He'd rather run than be turned into a cannon fodder for the broken engagement.

Chapter 172 You go first.

It formed the other half of the contract, and with a flash of golden light, runes bound a wisp of divine consciousness to each of them.

This is a master-servant contract, distinct from a direct master-servant contract. Since no completely equal contract exists, this is used as a substitute.

“Alright,” Fu Xun waved his hand to dispel the spatial restrictions. “This tower is heavily guarded. Do you need my help?”

The tower spirit shook its head: "Hmph! No need. I can directly borrow your power to break free from the restriction."

Fu Xun felt the pull in his consciousness, and his brow twitched slightly. "Next time you need to use your power, please let me know in advance."

This is a magical artifact that is equivalent to a soul-binding contract. Fu Xun's expression softened a bit. When necessary, he can be the master and also borrow the power of the artifact's spirit.

He didn't want to do this at first, but who knew there was a cultivation space on the top floor, and a tower spirit there?

The tower spirit nodded: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. You can go out now. I need to make some preparations. I'll leave before dawn on the last day, when the restrictions on the secret realm are lifted."

Fu Xun stopped talking nonsense and returned to the lobby on the first floor.

—

Leng Huan kept track of the time, and with only a few days left, his heart pounded. Fu Xun… had to appear. He couldn't delay any longer.

Leng Huan hadn't been able to focus on cultivation for the past few days. Counting down the last three days, he suppressed his anxiety and played the game "Flying Sword Seesaw" with Yun Du.

She manipulated the sword with hand seals, and Yun Du sat on the sword, bobbing up and down like a seesaw, the distance between them not far, less than ten feet.

Listening to the child's happy laughter, Leng Huan rested his head on his hand, lost in thought, but his hands remained steady.

And just like that, Shui Lingling received a voice transmission that was neither male nor female: Wife, I'm out.

The Enlightenment Pavilion is isolated from the outside world; this is a message that Fu Xun transmitted using the spirit's abilities.

Leng Huan subconsciously looked up at the sky, and after realizing what was happening, she quickly took the child and left the Enlightenment Pavilion. Because she was going too fast, she bumped into the arms of the person blocking the door.

"Be careful, my wife." The two embraced tightly. Fu Xun steadied himself, while Yun Du was squeezed in the middle, where the gentle spiritual energy cushioned his fall.

Yun Du: "Mother?"

Leng Huan: "..."

She stood up holding the child, took a deep breath, and calmed herself down. "You're out."

He handed Yun Du over, saying, "Son, this is your father. Go and let your father hold you."

"Yun Du, come to Daddy for a hug." Fu Xun took the child, noticing how much he had grown.

More than a year has passed without the adults noticing, but the children, like jade polished by time, change every day.

Yun Du's features had matured a bit, and he had grown a little taller at two and a half years old. In his eyes, the child looked more like Leng Huan, a delicate and beautiful little baby.

Fu Xun felt regret for the first time as time passed.

He thought to himself that he would not go into seclusion again before Yun Du grew up. As a father, he should not miss his child's childhood and growth.

The tower spirit had already expelled all the cultivators, and there was no one else in the entire first-floor hall. The family, who had been reunited in front of the Enlightenment Pavilion after a long separation, quieted down a bit.

Leng Huan lowered his head slightly, glancing at the young man out of the corner of his eye. His clothes were neat and in perfect order, and his expression remained unchanged. His aura was unfathomable; he had advanced to a higher level.

Good, it seems there's nothing serious.

"My wife, you've worked hard." Fu Xun was relieved to see that she was alright, but looking at Yun Du's sturdy appearance, he knew that taking care of a child was not easy.

"Fortunately, Yun Du is still quite well-behaved; he misses you a lot."

“Come on,” the young man said, pulling the fairy along. “I’ll take you out.”

Leng Huan was slightly taken aback: "...Okay, the child must be bored after being cooped up for so long."

Outside the tower, ruins lie beneath a clear blue sky, with shallow grass and wildflowers.

Yun Du was being held, and he stared at the man who had suddenly appeared for a long time with curiosity. He couldn't help but feel a little unfamiliar with his father, but upon closer inspection, he felt that Fu Xun was somewhat familiar. The scene he had been dreaming of had appeared.

"You really are my father!"

Playing with Daddy and Mommy, holding Daddy in one hand and Mommy in the other, the scene from the story really came true!

Leng Huan took a deep breath in the breeze. No matter how good the illusion was, it wasn't real. A faint smile of realization appeared on her lips.

Two adults held a child's hand as the family of three took a leisurely stroll. The parents played with the child and answered his questions.

The children were curious about everything they saw, including the tower, the rocks, and the mountains in the distance. It was only then that Yun Du realized that he had been living in the tower all along.

