They Are Archenemies, But They Have A Child - Chapter 95

Chapter 95: The Unexpected Change

Yún Chuān sighed in relief. “You and A-Cí should discuss this first. Before that, we must keep this matter hidden so as not to arouse Father God’s suspicion.”

“But does the Heavenly Emperor truly not know?” Yun Qingwu looked up at Yún Chuān. “If it wasn’t the Heavenly Emperor, who else would try to use You Su Qiān to ensure that Father God would never wake up?”

“What?” Yún Yǎ looked at Yun Qingwu in shock, then at Yún Chuān.

A ripple also disturbed the Earth Mother’s usually calm eyes.

Yún Chuān’s expression was composed. He said softly, “If Father God didn’t want me to wake up, he could have done it before; there was no need to wait until now. I still don’t believe it was Father God’s doing.”

Yun Qingwu, however, was no longer willing to believe. He only said, “Times have changed.”

With that, he walked straight out the door. “I will go to Mount You Su tomorrow.”

The three watched Yun Qingwu’s retreating figure and all sighed.

Yún Chuān: “Fortunately, these two children at least have each other to care for. This is probably the only good outcome amidst the sins we have committed.”

The Earth Mother’s eyes flickered. She wanted to hold her son’s hand, but stopped herself. She merely looked at her son, who was no longer a youth, with pity. “I am sorry for what happened back then.”

Yún Chuān smiled. “The fact that you chose to support Qingwu today, I think you have understood what I said back then. That is enough.”

The Earth Mother nodded and said no more.

…

Back in the Clear Cloud Palace, Yun Qingwu tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Scene after scene of his past interactions with the Heavenly Emperor replayed in his mind. He managed to restrain the urge to confront the Heavenly Emperor all night.

However, the next morning, the person he was desperately trying to avoid appeared in the Clear Cloud Palace.

Yun Qingwu slowly exhaled, composing himself. Following his usual habit, he bowed and greeted, “Grandfather God.”

The Heavenly Emperor nodded, raising his hand to signal Yun Qingwu to sit on the other side of the tea table. He looked at Yun Qingwu calmly. “How was your time in seclusion? Have you thought things through?”

Yun Qingwu firmly pressed his thumb against his index finger, his expression unchanging. “I have figured it out. It was this grandson who thought shallowly.”

The look in the Heavenly Emperor’s eyes softened slightly. He picked up the teapot and filled both cups, handing one to Yun Qingwu. “A great achiever should not be too focused on small matters, or they will lose sight of the big picture. In this regard, your father is inferior to you.”

Yun Qingwu took a small sip of the tea, staring at the indifferent person in front of him. He asked, “If I hadn’t figured it out and still insisted on my own idea, Grandfather God, would you have killed me?”

The Heavenly Emperor paused in his motion of stroking the teapot lid. A hint of sharpness appeared in his calm eyes. “If you are disobedient, I have ways to make you obedient. Killing? That is the lowest form of punishment.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of dizziness swept over Yun Qingwu’s head. A violent pain exploded within. Yun Qingwu covered his forehead with one hand, looking warily at the Heavenly Emperor. He tried to get up, but after moving only slightly, he was swallowed by an overwhelming darkness, completely losing consciousness.

The Heavenly Emperor sat where he was, taking a small sip of tea. He sounded slightly regretful. “Although he is not my biological son, he has learned these bad habits completely. How can he become my successor like this?”

…

Knock, knock—

In the darkness, Yun Qingwu vaguely heard the sound of knocking.

“Junior Brother, may I come in?”

It was Lǐ Qīngyáng’s voice.

Yun Qingwu frowned, his face betraying annoyance at being disturbed. But the knocking showed no signs of stopping. After another round of knocking, he finally lost his patience, abruptly opening his eyes and looking at the canopy of the bed.

It should have been just an ordinary day, but at that moment, he felt a sudden sense of emptiness.

“Junior Brother, I have something I want to talk to you about.”

Perhaps I slept too deeply last night.

Yun Qingwu dismissed the thought, quickly got up, straightened his attire, and opened the door. “Senior Brother.”

Lǐ Qīngyáng entered the room with a serious face. “I thought a lot during your seclusion, but I still believe you should quickly draw a clear line with that Leng Licí. This is for the greater good, and it is also for your own sake.”

Yun Qingwu looked puzzled. “What clear line is there to draw between me and that demon fox? What do you mean, Senior Brother?”

Lǐ Qīngyáng paused, turning to look at Yun Qingwu, subtly examining him. “Then what do you believe your relationship with him is?”

Killing intent surged in Yun Qingwu’s blue eyes. He looked serious. “Other than enemies, what else could my relationship with him be?”

Lǐ Qīngyáng took a step forward and grabbed Yun Qingwu’s wrist, inwardly startled.

Two of his three souls and one of his seven consciousnesses have been sealed…

It seems the Heavenly Emperor has already intervened in this matter.

Perhaps this is a good thing for Junior Brother.

Yun Qingwu pulled his hand back, his confusion deepening. “Senior Brother, what are you doing?”

Lǐ Qīngyáng quickly adjusted his mood, maintaining a calm expression. “Nothing, just checking if your cultivation has improved.”

Yun Qingwu smoothed his robe, sat down on a chair, and picked up the wine pot, handing it to Lǐ Qīngyáng. “When have I ever neglected my cultivation? Don’t worry, I won’t let Senior Brother surpass me.”

