“Papa,” Zi Xia suddenly called out.

“Hmm?” Yun Ling raised a brow at her.

“Papa said Papa doesn’t know anything about Zi Xia and Zi Xia doesn’t know anything about Papa. But now, Papa and Zi Xia knows each other a little. From now on, Papa and Zi Xia can get... to know each other... more?” Zi Xia got a little bit confused at the end of her statement and said uncertainly.

Though Zi Xia got confused by what she said, Yun Ling didn’t, and he actually understood her.

“You’re right. Since you’ll be staying here in the clan, we can take our time knowing each other. Now that I think about it, will you be staying here from now on, or are you going to go back to your mother’s place?” Yun Ling asked. He had just gotten to know his daughter, he didn't want to part with her so soon.

It was really strange. Earlier, he didn’t know what to feel nor what to do about this daughter of his. His feelings were complicated but now, he strangely got attached to her.

“Zi Xia doesn’t know. Mother didn’t say.”

Yun Ling was really curious about this woman. He could tell that she was an extraordinary woman judging from what he heard from his daughter and his daughter’s character. Although Zi Xia was just a little girl, she was surprisingly an open-minded child. She didn’t even blame or get angry at him for not being there in her life. She just felt shy and also a bit afraid of him but that was a given since they were practically strangers before this.

“I really want to meet this mother of yours,” Yun Ling said seriously.

Zi Xia smiled brightly. “Zi Xia also wants Mama and Papa to meet each other too.”

Yun Ling chuckled as he gently ruffled her hair. Then, he paused as he thought of something.

“You know what, since you’re my daughter, you should change your surname to Yun.”

“Change surname?” Zi Xia tilted her head a little to the side, confused.

“It means your name will become Yun Xia instead of Zi Xia.”

“But Zi Xia is Zi Xia. Yun Xia sounds weird,” the little girl said with a pout.

“It only sounds weird because you’re not used to it yet. Besides, Yun Xia fits you more. Yun Xia means a beautiful rosy cloud, and you are a beautiful daughter of cloud. Isn’t it really good?” Yun Ling patiently explained.

Zi Xia nodded as she listened to her father’s explanation but she quickly shook her head afterward.

“Zi Xia is the name Mama gave me so Zi Xia is Zi Xia.”

“Mama is your mama but aren’t I, your Papa too? Mama gave you the name Xia so Papa will give you the surname Yun. Your name will be Yun Xia. How about that?” Yun Ling slowly coaxed his daughter.

Zi Xia hesitated for a moment.

Seeing this, Yun Ling quickly said, “Are you not papa’s daughter?”

“I am!” Zi Xia frowned at her father.

Yun Ling let out a mischievous smile.

“Then, since you are my daughter, your name must be Yun Xia since people won’t believe I’m your papa if your surname is not Yun.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Zi Xia still had some hesitation but she slowly nodded in the end.

“Okay, Zi Xia is now Yun Xia. Zi— Yun Xia wants people to believe Yun Xia is Papa’s daughter.”

Yun Ling inwardly rejoiced, however, he maintained a composed look on his face. With a somewhat strict voice, Yun Ling started, “Yun Xia, since you are now a daughter of Yun, you must know and practice our Yun Clan’s Five Rules. Ever since I was young, my father made me recite these rules countless times, and now, although I won’t make you recite it, I want you to remember it in your heart. Do you understand?”

Yun Xia became serious as she nodded her head, making Yun Ling pleased.

“First of all, never fight your family for profit or for any reason. Friendly competitions are fine. Anything beyond that is not allowed.”

“Secondly, value your family above everything. Never betray your family no matter what.”

“Third, do not abandon your family. No one is to be left behind. Families must have each other’s back.”

“Fourth, do not betray your friends. True friends are no different from family so never betray them.”

“Lastly, love your family. Families must love each other.”

“Did you remember all of it?” Yun Ling looked at his daughter after he finished speaking.

“Yun Xia remembers it Papa.”

Yun Ling smiled at her.

“Good, never forget these rules.”

“Yun Xia won’t,” Yun Xia said with a determined voice.

Yun Ling patted her head. He was becoming more and more pleased with his daughter. He had only spent less than an hour with her but he already felt some warmth for the little girl.

“You know, the reason why our clan has these rules is because of my grandfather, your great-grandfather,” Yun Ling started. “Your great-grandfather had five siblings back then, he was the third son. However, as they grew up, everyone developed their own agendas. They started scheming against each other, not hesitating to hurt their own family for their greed. The Yun Clan was nearly brought into ruins back then from the infighting. It was only because of your great-grandfather that the clan remained standing to this day. Because of his past experience, your great-grandfather made these rules for us. He doesn’t want the same thing to happen again to the later generation so he made an effort on us to make us value our family.”

“Papa...”

‘Even though I said that, I think I’ve already broken these rules myself even if it’s unintentional. The fact that I didn’t even know her before this makes me feel that I’ve sinned greatly,’ Yun Ling thought as he smiled wryly. ‘In fact, it was exactly that. I had truly sinned. I’ve always valued my family no matter how annoying they were because that was just how I’ve been raised. To think that I have a daughter out there who grew up without me...’

Yun Ling grabbed the little girl by her shoulders as he looked at her straight in the eye. With a gentle face, Yun Ling said warmly to his daughter, “Yun Xia, even though you told me not to apologize, I still want to apologize to you for not being there in your life. That’s why I’m sorry. However, now that you’re here, now that I know that I have you, my daughter...”

“Papa?”

“Yun Xia, from now onwards, I will protect you with all my life. I will not let any harm come to you.”

“I will value you above everything. Not even all the treasure in the world can compare to you.”

“I will never abandon you. I will always be there for you when you need it.”

“I will never betray you. Even if I betray the whole world, you and you alone I will never betray. I would rather die first before that happens.”

“Lastly, I will always unconditionally love you. Parents must love their child unconditionally.”

“These are the five rules I made for myself to my daughter, a father’s unconditional love to his daughter. If I failed to do any of these, I will destroy my lifetime’s cultivation with my own two hands,” Yun Ling declared to himself ruthlessly.

Somewhere, the three women who had been secretly spying on them were shocked by Yun Ling’s words. They actually never left the place but instead, hid in a corner to listen to them.

“Ling, that silly child. To think he would make a promise like that.”

Li Jing didn’t really approve of Yun Ling’s promise but she was quite happy that her son was slowly opening up to her granddaughter.

“Ling’er is really determined. He’s serious about it. I can tell that if he breaks his promise, he will certainly develop a Heart Devil and his cultivation will be affected,” Ye Lin was usually a playful woman however, even she had a serious countenance this time.

Yue Dongmei, on the other hand, was still silent but if one were to look closely, there was a trace of surprise in her eyes.

“Papa!”

Yun Xia immediately embraced her father. She only understood some parts of what Yun Ling said but she was still incredibly touched by her father’s words.

Yun Ling smiled at her.

“I mean every word I said. I’ve already failed to be your father for five years, there’s no way I’m going to keep on failing,” Yun Ling gently said. “Your father is not that kind of an incompetent person.”