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  Ancient Fragment #25

  Her power is absolute, her patience infinite—but even she cannot escape the shadow of one man's brutality.

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  Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing made their way back home to the Jin family. Through the grassy path they had created, had since stood up straight.

  Eventually the morning sun rose and made the sky a beautiful vermilion color, today there were no clouds. The soft wind blew at Long Tianyu's and Hua Qingqing's hair.

  ''Finally back'' Long Tianyu smiled slightly and looked forward. They crossed a small hill and the Jin family house came into view. The two of them walked onto the familiar path, the soft tall grass around them slightly touched their boots. Tall familiar red pine trees grew around the house.

  Out the chimney came a small puff of smoke. Jin Ruyan was cooking inside. Outside sat Jin Haotian on a small stool, smoking from a pipe. His eyes lit up when he saw them and he smiled.

  ''Damned kids! Why were you gone for so long?! I thought you had died out there.''

  Long Tianyu smirked, he said nothing and walked up to Jin Haotian and handed over a small Crimson Gold Flower. And slightly clapped him on the shoulder.

  Jin Haotian's hand trembled slightly as he looked down on the flower. Tears welled up in his eyes as his shoulders slightly slumped down, his entire body relaxing.

  He looked up and shouted, ''Ruyan! Xue'er! Come here quickly!'' not caring if he awoke nearby neighbors or the whole world for that matter.

  Noise came from inside, as Jin Ruyan and Jin Xue'er rushed out to Jin Haotian.

  ''Husband, what's the matter?''

  ''Father, what happened?''

  Jin Ruyan and Jin Xue'er looked weirdly at Jin Haotian. Their eyes lit up when they saw Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing. Together with the shout from Jin Haotian their heartbeats started bumping faster.

  ''Come look!'' Jin Haotian said as he stretched out his hand, slightly covering it, afraid that the wind would blow it away.

  The two of them walked slightly forward while Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing stood aside watching them.

  Jin Haotian's hand trembled slightly. Jin Ruyan grabbed it softly ''Dear...'' and then Jin Haotian opened, showing the Crimson Gold Flower to the two of them.

  Jin Ruyan covered her mouth in surprise. ''R..really?'' She trembled and looked at Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing who smiled.

  Jin Xue'er gripped her mother's hand and shook it up and down and smiled happily. ''Mother, mother, will you really be okay with this??''

  Jin Ruyan nodded.

  ''Really?'' Jin Xue'er shouted, her tone turning bright with happiness.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Tears welled up in their eyes as the Crimson Gold Flowers looked like a gift from the heavens.

  Jin Haotian let out a hoarse laugh through tears, scolding them again.

  Jin Ruyan, understanding that the trip had been long invited them inside for breakfast. The two of them had been eating dry meat they brought from Moondragon City, it had just slightly stopped their hunger during the night.

  Jin Haotian carefully wrapped the Crimson Gold Flower in a silky blue cloth, treating it like a sacred treasure. ''With this Ruyan can finally be okay!'' He laughed happily and slapped Long Tianyu's shoulder. ''I knew my son had a good eye for people!''

  Jin Xue'er seemed to forget how they had scared her before as she asked endless of questions to the two of them about the Crimson Heart. Long Tianyu tried to explain a child-friendly version.

  ''... and then I took the flowers from the Fire Centipedes claws!'' He shouted heroically and stood up.

  Hua Qingqing rolled her eyes and Jin Xue'er clapped happily, laughing happily at the theatrics, completely believing in him now.

  ''Aunt and Uncle, do you want me and Tianyu to help with the refinement?'' Hua Qingqing asked.

  Jin Ruyan and Jin Haotian looked at each other and smiled. ''Niece please help us. We would trust you two with anything.'' Jin Haotian slightly pushed forward the Crimson Gold Flower that lay inside the silky blue cloth.

  Hua Qingqing opened it carefully. ''First we need to put it inside a bowl of cold water for three days, me and Tianyu can keep changing the water for you. After that we need to boil the flower in hot water and Aunt should drink the tea. That should be enough to restore her vitality.''

  The family looked hopefully at Hua Qingqing.

  ''Do you know where there is cold water? Otherwise we could stay at the small river you found me and Tianyu at.''

  Jin Haotian looked thoughtful, gripping his chin slightly. ''If you follow the stream if you will find some nearby mountains, the water there is unusually cold.''

  ''Right, right!'' Jin Xue'er nodded. ''I almost died there when I played with big brother once!''

  ''Mm, you were a drenched tiny tornado then!'' Long Tianyu laughed and slapped the table lightly.

  ''You!'' Jin Xue'er shrieked.

  Jin Ruyan and Jin Haotian looked onto the two arguing. It was like seeing Jin Lian and Jin Xue'er again..

  The family, Long Tianyu and Hua Qingqing finished eating their breakfast. Hua Qingqing also left them a large piece from the Twin Red Viper, for a mortal family it was a heavenly treasure that could strengthen their bodies.

  The two went to each of their own small guestrooms. Both of them fell asleep instantly as their body hit the bed. Exhausting over took them.

  The trip had been short, but also draining. Long Tianyu hadn't slept for a long time, and Hua Qingqing's soul was still mending itself.

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  Far away, past the Red Pine Forest and into a tall mountain range stood tall pagodas. In the tallest one stood a beautiful white haired woman. She wore a white hanfu, decorated with pink flowers.

  She stared towards the south. Where her direct disciple and many of the new sect members had gone.

  In a room behind her lay the sect members identification lamps. For a small sect it was quite the fortune to invest in low level sect members like this. But to her it was important, she treasured all of her disciples.

  Many would taunt the woman's decision, calling her foolish behind her back. However, unless they were courting death they would never dare to say it directly to her.

  She walked back into the room with the identification lamps. Her white clothes softly graced the white marbled flooring. A cluster of the lamps were dark, dead. Gone from this world.

  She looked at the one at the top. It wrote Bai Qing and it still shone brightly.

  She considered her options, she could explode in a rush of power towards the Crimson Heart.

  Her lips opened slightly, speaking to herself. ''If I meet that man there, it could also be the end of our sect..''. She trembled slightly.

  She wasn't afraid of anyone in the Eastern Azure Dragon Kingdom, except for that man causing her shoulders to slightly tremble. Even after all these years as she wouldn't dare to go into his domain.

  Lower level cultivators were fine to enter the Crimson Heart, but she knew what had happened in that place a hundred years ago. Anyone powerful knew and avoided that area like the plague.

  She went back to the balcony and looked at the same direction as before.

  Far away she saw a silhouette sprinting towards the sect gates.

  The silhouette's blue and white hair moved slightly in the wind.

  Her sword drawn.

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  End of chapter 25 - A Hundred-Year Shadow