Bad News

Bad News

After reading through the task listings one by one, Ye Yun picked out a task he found fairly satisfactory.

"Level-two task: collect ten Red Jade Flowers. Task reward: six thousand taels of gold. Time limit: three months."

The Red Jade Flower was a relatively common low-grade level-two spiritual herb. It generally grew beside the nests of powerful demonic beasts, nourished by their blood and qi, and was one of the main ingredients for refining Beauty Nourishing Pills.

There were Red Jade Flowers in the Blackwater Mountains not far from the Purple Extreme Sect. However, unlike the outer region Ye Yun had visited last time, the Red Jade Flowers grew in the inner region of the Blackwater Mountains.

It had been nearly five months since he returned from the Blackwater Mountains. This task was the perfect chance to digest the martial insights he had gained during this time.

Having made up his mind, Ye Yun went to the registration counter beside him and said to the senior brother in charge, "Senior Brother, I would like to accept the task of gathering Red Jade Flowers. Please register it for me."

"Junior Brother, give me your identity token."

At those words, Ye Yun handed over his identity token. The senior brother took it and wrote down Ye Yun's information in a ledger.

"Junior Brother, you have been registered. As long as you submit ten Red Jade Flowers within three months, the task will be considered complete." After speaking, the senior brother returned the identity token to Ye Yun.

After thanking the senior brother, Ye Yun turned and left the task hall.

After leaving the task hall, Ye Yun headed down the Purple Extreme Sect's mountain. He intended to go down and visit his grandfather.

Once he passed through the sect gates, the longing in his heart grew ever more urgent. He quickened his pace and hurried toward the village at the foot of the mountain.

After hurrying along the road, he reached the village in less than ten minutes.

Ye Yun entered the village and headed toward its eastern end. For some reason, a faint unease rose in his heart.

When he arrived before that familiar courtyard, his grandfather should normally have been resting in the yard at this hour. Yet today, he was nowhere to be seen, and the door to the house was tightly shut.

Ye Yun pushed open the courtyard gate and entered. Just as he was about to push open the door to the house, he heard an aged and feeble voice from inside.

"Cough, cough... Who is it? Is that Auntie Zhang from next door?"

Hearing his grandfather's weak voice, the unease in Ye Yun's heart grew stronger and stronger.

He stepped forward and pushed open the door. The moment he entered, a heavy medicinal smell assaulted his nose, and his grandfather lay weakly on the bed.

"Grandfather, what happened to you?" Looking at his grandfather before him, Ye Yun could scarcely believe it was real.

Hearing Ye Yun's voice, Grandfather slowly turned his gaze toward him and saw Ye Yun standing in the doorway.

"Little Yun, is that you? Child, why have you come back?" Grandfather asked hesitantly.

"Grandfather, it's me. What happened to you? Weren't you perfectly fine when I left last time?" Seeing how weak his grandfather looked, Ye Yun asked anxiously.

"Grandfather is fine. It's only an old injury from my younger days acting up again. I've already taken medicine, and I'll recover before long. Don't worry, cough, cough, cough..." Seeing his grandfather begin coughing again, Ye Yun hurried forward and helped him sit up.

"Grandfather, stop talking. I'll take you to the sect and ask the elders to treat you." As he spoke, Ye Yun was about to lift his grandfather onto his back, but Grandfather stopped him. Shaking his head, he said, "Child, there is no need. Grandfather knows his own body. Don't trouble the sect. You still haven't told Grandfather why you came back."

"Grandfather, I came back this time to tell you that I've broken through to the Qi Refining Realm and become an inner sect disciple," Ye Yun said, tears glimmering in his eyes.

"Good, good, good! Grandfather had only two regrets in his life. One was that I never broke through to the Qi Refining Realm, and the other was that I never became an inner sect disciple. Now you have achieved both. Grandfather is proud of you. Even if I die now, I can close my eyes in peace." Grandfather spoke excitedly upon hearing the news.

Looking at his once-robust grandfather reduced to this state, Ye Yun's heart brimmed with regret. If he had come back to visit Grandfather more often, if Grandfather had received treatment earlier, perhaps things would not have become like this.

"Grandfather, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If I had come back to see you more often, you wouldn't have..."

Before Ye Yun could finish, Grandfather interrupted him.

"Nonsense. Can you stop the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death? Grandfather being like this has nothing to do with you. Child, do not blame yourself. The thing Grandfather is proudest of in this life is raising you into adulthood."

Hearing his grandfather's words, the tears at the corners of Ye Yun's eyes finally fell despite his efforts to hold them back.

"Child, Grandfather cannot accompany you on the road ahead any longer. You must take good care of yourself. The road of martial cultivation is fraught with hardships. Be careful. Remember, the most treacherous thing in this world is the human heart. Never let your guard down against others," Grandfather warned Ye Yun.

"I'll remember, Grandfather. Don't say that. I'll go buy spiritual pills for you. I believe there will always be some pill that can cure you," Ye Yun said emotionally.

After speaking, Ye Yun rose, intending to go to Azure Sun Town to buy medicine. But Grandfather grabbed his hand and said, "Child, don't waste your effort. Help Grandfather out into the courtyard. When you were little, you always loved looking at the moon in the courtyard. Tonight, keep Grandfather company and look at the moon once more."

Looking into his grandfather's resolute eyes, Ye Yun wanted to say something, but the words reached his lips and would not come out. He could only carefully support his grandfather and slowly lead him into the courtyard.

An eternal, unchanging full moon hung high in the sky, silver moonlight spilling across the courtyard. Grandfather and grandson watched quietly like this. Neither spoke, as though they had fallen into some shared memory.

After a long while, Grandfather turned to Ye Yun and said with a smile, "Child, Grandfather is leaving. I cultivated martial arts all my life and remained in the Body Tempering Realm all my life. I cannot offer you much guidance. I can only give you one sentence: whatever it is, just do your utmost. Do not leave regrets for yourself."

After saying that, Grandfather slowly closed his eyes, and little by little, his breath faded away.

Ye Yun gently held his grandfather's body. An overwhelming grief surged from the depths of his heart, yet he did not cry. He merely held his grandfather's body in silence, without saying a word.

Three days later, Ye Yun buried his grandfather on the mountain where his grandfather had found him all those years ago.

Before his grandfather's grave, Ye Yun kowtowed three times, then said, "Grandfather, rest assured. I have remembered every word you said in my heart. I promise you that I will carry your hopes and walk step by step to the pinnacle of martial arts."

After speaking, Ye Yun turned around and headed toward the Blackwater Mountains without looking back.

His grandfather's passing was something Ye Yun had never anticipated. But he would not sink into despair because of it. What he had promised his grandfather, he would surely accomplish.

It was nearly evening when Ye Yun finally arrived near the Blackwater Mountains. However, he did not enter them directly. Instead, he headed toward Azure Sun Town, intending to replenish some medicinal pills there.

Please comfort Ye Yun. Thank you, everyone. Please bookmark and recommend.

(End of chapter)