Wu Changjie

On the first day of the first lunar month, Zong Ziheng, dressed in a solemn gown uniform and crown, went to the Tiandi Terrace on the top of Daming Mountain to worship his ancestors, accompanied by envoys from all the immortal families.

Worshiping ancestors is a must-do ceremony every year. Before the ritual officer made preparations, Zong Ziheng had tested Zong Zixiao's meaning - he was worried that Zong Zixiao would not let him worship Zong's ancestors.

But Zong Zixiao didn't stop him, and of course, it was impossible to attend.

Zongzi Heng finished the sacrificial words aloud on the altar, then knelt down in front of the altar, muttering about his sins in a low voice.No matter why he got to where he is today, he is ashamed of the ancestors of the Zong clan, and the imperial power of the Zong clan is destined to die in his hands.Either it was destroyed by Zong Zixiao, or it was destroyed by him.To unite the world of cultivating immortals to fight against Zongzi Xiao, we must reform the past, break the old order, and be reborn from the ruins.

He has already shouldered many responsibilities, it is not bad, let him put an end to this already terminally ill situation.

After the sacrifice, everyone returned to the Promise Palace one after another.Zong Zhongming fell asleep because he got up too early, and Zong Ziheng carried him down the mountain.

After returning to Zong Zhongming's bedroom, the child woke up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around, suddenly shocked: "Father, the ceremony!"

"It's over." Zong Ziheng stroked the child's soft hair, and smiled dotingly, "You slept soundly down there, and you're not afraid of being laughed at."

Zong Zhongming said dejectedly, "I was wrong."

"It's okay, you are still young, you fell asleep last year."

"I'm sure I won't fall asleep next year, really!"

Zong Ziheng looked at the child's round and cute face, his heart ached, and he said softly, "There will be no next year."

"Huh?" Zong Zhongming didn't seem to hear clearly.

Zong Ziheng squeezed his shoulders, looked straight into his eyes and said, "Zhong Ming, father wants to tell you something very important."

Zong Zhongming sat up straight unconsciously, staring at Zong Ziheng with his big Qingming eyes without blinking.

Zong Ziheng made up his mind: "You can't be with father anymore, you have to leave Wuji Palace and Daming."

"I don't want it!" Zong Zhongming screamed sharply, gripping Zong Ziheng's collar tightly in horror, "Father, dad, why, why did you drive me away?"

Zong Ziheng was heartbroken, he caressed the child's face: "You are so smart, you should know why."

"Because of that devil?" Zong Zhongming's tears rolled down his face, "We'll find a way to kill him, I don't want to be separated from my father, please, don't drive me away."

Zong Ziheng held back his tears and said with a choked voice: "Zhong Ming, my father also wants to watch you grow up, but if you stay here, your life will be in danger. Only when you leave can your father not be coerced by him."

"I don't want it, I'm not afraid of death, I won't go." Zong Zhongming shook his head desperately, begging, "Don't drive me away, I don't want to go anywhere."

The eldest son Heng held the child tightly in his arms, and said in a trembling voice: "Zhong Ming, father is sorry for you, father is already in danger of protecting himself, there is no way to protect you, only if you survive, father can feel at ease, do you understand?"

Zong Zhongming burst into tears.

"Zhong Ming, good boy, your fifth uncle will take you away, he will take good care of you, in the future, we will see you again in the future."

Even a seven-year-old knew they would never see each other again.

Zong Zhongming cried and fussed for a long time, until he was tired, and hiccupped in Zong Ziheng's arms, his eyes were so red and swollen that he could barely open them, it was extremely pitiful.

Zongzi Heng wiped his face and hands with a silk handkerchief, his eyes were also red from tears.

"Father." Zong Zhongming said hoarsely, "If I leave, will you be able to defeat that demon?"

"You are gone, father has nothing to worry about, so he can concentrate on dealing with him, otherwise, he will threaten father with you."

Zong Zhongming rubbed his eyes with both hands for a long time, but he still couldn't stop his tears. He sobbed, "Then, when will you come to pick me up?"

"...Father will definitely pick you up when he resolves this deadlock."

"When?"

"I don't know." Zong Ziheng said with difficulty.

"But it will come, right?"

