Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Doubt

“I heard you’re raising Hu Beast.”

The beauty’s eyes were large and dark, the corners drawn long as if with natural eyeliner. Thin silver lines traced near her temples, catching the light when she moved.

Hu Beast.

Her precious big son.

Hu Qing had gotten so used to daily chaos that she’d almost forgotten what he really was.

So… did she still have a chance to kill another immortal?

Then she remembered: any immortal who could come down had come out of the Little Li Realm. Whoever stood in front of her had roots here.

“H-heh…” Hu Qing swallowed. “Senior, you are—”

The sword tip skimmed her neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

The beauty said calmly, “Oh. I’m Hu Beast too.”

Hu Qing exhaled so hard she almost laughed. “Family, then. Ancestor—please, come inside.”

The female immortal didn’t move. Her expression sharpened. “Being adopted by the human clan is a stain he can never wash away.”

Hu Qing paused, then smiled faintly. “Stain or not, the fact can’t be changed.”

One brow lifted, elegant and sharp. “You seem certain I won’t kill you.”

Hu Qing’s heart sank, but her gaze didn’t waver. “You won’t.”

A soft, dangerous laugh. “Why?”

“Because my son will avenge me,” Hu Qing said.

The woman’s face flipped in an instant. The blade scratched again—one line, then another—hot blood rising on Hu Qing’s skin.

“When he reaches Immortal Realm,” the immortal said coldly, “he’ll naturally understand.”

“Understand?” Hu Qing’s smile turned into a sneer. “Understand what?”

Her voice stayed steady. “You came to me because you can’t force him. You know Hu Beast’s temperament. An auspicious beast doesn’t forget kindness, and it doesn’t betray the people it cares about. You’re afraid he’ll hate you, so you’re trying to scare me into letting him go.”

Hu Qing leaned into the edge of her fear and pushed back. “You’re not here to kill me. You’re here to intimidate me. To make me give up my son on my own.”

Her eyes flashed. “Not possible.”

If the immortal truly wanted her dead, one strand of divine sense would do it. A sword at her throat was theater. All this talk only proved the immortal didn’t have full confidence.

Was Hu Qing guessing? Absolutely.

She didn’t know Hu Beast’s nature.

But she knew Hu Hua Hua.

That brat was proud, willful, and extreme to the bone—sharp enough to cut himself and everyone around him. Because of his birth mother’s death, he’d dared declare himself the enemy of the demon clan while he was still small. Even demon clan unrelated to that death were swept into his hatred and ignored. Even the dragon clan—even those who had once been close to his birth mother—he still kept his distance.

Arrogant by nature.

Threaten his foster mother in front of him?

That was begging to be torn apart.

Hu Qing’s mouth tilted, roguish and defiant. “Kill me? Try.”

For the first time, the immortal looked… annoyed.

A stubborn rolling knife, this one. No matter how you pushed, she wouldn’t budge.

The two of them held each other’s gaze for three silent seconds, both reading the other’s intent. Then, as if flipping a switch, Hu Qing brightened again.

“Ancestor, why be so formal with family?” she said warmly. “Please, come in and sit. My home is crude—don’t mind it.”

She jerked her heel back and kicked Shui Xin. Hard. Get up!

Shui Xin didn’t move.

The immortal finally withdrew the blade. “He can’t,” she said with mild disdain. “Seeing a monk the moment you step inside is bad luck. I sealed his dantian. He’ll recover after a few days.”

Hu Qing slapped on a strained smile. “Well, that’s what he gets for blocking the doorway.”

Still smiling, she hoisted Shui Xin into her arms and hurried toward the back rooms. “Ancestor, please make yourself comfortable. I’ll brew tea.”

From where she stood, the immortal watched without concern. Run? She wouldn’t dare.

In the back, Hu Qing lowered her voice as she carried Shui Xin. “You couldn’t even last one move against her? We’re dead. We’re so dead.”

“Shut up,” Shui Xin hissed. “Be polite. Send her off properly.”

Immortals could hear.

Hu Qing whispered anyway. “Do you think she drinks our water? What if she eats people?”

“Stop talking,” Shui Xin said. “Don’t mention monks. Don’t mention Buddhist sects. Talk about how close you are with Hu Hua Hua.”

Hu Qing clicked her tongue. “You picked a great time to collapse.”

Shui Xin rolled his eyes. “It’s not my face. I should’ve worn a wig.”

He hadn’t even seen the visitor enter. One moment he’d been fine, the next his body had turned icy and rigid, and he’d face-planted like a sack of grain.

Hu Qing set him on the bed, then dragged out every thick quilt she could find and piled them on top of him, tucking the corners like she was sealing a coffin. “If I can’t handle this, you save me.”

Shui Xin stared at her from under the blankets. “Look at me. Who am I saving?”

Hu Qing slipped out through the back door into the kitchen. At least Hu Zhuo had kept everything tidy. The tea leaves were fresh. She brewed a pot and carried it forward.

The immortal was roaming the house like she owned it.

It wasn’t normal walking. Two steps—her figure flickered, and she appeared meters away. Two more steps—she blinked into another room.

Spatial movement, used to tour a small house.

Hu Qing wanted to laugh. A sweep of divine sense would have done the job.

She set the tea down and poured. Steam rose, bringing the scent up with it.

The immortal sat gracefully and waited until Hu Qing finished. Then she said, “I don’t drink hot tea.”

Hu Qing’s smile twitched. “Of course. How do you prefer it? I can prepare it right away.”

The immortal frowned, eyes cutting through the room. “A Hu Beast descendant lives in a cramped place like this?”

“We travel a lot,” Hu Qing said quickly. “Home is just somewhere to eat and sleep.”

“You can’t even turn over to sleep,” the immortal replied, unimpressed.

Hu Qing forced a laugh. “He’s still small. And we do have other places.”

“Zhaohua Sect?” the immortal asked, as if already knowing the answer.

Hu Qing pinched her fingers together, keeping her expression mild. Fine. If she’d investigated, then Hu Qing might as well strike first.

“When did Ancestor ascend?” Hu Qing asked lightly. “And Hu Hua Hua’s mother—were you—”

“I’m taking him,” the immortal cut in, gaze locking onto Hu Qing. “Only Immortal Realm is the best choice for him.”

Her tone hardened. “It’s his only choice.”

Hu Qing set her cup down. The pleasant mask slipped away.

“The demon clan said the same thing back then,” she said.

A quiet laugh. “So you’re done pretending? A tiny mortal dares show no respect to an immortal.”

One finger touched the teacup. The hot tea inside froze in an instant, ripples locked in crystal clarity.

Hu Qing looked at it without blinking. “That was me being a good host.”

She met the immortal’s eyes. “Before he avenges his mother, Hu Hua Hua won’t leave. I think you know that.”

The immortal’s gaze narrowed. “Does he plan to slaughter the demon clan of the Little Li Realm?”

Hu Qing’s heart jolted.

If she claimed to be Hu Beast, why did that question sound like she was speaking for the demon clan?

And then another thought hit Hu Qing like a cold hand.

Hu Hua Hua had a biological father.

Who knew what kind of thing that father was?