Lǐ Qīngyáng took the wine pot, and the long-accumulated melancholy in his heart dissipated somewhat upon seeing Yun Qingwu’s demeanor. He nodded. “That is naturally for the best.”

…

“Father God, why did you do this?”

Yún Yǎ shoved open the study door, questioning him.

The Heavenly Emperor sat at his writing desk. He merely raised his eyes to glance at Yún Yǎ before lowering his head to the book in his hands. “Do you have no manners?”

Yún Yǎ took a few steps forward, her face earnest. “Father God, please don’t make another mistake. Do you want to make Qingwu the same as Brother?”

The Heavenly Emperor slowly put down the book, his tone indifferent. “Mistake? If I hadn’t done this, the Heavenly Realm would have been disordered six hundred years ago. Where would you be now?”

He looked at Yún Chuān, who had entered with Yún Yǎ, his voice laced with mockery. “The son you raised is exactly like you. Do I still need to ‘change’ him? You recalled those past events you shouldn’t have. Are you any better now than before?”

Yún Chuān moved closer, his eyes utterly numb. “Disorder? If the order itself is unreasonable, what is the necessity of maintaining it?”

“You speak lightly. How do you think you’ve lived all these years? It’s the order left by your ancestors!” the Heavenly Emperor said coldly.

“Even so, Qingwu does not belong to the Heavenly Realm. You forcibly changed his life once. Do you intend to change it a second time now?”

The Heavenly Emperor picked up an ink stick and slowly began to grind ink, his expression impassive. “Yes. If you two continue to defy your father’s wishes, I don’t mind changing it a third time. I can take his life at any time.”

He then recalled something and let out an “Oh.” He looked up at the two of them. “It’s their lives.”

Then, he looked at them. “I can bear it, but can you?”

Yún Chuān clenched his right hand into a fist, gritting his teeth. “Yes, Father God.”

Yún Yǎ’s face was pale. She took a step forward, wanting to say something more, but Yún Chuān gripped her hand. Yún Yǎ looked at Yún Chuān in confusion. Yún Chuān gently shook his head.

The two turned to leave. Just as they were about to step out of the door, Yún Chuān stopped. His tone was flat. “In the mortal realm, someone once attempted to kill your son. If this person wasn’t Father God, then who do you think it might be?”

The placid expression of the Heavenly Emperor finally showed a crack.

Yún Chuān made his point and led his sister out of the study.

Inside the room, the Heavenly Emperor’s expression darkened. The ink stick in his hand suddenly snapped.

…

“Are we really going to do nothing?” Yún Yǎ looked at her brother worriedly.

Yún Chuān: “I will send a message to Little Cí, telling him that Qingwu cannot leave the Heavenly Realm for now. We will keep the memory loss a secret. Otherwise, Little Cí will surely attack immediately, and the situation will become unmanageable. As for Qingwu, we will look for other ways to see if we can restore his memory first.”

Yún Yǎ nodded. “Good. That’s all we can do.”

…

Mount You Su

Inside the Separation Palace, Lǐ Shū was talking endlessly, holding a thick stack of papers. “Exalted One, this is the study plan I tailored for Little Dāo. As long as you entrust Little Dāo to me, I guarantee she will learn to compose poetry before she is four and be proficient in astronomy and geography by five.”

On the high seat, Leng Licí was half-reclined on the soft couch, his posture languid. His chained index finger tapped repeatedly on his bent right knee. His gaze was fixed on the open palace door, clearly distracted.

Little Dāo sat beside him, listening to Lǐ Shū’s endless talk. Although she only partially understood it, she instinctively felt it was nothing good, and her brows were furrowed tightly.

Lǐ Shū, however, was completely oblivious. After a lengthy discourse on the importance of early education, he raised the plan in his hand. “Exalted One, would you like to take a look?”

Leng Licí seemed not to hear.

Lǐ Shū tried again, walking quickly to Leng Licí’s front, the plan almost touching his face. “Exalted One? Exalted One!”

A secret command flew into the Separation Palace from outside.

“Ah—ya—”

Amidst a scream, a book flew out of the palace, pages flapping.

Then, the great door of the Separation Palace slammed shut with a loud bang.

Outside the Separation Palace, Lǐ Shū rubbed his backside and mumbled, “If you don’t want her to study, then don’t! Why be so rough! Disgraceful! Disgraceful!”

“I told you not to rush in there. Since the Exalted One returned, his mood has visibly worsened day by day. Do you think it might be related to Yún Qingwu not coming back with him?” Hóng Suí rested her chin on her right hand, tapping her face with her index finger.

“How could that be! The Exalted One is not that shallow!” Dān Mù sat down on the steps, indignantly. “It must be that the Exalted One has finally realized the truth, seen Yún Qingwu’s true colors, and dumped him!”

Lǐ Shū frowned, recalling the scene just now. “I think Director Dān might actually have a point. I just saw a God Clan message fly into the Exalted One’s hand. That could very well be a breakup letter!”

The three exchanged a look, with only Dān Mù still stubbornly resisting. “Impossible! I bet it’s a plea for reconciliation!”

The other two, both convinced they had found the truth, shook their heads.

Hóng Suí: “It’s over. Life is about to get difficult.”