Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Long Aotian's Father 23
"because……"
Because other fish are unable to break out, and because the pond cannot become bigger, as long as the big fish do not pursue being higher and stronger, everyone can be content with the status quo.
As long as we sacrifice one big fish, there will be no problem.
But why? The big fish is so strong, no one can do anything to him, why does he have to sacrifice himself? Is he the Holy Father?
Zhulong was speechless, realizing how naive, stupid, selfish and hypocritical he was for trying to use righteousness to unite with Zhuozhuo to force Yan Bufan. He was too ashamed to stay any longer, and was about to escape when he was suddenly poked in the stomach by a soft little hand.
Zhuozhuo said seriously, "Zhulong, can you please tell the pond to try to grow bigger? It must be very painful to be dug up."
Zhulong was stunned. This was a path he had never imagined, but upgrading a small world often required a rare opportunity or countless cycles of evolution with billions of years as a cycle. It was never an emergency option, so this path was not feasible.
"Zhaozhuo, the pond won't get any bigger."
Zhulong himself didn't realize the regret etched in his tone. After all, this was the best outcome for all living beings. Furthermore, as the saying goes, one person's success brings prosperity to their entire family. Being able to personally experience the upgrade of a small world would not only broaden one's horizons, but more importantly, bring immeasurable benefits.
"Why? Others can grow up, but it can't because it's sick?" Zhuozhuo looked at Dayan and his father and said childishly, "Let's cure the pond!"
The two people who were placed with high hopes remained silent. Yan Bufan had no say in this matter for the time being, while Dayan was thinking about how to tell Zhuozhuo that this was not feasible without making Zhuozhuo sad and worried.
Zhulong said with a helpless smile: "Zhuozhuo, we can't cure the pond."
"Why?"
"The pond is too big, and we're just tiny shrimps living in it. Our size alone is even bigger than an ant or an elephant. Furthermore, our relationship to the pond is like the internal organs, meridians, bones, hair, and facial features of the human body. We can only live according to the routine. Any abnormal behavior would be considered an illness. Therefore, we are powerless to control the growth of the pond."
Zhuozhuo was taken aback by the comparison, pondering the difference intently for a moment before exclaiming in amazement. But the little girl wasn't at all discouraged. She lifted her chin with pride and spoke confidently in her baby voice, "Daddy and Fengfeng have a solution. Daddy can tear the pond apart, and Fengfeng is even more powerful than Daddy."
She looked at the two men for confirmation. "Daddy can tear the pond apart, so he must be able to heal it? Fengfeng can do it too, right?"
Facing those clear, bright, trusting eyes, Dayan nodded immediately and said calmly, "Yes, I can. Even if your father can't, I can."
Yan Bufan glanced at him. This guy was still as unprincipled as ever in front of Zhuozhuo, but this time it wasn't a trivial matter that could be easily handled. Wasn't it a bit too much to just agree to it? If he couldn't do it, would he use all sorts of fancy words to fool Zhuozhuo?
It wasn't that Yan Bufan had a problem with Dayan, but if Zhuozhuo had been coaxed into submission by adults since childhood, would he pick up the same bad habit when he grew up? He'd promise things, regardless of whether he could do them or not, and then lie to them when he couldn't deliver?
Yan Bufan concluded that Dayan wasn't suitable for raising children; the family still depended on him. Just as he was about to offer some words to vindicate Dayan's words, Zhulong excitedly stretched his neck and demanded, "Really, Your Excellency? Do you really have a solution?"
Dayan pushed away the snake head that was about to hit his face and said with a smile: "Whatever Zhuo Zhuo wants, I must do it for her."
Zhulong felt disdained, but he suppressed his surging emotions and dared not move forward. He asked carefully, "I wonder what Your Excellency will do? What does he need? Do you need help or treasures? If so, I'll have them prepared in advance and will not hold you back."
Dayan spoke lightly and confidently, but Zhulong felt that it was too superficial and lacked substance. He felt that actively participating in something would give him peace of mind. Moreover, this was a major event that would promote the upgrading of the small world, and anyone who knew about it would not want to miss it.
