The Spirit World

Chapter 34: Determination! A Man's Promise
When he woke up again, it was already night. Chang Yufeng looked at his bandages without a trace of surprise. Rajel was keeping watch for him. Rajel's strong shoulders were drooping at the moment, looking a little tired. This man who had raised him for ten years was not the first time to keep watch for him. Chang Yufeng had never had any serious illness, but nightmares and injuries were indeed common. Whenever he had a nightmare, he would wake up. When he was young, he could not resist that kind of soul-stirring voice. He was both terrified and unable to save himself, so he could only wake up from nightmares again and again. Rajel was like this now, staying by his side until he fell asleep.

This man with a story, this rough guy pretending to be a farmer, this young man who has always kept his identity secret is always able to show his warm side. Perhaps all fathers in the world should be like this.

Chang Yufeng climbed up. In order not to disturb his adoptive father who was sleeping soundly, his bandaged body, which could not move freely, moved even slower. Everyone was fast asleep and it was pitch black. Chang Yufeng climbed down the stairs very carefully. He had no way of using the little magic he knew to lower his voice, so he lowered his body as much as possible to prevent his already lame leg from making such a loud thumping sound.

He walked through the living room, opened the door gently and walked out. The livestock were sleeping peacefully. After experiencing this freezing disaster, their numbers had obviously decreased. The shed seemed empty. Chang Yufeng walked through the farm, sat down on a haystack, and breathed a sigh of relief. He was tired after walking this distance that usually took him three minutes to walk. He felt that he should take a break.

He looked up and saw the starry sky. He had never seen such a beautiful night. Perhaps because he was tired, or perhaps because the starry sky was too beautiful, he slowly lay down, facing the starry sky, quietly appreciating it all.

There was not a single light in Wenti County in the distance. It was estimated that no one had returned yet. However, it was not dark there. The starlight was still scattered there, illuminating the ice crystals that had not yet melted, sparkling.

In the past ten years, he had often seen the scene of a starry sky. He took Erica to the haystack and counted the stars. Their whole family also chatted on the haystack after watching an open-air drama. Chang Yufeng occasionally spoke and sometimes remained silent. Looking at the three of them laughing and playing, he felt much more comfortable.

Ten years ago, a fire set the entire Wenti County on fire. The inextinguishable fire burned for three days and three nights until everything was burned beyond recognition. It was at that time that he met Erica's family. That morning, Amina hugged herself and cried in Rajel's arms.

Chang Yufeng is a young man who traveled to the spirit world ten years ago. During these ten years, he felt everything he had never experienced before. Love and warmth are not something that everyone can give, but Erica's family can. Their family love is destined to be unrequited in this lifetime.

Chang Yufeng looked at his bandaged hands. He had learned so many basic magics, but he was still so weak. No matter how hard he tried, could he only make something like a lotus umbrella? A magic that moistened the ground? A magic that made a lotus umbrella fly? Could these really last until he found the jade pendant? Or even in the future, could he find his real parents or find his way home?

"Can I sit down and look at the stars?" Rajel's voice came from the haystack on the left: "Chang Yufeng?"

Chang Yufeng was startled and sat up quickly. He saw Rajel had already sat down and looked at him with a smile: "Dad!?"

"I'm proud to be your father!" Rajel looked at him with a smile on his face: "No matter if you are naughty, always making trouble, or always going out without telling me, I am proud!"

It turns out that he knew everything. Chang Yufeng looked at him and lowered his head, like a child who had made a mistake.

"Chang Yufeng, this is a good name. If I were to name it, maybe I would only call it Jack!"

"My name is indeed Chang Yufeng, but I'm still Jack, so..." Chang Yufeng was about to continue speaking when Rajel's big hand patted Chang Yufeng's shoulder. Chang Yufeng looked at him, feeling a little panicked.

"No matter what your name is, you will still be my son. Thank the goddess of fate, Yufeng, my child."

Chang Yufeng looked at him and said nothing. Rajel looked up at the starry sky and sighed: "Time flies. It has been ten years since we met. I really feel very lucky in these ten years. Our family loves each other, although there are some small conflicts occasionally, such as your mother." Rajel scratched his head: "But overall, I think I am very happy."

