Mo would kill you, but I
guarantee you that our shi sao Mo will have a bone to pick with you….”
“Oh no…” moaned Wang Siwei, full of remorse. He should have thought it
through before he opened his big mouth and not just blurt out everything that
crossed his mind, now….
He was distressed that he was travelling toward a beating. He said in a
low voice, “Shi xiong Ma, what say we skip going to Willow Village and
just head back?”
“Of course not! We have already accepted the assignment, naturally I
want to complete it. Think about all the valuable items that they have at
Willows, it’d be silly of me to give that up. If you want to go back, you can
go by yourself. I am heading to Willows!”
“Okay, okay, I’ll go! Alright?”
While they were chitchatting,
they have already mounted their magnificent horses and headed toward Willows.
CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!
CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!
CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!
Three loud shrieks from the cranes stirred up the entire Willow Village.
The folks below, busied with their own business, couldn’t help but looked up
toward the sound and just happened to saw the three returning cranes and the
rides on the cranes.
The guards of the Cheng’s main building immediate reported to
Housemaster Cheng that Miss and guye were back with the others.
Old Man Ying was the first to sense the returning party. He went up to
the roof of his own building to try and spot them in the air.
From the back of the crane, Cheng Huihui saw the paradise-like village.
Surprised, she asked, “Xiao Xiao, this is your place?”
“Yes, Aunty Huihui, we started building our home about 6 months or so
ago. It is mostly done now, but we are still finishing up some of the areas,”
Cheng Xiao Xiao nodded as she responded to Cheng Huihui.
Comparing to Cheng Huihui’s marvel, Cheng Yu appeared much calmer. In
addition to joy, there were also hope in his eyes. He had great hope for this
place.
At the same time, this was the moment he realized that he would not be
disappointed. Just from this sight, he trusted that with this Cheng’s empire
built by Cheng Biyuan, destroying the Emperor City Cheng’s was entirely not a
dream. They definitely possessed the ability to accomplish that.
He finally felt relief!
He now knew that he had made the right decision!
“Miss is back! Guye is back!”
“Miss and guye are back!”
“Miss!”
“Guye!”
Everyone greeted the returning party with bright smiles as they hopped
off their cranes!
Cheng Biyuan had also rushed over to them along with Zhou Jinjiang, not
so much for his daughter and son-in-law but for Cheng Yu, the Eleventh Elder.
“Eleventh Elder!” Cheng Biyuan called out uncontrollably as he saw Cheng
Yu with a little boy in his arms. He almost didn’t recognize this man with
white hair and beard as the Eleventh Elder.
“Biyuan, I didn’t think I’d finally come and stay with you after all
that had happened!” Cheng Yu didn’t say too much but just have him a smile.
Cheng Biyuan didn’t care that he was tearing up. He threw his arms
around the elder whom had helped him so much in the past and, choking back his
tears, said to him, “Uncle, it was all my fault for not realizing what was
happening sooner. Why didn’t you come to me? You think we’d be afraid of them?”
“Biyuan…”
Cheng Yu’s face froze for a second but he was able to suppress his
surprise and emotions and forced back his tears. After a long while, he finally
said to him, “Biyuan, why don’t we go and talk inside?”
“Oh yes, that’s right, uncle. Where was my manners?” Cheng Biyuan smiled
a little, tears still swirling in his eyes. He pointed at the man next to him
and asked, “Uncle, do you still remember him?”
“Of course I do! You two used to drink together at the inn. I have met
him a few times. This is Zhou Jinjiang, right?”
“Indeed, I am, Eleventh Elder. We are all together again, finally!” said
Zhou Jinjiang with complicated emotions. “Home! Let’s go home!”
The two of them saw Cheng Yu into the house and actually forgotten about
the youngsters. Cheng Xiao Xiao sent the mystical cranes away and turned to the
slightly awkward remaining ones and said, “Aunty Huihui, let’s go inside too.
My mom is probably already waiting in the living room for us!”
“Okay, let’s go inside. How’s Aunty Yuqin been doing?”
“Well, everyone has been doing well.”