Dayan didn't make any requests, because Zhuozhuo was so coaxed by Dayan that she smiled and threw her soft little body into his arms to act coquettishly. Being coaxed by his little cotton-padded jacket, Dayan suddenly couldn't pay attention to anyone else. It was still Yan Bufan who said with a cold face that they would discuss this matter later and let Zhulong leave first.
Zhuozhuo blew some rainbow farts for a while, then was fed a cup of spiritual milk with a dry mouth. He leaned in Dayan's arms to rest, looked at Yan Bufan curiously, and said in a baby voice: "Daddy! How are you going to tear the sky apart in the future? The sky is so high, higher than the clouds. Can you fly up there?"
At this point, Zhuozhuo twisted his little body to climb down from Dayan, ran to the window and pointed at the blue sky, "What does it look like if the sky is torn apart?"
Two loud thunderclaps sounded in the clear sky, like angry roars.
Zhuozhuo retracted his finger, but before he could run back, a furtive voice popped up in his mind, "Bao... Zhuozhuo, it's me. You've revealed the secret of the quick-wearing technique again."
"Ah? Tongtong, you're out!" Zhuozhuo was so surprised that he didn't pay any attention to what it said.
"It's out... It's okay if it leaks. Yan Bufan is protecting you, even the heavens won't dare strike you. You really can walk all over this world." After sighing, 9972 sensed two murderous auras and quickly shouted, "Don't do it! I have something important to say, about Zhuozhuo's life or death!"
Zhuozhuo tilted her head, not quite understanding what was going on. But when she saw that Dayan and Yan Bufan both looked unhappy, she subconsciously said, "Fengfeng, don't scare Tongben anymore. Tongben is Zhuozhuo's good friend."
"I'm not trying to scare it, I just want it to stop talking nonsense." Dayan smiled kindly, strode over, took the kitten's head off Zhuozhuo's feet and threw it to Yan Bufan. He wanted to coax Zhuozhuo out to play, but she grabbed his sleeve.
Zhuozhuo seemed to have noticed something, and climbed onto Dayan like a little monkey, hugging his neck tightly and refusing to let go, puffing out his cheeks as if he was dissatisfied and about to get angry at any moment.
Yan Bufan paused and said, "Zhuozhuo should listen too. She has the right to know about her affairs."
Da Yan felt that Yan Bufan was trying to please Zhuo Zhuo without considering her at all. It was best for children to avoid such heavy topics. He almost tore up the calm facade of the past few days and confronted Yan Bufan. At this time, 9972 weakly interrupted, "I think it would be better to discuss this with Zhuo Zhuo. Zhuo Zhuo is very talented at completing tasks and has basically passed them with high scores in the past."
"What missions has she done before? Was it dangerous?"
Dayan and Yan Bufan spoke in unison, their eyes like ice-cold swords shooting towards the kitten's head, almost piercing the poor system that had let the cat out of the bag.
9972 Qiqi made a few moans and tried to struggle, but seeing the murderous aura growing stronger, she simply gave up and said, "You are Zhuozhuo's fourth mission. The previous missions were quite dangerous for others, and at least hundreds of hosts died in each mission, but Zhuozhuo is fine. The mission targets all like her and are willing to give up the things they care about most for her."
This sentence contained a lot of information. Both Dayan and Yan Bufan looked unhappy. After a moment of silence, they spoke again at the same time.
"She calls those people daddy too?"
"What do I need to give up for Zhuo Zhuo?"
The two looked at each other, and Dayan chuckled, "Do you even need to ask? We have to give up destroying the world."
[Uh…right.] 9972 whispered expectantly, “Zhuozhuo’s previous fathers would always take the initiative to change.”
Yan Bufan remained silent, his mind already made up. Although he shared Dayan's memories, he didn't share their feelings. After meeting Zhuozhuo, his obsession with becoming stronger stemmed from protecting him. Therefore, giving up on tearing down the world barrier wasn't a big deal for him. He even considered how to convince Dayan.
Dayan had a faint smile on his face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. He asked with a tone that was hard to tell: "How did Zhuozhuo complete his missions before?"
9972 glanced at the bewildered Zhuozhuo and sternly refused, "This is a secret of the main world, and also the host's privacy. I can't tell you."
