A daughter is like a tree that grows up and leaves home

Take Luo Qing’er as a disciple?

Xu Jinghuai momentarily thought his ears were playing tricks on him.

Luo Qing’er was Luo Hanhai’s only daughter, and in his heart, her status was even more precious than his collection of prized pearls!

He doted on her to no end, usually unwilling to even let his little princess travel far from home.

How could he possibly let her enter someone else’s sect?

Xu Jinghuai forced a strained smile.

“Er… Senior Demon Emperor, are you serious?”

Luo Hanhai stroked his white beard with a firm expression.

“Naturally, I am serious.”

Luo Hanhai’s demeanor did not seem feigned; in fact, Xu Jinghuai could faintly sense that the man was somewhat desperate to shove Luo Qing’er into his sect.

It was just like a father from his previous life who, fearing a late registration would miss the deadline for a top-tier cram school, exhausted every effort to get his child in.

Xu Jinghuai: [囧]

The sense of déjà vu was too strong!

Seeing Xu Jinghuai remain silent for a moment, Luo Hanhai followed up with an inquiry.

“I wonder what Jinghuai’s thoughts are? If you agree, my daughter can perform the apprenticeship ceremony right now.”

‘No, wait, wait, wait! Even if you’re serious, old Dragon Emperor, this progression is way too fast!’

Xu Jinghuai shook his head repeatedly, reaching out a hand to stop him.

“Er… wait, Senior Demon Emperor. For Qing’er to enter my sect… Jinghuai is terrified; I truly cannot think of anything I could possibly teach her…”

Luo Hanhai, however, did not seem to think so.

“Jinghuai, you joke. You are the Venerable of this Age, the undisputed number one in the world. In terms of martial prowess alone, even this old man does not have the confidence to best you in a duel. How many immortal sprouts under heaven are scrambling for a chance to enter your sect? How could you have nothing to teach Qing’er?”

“Aside from myself, you are the person most qualified and capable of guiding her.”

Tian Qingning and He Li couldn’t help but be shocked upon hearing this.

They hadn’t expected Luo Hanhai’s evaluation of Xu Jinghuai to be so high.

They knew Xu Jinghuai was strong, but they didn’t know exactly how strong he was. The only person who could serve as a benchmark for combat power was Luo Hanhai, the oldest known Demon Emperor.

However, the two ceiling-level powerhouses of the Cangnan Realm had never officially dueled; one had huddled on Youyun Peak for two thousand years, while the other had stayed in the Dragon Emperor Grotto for who-knows-how-many tens of thousands of years.

Both the man and the dragon were homebodies, so no one knew who was truly stronger.

Now, hearing Luo Hanhai personally admit he might not be able to defeat Xu Jinghuai—even if it carried a hint of humble flattery—it was still a testament of recognition from this living fossil. That alone was enough to be astonishing!

Xu Jinghuai spoke helplessly.

“Senior Demon Emperor, though I bear the title of Venerable, I am after all merely an ordinary human cultivator. Luo Qing’er is a noble member of the Dragon Race; the physical constitutions brought about by our different races are worlds apart. Qing’er should be more suited to cultivating the heritage of your Dragon Race, Senior…”

Xu Jinghuai simply couldn’t understand.

Was the Dragon Race’s heritage no longer appealing?

Why on earth would she want to learn human cultivation techniques?

Luo Hanhai glanced at Luo Qing’er beside him.

Currently, Luo Qing’er’s gaze was entirely fixed on Xu Jinghuai. To prevent her stare from being too obvious, her hands kept stuffing peanuts into her mouth, attempting to use the action to mask her little movements.

‘A daughter grown is a daughter lost!’

Involuntarily, this phrase popped into Luo Hanhai’s mind.

Actually, Xu Jinghuai was right.

The most suitable path for Luo Qing’er was definitely their Dragon Race’s heritage; Luo Hanhai had originally intended to cultivate her himself.

So why come looking for Xu Jinghuai?

The matter was actually quite simple.

As a Venerable, Xu Jinghuai taking a disciple was a matter of intense public interest. It had spread across the entire Cangnan Realm in an instant, causing a massive uproar.

Even in the far-off Dragon Emperor Grotto of the Eastern Sea, Luo Hanhai had received the news on the very same afternoon Xu Jinghuai recruited his disciple that morning.

At that time, Luo Qing’er happened to be with Luo Hanhai, and the news naturally reached her ears as well.

Normally, this wouldn’t have been a problem.

But when Luo Qing’er later heard that Xu Jinghuai would only take three personal disciples in his lifetime, she immediately lost her composure and pleaded with Luo Hanhai.

“Dad! I want to take the Youyun Immortal Venerable as my master!”

Luo Hanhai was initially against it; after all, he also believed the Dragon Race’s heritage was best for her.

But the moment she was refused, Luo Qing’er looked as though she were on the verge of tears—a picture of utter grievance. As a daughter-con, Luo Hanhai felt his world crumbling and tried every way to comfort her.

Yet Luo Qing’er was completely stubborn; no matter what he said, she insisted on taking the Youyun Immortal Venerable as her master. She then ran back to her room, slammed the door, and didn’t even come out for dinner.

This method of protest was exceptionally effective. Finally, out of sheer heartache for his precious daughter, Luo Hanhai helplessly agreed to her request.

It was fortunate that the person his daughter wanted to apprentice under was Xu Jinghuai—the title of “Venerable of the Age” was prestigious enough, and the two men had a decent friendship.

If it had been anyone else, Luo Hanhai might have drawn his blade and razed their entire sect.

‘What kind of trash are you to think you’re worthy of teaching Luo Hanhai’s daughter? Give me your life!’

Having finally obtained Luo Hanhai’s consent, Luo Qing’er’s attitude shifted instantly. She threw open the door, lunged into his arms, and gave him a kiss on the cheek, saying happily.

“Hee hee! I knew Daddy was the best!”

The lethality of that kiss was, for Luo Hanhai, at a cataclysmic level.

One had to know that the last time his daughter had happily and proactively kissed him was on her seventh birthday!

Since Luo Qing’er grew up, she had less and less often acted spoiled toward her old father!

At that moment, Luo Hanhai was nearly moved to tears.

He promised Luo Qing’er on the spot that he would make Xu Jinghuai take her in, no matter what!

If soft tactics didn’t work, he’d use hard ones! If hard ones didn’t work, he’d beg!

In short, Xu Jinghuai must take Luo Qing’er!

He said it, and not even the heavens could stop it!

Luo Hanhai had put his foot down.

Luo Hanhai didn’t just talk. Once the decision was made, he immediately began to consider the situation.

Since Xu Jinghuai had already declared he would only take three disciples, the title of Venerable had already caused many people to stir with the desire to seek apprenticeship.

If he arrived too late, it might be hard to ensure Luo Qing’er’s success.

If it weren’t for the fact that it was already very late and Luo Qing’er hadn’t had dinner yet, Luo Hanhai would have brought her to Xu Jinghuai’s doorstep that very night.

Thus, they could only wait until the next morning to set out.

But even with that kind of speed, when Luo Hanhai and Tian Qingning arrived at Youyun Peak that evening and saw another girl (the incarnation) lying in Xu Jinghuai’s arms, Luo Hanhai felt a jolt of alarm and a strong sense of crisis.

He hadn’t expected someone to be even faster than him!

If they had come any later, Luo Qing’er might not even have been able to squeeze into the slot for the third disciple!