Zhao Zhen sensed Hua Daozang's presence. He slowly turned and looked at his mother's second brother.
Hua Daozang looked at Zhao Zhen and couldn't help but feel dazed. It was as if he were seeing Zhao Lan—only this Zhao Lan wasn't plagued by illness.
Back then, when he had betrothed his younger sister to Crown Prince Zhao Lan, he'd thought it was the finest thing he'd ever done. Unfortunately, the good times hadn't lasted. Zhao Lan had been killed by Zhao Zhi before he could ascend the throne.
"I never imagined you'd grown so much," Hua Daozang said with a sigh.
When Zhao Zhen was born, he had traveled all the way to the Central Heaven Continent to visit Zhao Zhen and his mother. The bustle and splendor of that day had made him think their Lineage was destined to flourish.
After Zhao Lan's death, he had brought his younger sister back to Tianxuan Mountain. But he had never dared send anyone to fetch Zhao Zhen, who had remained at the Qingxiao Sect. His sister had always complained about it.
Zhao Zhen looked at him and asked, "My mother was doing just fine at Tianxuan Mountain. How did the Xuanji Sect capture her?"
Hua Daozang's expression darkened at once. Gritting his teeth, he said, "The Xuanji Sect sent people to Tianxuan Mountain to steal our secret arts, and they took your mother with them. Without our sect leader, Tianxuan Mountain couldn't stop the Xuanji Sect experts from leaving."
There was a hint of resentment in his voice, as if he blamed the Qingxiao Sect for taking the Yan Dao Sect away.
Zhao Zhen continued, "Then how do you know whether my mother is alive or dead?"
"I don't know for certain. But they left word that I should go to