Qian Daoliu smiled and patted Qian Renxue's head. "Alright, Xiaoxue, she is your mother. How could she not love you?"
"She just can't reconcile with her past self. Xiaoxue, time will heal all wounds. She will accept you someday!"
"Grandpa, how long will it take for her to accept me? I'm clearly her daughter!"
"She'd rather care about those two unfamiliar children than care about me!"
"Xiaoxue, Grandpa doesn't know how long it will take, but Grandpa believes that Xiaoxue will definitely wait until that day comes!"
"Mm! Grandpa, I believe so too!"
...
When night fell, Qian Renxue was already fast asleep on her bed.
Qian Daoliu tucked her in properly, his fingertips brushing over the tear stains that hadn't dried at the corners of his granddaughter's eyes. He then turned and walked toward the Papal Hall.
Inside the Papal Hall, candlelight flickered with a golden-red glow.
Bi Bidong sat upright on the towering papal throne, her amber eyes like chilled gems, fixed intently on the carved hall door.
"Creak—"
The hall door was pushed open from outside, bringing with it the chill of the night air.
Qian Daoliu strode in, the candle flames flickering several times from the wind he brought with him. As soon as he stood still, his deep, angry voice crashed down:
"Bi Bidong!"
Bi Bidong didn't even lift her eyelids, her fingers casually tracing the intricate scroll patterns on the armrest. Her tone was laced with iciness:
"The Great Worship paying a visit so late at night is quite a rare guest. I wonder what wind has blown you from the Hall of Worship to my Papal Hall?"
"Bi Bidong, you know why I'm here. What happened today, you went too far!"
"Too far?"
Bi Bidong finally looked up, her gaze clashing with his.
"Could it be more excessive than what your precious son did to me?"
"If the Great Worship has come to seek justice for her or to lecture me, then please leave. I'm tired and need to rest!"
"Bi Bidong! Xiaoxue is the daughter you carried for ten months and gave birth to. How can you be so heartless!"
"Enough!" Bi Bidong slammed the armrest sharply, fury surging in her purple eyes.
"You'd better keep your granddaughter in check and don't let her set foot in my Papal Hall ever again!"
"Otherwise, if she offends me or my disciples again someday, it won't be as simple as a slap!"
"Bi Bidong!" Qian Daoliu trembled with anger, his aged face full of anguish.
"You are a mother! Xiaoxue is the child you carried for ten months and gave birth to. How can you say such things?"
"Shut up!"
Bi Bidong cut him off sharply, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. The Soul Power around her surged uncontrollably, with purple-black mist swirling at her sides.
"Don't talk to me about being a mother! If it weren't for your Qian family, if it weren't for that beast of a son of yours, I should have had my own life, my own right to choose!"
"You destroyed my life! What right do you have to stand here and dictate to me!"
Qian Daoliu was shaken by the nearly insane hatred in her eyes, his aged body trembling slightly. His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness:
"I know, Ji Er wronged you, and the Qian family wronged you..."
"You killed Ji Er, and I still let you hold the papal position, controlling the Spirit Hall. What more can't you let go of?"
"Let go?"
Bi Bidong laughed bitterly as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world.
Her laughter echoed through the empty hall, carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
"Qian Daoliu, you try being imprisoned in a sunless secret room, enduring inhuman torment day after day!"
"You try watching everything you cherish be crushed, without even the strength to resist!"
She abruptly stepped closer, purple-black Soul Power surging around her, nearly materializing:
"What your Qian family owes me can never be offset by just a papal position!"
"That's my ruined life, my past that I can never return to!"
"Even if that beast is dead, even if you hand over this Spirit Hall to me, my pain, my hatred, won't diminish in the slightest!"
"You..."
Qian Daoliu was rendered speechless by the despair and venom in her words.
He looked at this woman consumed by hatred before him, as if truly seeing her for the first time.
That young girl with stubbornness and spirit in her eyes from years past had long been distorted beyond recognition through the grind of time and the immersion in hatred.
"You... you're utterly unreasonable!" Qian Daoliu felt his heart ache from her words.
"Yes, I'm unreasonable." Bi Bidong sneered coldly, her eyes sharp as knives.
"But all of this was bestowed upon me by your Qian family! Now, take your reasoning and get out of my Papal Hall! Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Seeing the undisguised killing intent in her eyes, Qian Daoliu knew that continuing the discussion would only escalate the conflict.
He sighed heavily, his eyes filled with powerlessness and sorrow:
"Fine, Bi Bidong... you take care of yourself."
After speaking, he turned and staggered out of the Papal Hall, his figure disappearing into the night.
Bi Bidong slowly sat back on her throne, pressing her fingers against her aching temples. The hatred in her eyes faded, leaving only endless exhaustion and emptiness.
She gazed at the empty hall, as if transported back to those days and nights of imprisonment, with desperate screams echoing in her ears.
After a long while, she murmured softly, her voice as light as a dream:
"I wish I could too... but I just can't..."
The candle flames flickered, casting her long shadow, lonely and sorrowful.
In Su Yu's room, he sat cross-legged on his bed, forming hand seals to channel the Chakra within his body.
Soon, a cyan-green piece of wood appeared behind him, gradually taking human form.
Though it already had a human outline, it simply couldn't fully materialize.
Indeed, Su Yu was practicing the Wood Clone Technique. Once he mastered this technique, his training speed would increase significantly.
However, strangely, this Wood Clone could never completely form.
"System! Are you there?"
"Ding, I'm here. What does the host require?"
"System, why can't I use the Wood Clone Technique?"
"Ding, Wood Clone, Wood Dragon, and Wood Human Technique are three special Wood Release Ninjutsu!"
"Wood Release possesses life force. These three techniques are manifestations of life and consume enormous amounts of Soul Power."
"According to system detection, the host's current Soul Power is insufficient to use Wood Clone."
"What? Then when can I use it?"
"Ding, according to system detection, once your Soul Power level breaks through to level 25, you will be able to use the Wood Clone Technique."
"What should I do then? I'm only at level 13. Is there any quick way for me to use Wood Clone?"
"Ding, there isn't. However, considering how much the host desires to become stronger, I'll assign you a task!"
"Ding, detecting the host's strong desire to grow stronger, mission issued!"
"Mission requirement: Become friends with Qian Renxue. Mission reward: Kagura Mind's Eye!"