A great cloud of mist floated above the small island like a smoke ring, as though some old immortal living on the isle had gently exhaled a great puff of smoke.
A sea breeze blew against their faces, the fresh briny scent of the ocean entirely replaced by the fragrance of lavender. Seen from afar, the beautiful island looked like something out of a fairy tale.
Xiong Xiaobao stared, dumbstruck, murmuring without meaning to, “Mommy, does an old immortal live on that island?”
Ziqing laughed helplessly. “This is called Liuxian Island — Immortal-Retreat Isle. But… there’s no immortal living on the island. Your grandfather lives there.”
Of course, Ziqing kept her voice very, very low — she had no intention of letting Meng Wanyue hear. She knew the chance to shake off Meng Wanyue had finally arrived!
But who could have known, before anyone else could even speak, Meng Wanyue was the first to cry out in shock, “How could we have ended up here! Liuxian Island!”
She turned, frowning, to look at Baili Weisheng, all but wanting to demand whether he’d done this on purpose!
Baili Weisheng shrugged helplessly and said, “I have no idea either. Let’s go — there are sharks in these waters. Let’s get to shore.”
With that, cradling Baili Xiaosheng, he shot out of the water first, soaring away through the air.
Immediately after, Jun Beiyue and Ziqing also leapt into the air, bursting up out of the sea — the internal cultivation required to do so was no ordinary feat.
This time, Jun Beiyue gave Meng Wanyue no chance at all, leaving her behind!
“Beiyue! Ziqing, wait for me!”
Meng Wanyue cried out, but helplessly, not a single person up ahead turned back, showing no intention of coming to her aid.
Xiong Xiaobao, nestled in Jun Beiyue’s arms, wore a heavy little frown. He knew his instincts in the sea had been right — that hadn’t been his imagination at all!
He was absolutely certain — Father was angry!
Grandmother’s true colors were about to be exposed, weren’t they? No matter how well she’d hidden them, now that Father was angry, he would surely drag her tail out into the light!
Xiong Xiaobao unconsciously tightened his grip on the Universe Poison Pouch, hidden away in his sleeve. He thought to himself — he might not fully understand everything yet, but he was clever.
He knew that what Grandmother wanted wasn’t just this pouch alone.
If all Grandmother wanted was the pouch, and she asked him nicely for it, he would happily give it to her.
What Grandmother wanted was Mommy’s life, wasn’t it?
Grandmother wanted to cultivate a human Gu!
Thinking of this, Xiong Xiaobao’s eyes darkened, and he couldn’t help but feel a wave of sorrow rise up in him — his heart felt so heavy, so choked, that he wanted to cry.
That was Grandmother!
She was the person dearest, closest to Father — just as Mommy was to him, exactly the same!
Why would she do something like this?
Wouldn’t it be so much better if everyone could just be together? Why scheme against Mommy?
Was the human Gu really that important?
No one in the group said a word, moving in single file toward the harbor of Liuxian Island. Meng Wanyue had only two choices — stay behind in the sea, or catch up on her own!
Her martial arts were more than capable of it!
Soon, Ziqing and the others landed at the harbor, showing not the slightest intention of helping Meng Wanyue. Finally unable to bear it any longer, Meng Wanyue leapt up on her own and chased after them.
The harbor of Liuxian Island had fallen far from its former glory, now guarded only by the Gu Family’s own attendants.
Jun Beiyue and Ziqing’s faces alone served as the best possible pass — the moment the guards saw them, every single one silently stepped back three paces to clear the way.
Every one of them had exceptionally keen hearing, and the moment Meng Wanyue landed, they heard it — yet still, not a single one turned around.
The group walked straight on, heading toward the highest peak of Liuxian Island, toward the Gu Family estate.
By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, Ziqing and Jun Beiyue still hadn’t looked back. But then Baili Weisheng suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said with a cheerful grin, “Auntie Meng, your martial arts are quite impressive! You’ve managed to keep pace with us!”
Meng Wanyue was caught off guard, forcing an awkward smile. “Nothing much, really — I know a bit, here and there.”
