Chapter Seventy-Nine: Lin, Remember, You Said This Yourself

“Little Linlin, don’t go… don’t leave your master behind…”
“Papa, is it because Nian Nian made you angry? Please don’t leave Nian Nian behind…”
“Little Linlin…”
“Papa…”

At the summit of Twin Pearl Peaks of the Sun and Moon Sect, the voices of Master and Little Nian Nian echoed in the air. Little Nian Nian clung to her papa’s face, her plump tail tightly curled around his head, while Master hung from Jiang Lin’s back like a koala.

For a moment, Jiang Lin could barely take a step.

He had already anticipated this outcome, which is why he’d planned to slip away early in the morning. Yet, when he tried to get out of bed, his legs gave way beneath him and he collapsed to the floor.

After swallowing one of the system’s rewarded Nine-Ingredient Rehmannia Pills and spending a quarter of an hour quickly replenishing his energy, Jiang Lin was just stepping out the door when he saw his master and Little Nian Nian approaching with breakfast.

His master immediately spotted the farewell letter Jiang Lin had left on the table in his room.

And then… the wailing began.

“Mm… mmm… mm-mm-mm-mm… Nian Nian… let go first… Nian Nian…”

Jiang Lin, suffocating under Little Nian Nian’s embrace around his face, found it hard to breathe.

“Papa, are you alright… papa…”

Sensing her father’s hurried breath, Little Nian Nian’s grip loosened slightly, tears brimming in her eyes.

“I’m fine, I’m fine…”

With both hands under her armpits, Jiang Lin popped Little Nian Nian off his face with a sound like pulling a cork.

But his master still clung to his back like a koala.

“Master, if you don’t let go, I’m going to ignore you,” he threatened.

“I…”

Jiang Yunir pouted, aggrieved, and reluctantly slid off his back.

“Sigh…”

Jiang Lin couldn’t help but sigh. His head ached. He set Little Nian Nian on the table and gently stroked her small head.

“Nian Nian, don’t worry. Papa is just going on a mission, nothing will happen. It’s not that I don’t want you—once the mission is done, I’ll be back very soon. I’ll even bring you something tasty.”

“But…” Little Nian Nian gazed at Jiang Lin with wide, blinking eyes, her little tail drooping weakly on the table.

“Hmm?”

“But Little Nian Nian wants to be with Papa…”

“That’s not possible, it’s dangerous.”

“But Papa just said there was nothing to worry about. So Papa lied to Nian Nian… waaa…”

Instantly, dragon tears fell from the corners of Little Nian Nian’s eyes, drumming onto the table and rolling everywhere.

…

Who on earth taught her this trick? She’s using tactics on me now? It must be Sister Fang Ruo again!

“No, Nian Nian, listen to Papa,” Jiang Lin said, wiping her tears and pinching her little nose. “Papa really won’t be in danger, but Papa worries about you. If I’m busy with work and can’t watch over you, what if you meet some strange man? There are still people out there who make a living from copper, you know…”

Little Nian Nian sniffled, her head lowered. “Papa… what’s ‘making copper’… what’s copper?”

“It just means it’s dangerous, but it’s nothing for Papa.”

“Why?”

“Because Papa sells swords—no, because Papa practices swordsmanship. I’m a sword cultivator.”

“Then Little Nian Nian wants to be a sword cultivator too! I want to stay with Papa forever.”

“That’s wonderful.” An idea flashed through Jiang Lin’s mind. “If you become a sword cultivator, you can protect Papa in the future.”

“Mm-hmm! I’ll protect Papa.” Little Nian Nian clenched her tiny pink fists and shook them with determination. The sight was so adorable that Jiang Lin had to wipe a nosebleed, silently cursing his own weakness.

“But as much as Papa wants to teach you, there are things I must do. Otherwise, I won’t have money to buy you candied hawthorns. If you don’t train, how will you protect Papa…”

“Nian Nian… Nian Nian…”

Little Nian Nian looked down, her little brows furrowed, twisting her dress between her fingers.

“So, stay home, learn swordsmanship, read some books. When you become a great cultivator, you’ll be able to protect Papa. My master—Sister Yunir—is really skilled. She’ll teach you the sword.”

Jiang Lin smiled as he took a small wooden sword from his storage pouch—the same one he’d carved years ago while waiting outside the women’s bathhouse at Dragon Gate Sect.

“In the future, you must protect Papa well.”

“Mm-hmm! I’ll study hard with Sister Yunir and protect Papa!” Little Nian Nian embraced the wooden sword, her eyes still glistening with tears, but she nodded enthusiastically.

“Good girl.”

Jiang Lin patted her head, joy boiling inside him.

Damn! I’m a genius! Not only did I talk her into staying home, but I also cleverly planted the idea that she should protect her papa.

If, someday, she remembers I’m the one who killed her father and ponders whether to avenge him or not, it’ll surely be a knot in her heart. At that point, I’ll put on a show—slit my own throat, plead for forgiveness, use a resurrection token to escape—utter perfection!

Still, if possible, Jiang Lin hoped that day would never come. After all, things were wonderful just as they were now…

“Master, see? Little Nian Nian is so sensible. Are you still going to throw a fit? She calls you ‘Mama’ now.”

He stood up, glancing at his master, who was still clutching his sleeve, head bowed. Jiang Lin ruffled her hair expertly.

“I… I…”

Jiang Yunir looked up at Jiang Lin with tearful eyes, then glanced shyly at Little Nian Nian, her cheeks tinged with red.

Hmph! Little Linlin is too sly, using Nian Nian to tie me down. Before, I could sneak out with him on his missions. But now, with Nian Nian here, what am I supposed to do…

“Alright, Master. I’ll return safely. Meanwhile, teach Little Nian Nian swordsmanship.”

“Master… Master understands…” Jiang Yunir replied softly.

It wasn’t that she disliked Little Nian Nian—on the contrary, the child was sweet, sensible, and called her Mama. She couldn’t dote on her enough; how could she not like her? This was, after all, her and Little Linlin’s first child.

She just wanted to be with Little Linlin. He didn’t really have to go…

“Fine. When I return from this mission, I’ll agree to one thing you ask.”

“Really?” Jiang Yunir looked up, her eyes shining. “Anything at all?”

Seeing how happy his master was, Jiang Lin laughed, “Of course. Anything at all.”

After all, his master was adorably clueless—there was no way she’d ask for anything outrageous. It would probably be ice cream or cake.

At that moment, the girl whose head Jiang Lin was stroking could hardly contain her delight.

Hee-hee… anything at all… Little Lin, you said it yourself.

…
…

[Thanks to “Eis Hongchen Immortal” for the generous reward of 10,000 Starting Point Coins. I owe you a chapter, written in my little notebook є(･◇･｡)э]