Bai Wanru knew she had led Lou Yunxiao down this path of no return.
If she had taken Lou Yunxiao into hiding in the mountains and forests, ignoring these ordinary people, she would never have placed so much pressure on him.
Nor would it have ended like this today.
In her lifetime, she had slain countless demons. She had done right by the people, by all living beings, and by her principles. Only Lou Yunxiao had she failed.
So, if there was another life...
She would not be Yunxiao's mother again.
She only hoped Yunxiao could be more selfish, live more for himself, and not be burdened by the world.
The last light in Bai Wanru's eyes faded completely. Her eyes slowly closed, and the hand Ning Ke held went limp.
As her life ebbed away, white mist began flowing from her body into the Buddha Lotus Lamp at her waist. The lamp shone more brightly, and patterns like scriptures appeared on each lotus petal. An astonishing power surged forth, dispersing the dark clouds above Bai Wanru and Ning Ke and allowing sunlight to spill down, as though blessing the birth of the Buddha Lotus Lamp.
It was at that moment that Ning Ke saw Lou Yunxiao racing toward them from afar.
An immense sorrow spread through his heart.
For Bai Wanru.
And for Lou Yunxiao.
He understood how Bai Wanru felt.
In the final moments of her life, this mother had been consumed by guilt toward her son.
Yet she might never know that, although Lou Yunxiao never said it aloud, he had always felt pride and admiration for her as his mother.
But now, he had not even been able to see her one last time...
This was Lou Yunxiao's fate ten thousand years ago.
"Mother-"
Lou Yunxiao