Chapter 146: Father and Daughter Reunited!
Under the puzzled gazes of the group, Jiang Yun shifted his attention toward Zi Yan, who was quietly seated off to the side.
"What is it?" Noticing Jiang Yun's stare, Zi Yan somewhat strangely looked herself up and down.
Mm. Looking down, couldn't see her toes. Nothing wrong there!
"Zi Yan... I think I may have found your father." Jiang Yun 'deliberated' for a moment, then slowly spoke with some hesitation.
Her body stiffened slightly. The expression on her face froze. Zi Yan looked up at Jiang Yun, an unprecedented, complex swirl of emotions welling up in her eyes.
"Brother Jiang Yun, you know where Sister Zi Yan's father is?!" Qing Lin beside them asked with astonished curiosity.
Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to Jiang Yun. As for Zi Yan's origins, they naturally knew them well. The supreme magical beast stranded outside her clan—the Taixu Ancient Dragon.
She had met Jiang Yun as a child and was later picked up and brought to the Jia Nan Academy by the Great Elder Su Qian, where she grew up. In all this time, no expert of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan had ever appeared seeking Zi Yan.
How could Jiang Yun suddenly discover Zi Yan's father?
"I have some conjectures." Jiang Yun nodded slightly. "After entering seclusion in the subterranean magma space, I encountered a Taixu Ancient Dragon there whose aura was very similar to Zi Yan's. That's why I formed this speculation. Of course—what the final result truly is, Zi Yan will have to go see for herself."
"Beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower—there's actually a Taixu Ancient Dragon hidden there!" Upon hearing this, Medusa spoke with some astonishment.
Everyone's hearts were filled with puzzlement. An adult Taixu Ancient Dragon would at least be an eighth-rank magical beast. Why wouldn't it leave the magma world below?
"Could it be... something has happened to Zi Yan's father?" The perceptive group immediately guessed the general situation.
"The matter is somewhat complicated. I'll explain in detail to you all later." Jiang Yun said vaguely, then turned to Zi Yan and asked, "Zi Yan, do you want to meet him?"
The courtyard fell silent in an instant. Under the gaze of everyone, Zi Yan turned her head away. With a sour, bitter ache in her voice, she said, "I don't want to see him at all. I... I... I never had any father to begin with!"
Jiang Yun, having grown up with her, understood Zi Yan's temperament all too well. Deep in her heart, she yearned for familial affection. She was simply being tsundere, stubborn, and sharp-tongued!
In this respect, she was exactly like Medusa—no wonder the two clashed so fiercely!
"Then we won't see him. But Uncle, trapped alone, pitifully and desolately in that subterranean world, is quite pitiable all on his own. And I also promised Uncle I'd bring you to meet him and confirm his identity. It seems I'll have to break my word to him." Jiang Yun walked to Zi Yan's side and pulled her into his embrace, speaking softly.
As Jiang Yun spoke, Zi Yan, burying her head in his chest, clutched him even tighter. Her delicate frame trembled faintly. A muffled, stifled voice emerged from within Jiang Yun's arms: "Honestly... Xiao Yun always likes deciding things for people. Let me be clear first—it's not that I want to see him. I just can't let Xiao Yun become someone who breaks his promises!"
Hearing Zi Yan's words, Jiang Yun's eyes brimmed with tenderness. Reaching out, he ruffled her soft, silky purple hair. Turning his head, he glanced at the others. "Zi Yan and I will step out once more. We'll bring you all a surprise when we return. If the Great Elder comes looking, tell him on my behalf."
Medusa and the other two were somewhat puzzled but still nodded. It was just a matter of a few days—a single seclusion session would pass and it'd be over.
Nodding, Jiang Yun wrapped his arm around Zi Yan. Their figures slowly dispersed and faded!
From the very moment he had seen Zhu Kun, Jiang Yun had already set his sights on his future father-in-law. The guidance of a nine-star Dou Sheng—for their group, that was practically a cheat code handed to them on a silver platter.
