A Mother and Daughter's Deep Bond, the Sect Master's Stirring Heart

Astral Battlefield, in front of the teleportation array.

Shui Qingrou stared intently at the deep, swirling Xukong like a statue waiting for its husband, not daring to look away for even a moment.

Time seemed to stand still.

Every breath felt like an eternity to her.

[Yan'er... please, please don't let anything happen to you!]

Her heart was filled with endless torment and self-blame.

[It's all my fault! If I hadn't been so weak, if I hadn't been so focused on protecting the sect...]

Just as she was about to break down!

"Buzz--!"

The teleportation array One Flash!

A familiar, seven-colored figure flew out from within!

"Yan'er?!"

Shui Qingrou eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her perfectly healthy daughter, tears instantly welling up in her eyes!

"Mother!"

Shui Yan'er cheered and rushed into her mother's arms!

"Thank goodness! You're alright! That's wonderful!"

Shui Qingrou held her daughter tightly, as if she wanted to meld her into her very bones, afraid that this was all a dream.

After a long while, she finally calmed down and looked at her daughter in her arms, who was a little disheveled but unusually excited, and felt a pang of guilt.

"Yan'er, it's all my fault..."

"Mother, what are you saying!" Shui Yan'er looked up and sensibly wiped away the tears from her mother's eyes. "I'm perfectly fine, aren't I?"

Seeing her daughter's sensible expression, Shui Qingrou felt even more heartbroken.

There was a time when she always felt that her daughter was too willful and immature. But now, she herself seemed so vulnerable in front of her daughter.

Suddenly, she realized something, and her expression changed drastically!

"Oh right! What about those two villains?!"

She looked at her daughter anxiously, "How did you escape? Could it be... that Dongfang Master Dongfang distracted them, allowing you to take advantage of the situation..."

The thought of that possibility sent her heart leaping into her throat!

"No! I have to go save him!"

As she spoke, she rushed towards the teleportation array!

"Oh dear! Mother! Why are you in such a hurry!" Shui Yan'er quickly grabbed her, a mysterious smile on her face, "They... they're never coming back!"

"They can't get back?" Shui Qingrou was taken aback, then realized, "You mean... they got lost?"

"What?!" Shui Yan'er rolled her eyes. "They... are already dead!"

"Dead... dead?!"

Shui Qingrou was completely dumbfounded!

[Those were two Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators! Even if I were to personally take them down, it would be quite a struggle, and I might even get injured! How long has it been? How could they... be dead already?]

"Who... who did this?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Who else could it be?" Shui Yan'er's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Of course it's... the handsome young man!"

"What?!"

The Shui Qingrou felt like a lightning strike, leaving my mind completely blank!

[The Dongfang Yueming?!]

[He... he actually managed to kill two Late-Stage Nascent Soul?!]

[Doesn't that mean... his current strength is... stronger than mine?!]

The moment that thought crossed her mind, she felt a wave of dizziness!

She couldn't help but recall the young man in blue robes who had "gambled" with her daughter in the main hall of the Water and Fire Sect.

At that time, she still thought of the other person as just a junior with some talent.

Even when her daughter jokingly said, "Let my mother be his bed warmer," she thought her daughter was being silly and that the other party was getting a great deal.

But now it seems...

[Yan'er said... was actually true?!]

[To serve as a maid to such a peerless prodigy capable of defeating Late-Stage Nascent Soul... for me, and even for the entire Water and Fire Sect, isn't that... an honor?]

Upon thinking of this, the usually dignified and majestic sect leader couldn't help but blush uncontrollably!

That heart, which had been dormant for many years, suddenly started beating wildly, much to its dismay!

Since... since we lost...

[Should I... really keep my bet?]

"Mom? What's wrong? Why is your face so red?"

Shui Yan'er, who was still chattering about Dongfang Yueming Yueming's heroic deeds, suddenly noticed her mother's strange behavior and curiously came over.

"Ah? No... nothing!" Shui Qingrou coughed twice to cover up her embarrassment. "Maybe... maybe I was just too excited."

"Oh, right," she quickly changed the subject, "Where's Dongfang Master Dongfang? Why didn't he come back with you?"

"Oh, he said he's going into seclusion."

"Seclusion?" Shui Qingrou's heart skipped a beat.

[His current strength is already terrifying. If he were to go into seclusion again...]

[When I emerge from seclusion, won't I... possess the combat power of Soul Formation?!]

Thinking of this, she looked towards the Astral Battlefield, her Spirit Transformation increasingly complex and... fervent.

Meanwhile, in a desolate little world.

Dongfang Yueming sat cross-legged atop a solitary peak, took a deep breath, and completely calmed his mind.

[Merge!]

[Earth-Grade Divine Ability: Two Aspects Annihilation + Earth-Grade Divine Ability: Ice and Fire Purgatory!]

"Boom--!!!!"

In an instant!

An indescribable aura of terror erupted from his body!

Half of it is pure black, representing annihilation and death!

Half of it is an extreme interplay of red and blue, representing ice and fire, and destruction!

These two completely different forces collided, merged, and evolved wildly within his Sea of Consciousness!

outside world.

The once clear sky instantly became covered with dark clouds!

Countless thick bolts of lightning rolled and roared in the clouds, radiating a terrifying, world-destroying pressure!

[Heavenly Punishment!]

The native cultivators of this small world were all horrified and knelt down in worship, thinking that the end of the world had arrived!

Dongfang Yueming, however, seemed oblivious to everything happening around him.

At this moment, he was in a state of profound enlightenment!

Yin and Yang complement each other; water and fire harmonize each other!

[The ultimate state of life is death!]

[The ultimate death is life!]

"Buzz--!"

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, a strange lotus flower, with a black and white base and red and blue petals, slowly bloomed!

[Ding! Fusion successful! Obtained a brand new Heaven-Grade Divine Ability - [Two Forms Ice and Fire Lotus]!]

"Boom--!"

Heavenly Punishment is coming!

A world-destroying bolt of lightning, powerful enough to level the entire solitary peak, struck down!

Dongfang Yueming suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with divine light!

He slowly raised his hand, and in his palm, a beautiful lotus flower, yet exuding a chilling aura, spun around!

"Go!"

The lotus flower shot skyward, meeting the divine lightning head-on!

There was no earth-shattering noise.

The divine lightning bolt, upon contact with the lotus flower, vanished as quickly as a mud ox entering the sea, instantly swallowed up completely!

On the contrary, the lotus flower became even more beautiful and vibrant after absorbing the power of the lightning!

The clouds of calamity dispersed, and peace returned to the world.

Dongfang Yueming retrieved the lotus flower, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

This Divine Ability ability combines offense and defense, and also possesses the power to seal and refine; it truly has... endless uses!

He glanced at the panel.

[It's time to Point Allocation skills!]