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The system flipped through the book. [That's right. The book says Immortal Ziyang treated Ran Zirou very well and gave her every bit of Cultivation Resources she could get. But Ran Zirou saw her mother as a stain on her life, so she had her killed.]
[Wait, system, didn't Ran Zirou get reborn? Could she have changed after coming back? Maybe she really wants a warm, sincere bond with her mother?]
[Host, you're far too naive. In her previous life, Ran Zirou committed so many evil deeds that the Heavenly Dao struck her dead. After being reborn, all she wants is to fight the Heavenly Dao, so she'll do everything she can to raise her Cultivation. She's never wanted sincere affection. She'll drain anyone around her she can, and she only wants to use Immortal Ziyang.]
Li Zi bit her lip. [I really want to tell Immortal Ziyang not to trust Ran Zirou, but this is between a mother and daughter. As an outsider, I can't interfere.]
The system said, [Forget it. Saying the wrong thing will only bring trouble.]
Immortal Ziyang trembled.
When she looked at Ran Zirou before her again, her gaze shifted again and again. She seemed torn, her expression strange.
The Second Elder, Ji Zheng, and Fu Chaoqing could all hear Li Zi's thoughts.
Disgust appeared on all three faces at once.
The Second Elder said, "Ziyang, you'd better think this through. She looks like you, but that doesn't mean she's your daughter. Plenty of people in this world look alike."
So far, everything Li Zi had said in her thoughts had been right.
What if Ran Zirou really was here only to drain Immortal Ziyang dry?
At the Second Elder's words, a barely perceptible flash of malice crossed Ran Zirou's eyes.
When she raised her gaze again, her eyes glistened with just the right amount of tears.
"Mother, you came to see me before, didn't you? Once when I was five, and again when I was seven."
Immortal Ziyang grew even more emotional. "You knew?"
Ran Zirou nodded firmly, her eyes brimming with tenderness.
"Yes, Mother. I did see you, but I didn't know you were my mother. I thought you were a fairy."
Of course, she had never seen her.
Immortal Ziyang had told her all of this in her previous life.
Immortal Ziyang's heart melted into a puddle.
She had always cared about her daughter and often gone to visit her. She had never imagined her daughter had seen her.
"Oh, get up."
Her heart softened in the end. Immortal Ziyang took Ran Zirou's hand and pulled her to her feet.
Mother and daughter embraced, weeping bitterly.
The Second Elder had wanted to warn Immortal Ziyang not to let love cloud her judgment.
But remembering what Li Zi had said in her thoughts, he held back.
It really was between mother and daughter. As an outsider, he had no place interfering.
[Knowing the future sure comes in handy. Not only does Ran Zirou have a Top-Grade Cultivation Method and Martial Arts Techniques, she knows how to coax people, too. She learned all this in her previous life, didn't she?]
[That's right, Host. Ran Zirou wants to win Immortal Ziyang over, then strip her of her Cultivation Resources.]
Immortal Ziyang's hand paused as she patted Ran Zirou's back.
Once they had cried their fill, Li Zi handed back the Perfume Sachet.
Immortal Ziyang smiled. "I gave it to you, so keep it. Zi'er, call me Mother from now on, all right?"
Li Zi stared at her, dazed. "Huh? Mother?"
Immortal Ziyang rubbed her head. "Good girl."
Ran Zirou finally lost her composure. She stepped forward and took Immortal Ziyang's arm, complaining, "Mother, I'm your own daughter. How come you gave her something but not me?"
Where no one else could see, she shot Li Zi a vicious glare.
Li Zi shivered and gripped the Perfume Sachet tighter.
[I'm done for, system. I've really offended Ran Zirou this time.]
[It's all right, Host. Even if you hadn't offended her, she'd still be after your Divine Bone.]
Immortal Ziyang smiled gently at Ran Zirou. "Zi'er is my goddaughter, so she's your younger sister now. You should look after her. Mother has more of these things. I'll give you some in a moment."
Impatience flashed in Ran Zirou's eyes. She nodded carelessly.
Seeing that, Immortal Ziyang's smile deepened.
The Second Elder called her aside, and the two talked for a long time.
Meanwhile, Ji Zheng and Fu Chaoqing dispersed the disciples.
Throughout it all, Ji Zheng kept his distance from Ran Zirou. He hardly dared glance at her.
Ran Zirou watched him resentfully until he was gone.
She could clearly sense that Ji Zheng had feelings for her. Why did he keep avoiding her?
There was nothing more for Li Zi to do, so Fu Chaoqing took her back to her Cave Abode.
Still, Li Zi learned what happened that night from the system.
After speaking with the Second Elder, Immortal Ziyang took Ran Zirou to the Sect Master and said she wanted to bring Ran Zirou back to the Hehuan Sect.
Ran Zirou objected fiercely. She said she liked the Spirit Sword Sect and did not want to leave.
But the elders were discussing the matter among themselves and gave her no chance to argue.
In the end, Ran Zirou was taken away against her wishes.
Li Zi propped her chin on one hand and fiddled with the Perfume Sachet in the other.
"System, I really am worried about my godmother. Ran Zirou's bound to be plotting something while she's at her side."
The system checked its records. "Host, I can't show you what happened. I can only describe it. The elders and your godmother seemed rather strange at the time, as if they were completely confident. Don't worry. They're all powerful cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm or Spirit Transformation. You should worry more about yourself."
The system's words put Li Zi at ease.
Ran Zirou had left the Sect. At least Li Zi was safe.
Now she needed to keep raising her Cultivation.
In this world, the strong reigned supreme. If she truly wanted to defy Heaven and change her fate, she needed real strength.
"Host, hurry and open the Heaven-and-Earth Artifact. Several Spirit Medicines and Medicinal Pills inside will help you. You need to purge the toxins and impurities from your body as soon as possible."