Chapter 361
Chapter 361
Although Qin Ran appeared to have a strong personality and capabilities, compared to Chasing the Wind, his popularity was significantly less.
Ask yourself, who wouldn't love a cute little kitten that can even talk?
In their free time, they would play with the beautiful cat; they could even chat with it to alleviate boredom - was this not a heavenly pet?
Thus, whenever Chasing the Wind roamed within the residence, he was universally loved.
Life here for Chasing the Wind, compared to Dan Peak, was infinitely better.
So when Qin Ran talked about returning to the Dao Sword Sect, the one who was most reluctant to leave was not Li Yin, but Chasing the Wind.
Chasing the Wind, with tears welling up in his eyes clung to Qin Ran's leg, pleading, "Dad, can we not return to Dan Peak?"
Enraged, Qin Ran kicked him away, cursing, "So you've decided to freeload off other people and refuse to leave? I've never seen such a thick-skinned act. Out!"
"This isn't someone else's home..." Chasing the Wind rolled on the ground unscathed, stubbornly defended himself, "It's Shiyin's home."
Qin Ran was at a loss for words. It was difficult to explain to this simpleton that there was a difference between Shiyin's home and his own."Think about this, you eat so much every day, meat isn't free," he advised, "Is anyone else able to afford to take care of you?"
"I can stop eating meat." Chasing the Wind even offered this concession, he really wanted to stay here.
"You're a monster beast, others will be afraid of you." Qin Ran continued, "There'll be monster hunters who will come to cause trouble."
"Monster hunters can't defeat me." Chasing the Wind stated, "And besides, I only occasionally talk, without revealing my true form. No one will know."
"And what about when the monster hunters cause trouble for Shiyin's family?"
Chasing the Wind pounded his chest: "I will protect them."
"Ah! Debating with a four or five-year-old child," Qin Ran felt he must be losing his mind. He stepped forward and scolded the young kitten again, "Quickly return to your true form, we're leaving soon."
"Whimper..." Chasing the Wind rolled around on the ground, covered in dust, pitifully saying, "Dad, why don't you just go back? I'm not going."
"?" Qin Ran was livid!
This was like, after raising a thankless wretch for four years, someone effortlessly whisked it away. His feelings were akin to raising a daughter for twenty years with blood, sweat, and tears, just to have her stolen away with a couple of lollipops. He wanted to give the ungrateful child another kick.
Carrying packages big and small, Yang Yanqi walked over. Seeing the state of Chasing the Wind, she felt sorry for him, dropped her parcels on the ground, hurriedly picked up Chasing the Wind, and gently dusted him off. After which, she berated Qin Ran, "If you want to leave, just leave! Why do you have to drag Chasing the Wind into it?"
"Chasing the Wind is so well-behaved, how could you kick him?" She glared at Qin Ran, "I never realized you could be so heartless!"
Is this the so-called favoritism... or what?
Helpless, Qin Ran looked to Li Shiyin for assistance.
But this clueless apprentice, upon seeing her master at a disadvantage, instead of helping, covered her mouth giggling.
"!" Qin Ran raised his eyes to the heavens, he couldn't possibly spend another day here.
At this moment, Li Shiwen walked over hand in hand with Yu Chi Zhen, the two gazed adoringly into each others' eyes, appearing as if they were reluctant to part.
"Once you have picked up Li An, come back as soon as possible," Li Shiwen and Yu Chi Zhen instructed, "I miss you, and I am worried about him."
"Mmm..." Yu Chi Zhen obediently nodded, "I will come back early."
"Two hours..." Li Shiyin could not help but comment as she watched their melodramatic farewell, "It only takes me two hours to fly from Dan Peak to home. If my sister-in-law is anxious, I can pick up my lovely nephew today, and I can bring you back tonight."
Li Shiwen looked at Li Shi, the tactless sister, and decided to ignore her, continuing to comfort the pitifully adorable Yu Chi Zhen.
Li Shiwen and Yu Chi Zhen's son was named Li An, a name chosen for its peaceful implications. Last November, during the first full-scale siege by Xuanqin, at a critical moment, Li An, who had just reached one month of age, activated the Sword Qi Seed given to him by Li Shiyin and drove back the Xuanqin monks. He then flew south, controlling his sword qi, all the way to the Dao Sword Sect.
Li Shiyin found out that Li Shiwen was in danger.
He entrusted Li An to Qin Ran and then merged himself with his sword, rushing to provide support. Eventually, at the critical moment, he reached Wuyi City, saving Li Shiwen, Wuyi City, and even North Chu.
Later, Qin Ran handed over Li An to Long Qiqi, and following Li Shiyin's trail, he arrived in Wuyi City. After that, he sundry calculations were made to broker peace for North Chu.
From a certain perspective, it can be said that Li An saved North Chu.
To this day, little Li An had been away from his parents, Li Shiwen and Yu Chi Zhen, for more than three months.
The saying goes, "A mother's heart is linked to her child's." Compared to Chasing the Wind, who didn't want to return home, Yu Chi Zhen had been long looking forward to picking up her son from Dan Peak.
... Li Shiwen had to patrol the palace for the Emperor of North Chu and wasn't able to go. Additionally, Li An was still young, so it was his mother, Yu Chi Zhen, who went to fetch him.
Moreover, although Li An had chosen the path of cultivation, he was still very young. It was more appropriate for him to stay with his parents.
Of course, with Li Shiyin and Qin Ran around, even if he stays with his parents, it would not hinder his cultivation.
One wanted to leave, the other did not. Qin Ran glared at Chasing the Wind and finally asked, "Are you leaving or not?!"
Chasing the Wind, hiding in Yang Yanqi's arms, timidly glanced at Qin Ran. Seeing that Qin Ran seemed genuinely angry, he grew scared and finally, with all his might, jumped down from Yang Yanqi's arms.
"Why leave when it's so good here?" Yang Yanqi tried to persuade, "They're going back for a reason, you have nothing to do back there, why go?
Chasing the Wind sighed wisely, shook his head, and said, "Dan Peak can't do without me..."
He signaled Yang Yanqi to move aside, saying, "Granny, move further away. I'm about to perform magic and transform."
Yang Yanqi was unhappy and reluctant to part with Chasing the Wind but had no choice but to move aside.
Everyone else knew that Chasing the Wind's true form was large, so they all quietly made room for him.
This place was the Li Family training ground. Qin Ran chose to say goodbye here specifically to make room for Chasing the Wind's transformation.
Yang Yanqi gazed at the adorable cat she daily cradled in her arms as its eyes became wide with anger; its body was engirdled by a loop of black qi that seemed to grow incessantly. With each circle, the kitten grew larger, and after about ten loops, the cat had already become about a yard tall.
The greatly heightened, white colossal tiger suddenly filled the school.
Yanqi was dumbstruck, looking upwards towards Chasing the Wind, she called out unbelievingly, "Cha... Chasing the Wind?"
"Granny! Chasing the Wind, in his true form, seems pleased, thinking he's a baby, happily dancing towards Yang Yanqi.
But he was so large, the oppressive feeling was just too intense. When he started hopping around, it made the ground feel as if it was shaking. This caused Yanqi to fear that she might be stepped on.
Yang Yanqi took two deep breaths, suppressed her fear, and decided to step back a little.
Looking up at him again, she was able to see that though the face of "Chasing the Wind" had grown larger, it was still the face she was familiar with.
"He's still handsome!" She sighed, "And has a domineering presence! Truly worthy of being our Chasing the Wind."
Chasing the Wind wagged his tail happily, then lay down, his large head in front of Yanqi. He squinted his eyes in an ingratiating manner and chuckled.
Yang Yanqi hesitated for a moment, but eventually reached out and patted Chasing the Wind's head, like one might pat a dog... This gesture brought great joy to Wind Chaser.
Except for Yang Yanqi, everyone else had seen Chasing the Wind's true form and thus were not overly amazed.
Suddenly, Qin Ran leaped onto Chasing the Wind's back, followed by Li Shiyin, who also rode there with Yu Chi Zhen.