Before Dayan could lose his temper, 9972's voice hummed in his ear, "Zhaozhuo is too young, her brain isn't fully developed yet, and she can't hold too many memories and emotions. So after every mission, I'll extract and seal her memories according to regulations."
Only Dayan and Yan Bufan could hear this voice. "As for how Zhuozhuo completed the quest, she was the same around you as always. I bound her to you because I felt sorry for her. I didn't expect her to complete the quest at first. Every time a quest started, I only gave her a general idea of the world and rarely asked her to do anything. Her feelings for you are genuine."
Dayan and Yan Bufan naturally had no doubts about Zhuozhuo's feelings. Their attention was all on the word "pitiful" and they hurriedly asked 9972 for details.
9972 didn't know much, so he told them what he saw in the hospital when he bound Zhuozhuo. The two of them felt heartbroken just imagining the dying Zhuozhuo watching her parents fall one after another, looking for help everywhere but no one could see her.
Dayan couldn't help but think that Zhuozhuo's reward for accumulating enough points was to be resurrected and cured of his illness. He could do it as long as he could find Zhuozhuo's world in the void of the universe.
9972 was perceptive for once, sensing a premonition of danger, and hurriedly said, "The blazing world has no spiritual energy, you cannot enter."
This small world is considered a high-magic world compared to Zhuozhuo's world. It cannot even accommodate Dayan. If he goes to Zhuozhuo's world, the world will be shattered into countless pieces in an instant.
Dayan sighed regretfully and began to wonder if there was any magic that could use the soul as an anchor to summon all his blood relatives.
Zhuozhuo's big eyes rolled around, her gaze moving back and forth between the two people and the cat's head. She suspected that they were whispering to her in a way that avoided her. When she heard Dayan sigh, her eyes lit up and she said crisply, "Fengfeng, what's bothering you? Tell me, Zhuozhuo will help you!"
Dayan held Zhuozhuo in his arms and said half-seriously, "I feel sad when I think about Zhuozhuo leaving me when he grows up."
Zhuozhuo giggled, hugged Dayan's head and rubbed it, saying sweetly: "Zhuozhuo will never leave Fengfeng, Zhuozhuo and Daddy Fengfeng will be together forever!"
9972 Looking at Zhuozhuo's carefree smile, I felt a little distressed. Such a young child, who was most dependent on her parents, had to experience so many separations and deaths. It was too cruel for her.
"How long will it take for Zhuozhuo to leave?"
A voice suddenly rang out, startling 9972. It realized Yan Bufan was staring at it coldly, while Zhuozhuo was oblivious, laughing and playing with Dayan. 9972 stammered, trying to get away with it. "I can't say for sure. I left when I should."
It was worried that the two would deliberately delay, knowing that Zhuozhuo would leave as soon as the mission was completed. But the problem was, if the mission progress stagnated, the main system would also determine that the host mission had failed and forcibly recall it. Would Yan Bufan then chase after it?
The thought of this gave 9972 a headache. In all its years in the industry, it had never encountered anything quite like this. The target was incredibly powerful, capable of arbitrarily isolating its system from the main system. 9972 dreaded the prospect of a bloody scene when Zhuozhuo finally broke away.
But that's all for the future. For now, just live one day at a time. 9972 has already given up in this world. His only hope is to win with Zhuozhuo. Then he heard a voice like the devil whispering, "Did Zhuozhuo never grow up in the previous world?"
The question was so firm that 9972 was almost scared to death. It didn't know where it had made a mistake. It would only make more mistakes if it spoke more, so it simply pretended to be dead and kept silent.
It didn't say it, so Yan Bufan said, "If Zhuozhuo grows up, you won't say that she is too young to carry so many memories, and that she has to extract and seal them after each mission."
9972 muttered, "Couldn't it be that every time a new mission begins, Zhuozhuo reverts to his three-year-old body? Of course, it has to be sealed immediately!"
"Then you'll say you extracted and sealed up Zhuo Zhuo's memories before each mission. As for other reasons, there will be other explanations as well."
9972 was speechless and didn't even dare to ask him what he wanted to do by saying this.
