All the Elders in My Sect Are My Avatars!

Chapter 117 – Homesick

Aotian and Rihai kept walking and weren't far from the Beast Pavilion.

Of course, earlier they had paid cranes to carry them to the aviary closest to the pavilion. Otherwise, with the vast expanse of the Bamboo Sword Sect's mountain, they wouldn't even know what day they'd arrive if they just strolled along like this.

But as they walked, Aotian couldn't stop thinking about the saying Rihai had shared.

'... A mortal can live in a single breath what a cultivator fails to grasp in a thousand lifetimes — for living is not merely enduring… Even if this truth isn't new to me, and I've already understood it before, it's still something I need to cling to, something I must not forget.'

'As time goes by, it's easy to leave behind the little things — those that quietly carry the true meaning of life. A simple moment next to someone you love can be more valuable than lonely millennia conquered in the name of power. And then, looking back, in the face of an eternity bought at the cost of those moments, all you want is to trade it... for that one instant you let slip.'

Aotian thought with a heavy heart, looking at the beautiful Rihai beside him. She blinked her blue eyes at him and tilted her head, confused as to why he was staring at her like that.

Then, he thought of his family, the ones he had left behind on Earth. He thought of the moments he missed — memories that now felt so distant.

Raising his head and looking up at the blue sky — which wasn't so different from the one he used to see on Earth — he recalled those warm and happy moments with his family: the inside jokes, the games, the times of dependence and vulnerability, and also of strength and joy.

Rihai, seeing him stop, looked at him and noticed his eyes fixed on the sky.

In that gaze, she recognized something familiar. Longing. Longing for home and for things lost. Eyes just like hers when she remembered her father.

Aotian closed his eyes and slowly felt the wind on his face.

A sting rose in his nose as he faced the truth he had long tried to avoid.

'It's only been seven months since I last saw my family. But the thought that I won't see them for millennia, or maybe millions of years... if I ever do... is bitter.'

'Will I still be myself after all that time? Will I still have love for them?'

The questions kept coming, but as he stood there with his eyes closed, heart heavy, he suddenly felt a warm embrace.

Opening his eyes and looking down, he saw a head full of golden hair pressed against his chest.

A softness welled up in his cloudy heart. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her lovingly, and kissed the top of her head.

Feeling that warm embrace made Aotian's foggy gaze sharpen and grow determined.

'I may change, but what I feel — I won't let it change. I'll never give up on

But thinking it through, it seemed to make sense. He couldn't just show up and enjoy everything like the king he once was.

Reflecting on this, a bit of hope sprouted again, and he nodded to them.

"Speaking of which, Tiger, you don't have a name yet, right? How about we give you one?" Aotian asked, completely changing the subject and catching everyone by surprise.

"Name? Isn't my name Red Tiger?" the tiger asked, confused, tilting its head.

"No, that's your bloodline name. A name is a way to distinguish you from others. Imagine if all humans were called 'human.' How would we know who's who?" Aotian smiled, helpless, and explained, making the tiger look at him strangely.

"Well, alright. But my name has to be majestic. I won't accept a common name." the tiger finally decided but still warned them with caution in his powerful voice, wary of bad names.

"Okay, I'm great at naming!" Aotian raised his thumb, confident—but a playful glint appeared in his eyes.

"How about Little Red?" he suggested.

The tiger's eye twitched the moment it heard that.

"I like Red Tiger," the tiger retorted, firmly.

"Come on, don't be like that! What about Red Cat?" Aotian tried again, grinning.

"I think just Tiger works."

"You're difficult. What about MiaoMiao?"

"How about we fight to the death again? This time, don't save me!"

"Hey, no need to be rude! Big Red?"

"Stop trying to give me lame names!"

"Lord Meow?"

"That's it, I'll name myself. From now on, this king shall be called Hóng Wáng (Red King)."

"Haah… fine, your name from now on is Tiger."

"I'm going to beat you up one day…"