Chapter 38
Chapter 38: My Mom
“I also ran into Elder Gan from Kun Ming,” Hu Qing said. “Something was off. I’ve never seen him like that. And it looked like he was being watched.”
She paused, then demanded, “Senior Brother—what happened in little li realm?”
Yu Liu Ya asked carefully, “You’ve been on heaven’s grace continent this whole time?”
“No,” Hu Qing said. “I got dragged into the immortal realm for a little stroll.”
The immortal realm?
Yu Liu Ya’s breath hitched with excitement—then he forced it down. Hu Nuan’s situation came first.
“Things are complicated,” he said, tone heavy. “Right now, all three races are in a hard position. Go pick up Hu Nuan first. Then we’ll talk this through properly.”
Then he tried to lighten it. “You’re the one most familiar with the immortal realm now, after all.”
Hu Qing went quiet. “So even the seniors who ascended from Zhaohua Sect can’t be fully trusted?”
Yu Liu Ya only said, “Hearts change,” and reminded her that they were responsible for every disciple below. No amount of caution was enough.
Hu Qing agreed.
Then she drove her spirit skiff as fast as it could go, cold laughter in her throat. Fine. She was going to see what trouble those little brats had caused this time.
Half a month.
The brats, asleep for half a month, seemed to remember that deadline too. One after another, they struggled awake with the same thought:
Run.
Hu Nuan sat up first, blinking blearily. “I remembered. I have something really important to do.”
In truth, she’d wanted to run ages ago. Her mom didn’t “discipline” as a threat. Hu Qing actually hit.
But the day they escaped the array, she’d been too exhausted to move.
Master should’ve taken them and fled. Was he blind? Had he never seen Hu Qing in a full rage?
In her head, Hu Nuan added furiously, Master is so unromantic.
“Master, you should’ve taken us away earlier,” Jin Xin said out loud, not even bothering with inner thoughts. “You’re so dumb.”
Lin Yin actually laughed. “There’s no escaping Aunt Hu, whether you go to heaven or burrow into the earth. Accept your fate.”
Shui Xin burst in from outside, pale as paper. “Your mom is here. I’m going to hide.”
Everyone glared at him with unified contempt.
Qiao Yu didn’t say a word. He simply shot out a hand and locked Shui Xin in place.
Shui Xin grabbed his wrist, pleading, “Hu Qing won’t kill you!”
Qiao Yu’s eyes were calm and cruel. “But she’ll kill you. And then she won’t kill me.”
Outside, Hu Qing landed at the foot of the mountains. The scenery was blue-green like a painting. Young monks in white robes looked over, their shaved heads bright under the light.
Hu Qing offered a proper Buddhist salute. “Masters. I’m looking for Senior Brother Shui Cong.”
The gatekeeping disciples froze. Calling Master Shui Cong “Senior Brother” made no sense on its face.
Hu Qing smiled pleasantly. “I’m not lying. If you don’t believe me, ask Senior Brother Shui Cong if he’ll see me.”
One disciple asked, bewildered, “You can’t contact Master Shui Cong directly?”
Hu Qing blinked—then slapped her forehead. “Look at my memory.”
Of course she could.
She fumbled out her message jade and sent it, frantic now that she’d remembered. “Senior Brother Shui Cong, it’s me—Hu Qing. I’m here to see you.”
Shui Cong’s voice drifted back, slow and unhurried as always. “All right. I’ll come pick you up.”
Shui Cong put the jade away and strolled straight toward Shui Xin’s group first. He coughed lightly. “Ahem. I’m going to receive someone. Prepare yourselves.”
Shui Xin’s scalp nearly exploded.
He immediately herded everyone toward the front hall. “In front of Buddha, she won’t go too far… right? I’m calling all the old monks. Every single one.”
He pointed at Hu Nuan. “And you—call your grandfather.”
Hu Nuan clutched her chest with both hands. “I-I-I… I’m scared.”
Qiao Yu’s voice turned icy. “Were you scared when you jumped?”
Shui Xin tried to sound optimistic. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
Qiao Yu looked at him. “You tell Hu Qing that.”
Their gazes clashed like blades.
Shuang Hua cleared her throat. “Enough. Hu Qing isn’t unreasonable. She’s not that scary.”
Anyway… she’d already accepted reality. Surely Hu Qing would too.
Hu Qing followed Shui Cong deeper into the sect. The moment she saw him, her first words were blunt. “No one’s dead, right?”
Shui Cong smiled. “All good.”
Hu Qing’s heart thumped back into place. Only then did she have room to breathe. “Senior Brother, your scenery is gorgeous. Honestly, it’s the prettiest place I’ve ever seen.”