Yan Bufan said coldly: "What is the standard for completing the task? How long will it take for Zhuozhuo to leave after completing the task? What is the punishment for failing the task?"
9972 wanted to say in a tough manner that it had nothing to say, but Yan Bufan's cold face was as scary as Dayan's. It was tough for less than three seconds before it told everything honestly.
Yan Bufan's expression grew uglier as he listened. Parting with Zhuozhuo seemed inevitable. He resisted the urge to crush the cat's head and inquired about the location of the main world.
[I told you you can't go. According to the original trajectory, you will ascend to the Immortal Realm after overcoming the tribulation. There are three thousand great worlds in the universe that are on par with the Immortal Realm. The Main World is not an independent world, but a selected communication center among the three thousand great worlds. Only the powerful and a small number of high-level hosts from the great worlds can enter.]
There was one thing 9972 had never told Zhuozhuo: being bound as a host and traveling between worlds to complete missions was dangerous and arduous, but becoming a high-level host and gaining access to the main world was a leap forward. This was the only chance for people in small and medium worlds to escape their native world.
Thinking of this, 9972 boldly said: "I have a way to get you and Zhuozhuo to do the mission together."
"explain."
Hosts are divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. Once you reach intermediate, you can choose a mission mode. After choosing to team up, you can bind a host to participate in two-player missions. This system is designed for couples, but because two-player missions are very difficult, it has gradually become a special place for high-ranking players to grind.
The more 9972 talked, the more feasible it seemed. "Your strength is unquestionable. You can bring Zhuozhuo with you to grind for points. Once you both become advanced hosts and gain access to the main world, you can choose whether to continue the quests. There are no restrictions on any world you visit; as long as you pass the security test, you can enter and exit freely."
It felt that Yan Bufan would definitely agree. After all, his current goal was to tear open the world barrier and go to a higher world to increase his strength. Being a host was easier and more peaceful than this.
Yan Bufan's eyelashes trembled, and he asked calmly, "What level is Zhuozhuo now?"
[Beginner.]
Each level up required a large number of points. Currently, Zhuozhuo had to complete at least thirty or forty tasks to reach the intermediate level. This was already considered fast. If a task failed midway, resulting in a point deduction, or if a large amount of points were spent in the system mall, the time would be infinitely extended.
However, Yan Bufan and Dayan are both very strong. They don't need to worry about these things when doing tasks. The points they earn should be accumulated. They will definitely be able to reach the intermediate level faster than Zhuozhuo. Then they can bind each other and win the life without any effort! It can also benefit from it and refresh its own terrible performance -
9972, who was happily daydreaming, suddenly remembered that Zhuozhuo would not be promoted to the intermediate level, because the points required for upgrading were exactly the points for her resurrection, and she would directly return to the original world to be resurrected.
Suddenly, sparks of lightning flashed above the cat's head. 9972's entire body stiffened, and he wished he could tear himself apart for his eloquent speech. He was just thinking about how to remedy the situation when he heard Yan Bufan ask, "How many points are needed to revive Zhuo Zhuo? Can points be transferred?"
[Well, points can be transferred, but there will be a fee, but I can help you transfer it for free...]
After a long, drawn-out conversation, 9972 chose to play the emotional card, choosing between lying and being beaten to death. "Zhuozhuo's wish is to be resurrected and reunited with her parents. I haven't discussed leveling with her before because she doesn't need to consider it. I also think she won't want to continue questing after her resurrection. She prefers a stable and happy life, so she'll unbind from me."
Speaking of this, 9972 felt a little reluctant to leave. Although they had not been together the longest, Zhuozhuo was his favorite host and the one he invested the most energy in.
Yan Bufan understood what 9972 had left unfinished. The hope that had just risen in his heart was shattered, just like encountering a mirage in the desert. Despair, anger and panic intertwined. His emotions fluctuated violently, and he even wanted to tear the head of this unreliable cat into pieces.
9972 also wanted to tear itself apart. What a nonsense! Fortunately, it held on to Zhuozhuo's thighs and saved its life.
