Chapter 3316: Huan’er’s Father
When they climbed to the second floor, Huan’er’s Voice Transmission rang in Duan Ling Tian’s ears. “Brother Ling Tian, I… I can sense my mother’s aura… There’s no doubt she’s here as well…”
Duan Ling Tian looked in the direction of Huan’er’s gaze, but he could only see the rows of cells. He could not see the prisoners at all.
At the same time, Elder Xie began to explain the crimes the prisoners here had committed. The prisoners here were outsiders who had seriously offended the Heavenly Pool Palace.
Soon enough, Elder Xie came to a stop in front of two cells that were separated by one empty cell.
A middle-aged man with white hair at his temples sat cross-legged in one of the cells while the other cell held a motionless white fox whose fur was stained with blood. The fox’s aura was so weak that one could mistake it for a carca.s.s.
Duan Ling Tian knew the white fox, a Phantom Fox, was Huan’er’s mother, Du Xuan. With this, it was not difficult to figure out that the middle-aged man was Huan’er’s father, the former proud prodigy of the Heavenly Sword Mountain.
Du Xian’s pure white fur was stained red by the pool of blood she was lying in. It was a gruesome and horrifying sight.
“Brother Ling Tian, that’s my mother!” Huan’er’s agitated voice rang in Duan Ling Tian’s ears. Despite being overwhelmed, she managed to keep a straight face to avoid rousing suspicion. She knew she would lose access to the prison if acted suspicious, after all. At that time, it would be even more difficult for her to rescue her parents. Her voice quivered as she continued to say through Voice Transmission, “Brother Ling Tian, I sent a Voice Transmission to my mother, but she’s not responding to me at all. She must be gravely injured…”
“Huan’er, I’ve checked your mother using my Divine Consciousness… Her life is not in danger. I’ll speak to that middle-aged man; it’s likely he’s your father,” Duan Ling Tian replied through Voice Transmission. Following that, he sent a Voice Transmission to the middle-aged man. “Is that Phantom Fox… Du Xuan?”
The middle-aged man who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed opened his eyes immediately as he looked at Duan Ling Tian warily.
In the old man’s opinion, the middle-aged man had only opened his eyes because he sensed their presence.
“Who are you? How do you know my wife’s name?” the middle-aged man asked through Voice Transmission.
“Do you know you have a daughter?” Duan Ling Tian asked.
“Yes,” the middle-aged man replied warily, “Who are you? How do you know Xuan’er’s name, and how do you know we have a daughter?”
Duan Ling Tian replied, “Your daughter is standing next to me. Watch your reaction. If her ident.i.ty is exposed, she might be imprisoned by the Heavenly Pool Palace as well.”
As soon as the middle-aged man heard Duan Ling Tian’s words, his eyes lit up immediately. However, when he heard Duan Ling Tian’s reminder, he hurriedly averted his eyes away from Huan’er. He could only look at Huan’er furtively. To avoid suspicion, he even regarded them with a cold expression on his face. However, when the elder was not looking, his gaze would soften when he looked at Huan’er.
Elder Xie glanced at the middle-aged man and explained, “He’s the proud prodigy from the Heavenly Sword Mountain we spoke of earlier, Lian Qiu. He’s the one who broke the marriage agreement between our Heavenly Pool Palace and the Heavenly Sword Mountain. As I said earlier, the Heavenly Sword Mountain was tactful enough to take the initiative to send him to us. The white fox in the other cell is his wife. I don’t think I’ve said it earlier, but she came to us on her own accord…” He shook his head at the end of his words. A hint of pity shone in the depths of his eyes as he looked at the unconscious white fox.
Duan Ling Tian nodded as he held Huan’er’s hand and followed the old man who had begun to walk away.
Meanwhile, Huan’er’s expression remained indifferent when she looked at the middle-aged man intently.
