Revelation of the Way of Heaven

Chapter 232 Starting Again

After leaving the council chamber, Qin Xiaochuan thought for a moment and then dialed Han Kexin's number.

It was noon when Han Kexin answered the phone, and she was clearly annoyed. But after Qin Xiaochuan explained the reason, she was silent for a while before asking, "So what are your plans?"

"The Wudang Sect is preparing to send people to Kunlun Mountain to search. I plan to go with them. You..."

Han Kexin said, "Okay, you go with them, and we'll go take a look too."

"Oh, right, there's one more thing..." Qin Xiaochuan then told Han Kexin about the Kunlun Ruins.

"I understand." Han Kexin's reaction was indifferent, and her tone revealed nothing about her feelings at that moment.

Seeing the other party's reaction, Qin Xiaochuan hung up the phone and opened a webpage to browse recent news in the archaeological community.

In the afternoon, just as Yin Changlin and the others were preparing to set off, Jiang Zhujun suddenly pulled Qin Xiaochuan aside.

"I'm not a combatant, so I can't go with you on this mission." Her gaze was fixed on Qin Xiaochuan, filled with deep expectation. "I'm entrusting Shiyi to your care along the way. You must keep a close eye on her and make sure she doesn't do anything foolish."

Qin Xiaochuan nodded solemnly and said, "Auntie, don't worry, I know."

Jiang Zhujun seemed a little tired. She sighed and said, "Go ahead, be careful on the road."

After getting ready, Qin Xiaochuan left Wudang Mountain with Yin Changlin and headed towards Kunlun Mountain.

It wasn't until the afternoon of the next day that the group crossed the vast Gobi Desert and arrived at a small county town built against the mountainside on the edge of G City. Yin Changlin pointed to an inn with a faded sign at the end of the town and said, "This is the closest town to the ruins."

He gazed at the distant, layered mountains that exuded a primitive and wild aura. "If we go any further, we'll be entering the mountains. The roads in the mountains are impassable, and there might not even be a signal. Before we go into the mountains, we need to replenish our supplies and find an experienced guide."

As he spoke, Yin Changlin pushed open the creaking wooden door of the inn.

As soon as you step through the gate, you are greeted by a cacophony of noise and the aroma of food. The front of the inn is the dining hall, while the back courtyard houses the guest rooms. The hall is bustling with people of all kinds, dressed in various styles, clearly having traveled from afar.

Qin Xiaochuan sized up the group of people, and they were also looking at him and Yin Changlin and the others. Even without their Heavenly Eyes open, their invisible aura revealed their identities as superhumans. They were all travel-worn, yet their cultivation was profound. Some had spiritual energy guns that shimmered with light on their backs, while others had long, cold-looking swords lying across their tables. Their eyes were as sharp as hawks.

"There are quite a few familiar faces here," Yin Changlin said in a low voice. Before he could finish speaking, he heard someone greet him from the side: "Master Yin, you've finally arrived. I knew that your Wudang Sect would be indispensable at an event like this."

The speaker was a short, stout middle-aged man who was standing up from a table and walking towards Yin Changlin.

"So it's Master Dong from the Qingcheng Sect. It's a pleasure to meet you." Yin Changlin quickly returned the greeting with a cupped-hand salute.

Master Dong led Yin Changlin to his table, and Yin Changlin handed his backpack to Wei Feng, saying, "You guys go up first. You can handle the rest. I'll catch up with Master Dong here."

Wei Feng took the backpack, said goodbye to Master Dong, and then led the others to the front desk to check in before heading to the back of the lobby.

The back door of the hall leads to a small courtyard with two maple trees. A boy, seemingly unfazed by the heat, is playing under one of the maple trees. Surrounding the courtyard is a three-story tenement building constructed of solid red bricks. Time has etched deep marks on the brick walls. White sheets are drying on the clothes rack on the roof, fluttering in the afternoon breeze.

The room was simple and couldn't compare to hotels in big cities, but it was clean and tidy, which gave it a unique charm.

