She had no idea how many times this same hallucination had repeated itself. Madam Jinjiao stared at the calm water before the Jinjiao Palace, watching as Baili Weisheng, dragging Meng Wanyue along, slowly rose up from the water’s surface and entered the palace barrier, with Han Ziqing following close behind.

Golden light shimmered around their bodies, radiant yet not blinding, not garish — instead carrying a subdued, luxurious quality, the exclusive nobility of the Jinjiao.

Every time she saw this scene, Madam Jinjiao would calm down, staring blankly, smiling without realizing it.

Even though she knew perfectly well that this was only a hallucination, born of her overwhelming longing, one that could vanish at any moment — still, Madam Jinjiao felt genuinely happy.

Only, this time, the hallucination seemed a little different. This time, she didn’t see Jun Beiyue, didn’t see the two children — instead, there was an unfamiliar man added to the group.

What was going on?

Madam Jinjiao couldn’t quite process it for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly.

But at that very moment, Baili Weisheng and the others had already fully entered the Jinjiao Palace barrier!

The instant he crossed into the barrier, Baili Weisheng flung Meng Wanyue down hard, shouting furiously, “Where is she!”

Only then did Madam Jinjiao startle in shock, staring at Meng Wanyue sprawled on the ground, utterly disbelieving.

How could this be?

Every previous hallucination had always ended the moment they entered the barrier — every time she tried to get a closer look at them, at Baili Weisheng, everything would vanish instantly!

But this time was completely different!

This time, Baili Weisheng especially was different — this child seemed like an entirely different person, stripped of that scholarly refinement and elegance, his eyes now carrying a ruthless, vicious edge.

Could it be…

Madam Jinjiao suddenly understood something, lifting her head abruptly to look at Baili Weisheng, her battered, wounded heart pounding uncontrollably — thump, thump, thump — faster and faster, more and more urgent, nearly bursting straight out of her chest!

Could this not be a hallucination after all!

Could they really have come back!

Could her son have really come back to find her!

Just then, Baili Weisheng stomped down hard on Meng Wanyue, shouting impatiently, “Where is she! Tell me now, or I’ll gut you where you lie!”

Hearing this, Madam Jinjiao pounded frantically on the barrier, crying out in overjoyed alarm, “Son! Mother is here! Mother’s right here!”

“Where is she! We’re back now — are you going to tell us or not!”

Baili Weisheng’s patience had run completely dry, teetering right on the edge of madness, while Ziqing and Jun Beiyue strode forward, studying the two great stone pillars at the entrance.

Meng Wanyue had said the woman was trapped in a barrier cell on one of the stone pillars, but no matter how hard they looked, they could see nothing at all.

Baili Weisheng grabbed Meng Wanyue by the collar and hauled her up, slamming her against the pillar — but as it happened, not the one where Madam Jinjiao stood, but the opposite one.

“Not talking, huh?” Baili Weisheng narrowed his eyes coldly, his expression twisted into something as malevolent and vicious as a demon from hell.

Meng Wanyue was terrified, of course, but she held on, forcing down her deep-rooted fear of death with everything she had, not daring to act out. She had to stay calm — this was her very last chance!

Once Baili Weisheng rescued the Jinjiao woman, she would be dead for certain! This man had no intention of ever forgiving her!

She had to make the most of this opportunity!

Meng Wanyue’s face was etched with terror, and she stammered, “I’ll talk, I… I already told you — on the stone pillar at the gate, there’s a barrier.”

“Where! I don’t see anything!” Every word out of Baili Weisheng’s mouth was practically a shout. Heaven only knew how anxious he was — for the first time in over thirty years, he was genuinely, truly feeling urgency, feeling worry. For the first time, he was discovering that the human heart really could hurt.

“Right there, opposite — on that pillar. She’s watching us right now,” Meng Wanyue said, trying to lift her hand to point, but her hand had been sealed by Jue Mingzi’s needles, leaving her without an ounce of strength.

Baili Weisheng rushed over at once. Meng Wanyue hadn’t lied — Madam Jinjiao was right there, both hands pressed against the barrier, watching them, watching Baili Weisheng rush straight toward her… tears streaming down her face!

“S-son… son…”

Her lips trembled, her voice breaking into sobs she couldn’t hold back!

Baili Weisheng pressed both hands against the stone pillar too, his face nearly touching it, straining his eyes to see — but there was nothing there at all, just the stone pillar, nothing but stone.

And yet Madam Jinjiao could see him so clearly, so close!

“Son… Mother knew… Mother knew you’d come back for her, Mother knew you weren’t dead, Mother knew these thirty years of waiting wouldn’t be for nothing! Mother knew it! I knew it!”

Madam Jinjiao wept openly, a mixture of grief and overwhelming joy, stubbornly repeating herself — she’d known it, she’d known it all along, through every single day of these thirty long years, that had been her one unwavering conviction.

“Where is she? Let her out! Right now!” Baili Weisheng glared coldly at Meng Wanyue, desperate.

Meng Wanyue had been waiting for these very words for far, far too long. Hearing them, her heart leapt sharply. “Let go… let go of me, and I can break the barrier and free her right away.”

Afraid Baili Weisheng wouldn’t believe her, she added quickly, “She’s right behind you — she can see you, and hear your voice too. She’s crying and calling you ‘son,’ saying… saying these thirty years, her waiting wasn’t in vain.”

As Baili Weisheng listened, his heart felt as though it had been seized in a great iron grip, squeezed and squeezed until it ached — an ache so fierce his eyes turned crimson, his mouth opening wide, yet no sound came out, no cry, no weeping!

“Jue Mingzi, release her!” Baili Weisheng said without a moment’s hesitation.

At these words, Meng Wanyue could barely suppress the triumphant smile threatening to spread across her lips — but Ziqing stopped Jue Mingzi, signaling that there was no need.

“Jue Mingzi, hurry up!” At this point, Baili Weisheng could only be described as frantic.

Jue Mingzi didn’t take kindly to being ordered around like this, and was about to snap back, but Ziqing shot him a look to hold off, then stepped forward. “Scholar, calm down. Calm down and think — think about how we escaped from here last time.”

The words were gentle, but they struck Baili Weisheng like a bolt of lightning — that’s right, last time, they’d had to flee to escape this place!

They couldn’t risk Meng Wanyue pulling some trick here — these two palaces were nothing but a web of barriers; who knew how many traps lay hidden within?

Seeing Ziqing spoil her plan, a flash of hatred crossed Meng Wanyue’s eyes, though she kept her expression carefully neutral.

Ziqing looked at her coldly. “We won’t believe you until we actually see her.”

Meng Wanyue choked with fury, but forced herself to stay composed. “We’ve come this far — there’s no reason for me to lie to you now! Stand one step in front of the pillar, channel thirty percent of your strength into a sweep of your sleeve, and it’ll clear away the illusion mist. Then you’ll know I wasn’t lying.”

Ziqing was about to step forward, but Baili Weisheng had already acted, sweeping his arm with thirty percent strength — and instantly, the great stone pillar turned transparent!

There — there stood an elegantly, tastefully dressed elderly woman, kind-eyed, her white hair loose and flowing, wrapped from head to toe in a faint golden glow, tears streaming down her face even as she smiled gently at them all…