“Then what does Jiu’er intend to do before she will forgive me?”

Feng Li’s voice drew Feng Jiu’er’s attention back.

“I don’t know either.” She looked at him and shook her head.

“If you are obedient from now on, and do not do anything to harm yourself again, then I… I will consider forgiving you.”

“Alright.” Feng Li nodded with a thoroughly contented expression. “From now on, I will listen to you in everything.”

Casting a glance at this adorable yet wonderfully dim-witted father of hers, Feng Jiu’er gently helped him to his feet.

Now that she had the divine inner energy protecting her body, supporting Feng Li’s frame — more than twice her size — required no great effort on her part.

“Let’s go. We’ll talk more once we’re home.” Feng Jiu’er steadied Feng Li with her arm and began walking toward the cave entrance.

“Alright.” Feng Li gave a slight nod, a faint smile touching his bloodless face.

With her here, he would finally have a home.

But in his current state, what capability did he have to protect her?

Sensing the subtle heaviness in the man beside her, Feng Jiu’er looked at him and let out a quiet breath.

“What is it? Are you worried that you’ve become useless and won’t be able to protect me?”

Feng Li lowered his gaze to the small girl before him, raised his large hand, and gently ruffled her long hair — but said nothing.

“You shouldn’t have done it in the first place. With you protecting me, I would surely have been fine.”

“But now look — you’ve given me all your cultivation and piled every burden onto my shoulders.”

Feng Jiu’er sighed softly, shook her head, and continued walking forward.

“It won’t be so easy to be lazy from now on.”

How could she not know that her father had done what he did out of necessity? But she truly could not bear to see him so frail and helpless.

Seeing her father in this state now — would her mother truly feel no heartache?

No. Her mother would certainly feel heartache. Feng Jiu’er believed her mother was not truly as cold as she appeared.

Perhaps it was because of certain reasons that she still harbored resentment toward her father.

The two of them left the cave together. A gust of wind swept toward them, and Feng Jiu’er’s brow furrowed slightly — she immediately moved to shield Feng Li behind her.

“Jiu’er.” A flicker of concern crossed Feng Li’s face as his brows drew together.

The wariness on Feng Jiu’er’s face did not last long. Sensing something familiar in the presence approaching them, she let out a quiet breath of relief.

“It’s nothing — they’re my people.”

Her voice had barely fallen when Jian Yi appeared before the two of them.

“Jiu’er, are you alright?”

Jian Yi did not spare Feng Li so much as a glance, as though only Feng Jiu’er existed in front of him.

“I’m fine.” Feng Jiu’er shook her head. “How did you get out? Where is Ninth Imperial Uncle? Is he alright?”

Hearing the little girl’s clear, energetic voice, Jian Yi felt somewhat reassured.

Everyone had seen her take that palm strike — it was only natural for Jian Yi to have been anxious.

“He is alright for now. Mu Mu brought the Ninth Prince to Lord Night Prince’s residence. Had I known sooner that Lord Night Prince was the one who saved you…”

“No — that’s not right. The one who saved you at that moment shouldn’t have been Lord Night Prince.”

Judging from the situation at the time, Jian Yi was nearly certain the person who had intervened was a woman.

Without an answer, Jian Yi set the question aside for the moment and went over to support Feng Li.

Feng Jiu’er had no intention of explaining. She glanced toward the horizon, raised a brow, and said: “Let’s go — we’ll talk once we’re back.”

“Yes.” Jian Yi gave a nod.

Supporting Feng Li, he vanished into the trees in the blink of an eye.

Feng Jiu’er had only just taken her first step when she followed in the others’ wake.

Just how extraordinary her father’s divine inner energy was, Feng Jiu’er had no time to sort out — and no way to sort it out just yet.

The road ahead might prove even more treacherous than the wilderness they had just traversed, but Feng Jiu’er was no longer afraid.

At the very least, she had a father, a mother — and a man who would throw himself into danger without a second thought for her sake.

Meanwhile, it was destined to be an extraordinary night.

Inside a side chamber within Night Prince’s manor, Zhan Qingcheng had barely sat down before he rose to his feet again.

“Wait a moment longer.” Mu Mu said quietly.

But Zhan Qingcheng appeared not to have heard him at all and strode toward the door.

“If you go out now, you will only get in the way!” Master Jingxin, seated nearby, said in a firm tone.

She had no intention of making things difficult for Zhan Qingcheng — she was simply stating the truth.

Zhan Qingcheng paused, staring out into the distance, his fists clenching tight.

Perhaps it was not that he had failed to weigh the situation — he simply could not bring himself to sit here doing nothing.

“Master, please forgive this unfilial disciple.” He left those words behind and continued walking forward.

“I’ll go with you.” Mu Mu let out a quiet sigh, rose, and followed.

He understood clearly that after this long, that man had already reached his limit.

Not long after Mu Mu had brought Zhan Qingcheng back to Night Prince’s manor, Master Jingxin had arrived.

If it were not for Master Jingxin having put Zhan Qingcheng to sleep and helped him channel energy to heal his injuries, he would likely have left long ago.

When Zhan Qingcheng had woken and noticed that something was wrong with Master Jingxin’s condition, it was only then that he had held back from leaving immediately.

It was not that Mu Mu was unconcerned about Feng Jiu’er’s situation — but one was his gravely injured elder brother. How else could he have chosen?

In the end, he had no choice but to watch helplessly as Jian Yi left, while he remained at Night Prince’s manor, guarding an exceedingly unruly patient.

“You two…” Master Jingxin stirred in agitation — then with a muffled sound, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Zhan Qingcheng’s footsteps faltered, and an unusual light flickered through the depths of his eyes.

But he recovered swiftly and continued walking forward.

“You stay and take care of her.”

Mu Mu gave a helpless sigh, his brow creasing as he stopped in his tracks.

“Your master damaged her own meridians for your sake. Can you truly not hear out her wishes?”

Mu Mu and Master Jingxin shared the same desire — neither wanted Zhan Qingcheng to leave.

If he left now, only one of two outcomes awaited.

Either Jiu’er was safe and the two of them would return together, or Jiu’er was in peril and he would add new wounds on top of old ones trying to save her.

If it was the first outcome, it made no difference whether he went or not.

The second outcome was one no one wished to see.

Mu Mu understood clearly the state of Zhan Qingcheng’s body. If he were to suffer another serious injury, there was a very real chance he would never recover for the rest of his life.

“You should all understand perfectly well — I cannot live without her.”

A light breeze swept in, carrying only Zhan Qingcheng’s words — the man himself had already vanished from the chamber.

Mu Mu turned back for a glance, exhaled softly, then turned and followed.

Then, suddenly, he seemed to sense something. The tenseness that had gripped his handsome face for so long finally eased into a trace of a smile.

Looking at the small figure that had appeared before him, Zhan Qingcheng came to a halt, the chill in his presence no longer cut to the bone.

Seeing him again, Feng Jiu’er also stopped, blinking her large, bright eyes.

She had heard Ninth Imperial Uncle’s words just now — heard them clearly, without question.

How could he be so good to her? Good enough to leave Feng Jiu’er feeling both guilty and pained, her heart in complete disarray.

He was so good to her — how could she ever have thought of forgetting him?

Without waiting for anyone else to speak, Feng Jiu’er broke into a run toward Zhan Qingcheng.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle.”

She had meant to hold him properly — but remembering that her father was still watching from behind, the little girl stopped just in front of Zhan Qingcheng and simply took hold of one of his large hands.

“Ninth Imperial Uncle.” She swayed his large hand gently, calling out to him with warm familiarity. “Jiu’er is back.”