C326

With a squeak, the door was pushed open.

Ling Ying slowly walked out. His two hands hung by her side, tightly clenching into fists, tightly kneading her own fingers, yet he simply did not feel the slightest amount of pain.

It could be seen that his heart was in a mess. His eyes flickered, and he felt guilty at the same time.

"Patriarch, why are you looking for me at this time?" Ling Ying asked.

He forced himself to calm down, but his voice trembled uncontrollably.

The Patriarch stroked his beard, his heart already clear as he looked at Ling Ying's unsettled appearance.

He seemed to understand something, but pretended to be unable to see anything.

"It's already so late. Seeing that you're not asleep yet, the Patriarch wants to find you to pull some strings. Don't be nervous, and don't think it's fine to just talk to us like that." The clan leader said, his eyes full of kindness.

"Hmm …" Ling Ying made a light sound as the nervousness in her heart slowly faded.

He understood that the patriarch had always taken care of him, and treated him like his own son. Therefore, Ling Ying was filled with trust towards the patriarch.

The Patriarch saw that Ling Ying had been keeping its head down the entire time, and didn't say anything else. He directly walked over, and found a place to slowly sit down.

As he aged, his hands and feet began to lose their mobility. The chief supported a tree beside the rock with trembling hands and slowly sat down.

When Ling Ying saw this scene, shshewanted to go and support the Patriarch, but she extended his hand. Instead of going over, he stood in place without anyone knowing what she was thinking about.

"Come and sit." The Patriarch waved toward Ling Ying, gesturing for him to go over.

Ling Ying slowly walked over and sat beside the Patriarch, but did not say anything. He was waiting, waiting for the Patriarch to speak first.

Perhaps, he was afraid, afraid that if the agreement between him and Xia Yunyun was discovered, he would never have the chance to leave.

"I heard a female came to the bottom of the lake, but she refused to leave?" The clan leader's tone was very casual, as if he was just casually bringing up a topic.

What he did not know was that as Ling Ying listened to his words, the center of her palm was actually drenched with sweat.

"Yes, there's a female. No matter how we tried to persuade him, he wouldn't leave," Ling Ying suddenly turned around to look at the Patriarch. "He's a good person. Ling Ying explained hurriedly, as if she was begging for mercy for Xia Yunyun.

The chief suddenly laughed. "Don't be so nervous. I didn't say I wanted to do anything to her. I was just asking."

Ling Ying suddenly lowered his head. She was too anxious, could the Patriarch have detected something? Ling Ying was uneasy in her heart, and did not notice that the Patriarch's gaze was lingering on him.

"Ling Ying, you grew up at the bottom of this lake. You must yearn for the outside world, right?" The Patriarch raised his head to look at the sky above the lake. Because of the lake, he could not see everything outside clearly.

The Patriarch's tone was casual, but it was certain. He had long known about Ling Ying's thoughts, but he kept feigning ignorance.

Ling Ying's heart suddenly thumped. What did the Patriarch mean by that? Did he already know? Countless thoughts emerged into Ling Ying's mind.

"Patriarch, you …" Ling Ying observed the Patriarch's expression, wanting to confirm if the Patriarch knew anything. However, other than being calm, the Patriarch's face was calm, without anything to be seen.

Ling Ying was slightly disappointed. The moment she met eyes with the Patriarch, Ling Ying suddenly realized that her actions earlier were a little abnormal.

He straightened his face and said, "Patriarch, you know that because you grew up at the bottom of this lake, you have never seen other worlds before, not to mention going there. Of course, you would be curious."

Ling Ying did her best to sound calm, and tried to make the Patriarch think that she was only curious about the outside world.

The Patriarch smiled slightly. He could obviously hear the panic and unease in Ling Ying, but he did not expose him.

In the end, he had watched the Ling Ying grow up, and he understood more or less what the other party was feeling. Being trapped at the bottom of this tiny lake at such a young age, it would be fair to say that it was for their own good, that the bottom of the lake was very safe.

However, they all knew that trapping the Elves at the bottom of the lake had cut off their freedom and cut off their hopes. To them, it was actually unfair, wasn't it?

The Patriarch sighed deeply, "Ling Ying, the outside world is not as beautiful as you think. It still has many cunning tricks, and the people aren't all like the people here. They bully the weak, they forget their kindness, and aren't they all good people?" As the clan leader spoke, he had a somewhat helpless feeling. This was a weakness of human nature, one that no one could change.

