Yu Di calmed his daughter after offering her some treats. Well actually the treats came from Bai Feng, but he was the one who gave it to her. He sat on the grass with his daughter while Bai Feng sat on the large flat rock.

  “Senior Bai, thank you for looking out for my daughter and myself,” Yu Di said. He cupped his hands and bowed at the waist.

  “It was my pleasure,” Bai Feng replied.

  “I do have a serious request for you though if you would indulge me. Little Lin, you should listen to this as well because this is important.”

  Yu Lin looked up after biting into the large candy. Her mouth was red from the hawthorn syrup. Once again, she took large bites of it as if she was afraid someone would steal it from her.

  “Senior Bai, we both know how limited my lifespan is,” Yu Di said. “The last thing I want is to leave my daughter alone should I die. I request that you become her godmother so that you will take care of her after I pass.”

  “No Baba. You can’t die,” Yu Lin said. She smacked her father on the shoulder.

  “No little Lin, you can’t hit someone because you’re upset.” Yu Di kept her hand in his. “You talk with words.”

  Yu Lin pulled her hand back.

  “Sorry Baba.”

  Bai Feng’s face contorted.

  “Yu Di, what you’re asking is a lot for me. I’m not sure if I could replace you or her mother.”

  “If it’s more resources or manuals, I can provide you everything you need to break through to the third realm at least,” Yu Di said quickly. He needed this more than anything else in his life. “If you’re worried about Yu Lin, I can—”

  Bai Feng held up her hand.

  “It’s not that. I don’t need anything from you to take care of little Lin. I would have done it even if you never asked. It’s just that are you sure you can trust me?”

  “I’ll be honest,” Yu Di said. “There’s no one else I can trust. Maybe it’s fate that we met, but I feel that little Lin will be safe in your care should anything happen to me.”

  Bai Feng glanced down at Yu Lin.

  “Little Lin, how do you feel about this?”

  “I want Baba,” Yu Lin said.

  “But will you be okay with auntie Bai if Baba is not here?”

  Yu Lin’s mouth twisted.

  “I want Baba.” The little girl jumped into Yu Di’s lap and hid her face. That and also wiping her dirty mouth on his robes.

  “It’s okay. We don’t have to force it,” Yu Di said. “I’m comforted that you will take care of her.”

  “Of course.” Bai Feng smiled. Her smile reminded Yu Di of his mother. Maybe if reincarnation was real, this was a second chance, but for Yu Lin.

  “Anyway, let’s move onto the hard road ahead,” Yu Di said. “We’re going to need you to work extra hard to break through.”

  “Do you have any ideas?” Bai Feng asked. “While I’m certain I can defeat each Elder one on one, they have the numbers. I will tire before I can defeat them all.”

  “I do, but I recently discovered a secret within the sect. If it’s what I think it is, I’ll break my curse.”

  Bai Feng furrowed her brows.

  “Is it dangerous? Don’t do anything that would take you away from your daughter.”

  Yu Di chuckled. The chuckle turned into a laugh.

  Yu Lin froze in his lap.

  “Baba, are you okay?”

  “Yes, little Lin,” Yu Di said. “There’s something you should know about me, Senior Bai. Everything I do is dangerous. This life wouldn’t be worth living if it wasn’t dangerous in some way. That’s how you make the biggest gains. I didn’t become a demigod by playing it safe.”

  Bai Feng added a frown to the furrowed brows.

  “Well, those dangerous things got you into your current situation. You also have a daughter to think about. At least promise us that you will try to be safer?”

  Yu Di hugged Yu Lin tightly against his chest.

  “Of course. I might be powerless, but I do have a few things that can get me out of a bind.” Yu Di was thinking about his teleportation ring that would allow him to instantly disappear and appear anywhere in the world. It was a one time use only ring so he’d have to be very desperate to use it. That was his trump card of many other items he still had in his storage ring.

  “But in case it doesn’t work, I have prepared something for the both of you.” Yu Di took out his silver chain around his neck with a jade pendant on it.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “What is that?” Yu Lin asked. Right away she went to grab it.

  “Don’t grab things Yu Lin,” Yu Di said, pulling the chain away from her grubby little hands. He really needed to teach her manners. She did the same thing with Bai Feng, grabbing her buns whenever she wanted. “This is a treasure that would shake the entire country. Not even the Emperor had access to something like that. If he did, he would have an army of demigods in his service. That’s all I’m going to say for now. Just know that it will push you two to your limits and beg me to end your–”

  “No!” Yu Lin jumped from Yu Di’s grasp and ran outside of the house.

  Bai Feng shook her head.

  “I know that it’s going to be hard, but don’t scare your daughter like that. She’s going to have nightmares. And wipe that smirk off your face. You look like a demon.”

  Yu Di hadn’t noticed he was smiling like that. No wonder his own daughter ran from him.

  After eating a heavy meat filled breakfast, Yu Di set off with his broom.

  For the first time in a while, Yu Di could breathe through his nose. The sickness tore him down. He remembered when not only was his nose stuffed up, his throat burned, and the coughs woke him up all night.

