Feeling nervous, Huán ān explained the situation to his patron, Zōng Lǎo zǔ, while Chén mò listened to their conversation with a stunned expression. The voice that came from within the Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān sounded familiar, almost as if...
Chén Mò couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, and then tentatively asked, "Uncle Fu, is that you in there?"
Just now, the voice inside Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān was particularly stern and full of domination, but as Chén Mò's words fell, the originally domineering Zōng Lǎo zǔ actually closed his mouth.
Huán ān's expression changed, and he nervously turned his head to look at Chén mò. He was puzzled and couldn't understand what this guy was saying.
The others who had been intimidated by the Zōng Lǎo zǔ earlier looked at Chén Mò in surprise. Could it be that he knew this highly influential Zōng Lǎo zǔ?
After a few moments of silence, it was seen that the waterfall rolling down from the mountain suddenly stopped. A figure emerged from the Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān like a ghost, causing ripples and waves.
An elderly man in white robes, with his hair and beard both white, with a spiritual and immortal demeanor, appeared in the view of everyone.
"Old, old ancestor?"
Huán ān's face was tense. Normally, the hidden and elusive ancestor, who was seldom seen in full view, had suddenly appeared openly at this moment. Could it be because of... Chén mò?
Apart from Huán ān, the others' eyes were all fixed on Chén Mò. In contrast, the person involved suddenly broke into a gentle smile upon seeing the elder's face.
"Fu Bǎo, it's really you, your old age."
Short words fell, yet it caused everyone's hairs to stand on end in shock. Qī cháng lǎo said that one should not mention the word 'old' in front of the ancestor.
Huán ān's scalp felt numb, and his entire back was drenched in cold sweat, as silent as a frog. He could already imagine the consequences for Chén Mò.
You see, the ancestor's expression has changed. His expression has changed. He is angry, yes, definitely angry.
He raised his hand, ready to strike, Chen sāng zàng... He's dead.
"Master, the old man misses you."
The Zōng Lǎo zǔ, or rather, Lín Fú, the third generation of the Shào shān zōng's ancestor, was stunned when he saw Chén Mò. He even doubted whether he had experienced a hallucination or had seen someone who was extremely similar.
But when Chén Mò said, "Fu Bǎo, it's really you, your old age," Fo Bǎo couldn't hold back anymore. He fell to his knees and cried uncontrollably, holding onto the hem of Chén Mò's pants like a child.
Huán ān: (⊙_⊙)?
Others: Σ(☉▽☉"a
Everyone was baffled, what was going on? The Zōng Lǎo zǔ of the Shào shān zōng suddenly knelt before Chén Mò and called him master. Is this world gone mad, or have I gone mad.
The most shocked was the seventh elder, Huán ān. Ever since he joined the sect, the Zōng Lǎo has always been extremely domineering. In front of these people—the Qíng shā Zōng's Qiáng xiān, the Empress of Tiān lóng Hóu cháo, the Zōng Lǎo, and the Great Master of State—Huán ān had always been very haughty and seemed to have a nonchalant attitude towards life and death, as if daring anyone to challenge him.
But now, in front of this obscure little kid, he kneels down without regard for his dignity.
Fu Bǎo paid no attention to the strange looks of those around him. With tearful eyes, he looked at Chén Mò and then slowly stood up. His wrinkled hands carefully caressed his cheeks, wanting to see if he was dreaming.
Three hundred years had passed, and he had been in the Shào shān zōng for three hundred years. From an unknown disciple to the current Zōng Lǎo zǔ of the sect, he was constantly grateful to Chén Mò for his kindness. He missed this master that he had grown up watching more than anything else.
In his heart, the young man in front of him was the only relative he had in the world.
"I must be dreaming, master. Are you really alive?"
Fu Bǎo pinched Chén Mò's cheeks and asked over and over.
Chén Mò smiled helplessly, "Uncle Fu, you want to prove whether it's a dream by pinching me, right? What do you pinch me for?"
"Oh"
Fu Bǎo finally realized what was happening and then panicked and pinched his face, which hurt a bit. It was not a dream.
Feeling the strange looks from all around, Fu Bǎo hesitated for a moment, and the kind and straightforward expression on his face instantly turned cold, "What are you looking at?"
As soon as the words fell, Huán ān and the others were silent as ghosts. Then, Fu Bǎo grabbed Chén Mò's hand and smiled, "Let's go, master, let's go inside and talk."
The two entered the Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān and disappeared without a trace. In contrast, Huán ān and the others were left in confusion.
Sun Qiān clutched his heavy chest, feeling deeply aggrieved. Why did he have to suffer when everyone had made the same mistake? Chén Mò was unharmed, and not only that, but he was treated so kindly as well.
"Seventh Elder, does Chen brother know your ancestor? Why does your ancestor call him a young master?"
"I have no idea."
Huán ān was also baffled. The ancestor had already reached the second level of cultivation and was a powerful figure throughout the entire Jīuzhōu continent. How could he call a young beginner "young master"?
"No, I have to go ask the sect master."
Huán ān did not respond to the others and instead left the back mountain to find Li Wàng.
At this moment, within the Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān...
Fu Bǎo grabbed Chén Mò's hand, just as an old man at home missed his grandson who had been away for many years, and all the words he had buried in his heart poured out at this moment.
"Back then, not long after young master you passed away, I came to the Shào shān Zōng according to your last words... The then sect master, Song, treated me well. Out of gratitude for your kindness, he took good care of me in every way..."
"Unfortunately, it didn't last long. The traitor Sun He came to attack the Shào shān Zōng and used the treasures inside Shuǐ yuè gōngtiān as his strength. Song, the then sect master, killed him with the help of the treasures inside, but it came at a great cost... Several elders were killed, and Song passed away as well."
"Luckily, a Zhang elder succeeded Song as the sect master and turned the tide. Later, he adopted me as his disciple... Many years ago, Zhang also passed away. In gratitude for his kindness, I stayed at the Shào shān Zōng to become what is now called the old ancestor..."
"Three hundred years passed like a flash. The old man thought that this would be the end of his life. I never expected that I would see young master you at this moment. It's not in vain that the old man survived for three hundred years."
Fu Bǎo spoke while his old and wrinkled face was filled with tears. Not wanting to be made fun of by Chén Mò, he quickly let go of his hand, then pulled out a white long-sleeved shirt to wipe away the tears from his eyes.
"Fu Bǎo, it's been hard on you all these years"
Chén Mò gently patted Fu Bǎo's shoulder in a comforting manner.
"There's no need to say that. The old man has taken one step after another to reach the position of the Zōng Lǎo zǔ of Shào shān Zōng. It's all thanks to the opportunities you've given young master. Moreover, the old man can achieve today's success because of young master's death, which made him realize that in this world where strength reigns supreme, if there is no strength, even one's own family cannot be protected... Now, the old man also has some strength. You can rest assured that as long as the old man is here, I will not let anyone harm you even a fraction."
With a resolute gaze, Fu Bǎo did not want to experience the desolation of three hundred years ago again.
