Chapter 24: Master, I Have No Family Left
Ming Ji did not fall into the illusion, nor did he know exactly what would happen inside.
But when his eyes turned to Wei Zixi’s face, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of worry in his heart.
No matter how much time passed, Ming Ji still clearly remembered the year he found Wei Zixi. When the child’s clear eyes looked over, they held total trust in him.
Ming Ji had rarely raised children, even with Yan Shiman and Chu Yunduan.
By the time he took them in, they could already remember things and take care of themselves. Ming Ji was naturally aloof, and sect affairs were busy; aside from guiding their cultivation, they rarely saw him in person.
He wasn’t someone who knew how to raise a child. Even when he saved Wei Zixi in passing that year, he had originally intended to just raise him in the sect and find him a good master.
Ming Ji never thought he would get into such trouble—but when the homeless child looked at him in a daze, that pitiful expression immediately softened Ming Ji’s heart, changing his original mind.
He bent down and held the child in his arms, coaxing him with an extremely patient tone, his decision made.
Let’s just call it fate. He pitied Wei Zixi for losing his mother at such a young age, just like himself.
The only difference was that Wei Zixi’s mother was killed, while his mother had left, so decisively and without looking back.
She went to a place… Ming Ji could never find.
“Don’t be afraid. From now on, I will be your Master.”
Afraid of startling the child, Ming Ji softened his voice again, his temperament becoming much gentler. He slowly reached out to hold Wei Zixi’s hand, a faint smile on his lips.
He feared Wei Zixi would be left with the shadow of that night, so he sealed most of the terrifying memories.
Fortunately, young children are full of vitality. Although Wei Zixi was depressed for half a day and secretly harbored the family feud in his heart, he eventually recovered his lively nature.
To tell the truth, Ming Ji was actually quite troubled about how to raise a child. So, taking advantage of this time traveling in the mortal realm, he thought about taking Wei Zixi to tour Yanjing and everywhere else.
…Okay, actually, it was Ming Ji himself who wanted to see the fireworks of the human world again.
But he also thought that children always love to play, and since Wei Zixi was so young, he must have been to few places.
Thus, Ming Ji took him to see the prosperity of Yanjing and the splendor of the mortal world.
“Master.” Wei Zixi suddenly frowned, rubbing his belly miserably, feeling so hungry he had no strength left.
Only then did Ming Ji remember that although he practiced inedia and didn’t need to eat, other people did, especially such a small child…
He looked at little Wei Zixi’s pitiful appearance again, feeling extremely guilty.
Just then, they passed a vendor selling sugar figurines. Ming Ji saw Wei Zixi’s eyes staring straight at the sugar figures and stopped.
“Old man, give us a sugar figurine.”
“Hmm… draw him,” Ming Ji thought for a moment and added, gesturing toward Wei Zixi for the old vendor.
“But, Master, I want two.” Wei Zixi shook his head, counting seriously on his fingers, muttering, “One for Master, one for me…”
Seeing Ming Ji remain silent, Wei Zixi felt wronged again. “Master, am I being too greedy?”
In reality, Ming Ji just thought this child was too cute, and his heart melted instantly.
He immediately raised his hand to rub Wei Zixi’s head, comforting him, “How could you be? Whatever you want, Master agrees.”
Hearing this, Wei Zixi’s eyes sparkled. He looked at the old man making sugar figures and said, “Grandpa, can you make a sugar figure of me and Master together?”
The old man was likely amused by Wei Zixi’s cuteness and agreed repeatedly.
He poured the syrup and carved with his tools, occasionally squinting to examine the appearance of the two carefully.
“Little Young Master, your sugar figure is ready.”
Wei Zixi took the sugar figure, looking in surprise at the lifelike sugar art—it clearly depicted the action of Ming Ji petting his head just now.
He just leaned closer and smelled the faint scent of caramel; he couldn’t bear to eat it.
“Old man, here is your money.” Ming Ji handed a piece of broken silver into the vendor’s hand.
It had to be said, he was extremely thoughtful.
This silver wouldn’t incite jealousy from others, yet it could improve the ordinary commoner’s life for some time.
“I can’t accept this, I can’t.” seeing this, the old man looked panicked—the broken silver before him was even enough to cure his sick wife.
But his mind was simple and honest; failing to decline it, he wanted to chase after them to return it.
However, when he looked up again, where had the big and small figures gone?
The old man stood there in a daze, his heart filled with emotion.
Judging others by oneself, seeing the myriad sufferings of the world.
