ushernet Chapter 82 Entering the Tower
Chapter 82 Entering the Tower
"Daddy!"
Hearing the sound, Qingyao looked up and saw her younger brother in front and Luo Sifan behind. Her face instantly lit up with joy, and she raised her hand and ran out.
First, she hugged her little brother tightly, kissing and cuddling him, and the little brother barked wildly and wagged his tail.
The crowd in the square first frowned in surprise, then their minds were thrown into disarray by the sound, which resembled a dog barking, and anger surged within them.
Luo Sifan stepped forward and embraced the human and the beast, like a parent would. Those around him, whose cultivation levels were far higher than his, directed their anger at him.
"Hey bro! Stop yelling! Mind your manners!"
Luo Sifan was under a lot of pressure and pleaded softly a few times, but it was no use.
Fortunately, Qingyao was in a good mood and, going along with Luo Sifan's wishes, softly instructed her little brother to be quiet, which finally made the little beast stop whimpering.
Luo Sifan, holding Qingyao's hand, felt a great weight lifted from his heart and walked back with ease.
Shu Hongyi and Lu Juefei, one with a gloomy face and the other with curious eyes, silently watched the harmonious scene of the family of three.
"Qingyao, this is Aunt Shu, and this is Uncle Lu!"
Luo Sifan, shameless as ever, stepped forward to introduce himself.
Qingyao blinked her small eyes and obediently greeted Luo Sifan as he introduced her. Her eyes lingered on Shu Hongyi for a few moments, and she sighed inwardly.
Shu Hongyi forced a smile, and Lu Juefei grinned widely, agreeing to everything.
"This is my youngest daughter, Lin Qingyao!"
Patting his younger brother's round buttocks, Luo Sifan continued his nonsense:
"This is Qingyao's little darling, her little brother!"
The younger brother curled up in Qingyao's arms, his belly up, his eyes only on Qingyao, completely ignoring Luo Sifan's introduction.
Lu Juefei was taken aback, wondering why Luo Sifan insisted on giving such a formal introduction to the dog.
Shu Hongyi was used to Luo Sifan's doting attitude towards the dog, so she wasn't surprised.
They locked eyes, neither giving way, their gazes blazing with tension.
For a moment, she didn't think too much about how a five or six-year-old girl could have the audacity to look her, a Golden Core sword cultivator, in the eye without backing down.
To make matters worse, Qingyao deliberately hugged Luo Sifan tightly, her expression intimate, and the smug look she was making was extremely arrogant.
For some reason, Shu Hongyi, feeling guilty, suddenly admitted defeat and turned her gaze away, turning to Luo Sifan.
Enraged, Shu Hongyi coldly vented her displeasure on Luo Sifan.
"Young Master Lin is truly remarkable! He has a beautiful wife and daughter at home, yet he still flirts with women outside! He's a womanizer and a philanderer!"
Shu Hongyi gritted her teeth, her tone cold and mocking, and sword energy emanated from her body like frost, making Lu Juefei, who was standing to the side, feel a chill run down his spine.
"Gentlemen! Isn't there some misunderstanding?"
Observing the expressions on Lu Juefei's face, he forced a smile, trying to smooth things over.
Luo Sifan could not deny that Qingyao was his daughter, so Shu Hongyi's strong reaction was unexpected.
"Senior Shu! You can't say things like that in front of a child! I'm an alchemist, healing the sick and saving lives is my duty. If you've misunderstood anything, then I'd be truly wronged! Why don't you let Brother Lu be the judge?"
Not wanting to embarrass her in public, Luo Sifan winked at Lu Juefei repeatedly with a serious expression, revealing a pleading look.
Lu Juefei stammered, barely managing to interject:
"Sister Shu, what exactly happened between you two? Since Brother Lin's attitude is so sincere, do you think... I could help you out a little?"
Shu Hongyi couldn't bring herself to say it; her pretty face stiffened, and she glared at him fiercely.
"Our affairs are none of the business of outsiders!"
Then, looking at Luo Sifan, his anger turned into coldness:
"Lin Xiaozhi! I'll keep this score for now! We'll talk about it after this matter is settled!"
Luo Sifan was afraid that she would turn on him in public, making a scene and arguing. The outcome was perfect, so he nodded slightly.
