CHAPTER-10
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He gently caressed Hiroshi's head with his rough hands. The lines that were on Hiroshi's forehead a few moments ago and the anger in his eyes disappeared. Hiyoshi sat down on his toes and with both his hands he held his son's face and said,
"Don't think I don't believe you. I promised you that I will take revenge for your mother no matter who that person is. Even if it is Yu Jiang"
Anger again appeared in Hiroshi's eyes and he frowned.
Hiyoshi thought, What now? why did he become angry again? Did I say something wrong? Just when Hiyoshi was thinking Hiroshi pushed away Hiyoshi's hand that was on his face.
Hiroshi said, "You said you believe me but now you're saying if Yu Jiang is the culprit."
Hiyoshi knew why his son became angry again. Hiyoshi thought his son is so difficult to coax just like his mother. At the thought of his wife, his love, his eyes became a little teary.
After calming down his emotions, he tried to comfort his child,
"I believe you but who knows if someone is trying to frame her and who knows maybe some servant did that. I am saying this because your mother and her relationship was like that of sisters so it's hard to believe but I will not let that matter rest I will surely find the culprit and if she is the culprit then I will keep my promise to you I will kill her. You know how Yu Jiang and your mother became friends?"
Hiroshi remained silent and his silence meant that he didn't know.
"I know that you are already aware of your mother being adopted by your grandfather Xiao Guang. At that time their condition wasn't very stable."
Hiroshi knew about her mother's family situation before her marriage to his father. He knew she was a commoner not someone from a major clan.
She belonged to a lowly tribe.
Hiyoshi continued,
"One day she went to the Snow Valley to get some herbs. Your grandmother was bitten by an Amber Clawmark Scorpion. It's a very deadly scorpion even though its cultivation is not much and not equivalent to the Amber Scorpion but an Origin spirit realm master bitten by an Amber Clawmark scorpion of the same level of cultivation can die in two days. As the Amber Clawmark scorpion cultivation increases, its poison becomes more deadly. So for her treatment, they went to the Snow Valley. As you know, snow valley is a dangerous valley filled with lots of beasts. Your grandfather and your mother were not very strong. At that time your mother was a half-step spirit realm master and she was 14 years old.
Your grandfather was at the Origin realm. Your grandfather found the herb and they were going back down from the Snow Valley. But on their way back they were surrounded by a group of Golden Apes and their leader. Snow valley consists of two kings one is a White Tiger, the king of the South and the other is a Golden Ape, the king of the North. They have the ability to sense the unknown in their territory. Your mother was unaware of this. At that time Yu Jiang came to the snow valley for adventuring with some guards protecting her. She saw your mother and grandfather surrounded by Apes so she asked her guards to help them. Her guards were strong enough to protect her but they were still weak in front of those Apes. But she still insisted on helping Sakura so her guards fought them and some of them even died, but they were able to flee from that battle. Yu Jiang and her guards were also injured but there was not even a scratch on your mother and your grandfather. After that Sakura and Yu Jiang became best friends. She was so good to your mother and is like a sister to Sakura and me."
Hiroshi then stared at his father for a second and then walked away from the pavilion with soundless steps leaving Hiyoshi alone there. Hiyoshi looked at the foggy sky for a while and then left the pavilion with heavy steps.

Hiroshi was silently walking toward his room. He opened his book and start reading it. The window inside his room was suitable for seeing the beautiful scenery outside. His gaze shifted from his book to the outside scenery where he can see soft snow falling and the green trees which were thickly covered with a white blanket but amid those trees, the pink cherry blossom tree was like a newly wedded girl on a white snowy path and its pastel pink petals were flowing like a wind trying to uncover the veil and peak the beauty hidden inside. This scene made his mood satisfied, made his heart calm but also made him remember his mother who has left him. Suddenly some warm tears flowed from his eyes. His expression was cold and calm and if one didn’t see his tears no one could think that he was sad. Hiroshi was in a daze and suddenly he felt tears flowing from his eyes. He touched them and didn’t even know he was crying. After his mother's funeral, this was the second time he shed tears. He wiped the corner of his eyes with his index finger his face became serious and cold similar to the chilly night outside and upon seeing his cold face no one could tell that such a personality could shed tears.

