Ten Thousand Soul Banner: Deceased, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?
Chapter 72 Alone and Strong

Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Alone and Strong

"Xiao Xia, don’t be afraid..."

This sentence seemed to evoke Zhao Hongxia’s long-lost memories.

Little Zhao Hongxia stood atop the tall sea dike, wiping her tears and humming quietly.

Below the sea dike on the sandy beach stood a man, tilting his head back with arms wide open, his face rippling with a warm smile.

"Xiao Xia, don’t be afraid, jump down, daddy will catch you, jump..."

Then Zhao Haixia closed her eyes, took a determined leap, and then fell into a warm embrace.

"There, open your eyes now. Didn’t daddy say he would catch you? Look, aren’t you perfectly fine?"

"Mhm~."

Zhao Hongxia hugged her father’s neck, her smile brimming with joy.

"Xiao Xia, you must be braver in the future. When you encounter problems, don’t cry, don’t be afraid, because daddy will always be by your side, protecting you..."

...

But what about later?

When she was bullied and kept falling, where was he?

When she was starving and consumed by darkness, where was he then?

Now here he was telling her not to be afraid, and she suddenly found it rather laughable.

She wasn’t afraid, but not because of him; it was because she had learned to be strong and to empower herself.

She was no longer the little girl standing on the sea dike, crying and shrinking back, too scared to jump.

So—

Thus, Zhao Hongxia retorted angrily, "Of course I’m not afraid, why should I be scared..."

But was she truly not afraid? Of course not. Although she had recognized Lu Guanchang by now, she still felt somewhat scared, because the way he appeared was just too bizarre.

Even though it was broad daylight and the sun blazed outside, both of them still felt a chill, with goosebumps all over and a cold sweat trickling down their spines.

"Xiao Xia, do you still remember me? I am your... I am your..." Lu Guanchang’s voice became lower and lower.

"You are Lu Guanchang, I know." Zhao Hongxia interrupted him directly.

"Sigh."

Lu Guanchang let out a deep sigh.

He had been there when his daughter received the letter written on behalf of Shen Siyuan, and he naturally knew Zhao Hongxia’s attitude towards him, so he wasn’t surprised, but he still felt a sense of loss.

However, Lu Guanchang didn’t know what to say himself.

In the end, he only managed to utter three words filled with guilt.

"I’m sorry."

But Zhao Hongxia didn’t react much, just looked at him coldly.

Lu Guanchang thought for a moment and said, "Can we sit down and talk?"

Zhao Hongxia remained guarded, indifferent, but Sun Dacheng behind her gently tugged at her hand.

He understood Zhao Hongxia; he knew there was still anger in her heart, but since they had come all the way to Bin Hai, they naturally wanted to hear what he had to say. It was just hard for her to calm her heart at the moment.

Lu Guanchang didn’t mind and just sat down by himself.

Looking at him leaning on his cane, his frail figure, a flicker of pity crossed Zhao Hongxia’s eyes, but she quickly composed herself again.

She was no longer a little girl. After years of enduring countless trials, although she was not heartless, she was not easily swayed.

"What do you want to talk about?" Zhao Hongxia asked coolly.

"Don’t you want to know why I can control the wind, don’t you want to know why I can become invisible and visible..."

He was a good conversationalist, instantly piquing their interest.

As he spoke, his body sitting there, like a fading ink painting, quickly became indistinct and vanished, but soon reappeared, once again seated in the same spot.

This finally piqued their curiosity to the utmost.

Sun Dacheng even imagined that his long-unseen father-in-law had been living in seclusion, cultivating his dharma in the mountains, and now descended to seek out his wife and daughter.

Zhao Hongxia harbored a similar fantasy. It would give her father’s image a slight improvement in her mind, at least not one of a man who abandoned his wife and daughter for another woman.

So the two chose to sit down at the side.

Sun Dacheng even took the initiative to ask: "Would you like some tea?"

Zhao Hongxia’s current living conditions were quite good, so naturally, the hotel she stayed in was not shabby either, offering not only a sea view room but also tea, as was provided by the hotel.

"No bother," Lu Guanchang said, but Sun Dacheng still brewed a pot of tea.

Lu Guanchang then began to speak about what had happened after Zhao Hongxia and her daughter had left.

He chose not to hide anything, and his tone was very calm, but Zhao Hongxia felt more and more disappointed as she listened...

This was not the answer she wanted to hear.

Consequently, Zhao Hongxia asked sarcastically: "Do you know how we got by after you left?"

Lu Guanchang shook his head and sighed: "I know things must have been tough, and I failed you and your mother."

"No, we’ve had a good life. Mom met my step-dad, her current husband. My step-dad loves her very much and is very good to both her and me. We’ve been very happy..." Zhao Hongxia stared into Lu Guanchang’s eyes as she spoke.

Lu Guanchang knew that Zhao Hongxia said this deliberately to provoke him.

But Lu Guanchang did not get angry, instead, he replied with a smile: "That’s best. I’ve wronged you both. Knowing you’re happy makes me feel better too."

Hearing this, Zhao Hongxia felt even more enraged, her temper flaring as she abruptly stood up, ready to explode in anger.

But just then, Sun Dacheng, sitting beside her, placed a hand on her back and shook his head at her.

Seeing this, Zhao Hongxia quickly calmed down and couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly: "I’m of such an age, I thought there wasn’t much that could anger me anymore, but seeing you, I just get mad."

She said it casually, but actually, she was still fuming.

Lu Guanchang, unoffended, cheerfully replied: "Then let me tell you something that will cheer you up."

He continued to talk about his own affairs, and by the time he mentioned his accidental death from falling down the stairs, both of them were staring with wide eyes...

And when he revealed that after his death, he discovered he had been cuckolded all his life and had raised another man’s son, and that the adulterer had moved in right after his demise, their mouths hung open, agape...

"Do you feel a bit better now?" Lu Guanchang asked Zhao Hongxia.

Coming to her senses, Zhao Hongxia immediately responded: "You deserved it."

Lu Guanchang did not get angry at her words, simply nodding: "You’re right, I deserve it, this is my retribution."

Hearing his admission, Zhao Hongxia fell silent.

"After I died, my soul couldn’t rest, wandering the Mortal World, until by a fortunate twist of fate, I met Master Shen. I begged him to help me, to let me see you once more. That led to the letter, to our meeting again..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hongxia and Sun Dacheng were shocked. So it turned out that after people die, they really can become ghosts.

They were also amazed that there were such powerful experts in the world, capable of making ghosts become visible in front of people.

"Do you know what reason I gave to Master Shen for wanting to see you?" Lu Guanchang asked Zhao Hongxia.

"How would I know?" Zhao Hongxia’s attitude was still cold.

"I told Master Shen that I couldn’t accept it, that a lifetime of effort was for someone else’s benefit. I wanted to leave everything to you..."

Hearing this, Zhao Hongxia’s already unhappy expression turned even uglier.

"So, you wanted to see me just to fight for your inheritance?"

Lu Guanchang didn’t deny it, saying forthrightly: "Yes, that’s what I originally thought."

Hearing this, Zhao Hongxia got up and headed inside the room, tears swirling in her eyes despite being in her fifties. The last shred of fantasy she held about her father shattered in that moment.

He had always only thought of himself; even in death, it was the same.

Lu Guanchang wanted to call out to her, but before he could speak up, Sun Dacheng asked: "So, you don’t think that way now?"

Zhao Hongxia, on her way back to the room, heard Sun Dacheng’s question and, without realizing it, slowed her pace.

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