Chapter 159 - Daughter and Daughter
“Drip.”
A cool drop of water fell on his forehead.
“Er…”
Guo Fan gradually opened his eyes, greeted by a hazy, flickering red glow.
It immediately brought to mind the first sight upon transmigration: Gu Yaling's wedding attire.
At that moment, the young girl wept so inconsolably that even Guo Fan, bewildered by his sudden displacement, found himself consoling her first. It was truly vexing.
Yet, in that wedding dress, Gu Yaling looked charmingly innocent. It wasn't a total loss… until later, Su Feng's appearance, or rather, Sun Fen's ominous warning, frightened him away.
Regrettably, the bridal gown before him was not a gown at all, but a heap of flames.
Guo Fan's vision slowly cleared, revealing the dancing flames before him. Thin branches crackled beneath, emitting occasional sparks.
The branches stirred, drawing Guo Fan's gaze upward to a young girl seated beside the bonfire.
Cascading ebony locks framed her exquisite face, her thin white robe clinging to her form. Water dripped from her drenched hair, her fair skin flushed by the fire's glow. Her crimson eyes remained unwaveringly clear, her delicate chin accentuated by her impassive countenance.
Holding her knees, she wielded a branch, tending to the flames with occasional prodding to sustain them.
Beside her lay a gleaming gold and silver sword, alongside a few discarded garments.
“Yijun…” Guo Fan croaked.
The girl blinked, turning to assist Guo Fan as he struggled to sit up.
“Phew… Cough cough.”
As Guo Fan propped himself up, a sharp pang coursed through his body, akin to childhood tumbles down the stairs, rendering him immobile.
Though not a perfect comparison, the intensity of his injuries varied significantly, yet the sensation resembled those childhood mishaps in its intensity.
In truth, it had been quite the ordeal… Enduring both a volcano and a tsunami was no small feat. Despite having Xiahou's assistance and the sword techniques gleaned from Gong Wei, for a warrior at the Void Refining Stage, it was nothing short of miraculous.
Despite successfully halting Jiang Chao's advance toward Night's Fall Sword City, even after expending all his Spiritual Energies, Guo Fan found himself flung into the ocean by the aftermath of the onslaught.
Guo Fan distinctly recalled Yijun accompanying him into the water, only to realize the child couldn't swim once they were submerged!
Yijun, accustomed to life with the saintess inland, had never learned to swim. Instantly, she floundered like a duck, succumbing to the waves after just two frantic movements.
The issue wasn't her lack of Spiritual Energy but rather a psychological barrier.
Despite her formidable combat prowess, there was no opportunity to employ it. Caught off guard, Yijun was swiftly overwhelmed by the tide, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
Guo Fan inwardly bled, unable to even employ the Water Cleansing Pearl in time. He prioritized shielding his child, cradling Yijun's small form while enduring his own injuries.
Wounds upon wounds, in that moment, Guo Fan felt that if he survived, the heavens would surely demand he take on a harem.
Indeed, he was presently faring quite well.
“Cough, where are we?” Guo Fan wheezed, addressing Yijun.
He coughed once more before awaiting Yijun's response.
The girl shook her head. “I have no idea.”
She recounted the events leading to their current predicament: Guo Fan's sword strike altering the tide's course… They had lost track of their drift, passing by a stone wall. Acting swiftly, she plunged her sword into the wall, anchoring them momentarily.
Yet, in her panic, Yijun had no time for a thorough assessment, opting instead to pry open a crevice in the wall and enter.
Only upon entry did she realize a vast array was at work here, sealing the Spiritual Energy of all immortal cultivators.
Consequently, Yijun's garments became thoroughly soaked, and Guo Fan's wounds remained untreated.
“This technique… it might originate from an ancient ruin…”
Yijun pulled Guo Fan close, providing some warmth against the chilly, damp air. Despite the comforting fire, the pervasive humidity kept their bodies perpetually moist.
Surveying their surroundings, it appeared to be a cavern. Moss and foliage adorned the floor, with water droplets incessantly dripping from above. The obsidian walls cast eerie reflections of the flickering flames, lending an unsettling ambiance.
Though narrow, a dim passage loomed nearby, hinting at a potential exit.
Leaning against Yijun, Guo Fan couldn't help but notice the girl's now semi-transparent attire, oddly alluring. He averted his gaze, asking, “Have you ventured out to explore?”
Yijun replied in the negative, yet the hammer remained absent.
Guo Fan contemplated investigating but found his storage bag and Sleeve Dimension inaccessible without Spiritual Energy. Nevertheless, he recalled glimpsing the hammer reverting to its original form, a testament to its protective nature.
“In that case, let's await the hammer's return… Oh, by the way, how long was I unconscious?”
Sensing a prolonged lapse in time, Guo Fan was surprised to learn from Yijun that he'd only been out for a day and a half.
Guo Fan nodded, pondering the uncertainties beyond their refuge.
A lull descended upon them as they leaned against each other, quietly observing the dancing flames.
“Achoo!”
Yijun's sudden sneeze startled her, her expression momentarily blank. “What… what was that?”
Guo Fan sighed, realizing the unreliability of their situation.
They were both soaked and clinging together; expecting them to dry completely would be odd.
Guo Fan felt Yijun's forehead and confirmed it was slightly warm. He sighed, “Looks like it's a cold.”
Things had escalated. One was injured, and the other fell ill. They were left awaiting rescue, a predicament undoubtedly troublesome.
“Hey, Xinyue, do you agree?” Guo Fan interjected suddenly.
Given the unique properties of the Mountain Sea Spirit, many maps remained unaffected by the map enhancement.
“Bang! Bang!”
The scattered specks of light coalesced into a young girl who soared towards Guo Fan, beaming widely. Simultaneously, she commenced healing Guo Fan's wounds with her innate abilities.
Guo Fan squinted, reveling in the sensation akin to soaking in a hot spring. Regrettably, each treatment yielded only marginal improvement, though his chest felt less constricted.
“Father…”
Yijun eyed Xinyue warily, then turned to Guo Fan with an accusing glance.
Guo Fan cleared his throat. “She's not your biological daughter, Yijun. Come here, you might catch a chill. Remove your clothes and let the water on your body evaporate first.”
Yijun maintained a fixed gaze on Xinyue, who tilted her head curiously.
Trapped between them, Guo Fan broke into a cold sweat.
In the past, when Xinyue was a child, Yijun hadn't shown such animosity…
Why did the atmosphere turn so tense upon his daughter's arrival?
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om