Chapter 5166 — Wei Zhao's Origins, Part One
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"If you really want to trace it, all three generations of your family have been deeply entangled with the Center—your grandfather fought them, your parents fought them, and now in your generation you'll go on fighting them. Of course, your master Yang Zhao fought them too. 'Deeply entangled' hardly covers it—it's unfathomable," Lin Dongfang said, unable to suppress a laugh.
"Old man, you knew my parents? Can you tell me about them?" Wei Zhao asked urgently.
Though from childhood the words 'father' and 'mother' had meant nothing to him, had left no impression at all, they had always been the words he yearned for most and could never reach. He had simply assumed he was an orphan of unknown origin, and so there had been no point in wondering.
Now, hearing Lin Dongfang speak of it so suddenly, he was overcome with emotion, and even his mental fortitude could not hold it back. Hearts are made of flesh, and to seek out one's roots is an instinct born in every person—it has nothing to do with strength.
"Your parents? Very well. Since we've come this far, a few words for you won't hurt. Your father was named Liu Meizi. He was once a member of the Mysterious Investigation Bureau, and a sworn brother of your master," Lin Dongfang said briefly.
"Liu Meizi? My father was named Liu Meizi?" Wei Zhao hastily fixed the name in his memory, astonishment flooding his heart. Never in his wildest imaginings would he have guessed that his father had also been a member of the Mysterious Investigation Bureau—and a sworn brother of his master at that. Then he hurried on. "And... and my mother? Oh, and besides—if my father's surname was Liu, why is my surname Lin?"
"Simple. Because you took your mother's surname. Her name was Lin Yinuo." Lin Dongfang smiled, then added, "And one more thing—she was my adopted daughter."
"Adopted daughter?" Wei Zhao was choked speechless again. Eyes wide, he looked Lin Dongfang up and down anew and stammered, "Then... then doesn't that make you my grandfather?!"
"What did you think?" Lin Dongfang said, amused.
"I..." Wei Zhao was struck dumb for a long while, unable to utter a word. Every scene of his life from childhood flashed before his eyes. Before, none of it had seemed strange; now, thinking it over, it felt utterly different. Speechless for a long time, he finally gave a bitter laugh. "You hid it from me cruelly!"
For all these years he had never known what exactly he and Lin Dongfang were to each other—not master and disciple, not grandfather and grandson. Every time he asked, there was no answer, and he could only muddle through in the dark. Who would have guessed the old man was his own grandfather!
"Now, now, you can't blame me for this. If there's blame, blame your own parents and your master—it was their idea. They said you should be tempered by extraordinary trials from childhood. If I'd told you early on that I was your grandfather, would you have feared me as you did? Would you have cultivated as diligently as you did?" Lin Dongfang pursed his lips. "Haven't you heard the saying? When Heaven is about to confer a great burden on a man, it must first subject his heart and mind to bitter discipline..."
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