Chapter 72: Hope in the Heart

Chapter 72: Hope in the Heart

The old man politely refused several times, telling Ye Fan that there was no need for him to stay. He said Ye Fan could simply pay for the meal if he ever passed through the area again.

“Sir, I’m homeless right now, with nowhere to go. Please let me stay; I’ll be helpful.”

“Big brother, you don’t have a home?” The little girl, innocent and lovely, her tears not yet dry, looked up at him, a sympathetic expression on her tender face.

Eventually, the old man allowed Ye Fan to stay. He prepared a room for him in the backyard and told him he could leave whenever he wished.

That night, Ye Fan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He finally got up and quietly went to the rooftop, where he lay down and gazed at the sky. The clouds had dispersed, and the bright moon hung high, casting down a misty silver glow. Stars twinkled in the vast sky like countless diamonds.

The affection between the old man and the little girl inadvertently touched something deep within his heart. His parents’ kind faces often appeared in his mind.

“Are you well…?”

Ye Fan gazed at the starry sky, as if trying to pierce through endless star fields to reach the other end and return to his parents. Whenever he thought of them, his heart grew restless. His sudden, unexpected disappearance must have deeply saddened his elderly parents.

For parents, losing an only child in their old age would be an unbearable pain. Thinking of his parents’ sorrow, Ye Fan felt distraught, wishing he could return to them immediately to bring peace to their hearts and a smile to their faces.

But with endless star fields separating them and such a vast distance, how could he possibly return? A feeling of powerlessness filled his heart as he stared blankly at the starry sky.

Each time he thought of his parents’ current feelings, Ye Fan’s heart ached. Since arriving in this world, he had always kept his longing deeply hidden, afraid to easily touch upon or recall those memories. Whenever they were stirred, he found it difficult to find peace.

“No, I must find a way back. I cannot let the parents who gave birth to me and raised me spend their twilight years in tears…” Ye Fan suddenly sat up, murmuring to himself, “There must be a way. I must go back.”

Witnessing cultivators flying and burrowing in the primeval ruins, and seeing the immense power of the five great figures, had shown him the strength of cultivators. Perhaps one day, when he was strong enough, he could cross the boundless cosmos and return to his homeland, to his parents’ side.

Having personally witnessed the formidable nature of cultivators, a sense of hope rose in Ye Fan’s heart. He felt that the path home had not been completely severed; perhaps there was still hope.

“I want to become stronger. I want to break out of this star field. I want to go home, to stop my parents from grieving and weeping. I want to fill their later years with smiles…” Ye Fan’s words grew increasingly firm. He was building confidence within himself, declaring, “I can definitely do it. I must do it. I will return to their side!”

Sadness and worry were useless. Ye Fan slowly adjusted his emotions, allowing his heart to gradually calm. Being touched by the affection between the old man and the little girl today had completely dispelled his last traces of confusion and bewilderment. He had found his goal and direction.

“The Nine Dragons pulling the Coffin traveled across star fields to reach this space. If they can do it, so can I. I must become strong enough. Sooner or later, I will also be able to traverse the void and return home.” Ye Fan’s eyes grew brighter. He knew he had to become strong, as powerful strength was necessary, whether to rescue Pang Bo or to return to his homeland.

Unconsciously, a wave of sleepiness washed over him, and he fell into a deep sleep on the roof. It wasn't until the old man's voice reached him the next morning that he opened his eyes.

“Child, how did you get up on the roof? Be careful, don’t fall.”

The little girl, still sleepy-eyed, walked out of her room. Seeing Ye Fan on the roof, her eyes widened in surprise. “Big brother, what are you doing?” she asked.

Faced with the old man and the little girl’s bewildered expressions, Ye Fan felt a bit awkward. “It was too hot last night,” he explained, “so I came up here to cool off and accidentally fell asleep.”

After Ye Fan had washed up, the old man called him for breakfast. It was a very simple meal: a small bowl of white rice porridge and a plate of pickled vegetables, as their means were truly limited. The little girl was very thoughtful; she had already set out the bowls and chopsticks. She served a bowl of white porridge to Ye Fan and a full bowl to her grandfather. However, when it came to herself, she only served a tiny amount into her already small bowl. She finished it in just a few bites, then put down her utensils.

“Why are you eating so little?” the old man asked her.

Although the little girl wore patched clothes, she was as beautiful as a delicate porcelain doll. She patted her small stomach and said, “I’m full.”

“Nonsense! How can you be full after just a few bites?”

“I really am full. Last night, I ate the chicken pieces Grandpa saved for me and half a bun. I’m still not hungry now,” the little girl said, picking up her small bowl, ready to rinse it.

The old man pulled her back and filled her small bowl with white porridge. “Good child, you’re growing, so you need to eat more. Don’t worry, we still have rice at home.”

“I’m not worried, I really am full. Grandpa, you should eat more…” The little girl poured a large portion of the white porridge from her small bowl into the old man’s large one.

