Chapter 1381: Chapter 1381: Brother Li asked to pass on his regards to you!
As Zhou Yuruo had predicted, amidst the whistle from a high-ranking mber of Ruoshui Palace, a black figure shot out lightning-fast from the Palace Master Hall, soared upward, and appeared dozens of ters in the air.
The black figure was a female expert at the Innate Realm whose apparent age matched Zhou Yuruo’s. However, her aura was far stronger than Zhou Yuruo’s.
Her eyes sparkled like lightning, emitting cold beams of light. Her body was surrounded by a chilling Martial Artist Aura, making those standing slightly closer involuntarily shudder.
The woman’s speed was astonishing. After only a few breaths, she appeared right in front of Zhou Yuruo, suspended in the air just a few ters apart. Their gazes collided sharply in midair.
The woman was none other than Zhou Qingyan, the current Palace Master of Ruoshui Palace.
Behind Zhou Qingyan stood over a dozen Innate Experts, their True Essence Wings gently fluttering. They hovered in the air while gazing at Zhou Yuruo, who wore a black veil. Their expressions were heavy with mixed feelings and silent sighs.
All of them knew that Zhou Yuruo was Zhou Qingyan’s daughter. Back then, the Palace Master had invested greatly in grooming Zhou Yuruo, hoping her daughter would compete for the position of the next Palace Master of Ruoshui Palace. However, Zhou Yuruo ended up eloping with the Loose Cultivator Zhuge Dingtian.
This incident had deeply shocked and infuriated Zhou Qingyan.
Enraged, Zhou Qingyan hardened her heart and decreed that disciples of the law enforcent must capture Zhuge Dingtian and her daughter Zhou Yuruo. She swore that if caught, Zhuge Dingtian would be killed on the spot, while Zhou Yuruo would be returned to Ruoshui Palace and imprisoned in Reflection Valley, forbidden to leave the palace for the rest of her life.
Later, Ruoshui Palace law enforcent disciples tracked down Zhuge Dingtian and forced him into a lethal and inescapable dead end, while Zhou Yuruo vanished without a trace.
The disciples of Ruoshui Palace thought the matter would quietly fade away—the missing Zhou Yuruo, no matter if she were alive or dead, would never dare to show herself again.
Yet to their astonishnt, more than ten years later, after almost everyone within Ruoshui Palace had forgotten about Zhou Yuruo, she suddenly reappeared near the palace.
Many of the Innate Experts of Ruoshui Palace thought Zhou Yuruo’s return was astonishingly foolish.
Even though Zhou Yuruo was the Palace Master’s daughter, the current Palace Master had undergone a personality shift, growing cold and unyielding. If captured, Zhou Yuruo would likely face a far harsher punishnt.
Reflection Valley, extending rely a hundred ters in area, would feel worse than death for a Martial Artist condemned to lifelong imprisonnt.
“You still know how to co back?”
Zhou Qingyan’s icy gaze locked onto her daughter as she raised her hand abruptly and pointed at her, her voice sharp and commanding, “You finally realize your mistakes from back then, don’t you? Even though you are my daughter, palace rules are firm and rciless! Now, return with to Ruoshui Palace and accept punishnt!”
“Heh…”
Zhou Yuruo let out a cold laugh.
She had hoped that despite everything, the fact that she and Zhou Qingyan were mother and daughter would count for sothing. After more than a decade apart, surely her mother would show at least so concern for her well-being, no matter how severe her heart might have grown.
Yet at this mont, looking into Zhou Qingyan’s eyes, Zhou Yuruo saw only anger and rigid coldness—none of the maternal warmth she had hoped for.
Zhou Yuruo felt deeply heartbroken and disappointed.
With the cold laughter, her tears welled up once more.
She turned to glance behind her and saw her daughter Zhuge Lian along with the young Martial Artist not retreating, but instead inching closer to her. Suspended in the air not far behind, Zhou Yuruo sighed inwardly, knowing that with Zhou Qingyan taking action, escape for her daughter and the young Martial Artist would never be allowed.
