"That was about ten years ago. At that time, a woman was found seriously injured in the Xu family's manor, holding a child in her arms."
The elder pondered for a moment, then continued, "After that, I rescued her, and she stayed in the Xu family and began to do things for the Xu family. Of course, I also tried to persuade her to go home, but your mother would fall silent whenever the topic came up, so I stopped talking about it."
"Your mother was not only a Soul Emperor-level expert, but also a Battle Armor Master, possessing formidable strength. Thus, within a short year, her exceptional power significantly elevated the Xu family's status in the East Sea."
The elder sighed softly, "Everything was going very well up to this point, but that's where the problem arose. Xu Junwen was then the Deputy Minister of Finance of the East Sea, young and ambitious, and extremely determined to become the Minister. Later, your mother revealed her identity as an Evil Soul Master, and secretly colluded with other people in East Sea City to capture her. But when your mother was no match for them, she gave up resisting and instead…"
The elder sighed again, "She chose suicide, but in the end, she left a mark on Xu Junwen's body. This mark is connected to you; if he dies, you're fine, but if you die, he will be severely injured, even if he doesn't die. And every month, he will experience excruciating pain."
"Later, we consulted many healing-type Soul Masters, and the final conclusion was that the mark could last for about ten years. But the exact date depended on the healing treatment provided by the healing-type Soul Masters. And coincidentally, just a few days before your birthday, the mark on his body disappeared. So he attacked you."
The elder's words undoubtedly stirred up a storm in Xiu Ran's mind. So that's how it was. No wonder Xu Junwen insisted on making his move those few days.
And his mother was actually an Evil Soul Master?
But even if she was an Evil Soul Master, so what? She was still his mother, the mother who should have loved and cared for him.
The elder's mood was also somewhat somber, but he still comforted him, "Although your mother is an Evil Soul Master, I have never seen her do anything rash. Even when she was surrounded, she didn't really hurt anyone. After all, with her strength and battle armor, she wasn't so easy to capture."
Xiu Ran clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He absolutely hated Xu Junwen.
But now his strength didn't allow him to take revenge, and there was also the elder, who had been kind to both him and his mother.
The elder felt a pang of self-reproach: "Both of these things are my fault. I was in seclusion back then and didn't learn about this immediately. And my initial decision to have Xu Junwen adopt you to atone for your mother's sins was the biggest mistake I ever made!"
For the first few years, under the elder's watchful eye, Xu Junwen treated Xiu Ran well. But later, due to the elder's declining health, he rarely appeared in public, mostly focusing on recuperation, and the position of head of the Xu family was given to him. After that, he became increasingly reckless, until he cruelly murdered Xiu Ran.
The elder sighed softly: "In the end, it is my Xu family that has wronged you and your mother. Xu Junwen will not harm you again. As long as I am alive, he will never have the chance."
He paused, then added: "And if you wish to seek revenge, I hope you can wait until I am gone. By then, all grudges will be settled, but by then, I will be powerless to intervene."
The elder's words seemed to balance both sides, but they also ensured Xiu Ran's safety. Even if he wanted revenge, he couldn't do it now, and as long as the elder was alive, he could have the opportunity to grow.
Finally, the clan elder led Xu Junwen and the rest of the Xu family away. The outcome was no longer important; Xiu Ran knew everything, and that was enough.
However, many questions still lingered in Xiu Ran's mind. If his mother was an Evil Soul Master, based on the clan elder's description of her as a Soul Saint cultivator and Battle Armor Master, she should have held a fairly high position even within the Holy Spirit Cult. How could such a person come to Donghai City and stay in the Xu family?
Xiu Ran stared blankly at the ceiling, recalling these events, until Wu Changkong approached the bedside and noticed him.
"Teacher Wu..."
Wu Changkong shook his head slightly and said coldly, "Heal your injuries and come with me."
"Ah!?"
Xiu Ran was taken aback, clearly not expecting Wu Changkong to say that.
Wu Changkong seemed to realize Xiu Ran's thoughts as well, and simply added, "I know your mother."
Xiu Ran was about to ask a question, but Wu Changkong cut him off again.
"I'll tell you about your mother when there's a chance. Now, focus on recovering."
Since Wu Changkong had said so, Xiu Ran had no choice but to obediently lie in bed and rest.
Wu Changkong placed the food he had brought back on the bedside table and left without lingering in the room.
Wu Changkong had many things to do; he was still leading several people in the Zero Team, so he left after Xiu Ran woke up. In the hospital, he could always find a doctor if he needed anything.
Xiu Ran was also hungry; he had barely eaten anything during the days he was unconscious, except for the energy he gained from IV drips.
He quickly finished the food he had brought back and, after lying in bed for a short while, felt very sleepy.
After all, his brain had received too much information and thought too much today. Having just woken up and still feeling weak,
Xiu Ran quickly fell asleep. However, his consciousness didn't completely settle in.
"This is... the Sea of Spirit!"
Xiu Ran looked around at the vast space, completely dark, and realized he was inside the Sea of Spirit.
"How did I get here?"
he wondered, but still subconsciously observed his surroundings.
He saw three orbs of light floating at the highest point in the darkness, two side-by-side, one green and one red.
Below them was a silver orb, gleaming brightly, appearing larger and brighter than the other two.
Xiu Ran wanted to examine the three orbs more closely, but suddenly, the purple orb burst forth with brilliant light.
The dazzling light momentarily blinded him, and when his vision returned, the silver orb had vanished.
"Where did it go?"
Xiu Ran asked, puzzled In just a moment, the ball of light had vanished right before his eyes.
(End of Chapter)