Li Huai had returned.
When Su Cha got off the warship, Li Huai almost simultaneously disembarked from his flying craft. From a distance, he nodded at Su Cha to signal that the situation had been resolved.
“This trip wasn’t in vain,” Li Huai briefly reported the situation: “The anger of the townsfolk needed a release point. That d*mn family threw all the blame onto these few people. They were almost pelted to death with stones and eggs in the streets.”
Imagining the scene, Su Cha was quite satisfied: “After this incident, the Xia family is completely ruined.”
Previously, he had seen several corpses of Xia family warriors outside the valley. After asking around, he learned that when he and Xie Rongjue left, Ji Tianjin had specifically named these few to Yise; none of the Xia family who came to surround the valley survived.
With the clan leader dead, their vanguard power gone, and their amassed wealth ripe for the taking, the Xia family would soon be entirely carved up by other forces.
Li Huai continued, “Those three have already been publicly executed. Though I don’t know what grudge they have, their eyes never closed before they died.”
He showed Su Cha photos, apparently to cheer him up.
Without Ji Tianjin around, Su Cha instinctively covered his own eyes first. In a few hours, it would be dawn, and he worried seeing this might spoil his breakfast mood.
Suddenly raising his hand, Su Cha’s thin frame trembled as if startled.
Li Huai gave him a complicated glance.
Su Cha kept the pose and said, “I want to go to the valley.”
Li Huai replied, “I get it. The fragile you needs an escort.”
“…”
***
The flowers and plants on Spirit Mountain had been disturbed by the earlier crows’ caws. It was like they’d had iced coffee—now fully awake.
Protected by Li Huai’s spiritual power, Su Cha entered the valley steadily. The flowers and plants eagerly waved their leaves at him, and Su Cha waved back.
After greeting them, he was silent for a moment in the evening breeze and slowly said, “My darlings, I’m leaving now.”
The swaying flowers and plants all stopped.
Su Cha had never deliberately hidden this fact; sometimes, in the valley, he would talk about how to ensure the little flower spirits would grow up smoothly after he left. Though everyone had long known this moment would come, actually hearing it caused some flower buds to wither on the spot from sadness; a few nearly drooped into the soil.
Su Cha gave a helpless smile: “I’ll come back to see you all often.”
With control over the wormhole, at least for the next hundred years, coming and going would still be convenient.
The little flower spirits revived their spirits again.
For spirits, time passed quickly in cultivation — maybe a single retreat would be enough to see him again.
The Elder Guardian was fairly strong in this world, but Su Cha still felt uneasy relying on him alone. After some thought, he contacted Xue Li. This time, the contact was direct: Su Cha posted four characters on social media: [Please answer the call]. Then he tagged Xue Li and sent a private message with his number.
Strength is the most straightforward way to gain others’ attention — and having powerful backing too.
Though it was already past midnight, Xue Li’s call came almost immediately. Her voice had a natural coquettishness: “Handsome, want to conquer the world together?”
Su Cha cut her off, getting straight to the point: “I’m planning to leave.”
Hearing this, Xue Li visibly relaxed. Conquering the world was a joke, but in his case, it could well come true. Su Cha had too many capable allies; if he really wanted something, no one could stop him.
“I’ll come back occasionally, but as for the flower demon clan…”
Xue Li promised: “With Su Yeling and the leader of the Li Snake Clan gone, the director position of the Bureau will definitely be mine. Since you helped me clear two big troubles, I’ll naturally take care of the flower demon clan.”
Talking with a smart person had its perks — one word was enough to understand.
After hanging up, Su Cha warmly invited Li Huai to finish naming the rest.
“The rest?” Li Huai was a little stunned hearing this word, and instinctively asked, “How many are left?”
Su Cha gave a rough number.
The air grew especially quiet. After a long moment, Li Huai suggested, “Let’s go back first, then leave Ji Chong behind. He can finish naming on his own and return by warship.”
“This…” Su Cha hesitated, “Is that really okay?”
Li Huai countered, “Naming now is painful for both of us; leaving him means only he suffers alone. What’s so bad about that?”
The logic of the Galan star people was always something Su Cha couldn’t understand or argue against.
That said, Li Huai wasn’t entirely ruthless and spent some time naming. Halfway through, he suddenly said, “Among all these, there isn’t a single one with Ji Tianjin’s surname.”
Su Cha: “…” That’s my fault for being ignorant.
Together, they painstakingly named for hours. As the sun rose, the clouds in the valley were blown away.
Li Huai, exhausted, said, “Change.”
Su Cha wholeheartedly agreed, “Definitely need a change.”
Before that, he returned once to the flower spirits to explain his departure.
The little flower spirits said sadly, “You promise you’ll come back to see us.”
Su Cha smiled: “Of course, I swear on the heavens.”
One little flower spirit took it seriously: “You have people in the heavens, but we flower demons swear on the earth — that’s more reliable.”
Su Cha cooperated and swore again.
At that moment, one little flower demon suddenly brought out a flower wreath: “This is a gift for that big brother. Heaven and earth bear witness — may you be united forever.”
Hearing this, Su Cha’s hand trembled as he took the wreath. “Heaven and earth bear witness” isn’t used like that.
