The old white ape left first, while Lan Niang and Hong Ji went to chat with Wu Tian. They told Wu Tian they wanted him to stay; the sisters had finally found a home and wished to serve him well.
This "service" was naturally that of a disciple to their master, not a woman to a man.
"Is that possible?" Lan Niang and Hong Ji asked, their faces tense with the fear of rejection after expressing their desire to serve the Sect Leader.
"You still don’t understand the true meaning of home," Wu Tian said, shaking his head.
Hearing this, Lan Niang and Hong Ji frowned, completely puzzled. What does he mean by the ’true meaning of home’? What is he talking about?
"Let me ask you a question," Wu Tian said. "Who raised you when you were children?"
"It was Uncle Yang," Lan Niang said sadly.
Hong Ji nodded and added, "Uncle Yang loved our mother, but she didn’t love him. He took us in after she passed away, even though we weren’t related by blood."
"He was a poor man, too," Lan Niang said. "But to keep my sister and me from starving, he begged for food everywhere. We grew up eating scraps from countless households."
Wu Tian smiled. "At birth, human nature is fundamentally good." This world has its scoundrels, but it also has good people, even if scoundrels are many and good people few. Scoundrels are often mistaken for heroes, while true heroes are often misunderstood. But in the end, time reveals all.
"Let’s say," Wu Tian said with another smile, "that either your biological father or Uncle Yang had to die. Which one would you choose?"
"This..." Lan Niang and Hong Ji hesitated, conflicted.
But Hong Ji was quick to answer. "I would want Uncle Yang to be safe."
"Me too," Lan Niang finally agreed.
Wu Tian nodded.
「Meanwhile」
The old white ape had told the Divine Monkey Great General about Wu Tian. Hearing the report, the Great General’s face turned completely dark. He had thought Wu Tian was someone impressive, but it turned out he was nothing special. The old white ape added that Wu Tian’s arrival might mean Lan Niang and Hong Ji would be taken away.
This enraged the Divine Monkey Great General even more. He immediately climbed out of his sickbed and stormed off with the old white ape to find Wu Tian.
At that moment, Wu Tian was holding the little one and telling her jokes.
"Wu Tian, come here," the Divine Monkey Great General called out in a stern voice.
"Father, why are you looking for the Sect Leader?" Hong Ji asked, worried.
"Don’t worry, it’s nothing. I just want to have a few words with him," the Divine Monkey Great General said with a smile before turning to Wu Tian. "Come with me."
He strode off into the distance, with the old white ape following behind.
Seeing this, Wu Tian smiled slightly.
"Take me with you," the little one demanded. "Such a good show can’t happen without me!"
Wu Tian wanted to refuse, but the little one gave him a look that clearly threatened tears if he didn’t agree. Wu Tian was helpless. In this lifetime, he was utterly defeated by his daughter. He had no choice but to follow along, carrying the little one.
As Lan Niang and Hong Ji watched them go, their hearts grew heavy, a sense of foreboding washing over them.
The Divine Monkey Great General led Wu Tian to a secluded corner of the General’s Mansion. There, the Great General stopped and turned to face Wu Tian, who had arrived holding the little one. After pondering for a moment, he said, "You will ruin my grand plans."
"Is that so?" Wu Tian responded with a smile, raising an eyebrow.
"Definitely!" the little one giggled.
"See, even your daughter says so," the Divine Monkey Great General retorted angrily.
Wu Tian’s expression remained unchanged, as if he were watching an interesting play, waiting to see what the Divine Monkey Great General would say next.
The Divine Monkey Great General continued, "I thank you for taking care of my daughters when they were orphans. I will give you some gold and silver, and you can be on your way. As for the Purple-Green Twin Swords, since you already gave them to my daughters, they are their property. And if my daughters ask, do not repeat what I have said."
The Divine Monkey Great General’s tone suddenly became threatening. "Even if your parents did the Great Heavenly King of Dogs a favor and he is obliged to help you, a fight between him and me would be a battle to the death. Why would he risk his life for you?"
Wu Tian found this amusing.
The little one watched the scene with a serious expression before giggling. "So, you just want my dad to stay away from the two big sisters."
"Correct," the Divine Monkey Great General nodded, then added abruptly, "Not just your dad, but you as well."
"In short, neither of you, father or daughter, are to see my daughters again."
The little one was displeased. "I can understand my dad, but why me too?"
Wait, what does she mean, ’I can understand my dad’? Wu Tian’s lip twitched.
Seeing the pair’s reaction, the Divine Monkey Great General said, "As my daughters, I must meticulously select not only their future husbands but even their friends. Anyone who befriends my daughters cannot be an ordinary person."
"Oh?" Wu Tian chuckled. "And who, for example, is qualified to be friends with your daughters?"
The Divine Monkey Great General replied indifferently, "They must meet two requirements. First, an exceptional background. On that point, you barely qualify. Second, they must have personal ability, which you lack."
The Divine Monkey Great General sized Wu Tian up and down but couldn’t discern any hint of cultivation in him.
I am in the Heavenly King Realm, yet I can’t discern his cultivation? Even the Great Heavenly King of Dogs couldn’t do that. Unless his cultivation is above the Heavenly King Realm? Is that even possible?
To the Divine Monkey Great General, that was simply impossible. Therefore, in his eyes, Wu Tian’s personal strength was nonexistent.
He has no strength, yet he constantly stirs up trouble. If the Great Heavenly King of Dogs hadn’t stepped in, he would be long dead. Posturing like that with no real power? In the Divine Monkey Great General’s view, such a person was just a liability.
"Are you so sure I lack strength?" Wu Tian asked calmly.
"I am," the Divine Monkey Great General nodded. "You’re in your twenties, are you not? To have no strength at your age means you must have no talent for the Martial Path. Are you aware that no amount of backing can ever compare to one’s own powerful strength?"
"Hm," Wu Tian nodded. He agreed with that statement. No amount of backing could compare to one’s own strength.
"So, you see your mistake? I hope my words today have allowed you and your daughter to recognize your own limitations," the Divine Monkey Great General said indifferently, preparing to turn and leave.
He insulted me? And my daughter? And he thinks he can just walk away?
Suddenly, Wu Tian scoffed. "You monkey. Why were you born with a dog’s eyes, always looking down on people?"
"What do you mean by that?" the Divine Monkey Great General grunted, displeased. He stopped in his tracks and turned back around.
Wu Tian sneered. "Do you really think you understand my daughter and me? Do you think it would be a loss for your daughters to be associated with us? Do you really think you can act so arrogant in my presence and then just walk away unscathed?"
Wu Tian stepped forward, and a wildly arrogant, world-ending murderous aura suddenly burst forth from within him.
In that instant, the very air seemed to shift as the sky changed color.