Chapter 168 Desiring to Sever the Ties of Love
Only when the phoenix palanquin turned into a point of light did Xuanfeng lower his head and look at Su Yuyao.
Su Yuyao's eyes widened as she gazed enviously at the sky, muttering, "Wow, what a beautiful phoenix carriage! I want one too!"
Xuanfeng laughed and said, "Silly girl! Don't even think about it! Only the Mother of Wuji can ride in this phoenix carriage!"
"The Mother of Infinity?" Su Yuyao sighed. "Then there may be no chance!"
Just as Xuanfeng was about to reach out to help her, Su Yuyao stood up on her own, dusted off her skirt, looked at Xuanfeng, and asked shyly, "Do you... want to come with me to see Xuanmiao?"
Looking at Su Yuyao's fluffy face under the moonlight, Xuanfeng felt a surge of indescribable emotions. The guilt, self-blame, and longing he had felt for so long had made him imagine countless times what it would be like to reunite with Su Yuyao, but none of those scenarios were... to see the child!
call out--!
A gust of wind swept through the darkness!
Ruixue bared her teeth and stood protectively in front of Su Yuyao, watching as a dark figure slowly descended.
"Yao'er!" Qi Men's voice was filled with urgency, "Quickly, let your uncle take a good look at her!"
Qimen, devoid of his usual composure, lifted his long robe and stepped onto the stands. He pushed aside Ruixue, who was baring her teeth, pulled Su Yuyao to his side, and looked her up and down with red eyes.
"Uncle... I can see now!" Su Yuyao's eyes welled up with tears. "When I gave birth to Miao'er, I suddenly could see..."
"Good! Good! Yao'er..." Qi Men's eyes also reddened. "You've suffered so much... Just now, Uncle only heard Miao'er crying, but didn't see her. Uncle was so envious! Please take Uncle to see her!"
"Okay!" Su Yuyao nodded readily, then turned and called out, "Ruixue! Let's go!"
Ruixue bared her teeth, glared at the timid eagle that had landed to the side, then turned around, picked up Su Yuyao and Qimen, leaped off the stands, and rushed into the dark wilderness.
"Huh?!" Xuanfeng stood on the stands with his hands behind his back, speechless as he watched Su Yuyao's disappearing figure. "What about me?!"
Xuanfeng's voice carried far, but Ruixue did not slow down.
Xuanfeng had no choice but to channel his inner energy and chase after them.
Flying Eagle shook its head. They're all gone? What am I supposed to do then? Might as well transform into human form and chase after Xuanfeng…
In a secluded cave, the wolf tribe members were gathered together grilling fish, drinking wine, and playing mysterious games.
"Ling'er! Ling'er! Look here!" The shadow grabbed the sandstorm's tail and swept it across Xuanmiao's chubby feet.
"Hehehehe!" Xuanmiao stretched out her toes to reach the sandstorm's fluffy tail, grinned, and smiled so hard that her eyes narrowed into slits.
"Ling'er! Smell it! Doesn't it smell good?!" Shadow waved the grilled fish in front of Xuanmiao again, and the aroma of the grilled fish gently brushed against Xuanmiao's nose.
Xuanmiao paused for a moment, then fanned her little nose and sniffed the aroma of the grilled fish.
"Ah! Ah!" She stretched out her little hand and tried to reach the grilled fish, but her short and thick little arm couldn't even reach the heat of the grilled fish.
Xuanmiao blushed, straightened up, kicked her legs hard, raised her head and grinned at Langzhi who was holding her, and burst into tears.
"Give it to me!" Langzhi snatched the grilled fish with wide eyes, carefully picked out the fish bones with his rough fingers, then finely mashed the fish meat into a paste and gently placed it on Xuanmiao's tongue.
Xuanmiao quickly sucked on her little tongue and swallowed the fish paste into her stomach.
"Ah! Ah!" Xuanmiao laughed loudly and danced around at Langzhi.
