“If only you had come back a bit earlier, Father wouldn’t have left.”
Shen Tanqi’s heart shook at these words. The scene from that day’s dream replayed vividly in his mind: Yu Ce’s self-inflicted death beside his coffin. He reached out, grabbing Taro Ball’s arm, asking urgently, “He’s dead?”
How could he be willing to die? His two children were only three years old. How could he dare to die?
Shen Tanqi felt a surge of anger rise to his head. He knew deep down that if he had truly returned, Yu Ce would not have died. But this anger remained trapped in his chest, unresolved and unrelieved.
Just as he was about to criticize Yu Ce, he heard Taro Ball say, “He’s not dead, he just left.”
Shen Tanqi exclaimed, “Ah?”
Taro Ball and Goldfish exchanged a glance, then cleared a path and led Shen Tanqi to the Lotus Pavilion to sit down.
“Daddy, come inside to talk.”
Inside the Lotus Pavilion was a stone chess board table, half-covered with leftover chess pieces and tea sets from previous use.
Goldfish remained still as obedient as before, pouring fresh tea into Shen Tanqi’s cup and taking out several packs of his favorite snacks from his storage ring, laying them out on the table.
Like a little squirrel sharing its collected pine cones, his eyes brightened as he looked at him.
Under such earnest gazes, Shen Tanqi couldn’t resist picking up a piece and putting it in his mouth without tasting it, asking blankly, “Where did your father go?”
Taro Ball sighed softly, placing his long sword on the table. He no longer needed a wooden sword like when he was three; now, he could easily lift even the heaviest swords.
“Since you left, Father waited bitterly for seven days. When you didn’t return, Aunt Tanjiu, considering your feelings, knowing you couldn’t bear to see Father being pursued by the Shen family, prepared a carriage and told him to take us away. The farther, the better.”
Shen Tanqi froze for a moment, asking in a low voice, “And then?”
“Father didn’t leave. He went back to the Shen family and explained everything. Grandfather was furious, but luckily Brother and I intervened; otherwise…”
Taro Ball recalled that past, feeling his heart pound with fear. “Father said he would wait until we were grown up, then let the Shen family deal with him.”
Shen Tanqi’s eyes welled up with tears, but he held them back in front of the two children, asking, “And then?”
“He raised Brother and me until we were fifteen. Then Father went to the Shen family to seek death,” Taro Ball’s voice choked slightly, his gaze turning colder. “But by then, Grandfather’s health was failing. He had taken that elixir from the Southern Country’s renowned doctor, but it wasn’t an elixir at all—it was poison!”
Shen Tanqi shivered as if a cold wind had blown over him. He grabbed Taro Ball’s sleeve, his voice trembling, “When did it start?”
Taro Ball whispered, “In fact, Grandfather stopped taking it early on, as you advised. But that elixir was intensely poisonous, with a prolonged effect. Father used his dragon ball to extend Grandfather’s life by twelve years, but still couldn’t save him.”
He turned away, unwilling to show Shen Tanqi his vulnerable side, and continued softly, “But thankfully, during those twelve years, Grandfather gradually understood many things. In exchange for his continued survival, he helped Father pacify disputes within the Shen family and Shuoxia City, resolving everything and setting father free.”
“Father did everything perfectly. He resolved the disputes between the daemon and human races in Shuoxia City in just three years, though the methods used weren’t entirely honorable… But Father said you taught him that sometimes, heroes have to resort to any means necessary.’”
The bastard, even after ‘dying,’ he still used him as a shield.
Shen Tanqi chuckled softly. As he laughed, he sighed deeply.
Now he understood everything. If he hadn’t returned to Yu Ce’s side within those seven days, this would have been Yu Ce’s fate.
He didn’t fall into despair, didn’t turn dark, and certainly didn’t give up on himself.
Yet Shen Tanqi felt strangely relieved.
Because this is who he truly was—the real Yu Ce, the man who is the protagonist of this book.
Powerful yet compassionate, willing to bear responsibility, not to be defeated by any hardship, nor to abandon hope in despair.
Wasn’t this the Yu Ce he admired?
Taro Ball seemed to understand what was on his mind, lowered his eyes, and softly said, “Although everything was done remarkably well, Father left after fulfilling his promise.”
Shen Tanqi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, he clenched his sleeve tightly, and murmured, “Where did he go?”
Taro Ball shook his head sadly, “We don’t know either. Father left without telling anyone, departed alone. For these years, I’ve never seen him happy even for a day.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tanqi’s heart suddenly felt empty. Unaware, he asked, “He never came back again?”
Taro Ball looked up at him and said, “Perhaps for Father, this place holds too much sadness. Not coming back might be for the best. Maybe after traveling outside for so long, he naturally found peace.”
Shen Tanqi could tell that Taro Ball was comforting himself. He steadied his mind and said, “I understand.”
He wouldn’t let all this happen. He must go back.
“Daddy, where have you been all these years?” Goldfish had been listening for a long time, seeing them silent, he couldn’t help but ask his own confusion.
This topic was a long story. Shen Tanqi picked up his tea cup, took a sip, and began recounting everything that had happened on his journey with eloquence.
The two little ones listened with relish , oh, now they were grown-ups.