It reduced its presence, stealthily inching closer to Zhuozhuo. Its purpose in appearing today was to sense progress in the mission, and it was worried that if Zhuozhuo showed any signs of abnormality, Dayan and Yan Bufan would do something terrible. Although it hadn't said it explicitly yet, when Zhuozhuo began to weaken, they should at least think of asking it, so as not to do something irreversible.
However, the moment the cat moved its head, it was pushed back by the cold tip of the sword. 9972 was almost in tears. [Do you have any other questions?]
Yan Bufan lowered his eyes and looked at it, "How do I bind to the system and become the host?"
9972's method didn't work, but Yan Bufan suddenly thought that even if he couldn't complete the mission with Zhuozhuo, he could go to Zhuozhuo's world to see her after becoming a high-level host. If he stayed there, what would be the difference between that and staying with Zhuozhuo forever?
Thinking of this, Yan Bufan suddenly felt enlightened, and his whole body exuded a light-hearted aura.
9972 didn't know why he was asking this, so he answered honestly: "A system can only be bound to one host at a time. If you need it, I can contact a colleague who's not in a job and bind you to it. I can also report your situation to my superiors and request an assignment. However, the system is bound to the soul, so we've only bound to the dead before. You..."
It thought that Dayan was very powerful and separating the soul and spirit was like a piece of cake. They didn't need to die again, their souls could just leave their bodies.
Yan Bufan also thought it was okay and looked at Dayan.
Although Dayan was playing with Zhuozhuo, he was also listening to the secret meeting between 9972 and Yan Bufan. Noticing Yan Bufan's gaze, he smiled.
There was a hint of contempt and amusement in his smile, and he didn't know who he was looking down on. He said calmly, "Then give it a try. Once you have reached an agreement, I will lift the barrier."
9972 was thrilled. After being out of touch with the main world for so long, they were finally going to be reconnected! It first screened its colleagues, but if it found any conflicts in schedules or incompatibility in personality or ability, it would simply write a report and have the main system assign them a new position.
The application form has a fixed format. 9972 was called up to fill it out, but the first question got it stuck.
What is the bond value between the host candidate and the original world?
9972 stiffly calculated the bond value between Dayan and Yan Bufan and this small world.
The bond value is 99.99, with a full score of 100.
The average bond value between the hosts and the original world is 0.17.
Take Zhuozhuo, for example. Both her parents were orphans, leaving her with a limited family connection and few friends. Zhuozhuo died at the age of three, having fallen ill and lost even a regular playmate. Following her death, her parents also passed away, leaving her with almost no ties to her original world. Such untethered souls are best bound and carried wherever they go.
Yan Bufan and Dayan are the protagonists of this world. They already have a deep bond between them. Now Dayan has fought with Tiandao, which has made the bond even deeper. They are almost integrated and cannot be torn apart.
A bond value of 99.99 meant that even after his death, he would be instantly reborn and continue stirring up trouble. The small world couldn't leave him for a moment! If a system wanted to bind their souls and leave this world, these bond values would be like countless threads firmly entangled in them, holding them back.
So, it can’t be tied.
Neither Yan Bufan nor Dayan can be a host.
[Ahhhhh I’m going to die!]
9972 glanced at Yan Bufan, then flew over to Zhuo Zhuo and apologized loudly, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I was distracted during the training and wasn't paying attention. I wasn't kidding you! But you really can't be hosts because blah blah blah..."
9972 finished his words in one breath, then curled up in Zhuozhuo's arms and waited for death.
Unexpectedly, Yan Bufan didn't get angry. His life seemed to be filled with disappointment and hardship, and he was used to dealing with dashed hopes. Yan Bufan was stunned for a moment, then looked at Dayan calmly and said, "You knew it wouldn't work."
Dayan threw the cat's head onto the table and chuckled, "Before this little idiot, there were four other systems that brought over a dozen hosts. I've heard them talk about their host selection criteria."
If Dayan was not sure that there was no other way, why would he destroy his own world and trillions of lives? He is not a mentally twisted pervert.
Yan Bufan searched his memory for a while and found this fragment. He felt a little lost, but he was not discouraged. He said, "If we are promoted to a large world, we can also enter the main world."