"Hahaha! Little one! It's delicious, isn't it!" Langzhi proudly picked up another piece of fish paste, placed it on Xuanmiao's tongue, and laughed, "It's only because my daughter isn't here that you, little one, have this good fortune, otherwise..."
"What else can I do?" Su Yuyao's voice instantly silenced the noisy cave.
Xuanmiao quickly shut her mouth and blinked her round eyes obediently at Su Yuyao.
Everyone looked closely and saw that Su Yuyao had returned. They quickly retreated outside. "Lord Qimen! Oh?! And Lord Xuanfeng too?!" Those who had retreated were reluctant to go far, so they quietly lay prone at the cave entrance…
Lang Zhi, with a mysterious pendant hanging around his neck and grilled fish in both hands, grinned at Su Yuyao and said, "Daughter, you're back? There's grilled fish! Ready to eat!"
"Dad! You're feeding Xuanmiao again! She can't eat yet!" Su Yuyao took Xuanmiao from Langzhi's arms and smelled Xuanmiao's tightly closed little mouth. "Did she eat grilled fish?"
Langzhi shook her head vigorously, resolutely denying it, "No! No!"
"Why isn't there..."
"Oh! Isn't this Lord Qimen? You've arrived! Please have a seat!" Langzhi warmly ushered Qimen into the cave, then glanced at Xuanfeng behind Qimen with annoyance. "You're here? Then come in!"
Xuanmiao looked at the two unfamiliar men with her round eyes.
"Ah!" Xuanmiao exclaimed at Xuanfeng, then giggled.
This...is my daughter?!
Xuanfeng slowly reached out his hand in disbelief...
"Oh my! This must be Miao'er! Let Grandpa Qimen hold her!" Qimen pushed aside Xuanfeng's outstretched arm, opened his arms and took Xuanmiao in his arms, holding her affectionately. "So beautiful! Her eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth are like an adult's! Her chubby cheeks are like Yao'er's! No wonder Mother Yi held her for so long! She's so lovable!"
Xuanmiao stared blankly at the old man with a full beard. She spread her fingers and suddenly grabbed Qimen's beard!
"Ouch!" Qi Men cried out in pain.
Xuanmiao raised her chubby little fist, with a few gray whiskers between her fingers.
Su Yuyao was startled and quickly said, "Uncle! Miao'er is too young and doesn't know her own strength! Please don't be angry..."
Xuanmiao looked at Qimen, who was baring his teeth, then shook the beard in his hand, grinned, and giggled!
"It's alright! It's alright!" Qimen said with a smile, "Our Miao'er is really strong!"
Xuanfeng couldn't wait any longer and stretched out his hand, "Immortal Master! You've had a long day, please rest..."
"Your Majesty, I am not tired at all! Not at all!" Qi Men said with a smile, gently holding Xuan Miao without letting go of her hand.
Su Yuyao glanced at the anxious Xuanfeng, then turned to Qimen and said, "Uncle, let him see Miao'er too!"
"Oh! My lord! Please take a look!" Qimen finally let go of Xuanmiao and handed it to Xuanfeng.
Xuanfeng carefully picked up Xuanmiao. Looking at this little person who looked exactly like him, he couldn't tell whether he was excited or nervous, but he was certainly a little incredulous.
I, Xuanfeng, actually have offspring?
Although Xuanfeng was holding his heavy, chubby daughter, he still felt like he was dreaming and couldn't believe it!
Xuanmiao wasn't shy at all; she stretched out her little hand and slapped Xuanfeng's face hard.
"Smack!" The crisp sound of a slap echoed throughout the cave.
Xuanfeng was stunned by the blow, "This...is not a dream..."
"Hehehehehe!" The mysterious laughter sounded incredibly satisfying!
Everyone wore expressions of anticipation, as the opportunity to see the Heavenly Emperor get slapped was truly rare!
