Chapter 79 - Of Trust and Burdens

Xuan Tian exited Mo Chaoren's room and made his way back toward Bai Xunli's study.

But as he passed Lin Qian's room, the door opened and Ling Yu's head peeked out.

"Iron Wall? You're done? I want to take Lin Jie back to the residence."

Xuan Tian nodded. "Yes. Just need to inform Captain Bai. Are you ready to go?"

Zhao Zhi appeared beside her. "Almost. I'm going to get a carriage for Lin Sao."

Before he could step away, Bai Xunli approached with her two assistants.

"Please, let ICEB handle it. It's the least we can do," she offered.

Ling Yu lit up. "Captain, there's something I'd like to ask."

Bai Xunli smiled. "What is it, Miss Ling Yu?"

Ling Yu's expression turned solemn. "Please drop the 'Miss.' Just 'Ling Yu' is fine."

She took a breath. "I wanted to ask… is it possible for me to arrange Chen Wei's and his mother's burial?"

Xuan Tian turned to look at her, then at Bai Xunli.

Bai Xunli exhaled. "Of course. They don't have any other relatives. If you hadn't asked, they would've been buried in a mass grave."

Ling Yu gave a small, grateful smile. "Thank you. Then—"

"I'll take care of their bodies and coffins," Xuan Tian cut in gently. "You focus on the burial."

Ling Yu looked at Xuan Tian, her face showing determination. "I know what you're trying to do, and I'm grateful for it. But I need to do it myself."

Xu Yun, who had just arrived and overheard Ling Yu's words, stepped in gently. "Ling Yu, I know you were close to Chen Wei and want to give him and his mother a proper burial. That's enough. You don't need to see Chen Wei. Remember him as he was. Don't ruin that memory."

"Xu Yun Jie-Jie, I—"

"Ling Yu," Lin Qian's voice called from inside the room.

Ling Yu sighed in defeat. "I'm coming."

She looked at Xuan Tian. "Get good quality coffins."

Then she turned and retreated back into the room.

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The sky was already dark when Xuan Tian headed back to Qinglan Residence with Ling Yu and the doctors in tow. They just finished burying Chen Wei and his mother.

At the residence, Ling Yu went to find her Shizun right away to ask him to make her the pendant. Xu Yun helped Lin Qian settle into her room.

Xuan Tian stood in the garden of Xuanliu Courtyard, hands clasped behind his back.

Zhao Zhi approached him. "General, what is your plan?"

Xuan Tian turned to him. "My mission was to escort you four doctors to the Human Realm to deal with the plague."

His expression didn't change. "Such an easy mission. I was wondering why Tianjun sent me."

He sighed. "I guess Tianjun already had an inkling, but he didn't say anything—he was testing me."

A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes. "And I failed. Gloriously."

Zhao Zhi said nothing. He didn't agree, but he didn't know how to argue without sounding like a hypocrite. He knew Xuan Tian couldn't let go of Lei Wen's death—and that he blamed himself for it.

If Zhao Zhi was honest, a part of him blamed Xuan Tian too. He knew it wasn't fair, but the feeling lingered nonetheless.

Xuan Tian watched Zhao Zhi wrestle with his thoughts and nodded slightly. "It's okay, Doctor. You don't need to comfort me. I know I've failed."

"And to answer your earlier question, I plan to return to the Celestial Realm to receive my punishment."

He looked Zhao Zhi in the eyes. "Doctor, I am ashamed of what I'm about to ask you. But I must."

Xuan Tian bowed deeply and saluted. "With this, Xuan Mo would like to request Dr. Zhao Zhi to write a report on this mission—without holding back."

Zhao Zhi inhaled sharply, taken aback by the request. He hadn't expected Xuan Tian to take it this far.

"General," Zhao Zhi stepped forward and gently held Xuan Tian's elbows, lifting his hands to undo the salute. "Please don't do this. I understand your difficulties, but no one could have foreseen what happened."

"If we'd known about the pills case, we never would've come."

But Xuan Tian remained firm in his bow. "Regardless of circumstances, one member of this expedition was lost. Xuan Mo failed to ensure your safety."

Zhao Zhi saw there was no changing his mind.

He sighed and nodded. "General, I understand. I promise I'll write a truthful report."

"Thank you, Doctor." Xuan Tian straightened up. "We can leave anytime. I suggest we do so soon."

Zhao Zhi nodded. "Agreed. I'll go check on Dr. Lin. As soon as she's ready, we'll depart. Ah, yes—those two Celestials we rescued? Their conditions are still bad, but they're stable enough to travel."

Zhao Zhi left Xuan Tian alone in the garden.

Xuan Tian continued standing there, staring off into the distance.

Zhao Zhi turned back to glance once more at Xuan Tian's back. He sighed deeply. I was wrong to blame him. His back looks so defeated. Such an amazing person. Zhao Zhi exited the garden.

Ling Yu came back to Xuanliu Courtyard, skipping happily. One look at her and it was obvious she was in an extremely good mood.

Everything worked out well—maybe not everything, but it was close: Lin Qian was safe, Xu Yun and Zhao Zhi were safe, every cavern victim survived, the bad guys captured, and she got what she wanted. No wonder Ling Yu was happy.

She passed the garden on her way back to her room. As she passed, she saw Xuan Tian standing motionless in the middle of the garden. Both hands clasped behind his back, his face expressionless, eyes closed. His body stood so straight, Ling Yu couldn't help but think of an iron pole.

She was curious about what he was doing, but didn't call out—afraid she might disturb him.

So she just stood there, watching him.

There was something about Xuan Tian that tugged at her heart. He was the most contradictory person she'd ever met—so cold, yet strangely warm. So stoic, yet surprisingly flexible. So stubborn, yet open-minded. So ruthless, yet merciful.

Everything about him clashed and overlapped in the most confusing ways.

And yet, Ling Yu knew—without a shred of doubt—he could be trusted.

He had never lied to her. Not once.

For someone like her, just a fourteen-year-old girl in the Human Realm, that was no small thing. Even her father—the kindest man she had ever known—had told a few lies over the years.