"The world is cold, the reality is cruel, the path is lonely and painful, but the purest feeling in your small but huge and strong heart is what matters most and that you should never forget, it is the absolute truth that can break all falsehoods... if you manage to feel your heart to the fullest extent and not be carried away by the deception of the world, the reality before your eyes will be different..."
Lang Qingzu's small and weak body trembled slightly for a moment. Her small eyes seemed to show a tiny spark in them as a soft but strong voice echoed in her mind, silencing the other voices.
In Lang Qingzu's consciousness immersed in the darkness, a tiny tiny little glow that seemed far away appeared. Lang Qingzu observed this glow and she tried to reach out to it, but was unsuccessful.
However, she discovered that when she tried to reach it, slowly this glow seemed to get bigger. Therefore, with all her heartache, Lang Qingzu still tried to reach this brightness. Without any goal, without any thought, without any reasoning.
"Do you really believe that your beloved and dear Master, who protected you, cared for you and has loved you ever since, she would leave you?"
The voice again appeared, easily entering Lang Qingzu's consciousness, causing the gleam in her empty, dull eyes to slowly return. The beating of her heart that was so faint and almost imperceptible, returned to beat once again with great intensity.
"And that big sister of yours, who is seen to love you so much and even more than she loves herself, a big sister who cares about you and would even give her life for you without hesitation... do you think she would abandon you so easily?"
Lang Qingzu's eyelids trembled faintly, slowly opening them. Her empty eyes were beginning to regain more and more of that beautiful glow.
"And that sect, those big brothers and big sisters you have, do you think they wouldn't be sad if you don't come back? If you gave up completely?"
* Thump~ * * Thump~ *
Lang Qingzu's heart began to restore its beating, causing her to feel her heartbeat as well as her body.
"You may be very small, the youngest of all your big sisters and big brothers, but your heart is precious and unique. Don't see the reality and falseness of the world with your eyes, feel life and perceive it with your heart!"
The voice so soft and loving, yet strong and powerful at the same time, shook Lang Qingzu's consciousness, causing the darkness in her mind to begin to tremble and retreat like a mist. The darkness on the outside that enveloped Lang Qingzu was also beginning to withdraw in the same way, taking the coldness and negativity of the world with it.
"B-big brother?" Lang Qingzu mumbled when she finally recognized the voice that was so familiar to her. Her eyes quickly tried to search for that person.
When her small eyes that were slightly opaque found the source of the voice, Lang Qingzu's gaze stared at this figure and gradually began to clear.
"You are not alone, you never have been and you never will be..."
Ling Tian smiled softly at her. His hand reached out and caressed her soft cheek, wiping away the small drop of tear that had rolled from her eye onto her cheek.
Lang Qingzu was stunned and frozen, her eyes in utter confusion at the sight of Ling Tian smiling at her.
"Big brother... waaah~"
Lang Qingzu whispered, unable to hold back the tears in her eyes as they began to flow. Like a little girl, Lang Qingzu finally began to cry, letting out painful cries as she clung completely to Ling Tian, hugging him with all her strength, afraid that he would disappear the next second.
"Boohoo~"
"There, there, there, your big brother is here and he won't leave." Ling Tian patted her little head as he hugged her. He couldn't help but smile somewhat helplessly at the sight of her, reminding Lan Yin and Qing Sha of the times they hugged him and cried as well.
Not only the two of them, his other female disciples were clearly little girls and they also cried when he had to leave, disappeared or could not return for a short time.
Lang Qingzu cried for a long time. The strength in her hands and fingers did not diminish and they continued to hold Ling Tian, tightly clutching his clothes so that he would not disappear.
This little girl had not realized it, but she was no longer in the place as before. Everything looked like being inside a totally cracked glass mirror, even looking like it was the starry sky itself as many bright lights began to appear, creating a beautiful landscape that looked like the galaxy full of stars.
But Lang Qingzu was not aware of this, and she much less wanted to look. Only the feel of Ling Tian's body as he embraced her was what mattered to her.
* Crackle... *
Finally, the sound of glass from finishing shattering into many pieces was heard.
"W-who are you?!"
An old voice, but full of imposition and even a trace of fear, rang out.
Ling Tian did not move at the sound of this voice, as if he had not heard it. His gaze was on the small and adorable sleeping Lang Qingzu who was in his arms, carrying her in the style of a princess.
Lang Qingzu appeared to be sleeping soundly. Traces of dried tears were at the corners of her eyes and cheeks, with a sad expression fading, and with tranquility and even a small smile beginning to appear on her little face.
Surprisingly, Lang Qingzu's small hands were still clinging tightly to Ling Tian's clothes.
"It is true that the path of immortality is lonely, cruel, cold and merciless, and that it will force you to be alone as you have to walk your own path, but..."
Ling Tian began to speak extremely calmly, still without taking his eyes off Lang Qingzu. A gentle smile formed on his face at the sight of her, remembering his little female disciples.
