Chapter 67: Chapter 66: If I Part with Him, I Will Discard My Cultivation Level_1
Mu Hui Qing propped herself on the pillows at either side of Fang Ren's shoulders, with one foot on the ground and one knee on the bed, she looked down at him.
"Awake?"
A smile appeared on her face, bringing a measure of comfort to the freshly awakened and emotionally tumultuous Fang Ren.
Fang Ren immediately reached out with both hands to hold her close, his cheek buried in her chest, he closed his eyes and said nothing, his face void of any expression.
Mu Hui Qing gently stroked his head, the smile on her face gradually tinged with melancholy.
After a while, Fang Ren let go of Mu Hui Qing and sat up on the bed. His legs were wrapped in bandages, and aside from the two of them, Lin Bozhong sat in a chair, his face wearing a gentle smile.
"It's so noisy downstairs," Fang Ren said, glancing at the window.
"It's the reporters," said Mu Hui Qing.
"Can't they just roll away?"
Fang Ren spoke coldly, expressionless, as the clamor from outside seemed to tell him that the whole world knew the woman he loved was about to leave him.
Seeing his displeasure, Mu Hui Qing casually sent out a flash of silver light, silencing the noise outside. All the reporters and photographers were temporarily knocked unconscious.
Lin Bozhong also saw his disturbed mood, stood up from his chair, and walked towards the outside: "This old man will step out for a walk."
With that, he turned and closed the door behind him, descending to the first floor.
As the door gently closed, the noise from outside ceased, making the room seem exceptionally silent.
Both had a lot of words they wanted to say, but neither did. Fang Ren was afraid to speak because as soon as he did, he would have to ask her why she was leaving, while Mu Hui Qing didn't know how to begin, her heart tangled in turmoil.
A few seconds later, Mu Hui Qing suddenly pounced onto the bed, gently embraced his cheeks, closed her eyes, and kissed him.
Neither wished to let go, feeling as if something dreadful would happen once they did.
This kiss, more than their first, stirred their hearts even more deeply. There was no need for words of love; a prolonged kiss revealed how deeply they felt for one another.
But what was inevitable would eventually come.
About sixteen minutes later, suddenly, chaotic footsteps were heard outside...
At the villa's entrance, two rows of formally dressed men and women stood around, and an old man with white hair, dressed in a black robe, walked into the villa.
"Mu... Grandpa Mu!"
Upon seeing the white-haired old man, Lin Bozhong first showed a look of surprise, then quickly greeted him with respect.
Upon seeing Lin Bozhong, a hint of displeasure flashed across Mu Qing Mountain's face as he said, "Where's Hui Qing?"
"She's with the young master in the room," Lin Bozhong replied.
Mu Qing Mountain's brow twitched slightly, "May I go in?"
"This... Grandpa Mu, I should ask for their permission," said Lin Bozhong.
Grandpa Mu flicked his robe in irritation, glaring at him, "It's one thing for Shang Han and Ah Ying to play around, but you're getting involved too!"
Without another word, he headed upstairs.
Lin Bozhong sighed softly, knowing that even though the young master had miraculously grown another Spiritual Root and could start Cultivation, at twenty-two, he could not surpass his peers of the same age who were geniuses.
The genes of Cultivators aren't fixed for life at birth, their strength could evolve along with their Cultivation Level.
So, even if the young master initially had exceptional Cultivation genes, to be acknowledged alongside Madame Xuan, he needed to surpass all the young talents with his Cultivation Level. Otherwise, it was an impossibility.
Power was the ultimate truth.
Moreover, in this world, there were many with better initial Cultivation genes than the young master, some of whom remained mortals and others who were supreme talents.
Outside the second-floor room, Mu Qing Mountain frowned slightly and paced back and forth a few times before he raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.
"Er, Hui Qing, it's your grandfather... do you mind opening the door?" There was an awkwardness in Mu Qing Mountain's voice.
Even without saying it, anyone could guess what a man and a woman alone in a room might be doing.
Upon hearing the voice, Mu Huanqing in the room suddenly released her lips, her expression instantly turning as desolate as if she had fallen into an ice cellar. She buried her head in Fang Ren's chest, not saying a word, nor did she want to open the door.
Fang Ren hugged her expressionlessly, looking at the door. Two seconds later, he directly grabbed the cane beside him and got out of bed, with Mu Huanqing immediately supporting him.
Click—
Fang Ren opened the door and, upon seeing the white-haired elder in a black robe, showed no change in expression.
Upon the door's opening, Grandpa Mu saw his granddaughter supporting the bandaged Fang Ren, her face still slightly flushed. His eyebrows furrowed instantly and a wave of invisible fury rose in his heart again.