This wool—if you don't shear it, you're missing out!
Soundlessly, this time without pausing, Jiang Yun took Zi Yan and flew directly toward the Ancient Emperor's Mansion.
In just a short while, the two had stepped into this space that figures like Hun Tiandi and Gu Yuan dreamed of.
The very moment they arrived, their vision blurred, and Zhu Kun's figure materialized right before their eyes.
At this moment, Zhu Kun didn't spare so much as a glance at his 'benefactor' Jiang Yun. His eyes held only Zi Yan.
Those golden pupils—the gaze with which he looked at Zi Yan was exceptionally gentle and tender.
The instant Zi Yan had entered, he had felt the stirring, the throbbing, in his bloodline—of the same clan, the same origin. His heart, silent and still for countless years, abruptly began pounding violently. His gaze fixed tightly upon Zi Yan. He murmured:
"Child..."
"Who's your child!"
Zhu Kun felt this way—and naturally, Zi Yan did as well. By now, her heart was already certain: the man before her was her father.
The agitated, overjoyed Zhu Kun quickly stepped forward and gently took hold of Zi Yan's hand. The moment their hands met, two streams of brilliant, dazzling golden light erupted violently from within their bodies, flowing along their arms and finally merging perfectly where their palms met.
"Weng!"
A terrifying bloodline pressure radiated from the two of them.
Had any Dou Zun or Dou Sheng experts of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan been present, they would all have reverently knelt before the powerful bloodline pressure of these two, the former and current Dragon Emperors.
"Child, look! See this bloodline resonance? Only between the most closely related bloodlines of the same clan and origin does such resonance occur." Watching the brilliant golden light appear, as if this alone could finally make Zi Yan believe, Zhu Kun spoke with massive excitement.
Zi Yan stared blankly at the point where their hands met. But then, recalling the experiences of all these years, the gaze with which she looked at Zhu Kun was both foreign and wronged. She abruptly flung away Zhu Kun's hand. Her eyes misted with tears. Reflexively denying, stubbornly, she said, "I'm an orphan. No father, no mother."
Her voice was cold and clear. Yet within those words was a faint trace that made one's heart ache.
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have coveted this Ancient Emperor's Mansion. It's all that bastard Tuo She Ancient Emperor—he trapped me here. Back then, to keep you from being trapped in this lightless, sunless place like me, that's why I sent you out. Blame me. I was too arrogant!"
Watching Zhu Kun ceaselessly, remorsefully confess and repent, a pang of bitter heartache also rose within Zi Yan's heart. Her mind was in utter chaos at this moment. Biting down tightly on her lower lip, she turned and buried her face in Jiang Yun's chest. Jiang Yun could feel the trembling of the lovely girl in his arms, and the dampness soaking his robes.
Seeing this, setting aside his fury at losing his little padded jacket, Zhu Kun cast a pleading, beseeching look toward Jiang Yun.
He had figured it out by now. That kid who'd come in earlier, saying Zi Yan was just his friend—pure nonsense. What kind of 'friends' hugged and held each other like this?!
But, considering Jiang Yun had allowed father and daughter to reunite, and that Jiang Yun seemed quite excellent in all respects—in his heart, he reluctantly accepted Jiang Yun's identity.
What else could he do? He, this brand-new old father meeting his daughter for the very first time—his place in his daughter's heart likely couldn't compare to this pretty-boy Jiang Yun.
Noticing Zhu Kun's gaze, Jiang Yun gave him a reassuring look. He knew Zi Yan's temperament. She was just overwhelmed right now by the immense emotional impact.
What was most important now was to give her time to slowly buffer and process it. After a while, once Zhu Kun showed a little of an old father's hardship and difficulties, this matter would be settled beautifully.
