Chapter 301: Chu Fan’s Romantic Affections

“Oh, right. These are some Elixirs Yun Xi refined. Their grade isn’t very high, but they should be decent enough for the disciples of your Piaoxue Palace. And these are for you, too.”

As he spoke, Chu Fan pulled out many more things from the Juntianjian World, including Spirit Medicines and rare materials.

“The little guy is still young, so I don’t know what kind of weapon he’ll like in the future. Once he decides, just tell me. I’ll find a way to get him a Treasure Artifact of at least Divine Grade. There’s also a Scroll with his mother; regularly studying it can enhance one’s Spiritual Power. However, that Scroll doesn’t work for everyone. Let Yan Ying try it with him. I’ve shown it to Yun Xi before, and it had no effect on her.”

“Wait, let me see what else I have here.”

“Oh, right! I also have a Storage Ring. It’s my last one. I’ll leave it for the kid, too!”

Chu Fan rambled on, pulling out more things every time he finished speaking.

In any case, he had more or less emptied out the reserves in his Juntianjian World.

From this, Leng Yingxue could see the deep fatherly love Chu Fan had for this child he had only just met.

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t moved.

Although Chu Fan often acted with a devil-may-care attitude around her, Leng Yingxue knew that he was a man who valued his relationships above all else.

If it were any other man, and Leng Yingxue had treated him this way, he probably would have started ignoring her, even if he couldn’t defeat her in a fight.

But Chu Fan was different. He acted this way only because of his deep sense of duty and responsibility. Even though Leng Yingxue had attacked him several times, he never got truly angry.

‘Because in his heart, Leng Yingxue is his woman.’

The appearance of this child had clearly flustered Chu Fan. Otherwise, knowing him as she did, Leng Yingxue believed he would have been far more prepared.

He wouldn’t have been so flustered and incoherent, which was actually a little amusing to watch.

Leng Yingxue even felt a pang of regret. ‘Was I being too heartless? Making him leave during his very first meeting with his son.’

But she had no choice. Long Ao’s talent was simply too immense. If she didn’t guide him with a strict hand, she feared he would go astray in the future.

If Chu Fan stayed by his side for too long, given the boy’s knack for taking any inch he was given, it probably wouldn’t be long before he stopped fearing even her, his own master.

‘The kid may not have inherited much else, but he certainly got his father’s temperament down to a T.’

“Why don’t you… why don’t you stay here for a few days?” Leng Yingxue said softly.

“Really?” Chu Fan’s eyes lit up when he heard that, but then he shook his head. “Forget it. I need to get back to the Eastern Domain. I’ve been away for so long, and I’m worried about things over there. Besides, I have no worries leaving the kid with you. Feel free to discipline him. If he doesn’t listen, give him a spanking. But don’t hit him too hard. After all, he’s got skinny arms and legs, not like his old man who’s got skin like leather.”

Hearing this, Leng Yingxue couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

That one smile seemed to melt the entire snow mountain. Chu Fan stared, wide-eyed and frozen in place.

In the next moment, however, Leng Yingxue reverted to her cold and proud demeanor.

“Bai Yun, let’s go!” Chu Fan shouted toward the peak of the snow mountain.

Immediately, a streak of white light shot over, followed closely by another, though the second one was significantly slower.

Sure enough, Bai Yun had arrived, and Long Ao had followed.

“Father, you’re leaving?” Long Ao asked, clinging to Chu Fan’s leg, clearly unwilling to let him go.

Chu Fan picked him up. How could he possibly bear to leave him?

“When you see Long Yintian, you tell him that Dad is angry, and I’m definitely spanking his ass next time we meet.”

“What nonsense are you spouting in front of the child?” Leng Yingxue scolded.

Chu Fan just ruffled Long Ao’s hair and said, “It’s fine. When you see him, just tell him what I said. Tell him Dad taught you to say it. Once Dad is done with his business, I’ll come here to see you.”

“Dad, pinky promise!” Long Ao said, holding out his little finger.

Chu Fan hooked his pinky with his son’s and solemnly recited the childhood rhyme.

“Alright, Dad’s leaving now,” Chu Fan said loudly. He then pulled Long Ao’s head close. To an outsider, it looked like he was kissing his son, but he was actually whispering in his ear.

“When you get a chance, ask your master when she’s going to give you a little brother or sister.”

