FRGNM -Chapter 70 Questioning

“Yes, Father Huangfu often falls ill, so he always carries medicine with him,” Yizhui nodded, though he didn’t quite understand why Fang Xu would say such a thing.

Snapping his fingers, Fang Xu finally smiled. “Exactly. Because your Father Huangfu was born weak, the white-haired old man on the mountain took him in, having him practice martial arts daily to strengthen his body. When you two grow up, your Father Huangfu will come down the mountain to see you.”

“Ah? White-haired grandpa—is he a god?” Yimeng grabbed her head, confused. “Mother said many old gods can use magic. They go whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and disappear, and can make delicious food. They’re full of treasures and carry immortal pills and lots of heavenly treats.”

“Uh… yes, yes,” Fang Xu said, astonished. He didn’t understand a word the little girl was saying. What was a “god”? On this Dou Qi-dominated continent, flying in the air was trivial. With enough strength and a storage ring, summoning objects at will was easy. He truly could not understand why these two children were so excited.

Ling Ruoxi had miscalculated. She assumed that people on this continent were like those on Earth, always longing for supernatural powers in a world without Dou Qi. Flying was indeed simple—but without machines, it was extremely difficult.

But in this era, Dou Qi could replace everything. It was as if it were the magic of the gods themselves. And yet, she had none. Just thinking about it… was frustrating.

“Wow! Father Huangfu is so lucky to meet a legendary god. Then he can train properly, become a god, and make lots of candied hawthorns…”

“…”

“Mother, what about Father? Where did he go?”

If Yimeng was usually clingy toward Huangfu Xuan, then Yizhui was attached to Luo Mingyu. No wonder he liked Luo Mingyu. When he got lost, Luo Mingyu indulged him, taught him Dou Qi, formations, and beast-taming. Naturally, he missed him now.

Ling Ruoxi sighed. One problem solved, another immediately appeared. She could only look helplessly at Fang Xu. If he could invent such stories for the children, surely he could come up with answers to this question as well.

Fang Xu cleared his throat, stroking Yizhui’s head. “Your Father… is me. That so-called father of yours isn’t your real father. He clings to your mother only to take advantage of her. So next time you see him, hit him—don’t let him near your mother again.”

“Ah?” This explanation left not only Yizhui but even Ling Ruoxi speechless.

“That’s nonsense! Father is Mother’s! Not you!” Yizhui’s small fists clenched, orange Dou Qi flaring as he punched toward Fang Xu.

“Oh?” Fang Xu raised his brows slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. Elegantly, he reached out, lightly holding the small fist. He smiled casually. “Not bad, not bad. Still an Orange-level Dou Qi practitioner at such a young age. Such talent is promising.”

“Dou Qi?” Ling Ruoxi was surprised. On Liuli Island, no one had taught these two martial arts; she could only teach them some physical training. And now… Yizhui had only been following Luo Mingyu for a few days?

Reading her thoughts, Yizhui patted his chest. “Mother, you said Dou Qi is hard to learn, but I think it’s pretty easy. I learned from Father for just over a month, and now I have Dou Qi.”

“A little over a month? Quite good aptitude.” Fang Xu smiled calmly, touching Yizhui’s head. “Boy, do you want to protect your mother?”

“Of course! Mother is the best person in the world. I must protect her!” Yizhui puffed up his chest proudly.

“Your Father Fang is also someone who protects your mother. So we are on the same side. From today onward, your Dou Qi training and studies are under my supervision. I’ll be a hundred times stricter than your other father. I believe you will grow into a man capable of protecting your mother.”

“Okay!”

“…”

Children were surprisingly easy to trick! Ling Ruoxi had overestimated these two little rascals. Fang Xu had said just a few words, yet they were completely obedient. Neither Huangfu Xuan nor Luo Mingyu could compare to this man.

While the two children played noisily, Tang Yinhai, knowing about Ling Ruoxi and Fang Xu, stayed to look after them, allowing Ling Ruoxi and Fang Xu to speak privately.

“Do you know Huangfu Xuan’s whereabouts?” Ling Ruoxi asked. She had never gone to the cliff herself and didn’t know if the guards’ story was true. If this man had truly grown so powerful, he would know far more than she did.