Xuanfeng wasn't angry; instead, his eyes reddened again. He pouted and tentatively kissed Xuanmiao's forehead, but unexpectedly, Xuanmiao's laughter stopped abruptly.
Xuanmiao clenched his fists, closed his mouth and held his breath until his face turned red and his whole body began to tremble.
Xuanfeng called out anxiously, "Girl! Girl! What's wrong with Miao'er?!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a loud "poof" was heard, and a strong, sour stench wafted over.
"Hehehehe!" Xuanmiao kicked her little legs and laughed again.
A stench wafted into Xuanfeng's nose with each of Xuanmiao's kicking movements.
Xuanfeng awkwardly felt the gradually damp warmth on his arm.
Su Yuyao frowned and lifted Xuanmiao from Xuanfeng's arms, saying, "Dad! I can tell from this smell that you've been feeding her the wrong things again!"
Langzhi quickly and guiltily took Xuanmiao's ring and placed it on her lap. While skillfully wiping Xuanmiao's ring and changing it, she said, "Oh dear, just one bite! The little one wants to eat, how can you just watch her and not give her any? She's making such a fuss!"
Xuanfeng looked at Langzhi, who was tidying up Xuanmiao's rings, with displeasure. He looked around, frowned, and asked, "Why didn't Bai'er come along?"
"It's too dangerous, we didn't let her come!" Su Yuyao said as she helped Lang Zhi.
"Then who took care of you and the child along the way?" Xuanfeng asked in surprise.
In his mind, Su Yuyao couldn't even dress herself, let alone travel such a long distance with a child!
“I can take care of myself. I learned everything on that trip to the Heavenly Palace! As for Miao’er, my father will take care of her!” Su Yuyao said with a smile. “My father takes very good care of her! Look at these rings, they were all woven by my father himself! They’re so soft and absorbent!”
With a beaming smile, Su Yuyao happily showed Xuanfeng the little clothes covered in dust, "Look! Miao'er's clothes were all knitted by my dad! How beautiful!"
Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao's sweet smile, but his heart ached terribly.
He couldn't imagine the courage that Su Yuyao, pregnant with a child, had to lead the wolf clan over mountains and valleys to break into the Heavenly Palace, nor could he comprehend the hardships she endured as a blind woman leading so many of her people cautiously back to the snow-capped mountains...
She actually learned everything...
As Xuanfeng listened to Su Yuyao recount her growth, a strange sense of loss and sadness welled up inside him. He didn't want his girl to grow up; he still wanted to be able to coax her, watch her act spoiled, see her use her clever tricks, and keep her by his side.
But what happened? The more he tried to hold her tighter, the further away she seemed to drift...
"I'm sorry..." Xuanfeng said, his eyes red-rimmed, "I wasn't there for you during your most difficult time..."
Su Yuyao smiled brightly as she said, "I didn't find it that difficult..."
"Lord Xuanfeng! You haven't wronged my daughter!" Langzhi put the neatly packed Xuanmiao into the spider web pocket on her chest. "After all, my daughter divorced you a long time ago, so you're just the child's father. You don't need to take any responsibility on yourself! We can still raise the child without you!"
“Father…” Su Yuyao knew that Lang Zhi was still angry with Xuan Feng, but she had already considered making up with him. “I think…”
"Stop thinking about it!" Langzhi said, raising her eyebrows. "Don't let him fool you anymore!"
"Lord Langzhi! My affair with the girl..."
"You can have your way with whichever girl you want! Don't bother my daughter anymore!" Lang Zhi finally couldn't help but shout. "You've already brought back your new girl, why are you still trying to seduce my daughter?!"
Su Yuyao's heart sank. Oh, how could I forget? He also has a newcomer...
Xuanfeng knew that Langzhi was implying something, and hurriedly said, "Lord Langzhi! You also served in the Heavenly Palace! You should know that some things in the Heavenly Palace are beyond one's control!"
"Not in control of their own destiny?" Langzhi became even more furious upon hearing this. "Who was truly in a position of being unable to do anything about bringing Qilan to Yuantun Palace?!"
