CHAPTER 251: CHAPTER 251: THE ONLY CONNECTION

When Jiang Yuan was teleported back to the courtyard, it was already evening.

The setting sun dipped in the west, and the water flowed eastward, with the warm yellow afterglow making the courtyard exceedingly cozy.

The apprentice, Wan Mingchuan, was sitting by the Spirit Pool, barefoot, playing with the water. He said something to Hu Zhile, who was leaning elegantly against a rock next to him, and both burst into laughter. The sound of water and the spiritual energy made the scene exceptionally beautiful.

"Sigh..." Jiang Yuan let out a light sigh, glanced at the Phoenix Cloud Hairpin in the Storage Bag, feeling a heavy weight in his heart.

No wonder Old Master Wan didn’t clearly explain the circumstances of finding the child back then, he thought it was due to his own disheartened state. It turned out Wan Mingchuan’s mother summoned and chose him before her death;

No wonder he considered sending the child away a few times but couldn’t bring himself to do it. This resulted in the old and the young ultimately drifting to a deserted island, living a hard life, yet Wan Mingchuan could grow safely and meet him.

He wondered what kind of cultivation technique Ouyang Ying was practicing. Did she foresee that this path was the best choice at the time when she performed the secret technique to protect the child?

Looking up at the sky, Jiang Yuan sincerely wished that she could foresee the future before her death, so that even though she died, she could have some solace in her heart.

However, with the third task suddenly requiring him to personally send the apprentice away, he must inform him of his lineage details and the sacrifices his mother made to protect him. He had to bear the pain of losing his biological mother and the responsibility of avenging her.

Additionally, the system’s task noted in detail that Wan Mingchuan could only activate the blood legacy and obtain the Heavenly Level cultivation technique by acknowledging his ancestry and returning to the Lin Family. Jiang Yuan was reluctant but had no right to make any choices for his apprentice.

Giving up the task and the reward and keeping the apprentice in the courtyard, he could live carefree under the protection of himself, Xiaobai, and Hu Zhile. But how could the deep love of his mother, who passed away 17 years ago, be laid to rest?

Should she die so silently, her son unaware of her existence and unable to obtain even her relics?

No, I can’t be so selfish as to make decisions for him. He has the right to know his identity and to pursue activation of his bloodline to grow stronger...

From a distance, watching Wan Mingchuan splash water and play with Xiaobai, Jiang Yuan didn’t want to spoil this beautiful moment too quickly, so he went over to the vegetable garden and sat by the river, lost in thought.

The truth and farewell would come eventually. He just hoped to delay the time a little, allowing the child to enjoy a few moments of warmth and peace without worries.

Though their time together wasn’t very long, not even two months in full, Jiang Yuan was very reluctant to part with Wan Mingchuan, who liked to follow him around like a puppy and called him master in every sentence; he also felt a bit sorry for him, such a young child bearing so many deep-seated enmities. Even after acknowledging his ancestors and returning to the family, who knows what difficulties and obstacles he might face with those colossal families.

"Plop! Plop!"

While sitting by the river lost in thought, Jiang Yuan suddenly felt a baseless sense of anxiety, as if something bad was about to happen.

He hurriedly checked the details of the small courtyard but found nothing unusual, only then realizing in hindsight that it might be something in the real world.

With a thought, he exited the Wilderness World, not even having opened his eyes before hearing a heart-pounding scream coming from the closet—it’s the Ghost Doll!

"Oh my god! You can actually do a sonic attack?" He stood up from the bed, feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath.

Outside the window, covered with a layer of white gauze curtain, the weather unknowingly changed. Clouds gathered densely, making it feel like nighttime, giving a inexplicable lack of security.

"Crack!"

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening roll of thunder.

Jiang Yuan thought, could it be that the Ghost Doll is afraid of thunder?

This little guy is usually quiet and obedient, even those few days when it’s inconvenient to take him home, he would obediently stay in the closet and play with the paper toys burned for him. Now, his heart was pounding from the wailing sonic attack, he had to quickly comfort him.

"Wahhh! Wahhh!"

