Chapter 88 (Final Chapter)

After seeing off Hanzhou, we need to take Ranluo back to her hometown, where her father Cheyu's past is located.

She looked at Ranluo, whose face showed both nervousness and anticipation, walked to her side, and said softly, "I'm just taking you home, don't be so nervous."

Regardless of the past, that place remains the homeland of the White Fox clan. Even though the clan members no longer live together, they will not stand idly by if any of their descendants encounter difficulties.

Han Zhou's words relaxed Ran Luo, who had been somewhat tense, and she let out a breath.

"You're right, I'm just going home to visit, there's nothing to be nervous about."

A smile appeared on Han Zhou's lips, and a familiar golden light enveloped the two of them. In just an instant, the scene before them changed.

The wind carried the familiar yet strange scent of their homeland, stirring Han Zhou's silver hair. She and Ran Luo stood on a slightly desolate slope, but with faint traces of past inhabitants.

Contrary to Ranluo's imagination of a completely razed site, some new green plants have stubbornly sprouted here, attempting to gently cover the old scars.

"Is this the place?" Ranlu looked around curiously. Her half-demon senses allowed her to detect the faint, lingering sense of peace in the air, a lingering aura belonging to the White Fox clan that had long since dissipated.

"Hmm." Han Zhou nodded slightly, her golden eyes calmly sweeping over the surroundings. As the Heavenly Dao, she had long been aware of all the changes in this place. Her presence here now was more like a formality of remembrance, and her emotions were not greatly stirred.

She raised her hand and lightly touched the air with her fingertips.

Before long, a little monster dressed in faded clothes with a few withered grasses on its head scrambled out from behind a clump of bushes and knelt respectfully before Han Zhou: "M-Master, you summoned me?"

Han Zhou turned his gaze to Ran Luo, his tone calm and even: "It knows some old stories. Ask whatever you want to know."

Ranluo's eyes lit up, and she immediately squatted down to be at eye level with the little demon, a bright and expectant smile on her face: "Hello! I'd like to hear about my father, Cheyu, here before. Was he particularly powerful? Do you have any interesting stories?"

The little monster looked up, flattered, and its nervousness dissipated considerably upon seeing Ran Luo's clear smile. It scratched its head, trying hard to remember: "Lord Che... Lord Che Yu... he was the most lively among the younger generation back then!"

"Really?" Ranlu asked in surprise. This was just like the father she had imagined. With such bright and flamboyant red hair, he probably wasn't a very steady person.

“Yes, yes,” the little monster said, gesturing excitedly, “Don’t let his later maturity fool you, he was quite mischievous as a child! Once, he secretly used illusion magic to turn the elder’s most treasured beard into a rainbow color, and he was chased and beaten up halfway up the mountain!”

Ranlu couldn't help but chuckle, and a mischievous yet lively young white fox instantly came to mind.

The little demon chuckled twice, then seemed to remember more, his tone softening with nostalgia: "But Lord Cheyu was exceptionally kind. Back then, my magic was weak, and I was always bullied by other demons. Every time, it was Lord Cheyu who came to my rescue. He always said, 'Power is not for bullying the weak, but for protecting what you want to protect.'"

Ranluo's smile faded slightly, her eyes softened, and she gently repeated, "Protect what you want to protect..."

She instinctively placed her hand on the gold bell around her neck, gently stroking it; the bell's surface still bore intricate patterns. She herself was the one her father wanted to protect.

“Yes,” the little demon sighed, its voice lowering, “but then Lord Cheyu went somewhere and we haven’t heard from him since. Until…” It turned its gaze to Hanzhou.

"It wasn't until Lord Hanzhou returned that I learned Lord Cheyu had already... passed away."

Ranluo was silent for a moment, then gently patted the little demon's shoulder: "Thank you for telling me all this. I'm so happy to hear so many of his lively stories from the past, really."

After hesitating for a moment, the little monster spoke up: "Um, I'm still cleaning Lord Cheyu's former residence. There are still some items left inside, and I think... I should hand them over to you."

Her face lit up with joy as she turned to Han Zhou, who had been standing quietly to the side. A smile, tinged with sadness but mostly warm and resolute, returned to her face.

"Lead the way," Han Zhou said softly.

The little monster quickly replied "Yes," and cautiously led the way.

The little monster led them past several thick bushes, and in a clearing in the woods, the remaining scene came into view.

There was indeed a wooden house there, but now most of it has collapsed. The charred beams and broken planks tell the story of the past calamities, but miraculously, the southeast corner still barely maintains its frame, as if stubbornly guarding something.

The little monster led them skillfully, carefully avoiding the scattered wood scraps, to a corner that was still relatively intact.

This place resembled what used to be a bedroom, with a wooden wardrobe tilted over and half-open, its interior empty. The little monster crouched down and rummaged around in an inconspicuous, seemingly hidden compartment at the bottom of the wardrobe for a moment, finally pulling out a small object tightly wrapped in oilcloth.

It carefully held it up and handed it to Ranluo.

"This is something that Lord Cheyu used to use." The little monster's voice was a little shy.

Ranluo held her breath and took the small package, which felt slightly heavy in her hand. She slowly untied the somewhat stiff and knotted oilcloth, revealing a slightly worn sandalwood comb inside.

The comb wasn't particularly exquisitely crafted, but the wood was warm and smooth, and the edges were worn very smooth, clearly indicating that it had been frequently used and caressed by its owner. A few fine, silver hairs, long since lost their luster, were even tangled between the comb's teeth.

"This is..." Ranluo asked softly, her fingertips carefully brushing against the few strands of silver hair.

“It’s fox fur,” Han Zhou glanced at it, paused, and continued, “Sandalwood combs are very common among white foxes; we often use them to groom our tails. They’re also a kind of token of love.”

She picked up the wooden comb; the wood felt cool to the touch, yet she could almost feel a lingering warmth that belonged to her father. She imagined her father combing the fox's tail alone in this wooden house, but perhaps after meeting her mother, this task would be taken over by her.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, landing precisely on the wooden comb and the remaining roof frame, casting a soft halo over the dark wood.

"Thank you," Ranluo said solemnly to the little demon, then pressed the sandalwood comb tightly to her chest, turned to Hanzhou, her eyes slightly red, but her voice was light and firm, "Let's go back. I received a wonderful gift!"

Han Zhou's gaze swept over the dilapidated wooden house and landed on the wooden comb that Ran Luo was holding tightly. In those golden eyes that seemed to see through everything, there seemed to be very faint ripples spreading out, and then quickly returning to calm.

She could feel the warmth that once lingered in the ruins of the wooden house, and the subtle emotional imprints on the wooden comb that had endured the passage of time.

"Mmm," she replied softly.

Han Zhou looked at Ran Luo, and a barely perceptible hint of approval flashed across his golden eyes, which seemed to contain the laws of the stars' movement.

She could feel that the missing piece of the puzzle about her father in Ranluo's heart was being filled little by little by these vivid and warm memories. Although the underlying tone was still the heaviness of loss, bright and warm colors had already been painted on it.

Ranluo glanced back at the dilapidated wooden house one last time.

The homeland is no longer what it once was, but the legends and memories will continue in another way.

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Author's note: There will be one or two extra chapters later.