Chapter 672: Love of the Parents
Huangfu Qi didn’t know about Huangfu Fengchen being crippled and that she herself had almost been killed by Feng Xuan.
Long Chen decided not to tell her the truth since she was still young. He took her down from the Immortal Sea and then ran straight to Lingering Wind City. He planned to go there first before returning to the Battle clan. Xiaolang was still refining the demonic core and Long Chen still needed some time to master the Desolate Divine Seal.
Long Chen and Huangfu Qi talked a lot during their journey. She didn’t know she had been on the verge of death as she chatted happily. She wanted Long Chen to follow her to the Huangfu family estate to stay with her. She also stopped asking about Xiaolang.
After several days, Huangfu Qi finally realized that she wasn’t heading towards the Huangfu family’s estate. She asked, “Big Brother, I thought we were going to see my parents. Where are we going now?”
“To Lingering Wind City. It’s where your parents are.”
“Huh? I thought they were at home. Are you lying?” She pouted.
Long Chen decided to tell her part of the truth. “When you were unconscious, that evil woman took over your house and chased your parents away.”
“Huh?!” Huangfu Qi revealed an expression full of hatred. “Even my father lost to her? Despicable! Once I grow up, I will beat that evil woman until her butt explodes. But, Big Brother, since you are so strong, can you help me beat her up and then take my parents back home?”
Huangfu Qi was being carried by Long Chen as she spoke.She was smart enough to ask Long Chen to take revenge for her.
Feng Xuan was destined to fight against Long Chen again to get the Ancient Token, so it was just a matter of time. Since he was now at the Third Earthly Martial Stage, he had a better chance to beat her.
He nodded. “Leave it to me. I will beat her till her butt explodes.”
He grinned when he recalled Feng Xuan’s large butt.
But it wouldn’t be easy to beat her, since she was at the Fifth Earthly Martial Stage and she came from the Divine Wind Empire. Her Three Thousand Illusory Palms and Three Thousand Illusions were extremely strong, so he would have to work with Xiaolang to kill her, just like how they had killed the Heavenly Phoenix.
They finally reached Lingering Wind City after a few days.
***
“Fengchen.” The wooden door was pushed open as the lady entered the courtyard. The courtyard was already filled with plants and flowers that Huangfu Fengchen had planted. He was watering one of the flowers when his wife ran back anxiously.
“What is it?” Huangfu Fengchen was calm as he held his wife.
She calmed down and said, “I went to see if there were any news and heard that Feng Xuan returned to the Huangfu family ten days ago. She was in a bad mood and killed the servants for any single mistake.”
“Bad mood? After she came back from the Martial Overlord City? Wait … Could it be? Maybe Long Chen rescued Qi Qi!” Huangfu Fengchen was overjoyed.
“Maybe not...” The woman smiled bitterly.
“But what if he did?” Huangfu Fengchen raised his eyebrows.
His wife was smart too. “If Long Chen was successful, he would’ve come here. But it’s been ten days and there’s no news at all. What if … What if Qi Qi died during the fight and Feng Xuan’s plan failed? Maybe that’s why she was in a bad mood. Long Chen would’ve been too embarrassed to come and face us too.”
His wife was sad.
“That’s just a baseless accusation.” Huangfu Fengchen scoffed, but he was worried too. It had been a long time and there was no news at all. He had a bad feeling, but he refused to acknowledge it.
“Long Chen is strong and relentless, but his opponent is at the Fifth Earthly Martial Stage. I fear that he is likely to fail. Feng Xuan must’ve been angry about not getting the Heavenly Wind Veins. But if Long Chen doesn’t come back here… Then it might be true that he’s embarrassed. I don’t blame him, since I gave him an impossible mission.”
Huangfu Fengchen shook his head powerlessly.
His wife was on the verge of tears too.
“Fengchen, what should we do? Qi Qi is still young. Is this how she dies?” She started crying.
Huangfu Fengchen sighed and led her into the house.
Their life was peaceful right now, and they didn’t have to worry about anything. It could be said that this was their ideal life, but Huangfu Qi was not there with them. The little courtyard was filled with sadness.
Time passed, and both of them despaired.
One day, while having lunch, they looked at each other and thought about Huangfu Qi. They smiled bitterly as they ate their meal. They hadn’t eaten much in the past few days as they didn’t have much of an appetite.
Their eyes were red. Every time his wife remembered Huangfu Qi, she would cry. Her eyes were now puffy.
“It’s all because of me. I’m useless and can’t do anything.” Huangfu Fengchen blamed himself.
“Fengchen, don’t say that. You have your own situation. It’s just that Lady Xuan was vicious.” His wife clenched her teeth in spite.
They had given up hope.
Just then …
“Father, Mother.”
She heard a familiar voice coming from outside. They immediately stood up from their chairs.
I must’ve heard wrongly. Both of them thought the same thing because they had long assumed Huangfu Qi was dead.
But was it possible for two people to mishear?
They beamed the moment they realized Huangfu Qi was alive.
“Qi Qi is back!” They ran towards the door with joy. The chairs were knocked over, but they didn’t care.
They opened the door and saw a small girl wearing yellow overalls with silver bracelets on her arms. She was running towards them! Both parents cried out of joy the moment they saw her.
Huangfu Fengchen had never felt this happy before, not even when he became the patriarch of the Huangfu family.
Huangfu Qi was their world.
A parent’s love was limitless and transcended everything. It was also the most common form of love that almost everyone possessed. Only when one had lost their parents would they realize how precious this love was.
When Huangfu Fengchen held his daughter tightly in his arms and felt her soft skin, he knew he wasn’t dreaming. He quickly passed his daughter to his wife. “It’s Qi Qi! It’s really her!”
His wife was already crying. Her tears of joy quite literally gushed out from her eyes.
“Father, Mother, I am back. Why are you crying? Isn’t it embarrassing to cry when you’re so old?” Huangfu Qi panicked when she saw them crying.
“Who said we’re crying?” Huangfu Fengchen inspected Huangfu Qi and was relieved to find that she was uninjured. Her arms and legs were still attached, and she had even gotten stronger! He finally relaxed.
To most parents in the world, the happiest thing one could experience was the safe return of their children. It was the best gift they could ever obtain.
Huangfu Fengchen’s wife was going to ask Huangfu Qi about what had happened when Huangfu Fengchen smiled at Long Chen.
Long Chen stood there calmly as if he was one with the heavens and earth. He seemed simple, with all of his sharp edges hidden, just like a scholar. But Huangfu Fengchen knew that Long Chen had grown even more since the last time he had met him. To him, Long Chen was a miraculous being.
“You’ve done so much. I’m so sorry for putting all this on you, Long Chen. Thank you so much …” Huangfu Fengchen regretted what he had said in their last meeting.
“Don’t worry. I know your intentions to begin with, Patriarch. Plus, I am her older brother now. I didn’t save her just because I wanted you to thank me, haha.”
Long Chen’s relaxed posture made the atmosphere much lively.
“I’m just a regular person now, so don’t call me ‘patriarch.’ Since I’m only ten years older than you, you can just call me ‘Uncle.’ Come inside and rest. You must’ve had a long journey.” Huangfu Fengchen smiled bitterly.
“Big Brother, don’t go.” Huangfu Qi ran towards Long Chen and pulled on his arm, leading him into the house.
“This little girl …” Long Chen smiled helplessly.
He saw that the two had been eating their lunch. Huangfu Fengchen and his wife didn’t have the appetite to eat anymore, so they just cleaned up hastily.
“It took quite some time. Did something happen?” Huangfu Fengchen asked.