Beastmaster of the Ages

Chapter 3396 - Don’t Touch Qinghe

Tianming noticed that everyone in Myriadpath Valley was talking about the purple ’Mistrunners’.

”The Mistrunners must be the same group of people that killed all those eminents in the Infinitum Mundus!”

”They must be enemies of House Yumo!”

”I wonder if others who died in the Yin-Yang World also perished by the hands of the Mistrunners....”

Everyone was so focused on the Mistrunners that nobody noticed Tianming showing up and looking so intimate with Suishen Yao.

”Looks like nobody’s watching the show you’re putting on,” Tianming said, rather satisfied with how low his profile had become.

”I don’t care! We’re keeping it up to the end!” she huffed with dissatisfaction, but intensified the intimacy without the slightest sense of shame, even when they walked into the most crowded areas. Eventually, they finally drew some attention.

”Huh? The Little Demon King and her husband are here.”

”I haven’t seen them for a long time. I wonder if they’ve been busy making the next generation....”

”Hell! Am I going blind? I didn’t think that the Little Demon King would end up becoming a mere girl!”

”The one that’s truly impressive is Pathkeeper Li.”

”Truly a paragon of our time!”

”What occasion is it today? I didn’t think that people like Pathkeeper Li and Qitian Muchen would show up outside the Grand Myriadpath Ruins at the same time.”

Tianming heard Qitian Muchen’s name and wondered, He’s here too? The valley lord’s son was the one who had brought back news about the Mistrunners. Tianming looked around and finally located him, standing right next to the cleaner grandpa.

The old man seemed to be sitting down on the ground with his head lowered. Qitian Muchen, on the other hand, was talking to him with his hands behind his back, unprotected by other members of House Qitian.

Seeing them talking in an animated fashion, Tianming told Yin Chen, ”Quick, go there and tell me what they’re talking about.”

***

In a corner away from the hustle and bustle of Myriadpath Valley, an old man sat cross-legged with his head lowered and hands on his knees. He had lost quite a bit of hair of late, not to mention the wrinkles and age spots that had begun showing on his face. The cuffs around his legs looked much looser than before.

Qitian Muchen, dressed in robes of white and gold, stood with his arms neatly tucked behind him. The gentle breeze caused his black hair to elegantly flutter in the wind. With a body that had been nourished by springwater since his youth, his skin shone with a brilliant luster. The refined and vigorous youth stood in stark contrast to the withering old man.

The old man didn’t look up at him. Instead, he seemed quieter than usual, his face pensive. Qitian Muchen didn’t squat down, either, but remained standing, looking down on the old man like a crown prince observing his subjects. In contrast, the old man seemed more like a beggar.

After standing there for a while, Qitian Muchen suddenly smiled and said, ”Do you know that I was somewhat conscious when I was born? I recall that you cradled me so happily and called me a bright child that would grow up into a beautiful man. I had such a deep impression of your smile back then, and learned all about happiness from that expression alone. Your smile and joy told me that this was a pleasant world.”

He looked down to see if the old man showed any reaction, only to note that the cleaner feigned not hearing a single word, keeping his head low like a coolie without a shred of energy left to talk after a hard day’s work.

Qitian Muchen’s lips twitched and annoyance flashed across his eyes. ”Grandpa, let me ask you this. Do you acknowledge the error of your ways?”

He shrugged and continued, ”Father gave you so much time to repent and realize your mistake. I’ve already grown to become the person you said I’d become. What about you? Have you taken a step back onto the right track at all?

The old man smiled in resignation and shook his head. ”Child, he wasn’t trying to get me to repent. The reason he had me chained here like a dog was to show everyone the power of House Qitian and the Three Exalted Houses. I’m proof of their indomitability. He’s doing all he can to torture me by extending my miserable life.”

”Alright.” Qitian Muchen couldn’t help but smile and look down on the old man. ”I didn’t really come just to see you. I happened to be passing by and recalled that you were chained here. You aren’t under the impression that I still see you as a relative who’s come to see you after I’ve grown up, are you?”

”You don’t have to emphasize it. There’s no longer any point,” the cleaner said.

”There really isn’t. The only deep memory I have of you is your smile when I was born. You let me understand that there were many people around me who were looking forward to my arrival in this world. I was happy, really happy, for a long time, but that was the extent of it.”

”Good, now go. Continue enjoying your life as one of the proud chosen.”

”I’d do that even without you saying so. I’ll live a better life than you can imagine. Myriadpath Valley will only get better and better.”

The old cleaner didn’t say another word and waved him away. He hadn’t given the youth even a single look the entire time.

Qitian Muchen turned around and suddenly recalled someone. He turned back to the old man and said, ”By the way, Jian Qinghe’s been behaving.”

The old man tensed up. ”She’s your younger sister,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Qitian Muchen blankly shook his head. ”Don’t joke around like that, old man. My surname is Qitian, while hers is Jian. House Qingchuan is nothing but a weed that grows in House Qitian’s garden. Even though she was born into this world at the same time I was, our bloodlines clearly differentiate us from one another. A Qitian is a Qitian, a Qingchuan is a Qingchuan.”

He looked the old man in the eye and was satisfied by his reaction. ”Jian Qinghe won’t survive for long. Her life is mine. It’s something that’s been destined from the very beginning.”

”Chen’er!” The old man looked up, his ancient and weary eyes meeting Qitian Muchen’s.

”Even though you were the one who named me, you shouldn’t call me that. We aren’t that close, you and I.”

”Don’t touch Jian Qinghe,” the old man said with grit teeth as he stretched out his hand to tug on Qitian Muchen’s sleeve.

The youth froze up and smiled. He didn’t need to say anything; that smile was all the answer that the old man needed.

”Grandfather, you’re old and useless. Things are already beyond your ability to change. Accept your fate and fulfill your final task to guard the Grand Myriadpath Ruins.” Qitian Muchen gently pulled his arm away from the old man and lowered his head to whisper, ”Don’t touch me, alright? I don’t fancy myself an elder beater.”

”Very well. Looks like you’ve learned the true essence of House Qitian from your dad.” The old man shook his head with a smile, but far more complicated feelings flashed through his eyes.