Mother?

“Odd, why have they all frozen?” The thought had barely flickered through Du Chen’s mind when, abruptly, the suffocating pall of death that had been weighing down from Mount Tianshan’s summit dissipated. It was utterly, entirely gone!

He turned, only to see Philip’s gargantuan right arm still poised at the precipice of its explosion. Then, it dissolved into crimson droplets, melting away, as his colossal frame slowly toppled. A closer look revealed him to be thoroughly, irrevocably deceased.

What in the heavens had just transpired? The immense Lotus Shield pressed invisibly before Philip, yet only Du Chen perceived its presence. Now, the ethereal shield quivered imperceptibly, exuding a profound, arcane aura that harmonized with the spiritual awakening sparked by the blooming of the four lotuses within Du Chen’s psyche.

The sensation was utterly wondrous, and Du Chen savored it. That mystical intuition had surged spontaneously within his mind the very instant Philip attempted to self-detonate. It then merged with the projected Lotus Shield, becoming one, sharing its fate, and subsequently… Philip’s terrifying Undead Self-Detonation, which had threatened to repel three master practitioners, simply dissipated!

Could his Lotus Shield truly have absorbed the full cataclysmic force of the self-detonation? Impossible! He simply couldn’t possess such immense power!

Among the assembled, only Flaying, privy to the true extent of Du Chen’s capabilities, shook his head, a mirthless, exasperated chuckle escaping him.

Helen and her father gazed at Du Chen, utterly dumbfounded. A singular thought resonated through their minds: “A supreme master! Truly, an absolute paragon of power!” To casually dispel an Undead Self-Detonation with a mere flick of his wrist, without even the faintest ripple of battle qi, certainly explained his earlier detached observation. Perhaps, to him, the preceding skirmish held no allure whatsoever—was he truly mortal, or… a deity?

Roland’s bearing was undeniably peculiar. He cocked his head, his hands raking through his wild hair as he fixated a piercing stare on Du Chen, his countenance shifting between moods, unnervingly strange.

“Ahem!” Du Chen punctuated the silence with a theatrical cough, stirring the stunned onlookers from their daze. He murmured, “What are you gawking at? Am I expected to personally tidy up this… unfortunate aftermath?”

“Understood!” Flaying affirmed with a weighty tone, striding toward Philip’s fallen form. They absolutely *must* secure information about the Anti-Spirit Seed, lest Francis, too, succumb to the fate of The Undead!

Du Chen let out another casual cough, then lifted his chin, fixing Roland with a gaze. “You’re still…”

“Aaaah!!” Roland’s already peculiar expression twisted into something truly grotesque. He clutched his head, shrieking in anguish, his entire body convulsing as if afflicted by a fit of epilepsy from Du Chen’s previous world. He howled, “Water’s Embrace Holy Radiance! Water’s Embrace Holy Radiance! You are *them*, you are *them*!”

Roland’s utterly incoherent outburst caught Du Chen off guard. “What in the blazes is this ‘Holy Radiance’ poppycock? *This* is a personal transmission from ‘Grape,’ a Lotus Shield even Senior Brother Sun hasn’t mastered! It has absolutely *nothing* to do with any Holy Radiance!”

Yet Roland, for some unfathomable reason, had misunderstood entirely. After howling for a spell, clutching his skull, he violently collapsed to the ground, only to then spring up, quite literally, like a lunatic, and bolt frantically towards Battle God Isle.

Hah, his latent madness had been provoked, and he’d spiraled into delirium once more! Du Chen mused, a good turn of events, indeed. At the very least, Tyrone and his daughter would find their escape considerably easier.

Just as a faint smile touched his lips, Flaying reached Philip’s corpse. Abruptly, Mount Tianshan began to shudder.

Boom, boom! As if struck by an earthquake, innumerable fissures tore open around the peak’s altar. Close behind, five vibrant streams of qi — black, green, blue, red, and yellow — burst forth from the cracks, arcing skyward. They blazed with a brilliance akin to New Year’s fireworks.

Flaying, momentarily blinded by the searing radiance, averted his gaze and shielded his eyes, urgently crying out, “Battle Qi Convergence! Everyone, beware!” Yet his warning was superfluous; Du Chen had already ascended upon his lotus and soared far into the distance.