“Auntie Meng is being far too modest. With martial arts this good, why hide it from us and make us worry over you for nothing? Here he was, about to turn back and come get you,” Baili Weisheng added.
Meng Wanyue couldn’t help but take a deep breath, keeping the smile plastered on her face. “I wasn’t hiding anything from you all — you never asked, so I never mentioned it. It’s perfectly normal to know some martial arts, isn’t it?”
“What Auntie Meng knows is Gu Family internal cultivation, isn’t it?” Baili Weisheng tossed out another question.
Meng Wanyue froze, wishing she could strangle this insufferable young man. “Heh heh, you certainly have sharp eyes.”
“Gu Family internal cultivation has never been passed down outside the family. Mastering it requires natural talent. How did Auntie Meng come to learn it?” Baili Weisheng pressed further.
This question left Meng Wanyue utterly stumped, her heart skipping a beat. Just as she was struggling to find an answer, Jun Beiyue suddenly spoke up out of nowhere. “That question — perhaps it’s best asked of the Gu Family Head himself. Let’s go, up the mountain.”
The moment he said this, Meng Wanyue’s expression instantly darkened, all pretense of a smile vanishing entirely. She hadn’t expected Jun Beiyue would actually pick up on this question!
Gu Family internal cultivation…
She of course knew these children were all suspicious of her now. She had already prepared various excuses, waiting for Jun Beiyue to interrogate her, waiting for Han Ziqing to pick a fight!
She had even planned to seize this opportunity to pin some heinous, unforgivable crime on Han Ziqing!
But Han Ziqing hadn’t said a single word so far, and Jun Beiyue, aside from his coldness, showed no reaction at all.
What did Jun Beiyue mean by this? What was he planning to do up the mountain?
Even if he suspected something of her, he had no real proof. She was, after all, his own birth mother — what could he possibly do?
Staying this composed, was he? Very well — she would just see who could truly stay composed longer!
“Beiyue, Mother isn’t going!” Meng Wanyue suddenly said coldly.
Who could have known, Jun Beiyue gave her a response she couldn’t possibly argue with. He simply said flatly, “Mm.”
With that, he took Ziqing’s hand and continued up the mountain. Baili Weisheng, cradling the still-unconscious Baili Xiaosheng, hurried to follow — he had decided not to involve himself in this family matter, because he was fully confident Jun Beiyue was more than capable of infuriating Meng Wanyue to death without any help from him.
Ziqing, her hand held by Jun Beiyue, remained silent throughout.
She, too, had decided that as a daughter-in-law who hadn’t even officially married in yet, she wouldn’t wade into this murky water. She knew her husband was angry — and extremely so.
Everyone continued up the mountain, leaving Meng Wanyue frozen in place!
She almost doubted her own ears — Jun Beiyue hadn’t even asked her why, simply responding with a single “Mm!”
What exactly did that mean?!
Meng Wanyue couldn’t just stand there. She hurried after them, her voice thick with sobs. “Beiyue, what are you doing? Why did you bring your mother here? Beiyue, your father abandoned the two of us, mother and son, back then, choosing Liuxian Island, choosing another woman and child — why are we coming here now?”
“Beiyue, I’m telling you, your mother never wants you to acknowledge him, never!”
“Beiyue, your mother doesn’t want to see him!”
…
Meng Wanyue, normally so composed and calculating, whose greatest strength was staying unruffled and watching how things unfolded, had never imagined a day like this would come.
Unable to keep her composure at all, she found herself trailing behind this group of young people, shouting and wailing.
And the most pitiful part of all was that not a single person ahead of her paid her any mind — not even her most beloved grandson so much as glanced back at her.
She kept wailing and crying, insisting she didn’t want to go up the mountain, didn’t want to see the Gu Family Head.
And yet, still shouting the whole way, they reached the halfway point of the mountain — just a few more steps, and they would be at the gates of the Gu Family’s grand estate!
Finally, Meng Wanyue could bear it no longer. She rushed forward and grabbed hold of Jun Beiyue’s arm with all her strength. “Beiyue, Mother forbids you to go!”