Over the next few days, Anji remained in the hut with different people keeping her company. However, her father only appeared during dinner. He ate quickly, did not breathe a single word and left before Anji could bring up the topic. Day after day, she saw the signs of exhaustion as different family mbers tried to convince Zhao Mingfeng, but to no avail.
After two weeks, Anji had to report back to her teacher that her father was still unmoved. However, she also expressed her decision to convince him personally. She had a feeling that her teacher had sent Anji to seek her family’s support because she was torn between supporting Anji’s growth and protecting her safety. Leaving it to fate to decide for her successor, Yan Ping sent Anji ho.
Ti was ticking. Although Anji could still wait for a year or two to undergo the tricky spiritual modification on her third seal, the risk of failing becos higher as more ti passes, as her teacher explained. It wasn’t as if Anji could stop cultivating and wait until she reached adulthood. Her spiritual core advances even as she breathed. It was only a question of how quickly it would outgrow her current seal. Although the explosion might not happen, the possibility could not be dismissed either.
The only sound at dinner was the sound of chopsticks moving. Although Zhao Mingfeng still took care of Anji, helping her to reach dishes too far from her, he was stoically silent. Anji could not read her father’s expression. Although his actions were still as warm as ever, his emotions felt unfamiliar to her.
As expected, the first to finish eating and excuse himself was Zhao Mingfeng. Anji had no idea what to say to her father as she watched him leave in a hurry, not even making eye contact with her.
Nobody spoke up, even long after Zhao Mingfeng left. All eyes stared at the door until Zhao Wanting put her chopsticks down. It was an embarrassing sight to show her children how inadequate she was as a wife in front of her children. However, it was a difficult decision, and she did not want them to think badly of their father.
"Your father still loves all of you very much," she reaffird. "He’s just unable to accept the difficult reality. Please give him so ti to think and calm down."
As the oldest of four children, Ruiting nodded. She understood that behind the title of the murim war hero and founder of the Celestial Dragon Sect, her father was a man who would put others before himself. His cold indifference was a reaction to the shocking news. Even she could not bring herself to fully accept what Anji wanted to do. She loved her sister, and while everyone accepted that Anji would one day leave them sooner rather than later, it was still not sothing she willingly parted with. As the older sister, the only thing Ruiting could do was replace embroidery lessons with swordsmanship. If she could help carry so of the sect’s burdens, Anji would be able to spend more ti with her parents like the child she was.
"Don’t worry, mother. We understand. Anji doesn’t hate Father either, right?" Mingshen spoke up to console their mother, who must have suffered all kinds of heartache, torn between her daughter and husband.
Shaking her head imdiately, Anji sat up straight. "No, Mother. I still love Father very much. He must be very busy lately with the war’s progression outside as the leader of the Rainbow Alliance. Anji understands."
In truth, it was a distraction. Anji knew better than that. Her father was clearly avoiding her. In the past, no matter how busy Zhao Mingfeng was, he would always prioritise Anji over work. It made Zhao Wanting angry at tis when she learned how he skipped etings to take Anji to the village for a puppet show. This was the first ti Zhao Mingfeng was pushing her away.
Hearing her youngest daughter’s reply, Zhao Wanting put on a tough smile and changed the topic quickly. Only she was fooled into believing Anji’s words. Ruiting and Mingshen wondered if their mother truly believed Anji was still a naive toddler or simply living in denial that her baby had grown up, even when she was destined to die before puberty.
Deciding to humour her mother, Anji smiled as Zhao Wanting listed the things they could do while Anji was on vacation back ho. The activities she suggested were things that Anji used to love when she was five. Anji did not have the heart to tell her mother how she was no longer fond of going bug hunting. She had seen her fair share of unique bugs living in the forest in the Mystical Qilin sect.
"Mm," Anji smiled but kept the thoughts to herself. "Sure, Mother! Let’s do them all when you have the ti. I have Brother Mingshen and Sister Ruiting to keep company."
Normally, Zhao Wanting would be gushing all over her little girl. However, the strange silence as she took in all of Anji made even the older siblings raise a brow.
"Mm, let’s do that. My daughter has grown up well in the Mystical Qilin Sect. We have to thank Sect Leader Yan for it. Anji, are you happy there?"
This ti, Anji replied with the widest smile.
"I am!" Anji replied with a smile reaching her eyes.
Seeing the first real smile since Anji returned ho, Zhao Wanting had to admit they had wronged Anji. If only her husband were here to truly see Anji for the girl she had grown into instead of the frail baby they protected in their bosom.
All hatchlings had to leave the nest soday. So simply left sooner than others. The Celestial Dragon Sect had very independent and mature hatchlings, and even their youngest had learned how to spread her wings. Their initial worries that she would not adapt to the Mystical Qilin Sect were unfounded. Anji not only adapted to their strange ways. On the contrary, she seed to thrive under Yan Ping’s care in ways the Celestial Dragon Sect had failed.
"That’s what is most important. If you truly want to go ahead with the risky operation, Mother will not stop you."
The vote of confidence ward Anji’s heart. The only person left to gain approval from was the one who had fought the hardest for her since day one.
"Mother," Anji resolved herself. "Where can I find Father?"
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