Chapter 69: The Dragon-Slaying Sword Gathering

The mongrel turned his head, anxiety written all over his face as he looked at Yun Zhonghe, resembling a child who had done something wrong.

Seeing this, Yun Zhonghe sighed inwardly.

The boy had been seized by Aunt Mei Fang when he was barely born. Deprived of parental love from the very start, all the bitterness and hatred in Aunt Mei Fang’s heart was poured mercilessly onto this innocent child. She treated him with nothing but beatings and scoldings, and called him only “mongrel.” From a young age, he was forced to learn to chop wood, cook, and manage all manner of household chores. Now, after growing so tall, he could not recognize a single character, nor did he know anything about human nature or the ways of the world.

Yun Zhonghe looked at the boy, and a trace of sympathy flickered in his eyes, vanishing almost immediately.

It was precisely because of his tragic childhood that the boy would later encounter so many extraordinary adventures, master unparalleled martial arts that no one else could achieve, and become a top-tier expert.

Blessings and misfortunes are often intertwined—who can truly tell them apart?

“Brother Yun, are you angry with me?” The boy, seeing Yun Zhonghe silent for so long, ventured to ask in a timid voice.

Coming back to himself, Yun Zhonghe’s face softened into a smile. He reached out to tidy the boy’s messy hair and softly reminded, “When you arrive at Sky-reaching Cliff, remember to listen carefully to Elder Xie and practice diligently.”

He paused, then continued, “And also, the name ‘mongrel’ doesn’t suit you. From now on, your name will be…” He hesitated, gazed at the boy, and then firmly said, “Shi Zhongyu. Do you understand?”

The boy shook his head, his honest yet stubborn voice ringing out, “No, I can’t. My mother gave me this name. I can’t change it casually.”

This foolish boy!

Yun Zhonghe did not argue with him but explained with the reason he had long prepared: “Mongrel is not your name, and Aunt Mei Fang is not your real mother. She stole you from your birth parents. Do you understand?”

The boy—no, he should be called Shi Zhongyu now—nodded with partial understanding.

Yun Zhonghe did not elaborate further. As long as he remembered that his name was Shi Zhongyu, that was enough.

“Oh, right, Brother Yun, where are my birth parents now? I want to find them,” Shi Zhongyu asked as he realized the implication.

“Now is not the time. Besides, you just saw them,” Yun Zhonghe replied.

Yun Zhonghe, rarely one to explain himself, spoke before Shi Zhongyu could ask more. “The man and woman you saw earlier are your birth parents.”

A look of realization dawned on Shi Zhongyu’s face.

No wonder he had felt such pain in his heart when Min Rou was injured—she was his real mother.

As this thought settled, Yun Zhonghe’s voice echoed nearby with a touch of regret: “It’s just a pity they didn’t believe what I said.”

Shi Zhongyu was at a loss for how to comfort Yun Zhonghe, but the latter looked at him and suddenly asked, “Do you believe me?”

No sooner had the words left his lips than Shi Zhongyu nodded emphatically, his honest smile broad and sincere.

“Since you believe me, without my permission, under no circumstances can you acknowledge your birth parents. No one must ever know you are not Shi Zhongyu,” Yun Zhonghe warned sternly, his eyes sharp. “Otherwise, it will bring disaster upon your parents!”

Faced with Yun Zhonghe’s grave expression, Shi Zhongyu sensed the seriousness of the matter and quickly promised, “Don’t worry, I’ll do as you say. Please don’t let anything happen to my parents.”

Yun Zhonghe smiled faintly, then turned to another direction, cupping his fists and saying, “In that case, I’ll entrust Elder Xie with his care from now on.”

As his words fell, Xie Yanke appeared before them as if by teleportation.

“Here are the pancakes you wanted. Can you come with me now?” he asked gruffly, tossing the pancakes to the boy. All this fuss for a few pancakes?

Watching Shi Zhongyu devour the food ravenously, Xie Yanke felt a wave of exasperation. He already regretted accepting this boy as his disciple.

Could he really be the genius Yun Zhonghe claimed, blessed with a photographic memory and extraordinary talent for martial arts? All Xie Yanke saw now was a fool.

No, he was certain—the boy was a fool.

Noticing the look in Xie Yanke’s eyes, Yun Zhonghe glanced at Shi Zhongyu, whose cheeks were stuffed full, and chided softly, “Slow down. No one’s going to take your food.”

Shi Zhongyu’s eating slowed at once.

Xie Yanke’s expression eased slightly. Perhaps the boy wasn’t completely hopeless.

“Elder, I took the liberty of naming him Shi Zhongyu. Once he’s accomplished in his studies and walks the martial world, it’s good for him to have a proper name. What do you think?” Yun Zhonghe asked.

“Fine,” Xie Yanke replied indifferently.

He didn’t care what the boy was called; he just wanted to return to Sky-reaching Cliff as soon as possible. If Shi Zhongyu proved completely useless, he would simply let him be.

A sigh escaped Xie Yanke’s lips as if prompted by some distant thought.

“Elder, you seem troubled. Why not share it? Perhaps I can be of some small assistance,” Yun Zhonghe offered, trying to ingratiate himself. This man was unpredictable and eccentric—if he changed his mind, Yun Zhonghe would have no time to regret it.

“The Heavenly Eagle Sect somehow acquired the Dragon-slaying Saber. They’ve invited heroes from all over the world for a grand viewing in three days. You mean to say you didn’t know about this?” Xie Yanke asked, his voice full of surprise.

Yun Zhonghe’s heart skipped a beat. So Yin Susu had already obtained the Dragon-slaying Saber—he needed to move faster.

Outwardly, he replied, “I’ve heard some rumors. The saying goes that whoever possesses the Dragon-slaying Saber can command the martial world, with none daring to defy. I’m not sure if it’s true, but this is a good chance to find out.”

He looked at Xie Yanke and probed, “If you’re interested, Elder, I would be willing to retrieve the saber for you to admire for a few days.”

“Oh?” Xie Yanke raised his brows. “Is this boy truly so important to you that you’d risk offending the Heavenly Eagle Sect for his sake?”

He was no fool. He knew very well that Yun Zhonghe’s attentiveness was all for the boy.

“He is,” Yun Zhonghe answered without a trace of annoyance at being seen through, his voice firm and resolute.

Xie Yanke regarded Yun Zhonghe for a long moment before saying, “You may go and see for me, but there’s no need to bring it back.”

“And as for…” Xie Yanke looked at Shi Zhongyu. “This boy—you can rest assured. He has bowed to me as his master. I won’t let him come to harm.”

“Thank you, Elder,” Yun Zhonghe replied with a smile, his last worries dissolved.

He turned to Shi Zhongyu and reminded him, “Remember, when you reach Sky-reaching Cliff, you must obey your master.”

Yun Zhonghe mounted his horse, raised his whip high, and with a shout, rode off. The horse’s neigh faded into the distance until both man and steed disappeared from sight.

Seeing this, Xie Yanke grabbed Shi Zhongyu by the collar. In a few swift leaps, the two figures vanished as well.