radicalducati Chapter 201 White Crane: Grandson-in-law?
Chapter 201 White Crane: Grandson-in-law?
Chapter 201 White Crane: Grandson-in-law?
At night, there should only be the faint sound of a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves. However, the air is now filled with the cacophony of frogs and insects, their sounds rising and falling in waves.
These natural melodies echoed within the Min clan's sect, but at this moment, no one was in the mood to appreciate them.
The Min clan is now in unprecedented chaos. Their young sect leader, Bai Chenxiang, has vanished without any warning.
The entire sect, from elders to disciples, was gripped by tension and panic.
Bai Chenxiang's disappearance has lasted for a full day and night. She vanished without a trace starting yesterday afternoon.
Everyone in the sect was extremely anxious. They searched everywhere, turning the mountains and forests, rivers, villages and towns upside down, leaving no trace of Bai Chenxiang. However, despite their tremendous efforts, there was still no sign of her.
The patriarch of the Min clan, Bai He, sat wearily in a chair in the sect's main hall. His face looked haggard, as if he had aged several years in a single day.
Ever since learning that his granddaughter had gone missing, Baihe has been frantically searching for her.
He not only personally led the experts within his sect to search the territories of the Yu and Po clans, but also flew all the way to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
There, he searched almost the entire academy, including all the places Bai Chenxiang had been before, leaving no corner unexplored.
Even so, he still couldn't find any clues about his granddaughter.
Bai Chenxiang seemed to have vanished into thin air; she could not be found in either bustling cities or remote mountain villages.
In just over a day, Baihe estimated that he had flown at least several dozen miles. His physical strength was completely exhausted, and even flying had become difficult.
The atmosphere within the sect grew increasingly heavy, with everyone silently praying for Bai Chenxiang's safe return.
However, as time went by, this hope seemed to grow increasingly faint. Baihe was filled with self-blame and regret, constantly asking himself why he hadn't protected his granddaughter better, and why he hadn't noticed anything amiss sooner.
However, he knew that the most important thing now was to stay calm and keep searching until he found the white agarwood.
Bai He was already exhausted by the threat of the Spirit Hall army, and now his granddaughter had disappeared, especially at this crucial time. This made Bai He suspect that a Title Douluo from the Spirit Hall had kidnapped his granddaughter in an attempt to force him to submit.
Bai He was filled with anxiety and unease, knowing full well the immense power and ruthless methods of the Spirit Hall.
Moreover, the two Title Douluos sent by the Spirit Hall this time—the Azure Phoenix Douluo at level 97 and the Golden Crocodile Douluo Bai He at level 98—knew that with their strength, it would be an extremely simple matter for them to kidnap their granddaughter without anyone noticing.
Bai He is currently caught in a dilemma, feeling that he has been driven to a dead end. If the Spirit Hall really captures his granddaughter and tries to force him to submit, then he will face a difficult choice: to join the Spirit Hall or to uphold his principles and beliefs.
Bai He knew that once he chose to join the Spirit Hall, he would lose his freedom and become a puppet of the Spirit Hall, which would undoubtedly be a form of mental torture for him.
However, he seemed to have no other choice. Bai Chenxiang was his only granddaughter, the hope and future of the family. Bai He had to ensure her safety at all costs; it was his responsibility and duty as a grandfather. He couldn't imagine life without his granddaughter; it would be a world of darkness and despair.
In fact, before Bai Chenxiang disappeared, Bai He had thought about fighting the Spirit Hall to the bitter end with backbone.
However, after his granddaughter went missing, Baihe panicked completely. He realized that his pride and perseverance had always seemed so fragile and powerless in the face of his granddaughter's safety.
It was only then that Baihe realized that in front of his granddaughter, his pride had always been a joke.
He began to reflect: what use is his backbone if his loved ones are gone? He began to doubt whether his former beliefs were truly worth upholding.
Bai He was filled with contradictions and struggles. He didn't know what path to take next, but he knew that he had to find Bai Chenxiang as soon as possible and ensure her safety. This was the only thing he had to do now.
