“My apologies for the late visit, Your Highnesses. I have to leave the sect tomorrow in the morning. I was originally planning to notify you yesterday and meet today at noon but there was a slight change of plans”

Wu Long smiled at the father and daughter duo, the latter smiling brightly in return while the former sighed with acceptance.

“Of course, Mister Wu, we understand that you have many things to do, and appreciate you spending time to discuss matters with us”

Song Lingfei’s beautiful voice was full of warm notes as she replied, taking over preparing the tea from the servant who once again started internally screaming from the unfairness of Song Minfu’s facial expression and the gaze sent toward her.

“Thank you for your understanding and generosity, Your Highness. What I wanted to discuss was your treatment and any concerns His Highness the Crown Prince might have about the current situation within the Imperial Palace”

“Then let’s discuss Lingfei’s treatment first, the palace matters can wait”

Song Minfu visibly became engaged in the conversation as soon as the topic of his daughter’s treatment came up.

“Very well, the truth is that the new method of treatment is already something we have stumbled on previously thanks to Fairy Yu Huan. You remember the technique I gave you in order to start creating your own Neidan, Your Highness?”

“Yes, I have been practicing it ever since”

“Are you suggesting that we simply choose the longer method you spoke of before? But would that not take decades to succeed if done safely?”

Song Minfu interjected after his daughter replied, as Wu Long has already proposed a longer method long before. But the time required to do that was far from ideal, as the golden period of Song Lingfei’s growth in cultivation was only extended as long as she continuously advanced in her cultivation, which was why they were considering the slightly riskier method he brought with the Dew of Life.

“Not necessarily, at that time I only considered conventional means of dealing with the problem, in other words, already existing ones.

I have recently been working on a body tempering technique for women one of the functions of which is using the strengths of various bloodlines, multiple at the same time if necessary, even without a Neidan”

Wu Long shook his head, not concealing that the method he now spoke of was only in the making.

“Is such a thing possible?”

Song Minfu and his daughter both widened their eyes as such a technique sounded too good to be true. Besides, creating techniques was something only grandmasters did, not some young cultivators, but then again they knew he was not a normal young man.

“Mm, I am making both the male and female version, and as soon as I succeed with the male version, creating the female version of the technique will be a simple matter of application”

He spoke lightly, as he already started experimenting with his Golden Yang Dragon Body Art, which he would have to rename as soon as he is done with the initial set of changes.

Since he had already once succeeded in creating a technique that could utilize the strengths of a Dragon bloodline, the process was far more familiar to him than when he first set out on the path of creating such a technique.

Though his version would have additional parts utilizing his Dao Runes and some other concepts he thought of, creating the base of bloodline integration was first, so he could create a female version as soon as he was done.

Of course, he oversimplified when he explained it to them, as creating the female version was far more complex than ‘a simple matter of application’, but for him it really was not much of a difference.

Not to mention that this technique would have much more than giving the ability to use one’s bloodlines.

And though he was thinking of creating this technique for his women, it was an ideal solution for Song Lingfei who served as an inspiration for the idea of the technique in the first place.

“…I see, then… we will be in your care”

Song Minfu did not have much knowledge in creating techniques, but since Wu Long was currently their only salvation he could only lower his head with hope that he would succeed.

“Thank you, Mister Wu”

Song Lingfei lowered her head as well.

“Please do not humble yourselves so much, it is something I initially promised to do so I have no intention of holding the added challenge against you, not to mention that it benefits me as well”

He chuckled while making a pacifying gesture to lighten the mood. He did not like to utter words of promise lightly, so he was resolved to cure the Imperial Princess one way or another.

—

“Then”

Wu Long made a simple nod to the Crown Prince in farewell, but as he was turning…

“Um… Mister Wu, would you… care for an evening stroll?”

Song Lingfei asked as her father’s eyes turned to her in surprise.

“Of course, Your Highness. It would be my pleasure”

Wu Long simply chuckled, nodding to the beauty. He waited as the Princess took a few steps forward to line up with him before turning to walk alongside her.

“Your Highness… I have a report to make”

As the Crown Prince came out of his stupor and opened his mouth to say something, his leg already rising to step forward, a voice of an old man resounded behind him.

He hesitated, but turned to go in the other direction, Chu Ren following closely behind him.

“You are stepping out of line, Ren”

He stopped in the garden of the courtyard given to them, not turning to the old man who bowed to his words.

“Forgive this humble servant, Your Highness. But you should already see…” 𝑖𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝘮

“My sight is no worse than yours”

“Then you should already know…”

The old man spoke with a humble and respectful tone, but there was empathy and understanding in his voice as well. There was no fear toward the strict tone of his lord, only wizened wry smile.

“Haa~… you are right, I see it, but how can I be not worried…?”

Song Minfu’s tone changed after a sigh, becoming not that of a ruler addressing his subordinate but a father in distress asking an old friend for advice.

“Your concern is understandable, Your Highness. But such is the fate of a parent, to see their child eventually embark on the road of their own”

“Please speak comfortably, Brother in Law, there is no one here anyway…”

Song Minfu turned to the old man, and the latter made a wry smile.

“I just don’t understand… why him?… someone who has so many women around him and still seeks more? How can he make my Lingfei happy?”

“Happiness is in the eye of the beholder, Minfu. It may be inexplicable for you, but is it not her happiness that matters? As long as Lingfei is happy…

Don’t you remember how opposed was I giving her late mother’s hand to you? Even though I was not related to her by blood, from the moment I picked her up as a child, I raised her as if she was my own flesh and blood”

Chu Ren sighed, understanding the man. His daughter was more precious to him than anything. Even the throne did not have any meaning if not to protect her with the power it gave.

Song Minfu closed his eyes, his late wife’s face flashing before them as if she was right there before him.

“But you were right, weren’t you? I could not make her happy…”

“You did. Who could blame you when she was happy the whole time she was with you? The fact her life run out giving birth to a child has nothing to do with you.

Remember what the Imperial doctor said? He never saw anything like that, and that it was unexplainable by medicine”

“Haa~…”

The Crown Prince covered his face, making another heavy sigh as Chu Ren came up to him, breaching that impeccable distance he always held from Song Minfu in public and patting his shoulder.

“It is time to let go, Minfu”

The two stood like that for a while, not exchanging words anymore.

This content is taken from 𝑖𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝑚