91: Chapter 91 Mom is here

The news of Chen Zilong successfully condensing his Nascent Soul and breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage spread through Xuantian Sect and its surrounding major sects like a thunderclap.

Between the mountains, clouds and mist swirled, and spiritual energy was dense, presenting a scene of an immortal realm.

Wherever the news reached, it caused a stir.

On the surface, the major sects expressed their anticipation for Xuantian Sect's upcoming "Five Peaks Martial Arts Competition," their words filled with praise and attention for this grand event.

However, Chen Zilong saw through it clearly; the so-called "anticipation" of those sects was merely an excuse to use the Five Peaks Martial Arts Competition as an opportunity to visit Xuantian Sect in person and probe the true strength of this newly-promoted Nascent Soul cultivator.

To this, he simply laughed it off.

Xuantian Sect's top direct disciple, Lu Bingyun, despite her extraordinary talent and her cultivation reaching the Great Circle of the Early Golden Core stage—even being able to fight across levels against those in the Late Golden Core stage—

Before a Nascent Soul cultivator, she was ultimately like a firefly before the bright moon, the gap was vast.

Since his successful breakthrough, Chen Zilong no longer returned to the nominal bridal chamber he shared with Ye Xishui, but instead resided permanently in his master Liu Mei's residence, "Qingmei Hall."

Liu Mei expressed no objection to this, though occasionally, when no one was around, a trace of complexity would flicker through her eyes, which were as clear as autumn waters.

Though her current relationship with Chen Zilong had not been explicitly stated, it was already an unspoken understanding.

However, thinking that he was still nominally Ye Xishui's husband, she couldn't help but feel a faint, inexplicable awkwardness in her heart.

After all, according to worldly etiquette and law, she was now essentially her own disciple's lover.

On this day, Xuantian Sect welcomed an extremely important guest.

She was Chen Zilong's mother, the senior sister of Xuantian Sect's Sect Master Li Xuan, the former chief disciple of Purple Bamboo Peak, and the beloved wife of Chen Zilong's father Chen Xuan—Ji Fuyao.

Purple Bamboo Peak, Main Hall.

Spiritual energy was dense within the hall, and a faint shimmering light floated amidst the carved beams and painted rafters.

The light veils hanging around moved without wind, making the entire space appear even more serene and quiet.

Ji Fuyao wore a magnificent and exquisite robe with dark patterns, her figure graceful and curvaceous.

Born with an innate charm, her every frown and smile exuded elegance; yet, time had left no mark on her, and her skin remained as delicate as a young girl's.

Yet, between her brows and eyes, there was more mature charm and an air of natural authority than a young girl would possess.

She sat regally in the main seat of Purple Bamboo Peak, her posture dignified and her expression seemingly calm, though a hard-to-detect sharpness was hidden in the depths of her eyes.

Beside her, Liu Mei, in a pale purple dress, sat quietly and poured her a cup of spiritual tea.

The tea's fragrance curled upwards, hazy with a faint spiritual energy.

"Junior Sister, it has been a long time since you last came to see me," Liu Mei spoke softly, a gentle smile playing on the corners of her lips.

Her eyes, however, imperceptibly avoided the other's overly bright gaze.

Ji Fuyao took the teacup, her fingertips like jade; she gently blew on the rising steam, her movements elegant yet carrying a hint of casualness:

"I was in seclusion recently and only just came out. I originally wanted to see you and check on my precious son, but as it turns out..."

She snorted coldly, a sudden cold light flashing in her eyes:

"I was almost angered to death! That fellow Little Xuanzi actually dared to hide it from me and went ahead with my son's marriage without even saying a word!"

Liu Mei smiled slightly, her smile as warm as water, but a flicker of tension quickly passed through her eyes:

"You didn't beat your junior brother to death, did you? He is your darling, after all."

Hearing this, Ji Fuyao directly rolled her eyes charmingly, her red lips curling slightly:

"What darling! My son is my darling! Little Xuanzi? I'm so angry I don't even want to talk to him!"

Liu Mei's slender brows rose slightly, showing just the right amount of confusion:

"What happened?"

Ji Fuyao set the teacup down on the table with a sharp "clack."

Her aura suddenly turned cold, and water-attribute spiritual energy surged like a tide; though she didn't truly release her pressure, it still caused the air in the hall to slightly freeze.

"Ye Xishui? That woman who was once entangled with her own family slave—is she worthy of entering my Chen family's door? It's simply the world's biggest joke!"

Her voice turned cold, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. "I came this time specifically to have Zilong divorce her!"

Hearing this, Liu Mei couldn't help but furrow her delicate brows, a look of worry appearing on her face:

"Junior Sister, don't be impulsive. Xishui is, after all, the only daughter of the Ye family. Divorcing a wife is no small matter. The Ye family's power is vast; they are not ones to be trifled with."