Dayan is the strongest in this world, and the strongest in the big world has the qualifications to enter the main world.
"That will take forever," Dayan said slowly. "Putting your hopes on others will lead to disappointment."
"What can you do?"
Dayan smiled and said slowly, "Strength can defeat skill."
Yan Bufan frowned, "If you were to break the barrier, before you could improve your strength and make amends, Zhuo Zhuo's mission would have already failed."
Dayan didn't answer. He played with Zhuozhuo calmly, looking confident.
Yan Bufan had no idea what he was planning, and had no intention of practicing, so he simply joined in.
The two of them played together, and Zhuozhuo was so happy that he almost went crazy. He was busy the whole day and didn't even take a nap.
During dinner, Zhuozhuo suddenly fell on Yan Bufan's arms as if the power had gone out. Her little body became as soft as noodles and fell straight down, and was held in Yan Bufan's arms.
Dayan leaned over to check, wiped the soup stuck on Zhuozhuo's nose, and said with a smile: "She fell asleep and is too tired. Don't wake her up to wash up."
He performed a magic trick to cleanse the dirty little cat, and Yan Bufan carried her to the bed and put her to bed, and then they both went about their own business.
The next day, the sun shone on the bed accompanied by the chirping of insects and birds. Yan Bufan knew that they would be separated and just wanted to spend more time with Zhuozhu. He walked in on time to help her get up, but found that the little one was sleeping soundly in the quilt, with no signs of waking up.
Yan Bufan simply stood by the bed, watching Zhuozhuo. His mind kept replaying the image of himself alone after she left. But he had no time to feel lost. His entire mind was consumed with worrying about Zhuozhuo's future tasks. He wondered what kind of people she would meet, what hardships she would face... His thoughts gradually drifted away, and after a moment, Yan Bufan suddenly felt something was wrong.
Zhuozhuo was a restless sleeper, often kicking the covers everywhere and arguing in all sorts of bizarre poses. Every morning, the bed and Zhuozhuo were both a mess. But today, Zhuozhuo lay perfectly still in bed, just as she had been when I put her down last night.
"shining?"
Yan Bufan stepped forward and touched Zhuozhuo's forehead and neck. He found that she had no fever and was not sweating. He raised his voice and called out again, "Zhuozhuo, get up."
Zhuozhuo still didn't respond.
Yan Bufan immediately picked up Zhuozhuo and shook him, saying in a deep voice, "Zhuozhuo, don't fall asleep yet. Open your eyes and look at Daddy."
He transferred a wisp of spiritual power to Zhuozhuo and forcibly woke him up.
Zhuozhuo slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yan Bufan with a blank expression. After a moment, he seemed to come back to his senses and called out in a milky voice, "Daddy."
"I'm here, Zhuozhuo, are you feeling unwell?"
Zhuozhuo blinked very slowly, and put his little head on Yan Bufan's shoulder like a boneless person, and said in a vague and weak voice, "I'm not feeling uncomfortable, I'm just sleepy——"
"Were you too tired yesterday?" Yan Bufan helped Zhuozhuo adjust his posture and said softly, "I didn't take a nap yesterday, I need to sleep a little longer today to make up for it..."
The chubby little hand covered Yan Bufan's mouth, his scorching eyes half-opened, and he muttered unhappily, "Daddy, don't talk."
Yan Bufan smiled, gently took away the little hand, and put Zhuozhuo back on the bed, "Okay, Daddy won't say anything, Zhuozhuo, go to sleep."
Zhuozhuo didn't respond and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he touched the bed.
Yan Bufan watched for a while and found that Zhuozhuo didn't kick the quilt or twist around. She was so quiet that he could hardly hear her breathing. She didn't look like she was asleep, but rather like she was in a coma.
Yan Bufan's heart skipped a beat and he went out to look for Dayan.
Zhuozhuo didn't open her eyes until the afternoon. She didn't have the usual fresh energy after waking up. Her whole body felt limp and heavy with fatigue, as if something was holding her back. Zhuozhuo was stunned for a long time before her big black eyes finally brightened. She burrowed in the quilt, clutching her stomach, and called out softly, "Daddy, Fengfeng, Zhuozhuo is so hungry."
