ATPnovel Chapter 508 Little Chenzi? You're 9 years old?
Chapter 508 Little Chenzi? You're 9 years old?
Chen Fan looked in the direction she was pointing and nodded.
Chun Tao rested her chin on her hand, her eyes filled with longing: "When I was little, I often thought that it would be great if I could fly like the immortals in the stories. I could fly up to the sky, touch the clouds, and see if there really was a heavenly palace up there..."
As she spoke, she laughed at herself: "Oh dear, I'm so silly, clouds are just empty, you can't touch them."
Chen Fan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Want to touch the clouds?"
Chun Tao was taken aback and turned to look at him: "Huh?"
Chen Fan didn't explain, he just reached out and took her hand.
"Close your eyes," he whispered.
Although Chuntao was puzzled, she obediently closed her eyes.
The next moment, she felt her feet lighten, and her whole body seemed to float up.
The wind whistled in her ears, yet strangely, she didn't feel cold. She couldn't help but open her eyes a crack, then her eyes widened!
The mountains beneath their feet rapidly shrank, transforming in the blink of an eye into lines on a chessboard. She and Chen Fan stood suspended in mid-air, their feet resting on nothing, yet firmly planted in the air!
"Ah!" Chun Tao cried out in surprise, then covered her mouth tightly, her eyes filled with disbelief.
Chen Fan held her hand tightly and whispered, "Don't be afraid."
With that, he moved and flew upwards with Chun Tao.
Passing through layers of clouds, a breathtaking view suddenly opened up before them. They found themselves above a sea of clouds, with rolling white clouds beneath their feet and a clear blue sky above. Sunlight streamed down unhindered, gilding the sea of clouds with a golden hue.
Chun Tao stared blankly at everything, her lips trembling slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.
Chen Fan led her slowly through the sea of clouds. With each step, the clouds beneath their feet would automatically condense and support their weight.
After walking a few steps, Chen Fan stopped and reached out to grab a wisp of cloud from beside him.
The cloud gathered in his palm, and it really was as soft and white as cotton candy.
He handed the cloud of mist to Chuntao.
Chuntao reached out her hand, trembling, and gently touched it.
Cool, soft, and slightly damp.
It really is a cloud.
"This...this is..." She looked up at Chen Fan, tears welling in her eyes. "Little Chen, you...you're an immortal?"
Chen Fan shook his head, then nodded.
He released Chun Tao's hand, stood with his hands behind his back above the sea of clouds, his gray-blue cloth robe fluttering in the wind.
At this moment, the gentle aura of a mortal that belonged to him quietly faded away, replaced by an indescribable indifference and aloofness.
"We're not immortals," he said slowly, his voice calm yet seemingly carrying a power that penetrated straight to the heart.
"My family is the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration of Dayuan, the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Director of the Eastern Depot, and the Ninth Prince... Chen Fan."
Nine thousand years old!
Chun Tao was struck dumb, frozen in place.
Having served in the palace for many years, how could she not have heard of the title "Nine Thousand Years Old"?
That powerful and mysterious eunuch was said to be someone even immortals would give way to; he was truly a figure standing at the pinnacle of power in the Great Abyss.
But she never imagined that the young man, Xiao Chenzi, who secretly met with her in the Imperial Garden, took her out of the palace to play, and accompanied her to climb mountains and watch the clouds, was actually the Ninth Prince!
"You...you are the Ninth Prince..." Chun Tao murmured, her face gradually turning pale. "Then...you brought me out...for..."
"To be with you." Chen Fan interrupted her, turning to look at her with a complex expression in his eyes. "Chun Tao, our family didn't mean to lie to you. It's just... we didn't know how to say it."
Chuntao stared at him blankly, suddenly recalling the rumors about the Ninth Prince in the palace.
Some say he is ruthless and kills without hesitation, while others say he has extraordinary cultivation and is an ancient monster who has lived for hundreds of years.
Some say he wielded immense power, even the royal family had to defer to him…
But the person in front of her would accompany her in a carriage ride, climb mountains with her, listen to her childish dreams, and take her flying to the sky to touch the clouds.
"You...you really are the Ninth Prince?" Chun Tao asked again, her voice trembling.
Chen Fan nodded.
Chuntao fell silent.
She lowered her head, looking at the rolling sea of clouds below, and after a long while, she suddenly whispered, "Then...then will you still let me call you Little Chen?"
Chen Fan was taken aback.
Chun Tao raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes, but she forced a smile: "I don't care if you're the Ninth Prince or Little Chen... I only know that you're the one who took me out of the palace, played with me, and was good to me."
The mountain wind blew by, scattering her words into the sea of clouds.
Looking at her tearful smile, a frozen corner in Chen Fan's heart completely melted.
He reached out and gently wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes.
"Go ahead and call me that," he said. "To you, our family will always be Little Chenzi."
Chun Tao burst into tears and threw herself into his arms.
Chen Fan froze for a moment, then slowly raised his hand and gently patted her back.
Above the sea of clouds, the two embraced.
After a long while, Chun Tao finished crying, her eyes still red, and she looked up, sobbing as she asked, "Little Chen... then... are you going back soon? You're the Ninth Prince, you must have many important things to do..."
Chen Fan shook his head: "No rush."
He paused, then said, "Chuntao, the reason we came out this time is actually... to say goodbye."
Chun Tao's body trembled.
"Our family is leaving Dayuan for a very far place." Chen Fan looked into the distance, his voice calm. "It might take decades, it might take a hundred years, or it might... we never come back."
Chuntao's tears welled up again: "Why...why? Aren't you the Ninth Prince? Dayuan can't live without you..."
"Da Yuan has already unified eight kingdoms, with Emperor Wu, Emperor Jianwen, and a full court of civil and military officials. That's enough," Chen Fan said softly. "Our family... has things that must be done."
Chun Tao gripped his sleeve tightly: "Then...then take me with you! I...I can serve you! I'm not afraid of hardship!"
Chen Fan looked down at her, his eyes revealing a clear tenderness for the first time.
"That place...you can't go there," he said softly. "Chuntao, you are a mortal, your world is in the human realm. Following our family will only harm you."
Chun Tao wanted to say something more, but Chen Fan stopped her.
"Let's go down the mountain," he said. "It's getting dark."
The light above the sea of clouds gradually dimmed, and the last golden-red hue of the sky sank into the western mountains.
Chen Fan, holding Chun Tao's hand, slowly landed on the giant rock at the top of Qixia Mountain.
The ground beneath my feet was solid, the sky above was gradually darkening, and a gentle mountain breeze rustled through the leaves in the forest.
After Chuntao landed, her legs went weak and she almost collapsed.
Chen Fan reached out to support her, noticing that her face was pale, but her eyes still held the shock and excitement from before.
"Are you alright?" Chen Fan asked softly.
Chun Tao shook her head, took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart, and suddenly raised her head, looking intently at Chen Fan:
"Little Chen... I... I want to cultivate immortality... Do you think I can?"