The Patriarch tried to let Ling Ying understand that the places he had longed for for for for for a long time were not all beautiful. He wanted him to give up that excited heart of his.

But with his current age and the fact that he had always been filled with longing for the outside world, how could the words of the Patriarch possibly change his mind?

"Patriarch, don't say anymore, I understand what you mean. But, look, Xia Yunyun isn't the kind of person you are talking about, right? "I believe that the outside world is better than dirty!" Her mind was filled with the fresh flowers from the outside world, surrounded by the blue sky and white clouds, the beautiful scenery of a small and beautiful family.

The clan leader shook his head, "You are still too young and innocent. Not everyone in the outside world is trustworthy. I hope you won't find it too easy to trust others and protect yourself." If one were to listen carefully to what the Patriarch said today, one would find it strange.

He seemed to have come here to tell Ling Ying something. In his heart, he understood that Ling Ying was about to go to the outside world, but he chose to turn a blind eye and turn a blind eye to it.

His yearning for the outside world had already taken root in his heart. Even if he did not have Xia Yunyun today, there would still be someone else, and he would still be able to leave. Since that was the case, why not let him personally go out to see the outside world, and experience the human nature there.

Some suffering could only be experienced on one's own. Some truths could only be comprehended on one's own. Relying on others to persuade them was useless.

Ling Ying felt that it was a little strange, but he also felt that today's Patriarch was just a little abnormal, and did not feel that the Patriarch knew anything.

"Clan head, I understand. Thank you for your teachings. I will definitely remember it. Rest assured." Ling Ying said obediently.

It was as if he really took the words of the Patriarch and kept it in his heart, but the Patriarch knew that this fellow didn't even take in a single word.

"You only know how to say nice words to make me happy, but you must remember, you cannot easily trust others. Even if it's that female, do not easily believe his words. You will suffer." In the end, he was still worried, so he warned her again and again.

Ling Ying only listened on until drowsiness hit and she could no longer hold on. She yawned, and only then did the Patriarch stop his torrent of speech, which was similar to a speech.

"You're tired? "Go to sleep. You've grown up and have your own opinions on many things, but the Patriarch wants you to know how to protect yourself." The chief instructed again.

"Alright, I understand …" Ling Ying yawned and said, "Quickly go rest. I'm tired, can you tell me tomorrow if there's anything you want to say?" Ling Ying asked the Patriarch, looking as if he was so sleepy that he couldn't even open his eyes.

The Patriarch sighed in his heart. With the support of the Ling Ying, he slowly stood up, "Alright, I'm old too. I'll start nagging when I get old. The clan leader slowly said with an ancient tone.

Ling Ying looked at the elderly Patriarch, then looked at his stooped figure, and spoke with an ancient voice. Not one of his words didn't tell him that this old man was growing older by the second, and had been swallowed by time last year.

"Alright, go to sleep. It's getting late." The Patriarch turned around and slowly left using his walking stick, leaving behind Ling Ying who was still standing there, lost in thought while looking at the Patriarch's figure.

After tonight's conversation, Ling Ying really couldn't sleep anymore. She was obviously very tired and she was also very tired, but he just couldn't fall asleep.

He did not stop thinking about whether he was right or wrong to leave just like that. It was true that his biggest wish of his life had been fulfilled after he left, but as he looked at the elderly back of the Patriarch, he couldn't help but feel sad that he was the one who brought up the Ling Ying.

But what if he didn't leave? Then perhaps he would never have such a chance to leave in this lifetime.

Ling Ying thought for an entire night, but in the end, he still resolutely decided that he would leave this place together with Xia Yunyun. He would realize the dream that she had never realized all this while.

As for the Patriarch, Ling Ying had thought that she could come back earlier, and could even tell the Patriarch that the outside world wasn't as complicated as he thought, but the reality was that Ling Ying was too simple.

He did not sleep at all the night, and the circles around his eyes became dark. This was the reason why he did not sleep well.

This morning, the sky was slightly bright and everyone was still sleeping soundly. Her Ling Ying had already silently slipped out the door as she stepped onto a road that he had been looking forward to for a long time.

"Goodbye, at the bottom of the lake of dreams. Goodbye, my friends. I will come back soon. I will prove to you that the outside world is wonderful and that my choice was not wrong." Ling Ying firmly said, as if it was a promise, and also as if it was a guarantee.