Even as he spoke, he closed his eyes and leaned forward to grasp Philip’s corpse. “Hmm? Where’s the body?”

A cold dread pierced Flaying’s heart. Disregarding the intense glare, he forced his eyes open and scanned his surroundings. Not only was Philip’s corpse utterly gone, but Tendon-Severing and Corpse Dissolution, who lay heavily wounded, unconscious, and with fates unknown, had also vanished.

What in the world was happening? Legend had it, the Grand Pontiff of old had vanished in precisely this fashion!

Battle Qi converged, manifesting myriad iridescent streams and thousands of auspicious hues, and then, without a trace, everyone disappeared!

Flaying had no time for contemplation. He snatched Deboning from the ground and shot skyward. Meanwhile, Tyrone’s gaze was fixed on the battle qi auroras swirling atop Mount Tianshan—more precisely, on the verdant stream. For unlike its ‘brethren,’ this particular aurora wasn’t entirely pure; it shimmered with a faint, underlying white light.

Watching Du Chen’s receding form, Tyrone hesitated, a thought caught on his tongue. He mused, *Never mind. He’s a true master. If he already knows, he needs no prompting from me. If he doesn’t… then I’m certainly not going to enlighten him.*

Flaying brought the unconscious Deboning aboard Du Chen’s lotus, gazing from afar at the unfolding spectacle on Mount Tianshan. He sighed inwardly, gently depositing the comatose Deboning at Du Chen’s feet. “Philip’s body has vanished. I must proceed to Philip’s nineteenth-floor Alchemy Laboratory! As per our plan, we’ll discuss the specifics once we arrive!” His true objective was to locate Phil.

After seeing Flaying off, Du Chen declared, “You two are free to go. I’ve already enacted a comprehensive strategy: Roland’s old malady has resurfaced, Zigurd has been summoned by the Holy Church for an urgent conference, and the academy’s hidden powerhouses are all otherwise engaged. I guarantee no one will pursue you for the foreseeable future! Furthermore, everyone will believe that you and your daughter perished alongside Philip on Mount Tianshan!”

“My profound thanks are beyond words!” Tyrone cupped his hands in a gesture of deep gratitude, yet he did not immediately depart. Instead, he cast a significant glance at his daughter. “Your Eminence, I harbor one… audacious request…”

*Don’t utter it!* Du Chen’s heart hammered in sudden alarm. He knew with crystalline clarity what Tyrone was plotting. This father and daughter had made enemies across the entire realm, and their future path was fraught with hardship. If Tyrone genuinely wished for his daughter’s safety, the most logical course was to place her under the protection of a ‘master.’

“I have no interest in your petition! Depart at once!” Du Chen stated, a frown creasing his brow.

Tyrone, awed by Du Chen’s recently demonstrated “prowess,” dared not press the matter further. He merely entreated, “Might my daughter be granted the honor of serving by your esteemed side?” His heart bled even as he spoke; what father would willingly relinquish his own child? Yet, only Tyrone truly understood the perilous path he was about to tread, a path where risking one’s life was a given, and one from which his daughter absolutely had to be shielded.

“Do you truly believe a man of my standing would be interested in your daughter?! Do you honestly think she possesses the qualifications to serve by my side?” Du Chen declared with feigned conviction, yet inwardly, he harbored a profound hesitation. Who wouldn’t desire the continent’s most exquisite maiden as a companion? But alas, there were complications. Firstly, his Precious Scroll cultivation remained incomplete; having such a beguiling woman nearby could, one day, lead to an unfortunate lapse in judgment. Secondly, his ‘master’ persona was merely a carefully crafted facade. If Helen were constantly by his side, day and night, she would inevitably discern the truth, and then…

Tyrone nodded, then pressed, “I comprehend Your Eminence’s concerns, but Helen is exceptionally gifted and intelligent. With her by your side…”

“I shall utter this but once more: I harbor absolutely no interest in your daughter!” Du Chen’s voice dropped to an ominous, chilling register, his simmering fury now barely contained.