The old man couldn’t stop her in time. He said nothing more, just sighed.

“Grandpa, will those bad people come again today?” A hint of fear appeared on the little girl’s rosy face, and her voice was very childlike. “They’ve already stolen our restaurant, and now they come here every day to cause trouble. We can’t even run our business, and we’re barely getting enough to eat. Why won’t they leave us alone?”

“It’s alright, don’t worry. As long as Grandpa is here, you won’t go hungry,” the old man said, stroking her head, then added more white porridge to the little girl’s bowl.

Ye Fan said nothing, silently finishing his simple breakfast, but his heart remained restless.

The old man’s surname was Jiang, a very ancient and distinguished name. However, the old man himself was an ordinary person, one among many, living a very difficult life. The sensible and beautiful little girl was named Tingting. Her parents had passed away two years ago, leaving her and the old man to rely on each other.

Ye Fan didn’t say much. After breakfast, he told the old man, “Elder, I’m going out for a walk.”

“You’re unfamiliar with this place; be careful,” the old man advised.

This town was neither too big nor too small, home to over a thousand households and nearly five thousand people. At the busiest crossroads were several restaurants and inns, along with most of the general stores. Other areas were mostly residential.

Ye Fan walked around the town once, then headed out. Many fields bordered the town, and further away lay the mountains and forests, where hunters went daily.

Ye Fan entered the forest, and the deeper he went, the more surprised he became. Standing on a high mountain, he looked into the distance, seeing rolling, endless peaks shrouded in mist. The ancient, primeval forest seemed to stretch on forever.

“Roar…”

Roars echoed from deep within the forest. Ye Fan felt no worry; instead, he was delighted. The town indeed offered a peaceful environment for his cultivation, and its proximity to the deep mountains meant there were certainly exotic beasts and spiritual herbs—things he greatly needed.

Ye Fan spent less than half a day exploring the mountains, not venturing too deep. He knew he would have plenty of time later and wasn’t in a hurry. As noon approached, he began to head back, encountering some hunters and herb gatherers along the way.

“Life is truly not easy for ordinary people…” Ye Fan sighed. He saw several hunters carrying some game, but also a blood-soaked body, heading towards the town. The person had undoubtedly been attacked and killed by a large beast while hunting.

In the distance, a few roe deer were drinking from a mountain stream. Ye Fan silently circled around them, then forcefully hurled a rock he held. With a thud, he knocked down one of the roe deer in the stream. Afterward, he hunted a muntjac in the forest before heading back.

Along the way, some hunters looked astonished to see a boy of eleven or twelve dragging a roe deer and a muntjac. Ye Fan didn’t mind; he intended to live in this town for a long time, and such encounters were unavoidable.

As noon approached, Ye Fan returned to town. He sold the roe deer to a butcher, then bought some rice and flour, and carried the muntjac towards Elder Jiang’s small restaurant.

From a distance, he saw a crowd gathered there. Tingting’s helpless cries filtered through the throng, and Ye Fan’s heart immediately sank. He quickly rushed over.

The old man’s grey hair was dishevelled, his face covered in bloodstains. He sat limply on the ground, his patched clothes soiled with dust. Little Tingting wept sorrowfully, using her small sleeve to wipe the blood from the old man’s face, and cried out to the malicious people in front of them: “You’re bad people! You stole Grandpa’s restaurant, and now we don’t even have food, why won’t you leave us alone…?”

A sallow-faced middle-aged man knelt down and forcefully poked Tingting’s forehead, making her stumble and fall onto the ground. “What does a little braggart like you know?” he sneered.

“If you have a problem, deal with me. Don’t treat the child like this…” Elder Jiang shielded Tingting behind him, wiped a bloodstain from his face, and asked, “What exactly do you want?”

“We don’t want anything. We came here to eat, and you claimed you had no food. What kind of restaurant are you running? If that’s the case, you might as well just close down.”

“Bad people! You come here every day for free meals. How can we afford to support you…?” Little Tingting cried from behind Elder Jiang.

Many among the onlookers couldn’t bear to watch, but dared not step forward. They could only advise Elder Jiang, “Elder Jiang, just close this small shop and leave with your granddaughter.”

“That’s right, their family has cultivators. How can ordinary people like us provoke them? You two should leave quickly.”

“Even if it means leaving your home, it’s better to go.”

At that moment, the sallow-faced middle-aged man and the others swaggered away. The onlookers then came forward, offering words of comfort to Elder Jiang, amidst Tingting’s sorrowful cries.

It was a long while before the crowd gradually dispersed. Little Tingting, her eyes red from crying, helped the old man to his feet and walked with him towards the small restaurant.

Witnessing such a kind old man in his twilight years being so cruelly bullied, and seeing little Tingting, covered in patches, crying so heartbrokenly, Ye Fan felt an surge of anger. He looked in the direction the men had left, clenching his fists tightly.