The forest had only just stopped shaking when Hu Man and Nie Yong began their walk back to the mining site, side by side like comrades returning from war. Laughter echoed between the trees, their voices bouncing with the kind of crude joy only warriors who had bled together could share.
"You really thought that green fire of yours would actually burn a Blood Dragon?" Hu Man scoffed.
"It did, didn't it?" Nie Yong shot back with a smug grin. "Besides, you should be thanking me. I saved your sorry old Mystic Blood Arts from becoming obsolete."
"Obsolete?!" Hu Man barked a laugh, nearly doubling over. "You little bastard, if I was ten years younger, I'd break your legs for that!"
"But you're not. So now you just walk beside me and laugh like an old drunk uncle."
They burst into laughter again. Hu Man wiped a tear from his eye. It had been years since he felt this light. Nie Yong reminded him of his younger self—loud, brash, hot-blooded, and far too handsome for his own good. But there was more.
Nie Yong was like an upgraded version of everything Hu Man had once been.
If both of his daughters ended up marrying this brat?
He wouldn't even blink.
...
Back at the mining site, Long Zai Tian sat on a boulder, arms crossed, face brooding like a storm cloud. His gaze snapped toward the forest when he heard voices—laughter?
His eyes widened in disbelief as he saw Hu Man emerge grinning and patting Nie Yong on the back like they were old drinking buddies.
"What?!" Long Zai Tian's jaw clenched.
"Why is Hu Man laughing so happily with that shitty brat?! He was supposed to kill him!"
Frustration welled inside him like a boiling cauldron. Something had gone very wrong.
...
"Father!" Hu Jiao'er rushed up to Hu Man with the fury of a tempest. "Explain! Right now!"
Her arms were crossed, her gaze sharp enough to split mountains.
"Yong'er!" Hu Mei'er squealed as she sprinted into Nie Yong's arms. He instinctively caught her, wincing slightly.
"Are you alright? Did that mean father of mine hurt you?!" she asked, cupping his cheeks and inspecting his face with wide, worried eyes.
"Just a bruise," he said, though his body still ached quite a bit.
Hu Mei'er's expression turned cold as she faced her father.
"Father! How dare you hurt our Yong'er's handsome face!" she scolded with such intensity it left Hu Man blinking.
Hu Jiao'er joined in, her voice scathing. "Exactly!"
Hu Man stared at his daughters, dumbfounded.
'Those two…'
His thoughts spiraled into comedic despair.
'Do they really love Nie Yong more than me, their father?!'
He slumped forward like a man who had just lost half his lifespan.
"Traitors..." he muttered under his breath.
Nie Yong snickered as Hu Mei'er clung to his side and Hu Jiao'er glared at her father.
"I guess I passed the test, huh… Dad?" Nie Yong teased with a wink.
Hu Man twitched. "Brat, don't push your luck. We're not that close yet."
But deep down?
He was smiling, "Just father-in-law for now."
Long Zai Tian shot to his feet the moment he heard the word.
"Father-in-law?!" he bellowed, veins popping along his neck. "Hu Man! Are you crazy?! He's an outsider! He's from our rival sect! Have you completely lost your mind?!"
Hu Man didn't even flinch. His grin widened, his hand settling on Nie Yong's shoulder like the final stamp of approval.
"An outsider?" he chuckled. "He's family now. He'll leave the High Heaven Pavilion and join our Blood Battle Group, right?"
Nie Yong laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Well… actually…" he said, voice trailing off awkwardly. "I think I'm gonna stay in High Heaven Pavilion."
"What?!" Hu Man, Long Zai Tian, and Hu Jiao'er all exclaimed at once, their eyes going wide like someone had just slapped them with a frozen fish.
Hu Mei'er, on the other hand, simply smiled—gentle, knowing. She understood better than anyone the kind of bond Nie Yong held with his sect.
Nie Yong stood a little straighter, voice calm but firm.
"I just… can't betray them like this. After all they've given me… after all they've taught me—"
"See?!" Long Zai Tian cut in, pointing an accusatory finger at Nie Yong like he'd just proven some grand conspiracy. "He's an ungrateful bastard! That's what he is!"
Hu Man sighed and turned to Nie Yong with a raised brow and a faint smirk.
"Brat… are you really sure about not wanting to join our Blood Battle Group?" he asked, tone playful. "I might even consider handing you the Sect Master position."
It was clearly a joke… maybe.
"Have you gone insane, Hu Man—" Long Zai Tian began roaring again, his rage soaring at the thought of all his plans shattering, arms flailing—
But this time, Nie Yong cut him off.
"Thanks for the offer, father-in-law... but I'll have to pass," he said smoothly.
Long Zai Tian's jaw dropped so far it looked like it might dislocate.
Nie Yong turned to his two girls—his arms sliding around their waists, pulling one to each side. With a grin that could melt glaciers, he said:
"All I need is them."
Hu Mei'er blushed, cheeks turning the color of peach blossoms.
Hu Jiao'er stiffened at first… then glanced up at him with a helpless little smile. "Idiot…"
Hu Man crossed his arms and watched the three of them with a wide grin, shaking his head.
"This brat…" he muttered under his breath.
But he was smiling.
To be continued...
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Oh, also, a bit of updates on myself. My sickness has noticeably receded, I am getting better and better. I almost feel as good as once. Thanks guys for all the support you've given me all this time, really. Your comments... I know I can't hug you because of the screens being between us, but... thank you very very much. You're one of the reasons I could endure so much... Thanks guys... from my heart.