The Mao family's house was built right in the center of the village to make it easier for Mao Yan to teach the village's children.
Mao Xuelian had heard that all the village men had offered to help her mother build their house at that time, but her mother had flatly rejected their assistance. Surprisingly, her mother was capable of building a house on her own; she only needed the villagers' help to take care of Mao Xuelian and to gather the materials necessary for the construction.
Her physical prowess was something no other woman could replicate. After her breathtaking figure and gorgeous face were added to her portfolio, she instantly became the village's Madonna.
After passing the paddy fields and several vegetable gardens along the road, Mao Xuelian finally saw their simple yet neat house with a straw roof. The framework was constructed from logs and stones, while the more detailed parts of the house, such as the walls, windows, and some furniture, were made from bamboo. With a tall maple tree towering over the yard and the green paddies surrounding it, the house appeared to be part of the natural landscape.
As Mao Xuelian walked closer, she spotted a breathtakingly beautiful woman sitting in a bamboo chair in front of the house, knitting what looked like a straw bag.
The woman noticed her as she approached.
"Xue'er," Mao Yan called with a smile. "You're back quickly."
Mao Xuelian used to play at the riverbank with the other children until the afternoon, so Mao Yan couldn't help but mention it.
Feeling hesitant, Mao Xuelian began fidgeting with her skirt.
Something must have happened, Mao Yan suspected.
She set down the straw bag she was knitting and looked at her daughter with love and patience.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly, not wanting to frighten Mao Xuelian if the problem was something sensitive.
Mao Yan didn't want her daughter to start contemplating such relationships just yet, but she knew how quickly children these days could develop feelings.
So, she gave a faint smile to her precious daughter and waited for her to speak.
"Um... Mom?" After about ten minutes, Mao Xuelian finally spoke up.
"Hmm?" Mao Yan leaned forward to show her interest.
Still hesitant and uncertain, Mao Xuelian chose to bring up what was on her mind, perhaps because her mother had been so patient.
"Could... could I go outside the village?" she asked, looking up at Mao Yan with uncertainty.
Mao Yan smiled and gently patted Mao Xuelian's head.
"Didn't you go outside the village today with Lou You?" she mentioned, referring to the two children's first twig-gathering excursion.
But Mao Xuelian quickly shook her head.
"N-not that... I-I want to... go outside with Brother Zui to seek immortality!"
...
At the river, Mao Xuelian had pondered how to bring up the subjects of martial arts and immortality with her mother in a way that would allow her to gather the information she needed to answer her doubts.
After weighing the pros and cons, she ultimately decided to act like an 'inspired child' like Li Zui.
Regardless of whether her mother allowed her to leave the village, Mao Xuelian believed that by following her knowledge as the Thorn Empress, she could learn one or two critical pieces of information.
The only downside was that she might be seen as a naughty and troublesome child by the adults, but she was prepared to face that simple consequence if it meant gaining more knowledge.
However, perhaps the 'consequence' wasn't as simple as she had initially thought.
"No."
That was her mother's answer—short and decisive.
Yet, the authority behind her words was overwhelmingly strong, far beyond what a mere human could muster as an individual.
Mao Xuelian's eyes widened in shock and horror. For the first time, she saw her mother's cold, commanding gaze.
In that instant, Mao Xuelian's eyes gleamed with a greenish light, allowing her to glimpse the vast, suffocating energy her mother emanated. That energy surged outward violently, engulfing Mao Xuelian.
"Y-Yes... Mom."
In the end, all she could do was obey.
Dangerous, inhuman, and powerful.
That was how Mao Xuelian felt about her mother after experiencing that mysterious energy.
...
Despite the events of the afternoon, night eventually arrived peacefully.
Inside the house, Mao Xuelian hugged her knees as she sat in front of a woodpile fire. The fire was lit in a circular area specifically designed for warmth and light. This space was covered in ashes and dirt, eliminating any fears of a fire that might burn down the house.
Mao Xuelian's gaze shifted from the fire to the figure of the beautiful woman lying on a wool bed.
She then frowned.
Mao Xuelian's eyes began to gleam with a vibrant green light as she watched her mother's sleeping figure. This glow was not just a fleeting flash; it lasted for an impressive duration.
She firmly believed that martial arts and immortals were real and existed in this world.
After observing the subtle fluctuations of her mother's energy for several minutes, Mao Xuelian closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the brightness in her gaze had significantly diminished.
Shifting her focus back to the burning woodpile, she noticed a frown forming on her face without realizing it.
The woodpile crackled under the heat of the fire as it began to disintegrate.
Mao Xuelian absentmindedly watched the woodpile for a while before relaxing her frown and deciding to get some rest for the day. She lay down beside her mother and fell asleep.
As Mao Xuelian drifted deep into slumber, her mother, Mao Yan, opened her eyes and gazed at her sleeping daughter beside her.
Mao Yan studied her daughter's face for nearly ten minutes before pulling her into a tight embrace. She hugged her daughter closely, grappling with the complex emotions swirling within her. Suddenly, a chill crept down her spine, causing her to open her eyes wide.
She quickly turned her head towards the east side of the village, her heart racing with shock and fear.
...
Meanwhile, far away in the eastern forest, which stretched from the White Mountain Range to the horizon, three men clad in black and red robes stepped out from the shadows of the trees, finally illuminated by the moonlight above.
The man in the middle, for some reason, looked at a rhomboid-shaped crimson crystal in his hands with unexpected delight.
"The Destined One...!" he exclaimed.