The young, proud He Zhenghao, stung in his self-esteem, erupted in anger. He boasted arrogantly that he would one day reach the Nascent Soul realm and make something of himself, enough to make Heng Ruoshui see him in a new light. Then, without another word, he stormed off.
The years that followed were harsh lessons in life. Only after immense hardship did He Zhenghao finally reach the Foundation Establishment realm.
He took the Myriad Immortals Alliance’s once-per-decade examination, aiming to enter the Enforcer Hall as an enforcer.
When the results came, he passed, but his position was not that of an enforcer, but a guardian. Even more absurdly, his assigned region wasn’t the familiar Tianyu Province, but the remote, obscure Congyun Sea, a place he had never even heard of.
Initially, He Zhenghao wanted to refuse, but the transfer order had already been issued at lightning speed. He knew full well that Heng Ruoshui’s parents had likely pulled strings behind the scenes, yet he had no choice but to obey the Myriad Immortals Alliance’s command.
And so, he slunk off to the Congyun Sea, remaining there for decades.
With both love and career withering away, He Zhenghao lost all his drive. His cultivation stagnated, stuck at the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm.
Instead, he became obsessed with arrays, achieving considerable skill in that field and making many friends along the way.
Sometimes mistakes led to unexpected outcomes.
During a casual chat with a friend, He Zhenghao accidentally learned that Heng Ruoshui had actually been pregnant all those years ago.
However, knowing her parents strongly opposed the match and that He Zhenghao had vanished without a trace, she used a secret technique to suspend the growth of the fetus, all for the child’s safety.
From then on, she withdrew from society and devoted herself to rigorous cultivation.
Only a decade ago, after becoming a Nascent Soul technique weaver master and gaining enough influence in front of her parents, did she reveal the truth and give birth to the child.
She named her He Xinxin.
This matter caused quite a stir in Tianyu Province, and the story spread far and wide.
At the time, many regarded Heng Ruoshui as an extraordinary woman. Numerous cultivators didn’t mind that she had a child and pursued her ardently. Yet without exception, she rejected them all.
When He Zhenghao, far away in the Congyun Sea, heard the news, it struck him like a thunderbolt.
Tears streamed down his aged face, and he was filled with regret for what could have been, yet powerless to change the past.
He had neither the face nor the courage to see Heng Ruoshui again.
It wasn’t until He Xinxin sensed her biological father’s life-threatening crisis and came to this remote Congyun Sea...
As He Zhenghao finished his tale, his eyes glistened with tears, overcome with emotion.
After hearing this, Li Fan couldn’t help but curse inwardly. He Zhenghao, what kind of man are you?!
Yet he patted He Zhenghao’s shoulder and boasted confidently, “Fellow Daoist He, don’t worry. One day, I’ll ensure you return to Tianyu Province in full glory and make up for everything from the past!
“A hundred years might mean an eternal separation for mortals, with regrets impossible to mend.
“But for cultivators like us, it’s hardly an irreversible matter!”