Hearing Hou Mingzhu say that, Ye Tiancheng was naturally extremely disappointed. After all, no matter how many women he encountered, Ye Tiancheng had never considered spending his life with them. He had once thought about it with Hou Mingzhu, especially after their daughter was born. At that time, Ye Tiancheng's heart had settled, and he truly intended to live a good life with Hou Mingzhu.
"Who knows when I'll see you again after this. Have you truly never thought about us living a good life together, facing all difficulties side by side?"
"Ye Tiancheng, perhaps your romantic luck is too abundant. I don't want to hold onto that feeling anymore. I just want to live my own life and raise our daughter. As for the entanglement between us, whether it was right or wrong, it's in the past. I don't want to pursue it anymore, and I'm tired. I don't have the energy to pursue it."
Initially, Ye Tiancheng did want to cling on, reluctant to let Hou Mingzhu and their daughter leave his side. Having Hou Mingzhu and their child by his side these past few days, although it brought quite a bit of trouble throughout the process, and they faced difficulties together, living in constant fear, Ye Tiancheng felt complete. With a family and responsibilities, his entire life seemed to suddenly become fulfilling.
But seeing Hou Mingzhu's exhaustion, Ye Tiancheng finally understood one thing: some things truly cannot be forced.
What's past is past. If one insists on not letting go, the outcome might be tragic, even causing Hou Mingzhu pain, which was not what Ye Tiancheng wanted.
"I'm letting go, truly letting go from the bottom of my heart. Hou Mingzhu, have a safe journey."
Having decided to let go, at the very moment Ye Tiancheng also decided to give up, Hou Mingzhu's heart sank a certain distance, eventually turning into a faint smile.
The car had been gone for nearly half an hour, yet Ye Tiancheng hadn't recovered, remaining in a dazed and foolish state, feeling unwell.
"Brother Ye, are you feeling unwell? If you're not feeling well, please say so. Don't force yourself. As a brother, I can help you bear it."
"It's better if I were physically unwell. The main issue is my heart, and you can't help me bear that. These two women are the most important in my life right now, yet I can't keep them by my side. I can only watch them drift away, and of course, my heart aches."
In that case, there was nothing he could do to help. There were things brothers could help with, but some things, let alone brothers, even one's own father couldn't help with.
"The moon is beautiful tonight, Brother Ye. As a brother, I can't help you with anything else, but I can watch the moon with you, as long as you don't mind me."
"At a time like this, how can I be picky? It's good enough that someone is willing to accompany me. Fatty, let's go and watch the moon."
Even while watching the moon, the two of them didn't speak, mainly because Ye Tiancheng's mood was too low, and it was difficult to liven him up.
"Brother Ye, the moon is truly big and round tonight, it looks so beautiful."
This statement was indeed fitting for the situation, but Fatty had already said it for the third time, to an extent that was becoming uncanny.
"I'm sorry, Brother Ye, I don't mean to be so talkative, but I don't know what else to say."
"It's alright, we brothers don't stand on ceremony. Being able to accompany each other is also a blessing."
The more Ye Tiancheng said this, the more embarrassed Fatty felt. As a brother, he couldn't help with anything and could only stare blankly.
"I'm sorry! As a grown man, I really don't have much to say to you, but I can call a woman to keep you company. Brother Ye, how about we call Liu Lanying? The only person I can think of right now is Village Chief Liu. Besides, your relationship is so strong, it should be easy to communicate."
"Don't call Liu Lanying. Liu Lanying has a lot on her plate lately, so it's not good to trouble her. It's best for everyone to be well on their own. Between me and Liu Lanying, we never discuss feelings."
"Or, Brother Ye, let's think about what we should do next."
"Alright, I think the most important thing right now is to find the last fragment of the Fuxi Qin. Only by finding the last piece can the Pure Land be completely repaired, and the danger can be averted."
How could Ye Tiancheng not know that the current stability was only temporary? The reason the Pure Land was preserved was entirely due to the sacrifice of the Great Green Snake, but everything was unstable. To achieve permanent stability, the kind that existed for thousands of years, the most crucial issue was to find the last fragment of the Fuxi Qin.
But this matter was easier said than done. Knowing it was in Liu Lanying's hometown, the outcome was still unsatisfactory.
Having nearly lost his life last time, Ye Tiancheng now carefully considered whether any decision was feasible before making it, no longer acting recklessly as he had before.
"That last fragment of the Fuxi Qin is guarded by a divine beast with supreme energy. It's definitely not something ordinary people can easily deal with. Therefore, this matter needs to be planned carefully. Rushing things will only hinder the resolution of the entire situation."
"Alright, Brother Ye, it's too late. Now that your wife and child are gone, perhaps it's an opportunity for you to focus on solving problems. Don't overthink it. Women are often insincere with their words, especially your wife. She's likely just being tough on the outside but soft on the inside. After you've resolved your matters, you can go abroad to see your wife and child with her permission."