"Yes, I will definitely go, no matter how long."

Zong Zhongming nodded, and said with a flat mouth: "Okay, I will go with Uncle Wu, and I will wait for my father to pick me up and go home."

Zongzi Heng turned his face away, wiped away his tears fiercely, and turned around again. In his hand was a small Qiankun bag. On the pure white heavy satin fragrant cloud gauze, there was an elegant lotus petal orchid embroidered on it. The variety he cultivated himself - Dangshanhe.

Zong Zhongming took the Qiankun bag: "Father, what's inside?"

"There are a lot of gold, silver and jade in it, magic treasures and elixir, enough for you to enjoy in a few lifetimes, and there are three very important things, Father wants you to cherish them."

"What is it?"

Zongzi Heng took them out of the Qiankun bag - a sword, a booklet, and a pot of flowers.

"This is my father's dangshan lotus." Zong Zhongming caressed its tender petals. He knew that his father treasured this potted flower. His father, who almost never lost his temper with him, once got angry because he mischievously picked one off. over him.

"This potted flower is very important to my father, please help me take care of it, okay?" This is the last love he got from Xiao Jiu, even though Zong Zixiao no longer remembers it.There is only this pot of orchid left to witness their past, maybe one day, they will all be wiped out, so let him keep something selfishly, to prove the true love he and Xiaojiu once had.

Zong Zhongming nodded solemnly: "Father, don't worry." He asked again, "I heard from Eunuch Cai, Father used to raise a garden of orchids, why don't you raise them now?"

The eldest son Heng said lightly: "I don't want to raise it anymore, I don't want to raise it. This is the only pot left by my father."

"If my father likes it, Zhong Ming will plant a lot of orchids for my father, and wait for my father to come to me."

Zong Ziheng nodded with a smile.

"This is Junlan Sword." Zong Zhongming touched the heavy sword.For some reason, he liked this sword better than the famous sword Zongxuan hanging on his father's waist, even though it was too big and heavy for him now.

"It's a very good sword. It came from the old master Ran. It was given to me by Master Xu of the Chunyang Sect. My father gave it to you today, and it will become your lifelong partner."

Zong Zhongming hesitated to take it.

Zong Ziheng put the sword in his hand.

"Thank you, father." Zong Zhongming held the sword, feeling joy and worry in his heart.

"There's also this sword manual." Zong Ziheng picked up the book. Its cover was empty, and when he opened it, there were a few small and elegant words written horizontally on the title page: Junlan Swordsmanship.

"Is this the sword technique created by my father?"

Zong Ziheng nodded: "Zongxuan's swordsmanship is fierce, cunning, and aggressive. Although it is one of the best swordsmanship in the world, with infinite power, but it is too hostile, I don't really like it." According to the sword manual, "Swordsmanship is not for killing, but for saving people. It can be very elegant, like orchids, so gentlemen, so my father created this set of swordsmanship based on what he has learned all his life."

Zong Zhongming flipped through a few pages, and felt that the sword moves drawn on the picture were very elegant, but he couldn't understand most of them.

"The foundation of your Zongxuan swordsmanship is shallow, and it is not too late to change it now. With your fifth uncle's guidance, you will be able to practice it well." Zong Ziheng patted the child's head, "Zhong Ming, after leaving Daming, you You can no longer use Zongxuan swordsmanship, and you can no longer be named Zong."

"why?"

"Because you want to remain anonymous, you will understand when you grow up."

"I'll listen to my father." Zong Zhongming said sullenly, "Then what's my last name?"

Zong Ziheng sighed softly: "Your surname is Lan." He had already written a letter and handed it to Zong Ziyun. On the day Zong Zhongming became an adult, he would learn his life experience from this letter.Now, this child can neither be surnamed Hua nor Zong. When he grows up and knows the truth, he can decide what identity he wants to live with.

He has prepared enough wealth for Zong Zhongming to establish a sect. In the future, Zong Zhongming will have enough money to rebuild the Huaying School. This is what he can only do for the Hua family.

Zong Zhongming threw himself into his arms again, crying and said, "Father must come to pick me up, I will wait for you as long as I want."

Zong Ziheng hugged the child tightly, weeping silently.