Meanwhile at Hikari’s house
Hikari after practicing light elements from the book “Luminescence ” became exhausted. She had to practice light elements by herself from the book because no one had light elements other than herself. Some powerful cultivators who Emperor Hizashi had asked to teach Hikari gave her guidance before but as she grew up they cannot give guidance anymore since only she has light elements and no one else has. She went to his father's study and knocked. A hoarse voice said,
“Come in”.
She went inside and saw his father reading something on a scroll. His father Hizashi gave her a bright smile and said
“Yu’er, you have been practicing for almost a day you must be exhausted. Come here sit with me and rest for a while.”
Hikari came towards him and sat on a futon next to Hizashi and smiled.
“Father, I have been practicing light elements from grandfather Li Shen's book and there I read something strange that made me curious. It's like this,
'The fire has yin energy but when it is converted into the light it has yang energy.”
Hizashi said,
“Hmm. Let me tell you, Yu'er you know we are from the sunbird clan and possess fire elements. Your grandfather was the first person to have light elements because of mutation in the bloodline and you are the second one. As this case is due to a rare mutation, the probability of someone possessing the light elements in the future is very slim and currently, you are the only one. You know fire has yin energy but light elements have yang energy. After the mutation in the bloodline fire is converted into the light so yin is converted into yang. This case is way too rare and only you and your grandfather experienced it".
Hizashi explained to her and then continued.
"You know you have light elements and light has yang energy just like dark elements have yin energy. Your grandfather has yang energy but not Yin energy. So to get Yin energy he performed demon cultivation. He was a dual cultivator. The people who perform demon cultivation can possess Yin energy”

Hikari became excited after listening and his father could see it so he continued this topic to tell her more about her grandfather. Hikari then asked a question,
“Father, why did grandpa want to have both yin and yang energy. Isn’t normal cultivation enough why bother doing demon cultivation?”
He replied, “Do you know why your grandfather made the Yin and Yang tree?”
She said confidently “Yes. It’s because he wanted to balance positive and negative emotions in the lower realm so that three realms would be in harmony.”
Hizashi said, “You’re right. Your grandfather first didn’t know that without balancing yin and yang energies three realms will collapse. But he was very powerful. He was a half-step celestial emperor. The people who can reach that level can predict the future. It’s not like they can see the future. But they can predict it with fragments and pieces from their dreams. Grandfather saw that if yin yang energies would not be balanced three realms would perish. So, to solve this crisis he thought for years and tried to make a technique that will save heaven, the underworld, and the lower realm but that technique offers his life. We don’t know how he made the yin yang tree but we know that he did both demon and normal cultivation. Yin and yang tree is basically made for us to balance both yin and yang energies. For example, if the yin side of the tree suddenly occupies more than half of the tree then we can destroy dwarf demons to make the Yin side of the tree balanced and vice versa. Besides, your grandfather said that if the tree is balanced then no one would is allowed to disturb this cycle of the tree but if it is not then we can think of a strategy to bring it to its original position, and after your grandfather died the Yin Yang tree is balanced till today but we don't know if it will remain like this even in the future".
Hizashi also wanted her daughter to gain more knowledge so he told her about the past and seeing Hikari's excitement he asked a question,
"Let me ask you something. Do you know Yu'er why grandfather wrote these scrolls and techniques of his light elements?"
Hikari rubbed her head with her small fingers clumsily and pondered for a while and then answered,
“Because he might have predicted the future and have seen that his granddaughter will have the same light elements so, for me to learn, he recorded his skills and techniques.”
Hizashi smiled and rubbed her daughter’s head and said,
“You guessed right.” Hikari also smiled shyly.
Hizashi then said “Do you want to know more things about grandfather? I think you seemed interested.”
“Father lord you told me grandfather was really powerful. Was there someone more powerful than him?"
Hizashi's expression became a little serious,
“Your grandfather was actually the most powerful but there was someone stronger than him and not just stronger a lot stronger than him.”
“Who was it?”
He replied,“ He was a very formidable person. His name was Ryu, the extinct dragon clan leader”.
“Then… "Hikari paused,
" Is he alive? No"
Hikari whose questions were never-ending asked another question,
“Then how did he die? He was really stronger”. Hizashi whose face was showing signs of exhaustion replied “Yu ‘er I will tell you again someday. It’s a very long story. It’s so late now. Let’s go to sleep.”
Seeing Hizashi's lack of interest Hikari pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. Hizashi noticed her being upset and coaxed her while rubbing her head,
“My precious, it’s too late now. I will tell you again someday. It’s such a long story that if I start telling you the whole night might pass. Don’t be stubborn. Let’s go to sleep.” Seeing him coaxing her like that Hikari smiled sweetly at her father and said cheekily,
“Alright Father Lord but you will sing me a lullaby for me to have a good night's sleep”
“You are now big. Do you still need me to sing you a lullaby.?” Hikari pouted her lips,
“Please Father lord. When you sing a lullaby I sleep soundly without any nightmares and now you have made me habitual so you must take responsibility and now I won't sleep unless you sing me a lullaby.”
Seeing her persuading him soo much Hizashi had no choice. Hizashi seems to have no bottom line when it comes to his daughter. Hizashi sighed and then lifted Hikari and said adoringly,
“Your naughtiness is coming back right”.
“Thank you, Father Lord"
After saying this Hikari kissed Hizashi's cheeks. An unexpected kiss came on his cheeks and Hizashi's heart seemed to be filled with sweetness. He carried Hikari to her room while smiling beamingly.

