Chapter 282 What If?

In the end, the Phoenix Ancestor gave up her Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb to Yang Lujia who was a tyrant that kept pestering her before. Shockingly, one of the wings of her human form was cut off her body. As ruthless as it sounded, she actually did not mind. What really weakened her the most was the Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb.

However, although the Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb was important for her to keep herself at her peak state, it wasn't as important as the plan to be enacted sooner.

A Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb comes from within her very soul connected to her dantian, her source of power. After achieving the peak of the Saint Emperor Realm, she will be able to produce a Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb. Since it had been a long time since she had produced this Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb, unlike any other phoenixes, hers was the most potent of them all.

After Yang Lujia left her Phoenix Empress Palace without making her face any more difficulties, she held a token with her trembling hands. She was still weak, but it was necessary for her to let them know soon. Whether or not they had this kind of being known as Yang Lujia under their wing.

If not, they would need to find ways to eliminate this walking disaster.

They needed more power. As they faced the higher beings in the realms above, it was necessary for them to have more power before they'd try to ascend. Otherwise, they would undoubtedly die.

That was because… the next realm was not as peaceful as they were here. There—schemes were present but not that prevalent. Not as prevalent as there were in Da Shikong. What were schemes if one could be overcome with absolute strength?

On the other hand, Yang Lujia did not kill any of the phoenixes. However, he did cut some parts for them to grill with his new disciple.

All his thoughts were really inclined to sleeping, eating, or doing other leisure things. These were the only things he felt like doing. But he would not delay any further than this. He would start asking for explanations from the people of the Holy Light Palace about his disciple.

Moreover, he had to be careful on this one. He did not know the reason, but he was asked not to kill too much. He would abide by this, though. He could not kill but he could still use force without killing anyone. That was a loophole he found. But as long as he found the real man behind all of this, he would be able to unearth whatever scheme they had placed on Sheng Ao last time.

"Take this Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb and refine it here in the forest." Yang Lujia looked at the sky and said, "For this whole night duration, you are to refine that Nine-Leaf Nirvana Herb. If you can't refine them that fast, we'll wait for that until we will go to the Holy Light Palace to demand an explanation."

Yes. Not ask.

He altered his own choice of words.

He would demand them to give him an explanation.

Since he accepted Sheng Ao as his disciple, at least he would fulfill one of his duties.

Yang Lujia smelled something from that Phoenix Ancestor but he ignored it regardless. He sensed something wasn't right. However, what could be more right than having the strength to back it up so he could put it back in place?

His confidence came from his strength. However, wariness would still not go away from him, but he knew that he wanted to make a name for himself, even above what his father had achieved in the past.

"Sheng Ao, what kind of person was your Holy Light Emperor?" Yang Lujia asked, seeing that this monk actually wanted to eat the meat of phoenixes.

Sheng Ao was woken up from his dazed expression and looked at his master with a confused face, "I thought you knew him, master?"

Yang Lujia shook his head and said, "Personally? No. However, there was someone who I know barely who knows him. Other than that, this was also the person, from what I know, who gave the Holy Light Emperor his power at the moment."

Sheng Ao was surprised and he then looked up at the sky. "Actually, the Holy Light Emperor was the kindest to me. He was like my father. He took me in when I did not have a home anymore. He took me in and took care of me. When he saw that my talent was actually very high, he taught me things like a father would. I sensed a familial connection with him, not by blood, but by the times I communicated and lived with him. Then, at that time, I became the Saint Son of the Holy Light Palace and was the first in line to inherit his throne. Unfortunately, that destiny wasn't for me. Sometimes, when we tasted too much love, what would come after was its polar opposite, pain."

Yang Lujia looked at Sheng Ao. He then stood up and placed his palm on top of his disciple. "Life is unpredictable. I myself did not have the brightest experiences in life. I did not feel an attachment to the people who were supposed to be the ones who would make me feel it. I did not feel a trace of love as even when others would say they were doing all of those for me to become strong in a venomous world—I did not believe them. However, over time, I learned how to veer away from that hell and even targeted the ones who taught me things that weren't really good, some even the worst. Now, I was here again, facing another person with that same face, wanting to surpass him. I think that's what we call Karma?"

When he said the last word, the qi around Yang Lujia became turbulent. He also realized this as he put up a barrier to protect his disciple as he continued. "When one does good, one receives the same treatment. When one does bad, one receives the same. Like how one good or bad thing will be in turn reciprocated the same. However, was that all there is to Karma? What if the past things that you did didn't necessarily have weight in the future or in the present? What if because you weren't given love, you are given the love that you needed the most now?"

Yang Lujia imagined his grandfather, Zhuquan De, who seemed to care about his every action and his very being. Even when he was no more by his side, he could still sense he was under his protection. It was like only after he became strong did his grandfather leave him—because he wanted him to learn more about life and what was in store for him of fate.

Seeing the smiling face of that foolish adoptive grandfather of his, he found that something was sprouting inside him. Something he never felt before, even with his disciples. He loved them, but it was nothing more than a superficial one, one that he knew he had forced himself to do so because he felt obliged to.

But this time, it was different. He realized something.

His grandfather.

That smiling grandfather of his.

That talkative old man.

He somewhat missed him.

"Master?" Seeing the raging qi of his master not calming down and even seeing a tear coming from his master's eyes, Sheng Ao felt worried. Thus, he called out and willed himself to stand and tugged his master's clothes.

"Master," he called out once more.

Only then when Yang Lujia heard his disciple's call did he calm down.

He felt like he comprehended something but he did not.

However, this could wait until then.

***

Author's Note:  In the Philippines, we are already 15 days away from Christmas Day and 21 days away from the New Year. I am actually not feeling well after all the school works that I had to do. Regardless of all that, I am very thankful to each and every one of you who continued to support me in this journey with Yang Lujia. I cannot thank you enough for all the support. I think it's already been past six or seven months, I think since I began telling this story. Anyhow, thank you for your support. I hope that you will support me as well with the next stories I have in line to release in the Year 2023.