“Heh, ominous? What’s ominous? I think you’re talking utter nonsense!”
Chen Xiao did not simply view Xiao Hongchan as a mere beast.
Therefore, when he heard Ye Xiaoyao’s statement, he naturally felt displeased.
However, what Chen Xiao didn’t expect was that Ye Xiaoyao, instead of refuting him, blushed instead.
This reaction was highly unusual.
Logically, Ye Xiaoyao, a martial arts grandmaster who had lived for five to six hundred years, being challenged by Chen Xiao like this, even if he wouldn’t fly into a rage, wouldn’t react this way.
Chen Xiao’s eyes narrowed, and he said meaningfully, “Oh~~ I see, you’re feeling guilty!”
“Nonsense, why would I feel guilty? What is there for me to feel guilty about? Why should I feel guilty!”
Ye Xiaoyao’s eyes widened, but his retort only made him seem more like he was trying to hide something.
He seemed to realize this himself and simply turned his head away, putting his hands behind his back.
“If we don’t see eye to eye, there’s no need for further talk. You all, please make yourselves at home!”
This was a clear indication that they were being asked to leave!
Chen Xiao snorted, “Qingluan, let’s go!”
With that, he turned and walked towards the exit.
Chu Qingluan, holding Xiao Hongchan in her arms, immediately followed.
“Wait for me, I’ll see you out!”
Chu Changqing called out and chased after them.
“Young friend Chen Xiao, please don’t mind him. Old Ye Xiaoyao is a good person, just a bit eccentric in temperament sometimes.”
After catching up, Chu Changqing said sheepishly.
Chen Xiao smiled and shook his head, “It’s fine. Actually, it’s better if he doesn’t take Xiao Hongchan in. I’m really not comfortable leaving Xiao Hongchan in a place devoid of human warmth.”
Hearing this, Chu Changqing’s old face flushed, and he was at a loss for words.
Chen Xiao didn’t want to make him too embarrassed, so he quickly changed the subject, “Elder Chu, I plan to leave here. Do you know where the Boundary Yuan Gate is?”
“Please wait a moment, I’ll send someone to escort you out!”
Saying that, Chu Changqing left.
Before long, Chu Changqing returned, accompanied by a thin, withered old man.
Upon seeing this old man, Chu Qingluan’s eyes widened, and her face showed an expression of immense surprise, “Grandpa Shoushan! You, you, you…”
“You’re surprised I’m still alive, aren’t you?”
Grandpa Shoushan smiled at Chu Qingluan.
“Yes, yes!”
Chu Qingluan was so excited she could barely speak, “Those Eastern barbarians said they chopped you into eight pieces and fed you to the fish!”
“That was merely a minor trick, an illusionary technique. Those scoundrels are still far from killing me!”
“I didn’t expect you all to break in from there as well, almost causing a great disaster… Alright, I’ll escort you back. Elder Chu, farewell for now!”
“Farewell!”
Everyone bid their goodbyes one by one. Grandpa Shoushan, along with Chen Xiao and the other two, passed through the Boundary Yuan Gate and returned to the outside world.
After the Boundary Yuan Gate had completely closed, Chu Changqing said with a sigh, “Come out. Since you couldn’t bear to part with her, why didn’t you keep her?”
Before he finished speaking, Ye Xiaoyao emerged from a dark corner, a wry smile on his face. “Leaving her in this godforsaken place, do you want her to become as devoid of human warmth as our disciples and grandchildren at such a young age?”
“She’s a demon, after all. Does having human warmth really matter that much?”
“Don’t spout nonsense. She’s at most a half-demon. And who says demons lack human warmth? Demons often possess more human warmth than most humans!”
Hearing this, Chu Changqing seemed to have seized upon a crucial point, “So you finally admit that this little girl is your offspring?”
Ye Xiaoyao paused for a moment, then sighed, “Alas, the past is not worth recalling. It was merely a regrettable entanglement. However, though I, Ye Xiaoyao, am a scumbag, I’m not so much of a scumbag that I would disown my own child!”
Upon hearing this, Chu Changqing rolled his eyes even more.
“You’re acting so righteous now. When they handed the child over to you, why didn’t you acknowledge her? You even said the red panda signified ill fortune. Now that they’ve left, you’re putting on airs. I, Chu Changqing, despise men like you who want to have their cake and eat it too!”
“Ahem!”
Ye Xiaoyao coughed awkwardly, “I only said to bring her to me for a look, I never said to bring her for me to raise! In that situation earlier, if I had kept the child, it would have been harming her!”
As he spoke, Ye Xiaoyao suddenly realized something was amiss, “Old Chu, this is my family matter, why are you getting involved? And when can we finally leave this cursed place? Five hundred years have already passed in the blink of an eye!”
Ye Xiaoyao’s face was filled with helplessness and longing. Having stayed on Jile Island for five hundred years, he was about to go mad.
Chu Changqing pondered for a moment and said, “I think it will be soon. After all, a peerless genius has appeared. This chaotic era is bound to arrive.”
…
After leaving Jile Island, Chu Qingluan bid farewell to Grandpa Shoushan. The next step, it seemed, would be to bid farewell to Chen Xiao.
Thinking of this, Chu Qingluan’s heart ached involuntarily.
“Qingluan, what are your plans? Shall I send you and Xiao Hongchan back first?”
However, what was inevitable eventually arrived. As Chu Qingluan was worrying, Chen Xiao’s voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
“I… I…”
Chu Qingluan stammered. She wanted to say that she didn’t want to go back.
But she didn’t know how to say it, nor did she have a suitable reason or excuse.
“I don’t want to go back!”
Just then, Xiao Hongchan stirred from her sleep and mumbled indistinctly, “I don’t want to go back, I want to be with big brother, I want to be with pretty little sister…”
She was still half-asleep, speaking as if in a dream, yet also as if revealing her true feelings.
It seemed she truly didn’t want to go back, otherwise, she wouldn’t have chimed in even while so drowsy.
“Alright, alright, then we won’t go back!”
Chen Xiao thought that letting Xiao Hongchan live in the outside world would be beneficial for her physical and mental health and her growth, much better than staying with that old scoundrel Ye Santong.
Furthermore, Shanhai Yipin had plenty of space and rooms, so it wouldn’t be a problem to have one more child.
With this thought, Chen Xiao extended an invitation to Chu Qingluan, “Qingluan, why don’t you come with us? You like the outside world so much, this is a good opportunity to explore it more!”
“Okay!”
Chu Qingluan agreed without a second thought.
She had been struggling to find a suitable excuse, and Chen Xiao had directly invited her. It was like a pillow arriving just when one was feeling sleepy!
Moreover, there was something she hadn’t told Chen Xiao yet.
“It’s true that I like the outside world, but what I like even more is you!”
She hoped that one day, she would have enough courage to say these words…