Ye Tianchen!

A man who fears neither heaven nor earth, acknowledges reason and not people, decisive in his actions, possessing extraordinary talent, heaven-defying blessings, and a heart that never admits defeat, yet at his core, he is benevolent, a fact that no one, including himself, can change!

Watching Elder Hu’s life force gradually fade away, Ye Tianchen didn’t know what he could do, except promise Elder Hu that he would take good care of Hu Xiaoqi.

"Rest assured, senior, Xiaoqi will be fine, and I will do my utmost to cure her eyesight!" Ye Tianchen said earnestly to Elder Hu.

"Young friend, take this Divine Herb. It’s not the reward for promising to take care of Xiaoqi, but because I believe only in your hands can this herb truly flourish!" Elder Hu handed the small herb seedling to Ye Tianchen.

"Senior, such a valuable Divine Herb..." Ye Tianchen said hesitantly.

"Haha, not to conceal from you, the strong Spiritual Energy you’ve sensed comes from it, and for someone like me on the verge of death, keeping it is useless, gifting it to you is the best choice!" Elder Hu said with a smile.

It turned out the reason Ye Tianchen suddenly felt a huge surge of Spiritual Energy while passing through here was because Elder Hu took out this small herb seedling for study. Normally, it was secretly protected by Elder Hu using a Rune Array. Elder Hu took out the seedling because he felt he couldn’t hold on any longer and hoped to absorb some of its Spiritual Energy to last a few more days, only to meet Ye Tianchen, who led Elder Hu to decide to entrust his granddaughter, Hu Xiaoqi, to Ye Tianchen.

"Senior, you previously utilized the Spiritual Energy from this herb to prolong your life, why not..." Ye Tianchen couldn’t help but ask.

"Indeed, I absorbed Spiritual Energy from this herb when I couldn’t hold on any longer, managing to extend my life for a while, but those days were painful, and most importantly, I realized that this herb hasn’t grown in my hands but has wilted more instead. Coupled with my previous absorption, if this continues, I fear this original Divine Herb will be ruined by me!" Elder Hu shook his head and said.

Ye Tianchen didn’t expect Elder Hu to be willing to sacrifice himself so that the Divine Herb could survive. Such selflessness and fearless dedication truly deserve admiration.

The Martial Arts World is cruel and bloody, filled with constant killing, with lives lost at every moment. Every living thing fights desperately to survive; no matter how powerful you are, eventually, you cannot defeat the ruthless passage of time and will fall in this world. Therefore, in the Martial Arts World, it’s common for people to go to extremes to live a bit longer, even killing wives, children, and parents, reflecting the real brutality of the Martial Arts World!

Thus, what Ye Tianchen admires and is surprised by is Elder Hu’s decision not to absorb the Spiritual Energy from the herb just to live a few more days. This level of understanding and spirit is truly worth admiration!

"Senior’s Mental Realm is lofty, humbly, I cannot compare!" Ye Tianchen said sincerely.

"Haha, I’m not someone with a high realm. If I could survive, I wouldn’t hesitate to protect my own life, but over the years, I’ve held on with difficulty, reaching the end; continuing has no meaning. For someone doomed to die, destroying a Divine Herb just to live a few more days has no meaning either. It’s better to die peacefully; take it, young friend, I entrust Xiaoqi to you!" Elder Hu earnestly handed the small herb seedling to Ye Tianchen.

Ye Tianchen didn’t refuse. He understood Elder Hu’s intentions, although Elder Hu said Xiaoqi wasn’t the reason for gifting him the Divine Herb, it somewhat felt like a reward for agreeing to take care of Hu Xiaoqi!

"Since senior is generous, I will accept!" Ye Tianchen no longer hesitated, taking the small herb seedling and inspecting it in his hand.

Who could heartlessly refuse a dying elder? However, after receiving the herb, Ye Tianchen couldn’t help but frown and pause, because this small herb seedling was only thumb-sized, resting in the palm like a little elf, emitting gentle Spiritual Energy, but seemed rather spiritless.