At this time, in the Zither Clan Hiyoshi was sitting in his study with his friend talking while drinking tea. Then Hiyoshi’s friend noticed his absent-mindedness and said.
“What are you thinking?”
Hiyoshi looked at him paused and replied,
“Bai Jue you know we went together in the dark seas. I only left home for two months but Hiroshi seems to be really angry with me. Just leave talking he doesn’t even give me a glance. I only left for a really short period of time and I don’t think he should be angry with me in this matter.”
Bai Jue first took a sip of tea from his cup, glanced at Hiyoshi, and sighed,
“You don’t understand his mind, Hiyoshi. You know what he thinks. He thinks that you thought you went for a short period and you think that this short period is insignificant. But in that insignificant and short amount of time that accident happened to his mother. You know my son, his mother left for ten days because she was angry with me. When she left he cried for several days and when she came back he didn't talk to his mother and didn't eat anything that she cooked for him. He started making trouble at his school and after 4 months of coaxing him then he reconciled with his mother. You know he just thought that you think that short time in your eyes isn’t worth mentioning and in that short and insignificant period, Hiroshi and his mother were continuously missing you. Yet, there was no message from you and I bet you didn’t even bother to tell them for how long you were going. Am I right?"
Hiyoshi didn’t reply and remained silent. But his silence gave Bai Jue an answer so he continued,
“Okay, just tell me that if today Hiroshi would disappear. What would happen to you? Won’t you be distressed and look for him. And after a few days, he comes back and just told you he was outing with his friends. Won’t you be angry with him? And in response, he only says that he was just out for a short period of time. Wouldn’t you be angry?"
All Bai Jue words were striking like knives slashing Hiyoshi's heart making him more guilty towards Hiroshi and Sakura. Bai Jue said,
“You know Hiyoshi I think that his attitude is way too good compared to other children. If it were my child I think he might cut off his ties with me and that’s because Hiroshi is understandable and mature for his age. Hiyoshi did you ever notice that his attitude is not like the children of his age but it is more like an adult's. His mental age far surpasses other children. But did you forget that he is just a child, an 11-year-old child. Why are you expecting him to act like an adult?
He never let his emotions display on his face and I have been noticing him for a long time. Even though you are a father you never noticed that. You know one time when he was six years old he and my son went together to get some lanterns from the shop during a Lantern Festival. But on their way back they encountered a low-cultivation beast. Luckily they only got minor injuries. When they both came back they were injured. My son was wailing like he lost his mother but there wasn't a single expression on Hiroshi's face. My son only got some bruises and we applied some medicine as for Hiroshi he outwardly seemed fine so we thought he didn't get injured. Then I saw he was holding his arm behind his back, I asked the physician to check and we were shocked to learn that he got his arm fractured. My son got only bruises and he was crying so much but he got his arm fractured but he remained expressionless. Previously I thought that your child is abnormal". Hiyoshi abruptly looked at him with murderous eyes at his remark.
"Calm down. Calm down. That's why I never voiced my thoughts. But now I understand that your child is normal and he has learned to hide his emotions so early, the reason is that he is a genius, far superior to others”
Bai Jue sighed and said,
“I don’t want to say this but you have neglected your family.” After hearing his friend's true but ruthless remarks the most elegant, mature, strong, and sharp-minded Hiyoshi who was admired by many people felt for the first time like someone slapped his face too hard. He was filled with various emotions guilt, embarrassment, and sadness. He learned about his own son from someone else mouth and what another person told about his son he was completely unaware of it.
Hiyoshi saw Hiroshi weeping. Hiroshi doesn’t even ask his father to buy him something. Whatever he wants he struggles by himself. He also never seek any guidance in cultivation and studies. Only he tried to learn songs from him but later he told Hiyoshi that he took notes of 'Sobriety' song from his library and learned by himself and after that song, he learned all songs on his own and never bothered Hizashi. Thinking this Hiyoshi felt he was not like someone who is 11 years old but he gave the feeling of a mature adult. Hiyoshi also remembered that when he was a child he never made trouble or asked for toys. Thinking about all of this, Hiyoshi was reminded of when Hiroshi was reading a book about plants and how he found out that Yu Jiang is the culprit. After that, he said ‘Father you might not know about this but I read a lot of books about plants, especially poisonous ones.’ He didn’t even know his son had an interest in reading books about plants. He had neglected his son over the past years and Hiyoshi's heart suddenly was overflowing with remorse and guilt.
Seeing the obvious guilt on his face Bai Jue felt sympathetic and said,
“I think now instead of feeling guilty you should try to understand Hiroshi and make up for all the time you have disappointed him as a father”
In response to Bai Jue, Hiyoshi solemnly nodded.

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