The little bundle curled up in the corner, kicking his little feet and crying heartbreakingly. Jiang Yuan turned on the light and felt a bit troubled, not knowing how to comfort a child, so what to do?

"Don’t cry, don’t cry, I’ll fold you a rattle toy, okay?" As soon as he picked up the little bundle, his small hands tightly grasped Jiang Yuan’s arm, burrowing his little head into his chest.

At the moment he was picked up, he didn’t wail loudly, but the child trembled all over.

"So you’re afraid of thunder, huh?"

He said casually, but the little bundle babbled, trying to express something he couldn’t say, only shook his head, looking out the window with fear in his eyes, then buried his little face in his arm.

"Is there something outside that scares you?" Jiang Yuan suddenly became alert, carrying the little bundle and trying to walk outside but met with his violent resistance and opposition.

So he set him down, and sure enough, the timid little bundle used his hands and feet to quickly crawl towards the corner to hide.

The fierce wind let out a low roar, and the wind blowing in from the window wasn’t as fierce, but still made the white gauze flutter, as if some terrifying beast was lurking in the dark, ready to strike.

He felt a bit tense, his breathing involuntarily becoming rapid.

"Crack!"

Another flash of lightning illuminated outside the window, where, apart from the rain-scape, there didn’t seem to be anything scary.

Jiang Yuan leaned against the wall, slowly moving towards the window, using the curtain to cover his silhouette, preventing him from being discovered. The Ghost Doll had already stopped crying by now, and Yang Hongye had not yet come home from work, leaving the large room exceedingly quiet.

Then, he saw that man—on the empty sightseeing path, stood a man in black casual wear, holding a large black umbrella, looking up towards the building in the rain.

"Hiss!" Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but take a deep breath as another flash of lightning lit up the night.

That man was shrouded in strands of yin energy, displaying the presence of almost tangible black tentacles, sinister and terrifying as if he were a devil incarnated.

Though it was too far to see the man’s specific features, a name inexplicably flashed in his mind—Liu Qiang!

He must have come to find the Ghost Doll!

The other day, Jiang Yuan severed the connection between the little bundle and the mastermind with the Heaven-Burning Flame, but considering the years of control by the opponent and their intense evil energy, the little bundle smelled the aura of the former master, which is why it was wailing loudly in fear.

Who knows if that guy could determine the location based on the cries? Furthermore, the Ghost Doll failed to harm Cai Changming, and if the root cause isn’t resolved, there might be more trouble.

No matter what, this time he must resolve the mastermind thoroughly.

Jiang Yuan asked Hu Zhile, learning that Ghost Dolls like the little bundle are usually Yin Fiends created by evil cultivators. Based on the differing needs, they could release either the child fiend or the mother fiend, keeping the other in hand to ensure that the one sent out completes its task and returns obediently.

As the saying goes, ’mother and child are of one heart,’ after being turned into fiends, ghost parents and children depend on each other, and to transcend and send away such ill-fated mothers and children, all evil energy must be thoroughly transcended, ensuring that both mother and child enter the cycle of reincarnation together.

Given that the child fiend has not returned immediately, the mastermind behind the scenes came searching according to the mother fiend’s senses. However, since the little bundle had been purified of its Yin Fiend vicious energy with his Heaven-Burning Flame, it was no longer under his control and thus, not summoned back.

"Looks like I need to find Chuci; he’s currently my only contact..." After looking through his contacts briefly, he could only send a message to Chuci.

He asked if Chuci could discuss with Mr. Cai to arrange for someone to get Jia Zongliang’s surveillance footage titled "suicide in fear of punishment."

After all, it was still helping Cai Changming settle matters, and how Chuci and the other party exchange interests was up to them. His clear target was to eliminate future troubles and send the little bundle’s parents into reincarnation. In situations like this, one should always leave some good impression for their only contact.

Sure enough, the actions of wealthy heirs from thriving family businesses and extensive networks are more reliable than those of the fallen tycoon families.

Jiang Yuan soon received a reply, "Bro, come over for a casual dinner at my place tonight. By then, the surveillance footage should be available. By the way, I’d like to buy some Night Blooming Jasmine and Sleeping Incense..."