Heaven Dou City, southeast, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
In a serene courtyard where apricot blossoms drifted like fine snow across the sky, a delicate yet lonely figure stood quietly, gazing up at the cold moon hanging high in the night.
Ever since returning to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Tian had lived here alone, rarely venturing out.
Whenever she had suffered grievances during her childhood cultivation or other matters, she would come to this place.
Although Ning Tian could understand her father's decision, staying here was, in a way, her own form of resistance.
Because this courtyard held the last memento her mother had left her. Every apricot tree inside had been personally planted by her mother alongside her when she was little. And her father had always felt a sense of debt toward both mother and daughter.
Brownish-yellow leather short boots wrapped around Ning Tian's delicate ankles, while beneath her slightly fluffy white long skirt, a small section of straight, fair calf remained exposed. Snow-white apricot blossoms fell among Ning Tian's hair and onto her exquisite white-gold fitted ornate robe.
A golden silk sash above her ample chest was tied into an elegant shape, further accentuating her refined and dignified air. She resembled a noble imperial princess.
At that moment, Xu Zihuang's figure appeared silently behind Ning Tian. Watching the apricot blossoms fluttering throughout the courtyard, his mind couldn't help but recall the things Ning Tian had once told him.
"Crunch, crunch, crunch—" Xu Zihuang did not deliberately conceal his footsteps. Stepping on the layer of snow-white apricot blossoms, he slowly walked up behind Ning Tian.
Interrupted from her reminiscing by the footsteps behind her, Ning Tian furrowed her delicate brows.
"No need to come anymore. Go back and tell Father that I'm fine living here."
However, the steady footsteps did not stop; instead, they drew closer and closer.
Ning Tian's expression turned slightly cold as she turned around. Her platinum-blonde long hair swayed with her movement. Her temperament and temper were usually very good; she treated people with a gentle and elegant demeanor. But this courtyard was her only taboo.
Aside from a few very close individuals, she did not like outsiders setting foot here.
Yet upon seeing the youth before her eyes, the coldness on her face melted away instantly, replaced by excitement and pleasant surprise. Her delicate nose wrinkled slightly, and the sourness at its tip caused a faint misty haze to rise in her beautiful water-blue eyes.
Xu Zihuang smiled and pulled Ning Tian into his embrace, gently wiping away the crystalline tears at the corners of her eyes.
"I'm back."
Ning Tian clung to him dependently, pressing her head against Xu Zihuang's chest, feeling that familiar and warm presence. Her heart felt at peace, and even her turbulent emotions calmed considerably.
"Tianhuang…"
"Everything that's happened these past five months, I've already heard about it all." Xu Zihuang knew what Ning Tian wanted to say and interrupted her first.
"It's nothing. Uncle Ning confined you to the sect for your own safety. Moreover, Uncle Ning mobilized the sect's forces to search for me; that's already equivalent to indirectly acknowledging the relationship between us."
"Was it Sister Gu Yi who told you?" Ning Tian lifted her head to gaze at Xu Zihuang, a sweet and intoxicating smile blooming across her pretty face.
Xu Zihuang nodded slightly, then reached out his right hand to catch a single apricot blossom drifting down just in time. His gaze became somewhat distant.
"These apricot trees must be the ones Auntie planted with you back then, right?"
After they had confirmed their relationship years ago, Ning Tian had told Xu Zihuang about her background. The main part concerned her mother.
For some unknown reason, despite being backed by a top-tier sect like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, which was never short of nourishing heavenly treasures or powerful healing-type soul masters, Ning Tian's mother had passed away when Ning Tian was still very young due to health issues.
"Mm." Strange emotions surged in Ning Tian's eyes: longing for her mother, but even more so, happiness.
"Before she passed, Mother made a promise with me: if in the future I met someone I truly liked and was willing to risk everything for, I should bring him to this courtyard. Mother's soul would attach itself to her favorite apricot blossoms and give us her blessing. Now, that promise has been fulfilled."
At this point, Ning Tian met Xu Zihuang's eyes once more. She lightly pursed her lips, looking exceptionally captivating.