"But she is a little girl who has not been tainted by the misconceptions of the world. Her heart is so pure and childlike that she must not be overtaken by that coldness of the heavens, let alone feel the pain of loneliness and abandonment along the way..."
"Even if this is a test to see the steadfastness of her heart, it is still wrong. After all, her little heart is still growing and she is just beginning to realize the harsh reality of the world."
"She should still not feel these painful feelings and, if possible, she should never feel them!"
Ling Tian finally looked in a certain direction. His eyes remained indifferent, but still carried a trace of coldness as he looked at the figure several meters away.
A man in his 80s wrapped in elegant but imposing battle armor stood firmly, watching Ling Tian as well. His face was old, as was his entire body, yet his eyes still exuded with a strong and powerful feeling. A halberd hung from one of his hands, as he appeared to be in a defensive stance against any attack.
Despite this old man's fixed and questioning gaze, Ling Tian did not show any frightened or somewhat nervous expression. On the contrary, his eyes contained a cold indifference upon seeing him, as if he did not care in the least who he was.
At this moment, where they were, it seemed to be a kind of somewhat dark dimension, like a huge dark room and there was no light at all, but surprisingly one could see each other's figures very easily, as if there was some kind of strange light mysteriously illuminating the space.
"Who are you?" The 80-year-old asked again after a long time. His gaze never left Ling Tian.
"Who I am is not important, but what is important for you to know is that I am the grandmaster of this little girl, a charming and cheerful girl who loves to laugh and play very much."
Ling Tian gently kissed Lang Qingzu's forehead tenderly as he held her in his arms, surprisingly causing a small smile to form on her little face. Lang Qingzu even seemed to snuggle more into Ling Tian's arms, burying her face more towards his chest the more she increased the strength in her little arms as she grabbed him.
The 80 year old man looked rather solemnly at Ling Tian. The halberd in his hand never disappeared, showing that he was on guard all the time.
At once, Ling Tian turned to look in a certain direction, causing the old man to frown as he noticed his behavior.
"Looks like she doesn't need my help after all..."
Ling Tian murmured softly with a slight smile, causing the old man's expression to pale slightly as he realized where this young man seemed to be looking.
Ling Tian's eyes pierced through all sorts of barriers and illusions, falling upon a lovely figure who stood cross-legged while keeping her eyes closed.
Xuan Li was in lotus position, appearing to cultivate. But her face clearly showed some pain and discomfort, frowning, as if she was struggling endlessly in her mind before slowly starting to calm down.
"The world is cold, the reality is cruel, the path is lonely and painful, but the purest feeling in your small but huge and strong heart is what matters most and that you should never forget, it is the absolute truth that can break all falsehoods... if you manage to feel your heart to the fullest extent and not be carried away by the deception of the world, the reality before your eyes will be different..."
Lang Qingzu's small and weak body trembled slightly for a moment. Her small eyes seemed to show a tiny spark in them as a soft but strong voice echoed in her mind, silencing the other voices.
In Lang Qingzu's consciousness immersed in the darkness, a tiny tiny little glow that seemed far away appeared. Lang Qingzu observed this glow and she tried to reach out to it, but was unsuccessful.
However, she discovered that when she tried to reach it, slowly this glow seemed to get bigger. Therefore, with all her heartache, Lang Qingzu still tried to reach this brightness. Without any goal, without any thought, without any reasoning.
"Do you really believe that your beloved and dear Master, who protected you, cared for you and has loved you ever since, she would leave you?"
The voice again appeared, easily entering Lang Qingzu's consciousness, causing the gleam in her empty, dull eyes to slowly return. The beating of her heart that was so faint and almost imperceptible, returned to beat once again with great intensity.
"And that big sister of yours, who is seen to love you so much and even more than she loves herself, a big sister who cares about you and would even give her life for you without hesitation... do you think she would abandon you so easily?"
Lang Qingzu's eyelids trembled faintly, slowly opening them. Her empty eyes were beginning to regain more and more of that beautiful glow.
"And that sect, those big brothers and big sisters you have, do you think they wouldn't be sad if you don't come back? If you gave up completely?"
* Thump~ * * Thump~ *
Lang Qingzu's heart began to restore its beating, causing her to feel her heartbeat as well as her body.
"You may be very small, the youngest of all your big sisters and big brothers, but your heart is precious and unique. Don't see the reality and falseness of the world with your eyes, feel life and perceive it with your heart!"
The voice so soft and loving, yet strong and powerful at the same time, shook Lang Qingzu's consciousness, causing the darkness in her mind to begin to tremble and retreat like a mist. The darkness on the outside that enveloped Lang Qingzu was also beginning to withdraw in the same way, taking the coldness and negativity of the world with it.
"B-big brother?" Lang Qingzu mumbled when she finally recognized the voice that was so familiar to her. Her eyes quickly tried to search for that person.
When her small eyes that were slightly opaque found the source of the voice, Lang Qingzu's gaze stared at this figure and gradually began to clear.