Besides, have he and Ji Tianjin shown themselves so obviously? Even these little children had seen through it.
“Thank you, we will cherish it.” Under the reluctant gazes of the little flower demons, Su Cha sighed, “Parting is for a better re…”
Li Huai suddenly said, “Let’s go, the warship is urging. The sooner we leave, the sooner we return.”
The perfect logical conclusion successfully persuaded the little flower demons, who went from tugging Su Cha’s sleeve to actively waving goodbye.
Escorting them all the way to the outskirts of the Dahe Province, the little flower demons kept waving their arms at the sky.
Su Cha watched through the glass for a long time. Seeing this, Li Huai asked, “Can’t bear to leave?”
Su Cha: “Just feeling a bit indescribable.”
He’d always been running around completing missions, mostly on the run. At some point, he had become the one whose back others watched disappear. Leaving the Galan Empire, before sleep, or just now saying goodbye to the little flower spirits — every farewell seemed unusually rushed.
As if sensing his thoughts, Li Huai calmly said, “Life is essentially a journey of farewells, so cherish those who stay until the end.”
The sudden piece of inspiration hit Su Cha unexpectedly.
However, this “inspirational talk” quickly turned into teasing: “Once you officially confirm your relationship, you’ll definitely have to return to the Empire and hold a press conference. The scene will surely be very interesting.”
Both their identities were extraordinary; their romance could never be kept quiet. Status dictated ceremony.
Su Cha tightened his grip on the flower wreath in his hand. If he remembered correctly, it had been less than twelve hours since Ji Tianjin confessed to him—so why did it seem like the whole world already knew?
“Instructor, how did you—”
Li Huai: “You two are just too obvious in your love.”
“…You’re really funny.”
Li Huai suddenly laughed, as if he’d thought of something: “In this world, love has an age limit, marriage has an age limit, but love at first sight doesn’t.”
“Instructor, you’re acting strange today.”
Without showing it, Su Cha unfastened his seatbelt, preparing to throw out a question to probe whether the instructor might be an enemy assassin in disguise. But Li Huai spoke first: “Do you remember the first time you walked into the dormitory building?”
Su Cha remained cautious but tried to recall—it seemed ordinary, except for the reminder about curfew.
Li Huai: “I remember very clearly.”
At that time, Rong Shao was helping move books; Ji Tianjin walked to Su Cha’s left, always one step slower, glancing at Su Cha every so often, even his spiritual energy somewhat unstable.
“The school’s surveillance footage is saved for at least ten years. When we get back, I’ll send you a copy.”
After saying this, Li Huai leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest, leaving Su Cha confused.
He pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure out what Li Huai meant. Frowning, he debated whether to ask directly, when he suddenly noticed outside the window another warship heading the opposite way—clearly the elder was being sent back.
A new question arose: would Ji Chong be on that warship?
When Su Cha saw Ji Tianjin again, he looked around carefully but didn’t see Ji Chong.
“Uncle wouldn’t really—”
Ji Tianjin: “Someone has to do the naming.”
Su Cha looked him over carefully, top to bottom, confirming no obvious wounds: “He didn’t rough you up?”
“He wanted to, but I—”
“Actively admitting fault?”
Ji Tianjin calmly replied, “Hid behind the teacher.”
Su Cha silently gave a thumbs-up. Impressive.
He casually placed the flower wreath on Ji Tianjin’s head. The other’s typically cold demeanor clashed amusingly with the cute wreath, nearly making Su Cha laugh.
“The little flower demons gave it to you.”
Ji Tianjin kept wearing it while seated; he didn’t take it off even when the warship took off.
Su Cha lightly nudged him with his elbow: “That’s quite heartwarming, you didn’t take off the token.”
Ji Tianjin turned his face sideways and said, “Because you’re smiling.”
“Huh?”
“You’re smiling when you see me wear this,” Ji Tianjin said. “I like how you look when you smile.”
Su Cha felt restless. What was up with everyone today? Every sentence was stranger than the last. Didn’t they consider that Cyril was still here? Such sweet talk might even make Cyril awkward.
“Your smile is very beautiful,” Cyril finally spoke up. “Far better than the galaxy.”
Su Cha felt the warmth rising to his cheeks and took a deep breath: “Turn on the air conditioning, quick, turn on the air conditioning!”
If it didn’t cool down soon, his face would be red.
Seeing his serious expression, laughter suddenly filled the cabin.
Even after the warship had traveled far away, Su Cha suddenly realized—were they all deliberately teasing him to cheer him up? That tactic worked well. The planet behind was already completely out of sight, yet he didn’t have time to feel sad, nor the mood to recall the past and get emotional.
“So nice,” Su Cha suddenly whispered, “No enemies, and no need to think about revenge.”
Finally, he could be as free as the wind.
A photo was handed to him. Su Cha casually glanced at it. Why did the person pouting, twisting their waist and shaking a wine glass look so familiar?
Because it was a side profile, he looked a little longer: “Is this… the Federation President?”
Cyril nodded. “The Shiyuan tribe is just his pawn; the Federation President is the real mastermind behind the scenes.”
“…”