Jiang Yun raised his hand and gently ruffled the top of Zi Yan's head. Softly, he said, "Zi Yan, Uncle didn't do it on purpose. He too wanted to obtain the Ancient Emperor's inheritance so he could provide you with an even better foundation. And he's been trapped here, alone, for thousands of years—lonely and pitiable, quite pitiful too!"
As if having been comforted and persuaded by Jiang Yun, and sensing Zhu Kun's hardships from it, Zi Yan raised her head. With some hesitation, she looked at Zhu Kun. Seeing this, Zhu Kun hurriedly added, "Yes, yes... your father had no other choice but to let you, my child, wander outside all alone!"
"Sigh—" As if recalling the past, Zhu Kun let out a deep sigh. Despondently, he said, "Back then, my strength had already reached the peak of nine-star Dou Sheng—Emperor Realm soul. There was nowhere left for me to advance. So I left the clan with Zi Yan, searching across the continent for an opportunity to break through."
"By a stroke of karmic coincidence, I discovered the Ancient Emperor's Mansion here. Back then, relying upon my supreme, mighty strength, I wanted to force it open. And thus, I was trapped here by that old bastard Tuo She Ancient Emperor. By the time I realized it, it was too late. At the final, desperate moment, I could only do my utmost to send you, my child, out of this space."
"And I... completely and utterly became the Guardian of the Ancient Emperor's Mansion. Only when someone arrives holding the ancient jade and opens the mansion will this forced, binding mission finally be fulfilled."
"You're so powerful—can't you even get out?" By now, Zi Yan had collected her emotions. Looking at Zhu Kun, trapped here for so many years, a trace of heartache involuntarily rose in her heart. Almost subconsciously, she asked aloud.
Seeing Zi Yan take the initiative to speak to him, Zhu Kun's face lit up with wild, surprised delight. Immediately after, indignantly, he said, "Between Dou Di and Dou Sheng, there exists a difference like heaven and earth. This is where his inheritance lies. This place forms its own independent space. Even I cannot break through the seal he left behind."
"Xiao Yun—do you have a way to save... to save him and get him out?" Seeing her cheap father so 'useless,' Zi Yan immediately turned her gaze toward Jiang Yun beside her and asked, curious.
The moment Zi Yan said this, Zhu Kun also looked at Jiang Yun with keen interest, wanting to see what methods this mysterious, cheap son-in-law of his possessed.
Deliberating for a moment, under Zi Yan's expectant gaze, Jiang Yun slowly shook his head. "Senior Qing Ming says she cannot break the seal here for the time being."
Hearing this, a flash of disappointment streaked through Zi Yan's eyes!
"Then is there any other way to get you out?" Zi Yan still refused to give up. Looking at Zhu Kun, she pressed.
A moved, touched expression surfaced in Zhu Kun's eyes. Blood ties were truly profound. Even though she was initially cold to him, deep in her heart, she still cared about him.
"Zi Yan, to open the Ancient Emperor's Mansion, we must find the Tuo She Ancient Emperor's Jade. Once the Ancient Emperor's Mansion emerges into the world, I can then come out." Zhu Kun looked gently at Zi Yan and slowly explained.
"The Tuo She Ancient Emperor's Jade?" The unfamiliar name made Zi Yan subconsciously shift her gaze toward Jiang Yun.
"A thousand years ago, the Tuo She Ancient Emperor's Jade was split into eight pieces. Each of the eight great ancient clans holds one piece. To gather them all... our current strength is still insufficient!" As expected, Jiang Yun did not disappoint Zi Yan and provided the answer.
"The eight great ancient clans?" Zhu Kun spoke with interest. "Back when I was around, there were more than just eight ancient clans. Those powers are no weaker than my Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan. Zi Yan, don't act rashly without absolute strength."
"That Gu Xun Er is from an ancient clan, isn't she!" Zi Yan now recalled as well. Turning her head, she asked Jiang Yun.
