Chapter 153 - 152: A Leaky Padded Jacket

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: A Leaky Padded Jacket

"That was my junior brother, Xian Yu Fei," Gu Ziqian said, shaking his head. "He was a rare genius of Xuan Technique, but he was too obsessed with outdoing others. He wanted to best me in everything, and gradually lost his psychological balance. In the end, he betrayed our sect and went down a wicked path."

Gu Qingyin was shocked. "So I have a martial uncle..."

"He has defected, so he can’t be considered your martial uncle."

Gu Qingyin tutted. "You must have been too monstrously talented. The pressure on him must have been so immense that he had no choice but to run away."

Gu Ziqian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "So it’s my fault, then."

"Is Xian Yu Fei very powerful?" Gu Qingyin asked. "Could I beat him?"

"It would be difficult." Gu Ziqian patted her on the head. "You have to keep working hard."

Gu Qingyin wasn’t discouraged. She lifted her chin smugly and said, "I know. I’m still young, and I have loads of potential!" She stared at Gu Ziqian. "Now, can you tell me about that commission you took?"

Gu Ziqian paused for a moment, then slowly began, "Actually... it’s somewhat related to the commission you accepted twenty years ago."

Gu Qingyin’s eyes widened. "The Candle Dragon?"

"Yes." Gu Ziqian smiled. "But what I faced wasn’t just the Candle Dragon. The Candle Dragon... was just a little guy I accidentally let loose."

Gu Qingyin was shaken. Back then, she had expended a great deal of effort hunting the Candle Dragon. She even got trapped in a Different Space because of it, losing twenty precious years. And now her master was saying the Candle Dragon was just a little guy he had accidentally let out...

’Was she just too weak, or was her master just too strong?’

’If the Candle Dragon was a little guy, what on earth would a big one be?’

"What is it, exactly?" Gu Qingyin pressed urgently.

Gu Ziqian shot her a glare. "Your children are already grown, yet you’re still this impetuous. When will you ever learn to be more composed?"

Of course, Gu Qingyin wasn’t usually like this. In public, she always maintained the dignified air of a master, facing all manner of ghosts and ghouls with calm composure. But now she was with the master who had raised her, so she couldn’t help but let her childish side show.

No matter how old a child gets, they are still a child in front of their parents.

"Oh, come on, just tell me already!"

Gu Qingyin wheedled, and Gu Ziqian, helpless against her, finally relented. "It’s a fragmented space inhabited by all sorts of Ancient Strange Beasts. If it’s not handled in time, the space will slowly merge with our own dimension. When that happens, the mutant beasts inside will all pour out, and it will be an apocalyptic disaster for this world."

"The Heavenly Masters who took on that commission were all immensely powerful. Each one went in fully prepared for their soul to be scattered to the winds. The best-case scenario was what happened to me—the death of the physical body, leaving the soul intact."

Gu Ziqian sighed. "Many of them... their souls were left incomplete. Even if they manage to reincarnate, they’ll be born with defects."

Gu Qingyin took a few seconds to process this before asking, her voice filled with shock, "How many Ancient Strange Beasts?"

"Over twenty."

Gu Qingyin gasped, then flushed with shame. "And I still haven’t even managed to take care of that one Candle Dragon..."

Gu Ziqian chuckled. "Of the twenty-odd mutant beasts, only the Candle Dragon got away. That alone proves how troublesome it is. Its strength in a direct fight is nothing special, but its methods for staying alive are second to none. The fact that you managed to wound it so severely is already quite impressive."

Gu Qingyin felt slightly comforted, but she still pouted. "Next time I encounter the Candle Dragon, I absolutely will not let it get away again."

Gu Ziqian nodded as well. "As it happens, I have a restriction technique to teach you. When you use it, you can lock down the surrounding space, which will prevent the Candle Dragon from escaping."

Gu Qingyin’s eyes immediately lit up.

’This is the great thing about having a master! I don’t have to think for myself at all; I can just learn it directly from him!’

The restriction technique wasn’t difficult. With Gu Qingyin’s talent, she learned it in a matter of minutes. However, mastering it and unleashing its full potential would require long hours of practice.

Gu Ziqian nodded in appreciation. "Excellent." He smiled, then said quite abruptly, "Have your children’s father come out and meet me."

Gu Qingyin froze. ’Oh no!’ she thought. ’We just got married last night! I haven’t had a chance to tell Master yet!’

She thought this meeting could be put off for a while. But before she could say anything, Huo Yunjing eagerly appeared.

Huo Yunjing stood respectfully beside Gu Qingyin, a warm smile on his pale face. He bowed slightly and said, "Greetings, Master."

Gu Ziqian sized him up, his face stern. "Who do you think you’re calling Master?" he said with disdain. "Don’t get chummy with me."

Huo Yunjing blinked, feigning confusion, then dropped a bombshell. "Qing Yin and I have performed a Netherworld Marriage. Therefore, Qing Yin’s master is naturally my master as well."

The moment Huo Yunjing called him Master, Gu Qingyin knew things were about to go south. She began to carefully inch her way backward, but she couldn’t escape. Gu Ziqian grabbed her and hauled her back.

"Gu! Qing! Yin!" Gu Ziqian bit out each word. "You had better explain yourself!"

Gu Qingyin jutted out her chin, her defiant tone belying her guilt. "Isn’t it because you kept hiding from me, leaving me all alone? I wanted more family, I wanted to give my children a complete home! Is that so wrong? Huh? You tell me! What part of that was wrong!"

Gu Ziqian was left speechless. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

After all, his decision to fake his death, while intended for Gu Qingyin’s benefit, still left him with a guilty conscience. He felt he was in the wrong, which made it impossible for him to truly unleash his anger.

He remained silent for two seconds, then released Gu Qingyin. After shooting Huo Yunjing a vicious glare, he abruptly disappeared.

Unable to hit her or even properly scold her, his only option was to go back and sulk, slowly processing the news on his own.

Gu Qingyin breathed an inward sigh of relief. But then, afraid Gu Ziqian would start hiding from her again, she shouted a threat at his vanishing form, "Don’t you dare hide from me again! Otherwise, I’ll stop giving you offerings!"

This only made Gu Ziqian even angrier. He couldn’t bring himself to take it out on Gu Qingyin, so his displeasure with Huo Yunjing grew.

’His precious daughter, his ’little padded jacket,’ had started letting in a draft after meeting this son of a bitch.’

As they left the offering room, Huo Yunjing glanced back, blinked his eyes, and asked pitifully, "Does Master... not like me?"

Gu Qingyin knew perfectly well what the issue was. She scoffed, "It’s not that he dislikes *you*. He dislikes your *title*. He wouldn’t like anyone who holds the title of ’my husband’."

The precious daughter he had painstakingly raised had been spirited away by some strange man. It would be a miracle if Gu Ziqian could bring himself to like him.

Huo Yunjing understood the logic as well. He sighed and asked, "Is there anything I can do?"

Gu Qingyin smiled. "Nothing you do will work."

Huo Yunjing glanced at the door again. It wasn’t clear if he was speaking to her or someone else, but he said with great solemnity, "I will be good to you. Better and better." After a pause, he added, "And I will be dutiful to Master, too."

Gu Qingyin glanced at him, then turned and walked away. She needed to get back to her room and master the Air Ban in preparation for the great battle ahead.

Huo Yunjing followed along.

Gu Qingyin sat on the edge of the bed, and Huo Yunjing sat on the rug beside it, able to see her just by looking up.