Fang Xu nodded, leaning against the window and enjoying the slanting sunlight. He smiled faintly. “I already told you. He was taken in by a white-haired old man…”

“….” Ling Ruoxi wanted to punch him. The story he was telling the children was ridiculous, yet he used it on her now.

Laughing, Fang Xu tilted his head at Ling Ruoxi. “I’m serious. Back then, Huangfu Xuan’s spine was broken by Huangfu Yuan. He fell from the cliff, smashing through three millennia-old tree trunks and breaking five ribs. But he is a Blue-level Dou Qi master. He protected his heart meridians with Dou Qi, minimizing impact. Falling from thousands of meters, he luckily landed in a pool and was rescued by an elder living nearby.”

“How do you know?”

“Of course I know. In Northern Ning Kingdom, my spies observe you daily. I instructed them not to interfere with your lives. They reached the cliff immediately after Huangfu Xuan fell. The elder was too skilled, so my people couldn’t reach him. This is all we know for now—but Huangfu Xuan is definitely alive.”

Fang Xu displayed a blood-red jade in his hand.

Confidently leaning on the windowsill, he took a sip of tea, smiling. “For convenience, I took a strand of hair from each of you and fused them into jade, making it your life stone. This is Huangfu Xuan’s life stone. If he were dead, it would have shattered.”

“So magical?” Ling Ruoxi widened her eyes, touching the warm jade. “If the life stone breaks, does that mean Huangfu Xuan is dead?”

“…” Fang Xu smiled without answering, covering his forehead. “I don’t know how you can be so bored. Life stones only test for life force. If one stone could control life, that would be ridiculous.”

“Hmm… as long as he’s alive.” Ling Ruoxi exhaled deeply, letting go of her tension.

Fang Xu toyed with his wine cup, smiling faintly. “You seem worried about Huangfu Xuan… because you like him?”

“You’re just like Luo Mingyu!” She punched him lightly. “No, he’s just a friend. If you were in trouble, I’d help you too.”

“Why?”

“Because in this world, you’re one of the few friends I have…”

On Earth, she had no friends yet didn’t feel lonely—everyone was part of the same world. But here, even after all these years, she never fully belonged. She had adapted to survival in this era but never to the people.

It felt like being an outcast, lost and helpless. The children were her motivation to keep living, and these people she had known were lifelong friends she could never forget.

Only you few friends… Fang Xu felt the weight of her words, and even his smile softened. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, smiling faintly. “I understand. Ruoxi, Luo Mingyu isn’t the Luo Mingyu you knew. That man cannot bring you happiness. It’s best you cut ties completely.”

“Heh, I’ve long moved on. He walks his path, I walk mine. Neither of us owes the other!” Ling Ruoxi’s small hands clenched as she looked away.

“Really?” Fang Xu smiled faintly, stroking her head. “I mean more than what you’ve done now. Remove him completely from your life and memory. He is a man even I wouldn’t dare provoke. Perhaps he is the young master of Qiongyu Immortal Island. Or perhaps not. His identity is complex, his personality unpredictable. I’ve investigated for three years and learned nothing about him.”

“That’s none of my concern. I won’t think about him again,” Ling Ruoxi said firmly, though a part of her still wondered what about him drew attention.

“Perhaps love works that way—something you notice unconsciously becomes unforgettable. Fine. Whether it’s blessing or misfortune, all is fate. Ruoxi, your body seems to contain hidden Dou Qi, but you cannot use it directly. Why?” Fang Xu finally addressed the core issue, his eyes sharp as if seeing through everything.

Even Ling Ruoxi felt nervous. She quickly suppressed her panic. “I don’t know. My master said it’s the effect of the Five-Colored Flower. When you gave it to me, it entered my body and temporarily gave me Dou Qi, so I…”

“That’s not right. The Five-Colored Flower isn’t that powerful. When you were unconscious, I examined your body. You still contained another celestial treasure.” Fang Xu fixed his gaze on her. “Tell me—did you touch anything else that mysteriously disappeared?”