Her daughter, if captured, would at worst face imprisonnt akin to her own, likely spared of death. But the young Martial Artist, his fate was almost certain—he wouldn’t survive this encounter.
“Zhou Qingyan, you’re wrong! I did not return to apologize, but to confirm one thing…”
As she spoke, Zhou Yuruo’s gaze turned razor-sharp, locking with her mother’s as she asked intensely, “Tell —when Zhuge Dingtian was hunted down by Ruoshui Palace law enforcent disciples years ago, did he live or die?”
Zhou Qingyan’s expression froze for a mont, then she sneered coldly, saying, “Ruoshui Palace’s law enforcent disciples may not have managed to kill Zhuge Dingtian directly, but they forced him into a place of despair, a lethal dead end. That dead end, even for experts at Innate Realm perfection, is a place where survival is a one-in-ten thousand chance. How could he have survived?”
Hearing this, Zhou Yuruo knew her mother wasn’t lying. Otherwise, why would she have waited painfully for over a decade, yet Zhuge Dingtian had never been heard from? Her heart felt as if pierced by countless needles, her vision blackened, her body faltered, and obstructed Essence Energy caused her to plumt toward the ground.
“Mother!”
Zhuge Lian cried out and tried to intervene, but Fang Bai’s Wind Wings had already vibrated swiftly as he rushed to the falling Zhou Yuruo. He caught her gently, then brought both mother and daughter safely to the ground.
“Mother?”
Zhou Qingyan’s attention shifted to Zhuge Lian, noticing the faint resemblance between her facial features and Zhou Yuruo’s. She imdiately understood this was her daughter’s child, her own granddaughter.
Her heart softened montarily, and her eyes revealed an affectionate glimr. But when her gaze fell on Fang Bai nearby, her pupils widened, her cold and stern deanor returned. Her expression was one of deep hostility—he reminded her vividly of Zhuge Dingtian.
“Hmm? A twenty-sothing Innate Realm perfection expert… Which Sect disciple could he possibly belong to?”
Descending to the ground, Zhou Qingyan fixed her gaze on Fang Bai, her eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.
The next mont, her face darkened with killing intent. She thought to herself, “My granddaughter, as a descendant of Ruoshui Palace, naturally belongs to the palace. This boy dares to be with her—today, I will kill him to uphold palace rules!”
Sensing Zhou Qingyan’s killing aura, Fang Bai smiled faintly and turned to Zhuge Lian. “Take care of your mother. Leave everything else to .”
Fang Bai stepped forward, stopping three ters in front of Zhou Qingyan. He sized her up for a few monts before chuckling coldly and saying, “So you’re Zhou Qingyan, huh? Brother Li Li Chenzhou asked to pass along his regards!”
At the ntion of “Li Chenzhou,” Zhou Qingyan trembled violently as if struck by lightning. Her face flushed red, and she exclaid uncontrollably, “Li Chenzhou, he’s still alive? Where… Where is he?”
“Young man, you… You know my father?”
Behind Fang Bai, Zhou Yuruo, having just regained so Essence Energy, beca emotionally charged upon hearing the na “Li Chenzhou.” Ignoring the presence of her daughter, she asked shakily.
Zhuge Lian chid in, “Mother, Brother Fang and Grandpa are very close friends!”
After glancing at Zhou Qingyan, she added quietly, “Mother, let tell you—Grandpa is currently in Huaxia Sect and overseeing things for Brother Fang!”
Last ti when Zhou Yuruo secretly observed Zhuge Lian, Fang Bai and Li Chenzhou had not yet arrived at Huaxia Sect, so she hadn’t seen them. Otherwise, she might not have risked returning to Ruoshui Palace.
“Is what you’re saying true?”
Zhou Qingyan heard her granddaughter’s words loud and clear, but she still struggled to believe.
“Of course it’s true. Grandmother, if you don’t believe , you can go to Huaxia Sect and see for yourself!”
Zhuge Lian replied coolly.
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