Ancient Strengthening Technique (Web Novel)
chapter-972

AST 972 – Within Three Years, I’m Bringing You To The Lion King’s Ridge To Seek For Justice

When he saw the expression on Luan Luan’s face, Qing Shui reached out to rub her head. “Lass, stop overthinking. Nothing has changed since the beginning till now. It will never change. It’s been so many years, I have watched you grow up. Unless you don’t want to acknowledge a father like me?”

“Why would I not? If Daddy doesn’t want Luan Luan anymore, I fear that I won’t be able to take it.” More tears welled up in Luan Luan’s eyes.

“Foolish lass. There are no outsiders here. You are my daughter, just like the rest of them. This is your home and everyone here is your family.” Qing Shui suddenly grew relaxed after he finished this sentence.

Qing Shui looked at Yiye Jiange. It had been so long since then. He had thought that Luan Luan really didn’t know the truth so they had been acted out their roles. All this time, he had been thinking that this was unfair to Yiye Jiange. But it was all good now, they no longer had to be awkward like that.

“Daddy, can you promise me one thing? Just one.” Luan Luan raised her head and looked at Qing Shui.

“Daddy can promise you ten things, let alone one. I am willing to do anything you ask for.” Qing Shui hurriedly assured her.

“I know that you and Mother aren’t husband and wife. Even if both of you were really husband and wife, I would still like to stay like this forever. Both of you have been pretending to be husband and wife for my sake and I am really grateful. As a daughter, I really wish for the both of you to truly be true husband and wife. Daddy, can you promise me that you’ll think about how you can become truly married to Mother?” Luan Luan said earnestly while looking at Qing Shui.

Qing Shui had never expected that Luan Luan would suggest something like this. For him to marry Yiye Jiange was something very slow yet abrupt. He didn’t know why he felt a little bit uneasy whenever this issue was raised. He no longer felt like he did before. He even wished for her to stay by his side forever.

Was this possessiveness?

“Lass, your mother is a peerlessly talented woman. I can only promise you that I’d try my best. Your daddy’s cultivation is quite decent right now. I will beat anyone who dares to come and try to snatch your mother away until he runs and leaves. What do you think?” Qing Shui told Luan Luan in a serious tone of voice.

“Yes. Daddy is the best. Let’s do a pinky swear. You are not allowed go back on your words. Also, you will have to work hard to please Mother. Do not bully her.” Luan Luan laughed and extended her hand out.

“Of course. I can’t bring myself to bully her. Without your mother, the Qing Clan and I would have perished long ago.” Qing Shui laughed while he hooked his pinky with Luan Luan’s.

Yiye Jiange was mad and embarrassed at the same time. She was also indescribably happy but she wasn’t sure why she felt like that.

Qing Yi, Qing Qing and the other few ladies were looking at Qing Shui. The rest were smiling. They also glanced at Yiye Jiange.

“Sister Jiange, you’ve been husband and wife for such a long time. Does big sister have someone better waiting for you?” Huoyun Liu-Li laughed mischievously while teasing Yiyi Jiange.

“Liu-Li, not you too.” Yiye Jiange said with a small smile. Her tone was calm but a little helpless. She really didn’t know how to resist this man when he became unreasonable.

Back then, he seemed just like an ordinary youth. She hadn’t expected for him to grow to such heights. Without realizing it, the relationship between them had already become slightly ambiguous.

If someone in the Hundred Miles City said that she would pretend to be husband and wife with him back then, she would definitely not believe them. But now, even if someone told her that she’d definitely be married to him the future, she wouldn’t be too surprised.

……….

The sky was growing dark. Qing Shui was at the rear courtyard with Yiye Jiange. Knowing that she wanted to leave, Qing Shui naturally would ask her to stay. Not only that, he definitely had to make her stay.

He felt that he could do it right now!

“Why do you have to leave?” Qing Shui asked softly while at Yiye Jiange’s side.

“Qing Shui, there’s no banquet that doesn’t end. Since Luan Luan knows about it, it is all the more reason I should leave.” Yiye Jiange looked at Qing Shui with a smile.

This otherworldly lady was always so serene. He had initially thought that he had become closer to her. But after leaving this time and the fact that Luan Luan had known about her own background, Qing Shui suddenly felt that this lady had grown even further away from him.

“Who said anything about ending? Are you leaving? Where to? Are you bringing Luan Luan to the Lion King’s Ridge?” Qing Shui looked at Yiye Jiange with a frown.

“I don’t know, I haven’t really made up my mind to go to the Lion King’s Ridge.” Yiye Jiange didn’t comment on Qing Shui’s emotions. She only replied to him calmly.

“If you haven’t made up your mind, then why do you want to leave? Is it because you don’t like it here, or you don’t want to see certain people?” Qing Shui didn’t expect her to actually leave at all.

“No, it’s amazing here. Sometimes I can’t even differentiate between whether this is real or not. Sometimes, I really treat this place as my home. But I have only realized my mistake just now.” Yiye Jiange shook her head and laughed.

“Why?” Qing Shui was very doubtful.

“The bond between a husband and wife is children and emotions. I am very happy when I see the joy and harmony between you and them and your children. Did you see the envy in Luan Luan’s eyes? You doted on Luan Luan, even more than your own children, despite having no blood relation and despite the fact that we are not husband and wife. I only know how family love and joy looks like when I saw you together with them. I should thank you. I have been very happy all these years.” Yiye Jiange said calmly.

