Long Haochen Walked In on Something Awkward

"Sis, you don't need to see me off."

"No, I'll walk you a little farther."

"But if you keep walking me, we'll be at my doorstep..."

"..."

Li Xin wore an awkward yet polite smile. The Rose Unicorn seemed to have noticed something and very humanly turned her head, giving Li Xin a meaningful look.

Having her thoughts seen through by her good partner, Li Xin felt even more embarrassed and hurriedly urged the Rose Unicorn to land.

"Neighhh—"

The intelligent Rose Unicorn decided to lend her master a hand. The moment she landed, she pretended to be exhausted and unsteady, flinging both Li Xin and Long Haochen from her back.

"Careful!"

In the blink of an eye, Long Haochen landed face-up and used his body as a cushion to catch Li Xin. Li Xin fell face-down onto Long Haochen, and the two shared their second close encounter.

Her pink-blue eyes met his deep-blue ones. Each saw themselves reflected in the other's gaze, and at the same time, they both recalled what had happened in Bright Moon Swamp.

"Sis..."

His nose felt warm again. Long Haochen called softly to Li Xin, urging her to get up quickly.

A rosy flush spread across Li Xin's cheeks. She stood as if nothing had happened and flicked her long pink hair.

"I'll see you off this far. I'll wait for you to come find me in Bright Moon City. You still haven't taught me the Astonishing Dragon Fist. Don't forget your promise to me."

"Mm."

Long Haochen got up from the ground, pinching his nose as he turned away, afraid of embarrassing himself in front of Li Xin.

"Then... I'm leaving."

"Goodbye."

With that, Li Xin fled on the Rose Unicorn as though escaping for her life. Long Haochen let out a long breath before finally turning around.

This place was already within Odin Town's boundaries. Following the nearest-first principle, Long Haochen decided to go home and see Bai Yue before heading to Odin Mountain to find Long Xingyu.

When he reached the entrance to his home, Long Haochen quietly pushed open the courtyard gate, hoping to surprise Bai Yue.

"Uh..."

Long Haochen stood there blankly, at a complete loss.

Bai Yue was in the courtyard. She was neither watering flowers nor cultivating. Instead, she was sitting on a man's lap.

Not only was Bai Yue sitting on the man's lap, she was curled up in his embrace like a swallow returning to its nest, her face full of happiness.

The only man who could make Bai Yue reveal such a girlish side was naturally her husband—Long Haochen's father, Long Xingyu.

Although Long Haochen had long known Long Xingyu's identity, walking in on his parents' intimate moment and witnessing Bai Yue and Long Xingyu together like this was truly one of the most awkward experiences of his life as their son.

What should you do when you catch your parents being affectionate? Waiting online, urgent!

Long Xingyu and Bai Yue had not expected Long Haochen to launch a "surprise attack" either. The family of three all froze.

In the end, Long Haochen was the first to break the awkward silence.

Long Haochen took a step back, gently closed the gate, then ran off into the distance as fast as he could.

"Yue'er, what should we do?"

Bai Yue covered her mouth and laughed softly. "What else can we do? Just tell him. You'll have to tell him sooner or later."

Looking at Bai Yue's lovely face, Long Xingyu hesitated to speak.

Although he had already concluded that Long Haochen was not his son, he still wanted to hear Bai Yue say it herself.

Long Xingyu held back, because he was afraid of hurting Bai Yue. He did not want her to remember those painful days after Feng Xiu abducted her, nor did he want the happy smile on her face to disappear.

"I'll go first."

Long Xingyu released Bai Yue and pushed open the gate to leave.

Long Haochen had not gone far. He stood alone in the fields, admiring the afterglow of the setting sun.

"Haochen."

Long Haochen turned around and found Long Xingyu standing behind him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm your father."

"Father..."

Long Haochen could not act, so he could only stand there blankly.

"That's right. I'm your father, the father you've never met. My full name is Long Xingyu. You took my surname. We're both surnamed Long."

Long Haochen asked in confusion, "But why didn't you tell me? Why did you hide it from me?"

Long Xingyu said helplessly, "Because I was afraid that once you knew I was your father, you would no longer train so diligently. At the same time, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to bring myself to train you harshly, so I approached you as your teacher. Haochen, are you willing to acknowledge me as your father?"

Long Haochen did not answer. He simply used his actions to show his attitude.

Long Haochen leaped into Long Xingyu's arms and hugged him tightly.

Although he had grown up in a family full of love, that family had been incomplete.

He had a grandfather, a grandmother, an uncle, an aunt, and a mother, but no father.

Whenever he saw other children growing up under their fathers' care, he felt deeply envious.

Today, one mistake had led to another. By accidentally walking in on Long Xingyu and Bai Yue, he had forced Long Xingyu to confess. Only now did Long Haochen feel that he had returned at exactly the right time.

At that moment, Long Haochen's heart was filled with happiness, but Long Xingyu's was not.

Looking at Long Haochen in his arms, Long Xingyu thought to himself, It seems Haochen doesn't know the truth. That makes sense. Yue'er could never have told him.

Long Haochen released Long Xingyu and called out, "Dad!"

Hearing that call, Long Xingyu did not appear particularly excited. He merely answered softly.

Long Xingyu brought Long Haochen back home. That evening, the family of three finally sat down together for dinner.

At the table, Long Haochen excitedly recounted everything he had seen and heard after arriving in Bright Moon City, as well as his experiences in Bright Moon Swamp. Of course, he hid the few unbearably embarrassing incidents between himself and Li Xin.

"Haochen, that strange Spirit Furnace is in your chest?" Long Xingyu asked.

"That's right."

Long Xingyu stretched out a hand and placed it over Long Haochen's chest. There really was a faint fluctuation of energy there, but without powerful spiritual power, an ordinary person would never notice it.

"See if there are any special markings on your chest."

Long Haochen undid his clothes and exposed his chest, but found no markings.

Looking at Long Haochen's snow-white chest, Long Xingyu pondered for a moment before saying, "How strange. Since this Spirit Furnace chose you, it should have fused with you of its own accord. But all the signs on your body indicate that it is only temporarily residing in your chest. You have not truly fused with it."

"Perhaps it is because your current strength is too weak. The most basic requirement for fusing with a Spirit Furnace is two hundred spiritual energy at the third rank. Once I perform Sacred Awakening for you tomorrow, you may have a chance to fuse with this Spirit Furnace."

Early the next morning, Long Xingyu brought Bai Yue and Long Haochen to the wooden cabin at the summit of Odin Mountain.

"Starting today, you no longer need to go to the Owl Ant nest. In a while, I'll perform Sacred Awakening for you. After Sacred Awakening, you'll be able to cultivate inner spiritual energy."