In the past, Fatty often called Hou Mingzhu "Sister-in-law." Later, after Ye Tiancheng and Hou Mingzhu's relationship broke down, Fatty naturally switched his allegiance. But now he had suddenly changed his address. This was because, in Fatty's opinion, with the child now present, the identity of the true mistress of the house was already obvious. Fatty no longer needed to play matchmaker for Ye Tiancheng, allowing Ye Tiancheng to properly resolve his own issues.
"Okay, let's go to sleep. I felt quite energetic just now, but after having a next step, I suddenly feel sleepy."
"Mm, I'll go to sleep too."
After Fatty left, Ye Tiancheng sighed at the moon, then quickly convinced himself that there was no need to be too pessimistic. Everything would be a new beginning as long as he didn't give up.
That night, as Ye Tiancheng slept, not long after he had fallen asleep, he felt a lot of white mist filling the room. Within the white mist, a face could be faintly seen. Ye Tiancheng was initially very confused. After a while, he finally saw clearly that the face belonged to an old man, someone who looked like an immortal.
"I am your ancestor. Aren't you going to greet me quickly, ancestor?"
Before Ye Tiancheng could even figure out what was happening, he felt a heavy blow to his face. With a "slap," Ye Tiancheng's eyes went starry.
"What are you doing? Why are you hitting me?"
"You brat, not kneeling when you see your ancestor? I think you're asking for it. This is considered mild. I should have hit you harder."
When Ye Tiancheng was farming in the fields, he had also dreamed of this ancestor after falling asleep. Furthermore, there was some connection with the Nuwa Stone before, so Ye Tiancheng could believe it and quickly knelt down, calling out, "Greetings, ancestor."
Ye Tiancheng found it strange that such a comical event could be taken for granted. This world was truly chaotic.
"I know you're going to search for the last fragment of the Nuwa Stone. As your ancestor, I naturally cannot see you running around like a headless chicken. I will point you in a direction. Black Wind Mountain, not far from there, requires you, you brat, to make a trip. After the trip, report any developments to me."
"How do I contact you!" After speaking, Ye Tiancheng quickly remembered something and asked, "That's not right. Black Wind Mountain is full of demons and monsters, some thousands of years old. Sending me there is like sending me to my death?"
"You brat, if I didn't see you kneeling respectfully before me, I would definitely hit you. How dare you contradict me? If I wasn't truly looking out for your well-being, do you think I have that much free time to talk so much with you?"
Seeing that his ancestor was getting angry, although many things were still unclear and he hadn't figured out what was going on, Ye Tiancheng dared not say more. If he angered the ancestor and he didn't have the ability to quell the anger, being able to cause trouble but not resolve it was the worst kind of situation.
"I understand. I'll obey obediently, alright? Please don't be angry anymore. Anger harms the body, don't you know?"
The ancestor finally stopped being angry. Ye Tiancheng began to plead with him again. Black Wind Mountain was fraught with danger, and Ye Tiancheng's current strength was not enough to venture there. He hoped his ancestor could offer some guidance.
"Just take your spiritual disciple with you. The combination of your true qi and her spiritual energy will have an extraordinary effect, something others can only envy."
"Alright, I understand. Thank you for your guidance, ancestor."
Ye Tiancheng was completely subdued by his ancestor, his small mouth as sweet as honey. In any case, he would do whatever it took to make him happy.
When Ye Tiancheng woke up, he realized he had only been dreaming. However, the dream felt so real, as if it had truly happened. It seemed his ancestor had indeed sent him a dream. Therefore, Ye Tiancheng felt it necessary to follow this path and venture into Black Wind Mountain. Perhaps he would have new encounters, and this dead end might reignite a spark of life.
The next day, Ye Tiancheng discussed the matter of venturing into Black Wind Mountain with Fatty and Lin Xue. Lin Xue listened for a while without speaking, then finally spoke slowly.
"Master, this is easy. I'll have Phoenix lead the way. Phoenix can defeat most of the monsters in Black Wind Mountain, and with your and my combined abilities, those small demonic beasts won't stand a chance."
"But Black Wind Mountain isn't as simple as we imagine, and my ancestor only gave me a dream. I don't know why he wants me to go to Black Wind Mountain. We don't even have a target. Is it just to kill demonic beasts?"
This was Ye Tiancheng's biggest doubt at the moment. It was fine to go on an adventure with his brother and disciple, but at least there should be a reason. Going so vaguely and then returning empty-handed, all because of a dream, would make him seem like he had lost his mind if word got out.
"Master, don't think too much about it. Being too goal-oriented will bring you a lot of pain. Let's just treat it as pure cultivation. Even if we gain nothing in the end, perhaps your ancestor simply wanted you to level up by fighting monsters. Isn't that also a way to lead you to success?"