Long Ao’s eyes lit up. “Okay!”

Putting Long Ao down, Chu Fan waved to Leng Yingxue, said a quick goodbye, and flew with Bai Yun toward the cave where the Space-Time Shuttle was kept.

Watching Chu Fan’s departing figure, Leng Yingxue revealed a smile of peerless beauty. ℴ

“Master, you smiled! Hehe!” Long Ao said happily.

Ever since he had known his master, she had never smiled. Today was the first time he had ever seen it.

“What did your father whisper in your ear just now?”

“Dad told me to ask you, Master, when you’re going to give me a little brother or sister?” Long Ao repeated dutifully.

Leng Yingxue’s face immediately became frosty. “Go back and copy the disciple’s code of conduct a thousand times. No eating or sleeping until you’re finished.”

“Master, have mercy! My dad told me to ask, it wasn’t my idea!”

“Two thousand times!”

“Dad, how could you set your own son up like this?” Long Ao wailed, collapsing helplessly to the ground.

Leng Yingxue turned her head, a smile gracing her lips once more. ‘It’s so good that you’re not dead.’

“Forget it. Considering you met your father for the first time today, the punishment is postponed until tomorrow. I will take you to see your imperial father and mother. Remember what happened today—you are not to speak of meeting your father to anyone except your imperial father. Do you understand?”

Hearing this, Long Ao sprang up from the ground. “This disciple obeys!”

Leng Yingxue watched a streak of light shoot across the eastern sky. Then, holding Long Ao, she flew off toward the southeast.

In less than an hour, Leng Yingxue and Long Ao arrived at the main gate of the Palace City in Jianye City.

When the Palace City guards saw the two of them, they immediately dropped to their knees.

“We subjects pay our respects to the Crown Prince! Greetings to the Saint!”

From Leng Yingxue’s arms, Long Ao acted like a little adult and raised a hand. “You may all rise. I wish to return to the palace to pay my respects to my imperial father and mother. Please open the city gates.”

Here, although Leng Yingxue was Long Ao’s master and a Saint Realm cultivator, Long Ao’s status was still more revered than hers.

Therefore, it was Long Ao’s place to bid the guards to rise.

“Yes!”

The city gates were opened, and Leng Yingxue walked straight in while holding Long Ao.

As they walked, a Guard had already rushed ahead to announce their arrival. Before they had even reached the Jinshui Bridge in the square before Wuji Hall, Long Yintian and Dugu Qingfang had already arrived hand in hand at the bottom of the hall’s steps.

According to protocol, when the Crown Prince returned to the palace, the Emperor and Empress were only supposed to wait in front of Wuji Hall. The rite of descending the steps was reserved for welcoming great heroes.

But in Long Yintian’s eyes, nothing in the entire world was more important than Long Ao.

“Father! Mother! I’ve missed you so much!” The moment he saw the pair, Long Ao leaped toward them.

When he got close, he first hugged Dugu Qingfang and planted several kisses on her face before going to hug Long Yintian.

Long Ao’s actions made Dugu Qingfang feel quite pleased.

Gazing at his precocious son, Long Yintian’s eyes were filled with tenderness.

“Lady Leng,” Long Yintian said, nodding to Leng Yingxue.

Dugu Qingfang gave Leng Yingxue a curtsy, a sign of respect for her son’s master.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Leng Yingxue and Long Yintian went to Wuji Hall. Long Ao, ever the little schemer, pestered Dugu Qingfang about wanting to go to the Harem to eat pastries she had made, effectively getting her out of the way.

Inside Wuji Hall, Long Yintian dismissed all the attendants.

“Chu Fan has returned. He saw Long Ao.”

“What?!” Long Yintian exclaimed. Then, as his eyes filled with disbelief, two streams of hot tears slid silently down his cheeks.

“Look at this,” Leng Yingxue said, holding out her hand. In it was the Emperor’s Jade Pendant.

“He gave this to you?”

“No. To be precise, he gave it to Long Ao. He also gave Long Ao countless priceless treasures. By the way, he was the one who took the Space-Time Shuttle. He said it has temporarily acknowledged him as its master. The Space-Time Shuttle has been in your Hua Xu Palace City for ten thousand years, yet you were never able to fully control it. However, you must not tell anyone about this, or his feigned death will have been for nothing.”