……………………
Yang Kai didn't move. He watched little Ling'er for a moment before speaking. "Old Ban, she's just a little girl—is it safe for her to stay here alone?"
Desolate City was a den of vipers and dragons, with no one to maintain order. Brawls broke out on a regular basis. Little Ling'er was only seven or eight years old—should she ever be dragged into some danger, she would have absolutely no ability to protect herself.
Old Ban didn't answer, but little Ling'er piped up in her clear voice. "I won't cause Grandpa any trouble."
Old Ban chuckled. "Little Ling'er is very sensible. Whenever I'm not around, she won't step outside."
Yang Kai shook his head. That wasn't the point. If someone truly intended to harm little Ling'er, hiding inside the house wouldn't help either. He had no idea how she had managed to grow up safely these past few years.
After a brief pause, Yang Kai said, "Have you never considered sending her to a sect for cultivation?"
Old Ban let out a bitter laugh at these words. "I've thought about it, of course. But this old man has no connections—what sect could I possibly send her to? The minor, no-name schools wouldn't offer her any real future. It would be better to keep her by my side and teach her myself. And those famous, prestigious sects—how could someone like me ever get her accepted into one?"
"How about I send her to a sect?" Yang Kai turned his head and said. "Consider it repayment for guiding me here this time."
Old Ban froze, then broke into a wide grin. "Young Master Yang, are you serious?"
Yang Kai smiled. "Aren't you going to ask where I'll be sending her?"
Old Ban replied, "If Young Master Yang is making the offer, then whatever sect it is, it certainly won't be lacking."
Yang Kai was an Emperor Lord Realm powerhouse—Old Ban had witnessed his strength with his own eyes. If he had made this offer, he would never send little Ling'er to some obscure, unknown minor school.
For Old Ban, this was a wish fulfilled. For little Ling'er, it was an extraordinary opportunity.
"Little Ling'er, hurry and kneel to thank Young Master Yang," Old Ban said to her, his face beaming with joy.
Little Ling'er didn't kneel. Instead, she studied Yang Kai with open curiosity, her big eyes blinking. Her long lashes fluttered as she spoke in her crisp little voice. "Little Ling'er wants to ask something. Is that okay?"
Yang Kai was amused by her manner—he hadn't expected a girl her age to have such a mind of her own. He crouched down to her eye level and nodded. "What do you want to ask?"
Little Ling'er tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Will I be separated from Grandpa?"
Yang Kai nodded. "Yes. The place I'm sending you only accepts women. Men are not allowed to stay there."
Hearing this, little Ling'er immediately shook her head like a rattle-drum. "Then I'm not going. I want to stay with Grandpa."
Old Ban grew frantic. He stamped his foot. "What nonsense are you spouting, you little girl? Young Master Yang sending you to cultivate is your good fortune, and you're pushing back against it?"
Little Ling'er said firmly, "If it means being separated from Grandpa, I won't go."
Old Ban was both frustrated and anxious, yet his heart brimmed with tender affection. He shot Yang Kai a pleading look, terrified that Yang Kai might refuse this wonderful opportunity.
"Simple, innocent, adorable, and sensible—little Ling'er is quite something," Yang Kai said with a warm smile and a nod. He spoke in a gentle, coaxing tone. "Little Ling'er, do you remember the last time Grandpa was taken away?"
At these words, little Ling'er's small face changed. She clearly remembered that incident. A flicker of fear entered her wide eyes, and she said, "Are you saying that if little Ling'er doesn't agree, you'll take Grandpa away too? If that's the case, then I'll go with you. Just don't take my grandpa."
Yang Kai laughed despite himself. "I'm not going to take your grandpa. But if he was taken once, there will be a second time, and a third… Do you want to protect Grandpa?"
Little Ling'er looked up at Old Ban. She nodded emphatically. "I do! I want to beat those bad people away and stop them from bullying Grandpa!"
Yang Kai said, "Good. To beat bad people away, you need great strength. You need to cultivate. You need to join a powerful sect. Come with me, and I'll give you the ability to protect your grandpa!"
Little Ling'er pressed her lips together, her face full of hesitation.
Yang Kai continued, "As for your grandpa, you don't need to worry. He'll come with us. He won't be able to stay by your side all the time like before, but whenever you miss him, you can go see him."
"Really?" Little Ling'er's eyes lit up, and she asked in delighted surprise.
"Pinky swear?" Yang Kai smiled and held out his little finger to her.
Little Ling'er glanced at him and said crisply, "Pinky swears are just tricks to fool children. I won't pinky swear with you."
Yang Kai stared at her with a dark expression. This girl was way too precocious—was it true that children from poor families had to grow up fast?
But then little Ling'er said, "But little Ling'er believes you."
As she spoke, she dropped to her knees before Yang Kai with a thud and bowed her head to the ground.
Yang Kai raised a hand and lifted her back up. "No need to bow to me. I'm only introducing you to a sect. When you arrive and meet your Master, you can bow then."
He turned to Old Ban. "Old Ban, you should pack up too. You won't be coming back to Desolate City after this."
"Of course, of course! Young Master Yang, please wait a moment." Old Ban was overjoyed. He had stayed in Desolate City all this time, making a living as a guide. But if little Ling'er truly had a bright future ahead of her, he would naturally no longer linger in this place of vipers and dragons.