"That's because we can't leave her alone in Fuguang Palace..."
"I still can't bear to part with her!" Langzhi said resentfully.
"It's not that we can't bear to part with her! It's that she has no official rank! She can't stay in Fuguang Palace!"
"Oh, so you took her to Yuantun Palace and gave her a title?!" Langzhi glanced at Xuanfeng sideways.
"No! I..." Xuanfeng wanted to explain, but he found that the more he tried to explain, the less clear his explanation became.
"Lord Langzhi! Yao'er! Don't misunderstand!" Qimen said with a smile, "Bringing Qilan to Yuantun Palace was a last resort. After all, we can't let her stay in Fuguang Palace as the mistress of the house. But don't worry, she doesn't have any official rank in Yuantun Palace. She's just been given a thatched hut..."
"A thatched hut?!" Su Yuyao asked hurriedly, "Is it my thatched hut?"
"No! No!" Qimen said with a smile, "Your thatched hut is still there, we built a new one for Qilan..."
Su Yuyao's heart sank again. She had always thought that Xuanfeng's act of giving her a thatched hut was unique. "So... you build a thatched hut for everyone you take in..."
"No!" Xuanfeng hurriedly explained, "Girl, listen to me! I had no choice! I didn't have any other place for her to stay..."
"So, you gave her a place that belonged only to her..." Su Yuyao's jealousy surged again, and her previous thought of making up vanished instantly.
"Hmm..." Xuanmiao rubbed her eyes and hummed in Langzhi's net bag.
"Girl, the little one is sleepy!" Langzhi gently handed Xuanmiao to Su Yuyao.
Su Yuyao held Xuanmiao, who was shaking her little head looking for milk, then looked up at Xuanfeng, whose face was full of anxiety and guilt. "We already have a child, should I...?"
"Daughter! You can't wrong yourself!" Langzhi said in a low voice. "This boy is no good person to begin with! Don't be fooled by his sweet talk! Don't forget! He's the Heavenly Emperor! Can you accept having three wives and four concubines in the future?!"
"Lord Langzhi!" Xuanfeng shouted angrily, "I can't have three wives and four concubines! I've said it before! I only have Su Yuyao as my woman!"
"Alright, alright! Give me a break! I'm a man too! You think you can fool me?!" Lang Zhi rolled her eyes at Xuan Feng.
Su Yuyao raised her eyes and looked at Lang Zhi, "Father, do you also want to have three wives and four concubines?"
"Hehe..." Lang Zhi chuckled unconsciously, then quickly wiped the smile off his face and said righteously, "No! Absolutely not! I'm devoted to your mother, I've been waiting for thousands of years! But this Heavenly Emperor, it's hard to say... After all, he just said that within the Heavenly Palace, one has no choice in what one does!"
"Lord Langzhi! That's enough!" Xuanfeng roared angrily.
"Waaah—!" Whether it was because she was eager to nurse or was frightened by Xuanfeng's roar, Xuanmiao flailed her little arms and burst into tears.
Su Yuyao quickly sat down, turned her back, and unbuttoned her clothes to breastfeed Xuanmiao.
With tears in her eyes, Xuanmiao held Su Yuyao's chest and suckled deeply. She looked at Su Yuyao, whose eyes were also wet, with a mixture of surprise and confusion.
A tear fell onto her fair skin and flowed into her mysterious, ever-moving little mouth.
Xuanmiao paused for a moment, then suddenly opened her fingers and clumsily wiped the tears from her "rice bowl" with her chubby little hands.
Su Yuyao's heart finally calmed down. Why should I rely on such an illusory emotion? I should rely on myself! I am Su Yuyao! I am Xuanmiao's mother! Even if not for others, I will fight for myself and my child to create a better world!
"Xuanfeng, Uncle Qimen, you should go back now." Su Yuyao gently stroked Xuanmiao and said calmly, "After we've settled things here, we'll go to Yuantun Hall to discuss the ownership of the Four Little Peaks with you. There are also some details that need to be finalized!"
