A bittersweet smile touched Bai Yunxi's lips as she stepped into the room.
Su Kang lay on his back, eyes fixed on the sky, a complicated look in his gaze.
Even if her heart didn't want to move on, how long could it remain unmoved by his quiet care?
The Li family had a rule: a person who disappeared would not be considered dead until eighteen years had passed.
Yet Li Fang had spoken of his father's death long before any official declaration, long before the funeral rites.
He wouldn't have done so unless his mother had shaped that belief in him from a young age.
Bai Yunxi must have accepted that reality herself and planted it within her son, shielding him from false hope.
But still... Su Kang wasn't certain if her heart truly held no spark for Li Xiao.
He released a quiet breath.
"I've only pursued her for a month—there's no need to rush. I can't lose to a dead ghost."
For now, all he could do was give her space—time to confront her own emotions and choose her own path.
He spoke in a low whisper.
"But...I don't like this, Fate."
A calm, indifferent voice echoed in his mind.
"What else can you do? I need the power of destiny. You need it too, if you want to change your situation."
Su Kang closed his eyes, a helpless feeling tightening in his chest.
After that, Su Kang didn't invite her again, and she didn't leave the cabin either. No words were exchanged between them.
Time passed in silence, and soon, they reached their destination.
The Great Rift Valley stretched wide like a painting drawn by the heavens. Towering mountains framed rolling hills, their slopes washed in hues of golden yellow and deep green.
A broad river wound through the valley's heart, its waters pristine and clear, revealing glimpses of the world beneath its shimmering surface.
Nestled within this majestic land was a city—small, yet thriving, with around thirty-five thousand inhabitants.
Beneath its soil pulsed a second-grade spiritual vein, attracting cultivators and merchants alike, making it a haven of cultivation and commerce.
Their spiritual boat descended near a village. Without saying a word, Su Kang channeled his spiritual qi, lifting Bai Yunxi gently from the vessel and placing her on the ground.
Before she could speak, he had already started walking, his gaze searching for something.
She watched his back, a flicker of confusion rising in her chest.
Is he… searching for someone?
Compelled by curiosity, Bai Yunxi followed in silence.
After about fifteen minutes of walking and asking people, they arrived at a secluded bamboo hut nestled among gently swaying trees.
Su Kang stepped forward and knocked.
A short pause followed. Then, the door creaked open to reveal an old man with white hair and a face deeply lined by time.
Though aged, his broad shoulders and sturdy frame hinted at a life spent in hard labor.
Sharp eyes studied Su Kang for a moment. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice low and steady.
"I'm looking for a woman who may live here," Su Kang replied, calm and firm.
"May I confirm her identity?"
The old man held his gaze for a moment before nodding. "Come in."
He stepped aside, wary but respectful. Even without a strong spiritual presence, he sensed Su Kang was not an ordinary traveler.
Bai Yunxi hesitated at the doorway, a strange tightness seizing her chest. Then, she stepped inside—
And froze.
On a simple wooden bed lay a woman. Her robes were plain and worn, and white streaks ran through her once-dark hair.
Though time and hardship had dulled her beauty, her features still held a familiar grace—one Bai Yunxi had feared she would never see again.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"…Mother?"
The word slipped from her lips, trembling with disbelief.
The woman stirred, her gaze turning slowly. Confusion flickered in her eyes—then faded as recognition bloomed.
Tears welled up.
Bai Yunxi's composure crumbled. She rushed forward, falling to her knees beside the bed. Her hands trembled as they reached for her mother's.
"My daughter…" the woman whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. She lifted a trembling hand to touch Bai Yunxi's face.
That was when Bai Yunxi saw it—
Her mother's right arm ended at the elbow.
She gasped. "Mother!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks as her mother pulled her into a fragile embrace. Both of them sobbed, hearts unraveling in that moment.
Su Kang stood silently nearby, a soft and gentle smile on his face.
Then, quietly, he turned and stepped outside—leaving the reunion undisturbed.
And just like that, he was gone.
After the emotions had subsided, mother and daughter sat together, hands still clasped.
The old man returned, placing warm tea before them without a word, then left them alone.
Her mother took a long breath. "We were ambushed," she began softly, her voice distant with old pain.
"They sent beasts after us. Your father… he stayed behind to give me a chance to escape."
Bai Yunxi clenched her trembling hands. "Father…"
Her mother nodded, grief flickering in her gaze. "He tricked them. Led them away and told me to run. I managed to reach a water boat, but even then…" She lifted her severed arm.
"The boat was attacked by wild beasts. I wasn't strong enough."
The words lodged in Bai Yunxi's throat like stone.
"The hunters found me drifting down the river. I was unconscious for one month. When I woke up… I had no memory."
She exhaled slowly, her eyes clouded.
"At first, I lived with the hunters. Later, I moved from place to place. I used my body's strength to survive—became a hunter myself. A few years ago, fragments of my memories started returning. But by then… I was too weak to travel. I had no way to return to you."
"I tried to save spiritual stones, thinking I could one day board a spiritual boat from the Rift Valley toward Qin or Gold Stone City."
Her gaze dimmed, fingers curling unconsciously around the edge of the thin blanket.
"If I had tried to travel there alone, in this condition… even the smallest accident could've ended my life. I would have died on the way, without ever seeing you again."
Her voice faltered, and for a moment, her shoulders trembled as she continued.
"I cried so many nights thinking about leaving you alone in there when you needed us. My child... S-Sorry…"
Bai Yunxi trembled as she heard her mother's words. Her mother had suffered so much—forced to earn spiritual stones with her broken, injured body.
Without any spiritual energy, her strength had fallen to that of an ordinary mortal. In such a fragile state, even a single accident could have been fatal.
Bai Yunxi sat silently, tears falling as she listened. She had grieved for years, never knowing her mother had suffered even more.
"You've been through so much, Mother," she whispered.
"I thought I lost you forever. I'm sorry… I wasn't there."
Haaahh…hic... waaah!
Her cries echoed within the small bamboo hut, raw and unrestrained, carrying the weight of years lost and pain buried too deep.
....
After crying for a long time, they finally calmed down. Years of pain had been washed away through tears.
Her mother gently cupped Bai Yunxi's face, her expression tender.
" Xi'er. What matters is that we are here now."
"Yes, Mother. I won't let you suffer anymore," she whispered, nodding with conviction.
Evening descended quietly. Curious children peeked through the doorway, eyes wide with wonder before darting away, giggling.
A short while later, the old man returned, carrying bowls of food. The children trailed behind him, laughter in their voices.
Her mother offered a faint smile. "He helped me rebuild my life. The people here… they became my family. I'm grateful for them."
"Old Granny, this is food our mother made for you and elder sister!" a bright-eyed fourteen-year-old girl announced cheerfully.
"Thank you, Wu'er," her mother replied, her expression softening as she gestured for the girl to sit.
Only then did Bai Yunxi realize—Su Kang was gone. He had vanished without a word.
As they ate, she listened to stories about the children—some were the old man's grandchildren, others were from the neighborhood.
Her mother was cherished here. Affectionately known as Old Granny.
After dinner, the old man took the children away, bidding them goodnight. Bai Yunxi and her mother stayed up late, they shared memories and filled the gap of lost years.
For the first time in decades, Bai Yunxi felt a sense of peace settle in her chest.