The little girl was covered in dirt from head to toe. Her clothes were tattered and patched, and the cracked bowl on the ground revealed her identity.
This child was probably a beggar.
"Thank you for saving me. Is there anything you want?"
The child seemed unable to understand his words. She didn't respond at all, just stared blankly at him.
He thought the child in front of him was a mute. He took out his money - pouch and was about to leave it for her and then go.
But just as he put the money - pouch on the ground, the little girl spoke.
"I want a home."
Lin Yao turned around in surprise, was slightly stunned for a moment, and then smiled gently.
"Okay. Since you saved me, as a reward, I'll give you a home."
He took the little girl back to the mountain villa.
Without his entourage and bodyguards, the two of them, a big one and a small one, disguised themselves as a father - daughter pair of beggars and slowly made their way back.
It had to be said that the little girl was far more skilled at disguising and begging along the way. Many times they were almost discovered, but it was the little girl who wittily helped him avoid danger.
The longer they pretended to be father and daughter, the more Lin Yao thought that he might as well adopt this little beggar as his daughter. Given his physical condition, it was wishful thinking for him to have an heir in this lifetime. Moreover, he didn't like to interact with others. Excessive physical contact would make him feel uncomfortable all over. Even if he got married, it would be difficult for him to have any intimate actions.
This idea was further strengthened after they reached the mountain villa. When the little girl watched others punching and imitated them perfectly.
"Do you want to be my daughter?"
Since he had this intention, he needed the little girl's consent. Lin Yao asked seriously and waited for an answer.
"Can I stay here forever?"
"Of course you can."
"Then I do!"
With the little girl's cheers, their father - daughter relationship was established.
Since he was going to adopt her as his daughter, he couldn't always call her "little girl".
He gave this adopted child a name.
Lin Miaomiao.
During a banquet, he introduced Miaomiao to everyone in the martial world. Taking this opportunity, he took out the legendary treasure of the mountain villa, the Buddha bone.
In front of everyone, he turned the Buddha bone into a bowl of soup and let Miaomiao drink it.
Seeing the guests looking as if they had eaten something disgusting but still having to flatter and smile, Lin Yao felt extremely satisfied.
They all wanted it, so he made sure no one could get it.
The Buddha bone was just a medicinal herb. Legend had it that it had the miraculous effect of bringing the dying back to life and mending broken bones. Even if someone was on their last breath, after drinking the soup made from the Buddha bone, they would be healthy and lively the next day.
Now, he had given this miraculous herb to his newly - adopted daughter of only three days like it was a radish. Even if these people were jumping in anger, they were helpless.
After seeing off the guests, he simply stayed behind closed doors. He had seen the fickleness of the world and there was no need for him to run around for the sake of face and maintain those ridiculous friendships and alliances.
Miaomiao was also very happy in the mountain villa. She showed extraordinary martial arts talent. In just two years, no martial arts teacher in the mountain villa could defeat her.
During these two years, their father - daughter relationship became closer and closer, and Miaomiao became more and more dependent on him.
He also tasted the long - lost taste of family affection from Miaomiao.
Staying in one corner would never lead to progress. Seeing that Miaomiao really liked martial arts, he reopened the mountain villa's gate. He took Miaomiao around the country, made friends, and found people to practice martial arts with to improve their skills.
Miaomiao, this hard - working and extremely talented little girl, was liked by many people. Some of them even had a strong sense of cherishing talent and taught Miaomiao their unique skills regardless of the risk of betraying their masters.
By chance, he met the people who had intercepted and tried to kill him during the martial arts conference again.
"You useless wretch, you're not dead of illness yet? Wait, one day I'll take your head myself."
As he passed by the man, the latter pointed at his nose and mocked him.
Just this one sentence aroused Miaomiao's fierceness. Before he could stop her, the man was lying on the ground, his meridians completely destroyed.
"Who did you say you were going to kill?"
Miaomiao straddled the man, pinching his neck with her small hand and asking fiercely.
All this happened in the blink of an eye. Lin Yao didn't even have time to react.
Seeing that the man's breathing was getting weaker and weaker, Lin Yao quickly picked up Miaomiao and left.
He didn't want his carefree daughter to bear a life - debt because of him.
From then on, Miaomiao became famous. He knew that there would be no more peaceful days from now on.
He no longer took his daughter around the streets. Instead, they stayed in the mountain villa honestly. Even so, countless people still came to visit every day. Some came to denounce them in the name of Miaomiao crippling the young master of a sect, while others came to compete with Miaomiao.
Miaomiao beat all of them back, but these people were like flies and wouldn't go away.
This situation lasted for several years. Because of Miaomiao, the mountain villa was isolated by all the sects in the martial world, and the grudges were piling up like a snowball.
When Miaomiao was ten years old, he received an invitation to the martial arts conference.
The invitation was personally issued by the martial arts alliance leader. It said that the leader was willing to act as a third - party peacemaker. As long as Miaomiao won the first place in the young generation's martial arts competition, all past grudges would be wiped out.
This was a decision made by all the sects after joint discussion.
This condition made him a little tempted. Thanks to the protection of the sect's power, Miaomiao could still live carefree for now.
But after his death, the next successor of the mountain villa might not continue to protect Miaomiao.
It would be better to wipe out the grudges now. With this invitation and this promise, as long as Miaomiao didn't cause trouble on her own initiative, no one would dare to provoke her.
Although this invitation seemed like a trap, he still agreed, because it was the greatest guarantee he could leave for Miaomiao.
After making this decision, he took Miaomiao on an early journey. They traveled while heading towards the martial arts conference.
Since they hadn't been out for a long time, Miaomiao was as happy as a bird that had gained freedom. He felt even more that his decision was right. Otherwise, he didn't know when he could take Miaomiao out openly.
During this time, he also taught Miaomiao a lot of things, and Miaomiao's horizons broadened.
Finally, they arrived at the martial arts conference. As the drumbeats on the arena sounded, Miaomiao won round after round.
Even a wheel - style battle couldn't defeat Miaomiao.
There was only one final round left. As long as she won this round, from then on, Miaomiao would be free as a bird and unrestrained.