Divine Kasyapa looked quite real, but also oddly illusory.
His aura of mystery reminded Jiang Chen of many gods he’d seen in the heavenly planes of his previous life. They uniformly enjoyed making an entrance like this.
Divine cultivators really are something else!
In truth, the god was far more astonished than Jiang Chen in this moment. His godly appearance hadn’t exerted any pressure on his guest whatsoever. The young man looked perfectly at ease.
Most importantly, a well-hidden ray of his consciousness sent to probe Jiang Chen’s own had completely disappeared, much like a rock thrown into an ocean.
After attaining divinity, he had always investigated the consciousnesses of others with nothing more than nonchalant ease. However, he’d totally failed here!
“This young man is just as sharp and accomplished as the rumors say!” First impressions were very important, and Jiang Chen had successfully made a very good one upon Divine Kasyapa.
Huang’er raised her head to examine the Divine Kasyapa with crystalline eyes. “Are you the master of First Wind and the others?” she murmured. “They told me you saved my parents. And, you’re my grandfather…?”
“Foolish girl. Do you still doubt this truth?” Divine Kasyapa’s heart melted into warmth and affection. The girl’s features were nearly identical to his late dao partner’s. He suddenly felt like he’d returned to his youth.
Huang’er pressed her lips together, somewhat unsure of how to reply.
“Before I call you grandfather, could I see my parents first?” she inquired seriously.
The divine’s heart was moved once more. He would’ve considered such behavior from anyone else to be unbecoming, but this was his very own granddaughter. He couldn't refuse one of the only family members he had left in the world.
“Come on in,” he sighed softly.
Huang’er had initially been worried that the grandfather she’d never met would be a fake. She had wondered whether her parents were truly here. Her grandfather was much kindlier than she’d imagined and didn't refuse her request. This gave her greater faith in him.
Yan Qianfan and An Yu’er weren’t in great shape, but they were decently well off.
Divine Kasyapa had completed his renewal of their constitutions, wiping away the latent injuries they’d incurred in the Boundless Prison.
They were certainly many times better than when they’d first entered it. Before being locked away, they’d suffered tremendously at the hands of Houses Yan and Xiahou.
Nevertheless, they were still meditating for recuperation. The god wouldn't allow them to be disturbed.
“They’ll need one week more to awaken, Huang’er. You’ll have plenty of time to spend with your parents then.” Divine Kasyapa liked the young girl the more he looked at her. He knew of the existence of this granddaughter long before he’d set eyes on her, and thus placed a great deal of value on this only blood tie.
That was why he had left four of his most trusted servants near House Yan, to await Huang’er’s appearance. He was grateful he didn't have to wait too long.
He nodded when he noticed Huang’er’s initial empyrean cultivation.
“Not bad. You’ve done quite well for yourself as my granddaughter. Your parents’ best time for cultivation is past. It is likely impossible for them to inherit my divine inheritance. You’re different though. You are young and flourishing. I will absolutely help you grow into a divine cultivator in your own right.”
Huang’er only smiled faintly when she heard these words. She didn’t care about cultivation as much as others might expect.
Divine Kasyapa was even happier at her lukewarm reaction.
“Very good! You have moderation and restraint, traits that will help you go far in the world of martial dao. I have high hopes for you, Huang’er.”
“Thank you, grandfather.” Having seen her parents here, Huang’er no longer refused to call the god by her relation to him.
The thought that her grandfather had killed so many from House Yan made her unable to immediately be close with him though. She didn't distaste, fear, or hate him; they merely needed to be more familiar with each other.
Kasyapa noticed that his granddaughter was still distant from him. She looked at her dao partner with not necessarily overt passion, but much more intimacy. He was mildly sorrowful over this. His very own flesh and blood should’ve been inseparable from her grandfather!
Truly, life was full of interesting twists and turns.
The divine sighed softly, then glanced at Jiang Chen again. “I can see that Huang’er cares and cherishes you a great deal. I hear that you’ve reciprocated her love well. The fact that you managed to remove an ancient and esoteric curse like the Generation Binding Curse marks how extraordinary you are.”
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. He wasn’t as cold as Huang’er towards the old man. “That was merely luck. Huang’er and I have been through thick and thin together regardless. I believe that the heavens will bless our union.”
“The heavens…” Kasyapa chuckled. “The will of heaven is hard to predict. Even we gods cannot claim to know its whims.”
Jiang Chen smiled again. You might not know, but I can claim the contrary. He had been the son of a Celestial Emperor in his previous life, and his father had administered to a great universe among the heavenly planes.
Thus, he had some authority as to what the opinion of heaven was – not that he could divulge this without raising further questions.
Divine Kasyapa looked thoughtfully toward Jiang Chen. “First Wind told me of your exceptional abilities despite your youth. He suffered a more than minor loss at your hands, hmm? But you should take care not to become too full of yourself.
“Once upon a time, I too had similar talent. Perhaps not as phenomenal as you are now, but I wasn’t far off. Alas, heaven envied my achievement and doomed my fate… the passage of time has taken my wife and daughter from me, casting me out of daylight into the Boundless Prison.
“Yes, I’ve become a god now, but so what? My love will never come back to me. I cannot reverse time to erase the ordeals that my daughter has suffered. My granddaughter is far from me still. Do you think my life has been a successful one?” The god’s tone was very conflicted. His wistfulness and misery rang true.
