The One Who Saved His Life and Tears of Grief

Perhaps that first, fleeting glimpse had left such a deep impression on him.

He had never forgotten what the other person said.

"All right, Gu Diao. Eat Beauty Spider."

Then he watched as the monster that had killed his mother and imprisoned her soul was swallowed bite by bite by another monster. It looked like an eagle, but had a pair of great horns.

He could even hear the sharp teeth crunching through its shell, again and again.

It was a terrifying sight, but Su Xun forced himself to keep his eyes wide open, watching without looking away.

Even as his stomach churned.

He noticed that as the spider monster's head disappeared into that mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, the faces on Big Spider's back suddenly began to writhe.

Each of the beautiful faces looked lovely on its own. But packed so tightly together, their features overlapped, their expressions all different. Like faded masks, they were impossible to recognize. The only thing clear was the unbearable urgency and longing between their brows.

The bizarre, fantastical sight took on an eerie, tragic beauty.

And though there was no sound at all, he felt as if hoarse cries of anguish were ringing in his ears.

Su Xun didn't look away until he saw a familiar face.

The next second, that face seemed to melt into countless points of light.

Then it vanished completely.

But he had seen the curve of its lips just before it disappeared.

Mother Su had been smiling.

Maybe it was his imagination, but Mother Su seemed to have seen him.

Right up until she disappeared, those blurred eyes, filled with a tenderness he knew better than anything, had remained fixed on him.

"Mom."

His lips moved, whispering soundlessly.

At some point, the corners of