"You are not alone, you never have been and you never will be..."
Ling Tian smiled softly at her. His hand reached out and caressed her soft cheek, wiping away the small drop of tear that had rolled from her eye onto her cheek.
Lang Qingzu was stunned and frozen, her eyes in utter confusion at the sight of Ling Tian smiling at her.
"Big brother... waaah~"
Lang Qingzu whispered, unable to hold back the tears in her eyes as they began to flow. Like a little girl, Lang Qingzu finally began to cry, letting out painful cries as she clung completely to Ling Tian, hugging him with all her strength, afraid that he would disappear the next second.
"Boohoo~"
"There, there, there, your big brother is here and he won't leave." Ling Tian patted her little head as he hugged her. He couldn't help but smile somewhat helplessly at the sight of her, reminding Lan Yin and Qing Sha of the times they hugged him and cried as well.
Not only the two of them, his other female disciples were clearly little girls and they also cried when he had to leave, disappeared or could not return for a short time.
Lang Qingzu cried for a long time. The strength in her hands and fingers did not diminish and they continued to hold Ling Tian, tightly clutching his clothes so that he would not disappear.
This little girl had not realized it, but she was no longer in the place as before. Everything looked like being inside a totally cracked glass mirror, even looking like it was the starry sky itself as many bright lights began to appear, creating a beautiful landscape that looked like the galaxy full of stars.
But Lang Qingzu was not aware of this, and she much less wanted to look. Only the feel of Ling Tian's body as he embraced her was what mattered to her.
* Crackle... *
Finally, the sound of glass from finishing shattering into many pieces was heard.
"W-who are you?!"
An old voice, but full of imposition and even a trace of fear, rang out.
Ling Tian did not move at the sound of this voice, as if he had not heard it. His gaze was on the small and adorable sleeping Lang Qingzu who was in his arms, carrying her in the style of a princess.
Lang Qingzu appeared to be sleeping soundly. Traces of dried tears were at the corners of her eyes and cheeks, with a sad expression fading, and with tranquility and even a small smile beginning to appear on her little face.
Surprisingly, Lang Qingzu's small hands were still clinging tightly to Ling Tian's clothes.
"It is true that the path of immortality is lonely, cruel, cold and merciless, and that it will force you to be alone as you have to walk your own path, but..."
Ling Tian began to speak extremely calmly, still without taking his eyes off Lang Qingzu. A gentle smile formed on his face at the sight of her, remembering his little female disciples.
"But she is a little girl who has not been tainted by the misconceptions of the world. Her heart is so pure and childlike that she must not be overtaken by that coldness of the heavens, let alone feel the pain of loneliness and abandonment along the way..."
"Even if this is a test to see the steadfastness of her heart, it is still wrong. After all, her little heart is still growing and she is just beginning to realize the harsh reality of the world."
"She should still not feel these painful feelings and, if possible, she should never feel them!"
Ling Tian finally looked in a certain direction. His eyes remained indifferent, but still carried a trace of coldness as he looked at the figure several meters away.
A man in his 80s wrapped in elegant but imposing battle armor stood firmly, watching Ling Tian as well. His face was old, as was his entire body, yet his eyes still exuded with a strong and powerful feeling. A halberd hung from one of his hands, as he appeared to be in a defensive stance against any attack.
Despite this old man's fixed and questioning gaze, Ling Tian did not show any frightened or somewhat nervous expression. On the contrary, his eyes contained a cold indifference upon seeing him, as if he did not care in the least who he was.
At this moment, where they were, it seemed to be a kind of somewhat dark dimension, like a huge dark room and there was no light at all, but surprisingly one could see each other's figures very easily, as if there was some kind of strange light mysteriously illuminating the space.
"Who are you?" The 80-year-old asked again after a long time. His gaze never left Ling Tian.
"Who I am is not important, but what is important for you to know is that I am the grandmaster of this little girl, a charming and cheerful girl who loves to laugh and play very much."
Ling Tian gently kissed Lang Qingzu's forehead tenderly as he held her in his arms, surprisingly causing a small smile to form on her little face. Lang Qingzu even seemed to snuggle more into Ling Tian's arms, burying her face more towards his chest the more she increased the strength in her little arms as she grabbed him.
The 80 year old man looked rather solemnly at Ling Tian. The halberd in his hand never disappeared, showing that he was on guard all the time.
At once, Ling Tian turned to look in a certain direction, causing the old man to frown as he noticed his behavior.
"Looks like she doesn't need my help after all..."
Ling Tian murmured softly with a slight smile, causing the old man's expression to pale slightly as he realized where this young man seemed to be looking.
Ling Tian's eyes pierced through all sorts of barriers and illusions, falling upon a lovely figure who stood cross-legged while keeping her eyes closed.
Xuan Li was in lotus position, appearing to cultivate. But her face clearly showed some pain and discomfort, frowning, as if she was struggling endlessly in her mind before slowly starting to calm down.