"Where are your mother and that Grandpa Qiao, Qingyao? Why did they leave you here unattended?"
Turning to Qingyao, Luo Sifan was slightly angry.
Qingyao blinked, looked at Luo Sifan, and spoke in a relaxed tone:
"Mother chased after Grandpa Qiao into the tower. That bad guy ran away from Grandpa Qiao as soon as he arrived and went into the tower. Grandpa Qiao was so angry that he immediately chased after him. Mother was worried that something might happen to Grandpa Qiao, so she followed him into the tower and told me to wait here."
The bad guy Qingyao mentioned was naturally Jiyuan, whom Uncle Qiao had captured. The three of them had just entered Yinshuang City when he managed to slip away.
But why did Lin Qianxiu leave Qingyao, who was at the Nascent Soul stage, outside? Luo Sifan was still puzzled.
Qingyao tiptoed and beckoned to Luo Sifan, then whispered in his ear:
"Qingyao can't get into this tower. There's an aunt in white who won't let me in!"
His tone betrayed a hint of doubt and fear.
"The aunt in white?"
Luo Sifan immediately remembered the beautiful woman in white who had poured wine for them.
Where did she tell you that?
Luo Sifan's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. This woman in white seemed to be deliberately making things difficult for him, and she had even set her sights on Qingyao!
"Here..."
Qingyao pointed mysteriously at her little head, her face showing a hint of bitterness.
Luo Sifan was startled and lowered his voice:
"Is she still inside?"
Qingyao shut her mouth, nodded silently, and looked at her strangely.
Luo Sifan stood up straight, deep in thought, her doubts unresolved.
"Brother Lin, has your wife entered this tower?"
Seeing his anxious expression, Lu Juefei asked him with concern, but Shu Hongyi had an indifferent attitude, as if it were none of her business.
Luo Sifan nodded, somewhat helplessly:
"It seems I'll have to go inside and take a look, even if I don't want to. Brother Lu, you should be familiar with this tower, right?"
Lu Juefei was delighted, and smiled easily:
"No problem, I was just thinking of showing you the wonders of this tower. Sister Shu, would you like to come along?"
Lu Juefei smiled at Shu Hongyi, not believing she wouldn't go. He had seen plenty of relationships between the two of them; despite their current awkwardness, they might just start getting all lovey-dovey in the future.
Shu Hongyi nodded coldly as expected.
Lu Juefei smiled faintly and clapped his hands lightly:
"In that case, the three of us will team up and take a swim inside the tower!"
Since the woman in white wouldn't allow Qingyao to enter, her younger brother would probably be no exception. Staying with Qingyao would at least provide some protection.
"Qingyao, you and your little brother wait here and try not to cause trouble. Father will go in and find your mother."
Luo Sifan gently stroked Qingyao's head and gave her a brief instruction.
Qingyao nodded firmly. Seeing Luo Sifan risking danger to come to her, she felt less depressed. Besides, although the white-clad woman in her soul was aloof, she didn't seem like a bad person.
Shu Hongyi and Lu Juefei shook their heads inwardly at their parents' absurd behavior, seeing that they were about to leave their little girl outside the tower again. They refrained from commenting aloud, after all, the Xixin Temple was full of obsessed cultivators; the child should be safe.
The tower doors at the bottom were wide open, and Lu Juefei, looking relaxed, stepped inside first, turning back to smile at the two of them:
"Gentlemen, please come in without worry. There are no traps or hidden dangers in this tower!"
Shu Hongyi and Luo Sifan, one in front and one behind, still mustered all their strength, their faces alert, and followed Lu Juefei's footsteps, slowly entering the tower.
A refreshing and invigorating spiritual energy wafted over me.
Shu Hongyi and Luo Sifan looked around in surprise.
From the outside, the tower appears to be only a few feet in diameter, but once inside, it feels like an endless world, with no end in sight.
A pale yellow light shone down from the misty top, its brightness far less than the sunlight outside the tower, but enough for cultivators to see even the smallest detail and travel hundreds of miles.
Beneath Luo Sifan and the others' feet lay the polished mountain path, worn smooth by the footsteps of those who had walked before. The hills and valleys stretched out in the distance, and the mountains and waters were all green, creating a small world with a wild charm.