  Yu Di made a promise to himself to not be sick again.

  A few of the other servants greeted him when they saw him. Most of them were people he helped before he got sick. He promised he would help them again once he got over his sickness, but honestly he was hoping it would be a perfect excuse not to do so anymore.

  Yu Di’s curse wasn’t lifted from doing so anymore.

  Some might call that selfish, but his time was more limited than most. If the secret passageway in the sect leader’s tunnel can do that, then he’d disappear tomorrow.

  As he approached the sect leader’s home, he noticed that the tunnel connected the fortress to the cliff side. There was nothing hanging off the tunnel.

  So where did the secret passageway go?

  The tunnel entrance was guarded by an outer disciple today. Were they there the last time he came with head servant Cui Ying?

  “Greetings senior.” Yu Di cupped his hand and bowed.

  “What do you want?” the disciple asked.

  “I’m here to sweep the tunnel as per my job.” Yu Di lifted the broom as if to show proof.

  “You can’t go in there today. Sect Leader Gu has a very important guest. Come back tomorrow.”

  Yu Di put on his fakest smile.

  “Yes, of course. But wouldn’t today be the best time to let me sweep the tunnel before the guest arrives?”

  The disciple hesitated.

  “I don’t want to be scolded by the sect leader for not cleaning the tunnel. And I would hate for you to be scolded when I’m forced to tell the sect leader that you didn’t let me in to clean before the honored guest arrived.”

  “Fine, make it quick,” the disciple said. He stepped aside and opened the door.

  “Thank you.”

  Yu Di walked into the tunnel, broom in hand, sweeping along the way. He made sure to do a thorough sweep to show the disciple that he was a professional street sweeper. As soon as the disciple turned around, he moved a little faster down the tunnel.

  Unlike last time, the tunnels were well lit with many candles. Large portraits hung all along the walls, this time depicting the glory of the sect in the past. The one with Sect Leader Gu was missing.

  Yu Di made his way to where the secret section was. Now that he’s unlocked more of his curse, his body has become more attuned to Qi. This hidden section was the only place within the entire sect that gave off any sense of Qi.

  The doorway was low, so Yu Di had to crouch down to push it open. When he did, the wall slid up.

  It was pitch dark inside.

  Even with his demigod eyes, Yu Di couldn’t see past his hands. He took out a small little artifact that emitted light.

  Nothing.

  That made him pause. The only time this happened was when he entered into a powerful sect’s trap. It was a specially designed cage that allowed people in, but not out. It also swallowed any and all light.

  Oh yeah, it also had a ravenous rabbit within.

  But Yu Di thought the same now as he did then. Nothing can be gained without risk.

  He crawled into the space with his broom out in front of him. With any luck, if something were to attack him it would only be his hands that he’d lose.

  The space smelled like old must, like a room that was forgotten in someone’s home.

  Fortunately, the ceiling was higher than the entranceway and allowed Yu Di to duck walk forward. He swept with his broom and felt nothing for quite a while.

  This space must be huge, yet there was no way it could be a part of the mortal world. Someone had to have created this space.

  Yu Di’s heart skipped a beat.

  Maybe this insignificant sect had some value after all. Maybe, just like with the stone stele, he would find something or some idea that would help him break through to the next realm.

  His broom met with something.

  Yu Di put it down and felt the smooth, metallic surface. There was something very strange as it felt smoother than any metal he’s ever touched, but warm to the touch.

  Yu Di got excited. His heart pounded.

  There was a wealth of Qi on the other side. Whatever was in there, it must be very valuable.

  This reminded Yu Di of the few times he crawled through other hidden crawlspaces at other sects, looking for their secrets. Every time he found something like this, it would excite him to no end.

  Another chance to level up.

  Another chance to feel alive.

  And this time, it was a chance to finally break free from his curse.

  Yu Di scrambled at the wall, feeling every nook and cranny he could get his hands on. Yet, there was no writing on the metal. There were no marks or scratches.

  He tapped.

  He poked.

  He prodded.

  After trying as many non-destructive ways to get past the barrier, Yu Di knew it was time for something more drastic. He took out a small firecracker with a long fuse from his spatial ring.

  The reason why Yu Di survived that rabbit was because he fed it the firecracker and watched it melt from the inside out. This was something he had his alchemist friend make.

  When one had been around so many of these protected treasures, the easiest way was to break it open through a little melting.

  Yu Di placed the firecracker against the wall. While the wall had no obvious markings, it did have a small well in the middle. It must have been for a key of some sort to open it.

  He felt the sides of the firecracker until he reached the end of the fuse.

  This was the tricky part.

  Yu Di needed to use his Qi to blow on it with his mouth while rubbing the end together until it lit. If he used too much, it would light the entire fuse instantly, burning his hand.

  This would be so much easier if there was any light.

  At least he didn’t have to run away from the rabbit at the same time.

  Yu Di focused, breathed Qi onto the fuse, and rubbed the ends. Just like last time, he felt the fuse light despite not seeing it.

  And just like last time, he ran like a mad man as far away from the firecracker as possible.