"Then let's get up and eat, okay?"
A gentle voice came. Zhuozhuo looked towards the bed and saw Dayan and Yan Bufan standing there, as if they had been watching over her. She grinned and said, "Okay, let's eat."
Being picked up and dressed, Zhuozhuo stood unsteadily, leaning in Dayan's arms and then on Yan Bufan like a tumbler, looking listless the whole time. She was eager to eat, but her appetite vanished once she got to the food. She had only eaten less than half of her usual meal when she pushed Dayan's hand away, indicating she was full.
Yan Bufan could barely maintain the smile on his face. His brows furrowed into knots, but he quickly forced himself to relax. Da Yan put down his bowl and spoon, wiped Zhuozhuo's mouth and hands, and seeing that she was about to close her eyes, he asked softly, "Is Zhuozhuo sleepy again?"
Zhuozhuo shook his head dejectedly, then nodded with a pout, looking unsure of what was wrong with him. He said unhappily, "Let's go to bed?"
"Go to bed later. You just finished eating. Walk around before you go to sleep."
"Okay." Zhuozhuo pretended to get off the chair, but he had no strength and slid down. Dayan quickly caught him.
After being startled, Zhuozhuo's spirits were not much better. She was still slow to react and had difficulty receiving information from the outside world. She was walking in the garden hand in hand with Dayan and Yan Bufan. She was like a sleepwalker. After a while, her little head was nodding and her whole body was falling down.
Yan Bufan picked up Zhuozhuo and was about to ask her what was wrong when she put her little head on his shoulder and fell asleep with her eyes closed. Yan Bufan's breathing stopped and it seemed as if his heartbeat stopped for a moment.
"What's going on?"
After putting Zhuozhuo back on the bed, the two took turns to check Zhuozhuo's body. After finding nothing, they stayed by the bed and communicated with each other.
Dayan looked at the little cat head on Zhuozhuo's shoe and said coldly, "Is this how Zhuozhuo escapes from this world?"
9972 didn't dare to play dead, and said cautiously, "Yes, a good person can't just disappear for no reason, right? Escape by death is the best way. But don't worry, Zhuozhuo is fine! She's listless now, just affected by her body. She'll be fine once she's out of the way."
Yan Bufan didn't say anything. The result of their investigation just now was indeed as expected. Zhuo Zhuo's soul was fine, but he was weak for no reason.
Even though he always knew that the main world was unfathomable, seeing Zhuo Zhuo being controlled and led to his downfall without them noticing was too much of a blow. A feeling of powerlessness came over him, and Yan Bufan's face looked very ugly.
Dayan stared at Zhuozhuo for a moment, then turned away. His deep voice seemed to be filled with the scent of blood, "Take good care of Zhuozhuo."
"Where are you going?"
"Don't worry about it."
Yan Bufan didn't bother asking any more questions. He watched Zhuozhuo lost in thought for a moment before resuming his meditation. While advancing to a smaller world was difficult, as long as he was strong enough and lived long enough, achieving it would always be possible. If he gave up now and let his life become decadent, then he would never see Zhuozhuo again.
9972 quickly understood Yan Bufan's plan, unsure whether to call it self-deception or resilience. It looked from Zhuozhuo to Yan Bufan, then gazed anxiously at the palace entrance, hoping Dayan wouldn't cause any trouble.
Zhuozhuo slept for two more days before waking up again. Although she had no memory of the multiple experiences of separation, they had left traces in her soul. She had a premonition of something, and after waking up, she refused to sleep again. She nestled in Yan Bufan's arms, talking intermittently, being extremely clingy, and insisted on looking for Dayan.
But no one knew where Dayan went and he never came back.
Finally, Zhuozhuo couldn't bear it anymore and could only tell Yan Bufan, "Daddy, you have to tell Fengfeng that Zhuozhuo likes Fengfeng. Fengfeng, don't be sad and live a good life."
Yan Bufan's eyes instantly turned red, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Wait until he comes back, and Zhuozhuo will tell him in person, okay?"
"But Zhuozhuo doesn't know if he can see Fengfeng after waking up." Zhuozhuo pleaded, "Daddy, please tell me, okay?"