‘Huan’er… S-she’s our daughter, Huan’er… Her eyes are just like Xuan’er’s eyes. In fact, I can tell she resembles Xuan’er even though her face is hidden by the veil…’ Lian Qiu thought to himself as he closed his eyes after the trio walked away. His emotions were in turmoil now that he finally saw his daughter.
For the longest time, Lian Qiu was unaware that he had a daughter. It was only when his wife, Du Xuan, came to the Heavenly Pool Palace to look for him and was imprisoned along with him in the Thousand Chains Prison that he found they had a daughter who was in the Spirit Overarching Heaven. When he had first learned about his daughter’s existence, he had been angry that his wife had left their daughter alone and walked into the lion’s den by coming to the Heavenly Pool Palace. However, his anger soon vanished when he was forced to watch his wife being tortured in front of him; at that time, he only felt distressed. He could only pray that their daughter was alive and well. He had come to terms with the fact that it was unlikely for him to meet his daughter in this lifetime. Who knew one of the two strangers who appeared today, a purple-clad young man and a young woman, would turn out to be his daughter? In fact, when Lian Qiu saw the young woman, before he even received Duan Ling Tian’s Voice Transmission, he had a strong feeling the young woman was his daughter due to her resemblance to his wife.
Before Duan Ling Tian and the others vanished from Lian Qiu’s sight, Duan Ling Tian solemnly said through Voice Transmission, “Senior Lian Qiu, Huan’er and I will find a way to rescue you and Senior Du Xuan.”
‘Huan’er…’ Upon hearing Huan’er’s name, Lian Qiu was even more convinced of Huan’er’s ident.i.ty. How could there be any doubt when the young woman not only resembled his wife but had the same name as their daughter as well?
‘Rescue us?’ Lian Qiu’s expression changed drastically when he realized what Duan Ling Tian had said. His daughter and the purple-clad young man, who seemed to be his son-in-law, intended to rescue them?
‘I hope those silly kids don’t act recklessly… It’s not easy to escape from the Heavenly Pool Palace’s Thousand Chains Prison. If it’s so easy, the t.i.tled Celestial Emperors on the third floor would’ve long escaped,’ Lian Qiu thought to himself worriedly. Although he wished he could escape this place with his wife, he was unwilling to leave if it meant putting his daughter at risk.
‘Xuan’er… I’m sure you feel the same way I do.’ Lian Qiu’s body trembled slightly as he looked at the injured white fox. Due to being constantly tortured, she had to revert to her true form to recuperate.
…
Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian tightened his grip around Huan’er’s hand as they made their way to the third floor of the prison. At the same time, he asked the Cleansing Divine Water in his Little World, “Sister Water, do you have any ideas about how we can save Huan’er’s parents?”
Previously, Duan Ling Tian had confided in the World Cleansing Divine Water about the reason he decided to volunteer in the Thousand Chains Prison in hopes that it would be able to help him find a way to rescue Huan’er’s parents.
“To be honest, it’s going to be a difficult task.”
Upon hearing the World Cleansing Divine Water’s reply, Duan Ling Tian’s heart sank. It must be incredibly difficult if even the World Cleansing Divine Water said so.
After a moment, Duan Ling Tian asked, “Seniors… If lend Huan’er’s father, Lian Qiu, the Five Divine Elements, to increase his strength, will he be able to escape from the Thousand Chains Prison?”
Although Duan Ling Tian knew it was risky to expose the existence of the Five Divine Elements, in order to rescue Huan’er’s parents, he did not hesitate at all. Moreover, his instincts told Huan’er’s father would not betray him. However, if Huan’er’s father escaped using the Five Divine Elements, it would expose the Five Divine Elements’ existence and make him a target. After all, even Heavenly Emperors of Devata Realms would covet the Five Divine Elements.
Nevertheless, the World Cleansing Divine Water quickly refused his suggestions. “No. Things aren’t as simple as you think they are. Only the host of the Five Divine Elements can unleash our strength. You’re mistaken if you think others can easily unleash our power with just a thought like you…”