Chapter 652: 652 return
In the end, only Wang Congshan stayed behind, and the remaining nine people discussed leaving together.
Xing Chongshan and the other five familiar people came to see Tan Shaoting off.
"Brother Tan, the three children are all doing well. I checked on them after I left seclusion; all three have reached the Qi Refining Second Level. The steward responsible for them said they are very well-behaved and obedient."
Tan Shaoting still didn’t look Jiang Xueyan in the eye, but he bowed sincerely, "Thank you, Junior Sister."
Jiang Xueyan felt a bitter taste in her heart, but she returned the courtesy.
Luo Yinghui felt bitter too; she couldn’t do what Jiang Xueyan did.
Tan Shaoting was becoming more outstanding, but how could she be with him?
Tan Shaoting was eager to return home, but there were eight other people with him, and their pace was quite fast.
The past few months outside had worn them out physically and mentally.
"Brother Tan, should we sell the demon beasts in the city ahead?"
Tan Shaoting didn’t want to, but the other eight thought so.
"Fellow Junior Brothers, I’m eager to return. If all eight of you think that way, I’ll go ahead first."
In the end, the discussion result was as Tan Shaoting said, and he traveled alone.
Eight days later, he arrived at the sect.
Sword One Peak was the closest, so he visited his eldest son Qi Yan first.
Qi Yan was extremely delighted to see his father. Although his dad was travel-weary, he arrived by his side like a god, making him feel extremely safe.
"Dad."
Tan Shaoting picked up his son. "Very good." He smiled broadly. He thought the trip would only take a month, but it ended up being over three months, and Qi Yan had grown taller.
Qi Yan hugged his dad’s neck. "Dad, I’m doing well here."
"Good, let’s tell the steward and go see Qi Hong and Qi Wen."
The father and son found the steward, who was never going to refuse; after all, Tan Qiyan was favored by the Peak Master.
"Brother Tan, it’s safe in the sect, but please don’t take Tan Qiyan out of the sect."
Tan Shaoting paused, "Manager Wang, did something happen?"
"Master Wen Xian of Sword One Peak has taken a liking to Tan Qiyan and wants to take him as a disciple.
Master Wen Xian has refused many disciples before."
Tan Shaoting immediately understood what it meant.
"Thank you, Manager Wang. I’m just taking Tan Qiyan to see his younger siblings."
"Brother Tan, it’s quite safe within the sect. Right now, Tan Qiyan is still weak."
Tan Shaoting gratefully thanked Manager Wang and took Qi Yan down the mountain.
"Dad, I don’t want to become a disciple, so I didn’t know how to refuse and said I’d wait for your return."
Qi Yan felt he had caused trouble for his dad.
"It’s okay. If you don’t like it, just refuse."
They would not be staying here long, so he didn’t want the children to be entangled with any karma. He had discussed this topic with the kids more than once.
Having lived in the mortal world for two lives, he no longer believed these were decisions the children should make on their own.
He was determined to bring the three children back to his wife, not letting his beloved woman worry about them anymore.
Since he had taken them out, he would bring all three children back to his wife without fail. He couldn’t let her heart break again.
"Dad, how should I refuse Master Wen Xian?"
"You don’t need to worry about that. Dad will wait for Master Wen Xian’s return to talk to him. You just stay safe until the day we leave."
"Okay, Dad, I understand."
The father and son went down the mountain and headed directly to Spirit Plant Peak.
"Dad, I inquired, and Qi Hong and Qi Wen are doing well there too."
"Mm, you three are all good children. Dad will take you out to see the world once your tasks are done."
He would never leave the children for so long again. These three months had been full of constant worry.
Even though he knew this wasn’t good and might delay the children, in this Cultivation World, he really didn’t want to take any risks. From now on, wherever he went, he would take the children.
"Dad, I want to go with you too."
At that moment, Qi Yan truly seemed like a little child. From birth, they had always been by their mother’s side. Forced to be apart from her, they stuck close to their father and never separated.
To ease Dad’s mind and keep him from worrying, they stayed at the sect alone, only now feeling the longing for their parents.
"Okay, from now on, we’ll go together."
Tan Shaoting once again regretted his foolish decision. The children were destined not to live in this cruel world; there was no need for them to adapt to it.
"Dad, I feel their swordsmanship is just average, but it should suit me. When we return, I’ll use this swordsmanship."
Tan Shaoting nodded in agreement with his eldest son’s idea; the child already had a plan for the future. "Good, you decide for yourself. Even if it’s wrong, we’ll slowly correct it."
Qi Yan lay obediently in his father’s arms, nodding. It was always safest in his father’s arms.
At the foot of Spirit Plant Peak, they activated a formation.
After identifying themselves, the steward at the foot of the mountain sent messages to Qi Hong and Qi Wen.
"Thank you, Steward."
"No need to be polite, Brother Tan."
Qi Yan wanted to get down from his father’s arms, and Tan Shaoting didn’t stop him, putting him down. The father and son waited for the other two children.
Qi Hong and Qi Wen were each cultivating, and upon hearing the message, Qi Hong immediately went to call his sister, and the two ran down the mountain.
They hadn’t heard any news, but the sect had sent people back; they knew the task their father went on had an incident, but received news that the ten people who went weren’t harmed.
Now that Dad was back, they were eager to see him.
When Tan Shaoting saw the two children rushing down, he noticed they had also grown taller. Qi Wen leapt into her father’s arms, burying her head in his neck, "Dad, Dad, you’re finally back."
Tan Shaoting used his other arm to hug his second son.
Being a grown man, his eyes reddened; holding his children made him realize how much he missed them while away.
"Alright, Dad’s back. From now on, Dad will never go away alone. Even if I need to go out, I’ll be taking you with me."
"Dad, I missed you and worried about you." Qi Wen spoke with a tearful voice; she was the only girl, and since childhood, her parents were kinder to her than her brothers, making her a bit spoiled.
"Dad promises Qi Wen nothing will happen. From now on, wherever we go, your brothers and you will come with me." His daughter’s cries made his heart ache and feel deeply guilty.
The children were still young; he really shouldn’t have left them alone at the sect.