"What's the point of you staying in the Wolong Martial Sect? Would my sect really fall apart without you?"
"Get lost. I won't help you."
"Not only will I not help — not a single person in my Wolong Martial Sect will help you."
Once the Sect Master of the Wolong Martial Sect finished speaking, he swept his great sleeve through the air, rose into the sky, and departed.
"Chu Feng, get up."
Seeing this, Duan Liufeng hurried over and helped Chu Feng to his feet.
His eyes were filled with heartache, for in his view, what Chu Feng had done was right — not a single thing wrong about it.
And he also knew the immense pressure weighing on Chu Feng's heart.
"Don't worry. I'll go try to persuade the Sect Master again."
After saying this, Duan Liufeng rose into the sky to chase after the Sect Master. But before leaving, he turned back and looked at Chu Feng one more time.
"Wait here for me. Don't you dare leave until I come back."
Only after those words did Duan Liufeng depart.
He gave that order because he feared Chu Feng would rush back alone — and doing so would be nothing short of suicide.
After Duan Liufeng left, Chu Feng stood rooted to the spot, motionless.
He was despondent, powerless, and consumed by hatred.
But his hatred wasn't directed at the Sect Master of the Wolong Martial Sect. He hated himself for being so utterly useless.
If only he were strong enough — strong enough that he wouldn't have been unable to save his Master, unable to save his friends.
"Daddy."
Suddenly, a sweet, childish voice rang through the empty great hall.
Looking toward the source, the despondent Chu Feng's face finally broke into a faint smile.
Yao Yao had somehow made her way into the hall and was hiding behind a pillar, peeking her little head out to look at Chu Feng.
But when Yao Yao saw Chu Feng, there was none of her usual joy. Instead, a hint of heartache flickered in her big eyes.
She… was feeling heartache for Chu Feng.
"Yao Yao, how did you get in here?"
"I didn't even notice you earlier," Chu Feng asked.
"The Sect Master Granny gave Yao Yao a treasure that hides my aura, so even Daddy couldn't sense me."
As Yao Yao spoke, she shook her wrist, and only then did Chu Feng notice a silver bracelet adorning it.
It was a formation treasure — most likely the very thing that had concealed Yao Yao's aura.
"Come here. Let Daddy hold you."
Chu Feng opened his arms toward Yao Yao.
At last, Yao Yao's sweet smile returned. She bounced and skipped her way to Chu Feng, then leapt straight into his arms.
"Yao Yao, how is it? Are you getting used to things here?" Chu Feng asked gently.
"Not used to it."
Yao Yao shook her head.
"Not used to it?"
"Are the people here not treating you as well as Sister Lele and the others did?" Chu Feng asked.
But Yao Yao shook her head again.
"Actually, Yao Yao wasn't used to things at Sister Lele's or Granny's place either, because Yao Yao wants to stay with Daddy all the time."
"Silly girl. Daddy has things he needs to do. You be good and stay here, and I'll come back to visit you often," Chu Feng said.
"Okay! Hehe."
Despite having just said she wasn't used to it, the moment Chu Feng promised to visit often, the faint look of grievance on her little face was replaced by a radiant smile once more.
Perhaps that was simply how children were — their moods shifted in an instant.
But before long, Yao Yao blinked her big eyes and looked at Chu Feng.
"Daddy, did Granny and Sister Lele run into bad people?" Yao Yao asked.