"Girl!" Xuanfeng felt a sudden emptiness in his heart as he looked at Su Yuyao, who had regained her composure.
Su Yuyao looked at Xuanmiao, whose eyes were beginning to glaze over, and said softly, "You should go now, Miao'er wants to sleep..."
Xuanfeng glared angrily at Langzhi, only to see Langzhi looking smug.
He suppressed his anger and said in a low voice, "Girl, business is business, let's talk it out as we see fit! But, Miao'er is too young, and you need to breastfeed, this environment is really not suitable..."
"Whether it's suitable or not, we've gotten through it all!" Langzhi muttered.
Xuanfeng rolled his eyes at Langzhi and continued, "I'll stay here and watch over you and Miao'er tonight. Tomorrow morning, you and Miao'er will come with me..."
"My daughter is the leader of the wolf clan! How can she abandon her wolf brothers?!" Langzhi muttered again.
Xuanfeng put his hands on his hips, rolled his eyes, and sighed with relief. "Girl! I have absolutely no ill intentions towards you! You can't be unaware of that, can you?! Back then, someone forced Qilan on me, and I was so badly injured that I had no ability to refuse! Lord Chiyan can vouch for that!"
"Tch!" Langzhi sneered contemptuously. "They're all naked..."
Xuanfeng couldn't hold back any longer. Pointing at Langzhi, he said in a low voice, "Lord Langzhi! You haven't even cleaned your own mess yet! Don't try to smear other people's messes on yourself! You and that Yuqing have an ambiguous relationship! I didn't say anything, did I..."
"Hey? We're talking about you and my daughter right now! Don't try to confuse the issue!" Lang Zhi glanced at Su Yuyao, "And if this gets back to your aunt..."
"Oh! You're afraid my aunt will get angry too?! Then why do you have to sow discord between me and the maid?!" Xuanfeng was so angry that he raised his voice.
"Keep your voice down!" Lang Zhi immediately silenced Xuan Feng. "The little one is sleeping!"
"I...you...girl!" Xuan Feng was so angry he didn't know what to say, so he turned to Su Yuyao again, "girl, I can swear to you that I have never done anything to betray you in matters of the heart! As for the rest, I am willing to atone for my sins with this lifetime! I only ask you to give me a chance!"
Su Yuyao recalled the fire she had sealed away in her heart, the several corpses that would never wake up again, how she had shaken her father and mother so hard, but they never woke up again...
She looked at Xuanmiao, who was fast asleep in her arms, and whispered, "Xuanfeng, do you know? When I found out I was pregnant with Miao'er, I didn't want her. I even said that I wouldn't raise her after she was born! But even though this trip was dangerous, I still couldn't bear to leave her in the snowy mountains. Because I'm afraid that if something happens to me, I'll never see her again! I think when my parents died, they weren't afraid of death itself, but rather afraid of never seeing me again, never being able to protect me, never being able to give me a peaceful life..."
Su Yuyao gently withdrew the dagger from Xuanmiao's small mouth. "Xuanfeng, I ask you, have I lived a better and more secure life with you?"
Xuanfeng was stunned. He didn't know how to answer the question. With Ya Tou around, he felt more fulfilled and motivated, but he had never thought about whether Ya Tou was doing well...
Su Yuyao gave a bitter smile. "Following you, I live on tenterhooks, because I'll be punished if I'm not careful; I live with scheming, because I have to plan and plot everything; I live with swallowing my pride, because I have to accept all the women around you; now, I've given birth to Miao'er, which adds another layer of attachment and worry that I can't let go of... I'm so tired..."
Su Yuyao straightened her clothes, stood up, and put Xuanmiao back into the net pocket on Langzhi's chest.
Then, with tears streaming down her face, she knelt before Xuanfeng, pleading, "Lord Xuanfeng, please... let me go..."
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