Between the deep black robes and the light blue skirts, a child in white led two adults, skipping and jumping. Suddenly, a childish voice called out, "Daddy, Mommy, look! It's a little butterfly."

Leng Huan looked up at the sound and saw a white butterfly with yellow spots fluttering away in front of him.

She exchanged a glance with Fu Xun, then absentmindedly replied, "Yeah, Little Butterfly is going to play..."

Fu Xun rubbed his son's head: "Yun Du has seen butterflies..." Yun Du nodded seriously.

Leng Huan looked at his son's crown and said softly, "He's seen it before, in the illusion." A heavy weight was lifted from his heart. Fu Xun and Yun Du became familiar with each other, and the slight awkwardness between father and son disappeared.

Instead of asking Fu Xun about what had happened over the past year, Leng Huan was thinking about what would happen after they got out.

night.

The small boat hovered in mid-air, the child was already asleep, and the two adults sat facing each other.

The weather is nice, with a sky full of stars.

"you….."

"you……"

They both spoke at the same time, and Leng Huan paused for a moment before saying, "You go first."

Fu Xun sighed and suddenly grasped Leng Huan's hand: "Why do I feel like you're being polite again? Is a year and a half really too long?"

His hands were still warm. Leng Huan shook his head, his gaze fixed on the distance: "Not really, I just feel a little dazed... um... well, it's been a while."

Suddenly, a sense of unease crept into her heart. Even though she was the one who asked him to climb the tower, it felt like it had taken a while, all because of Yun Du.

Having never raised a child before, she lacked experience and didn't realize that children aren't like adults, who tend to stay at home all the time.

“I will never travel far again. It’s like my child spent more than a year in a dream world. Children only have a few years of early childhood, and I always feel regretful if they miss it.”

“Hmm.” Fu Xun suddenly stood up and sat down next to her. “We’ll be there for him as he grows up. After he leaves, we’ll go back to our sect.”

"Ah."

Long-distance relationships can also create distance if you don't chat often, right?

There was silence for a moment, and the atmosphere was quiet.

Leng Huan felt that the last month was actually the hardest to get through.

Feeling her hair being stroked, she tilted her head slightly. "So...did something happen to you?"

Her hair was smooth as satin, with a natural fragrance that made it irresistible. Fu Xun embraced her.

After a moment of stiffness, the faint thorn in Leng Huan's heart was involuntarily smoothed out, and she slowly leaned against him.

Fu Xun pressed his cheek against her forehead and slowly replied, "It's basically nothing. I met my master on the eighth floor, and he helped me get the key to get to the last floor."

"On the last floor, there's a tower spirit..."

Tower spirit? Leng Huan was slightly surprised: "You mean that tower has a spirit?" She really hadn't expected that.

Fu Xun: "Yes, I have already made a contract with it. The tower spirit will go out with us at dawn the day after tomorrow."

Leng Huan immediately looked up: "This is quite a show of force. Won't people notice the commotion?"

Fu Xun nodded: "Yes, but don't worry. No one will know exactly who it is, and they probably won't dare to intercept us openly."

That's right. If any of these cultivators who come in throw a stone out, they might just be some kind of ancient ancestor.

Leng Huan leaned her head back against his shoulder, "That's good. So where did your master and the others go?"

Fu Xun: "Master said he was going to find Senior Wen, and we agreed to meet at the exit of the secret realm."

Leng Huan responded with an "oh," and thought, "If that's the case, with one Nascent Soul cultivator and three Core Formation cultivators working together, I'm afraid no one will dare to offend us."

On the boat, under the moon and with the Milky Way flowing by, the two reminisced about their recent lives and gazed at the stars until dawn.

-

Yun Du had played so much with his father during the day that he was exhausted and slept soundly until dawn.

After getting up and having breakfast, he played on the small boat. He had no memories of his childhood, but he was still excited about the boat.

Two little hands clung to the gunwale, looking down at the scenery. Protected by the barriers, they weren't afraid of falling.

Seeing that he enjoyed watching, Fu Xun put him on his neck so he could sit high and see further.

Yun Du hugged the adult's head with his two chubby little hands: "Daddy, will you leave us again?"

"of course not."

"That's wonderful! My father and mother are with me."

When Leng Huan came out of meditation and saw the two of them like this, he almost choked on his saliva. He quickly rubbed his forehead and turned around to go back into the boat.

It is known that Long Aotian's current cultivation level is at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. His future potential for corruption is unknown.

Oh my god.

Only his son would dare to ride on Long Aotian's neck!

Leng Huan thought about herself. She was also called "baby" by her father when she was a child, but that didn't stop her from being beaten by her father when she grew up because of her rebellion.

Right now, the father and son are enjoying a warm and loving relationship. Hopefully, Yun Du won't be too rebellious when he grows up.