The King of Beijiang felt as though the scenes that had once appeared in his dreams were now unfolding before his eyes, so real, so vivid.
"Who are you?" the woman in the daoist robe asked, stepping forward hesitantly.
"Who do you think I am?" the King of Beijiang asked softly.
The woman in the daoist robe chuckled softly, "I don't know."
"I have dreamed of your face countless times in my dreams. I have seen you holding a baby, singing a lullaby."
The woman in the daoist robe trembled, "You..."
"I don't know who I am. My memory only holds these images. Can you tell me?"
"You... who exactly are you?"
"I can only tell you that my father is Xue Wenjie."
As the words fell, the woman in the daoist robe's demeanor shifted drastically. Her face contorted, and she suddenly clutched her ears, curling up on the ground.
The King of Beijiang was alarmed and hurried forward, attempting to help her up. "Are you alright?"
She shoved him away, her voice laced with anger. "Stay away from me."
The King of Beijiang frowned. "What is wrong?"
"What's wrong?" the woman in the daoist robe sneered, her eyes sharp and cold. "No matter who you are, leave this place immediately. Otherwise, I will show no mercy."
The King of Beijiang took out a jade pendant from his懷 (huái - bosom/pocket) and asked, "Have you seen this? In my dreams, I saw you hiding this jade pendant in my clothes."
Upon seeing the jade pendant, the woman in the daoist robe trembled all over. "This... this is..."
"You recognize it!" the King of Beijiang asked.
The woman in the daoist robe seemed to look at the jade pendant in his hand with disbelief. She slowly walked forward, her hand trembling as she reached out to take it. "You... you've kept it with you all along?"
"Yes," the King of Beijiang replied.
The woman in the daoist robe suddenly burst into tears. "I put this on my child. You..."
"Aunt Li said she saw this jade pendant on me when she found me."
The woman in the daoist robe shivered, tilting her head to examine him closely. After a long moment, her eyes were filled with tears. "Is it you? My child?"
The King of Beijiang pushed aside his robe and knelt on the ground. "Your unfilial son greets you, Mother..."
"Child, my child..." The woman in the daoist robe stepped forward to help him up.
He shook his head. "I have never been able to fulfill my filial duties by your side. Now that I have this opportunity, allow me to do so."
"Good, good..."
"Mother, why are you here? Will you come back with your son?"
The woman in the daoist robe paused. "Go back?"
"Yes, to be with your son forever, never to part."
The woman in the daoist robe smiled and nodded. "Alright, Mother agrees. But Mother is a person of the Feng Yin clan. Leaving requires their consent."
"Mother, your son has already barged in. If you tell them, they won't agree. Don't you want to go with your son?"
The woman in the daoist robe pondered for a moment. He continued, "Mother, in the nearly twenty years of my life, I have always lacked your companionship. I hope that in the next twenty years, and the twenty years after that, you will be with me. Are you willing to go with your son?"
The woman in the daoist robe thought for a long time, and finally made her decision. "Alright, Mother will go with you."
She had lacked companionship with her son for the past twenty years; she would not let that happen again.
"Mother, I'll carry you..."
The woman in the daoist robe was slightly stunned, looking at the person who had knelt down before her. Her son's back had grown so broad, no longer the infant who had cried in her arms.
"Good," she said, leaning onto him.
"Mother, how have you been all these years?"
She thought about it. Had she been well? She could confidently answer no. She had lived in hatred, hating Xue Wenjie. If not for him, she would not have been separated from her flesh and blood. At that time, she thought her child was dead.
Fortunately, fortunately, he was alive and had come to take her away. That was enough.
"Good," she replied.
"Mother, you don't need to lie to me. I know you haven't been well. This Feng Yin clan is like a cage that has imprisoned you. Your son will destroy it for you!"
"Child, this is, after all, a place where Mother has lived. Let it be."
"Alright."
"Fifth Elder, you cannot leave, nor can you go with him..."
"Feng Ling, is that you..."
"Fifth Elder, it is me. Quickly leave him. He is not a good person, and he will surely use you to threaten the members of the Feng Yin clan," Feng Ling said urgently.
The Fifth Elder looked at her. "Feng Ling, you misunderstand. He has merely come to pick me up. Fighting with the Third and Fourth Elders was just a temporary measure."
"Fifth Elder, you..." Feng Ling could hardly believe her ears.
"This is my child, he would not harm me," the Fifth Elder said.
Feng Ling trembled. "Child? Who? Him?"
The Fifth Elder nodded. "Yes, my child has come to pick me up. Feng Ling, allow me to leave with my child!"
Feng Ling's gaze furrowed. She looked at the Fifth Elder. "Fifth Elder, do you know that the Great Elder died by his hand?"
"Zi Jie told me that Feng Xian killed him. It has nothing to do with him."
"Fifth Elder, how can you distinguish right from wrong? I absolutely cannot let you leave."
The Fifth Elder said, "Clan Leader, please step aside. Otherwise, I will not show mercy."
Feng Ling retreated several steps, disbelieving. "Fifth Elder, are you going to attack your own clansmen?"
"I don't want to, but no one can harm my child. I failed to protect him before, but this time I will protect him completely."
"Fifth Elder, do you know what you are saying?"
"I know. Even if I am deemed a traitor to the clan, I will do this. What I failed to do before, I will accomplish today."
Hearing this, Feng Ling tightened her grip on her sword and said coldly, "Since that is the case, as the Clan Leader of the Feng Yin clan, I absolutely cannot let you leave. Feng Ling requests to challenge the Fifth Elder."
"Child, put me down!" The Fifth Elder patted the King of Beijiang's back.
The King of Beijiang squatted down, and the Fifth Elder landed on the ground. With a wave of her hand, a sword appeared in her grasp. "Please make your move."
Feng Ling roared and charged towards the Fifth Elder. The Fifth Elder did not hesitate, drawing her sword in response.
Feng Ling dodged.
The Fifth Elder said, "Feng Ling, you are no match for me. I taught you all your skills."
Hearing this, Feng Ling said coldly, "You know I am your disciple, yet you are still so insistent. Master, can you not wake up? The King of Beijiang is using you."
"Feng Ling, you don't understand. See how much a mother can do for her child."
"I don't understand, I don't understand. But Master, don't you want your disciple anymore?" Feng Ling asked with heartache.
The Fifth Elder lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry, Ling'er. I have found the person I should protect for this lifetime, so..."
"Since that is the case, please forgive this unworthy disciple!" Feng Ling's sword swung even faster, each strike aimed to kill.