Volume One: Youths Meeting in Obscurity Chapter 145: Let Us Leave! 5

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan did not quite grasp the meaning behind Li Yu's words. Even though he had lived for a remarkably long time, he had never truly witnessed a real Dao-dissolution occurring in the physical world. Therefore, he had no way of knowing whether the Daoist left behind any contingency plans after dissolving into the Dao.

With this thought in mind, he asked Li Yu suspiciously, "Could it be that your master left behind some hidden backup plan?"

Instead of answering, Li Yu simply helped Xu Kaijiang pack all of his belongings. Once that was done, he said to Shen Yuan, "Sir, I must ask you to take good care of Xu Kaijiang."

Having delivered these final instructions, he left the Yetian Temple entirely on his own.

The present Tianmen Town was no longer the Tianmen Town of the past. It was not merely the familiar people and things of yesterday that had faded away, but also the emotional ties that had once bound those people and things to Li Yu.

Now, the only remaining emotional tether left for him was Shen Tang alone.

Not only had he made a promise to his master to take good care of Shen Tang, but even from his own perspective, he was determined to take her away with him.

On his way to Shen Tang's house, he made no deliberate effort to conceal his whereabouts, believing that anyone with intentions could easily detect his location and position. This was entirely intentional on Li Yu's part; blindly evading matters was never a proper solution. Only by presenting them with the conclusion they desired could he truly extricate himself from the game.

When Li Yu arrived at Shen Tang's house, he found her sitting blankly in the main hall. The table was completely bare, void of anything at all—a stark and dismal contrast to the past, when the table had always been laden with steaming, hot dishes.

Let alone Shen Tang, even Li Yu felt a heavy ache in his chest at the sight.

He walked inside, sat down opposite Shen Tang, and took out the breakfast Shen Yuan had prepared at the Yetian Temple. Placing it before her, he said, "Elder Sister, have something to eat. If you refuse to eat, Uncle and Auntie would feel distressed if they could see you now."

Shen Tang raised her head to glance at Li Yu, then looked at the food laid out on the table. After a brief pause, she picked up her chopsticks. She first picked up a piece of fish and tasted it, finding it completely flavorless. Then she tried a side dish, only to find it equally devoid of taste. Finally, she put down her chopsticks and simply began to drink the congee.

Seeing this, how could Li Yu not understand? She had neither appetite nor a sense of taste, for the people who could bring joy to her heart were all gone.

Yet, as long as Shen Tang was still willing to eat, it was a good sign. He believed that as long as he stayed by her side, time would gradually transform that grief into the strength of her growth, enabling her to withstand the biting winds and harsh frosts of the years to come.

As Shen Tang ate, Li Yu shared his plans for the future with her. "Elder Sister, we are going to leave. Tianmen Town will no longer tolerate my presence, but I cannot bear to leave you here to live alone. Therefore, I am going to take you away with me."

Upon hearing this, Shen Tang looked up and asked, "Where can we go?"

Li Yu replied, "The seas are vast and the skies are boundless; the wide world is open to us. We can go anywhere that allows us to grow strong."

Shen Tang thought for a moment and asked, "To go look for my brother?"

Li Yu shook his head. "Not for the time being. I lack the ability right now to take you to find your elder brother. But rest assured, in this lifetime, I will take you to find him. Trust me."

Shen Tang looked into Li Yu's eyes and saw a profound firmness and persistence in his expression. A sudden realization struck her: the youth before her was actually a younger brother, younger than her by a full year. Yet the trials he had endured were no less than her own. Now, however, he was looking after her with the protective posture of an elder brother, finally steadying Shen Tang's drifting heart. Slowly, tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Li Yu and said, "I trust you, I truly trust you!"