Mother's Reward!

Unlike the other dazzling immortal herbs, the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid possessed no sharp edge. It was more like a sage living in seclusion amid the mountains—gentle and peaceful, yet containing unimaginable life force.

"This herb is called the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid."

"It is hailed as a supreme immortal herb for strengthening one's foundation and replenishing one's essence. It is immensely helpful in stabilizing one's foundation and repairing one's origin," Long Wushang said seriously.

"Mother, I can actually sense two different powers within your body."

"One comes from the Blood Soul Demon Puppet Martial Soul, while the other seems to come from your bloodline."

"Although Mother has kept them suppressed through her powerful cultivation, that does not mean there is no cost."

"If this continues for too long, it will inevitably affect your foundation."

"So, I hope this Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid can help Mother stabilize herself and make your future path of cultivation smoother."

With that, Long Wushang extended the two immortal herbs toward her once more.

Yet Ye Xishui did not take them right away.

She merely gazed quietly at the two immortal herbs before her, then at the child who had already grown up.

For some reason, her eyes suddenly grew hot.

Throughout her life, Ye Xishui had seen too many schemes and intrigues, endured too many betrayals and deaths.

For power, she had abandoned many things.

She had once believed that she was destined to walk in darkness for the rest of her life.

But now, someone was telling her that even though she bore countless sins, someone still sincerely wished for her to live well.

At that moment, she felt a warmth she had not known in a long time—the happiness of being a mother.

It was also the first time in all these years that she had truly felt what it was like to be cherished.

Ye Xishui suddenly flashed forward, appearing directly before Long Wushang.

She stretched out her slender jade hand and pulled her son tightly into her embrace.

Just as she had when he was little, she held Long Wushang gently in her arms, tenderly rubbing her cheek against his before softly stroking his hair.

At this moment, she was no longer the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, whose name terrified countless Soul Masters, nor was she the lofty ninth-rank Soul Engineer.

She was simply a mother, filled with incomparable happiness because her child was so thoughtful.

"You really are Mommy's precious treasure."

Ye Xishui's voice was soft, her eyes brimming with affection.

"As expected of Ye Xishui's son. You know how to care for people far better than that deadbeat father of yours."

Though she spoke of Long Xiaoyao with disdain, she could not conceal the tenderness in her eyes.

She looked at the child before her, who had brought her surprise after surprise and hope after hope in her bleak life.

At that moment, only one thought remained in Ye Xishui's heart.

With a son like this, her life was truly complete.

Held tightly in Ye Xishui's arms, Long Wushang felt that maternal love he was so enamored with, and his heart was filled with complicated emotions.

There was no question that Ye Xishui was an evil Soul Master. Her hands had been stained with countless lives, and she had been scorned by Soul Masters across the world, regarded by the masses as the embodiment of evil.

But so what?

Long Wushang knew very well that he was no saint either. As the heir of arrogance, he was a thoroughgoing social Darwinist. For his mother's sake, he could cast aside the conventional notions of good and evil, disregard the judgment of the outside world, and would never deny Ye Xishui's familial love simply because of some supposed divide between righteousness and evil.

He was not like certain hypocrites.

When they were young, they loudly proclaimed that they would avenge their loved ones, change their fate, and make those who had harmed them and their mothers pay the price.

Yet once they truly grew up, they chose compromise and endurance because of all sorts of concerns. They even forgot their old vows, forgot the selves who had refused to accept fate and wanted to change everything.

If there was a grudge, it should be avenged.

If there was kindness, it should be repaid.

If there was love, it should be protected.

That was what it meant to be a real person of flesh and blood, rather than a hypocrite draped in righteousness who could even abandon his original heart.

And just as mother and son were speaking from the heart and sharing a tender moment—

Elsewhere, within a hidden secret chamber—

An elderly man in black robes, who was sitting cross-legged and healing his wounds, suddenly frowned. Then, "Achoo!"

A loud sneeze echoed through the chamber.

"Who's talking about me?" Long Xiaoyao opened his eyes and rubbed his nose in puzzlement.

"Could it be Di Tian? That old dragon really holds a grudge."

But he soon shook his head, casting aside the sudden thought. He closed his eyes again, circulated his Soul Power, and continued recovering from his injuries while refining the remaining medicinal power within his body.

He did not know that, at this very moment, the son he cared about most had unknowingly stepped onto another path.

He had even... begun to "betray" his poor old father.

Holy Spirit Cult headquarters.

Inside Ye Xishui's research room.

Long Wushang lounged lazily on a long bench, his head resting on Ye Xishui's soft jade thighs as he enjoyed a massage personally given by the Supreme Elder of the evil Soul Masters.

If Soul Masters outside were to witness such a scene, countless jaws would surely drop.

Who could have imagined that the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult, who terrified countless people, possessed such a gentle side?

Zhongli Wu would be crying himself unconscious in the bathroom.

"By the way, Mom."

With his eyes closed and feeling Ye Xishui's gentle movements, Long Wushang suddenly asked, "How is that Soul Master brought back from Shrek Academy doing now? Why didn't I see her when I returned this time?"

Hearing Long Wushang's words, Ye Xishui's hands paused slightly.

Only then did she recall the girl whose evil Soul awakening ceremony she had personally completed several days ago.

"You mean that little girl with the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul?"

Ye Xishui spoke softly.

"Her awakening ceremony has been completed."

"She has now been formally named the Fire Phoenix Saintess within the cult. She is recuperating and familiarizing herself with the power she has just obtained."

At this point, Ye Xishui suddenly lowered her head and looked at Long Wushang lying on her lap. Seemingly thinking of something, a meaningful smile curled across her lips.

"What? Are you interested in that girl?"

"I had originally planned to keep her in the cult for training and grant her to certain people as a reward in the future. After all, her identity is special, and her Martial Soul is powerful enough. I'm afraid quite a few people in the cult would be interested in her."

Though Ye Xishui's tone was calm as she said this, a faint, barely perceptible trace of emotion flickered in her eyes.

She knew Ma Xiaotao's special status. An inner court disciple of Shrek Academy, the possessor of the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, and a genius Shrek's upper ranks had focused on nurturing, she had once slain countless evil Soul Masters.

And now, such a genius who had once stood with Shrek had ultimately fallen into the Holy Spirit Cult because of the issues with her Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul.

Naturally, her value to the Holy Spirit Cult was extremely high.

It was not merely because of her strength and talent, but also because she had once belonged to Shrek.

Many of the Holy Spirit Cult's higher-ups had been suppressed by Shrek Academy in their early years and bore deep hatred toward the continent's number-one academy.

Now that they saw Shrek's favored daughter of heaven fall, they naturally developed a twisted desire for conquest, wishing to reclaim the dignity and pride of evil Soul Masters on another battlefield.

"If you want her."

Ye Xishui paused, then said calmly, "I can have someone send her to the Dragon Tomb."