"I also..." He couldn't say the word "happiness" because he felt that feeling was something he could only wish for ten years ago and it was impossible for him to have it. The happiness now was even harder to come by.

"Yu Feng!"

"Ok!"

"Dad has something to ask of you."

"Ok?"

"Take care of your sister!"

"what?"

"You are going on a long trip tomorrow. You are the only relative left when you are away from home. You must take good care of her."

"What's the long way?"

"Oh, look at me, I forgot to tell you"

Chang Yufeng felt that this was more like the Rajel he knew, sloppy and not very reliable.

"Your sister is here to take you back! You are the young master of a big family in the Ether Kingdom! You didn't expect that!" Rajel looked at him excitedly and was very happy.

"I... don't have a sister..." Chang Yufeng looked at him awkwardly, and Rajel was stunned for a moment.

"So, they are all liars?" Rajel began to wonder. He took something out. Chang Yufeng shook his head and looked at him, wanting to see what he was up to...

"I wanted to give this jade pendant back to you when you grow up. After all, you, a child, can't keep such an important thing. Take a look and see if you recognize it." Rajel took out a green jade pendant with a huge Ning character under a dome-shaped blue dragon. It was shining under the starlight.

Jade pendant! Chang Yufeng took it and looked at it carefully. After ten years, it finally came back to him. His eyes sparkled and he was overjoyed.

"A woman came to us with an identical jade pendant, saying she was your sister and that she had sent you back. We bandaged you and are discussing your return." Rajel scratched his head in confusion. No way, could she be a liar? She even knew Jack's real name, so she didn't seem like a liar, and there was nothing wrong with the jade pendant. What was going on?

"It's true that the jade pendant is mine, but I really don't think I have a sister, or if I do, I don't know."

"It's better to believe it than not! We'll confront her tomorrow and the truth will be revealed!" Rajel smiled, but suddenly stopped: "If she really came to pick you up, would you leave?"

Chang Yufeng had not yet come out of his joy. After hearing his words, his smile gradually disappeared and he became serious.

If it is true, then it will be another unknown journey. This time it is not the predictable unknown as a short-distance guide, but a real unknown. However, this is his only chance. Just like the choice he made ten years ago, he must go all the way to the end. There is no choice. All the clues are on this jade pendant. He must follow this clue and move forward without fear.

"I have to go back. I still have a lot of things to do." Chang Yufeng answered quietly. He could suddenly hear the singing of summer insects. Everything was very quiet.

"So we're still going back to what I asked you at the beginning. I hope you can take your sister with you. After all, you know. In this small town, there is no way out for a lifetime."

Well, so you are hiding your identity, I understand.

"Yes, I will, for sure! I will take good care of her, and no one will bully her over there." Chang Yufeng certainly knew why his adoptive father wanted Erica to follow him to the Ether Empire. It was not just because of this reason, but because of his identity. His identity of being hunted by his family still entangled him. For his child, he was really worried. I heard him say earlier that he wanted to move away from here, and it was more because he was about to be discovered. The changes in Wenti County made his position inexplicably exposed.

"Let's make a man's agreement!" Rajel secretly took out two glasses of wine. He already knew that he would agree.

"Didn't mom forbid me to drink?"

"Tea, good stuff! I bought it from a goblin merchant!" Rajel suddenly lowered his voice, as if he was afraid of being heard.

"Come on! Cheers, men's promises must be kept!"

"Good! A man's promise!"

They drank it all in one gulp. The tea was very bitter, but both of them were so bitter that they stuck out their tongues.

"Oh my god, it's so bitter"

Under the starlight, the two of them stuck out their tongues, fanned themselves with their hands, looked at each other, and laughed foolishly. And because it was night, there was no sound again.

"Shh! Don't wake them up!"

"Shh!" Chang Yufeng nodded.

Tomorrow, I will go and meet this sister.

"Dad, why are you so afraid of Mom?" Chang Yufeng drank tea. He still didn't understand why Rajel, who looked so strong, would be afraid of Emina, who looked so "weak".

Rajeel didn't answer him, but drank the tea in one gulp.

He said:
You will know when you meet someone you are willing to love for your whole life.

You are still young.

You don’t understand.


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(End of this chapter)