Feng Li gazed at Feng Jiu’er without blinking, and a look unlike any she had ever seen before surfaced in the depths of his eyes.

“Jiu’er.” His voice trembled faintly, and after that, he could not say anything else.

Feng Jiu’er felt a twinge of uncertainty — she did not know whether this was the right moment.

Had she not been unsure about her mother’s own feelings on the matter, Feng Jiu’er would have come clean to Feng Li long ago about the fact that she was still alive.

Because she knew perfectly well that her father would be overjoyed to learn this.

If he were overjoyed, might his body not recover a little faster?

Stifling a soft cough, she tucked her emotions away and curved her lips ever so slightly.

“Father, what kind of look is that?”

The words had barely left her mouth when she produced a comb, moved behind Feng Li, and knelt on one knee.

Were their eyes to meet again, she felt certain she would no longer be able to keep her secret.

Feeling the little girl attending to him, Feng Li drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“You… have you seen her?” Suddenly, he asked in a low voice.

Feng Li’s question made Feng Jiu’er’s hands freeze mid-motion.

She stared at the back of his head, blinking, and could not quite register what he meant.

“Who? Who is Father referring to?”

She raised her eyes to gaze at the horizon and drew a shallow breath, and with it came a sense of release.

“Her. Your mother.” Feng Li’s voice was very soft — so soft it was almost inaudible.

Even speaking of something so earthshaking, his breathing remained steady, and even Feng Jiu’er could not detect much change.

“If I were to say yes…” Feng Jiu’er picked up a strand of long hair and began to comb it gently.

But before her words could fall, the man who had been perfectly composed a moment ago suddenly turned, reached out, and clasped her hand.

“Jiu’er, what did you say? Say it again.”

The Feng Li before her now was one Feng Jiu’er had never seen.

Whether it was joy, grief, or even helplessness — she could not sort out any of it.

Feng Jiu’er felt a sharp ache in her heart, hurting for her father’s tumbling, tangled emotions.

She had always known that her mother mattered enormously to her father, yet it still exceeded even what she had imagined “enormously” to mean.

Their eyes met, and both froze for a moment. Feng Jiu’er lowered her head to look at the hand he had reddened with his grip.

“Jiu’er, is she truly still alive — Jiu’er, tell Father, is she really truly still alive?”

Feng Li finally loosened his grip somewhat, yet through his hoarse words, the trembling within him was still easy to sense.

Feng Jiu’er slowly lifted her face. Her pair of large, round eyes was strikingly lovely, and yet they seemed to have lost their focus.

Before her words could come out, the rims of her eyes had already turned red.

“She… is she not doing well?” Feng Li’s voice came again.

Feng Jiu’er blinked, swallowed the tears back, and only then drew her gaze back to meet Feng Li’s eyes.

“If she hates you very much…”

“She should hate me.” Feng Li exhaled a shallow sigh, and at last he let go of Feng Jiu’er’s small hand.

“Jiu’er, I only want to know — is she doing well right now?”

“How can someone be doing well when their heart is full of hatred?” Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together, her gaze flickering.

She knew very well that the hatred her mother carried was not directed solely at her father.

After more than ten years, she had still not left Bei Mu Nation, and had even been determined to personally put an end to Nanmen Rong — it was surely to avenge the Longqi Army clan’s destruction from all those years ago.

Nanmen Rong was dead, yet her mother still refused to leave, even going so far as to help Emperor Qiwen move against the Ninth Imperial Uncle. Did her mother know who the mastermind behind everything had been?

So much hatred weighed on her heart — she truly could not possibly be doing well.

Feng Li’s expression dimmed, and Feng Jiu’er felt a dull ache watching him.

“Father, Mother isn’t exactly…”

“The one who hurt you — was it her?” Feng Li’s voice cut across Feng Jiu’er’s words.

She opened her eyes wide, startled for a moment, and then nodded.

“And you? Do you hate her?”

“Will she return to Bei Mu Nation?” Feng Li did not answer Feng Jiu’er’s question directly.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“I don’t know. It was she who crippled my martial arts and sent me to the Feng Clan.”

“That day in the cave, I had only just recognized her when you arrived. So as for her affairs, I know nothing at all.”

“Father, do you think Mother will…”

“She will return.” Feng Li exhaled a shallow sigh, his expression having returned to its usual composure.

“Jiu’er, your mother has not had an easy life. After we return, give her your wholehearted support.”

Feng Li turned away and no longer looked at Feng Jiu’er.

Feng Jiu’er knelt behind him, unable for a moment to make sense of his words.

“Father — what about you? It was she who stripped you of your lifetime’s inner energy. Will you hate her?”

Feng Li shook his head and reached for the water pouch at his side.

“I gave my inner energy to you. That was the best possible choice. The only pity is that I can no longer offer her any help.”

Feng Jiu’er returned the comb to her sleeve, stepped forward, and sat down beside Feng Li, glancing around.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she turned her gaze back to Feng Li.

“Father.” She deliberately kept her voice low. “The pattern of the Phoenix Seal — what is your take on it?”

“It is said to be a treasure map, and the location of the treasure lies somewhere in the Feng Clan’s territory.”

“The claim that the Phoenix Seal is a treasure map has long been in circulation, but over all these years, no one has been able to unravel its secret.”

“Whether there is truly a treasure — no one knows for certain.”

Feng Li turned his head to meet Feng Jiu’er’s gaze, reached out his broad hand, and gently tucked the strands of hair from her cheeks behind her ear.

He appeared to have fully accepted the truth he had only just learned.

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together and let out a soft sigh.

Whenever she thought of the solitary and desolate life her father had led these past ten-odd years, she could not help but feel wretched.

“Zhao Yusheng said that the Phoenix Seal really is a treasure map, but it’s an incomplete one.”

“If we can find the other half of the map, we would certainly be able to locate the treasure.”

“Father, have you heard of the Phoenix’s Nirvana? It is said to be an inner energy cultivation manual — one that allows someone with absolutely no inner energy to master a supreme divine art.”

Even knowing that her mother had used this as a pretext to lure her to the Feng Clan and claim her father’s lifetime of inner energy, Feng Jiu’er still felt the matter was not without basis.

“The Phoenix’s Nirvana?” Feng Li furrowed his brow slightly and shifted his gaze toward the brothers who were still moving about in the distance.

“Such a legend does exist, but it is, after all, only a legend.”

“As for the incomplete treasure map you speak of — whether it truly exists, that cannot be said for certain either.”

“Does Father mean that you have also heard of this supreme secret manual, the Phoenix’s Nirvana?” Feng Jiu’er’s large round eyes shimmered with a glimmer of hope.

“I’m not certain either.” Feng Li gave Feng Jiu’er a gentle look. “Does Jiu’er hope that Father can master a supreme art?”

“Of course.” Feng Jiu’er nodded with great enthusiasm. “We’re a family of three — it wouldn’t do without you.”

“So Father can’t be lazy either — isn’t that right?”

“Once we safely leave the Feng Clan’s territory and recuperate our strength before coming back, we find the treasure and use it to help Father master a supreme art.”

“From then on, Mother will have both me and you by her side, helping her. Whatever she wants, we’ll make it happen for her, one by one. What do you say?”