Young Master Has a Daughter

Yun Ling was carrying Yun Xia on his back as they walked around the monastery.

While walking around, Yun Xia looked up at the large natural satellite in the sky, providing bright light to the people below during the night.

"Papa, why does the moon keep following us?" Yun Xia asked. Ever since she was a lot younger than she currently was, she noticed that the moon and even the sun kept following her no matter where she went as long as she moved around. It had been meaning to ask someone about that yet it would always slip away from her mind. Now, though, as she looked at the moon, she finally remembered that she had been meaning to ask someone that.

Yun Ling looked up and watched the large moon in the sky.

An amused smile appeared on his face. Back when he was a child, he also asked his mother a similar question about the moon.

"The moon isn't really following us... it only appears to be following us because it is so far away," Yun Ling answered.

"Hm?"

"Look around you."

Yun Xia did what she was told and looked around her. They were currently heading towards the staircase where they had gone up to in the day. As they got closer to the staircase, there were fewer buildings and more trees around. Soon, she could see the huge gates that greeted them right after climbing the staircase along with two large monk statues at each side of the gate.

"Did you notice something?" Yun Ling asked her.

The little girl frowned. She didn't understand what her father was on about. However, he must have some reasons behind his question.

Yun Xia's brows furrowed as she tried to analyze her father's intention.

Seeing that his daughter was having a bit of a hard time, Yun Ling smiled as he gave her guidance. He pointed towards a tree at the side and asked, "What do you notice about that tree, Xiaxia?"

She looked at the tree and observed it for a few seconds. Then, she answered unsurely, "It is moving?"

Yun Ling gave her a nod.

"Very good. Then, what about that one?" he asked once again as he pointed at another tree that was much further away from the first tree that he had pointed at.

"It is also moving..."

"It is. What else? Don't you notice something else about that tree?"

Yun Xia tilted her head as she placed more attention on the second tree that her father had pointed at. She tried to see what was the difference between the first one and the second one.

"Ah!" Yun Xia exclaimed as she finally noticed something. "The second one is moving much slower than the first one!"

"That's right! Very good... that's my daughter alright," Yun Ling proudly said as he moved his head a bit to the side, smiling at his daughter who was on his back.

Yun Xia smiled back, feeling happy at being praised by her father.

"Actually, Xiaxia, those trees might seem like they are moving but they are really not moving at all. We are the ones who are moving. As you may have noticed, the nearest tree to us is moving much faster than the second tree which is a lot farther from the first tree... the moon is also like that. It appears to move very slowly because it is far away... much farther than you can imagine," Yun Ling explained patiently. "I believe the Heavenly Machine God race call this parallax. It is the term that refers to the movement of objects when viewed from different positions. You know of the Heavenly Machine God race right?"

"Hm!" Yun Xia nodded eagerly. "They are a race whose bodies are made of precious metals and other things! They look like humans but they aren't humans! Mama told me that they are incredibly smart! They know this thing called calculus and they are really good at calculations and many others!"

Yun Ling chuckled at her.

"That's right, that's the Heavenly Machine God race... your mother definitely taught you well..." Yun Ling said. "Anyway, let us head back now... it's already late and we've talked for quite a while..."

Yun Xia went silent after hearing that, but she just nodded non-committally.

"Okay..."

Yun Ling could hear the sadness in her voice when she said that, making him feel quite some pain in his heart.

"Xiaxia?"

"Yes, Papa?"

"I have decided... I'm staying here. I'm not leaving tomorrow..." Yun Ling said after much thought.

"Really?!" Yun Xia asked excitedly. He could no longer hear the sadness in her voice. Instead, it was replaced by one of happiness.

That instantly made him feel much better.

"Really, really..." Yun Ling said with a smile.

"Yay! Papa's the best!"

"Of course, I am..."

...

"You're no longer coming with us?" Monk Wang Yang asked as he looked at Yun Ling who was standing right across from him.

Behind Monk Wang Yang was Tathagata who were observing them together with a dozen monks in the Sacred King realm.

They were at the foot of the mountain and were about to leave to the Law God Sect, however, before they could leave, Yun Ling came to see them off and inform them that he wasn't going to come anymore.

Yun Ling shook his head as he responded, "I'm staying here... I've been foolish for a while but now, I finally realized one thing..."

Tathagata came forward and said, "You might have the Divine Eyes but you are blind to many things. Now, you're finally starting to see one of those things you aren't able to see before. That is a good thing."

Yun Ling looked at him and asked, "Tathagata, did I make the right decision or not?"

Since he had decided to stay in the monastery and not leave his daughter, he was essentially disobeying the orders of the emperor. Who knew what might come out of his decision? Would the emperor punish him or not? Would his family be implicated from his selfishness? That was what he was concerned about.

Tathagata closed his eyes as he responded, "Whether you've done the right decision or not, ask your heart, for your heart knows best the answer to that question."

His daughter's sad yet understanding smile came into Yun Ling's mind... then her face which was trying hard to suppress her tears...

Yun Ling clenched his fist.

People might call him foolish...

But he had no regrets about not going to the Law God Sect so he could stay at his daughter's side.

"I don't think I made the wrong decision," Yun Ling said.

Tathagata opened his eyes and smiled at him, "And that's your answer..."