“Did I do something wrong that made you have to leave like this? Do you think I will be at ease if you leave this way?” Qing Shui gave Yiye Jiange a smile.

Yiye Jiange felt a little strange when she saw Qing Shui’s smile. She gave him a perplexed look. She also felt very conflicted because she couldn’t decide if she should go to the Northern Sacred Lu Continent or return to the Skysword Sect.

What would she do if she returned to the Skysword Sect? She thought for a moment before deciding that it was better for her to go to the Northern Sacred Lu Continent. It didn’t seem so bad to return there and take a look around. If she was careful, the Lion King’s Ridge shouldn’t be able to discover her.

“Qing Shui, you didn’t do anything wrong. I simply want to leave.” Yiye Jiange hesitated for a moment before answering.

“You’ve seen it too, Luan Luan wishes for us to become husband and wife. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to disrespect your opinion. Can you let me finish saying this?” Qing Shui hurriedly said after he saw Yiye Jiange’s lowered head.

He didn’t want to offend this lady that he had always respected.

“You think too much. I’m fine. Also, it’s not disrespectful for you to have such opinion. I am also a woman,” Yiye Jiange said gently.

Qing Shui was taken aback by her words. He suddenly remembered a joke from his previous world. Something about how a beautiful, prideful and aloof woman was like a goddess. But women like this didn’t wish that men would worship them as goddesses. After all, they were also human, a woman. They actually preferred it if others to treated them as a woman instead.

Right now, this was how Qing Shui saw Yiye Jiange. But it was just a feeling. Looking at this woman who was as extraordinarily refined like an immortal, Qing Shui held one of her hands for the first time. He didn’t have any desires. He merely wanted to tell her something.

When Yiye Jiange’s hand was held by Qing Shui, she lifted her head up. A small smile appeared on her face when she saw his clear eyes. “I wish to return to the Northern Sacred Lu Continent.”

“No!” Qing Shui’s answer was very clear-cut.

“I want to go back!” Yiye Jiange insisted.

“If you’re going back then the Qing Clan and I shall accompany you.” Qing Shui said firmly.

“Stop making a fuss……”

“Don’t you dare think of secretively leaving. Otherwise, I will hunt you down at the Lion King’s Ridge. I’m sure you know that I’ll do that.” Qing Shui said to Yiye Jiange, destroying her idea of leaving without bidding farewell.

“You are a big scoundrel,” Yiye Jiange said helplessly. She knew that this man intended to make her stay rather than pestering her immaturely.

The grasp that Qing Shui had on her hand didn’t lessen. Yiye Jiange gave up after trying to shake him off a few times, figuring that she might as well let him hold her hand. “Three years. I’ll take you to the Lion King’s Ridge after three years at most.” Qing slowly said after a while.

Yiye Jiange was still taken aback by Qing Shui’s sudden words. She then firmly shook her head at Qing Shui. “I won’t allow you to go.”

“Why not? I can’t go even if I am capable? After I know about your story, I’ve been thinking about this. At that time, I decided that my target was 20 years. I will help you topple the Lion King’s Ridge in 20 years. But now, it seems like I might even be able to fulfil my plans a few years earlier. It was also this year I realized that I am capable of fulfilling your wishes. I was very happy at that time. I wish for you to put down the burden in your heart. But you won’t be able to put that burden down until the Lion King’s Ridge issue is settled. I wish for you to become happy. After the Yan Clan incident, my motivation to improve was to lift that burden off your shoulders.”

Yiye Jiange was shocked. Her heart ached and she didn’t know why she felt like crying all of a sudden. This was the first time she had such feelings in so many years. It was true that she had helped him before but that case was something easily achievable for her and the Skysword Sect. Just because of this, a man who was slightly perverted like him never had any intention towards her. The most unexpected thing to her was the fact that he had set a period of 20 years for her. This was the Lion King’s Ridge in question……

She had been through loneliness, desolation and anxiety for so many years. This was her first time feeling so assured. All of a sudden, she realized that her heart wasn’t that empty. She was also suddenly aware of the close proximity between her and this man before her eyes.

Qing Shui could sense her emotions and feelings. Hai Dongying had told Qing Shui things about Hai Dongqing. However, she was a lot more fortunate compared to Yiye Jiange and also Wenren-Wushuang.

Qing Shui really wanted to lend Yiye Jiange a shoulder but he was afraid it’d be impulsive. However, once he saw her hand that was in his hand, Qing Shui summoned his courage to pull her into a light embrace. He didn’t say anything nor did he have any intentions. He merely wanted to let her feel warm, so that her heart would no longer be that lonely.

At first, Qing Shui was nervous. But deep in his heart, he really wanted to pamper her and love her dearly……

This time, Yiye Jiange could clearly felt it. This feeling was extremely wonderful. She kind of liked it.

“Jiange, stay. I will bring you there to seek justice in three years at most,” Qing Shui said softly while embracing her.

“You still have the entire Qing Clan. Promise me that you won’t do anything that you don’t have confidence in. I would rather not go to the Lion King’s Ridge. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to forgive myself even if I died.” Yiye Jiange raised her head to look at Qing Shui.

“I can promise you but you can’t leave!”

“I won’t leave!”

“And if you want to marry someone, please consider me first……” Qing Shui chuckled mischievously.

“You’re starting to be a scoundrel again.” Yiye Jiange huffed at him.

Qing Shui had told her stuff like this to lighten things up but mostly to make Yiye Jiange relax for the moment. He knew that she would never take the initiative to say this, so Qing Shui could only shamelessly speak a little about it.