"Qing'er, come home with me," Grandpa Mu demanded in a stern tone of an elder.
"Grandpa, I'm not planning to go back just yet," Mu Huanqing said low-spiritedly, looking at Grandpa Mu.
"You!" Grandpa Mu's eyes twitched, and he let out a heavy sigh, "You're just trying to anger me like your parents did!"
"Ah Ran is injured, I need to take care of him," said Mu Huanqing, unyieldingly.
"Have you forgotten who you are!" Grandpa Mu said, chest heaving with anger.
The crowd downstairs, upon hearing the argument, immediately ran up, with Lin Bo quickly saying, "Grandpa Mu, please don't be angry. Madame Xuan has already developed mutual affection for the young master, perhaps you could consider..."
"It's not your place to speak!"
As Grandpa Mu was already irate, he glanced at the people and finally settled his gaze on Fang Ren, trying to calm his emotions before saying, "Fang boy, you know better than anyone the status of Qing'er. There's simply no possibility between the two of you.
Continuing this entanglement will only bring you both pain. It's better to let go sooner rather than later."
Fang Ren, with a poker face, looked at him and said, though struggling, "As long as a shred of her heart hangs on me, I will not let go."
Grandpa Mu laughed out of sheer anger, "Do I need to make it even clearer to you? Everyone under the heavens knows that the Nine Heavens Fairy and Song Mobei of the Tiandao Sword Sect are the true match! How can you, a mortal without any cultivation ability, provide happiness for Qing'er?"
"I am happy when I am with him," said Mu Huanqing.
"Stop making a scene, Qing'er," Grandpa Mu continued, looking at Fang Ren, "Right now, the Void Race is constantly invading Earth. The planet needs more powerful individuals to protect the safety and wellbeing of the human race.
Qing'er possesses the best cultivational talent among women in the world, while Song Mobei is the most talented man in the past two hundred years. Only together can they bring forth a new hope for humankind. But if you stay with Qing'er, you'd be destroying the future hope for humans!
You are also a human; can't you consider the future of the entire human race for once?"
Faced with the overwhelming argument of "the future of the human race," Fang Ren said nothing. Before such a statement, all that he had seemed pale and powerless.
"Grandpa!"
After hearing Grandpa Mu's words, Mu Huanqing could no longer restrain her emotions and spoke out angrily, "I will not be with that Song Mobei. My marriage will never be subject to anyone else's arrangements!"
"Nonsense!" Grandpa Mu shouted, "Being the Nine Heavens Fairy, admired by all, you would abandon the future of the world for your personal desires! Do you realize your marriage directly affects the lives of countless warriors on the battlefield?"
"I know!" Mu Huanqing replied, her face brooking no contradiction, "But I know even better that my legs have healed and my cultivation level has recovered all because Ah Ran loves me!
If you force me to leave him and be with that Song Mobei, I will disable my cultivation and sever my own legs right now! Let's see if Song Mobei dares to marry me!"
As she spoke, a cluster of silver True Qi gathered in Mu Huanqing's other hand, placed over her chest, her expression more resolute than ever before.
"Madame Xuan, please stay calm," Lin Bo said, his face full of panic, for if she truly disabled her cultivation, the young master would likely be unable to help her recover.
"You..."
Seeing the determination of his granddaughter, Grandpa Mu was momentarily stunned; it was as if she was telling him that she might as well die if they were separated.
He had never once considered that his granddaughter's affection for this young man had reached such an extent. Moreover, Grandpa Mu was shocked. Based on what his son-in-law Shang Han had said, Qing'er's legs and meridians were injuries not even a top Grandmaster from their sectors could cure.
That meant there was no one on Earth who could heal Mu Huanqing.
Grandpa Mu looked at Fang Ren once more, calming his emotions before kindly asking, "The leg you fixed for Qing'er?"
"True," said Fang Ren.
"And... her meridians too?" Grandpa Mu could hardly believe it.
"Also true."
Grandpa Mu then turned to look at Lin Bo.
Lin Bo immediately said earnestly, "Grandpa Mu, this matter is absolutely true. If there is any falsehood, you may take my head and life at any time!"
"..."
Grandpa Mu was suddenly dumbfounded. Even though this Fang boy was in no way a match for his granddaughter, he... indeed was his granddaughter's benefactor, and a significant one at that.
Grandpa Mu had always been a man of gratitude and clear distinctions between love and hate, and it troubled his heart greatly to be in such a situation now.
To have saved his granddaughter and been in mutual love with her, yet now he was supposed to tear them apart… This was simply...
Thinking of his previous attitude, he suddenly felt the urge to slap himself.