The great fire raged for three days and three nights, and Yu Daohan sat before the temple, watching for all three days and nights.
As the last wisp of flame extinguished, Yu Daohan gazed at the village before him, now reduced to ruins, his face pale. "Little Lucky Star, Master has avenged you."
Yu Daohan slowly rose and left. There was no longer any meaning in staying here.
The one who deserved to die was dead, but Zhou Fu would never return.
Yu Daohan did not rush back to the shop. Instead, he took a plane to Yanhuo Sect.
Arriving at the gates of Yanhuo Sect, the disciples on duty saw Yu Daohan and respectfully cupped their fists in greeting. "Sect Master!"
Yu Daohan nodded, trying to force a smile, but it wouldn't come.
Seeing Yu Daohan's demeanor, the disciples on duty dared not even breathe heavily, only watching their Sect Master enter.
He arrived not far from the front hall and saw the Second Elder, Wu Shanping, about to leave.
Wu Shanping's face lit up when he saw Yu Daohan. "Sect Master, what brings you to the sect today?"
Yu Daohan wanted to say that Zhou Fu had sacrificed himself, but the words caught in his throat, as if something was blocking them.
Seeing Yu Daohan like this, Wu Shanping seemed to guess something. "Did that kid Zhou Fu get into trouble?"
Yu Daohan remained silent for a long time, his fists clenched until they creaked, and he forced out a few words with difficulty. "Sac... sacrificed."
Upon hearing this, Wu Shanping fell silent.
The news that the young Sect Master had taken Zhou Fu as his last disciple had already spread throughout the sect.
Moreover, the young Sect Master doted on Zhou Fu, his last disciple. Not only did he bestow the Soul Suppressing Stone short sword as a token of apprenticeship, but he also sent the boy to the Talisman Sect to learn spells.
Zhou Fu was dead, and no one felt it more keenly than he.
"Some things cannot be changed. I have lived for most of my life and seen too many partings and deaths. I cannot empathize with you to tell you to let go, Sect Master. Please do not be too sad." Wu Shanping patted Yu Daohan's shoulder to comfort him.
Yu Daohan slowly loosened his clenched fists, blaming himself. "If I hadn't sent him to learn spells, he wouldn't have died."
Yu Daohan felt tears welling up in his eyes, but he held them back, refusing to let them fall.
He was now the Sect Master of Yanhuo Sect, carrying the hope of its revival. He could not shed tears.
Wu Shanping shook his head and continued to comfort him. "This is not your fault. No one wanted him to die, but fate is hard to defy."
"Let's go inside first," Wu Shanping said, leading Yu Daohan into the front hall.
Entering the room, the First Elder, Hu Ting, and the Third Elder, Zhou Jingmin, had been waiting for a long time.
Yu Daohan lowered his head, ashamed to face Hu Ting. "Elder Hu, I'm sorry. Zhou Fu has sacrificed himself!"
From the moment Yu Daohan entered, Hu Ting had guessed what had happened from the expressions on Yu Daohan and Wu Shanping's faces.
Hu Ting remained silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking. "Sect Master, you need not blame yourself too much. Perhaps this was the destiny of that boy Zhou Fu."
Yu Daohan did not retort, only lowering his head in silence.
Zhou Fu had followed Hu Ting since he was young. If he was dead, Hu Ting must have been no less sad than Yu Daohan.
The Third Elder, Zhou Jingmin, who sat in the middle, shook his head helplessly and looked at Wu Shanping and Hu Ting beside him.
Wu Shanping and Hu Ting understood what Zhou Jingmin wanted to say.
Yanhuo Sect could not be without an heir for a day. Zhou Fu was dead, and the young Sect Master had no other last disciples.
If the young Sect Master were to meet with an accident, there would be no one to entrust the task of reviving Yanhuo Sect to.
Hu Ting shook his head, signaling to Zhou Jingmin that now was not the time to discuss this.
Zhou Jingmin also understood that this was not the time, but it concerned the future of Yanhuo Sect.
"Sect Master, the dead cannot be brought back to life. All we can do is move forward." Hu Ting comforted him.
Yu Daohan nodded. "Elder Hu, I naturally understand. The hope of Yanhuo Sect rests on my shoulders."
Zhou Jingmin, standing nearby, seized the opportunity to speak. "Sect Master, please forgive my bluntness. We are all saddened by the departure of that boy Zhou Fu, but the position of the last disciple cannot remain vacant forever. I hope the Sect Master will take on a new disciple as his last disciple."
Hu Ting, seeing Zhou Jingmin suddenly bring up the matter of the last disciple, interjected. "Old Zhou, let's discuss the matter of the last disciple another day."
"I promised that boy that I would only take him as my last disciple in this life."
Yu Daohan knew that Zhou Jingmin was thinking of Yanhuo Sect's future, but he would never break his promise to that boy.
"This..."
Seeing that Yu Daohan was still grieving the loss of the boy, Zhou Jingmin could only remain silent for now.
After inquiring about the recent situation of Yanhuo Sect and finding no major issues, Yu Daohan then got up to leave.
Hu Ting and the other two saw Yu Daohan off as he left the sect.
Hu Ting looked at Yu Daohan's receding back and sighed, then looked at Zhou Jingmin beside him. "Old Zhou, the young Sect Master has just lost his beloved disciple. Bringing up the matter of the last disciple at this time is like rubbing salt in his wounds."
Zhou Jingmin also looked at Yu Daohan's departing figure and said, "Zhou Fu grew up under our watch. He is dead, and I am more heartbroken than you both. But the dead cannot be revived. Rather than dwelling in past pain, it is better to cut the Gordian knot. Enduring pain and moving forward is also a necessary cultivation for the strong."