After everyone put their luggage in the inn, Wei Feng, Luo Hao, and Jiang Han went to buy supplies and find a guide. Qin Xiaochuan wanted to go along to help, but Wei Feng told him to take good care of Guo Shiyi. Qin Xiaochuan understood and didn't stand on ceremony. The room was monotonous and boring, so Guo Shiyi tugged at Qin Xiaochuan's arm and said, "Let's go sit on the rooftop."

Qin Xiaochuan nodded, and the two of them went up the stairs to the rooftop. Guo Shiyi walked slowly in front, and Qin Xiaochuan followed slowly behind her. When the two of them pushed open the rusty iron door of the rooftop, a wave of scorching heat rushed towards them. Although it was already afternoon, the dazzling sunlight was still quite scorching.

The rooftop offers a wide view, with white sheets billowing in the wind and golden corn cobs drying in the sun. In the corner, there are awnings and benches for people to rest.

Guo Shiyi seemed oblivious to the scorching heat. She sat down in a shady spot on the rooftop, gazing at the rugged, desolate mountains in the distance, remaining silent.

Qin Xiaochuan knew she was worried about her mother, so he sat down beside her and quietly stayed by her side.

"When I was little, I was in poor health. My mother took great care of me. At that time, her work was just starting out and she was very busy, but she still made time to be with me." She said softly, her voice as gentle as a slowly flowing spring.

"So when I was little, I was very, very attached to her. No matter where she went, I had to follow her. People would laugh at me for being my mother's little shadow. I remember once, I bumped my head at school and bled a lot. After the school called her, she rushed to the clinic. That afternoon, an important cultural relic was unearthed, and her participation was needed. But I insisted that she come with me. She had no choice but to take me to the excavation site. She was busy working and let me play by myself."

She paused, looked at the distant mountains, and continued, "That afternoon I did nothing but quietly watch her carefully brush clay onto a piece of pottery until the sun set and the sky was filled with fiery red sunset clouds. Only then did she take my hand and walk along a mountain path back to her temporary residence. That was the happiest and warmest moment in my memory. It all seems like it happened yesterday."

As she spoke, Qin Xiaochuan noticed that her eyes were already brimming with tears. He couldn't help but reach out and take her hand, saying gently, "Don't worry, Auntie will be alright."

"Actually, the person I hate the most is my father. He wasn't there for her even once when she was going through a tough time," she said suddenly with resentment.

"I remember he loved my mother and me very much when I was very young, but I don't know when it started, he only knew how to be busy with his business, and we rarely saw each other once or twice a year. Even when she was sick and hospitalized, he never showed up."

Qin Xiaochuan didn't know how to comfort her, and after thinking for a long time, he said dryly, "Adults probably all have their own unavoidable difficulties."

Guo Shiyi turned her head and asked, "Do you think people change over time, and sometimes even become completely different people from before?"

"How could that be, you fool?" he said. "Maybe life is full of things we have to do, but... but there will always be people who stay true to themselves and remain the same as they were at the beginning." He wanted to say that at least he himself would not change, but he was too embarrassed to say it.

"And what about you? Will you always stay true to your original aspirations?" she asked, staring into his eyes.

"I...of course I can," he said, then, seeing that the other person seemed unconvinced, he patted his chest and said confidently, "Don't forget, I have a very important mission."

"Pfft." Guo Shiyi couldn't help but laugh when she saw his serious, silly expression.

Seeing her smile for the first time in two days, Qin Xiaochuan's mood improved greatly, and he asked, "What, don't you believe me?"

"I believe you, I believe you," she said repeatedly. "And I believe you will definitely do what you want to do."

Qin Xiaochuan's heart stirred, and he couldn't help but say, "Don't worry, I promised you before that I would always protect you, and that promise will always stand."

Guo Shiyi was taken aback. Looking at his serious and resolute face, she felt as if a wall was collapsing in her heart. Then she smiled, a smile as beautiful as a lily blooming in spring.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Silly girl, why are you being so polite with me?" He raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair.

Guo Shiyi's smile deepened: "Let's go downstairs, it's too hot here, I don't want you to stay in the sun."

"It's not bitter at all," Qin Xiaochuan stood up and said with a grin, "It's my honor to be able to share the joys and sorrows with the beautiful Guo."

"The Revelation of Heaven's Way" ranks high in readers' poll for best fantasy novel!