"Okay, I'll tell you, just sleep peacefully."
Yan Bufan's voice was hoarse, and the last few words were almost squeezed out.
Zhuozhuo stood up by holding onto Yan Bufan's arm, raised her hand to touch his eyes, and said childishly, "Daddy, don't cry. If Daddy cries, Zhuozhuo will be sad and want to cry too."
"Daddy didn't cry." Yan Bufan took a deep breath and said with a smile: "Daddy didn't sleep well and his eyes hurt."
"Why don't you sleep well?"
"Because Fengfeng is not here, Daddy has to deal with many things and is very busy."
"Can you find someone to help Daddy? Daddy needs more sleep. He will grow taller if he sleeps more."
"Yes, Daddy will arrange all the chores in a moment."
"Okay."
Zhuozhuo couldn't hold on any longer. Her eyelids opened and closed more and more slowly. Just as she was about to fall asleep, a thunderclap suddenly struck the palace. The deafening thunder and the powerful current immediately woke Zhuozhuo. She stared with wide eyes and said foolishly, "Is the sky falling?"
Yan Bufan waved his hand to light the candle and held Zhuozhuo in his arms. He glanced at the sky outside which had suddenly turned dark, wondering what had happened. He said soothingly, "It's okay, Zhuozhuo. There was thunder. It might rain. I'll set up a barrier for you. Go back to sleep."
The barrier blocked out the sound, and Zhuozhuo leaned in Yan Bufan's arms and fell asleep soon.
Yan Bufan put Zhuozhuo in the bed and went to the window to observe the celestial phenomena. Before he could come to any conclusion, he suddenly realized that someone was attacking the barrier and trying to break in. He set up another barrier for Zhuozhuo and flew out with a dark and cold look.
A group of people gathered at the foot of the mountain. Each of them had a high level of cultivation. Yan Bufan recognized them as leaders from various fields. He pushed them back with a palm and said coldly, "What do you want?"
The leader, Hua Duoyou, said urgently, "Venerable Jisheng is trying to tear open the world barrier. This is absolutely unacceptable! Senior Zhulong is trying to stop him, but it won't last much longer. We can't just watch him destroy the world!"
Yan Bufan already had a guess in his mind and asked coldly, "What evidence do you have for saying that?"
"Two days ago, someone saw Venerable Jisheng go to Dengyuntai!"
Dengyuntai is the place closest to the world barrier and is known as the small ladder to heaven. In this way, it does seem like Dayan has launched an operation.
But Yan Bufan didn't think that Dayan would do this, not only for Zhuozhuo, but also because in order to tear open the world barrier, he had to merge with him. Otherwise, his soul would be incomplete and his strength would be limited, making it difficult for him to be a match for the Heavenly Dao. Even if he succeeded, he would be shattered by the turbulent flow of the void the moment the barrier was broken.
He said expressionlessly: "So what? I can't stop him."
Hua Duo lobbied: "Let's invite Zhuo Zhuo."
Yan Bufan sneered, "Do you still remember how old Zhuozhuo is?"
Hua Duoyou was a little embarrassed and was silent for a moment before saying, "It doesn't matter how old I am, as long as I can influence Venerable Jisheng."
"I can't let Zhuozhuo show up, you guys go."
Yan Bufan turned to leave, but Hua Duoyou shouted, "Yan Bufan, the world barrier is broken. Do you think you and Zhuozhuo can escape unscathed?"
"So what?" Yan Bufan's eyes remained calm, his tone mocking, "Zhuozhuo is only three years old and can't even speak clearly. How can he stop Venerable Jisheng? It would be more effective if you pointed a sword at his neck to disrupt Venerable Jisheng's mind, wouldn't it?"
"I won't threaten him with Scorch."
Yan Bufan smiled lightly. Even a dog wouldn't believe this.
Hua Duoyou closed his eyes somewhat embarrassedly and promised, "I won't hurt Zhuozhuo."
"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't. Just because you can't do it now doesn't mean you can't do it in the future."
Yan Bufan didn't want to talk to Hua Duoyou anymore, so he added another layer of barrier and left without looking back.
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