Over the past few years, Bai He has become completely disillusioned with the Haotian Sect.
He once held great hope in the Haotian Sect, believing that his family had finally found a solid safe haven.
After his sister married into the Haotian Sect, Baihe thought that the Min clan would be protected from then on, but reality cruelly shattered his illusions.
When the crisis struck, the Clear Sky Sect's reaction chilled Bai He to the bone. Instead of fighting alongside the Min Clan, they chose to flee, leaving Bai He and his people to face the crisis alone. This betrayal was more deadly than any enemy's attack.
Despite it being the Haotian Sect that caused the trouble, they deliberately pushed themselves to the front lines, while the Haotian Sect simply escaped.
What pained Baihe even more was that his sister hadn't sent a single letter all these years. She seemed to have forgotten her distant relatives and family, enjoying the comfort of her new home.
The Haotian Sect was completely indifferent to the life and death of the white cranes, as if they were merely tools to be used and discarded.
Bai He began to realize that in the eyes of the Haotian Sect, he and the Min clan were nothing more than dispensable pawns, which could be discarded at will once they lost their usefulness.
Faced with such injustice, Bai He's thoughts of rebellion began to stir within him. If joining the Spirit Hall could bring protection to the Min Clan, then he was willing to set aside his prejudices and seek new allies.
Even if his granddaughter did not fall into the hands of the Spirit Hall, Bai He planned to use the loyalty of the Min clan to exchange for the Spirit Hall's help in finding his missing granddaughter.
After all, the Spirit Hall is a powerful force that can stand on equal footing with the two great empires, and they have enough resources and capabilities to help Bai He find his granddaughter.
As Bai He pondered his future path amidst a multitude of thoughts, a strange shadow silently appeared on the hall floor.
A figure sat quietly behind the white crane, picked up a cup on the table without any ceremony, and began to drink tea as if this were his home.
"Little friend, the cup you're using is my granddaughter's." Bai He's voice trembled slightly.
Hearing Bai He's words, Huo Yuhao gently put down his water glass and calmly replied, "I know, her scent is on it."
Huo Yuhao's answer stirred up a storm in Bai He's heart. He turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the young man in front of him.
"So, my granddaughter is indeed in the hands of your Spirit Hall!"
Bai He could sense that Huo Yuhao had come here alone.
Bai He began to consider whether he had the ability to subdue Huo Yuhao in exchange for his kidnapped granddaughter.
However, Bai He quickly abandoned the idea. Although the boy Huo Yuhao in front of him was only twelve years old, Bai He felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.
This sense of oppression almost reminded him of the time he faced the old sect master of the Haotian Sect. It was a suffocating pressure, a feeling he only experienced when facing an absolute powerhouse.
Bai He couldn't help but marvel inwardly. Just who was this young man? His cultivation talent was simply unbelievable. No wonder the Spirit Hall's actions had become increasingly arrogant and reckless lately. With such a monstrously talented holy son backing them, the Spirit Hall's arrogant behavior seemed somewhat understandable.
Bai He knew all too well how terrifying Huo Yuhao's power would be once he fully matured.
At that time, the entire continent's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or landscape) may change as a result, and the era of the Spirit Hall may truly arrive.
Besides, even if he had the ability to subdue Huo Yuhao, so what? Bai He's goal was to rescue his granddaughter, not to provoke the Spirit Hall. If he were to act on impulse and attack Huo Yuhao, the consequences would be unbearable. The Spirit Hall's retaliation would be far beyond what he and the Min Clan could easily handle.
Bai He took a deep breath to calm himself down, then slowly said, "Since the Holy Son has come alone, I presume your purpose is not my granddaughter. I suspect you have come here to use my granddaughter as leverage to persuade me to join the Spirit Hall."
Upon hearing Bai He's words, Huo Yuhao's lips curled into a faint smile.
