Chapter 774: Promise Me |
"You can go see them if you'd like", Aunt Cui told her.
They shared a look before the young cultivator walked up the stairs. She looked around, seeing one of the rooms with the door slightly ajar. There was gentle purring coming from within, growing louder as she reached the door.
Opening it, Ming Yue peeked her head in to see Fei Xiang seated, staring at the baby carriage. His wife was there as well, asleep by the side of the carriage.
He turned to her, putting a finger on his lips.
She nodded, entering quietly.
Looking at the carriage, She saw Xiao Yin and the other two beasts curled around it on the floor. It was only when she looked inside that she saw Hongyu fast asleep with both babies in her arms.
It was a sight to behold, enough to melt anyone's heart.
But Ming Yue only looked for a moment before turning back to Fei Xian. She pointed at the door, motioning him to leave with her. He nodded and grabbed his cane before they both stepped out of the room, leaving the door just slightly ajar.
He bombarded her with questions but did so in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake up anyone.
Ming Yue only answered them to a degree, telling him the same answers that she told Aunt Cui and Elder Fei. Even then, Fei Xian's face had nothing but anxiety on it. He wanted to say something but seemed hesitant. But when he faced the woman before him, he could only open his mouth.
"Promise me this, promise me that you'll protect them... no matter what."
Fei Xian looked directly into her eyes as he said this. He was serious, no doubt about it.
"As a husband as a father, I can only ask this of you."
She could see it in his eyes, the determination, the willingness to sacrifice. Perhaps he knew that things were only going to get worse and he had to prepare for the worst.
Looking back at him, Ming Yue just sighed before turning away.
"I will promise you that but don't act like you're going to die. You should survive, for them."
Both of them just shared a moment of silence.
And that moment passed as the door opened with Fei Xian's wife, emerging from the room, still somewhat drowsy.
She yawned while looking around.
"Hm, Fei Xian, what are you doing outside with... Ming Yue?!"
The moment, she saw the cultivator she seemed to fully awaken, immediately walking up to Ming Yue.
"Are you alright? Did you happen to find out what happened out there?!" she asked.
But Fei Xian stopped her from going any further.
"Don't worry, dear. Ming Yue dealt with everything but she's a bit tired. She and I already spoke about it so I'll tell you in a bit. Come on, let's go back inside and check on the children", he told her.
"Oh, alright then."
His wife didn't seem very convinced but walked back into the room with him, leaving Ming Yue outside.
The young cultivator watched the door close before heading down, entering the courtyard instead.
Despite the mess from earlier, it had been cleaned up rather quickly and things were almost back to normal. She took a seat, looking at her surroundings for a moment.
She raised her hand, opening and closing it, staring at the empty palm. Her skin wasn't quite as soft as it used to be, it was certainly rougher and had a few calluses too.
"Imperfections can be a proof of effort."
Ming Yue looked up and saw Elder Fei standing there. He had his arms crossed, looking at her before joining her at the table.
"Elder Fei", she said.
"You know, I may be older but I'm not blind. There's more to this, isn't there? Those earthquakes... they're not going to stop, are they?"
He leaned forward while questioning her, doubtful of her previous answers. And Ming Yue knew that there was no point hiding it.
"No, they aren't. Things are going to get worse and that is because of the next Calamity."
"I see."
She was taken aback by his reaction.
"You're not surprised?" she asked.
Elder Fei sighed and looked at her.
"I had guessed that it was something along the lines. Besides, I was a high-ranking elder of the Eternal Blade Sect. After all, we have records of the Eonic Stance that dates back hundreds of years. It's not a surprise that those records would also include history much less information about previous Calamities. The land would tremble before shattering to pieces, plunging the world into darkness. That's what they say the Calamity will be like", he said to her.
He looked away for a moment, staring into the tea shop.
"Still, I didn't think that it would happen in my lifetime", he muttered.
Ming Yue just stared silently, not knowing what to say.
"So, what do you think? What do you plan on doing?" he asked her.
It wasn't a hard question for her to answer, not when it was obvious.
"The Heaven Realm and after that, the Immortal Realm."
Hearing this from her, Elder Fei didn't react for a moment but then, he grinned.
"Hehehehehe, ahahahahaha. First Heaven Realm and then the realm of Immortals... Do you think that it'll be enough?" the man asked.
And Ming Yue promptly answered him.
"If it isn't enough, then I'll just have to get stronger. If not me, then maybe Hongyu, if not her, then perhaps someone stronger will come along. But I have to do what I can, right?"
She smiled, repeating the same words that he told her years ago. And on that note, Elder Fei smiled, pointing a finger at her.
"If it's you then, perhaps you might reach it. YOu really might reach it", he told her.
Both of them sat there in silence, watching as the sun was setting. That night, everyone gathered at the tea shop for dinner, a pleasant end to an eventful day.
Luan City was still plenty messy but at least no one had died and Ming Yue's name had continued to grow in fame.
And the next day, she was gone, along with Hongyu and the trio of beasts.
For their next destination, it was Heaven's Gate.
Ming Yue still had that slip of paper on her, those words echoing in her mind.
"The Mansion of Earth, the Palace of Jade... if there is someone that knows about this place it'd be the Grand Elder."
She knew that much.
But the young cultivator did take a short detour, checking on the spatial cracks. Hovering over them on a blade of wind, she watched it for a bit, looking at the destruction caused by the Fiendish Ogre. In less than a day, Death Wind Mountain was practically nonexistent.
Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anything going on. The spatial crack seemed to be inactive, only just existing.
And after that, she returned to the little house they had, tidying things up before going on this long journey.
The so-called "Mansion of Earth, Palace of Jade" would likely be a difficult place to find and even harder to enter. And if it was going to be a long trip, she didn't want her home to be a mess when she came back.
Once it was done, everyone gathered outside the house, looking back at it.
"I guess it's time to say goodbye for now", she muttered.
Indeed, it was time to say farewell to this peaceful part of her life. There was a certain sadness in her eyes, knowing that this would peacefulness wouldn't last. But she couldn't just live on knowing what was to come in the future.