Ji Fuyao's magic power vibrated slightly, her sleeves moving without wind, a majestic yet restrained aura naturally flowing out.

She tilted her chin slightly, her tone carrying a domineering air that looked down upon the world:

"Would I be afraid of the Ye family? If they don't know what's good for them, at worst, I'll beat them into submission one by one! It just so happens that I haven't stretched my muscles in a long time!"

Liu Mei took a deep breath, trying to calm the waves in her heart, and advised:

"Junior Sister, calm down."

"Calm down? My precious son was plotted against like this, how can you ask me to be calm!" Ji Fuyao's eyebrows shot up, her phoenix eyes filled with malice, and a sharp aura instantly permeated the air.

Hearing the words "plotted against," Liu Mei's heart suddenly panicked, and she almost couldn't control the expression on her face.

—She was the first person to have shared an intimate relationship with Chen Zilong.

Ji Fuyao keenly noticed Liu Mei's momentary unnaturalness, and her gaze swept over like lightning:

"Senior Sister, what's wrong? You seem completely ill at ease."

Liu Mei's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously lowered her eyes to hide the panic flashing within them.

She picked up another untouched cup of tea from the table and took a sip to cover her tracks, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremor:

"No... nothing."

Ji Fuyao's slender eyebrows rose slightly, a hint of playfulness flashing in her eyes as she spoke teasingly:

"Still saying you're not ill at ease? What you're drinking is my tea."

Reminded by her, Liu Mei suddenly realized she had taken the wrong teacup. Her earlobes instantly turned a faint red, and she hurriedly put the cup down, her movements appearing somewhat rushed.

At this moment, Ji Fuyao suddenly blinked, her thick, curled lashes fluttering. Her face instantly changed to an enthusiastic "gossip-seeking" expression as she leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice:

"Senior Sister!!!"

"You... couldn't possibly have a man, could you?"

"Pfft—cough cough cough!" Liu Mei was directly choked by the tea she hadn't swallowed yet.

She coughed violently, her cheeks flushed, though it was unclear if it was from choking or embarrassment.

Ji Fuyao narrowed her charming phoenix eyes, the corners of her mouth curling into a knowing smile:

"Is there a need for such a big reaction? Having a Dao companion is a happy occasion, why hide it?"

Liu Mei immediately forced herself to be calm, raising her shimmering eyes and retorting with a hint of bashful anger:

"You... what nonsense are you talking about!"

However, her slightly trembling fingertips and her wandering gaze had already betrayed the panic in her heart.

Ji Fuyao snorted softly, her tone certain, carrying the understanding of someone who had been through it:

"Senior Sister, I've been through this before. This look of yours is clearly that of someone who has developed feelings and is deeply in love."

Liu Mei felt completely uncomfortable under her gaze, so she simply turned her head away, leaving her with only the beautiful profile of her face and her slightly reddened ear tips.

Ji Fuyao, however, was relentless. Her curiosity was thoroughly piqued, and she leaned in closer, her voice excited with gossip:

"Hey, tell me quickly, that man... how does he treat you? Do you... like him?"

Liu Mei's mind was in a state of chaos, and upon hearing this, she subconsciously blurted out:

"He treats me very well, of course I li—"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly realized her slip of the tongue and immediately stopped. She snapped her head back, her beautiful eyes glaring at Ji Fuyao with faint anger:

"You! You actually tricked me into talking!"

Seeing this, the smile on Ji Fuyao's face grew even more brilliant, as if she had obtained some treasure.

She said earnestly:

"Senior Sister! You have already cultivated for a thousand years; it's high time you found a Dao companion to accompany you."

"Our Xuantian Sect practices the Path of Emotion, it's not like the Quanzhen Sect where one must sever all worldly ties."

"Finding a soulmate is a perfectly normal thing. Why be embarrassed to admit it?"

Liu Mei was truly speechless at this point, her heart filled with both embarrassment and helplessness.

How could she possibly say it?

Was she supposed to confess that her man was the very son you treasure so much, Junior Sister?

To confess that not only was he your son, but she was the one who had "consumed him entirely," and...

Was indulging in it?

Just thinking about such words made her want to die of shame, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

But if she didn't say it now, the truth would eventually come out one day.

At that time, this junior sister before her, who was like a sister to her, would become her...

Mother-in-law?

At the thought of this relationship, Liu Mei felt her scalp go numb and her mind in a mess, even her breathing becoming somewhat labored.

Just as her thoughts were in turmoil and she didn't know what to do, light footsteps came from outside the hall.

Liu Mei's three direct disciples—Ye Xishui, Chen Zilong, and Tu Shan Xiaoxiao.

The three were walking side by side into the main hall...

...