A few days ago, he might have indeed targeted the Min clan, and even considered using Bai Chenxiang to force Bai He to submit. However, Huo Yuhao now came with utmost sincerity.
He slowly took out a jar of wine from his soul tool and carefully placed it on the table.
Huo Yuhao gently opened the lid, and a rich aroma of wine immediately filled the air, making people feel intoxicated.
He poured himself a glass; the amber liquid swirled gently within, gleaming alluringly. Then, he filled a glass for the white crane, his movements gentle and respectful.
"Grandpa Bai, don't worry, Xiangxiang is sleeping soundly with me, you don't need to worry at all."
Hearing Huo Yuhao's address and attitude, Bai He couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. Why would this Holy Son, who held a revered position in the Spirit Hall, be so polite to him? It was simply unbelievable.
Furthermore, he calls his granddaughter "Xiangxiang" and himself "Grandpa," which clearly indicates that his relationship with his granddaughter is extraordinary. Could it be that he knew his granddaughter before?
Bai He's mind was filled with questions. He couldn't understand why Huo Yuhao would kidnap his granddaughter if he really knew her. Bai He was completely baffled and couldn't figure out where things went wrong.
However, despite his doubts, Baihe was now at least certain of one thing: his granddaughter was safe. This thought finally lifted a heavy weight from his heart, bringing him a sense of relief.
Huo Yuhao gently picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and his eyes revealed a hint of determination and sincerity. He slowly spoke, "Grandpa Bai, I understand that you must be full of doubts right now and want to ask me many questions. I must be frank with you in advance that I have indeed come here with the purpose of negotiation, but please rest assured that my intention is not to threaten you, but to have an equal discussion with you."
The white crane's radiant light lingered on Huo Yuhao for a moment, its gaze filled with scrutiny and contemplation. Finally, it spoke slowly, its voice trembling slightly: "Then, can you tell me, what is the purpose of all this?"
Huo Yuhao seemed to have anticipated Bai He's question. He put down his wine glass and began to slowly recount everything that had happened the day before.
Huo Yuhao recounted that yesterday afternoon, Bai Chenxiang went to the Spirit Hall alone. He said that he got drunk and Bai Chenxiang took care of him for the first half of the night. Then, after Bai Chenxiang developed a fever, he took care of her for the second half of the night.
The story recounts how the two confessed their feelings to each other in the middle of the night, and how Bai Chenxiang begged him not to harm the Min clan.
Huo Yuhao described every detail in detail, from Bai Chenxiang's gentleness and thoughtfulness to the emotional exchange between them, all of which revealed the deep emotional bond between the two.
After listening to Huo Yuhao's account, Bai He's eyes were filled with tears. He never imagined that his granddaughter would be willing to make such a huge sacrifice and effort for him.
Bai Chenxiang's actions deeply touched his heart, making him feel both gratified and heartbroken. He never expected that his granddaughter would grow up overnight.
Bai He never expected that his granddaughter would go to such lengths for him, going to the Spirit Hall alone. Fortunately, his granddaughter and Huo Yuhao had such a connection, and the two were deeply in love. Otherwise, Bai He really wouldn't know what to do.
As for whether Huo Yuhao was lying, Bai He, based on his years of experience and insight into human nature, believed that Huo Yuhao had no reason to deceive him.
After all, Bai Chenxiang was currently in the Spirit Hall, and Huo Yuhao could have easily used her as leverage to coerce him, but he didn't. Huo Yuhao's honesty and integrity deepened Bai He's trust in him even further.
Moreover, Bai He could sense Huo Yuhao's sincerity. His tone of voice and the expression he made were genuine, and the tenderness in his eyes when he talked about his granddaughter was also undeniable.
If his own granddaughter could go to the Spirit Hall alone for the sake of the Min clan, how could he let his granddaughter be in a difficult position?
Bai He rose from his seat, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply to Huo Yuhao: "Holy Son, from this day forward, the Min Clan will obey your every command. Bai He is willing to serve you faithfully!"
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