Chapter 1571: Lu Yaoyao Has Returned!

Chapter 1571: Chapter 454: Lu Yaoyao Has Returned!

As soon as he entered, he was captivated by the scene before him—

Three-year-old Little Yaoyao was soaking in a cyan jade tub half as tall as a person, filled with emerald green medicinal liquid.

The liquid emitted a faint fragrance, with small vortices of spiritual power occasionally swirling on the surface.

The little girl’s face was tense, finely carved from jade, showing a surprising degree of determination despite her young age.

Her small hands tightly gripped the edge of the tub, her knuckles slightly pale, clearly enduring the pain of washing marrow.

Yu Yan, in a pale cyan dress, was attentively guarding nearby.

Her slender fingers held a crystalline spirit medicine, which she cast into the tub from time to time.

Each time the medicine fell in, the liquid would ripple, and the emerald glow would brighten a bit.

Suddenly, Yu Yan keenly sensed a faint ripple at the Cave Mansion entrance’s restriction.

Her expression turned stern, a sharp spiritual power condensing at her fingertips, her aura becoming vigilant.

“You’re back!” Seeing the visitor was Zhou Qing, the wariness in Yu Yan’s eyes immediately transformed into joy, and she quickly stepped forward.

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, but his gaze never left Little Yaoyao in the tub.

Looking at the spiritual power swirling around his daughter and her tender yet determined face, a complex expression flashed in his eyes.

Then he lowered his voice, “Thank you for your efforts during this time.”

“It’s not hard, just glad you’re okay,” Yu Yan blurted out, suddenly realizing her words were too ambiguous, her ears turning red.

She quickly shifted the topic, “Yaoyao’s talent is truly astounding; she’s already advanced to the first level of Qi Condensation after just two marrows washings.”

“This child’s cultivation aptitude might…”

Stopping here, Yu Yan noticed Zhou Qing’s gaze becoming profound.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing’s eyes shone even brighter.

He walked slowly to the tub, observing his daughter’s persistence in the medicinal liquid, unconsciously smiling gently.

According to Yaoyao, in the original timeline, he only allowed her to build a foundation and did not teach her cultivation.

Presumably, this was out of a father’s most instinctive protective desire.

After all, the path of cultivation, seemingly glorious, is fraught with hidden dangers.

Those cultivators who can live for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, are fighting daily for survival against the heavens, the earth, and for opportunities.

Though their lifespans are long, they are essentially repeating the same cycle of cultivation, struggle, and breakthrough every day.

They pursue immortality, but gradually lose sight of their original purpose in the lengthy passage of time.

Whereas ordinary folks, despite only having a hundred years, can truly experience the myriad flavors of life.

They can witness their children establish families, enjoy familial happiness.

Experience the joys and sorrows, feel genuine emotions.

Such a life might be the truest form of existence—brief yet fulfilling, mundane yet precious.

Zhou Qing looked at his daughter’s tender face, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He suddenly understood that on the original timeline, his decision not to let Yaoyao cultivate wasn’t just to protect her from the treachery of the cultivation world, but also to wish her a complete and real life.

Not to become like him, gradually indifferent over the long years, eventually forgetting even the most precious emotions.

“Thank you,” Zhou Qing said softly, eyes full of sincere gratitude.

Yu Yan shook her head slightly, just about to say something, when she saw Zhou Qing’s expression suddenly change.

Tetanus instantly appeared in his hand, with a flash, he had already pulled Yu Yan behind him.

Simultaneously, a thick spiritual power barrier firmly protected Little Yaoyao in the tub.

“Who?!” Zhou Qing shouted sharply, his eyes shooting towards the corner of the Cave Mansion.

There, the space suddenly bubbled with strange ripples.

At the center of the ripples, the air began twisting and contorting, gradually revealing a semi-transparent light screen.

The light screen shimmered with silver-blue spatial turbulences, emitting a heart-palpitating power of space-time.

“This is…” Realizing what it was, Yu Yan gasped, instinctively placing herself in front of Little Yaoyao in the tub.

Amidst Zhou Qing’s gaze full of killing intent, a figure in the light screen gradually became clear.

A young woman with a head full of silver hair, her brows and eyes like a painting, her face carrying a cold yet playful expression.

When she fully revealed herself, Zhou Qing was shocked—

“Yaoyao?!”

Yes, the figure that appeared wasn’t anyone else but Lu Yaoyao, who had vanished three years ago.

Yu Yan also froze, full of disbelief.

She instinctively looked at Zhou Qing’s back in front of her, eyes full of confusion: Didn’t you say Lu Yaoyao was no longer here? What really is going on?

At this moment, as Lu Yaoyao in the light screen saw Zhou Qing, her eyes were instantly filled with tears.

She excitedly opened her arms as if to rush over, but was firmly held in place by an invisible force of space-time.

She struggled unwillingly for a while, then turned her head as if arguing with someone unseen behind her.

When she turned back again, her gaze fell on Zhou Qing’s gray hair, and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks.

“Dad…” she called with trembling lips, but her voice was completely blocked by the time-space barrier, leaving no echo at all.

Zhou Qing, finally coming to his senses, was filled with joy, urgently stepping forward two steps, “Yaoyao! How come… what’s going on? How can you…”

Lu Yaoyao stomped her foot in frustration, quickly slowed her speech, mouthing her words carefully one by one.