CHAPTER 178: BLACKMAILING WITH DEATH
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Ye Qinghan was stunned. Why was Mother so resistant?
Was it the idea of reshaping her physical form that displeased her, or the reunion of souls that upset her?
Regardless, this matter could not be kept from Mother!
"Immortal Su, both in reason and in sentiment, I ought to share the method with you, shouldn't I?"
Ye's mother, radiating the aura of a Demon Emperor, shed all traces of a kind mother at that moment.
"You're full of shit! You taught my daughter the ways of the dark path. If I ever come back to life, you're the first one I'll kill!"
Truth be told, Ye Qinghan truly inherited that temperament…
Ye Qinghan knew it was over the moment she saw her master's expression!
Her master hesitated!
"Master, Mother must not be involved in this matter. Qinghan begs you to reveal the method to me. I'll do anything to save Mother!"
If she wasn't afraid of death, why would she fear falling into the path of darkness?
The path of my master is the true path!
"Your mother's soul scattered long ago, reentering the cycle of reincarnation. It has now blended into the masses of sentient beings."
"I possess two methods to reunite her soul."
"The jade flask I bestowed upon you is imbued with my immortal arts. It may be used to contain and nurture souls."
"I also possess a magical artifact capable of tracking souls across a thousand miles, tracing every trace to locate Qinghan's reincarnated form."
"The rest, I need not say. Qinghan knows what she must do."
Ye Qinghan froze in shock. No wonder her mother had refused to let her perform this ritual—now she understood.
Ye's mother reached out to interrupt the conversation between Su Cheng and Ye Qinghan, but her hand could not touch her daughter…
Like a child ignored and isolated, Mother Ye could only stand before Ye Qinghan, trying to rouse this foolish child!
"Chen Meng… or rather, Ye Qinghan, this Emperor warns you: if you dare perform this ritual, slaughtering the innocent to save me!"
"I will disown you as my daughter! I will never forgive you for this in this lifetime!"
But Ye's mother never imagined that her once obedient daughter had become a different person over the years.
"You won't forgive your daughter?"
"Hah! I don't need the Demon Emperor's forgiveness. I want my mother! And besides, I haven't forgiven you yet!"
"I demand you repay everything you owe me from all these years!"
Ye's mother's pupils contracted in shock. Truth be told, she had indeed failed as a mother, but what choice had she ever had?
She looked at her precious daughter, then glanced at Su Cheng beside her.
Su Cheng spread his hands helplessly. Truth be told, this was one of the rare times Ye Qinghan had ever lost her temper. Clearly, Su Cheng hadn't seen this coming either.
The pent-up emotions erupted violently, and Ye Qinghan spoke in one breath.
Mother never asked how that little fox had evaded her enemies' pursuit, never inquired how she'd escaped the Northern Realm.
Mother never seemed concerned for her, only teasing her as if everything had unfolded as it should have.
Her words carried the weight of accusation as Ye Qinghan vented years of pent-up resentment and frustration.
She couldn't understand—she didn't ask for much, yet she couldn't get it!
All she wanted was a home, loving family who cherished her!
Yet after years of wandering alone, this remained a distant dream. Now, having finally joined a sect and gained a way to find her blood relatives!
Yet her mother declared she no longer wanted her as a daughter, that she would never forgive her!
Who could possibly accept such an outcome?
"Mother always wants me to understand her actions, but has she ever cared about my feelings?"
These words left Ye's mother speechless…
"Even if I have to slaughter every soul on this earth! I will have my mother alive!"
Ye's mother sensed her time was running out. She looked down at her body, now little more than a projection, beginning to fade away from the bottom up.
"Mother, I'm sorry to Qinghan. What if Mother were to become a little fox in the next life to accompany Qinghan?"
"In any case, this method must not be pursued. Even if Mother were to live another life, how could she ever show her face in the Northern Realm again?"
[Though that's her character, hearing a fox demon speak of caring for all living beings does feel a bit awkward…]
Su Cheng felt a bit awkward, yet he had to admit that Ye's mother was truly worthy of respect. She had been loyal to her subjects and the world at large, though ultimately she had failed her own flesh and blood.
But these words never reached Ye Qinghan's ears. She had no time to listen to inner thoughts.
In Ye Qinghan's eyes, the world?
Hmph, they deserved to die!
What did Mother gain from her compassion for the world?
The destruction of her family and a miserable death!
Are such people truly worthy of pity?
Vile, disgusting—no better than beasts!
"Mother, my mind is made up. Even if I am wrong, even if I defy Heaven's will, your daughter will bear the consequences. You need not worry!"
Mother Ye truly had little time left. The farewell she had once envisioned could no longer be spoken.
But perhaps it was for the best. She had never been good at sentimental words anyway.
"You've truly grown up. There's nothing I can do to stop you now."
"But let me tell you this: I have no desire for time bought with the lives of the innocent!"
"I cannot stop my precious daughter, but I still possess the power to choose life or death. Even if we meet again, it will be our final farewell!"
"If you dare resort to such methods, I'll first kill your master, then draw my sword and take my own life—dying before your very eyes!"
If there were another way, who would threaten their own life to someone who loves them?
A childish method, yet remarkably effective.
Both Su Cheng and Ye Qinghan understood: if Lady Ye spoke thus, she would follow through.
She had chosen death long ago, solely to spare the people of the Northern Realm from the ravages of war.
Su Cheng recalled Ye Qinghan's frequent words: In many ways, humans truly fall short of demons.
Without words of farewell, Su Cheng had clearly disrupted the mother and daughter's reunion. Yet this was the best solution he could conceive.
Such actions carried immense karmic consequences. Both in reason and in emotion, Su Cheng did not wish Ye Qinghan to proceed.
Yet as her master, he could not stop a child desperate to save her mother—especially when that child was his own direct disciple.
This was truly the best solution Su Cheng could devise.
Ye Qinghan knelt on the ground, neither weeping nor crying out, merely sitting there in a daze.
She began to doubt herself. Had she made a mistake?
Through mind reading, she understood her master's thoughts and knew he would not stop her.
She knew her mother loved her too, but that love was different from her master's.
Her master cared for nothing else—only her disciple filled his eyes.
"Master, have I done wrong?"
"To me, Qinghan has done nothing wrong. Her heart was set on saving her mother—how could that be wrong?"
"Qinghan doesn't understand. What good is the mortal world? What good is the common folk?"
"Standing on the first floor, Qinghan naturally cannot see the view from the second. Qinghan may try climbing to the second floor to behold the scenery her mother once gazed upon."
If Qinghan is not at fault, then who is?
"Master, what should Qinghan do?"
"If Qinghan refuses to disobey her mother's command, she must wait until her mother's life ends before gathering the scattered soul fragments."
Ye Qinghan thought to herself: Is the Master telling her to let those people waste away?
"Master, how long might that take?"
"Among all living beings, those who practice immortal arts are few. Their lifespans rarely exceed a hundred or so years. Even if a handful are reborn as cultivators, they remain a minority. Moreover, the odds of attaining immortality are minuscule. At most, it might take a few hundred years."
Ye Qinghan thought to herself, Several hundred years? And that's considered acceptable?
If not for her mother threatening to die, she wouldn't wait a single moment!
She wasn't particularly eager to be a good child, but… what choice did she have?
"Then so be it. Qinghan humbly thanks the Master."
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