Shui Cong’s smile turned faintly teasing. “Prettier than the immortal realm?”
Hu Qing’s eyes widened. “How do you know I went to the immortal realm?”
Shui Cong gestured at her. “Your aura is mixed. There are traces on you that don’t belong to little li realm.”
“Wow,” Hu Qing breathed. “Senior Brother, what technique is that? Can I learn it?”
Shui Cong chuckled. “I was born with it. You can’t learn it.”
Then, softer, “Besides, you’re stronger than me. You’ve been to the immortal realm.”
Inside, Shui Cong sighed. Only after meeting returnees could he distinguish that foreign taint.
Hu Qing’s mouth twisted. “I suffered for it. I only came back because I got lucky.”
Shui Cong said mildly, “Everything is a blessing.”
He began speaking about Buddhist teachings as they flew. Hu Qing listened earnestly—until Shui Cong suddenly turned in midair.
“Come,” he said. “I’ll take you to the main hall.”
Hu Qing paused for a heartbeat, then understood at once. “So what did they do that you need elders in the main hall to plead their case?”
Shui Cong laughed. “They didn’t cause trouble. Those children are all doing well. If you’re willing, they can even stay. We’ll teach them properly.”
Hu Qing made an exaggerated gasp. “Senior Brother, your Buddhist sect has a huge appetite. Aren’t you afraid Zhaohua Sect will come knocking?”
Talking and laughing, they arrived at the hall.
Hu Qing stepped inside and swept her gaze around once—then again.
Shui Xin was there. Qiao Yu and the others were there. Her father was there. There were seniors from Zhaohua Sect, and a cluster of unfamiliar senior monks.
But where was Hu Nuan?
Where was Hu Hua Hua?
Where were the little demons?
Too scared to show their faces?
Hu Qing’s eyes flicked up to the towering Buddha statue, solemn and compassionate.
Good. Whole. No fresh repairs.
She exhaled. “Dad.”
Chan Ming stepped forward, smiling stiffly. “It’s good you’re back. It’s good you’re back.”
Hu Qing squinted. “Your smile looks… forced.”
Was he secretly raising another daughter and preparing to abandon her?
Chan Ming didn’t answer, but his eyes said everything: I’m afraid I’m about to witness blood relatives slaughtering each other.
Shui Cong began making introductions, presenting the Buddhist elders—his elders and peers. Anyone lower in generation hadn’t come. Otherwise they’d have to call Chan Ming “Martial Uncle,” and that would be a disaster.
Hu Qing turned on the charm, greeting each one sweetly—Ancestor, Martial Uncle, Senior Brother—closing distance with every word.
Then she stopped in front of Shui Xin.
Shui Xin’s eyes went everywhere except her face.
Hu Qing turned her back to the room, flashed him a vicious grin, and mouthed silently:
You can’t run.
Then she straightened and asked, calmly, “Where’s Hu Nuan?”
Qiao Yu didn’t move. He only flicked a look at Lin Yin.
Push Jin Xin out first. Let her prepare her heart.
Hu Qing stared at the tight wall of bodies—Qiao Yu, Lin Yin, Di Yuan, Shuang Hua—standing shoulder to shoulder like they were guarding a breach.
Suspicion prickled.
Shuang Hua, bless her, had no patience for theatrics. She stepped aside and flicked her spiritual power.
A whole pile of little bodies rolled out from behind them.
Hu Qing looked down, dumbfounded.
Short arms. Short legs. A confused scramble of tiny limbs. She couldn’t even tell who was who.
It took a long moment for them to stand in some kind of line.
“Mom—Mom!” Hu Nuan threw her stubby arms wide with desperate affection. “My dear mom!”
Hu Qing pointed at the row of little radish heads—none of them even reaching her waist. “Th-this—”
Her laugh came out cracked. “Haha. Illusion. This has to be an illusion.”
No one spoke.
“Mom…” Hu Nuan’s voice shrank smaller and smaller. Her chubby face was nothing but guilt.
Even Juan Bu seemed rattled. He muttered, as if to himself, “Qing… this doesn’t look like an illusion. Hu Nuan—no, all of them—they really got smaller.”
Hu Qing stared, feeling reality tilt.
Was she hallucinating? Had she returned to the beginning, back when Hu Nuan was five and they hadn’t been snatched from that petty official’s household—back when they’d first arrived in the cultivation world?
“Heh… hehe…” Hu Qing’s eyes rolled back. “How… is that possible…?”
She toppled backward.
Successfully unconscious.
“My mom—!” Hu Nuan and Hu Hua Hua screamed at the same time.