He had clearly met an immortal!
His cloudy eyes moistened, and he couldn’t stop muttering, “Old wife, it’s an immortal…”
“An immortal has come to save us!”
“Master.” Wei Zixi was always excited. When he saw the exquisite appearance of the sugar figure, the joy in his eyes was overflowing.
He held the wooden stick high up to Ming Ji. “Master, you taste it first!”
Truth be told, Ming Ji was a picky eater.
But seeing the expectation in Wei Zixi’s eyes, he hesitated for a moment before squatting down halfway and taking a bite.
The sugar figure was silky and sweet; it was actually quite good.
Ming Ji nodded, a smile rising on his face as he praised, “Not bad.”
Only then was Wei Zixi satisfied. He took a bite where Ming Ji had just eaten. Afraid Ming Ji would notice, he hurriedly changed the subject, “Master, why did you give that grandpa broken silver just now?”
Ming Ji didn’t notice his little scheme. Hearing the sentence, his expression became serious, and he said softly, “There are too many suffering people in the world. If we meet them, we should help as much as we can.”
“Naturally…” He paused, then continued, “No matter what, do not believe the surface before a conclusion is reached. Sometimes what the eyes see is not necessarily true.”
Wei Zixi was still a child then. He blinked, not quite understanding the meaning of this sentence, and continued to ask, “Master, I don’t understand what you mean.”
Ming Ji didn’t use perfunctory words like “you’re too young, you’ll understand when you grow up.” Instead, he explained patiently, “Some people look extremely good on the surface, but in reality, they may not be so. Conversely, some look fierce but are kind at heart.”
“What we cultivators must do is to discern people and not trust lightly.”
“Master, what exactly is evil and what is good? How should we distinguish them?”
Ming Ji was stunned for a moment, then sighed. “There are almost no purely good or purely evil people in the world. Most are ordinary people whose temperaments and concepts are produced by their environment or experiences.”
“We cannot judge a person’s rights and wrongs by the surface. Before a matter is clear, do not listen to rumors and influence, easily passing judgment on others.”
“If you really want to know, then observe this person’s actions.”
By the time Ming Ji finished speaking, they happened to arrive at the riverbank. He simply took out copper coins to rent a small boat, holding Wei Zixi’s hand as they sat in it together.
The night was warm, and a gentle full moon hung in the sky.
The red lanterns hanging at the bow swayed with the wind, and the river water drifting beneath the boat was soft as silk, reflecting the brilliant lights around them.
With a “boom,” strings of firecrackers were lit, twinkling like stars beside the crescent moon. The restaurants and households on the opposite bank were busy, presenting a peaceful scene of family reunions.
Seeing this, Wei Zixi suddenly fell silent. He even felt the sugar figure in his mouth wasn’t sweet anymore.
He suddenly felt bitterness in his heart. Looking up through the lights, he saw those families reunited.
“Master, I grew another year older.”
Ming Ji had been holding Wei Zixi, so he immediately sensed the child’s emotional change.
Wei Zixi’s body was trembling slightly, and bean-sized tears dripped onto the back of Ming Ji’s hand.
“It’s New Year’s Eve.”
Ming Ji quickly understood Wei Zixi’s distress. He took out a handkerchief and wiped the tear stains from his face.
For some reason, Wei Zixi felt he couldn’t stop his tears, and could only sob, “In the past, I always thought I was very happy, with parents who loved me and a wealthy family.”
“Now…”
Wei Zixi stopped crying here, forcing a smile that was extremely bitter.
“Master, I have no family left.”
Six-year-old Wei Zixi usually looked lively and cheerful, but the words he spat out now were each more sour than the last.
“‘Thousands of households bask in the bright sun, always exchanging new peach wood charms for old ones.’ These… will never belong to me again.”
Ming Ji listened quietly, listening to Wei Zixi speak of the past, of the memories he missed.
Afterward, he slowly squatted down. Looking at Wei Zixi, his pupils seemed to reflect his own younger self.
“Your mother must want you to live happily and without worry.”
Wei Zixi’s emotions finally stabilized. He wiped the tears from his cheek with the back of his hand, his eyes showing determination. “Master, I’ve decided. I will cultivate well, and like Master, become a cultivator who helps the world and saves people.”
“There are too many suffering people in the world, and my responsibility in the future is to reduce suffering.”
Actually, Wei Zixi had another sentence buried in his heart, never spoken.
He wanted to say that compared to other pitiful people, he was already very lucky.
He met Master.
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