"Gu Xun Er is from the Gu clan. The Gu clan is also one of the eight great ancient clans. Its clan leader, Gu Yuan, is also a nine-star Dou Sheng!" Jiang Yun nodded. Watching the father and daughter whose expressions had grown somber and grave, he decided to continue. "And the Hun clan's clan leader is likewise a nine-star Dou Sheng. Those two, adding you, Uncle—are likely the closest to Dou Di on this continent right now!"
"As for the remaining ancient clans—their clan leaders are all eight-star or seven-star Dou Shengs. Though their strength pales before the Gu and Hun clans, they are still true peak experts of the Dou Qi Continent!"
Learning just this tip-of-the-iceberg of the eight great ancient clans' might from Jiang Yun, Zi Yan instantly felt a heavy, oppressive weight crash down upon her. It seemed the road to rescuing her old father was long and arduous!
"It's alright, Zi Yan. I've already been here for so long. Now, seeing you—if you come visit me often in the future, I'll be content." Sensing Zi Yan's low, dejected mood, Zhu Kun comforted her with good intentions.
Hearing the ancient jade was in the hands of such overwhelmingly powerful forces—it could practically be said there was no hope of gathering them. No wonder not a single person holding the jade had come in all these years.
He also didn't want his daughter facing so many enemies simultaneously. He might as well come to terms with it. At the very least, if Zi Yan could come see him often, he'd be perfectly satisfied!
"Xiao Yun, you definitely have a solution, right?!" Hearing Zhu Kun's heart-wrenching words, Zi Yan's heart clenched even tighter. Turning her head, her big, wide eyes pleadingly sought Jiang Yun's help.
"Of course!" Seeing Zi Yan's expression, Jiang Yun smiled, ruffling her head affectionately and dotingly.
"Uncle. I still cannot break the seal and completely bring you out. But... I can break open a single corner of the seal."
"You actually possess such means!" Zhu Kun stared at Jiang Yun in astonishment. Break open this space! Even with his strength—battering until his dragon horns cracked—he couldn't shake it a single bit.
"After breaking open the seal—what then?"
Jiang Yun looked at Zhu Kun and chuckled lightly. "Uncle is already at the Emperor Realm soul. A Heaven Realm Great Perfection soul is already indistinguishable from a physical body and can battle others..."
Zhu Kun caught on instantly. Immediately understanding Jiang Yun's meaning, he said with wild excitement, "You mean... I send my soul body out first?!"
Hearing Jiang Yun's method, Zi Yan also grew visibly stirred. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Jiang Yun, brimming with unusually bright, colorful light.
"A pure Emperor Realm soul is fully capable of clashing against eight or nine-star Dou Shengs. As long as Uncle's soul body doesn't provoke Hun Tiandi or Gu Yuan, it is safe on this continent. In this way, it would practically be no different from your true body emerging!" Jiang Yun nodded and spoke seriously.
"No time to lose! Let us try it immediately! I can no longer wait to come out and see the outside world!" Zhu Kun was exceedingly agitated and worked up. He had been a shut-in for thousands of years. He had long since grown intolerably impatient.
Though only his soul body would emerge—the sensations of a soul body were even more vivid and sharp. With the intensity of his Emperor Realm soul, it was practically indistinguishable from a real person.
"Xiao Yun! I knew you could do it!" Zi Yan was also ecstatic at this moment, leaping up and wrapping her arms around Jiang Yun's neck. Right under Zhu Kun's wide, staring eyes, she fiercely pecked Jiang Yun.
"What are you looking at!" After the kiss, noticing Zhu Kun's stare, Zi Yan immediately bristled with displeasure. Her cheap father had absolutely no sense of tact at all! She promptly roared at him.
"Crack—" Jiang Yun seemed to vaguely hear the sound of a heart shattering. The just-moments-ago wildly excited Zhu Kun was now crouched in a corner. Anyone could see the utter dejection and desolation radiating from him at this moment.