Qiānniǎo gazed at a room within the manor where Gu Qingfeng was sleeping and said softly, "I even have a feeling... a feeling that the Great Old Master will soon leave us."
Qiānlíng was secretly startled and asked, "You... why do you feel that way?"
"Although I don't know exactly who the Great Old Master is, I know his existence must be beyond anything we can imagine. He must have many, many things to do that we cannot understand. We and the Great Old Master simply aren't from the same world. Even though I'll be reluctant if the Great Old Master leaves, I won't selfishly beg him to stay either."
Qiānlíng looked at Qiānniǎo with some disbelief. She had never imagined Qiānniǎo could say such words. At this moment, she finally realized Qiānniǎo was no longer that naive, innocent little girl from before, but had already grown up into a sensible young woman.
"Qiānniǎo, you've finally grown up."
"Of course, it's been so long, how could I not grow up? It's just..." Qiānniǎo asked, "Sister Ling'er, is the Great Old Master... really going to leave?"
Qiānniǎo's sudden question left Qiānlíng somewhat at a loss and reluctant to speak.
"Actually, Sister Ling'er, even if you don't say it, I know the Great Old Master will definitely leave. I wasn't sure before, but since you suddenly said these things to me out of the blue, I know he'll definitely go."
Looking at the clearly dejected Qiānniǎo, Qiānlíng wanted to say a few comforting words, but when they reached her lips, she truly didn't know how to voice them.
After a moment, Qiānniǎo lowered her head and asked, "Did the Great Old Master tell you when he's leaving?"
"He said... he might not return to the Xiaoluo Secret Realm with us this time."
"Oh."
Qiānniǎo let out a dejected "oh," and tears couldn't help but fall.
Even though Qiānniǎo was no longer that willful little girl from years past.
Even though she had imagined this day might come, and even mentally prepared for it.
Yet when she learned Gu Qingfeng was really leaving, Qiānniǎo still couldn't hold back her sobs.
After all, Gu Qingfeng had lived in the Xiaoluo Secret Realm for decades.
After all, Gu Qingfeng had accompanied her as she grew up.
Back when Gu Qingfeng was still in a comatose state, little Qiānniǎo had already begun confiding her innermost thoughts to him.
Back when she had provoked the people of the Golden Crow Li Clan outside and was scolded by the Ancestor into seclusion, it was Gu Qingfeng's company that made her feel less lonely.
Back when she followed Qiānlíng on training journeys outside, every time she returned, she would share the fun and interesting things she encountered with Gu Qingfeng.
Over these years, Qiānniǎo had long regarded Gu Qingfeng as family, even closer than family, and had developed a spiritual dependence on him.
Now that Gu Qingfeng was leaving, how could the little girl not be heartbroken?
The more little Qiānniǎo thought about it, the sadder she became, and the sadder she became, the more painful it felt, until finally she could no longer hold back and burst into unrestrained weeping.
"Qiānniǎo, don't be like this..." Looking at the sobbing Qiānniǎo, Qiānlíng felt secretly guilty, full of regret and remorse, regretting that she shouldn't have revealed the news of Gu Qingfeng's departure.
"Yo! Little Qiānniǎo, who's so blind as to make you cry? Tell me who it is, and I'll help you vent!"
Suddenly.
A familiar voice came.
The voice was particularly lazy, carrying a teasing tone.
Hearing this voice, Qiānlíng looked up and was astonished to see a person standing at the door of the room.
It was a young man.
Wearing a simple white robe, his ink-black hair casually draped, on his ordinary face, a pair of eyes seemed as if not fully awake, still carrying a trace of drowsiness.
Who else could it be but Gu Qingfeng?
Seeing Gu Qingfeng, Qiānlíng was completely stunned.
And when Qiānniǎo saw Gu Qingfeng, she rushed over without a second thought, throwing herself into his arms, weeping bitterly: "Wahhh! Little drunkard, please don't leave! I beg you! Please don't go... wahhh... I can't bear to part with you, wahhh... please don't leave me! I beg you!"
"Leave? Go where? Who told you I'm leaving?"
"Wahhh! Don't lie to me, Sister Ling'er told me everything. She said... wah! You won't... come back to the Xiaoluo Secret Realm with us anymore, wah..."
"You said that?"
Gu Qingfeng looked over. Qiānlíng felt immensely guilty, even daring not to meet Gu Qingfeng's eyes.
"Alright! Stop crying. I was just teasing Qiānlíng. I'm not leaving. I won't go anywhere."
Qiānniǎo looked at Gu Qingfeng with tear-filled eyes and asked, "Really?"
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
"Then swear it."
Gu Qingfeng raised his right hand, extending three fingers, and said, "Fine, I swear. I won't leave, okay?"
Only after Gu Qingfeng finished his oath did Qiānniǎo stop crying. Gu Qingfeng wiped her tears and said, "You're such a big girl now, how can you still cry like this?"
"Actually... actually, little drunkard, no! Great Old Master, I'm not saying you can't leave. I know you have many things to do. I just... just hope you can stay with me a little longer, and then leave... okay?"
"Sure, no problem. However long you want me to stay, I'll stay. Even if it's until the end of time, that's fine too."
"I know you're just humoring me, but... I'm still very happy!"
This statement might have been Gu Qingfeng humoring Qiānniǎo, but when he said he wouldn't leave earlier, he wasn't just humoring her.
Because previously, although he had told Qiānlíng he had thoughts of leaving and might not return to the Xiaoluo Secret Realm this time, it was only a possibility. He hadn't truly decided to leave.
He was someone who repaid kindness, always had been.
Before repaying the kindness of the Xiaoluo Secret Realm, he would not leave.
Moreover, even if he wanted to leave now, he truly didn't know where to go.
That wasn't important.
What was important was that when he woke up earlier, he had examined his own body. His originally decaying, chaotic, lifeless body had recently shown signs of revival. Originally, regarding this strange body of his, he didn't want to bother with it, letting it revive however it wished. However, after chatting with Bai Chou, he discovered this matter was quite serious and troublesome.
What Acquired Original Sin, what Innate Original Sin, and then what Cosmic Original Sin, Primordial Original Sin.
Even those masters like Chiyou and Xing Tian, who were suppressed in Gui Xu, had emerged, and they were all Embodiments of Original Sin who, like himself, had fused with the Blood of Original Sin belonging to Wu Dao Zun Shang.
Even more terrifying was, according to Bai Chou, besides involving various Heavenly Mandates, various True Destinies, various Tribulation-Bearers, various Fortune-Bearers, various Dance Practitioners, and Original Sin-Bearers, there was also the damned Sacred Clan, Maha Clan, Illusory Clan, Dragon-Phoenix Clan, plus a Kunlun Clan.
These were all legends among legends, beings hailed as descendants of the Primordial Era.
Although Gu Qingfeng had told Bai Chou he accepted his fate, it was just talk.
Whether he accepted his fate or not, he might not know, but he would definitely not sit and wait for death.
Therefore, Gu Qingfeng planned to return to the Xiaoluo Secret Realm to enter seclusion for a while, to properly ponder his current situation. Besides that, he would also take the opportunity to give some pointers to the sisters Qiānlíng and Qiānniǎo, as a way to repay their kindness.
"Alright, you two chat for now. I've probably slept quite a long time this time. I need to go take a bath to clear my head."