"What a peculiar Divine Herb, much like an elf, especially its top resembles a flower bud; I wonder what’s inside!" Ye Tianchen murmured to himself.

"I don’t know what this Divine Herb is, despite countless probes with Divine Thought, I couldn’t see its essence. I hope young friend you can successfully cultivate it!" Elder Hu laughed.

"Senior, let me transfer Martial Arts True Power to you, I believe it can extend your life a little..." Ye Tianchen still found it hard to watch Elder Hu pass away.

Given Ye Tianchen’s Cultivation Realm, his power was strong enough to transfer Martial Arts True Power to Elder Hu, prolonging his life. Of course, this couldn’t compare to a life-extending Immortal Elixir, which not only allows a dying Martial Arts Expert to live anew but also returns them to Peak Combat Power, even climbing higher. That’s real life extension. Ye Tianchen’s transfer of Martial Arts True Power merely prolongs life temporarily, a method many martial artists use, but it’s merely lingering; it might only extend life for a few days and becomes less effective with each use, which is why Elder Hu declined.

"No need, my greatest concern was Xiaoqi. Now that you promise to care for her, I’m relieved. Let me quietly depart, ending my life!" Elder Hu shook his head.

Ye Tianchen furrowed his brow, then nodded, not saying more. Since Elder Hu’s mind was settled, he let him pass peacefully. This was a wise elder who saw through many things; forcing him would not be good!

Gradually, Elder Hu’s complexion turned extremely pale. Ye Tianchen could see the life essence energy rapidly fading from Elder Hu, which appeared somewhat heartbreaking, but Elder Hu’s face always bore a slight smile, content and relaxed. His granddaughter Xiaoqi was cared for, relieving him from restless departure, giving him the greatest comfort!

"My life was splendid, reaching this point, I’m satisfied. Despite not truly walking the Martial Arts path, I bear an undefeated heart. In another life, I shall battle the Heavenly Vault anew!" Elder Hu spoke boldly, his voice weakening, finally closing his eyes and smilingly departing!

"Senior!" Ye Tianchen respectfully nodded, firmly holding the small herb seedling towards Elder Hu.

Elder Hu departed after sending his granddaughter Xiaoqi back to the kitchen to make soup; he chose to leave before she noticed his passing, sparing Xiaoqi from a lifetime of unrest and sadness, a grandfather’s love for his granddaughter. Elder Hu persisted in life for her sake, unable to let go.

Since Xiaoqi’s birth, she has been blind. Elder Hu tried countless methods to cure her eyes but never succeeded. They depended on each other for twenty years. Elder Hu deeply understood that once he left, Xiaoqi’s life would grow darker, which was why he endured.

Creak!

The kitchen door opened. Xiaoqi groped her way out, holding a large bowl filled with Elder Hu’s favorite cucumber century egg soup. Xiaoqi smiled, placing the bowl gently on the stone table, saying, "Brother Ye, grandpa, try the soup; how does it taste?"

Ye Tianchen glanced at Xiaoqi, walked to her side, suddenly hugged her, surprising Xiaoqi, who instinctively tried to break free, saying, "Brother Ye, you..."

"Senior is gone; your grandpa has left!" Ye Tianchen stated calmly.

"Gone... left? No, it’s not possible..." Xiaoqi struggled to find her grandfather, but Ye Tianchen held her tightly, refusing to let go.

"Xiaoqi, your grandpa has left. He had no regrets and would no longer worry about you. He wants you to live happily, not to be sad!" Ye Tianchen said.

"No, it can’t be; grandpa wouldn’t leave me... wouldn’t leave me... sob!" Xiaoqi cried, heartbrokenly wailing, a sound that tugged at the heart.

Ye Tianchen held Xiaoqi tightly, regardless of her struggle, unwilling to let go. Holding her closely, he felt empathy and said, "The Wind must depart, the clouds inevitably disperse. Life and death, joys and sorrows, no one can escape such fate. We must face it bravely, and live well!" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please feel free to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)