Xu Zihuang's heart was involuntarily stirred, a hard-to-describe guilt rising within him. One hand supported Ning Tian's soft and boneless waist, while the other interlocked fingers with hers.
His gentle voice carried unwavering determination.
"From now on, let me take Auntie's place and guard you by your side. As long as you're willing, I will forever be your support."
Hearing Xu Zihuang's words, Ning Tian could no longer suppress the emotions in her heart. Her eyes shimmered with glistening light as she took the initiative to stand on tiptoe, drawing closer to Xu Zihuang's face.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze, while the apricot blossoms around them continued to fall. The perfect blend of motion and stillness painted a breathtaking scene.
The two, lost in tender affection, were completely immersed, seemingly forgetting everything around them.
Outside the courtyard, two figures silently watched the scene within. One was Gu Lao, and beside him stood a middle-aged man in a black long robe.
Judging by appearance, the middle-aged man was in his early forties. His long, black hair was neatly combed, his demeanor steady and reserved, rarely smiling. His deep black eyes gave a sense of profound vicissitude, yet without any trace of decadence.
This middle-aged man was none other than the current sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Xingxu.
Unlike Gu Lao's relief and approval, Ning Xingxu's brows kept twitching from time to time. Only when he saw the increasingly bold behavior of the pair inside the courtyard did he finally let out a soft cough.
Perhaps this was the universal feeling of a father watching his daughter being taken away by another man.
Inside the courtyard, Xu Zihuang remained very calm. He had sensed the presence of Gu Lao and Ning Xingxu long ago. But Ning Tian could not maintain such composure.
Ning Tian panicked and broke free from Xu Zihuang's embrace. A charming blush spread across her lovely face as her chest rose and fell rapidly. She then checked her appearance and noticed that the sash above her chest had come undone. She hurriedly tried to tie it back.
Only then did she realize that, caught up in the joy of their reunion and moved by Yu Tianhuang's words, she herself had loosened the sash in the heat of the moment.
But the more anxious she became, the harder it was to tie properly. In the end, it was Xu Zihuang who helped her fasten the sash again.
Once everything was done, Xu Zihuang took Ning Tian's hand, and the two of them instinctively looked toward the direction outside the courtyard.
Watching Gu Lao and Ning Xingxu approach, Ning Tian tried her best to appear dignified, but no matter how she tried, it looked forced. Still, feeling the warmth from Yu Tianhuang's palm, she gained a bit more confidence.
Gu Lao smiled amiably at Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian without saying anything.
Meanwhile, Ning Xingxu had been scrutinizing Xu Zihuang from head to toe the entire time. As the sect master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, his martial soul was naturally the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, yet the pressure he exuded was completely unlike that of an auxiliary-type soul master. His aura differed from the gentle elegance associated with the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Uncle Ning, hello. Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Yu Tianhuang. I believe you should have heard some things about me from Gu Lao and Ning Tian." Xu Zihuang took the initiative to bow respectfully toward Ning Xingxu.
"This time, I came uninvited and trespassed into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Please forgive me."
Gu Lao laughed heartily and praised,
"Good lad. I didn't expect your mastery of spatial power to have reached that level. Our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's defensive system is practically nothing to you. You nearly fooled even this old bag of bones."
After saying this, he glanced sideways at Ning Xingxu beside him. These words were actually a subtle reminder to Ning Xingxu that Yu Tianhuang had already earned his approval.
Seeing Ning Xingxu remain silent, Ning Tian immediately called out in slight dissatisfaction.
"Father."
Seeing his daughter so devoted to Yu Tianhuang, Ning Xingxu sighed inwardly with complicated feelings. In truth, from the moment Yu Tianhuang made that promise to Ning Tian earlier, he had already dispelled his last trace of doubt.
With his discerning eyes, he could naturally see the sincerity in Yu Tianhuang's words.
Yu Tianhuang's qualities were near-perfect in every aspect: outstanding appearance and temperament, exceptional talent, immense strength, and his feelings for his daughter were clearly genuine. Even he could find no flaws in Yu Tianhuang.
He just felt a touch of melancholy now.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
[email protected]/facficmax10--------(@→a)