Chi Jingyang held the little one's hand as they walked slowly along Spring Renewal Valley's excessively untamed paths, his heart tangled with conflicting emotions.
He had pressed the mechanism at the valley entrance with such resolve. Although he was quite certain that what lay inside could not seriously injure these men, all of whom were clearly exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and his main purpose in triggering it had merely been to drive them out of the valley, still...
He had caused real harm.
Chi Jingyang glanced at the empty path behind them, confirming that no one had followed out of concern. When he looked back at the little girl whose hand he held, his gaze grew more complicated.
After what he had done, Emperor Mingze had still entrusted this little dumpling to him without a trace of worry...
After a long while, he could not help speaking. "You-"
The little girl stopped skipping along and raised her head, her eyes innocent and uncomprehending.
Though she said nothing, her big, round eyes were plainly filled with questions.
Chi Jingyang paused. The words were difficult to get out, but he continued anyway. "I... in that tunnel you have to pass through to enter the valley..."
Jiang Yingcheng let out a long Ohhh- inwardly.
Uncle Chi's blushing, she chattered quietly to System Bro. Heehee-
Chi Jingyang: "..."
I was so busy giving Uncle Chi a sadness-relief buff that I forgot he'd feel guilty too~
Chi Jingyang froze for a moment.
Earlier, Jiang Yanchuan had repeated what the little girl had said in her thoughts, rearranging the order and dealing him a second crushing blow that had nearly left him unable to stand.
But afterward...
He carefully recalled his state of mind over the past half day, only then realizing that, aside from