“Daddy’s storytelling is still so entertaining,” Goldfish rested his chin on his hand. His almond-shaped eyes had grown into a pair of bewitching peach blossom eyes that curved beautifully when he smiled mischievously. “I still remember when Daddy used to tell us stories, like how Snow White stewed the three little pigs or how Little White Rabbit braised the pork belly. I still crave the braised pork belly from those stories.”
Shen Tanqi: …
Dark history, pure dark history.
He couldn’t remember the fairy tales he made up back then, and he never expected the two little ones to remember them so clearly after all these years.
He cleared his throat and smoothly changed the subject, saying, “Anyway, I need to hurry back to the day I left, so that your father won’t follow the same path as he did in this world again.”
Taro Ball and Goldfish nodded. Although they were reluctant, they wanted their Father in that world to see Daddy return.
Even if there were a million different timelines, they would be satisfied as long as in one timeline Daddy successfully returned to see Father.
“So Daddy, what’s your plan?” Taro Ball asked the crucial question.
Shen Tanqi pondered the system’s words for a moment and said, “Chick Uncle said we need a medium, but I’m not sure what exactly that medium is.”
Furrowing his brow, Taro Ball fell into thought. After a moment, he tentatively suggested, “Could it be something like a talisman for teleportation, or some rare and exotic treasure? I’ve heard that the Deep Sea Mermaid Pearl from the Western Sea can allow people to travel back and forth through the endless past and future.”
Shen Tanqi rubbed his chin and replied, “It’s possible. Should we go to the Western Sea to look for it?”
Mermaid Pearl… why does it sound so familiar? Wasn’t Yu Ce’s father from the mermaid tribe?
“Alright, I’ll take you there,” Taro Ball said, picking up his long sword and smiling. “Daddy, rest assured. I am now the top disciple of the Rongyun Sect, and I haven’t let you or Father down.”
Shen Tanqi chuckled softly. “I know.”
With his kid reaching the Nascent Soul stage at the age of three, it would be strange if he didn’t achieve greatness as he grew up. In any other book, he’d at least be a top-tier protagonist.
Beside him, Goldfish pursed his lips, tugging at Shen Tanqi’s sleeve and whispered, “Daddy, I’ve let you down. I only just broke through to the Golden Core stage this year.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tanqi turned around, tiptoed, and cupped the eldest’s face in his hands, saying, “Let me down? Not at all! You’re much more impressive than I was back then. I relied entirely on elixirs and treasures to form my Golden Core. But you, my little Goldfish, cultivated it all on your own!”
Goldfish’s eyes shimmered slightly at his words, and he said somewhat shyly, “Daddy, you’re amazing too.”
Taro Ball glanced at him and said, “Brother, didn’t you just refine a Grade Crossing Tribulation Pill just a few days ago? Why didn’t you mention it?”
As his elder brother grew up, he seemed as soft and kind as a soup dumpling, but sometimes Goldfish could be unexpectedly mischievous.
Like purposely calling him ‘Erdan’ in front of so many people!
Goldfish smiled shyly, “Refining pills isn’t that amazing. I was just lucky.”
Taro Ball chuckled at his natural tone and couldn’t help but pick up a snack from the table and stuff it into his mouth, saying, “Sure, sure. Who else can refine ten Grade Crossing Tribulation Pills in three days?”
It wasn’t just luck; he had spent a whole month refining, even exploding the alchemy furnace without producing even one Grade Five Pill.
Goldfish could be formidable yet unaware, innocent and naive but sometimes a bit mischievous.
Just before leaving, Shen Tanqi suddenly remembered something very important. He grabbed Taro Ball, who was about to mount his sword, and urgently asked, “By the way, where’s Sandan? Where is he now? How’s he doing?”
Wasn’t there still one egg that hadn’t hatched?
Twelve years had passed, and that egg that had once been so cold and distant to him should have been carefully nurtured and raised by Yu Ce in the Hidden Dragon Valley. By now, he should be over eleven years old.
Shen Tanqi eagerly looked at his eldest and second eldest.
But both of them suddenly became evasive and hesitant.
“Where’s Mian Mian…”
“Brother, do you know where he went?”
“Oh, I forgot. Wasn’t Mian Mian playing with you the day before yesterday?”
“No, brother, you’re mistaken. Mian Mian was with you that day.”
Their eyes wandered, and they seemed to dodge the issue, resembling Yu Ce so much it was uncanny.
Shen Tanqi raised an eyebrow, tapping his fingertips on the chess table, and said slowly, “Speak.”
Both immediately straightened up and hurried to Shen Tanqi’s side—one massaged his leg, and the other kneaded his shoulders while offering him water.
“Daddy, we really don’t know where Mian Mian went.”
“And he’s busy with something right now, so he probably can’t see you.”
“What’s he up to?” Shen Tanqi took the tea cup handed to him by his sons and took a sip.
Taro Ball and Goldfish glanced at each other, and finally, Taro Ball spoke up, “He’s now the head of the Shen family and the Lord of Shouxia City…”
Shen Tanqi nodded thoughtfully, sipping his tea.
That was impressive, but somewhat expected.
“But he fell into the demonic path just the day before yesterday.”
Shen Tanqi sprayed out the tea he was drinking in shock.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