Before they left, Qin Ran looked at Li Shiwen, and admonished him:
"It was long expected that Xuanqin would unify the Land of Immortal Legacy, it is inevitable. North Chu doesn't have the ability to resist. I hope you are prepared in advance. It's not that you have to betray your country and join Xuanqin, but rather seize this...opportunity. Maybe, this will lead you onto the path of cultivation."
Hearing this advice, Shiwen nodded, "I understand."
Seeing Li agrees, Qin added, “The construction that Xuanqin asked North Chu to build is extremely crucial. If possible, I hope you can take on the contract. It might be the leverage for the Li family to maintain their high-standing position.”
“Alright!” Li Shiwen agreed, "No one else in court is willing to undertake this..."
Conversations stopped here; Qin Ran didn't say anything more.
Because he knew that, even if the regime of North Chu perishes, Li's family will survive. He has a clone in Xuanqin, and that “he” will certainly ensure Li family's safety.
"Chasing Wind!" He called.
"Goodbye Granny!" Chasing the Wind stood up.
"Goodbye, Chasing Wind." Yanqi waved, "Visit when you have time and don't always listen to your dad."
With his 'dad' right behind him, Chasing Wind didn't dare to respond. He gave a slight nod and said to Li Shiwen, "Goodbye, Bighead."
"?" Li Shiwen looked at Chasing Wind's build, then at his own, falling into confusion.
He waved at Chi Zhen.
Chasing the Wind crouched and jumped, soaring into the air, summoning gusty wind under his feet, and hurried towards the Dao Sword Sect.
Due to Yu Chi Zhen's frail stature, Chasing the Wind wasn't able to move too quickly. After over four hours, when dusk fell, they finally arrived at Dan Peak.
Crossing the protective arrays of Dao Sword Sect, then passing through the array of Dan Peak, Chasing the Wind descended towards the ground.
But before he reached the ground, he detected something in the air above Dan Peak...
Not an object, but a sword qi, not just any sword qi, but Li Shiyin's Star Sword Qi.
But wasn't Li Shiyin still on his back?
Unable to hold back his curiosity, he halted to examine the sword qi. What he saw was a naked toddler with a pacifier in his mouth and a sword in his hands, flying around in the air.
Upon seeing a strange creature suddenly appearing at Dan Peak, Li An, the toddler, curiously flew around the creature and then stopped in front of it.
His eyes were like black gemstones, wide open in awe of the big creature. He called out, "Auntie, there's... big, big!"
"Big? What's big?" Long Qiqi's voice echoed from a small cabin below.
Out she came, a slight figure with a ponytail, donning an apron, a kitchen knife in one hand and a baby bottle in the other.
Her appearance, both heartbreaking and amusing, stirred a chuckle.
Standing at the doorway, Long Qiqi raised her gaze towards the sky and saw what was in front of Li An...
"Chasing the Wind!!!" Her excited voice echoed across the sky, shattering the clouds and waking up Yu Chi Zhen.
This was Yu Chi Zhen's first ride on "Flying Tiger". Despite Chasing the Wind's efforts to control the speed, her sickness prevailed, causing her to pass out early.
Now woken up, she opened her eyes and saw a little boy, naked buttocked, a pacifier in his mouth, holding a sword. She recognized him at first glance. It was her son.
"Peace... Li An!" She exclaimed, about to get up to hold Li An.
But Li Shiyin did not let go of her, preventing her from getting up.
"Let's go down first." Li Shiyin said.
Only then did Chasing the Wind continue his descent to the ground.
Once on the ground, Qin Ran opened his eyes. As he dismounted, he saw the toddler Li An, his buttocks exposed, holding a sword, tracing a beautiful arc in the air, landing in front of Long Qiqi.
This child... is destined for greatness, he thought. At such a young age, he already possesses a dream ability — flying with a sword.
"Li An!" The moment Yu Chi Zhen landed, she sprinted towards Li An.
But yet again, Li Shiyin held her back.
This was because the sword qi on Li An had not dissipated. If she hugged him now, she might end up dead.
Most importantly, Li An did not seem familiar with Yu Chi Zhen. Looking at this woman charging at him, he was filled with confusion. His babylike voice asked Long Qiqi: "Auntie, who... are they?"