“While I dare not boast of my daughter’s peerless beauty, there are precious few women across the Three Continents who can truly rival her grace and charm…”

“I find your daughter utterly loathsome, do you comprehend?! Do not compel me to end both your lives! My patience today must be exceptionally lenient for you to dare such insolence!” Du Chen’s voice descended to an icy depth.

Helen lowered her head, not daring to interject. Yet, she muttered inwardly, *It’s true, I’ve certainly done many things in the past to displease Francis, but…*

Tyrone secretly mused, *It appears he truly will take my daughter under his wing. But I am destined to encounter further perils in the days to come, and my daughter would inevitably suffer. Therefore, the wisest course is to find a way to curry favor with this eminent master. This will, at least, pave a safe path for my daughter’s future!*

*Ah, yes, that very item. I cannot utilize it, but this esteemed individual most certainly can! Indeed, given his power, perhaps only such a treasure could possibly sway him.*

With this thought, Tyrone inhaled deeply, his abdomen visibly contracting. Immediately thereafter, he opened his mouth and expelled a small, obsidian-black stone, no larger than a quail’s egg. “Father…” Helen began, then hesitated, ultimately remaining silent.

Du Chen blinked, momentarily taken aback. *Heh, to conceal an item within one’s very gut… this maneuver seems no less impressive than Lotus Concealment. Though, frankly, it’s rather repulsive. What a lack of basic hygiene…*

Tyrone presented the small stone to Du Chen with both hands. “Your Eminence’s boundless benevolence is beyond our ability to repay. We humbly beg you to accept this trifle!”

*Though this stone appears unassuming, it is most certainly a valuable treasure!* Du Chen rubbed his nose, then nodded. “I comprehend your meaning. Should I refuse this offering, you would merely persist! Present it, then!” Du Chen accepted the small stone, gave it a cursory glance, then casually tucked it into his robe pocket. “This trinket is… adequate, I suppose. It’ll suffice for now!”

*Adequate?!* Tyrone’s jaw dropped, then he snapped it shut. “Very well, then. My daughter and I shall take our leave!”

“No need for farewells. Ten *li* to the south, a ship flies the Holy Church’s banner. It is presently unmanned; you may use it for your departure!” Du Chen dispatched the father and daughter, then waited a short while longer. Only when the sky had fully brightened and the battle qi radiating from Mount Tianshan had entirely dissipated did he descend to the peak.

Surveying the devastated mountaintop, Du Chen sighed, a note of wistfulness in his voice. “Alas, Philip had already slain too many. Otherwise, using the Lotus Shield to suppress his self-detonation just now would have instantly saved hundreds of lives!”

A swift inspection revealed the sole survivors on Mount Tianshan to be Mas, Bairu, and two Battle God Enforcers—all lives preserved by Du Chen’s shield, an act that had also set his fifth lotus upon the path of blooming.

First, he secreted the unconscious Deboning within the Lotus, then roused Bairu. Du Chen stated, “Philip and his acolytes are utterly defunct. After his grotesque transformation, he was dispatched by an associate of mine.”

Bairu let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, then quickly asserted, “I can manage here for now. Holy Church reinforcements will arrive at noon. Francis, you may proceed immediately to Battle God Isle and, with your associate, eradicate Philip’s Alchemy Laboratory!”

Du Chen, who would have undertaken the task regardless of Bairu’s instruction, departed Mount Tianshan aboard a small craft. Not long after, he piloted his miniaturized lotus straight to the laboratory.

The laboratory was presently deserted. The majority of Philip’s assistants had perished on Mount Tianshan; the few who remained had been efficiently dispatched by Flaying, who had arrived ahead of them. Du Chen proceeded unimpeded, reaching the entrance to the nineteenth floor. There, Flaying was crouched before a hidden trapdoor on the ground, awaiting Du Chen. His remarkably lifelike mask perfectly portrayed an expression of bewildered helplessness.

“You haven’t gained entry to the nineteenth floor yet? Are your injuries impeding your ability to force open this portal?” Du Chen inquired with a hint of concern.

“No, I’m… apprehensive!” Flaying lowered his head, his voice flat and lifeless. “You know how it is. Some objectives, you strive desperately for them until they’re within reach, only to find yourself gripped by fear the moment they materialize before you!” Flaying slowly lifted his gaze. “Francis, I am unequivocally certain: your mother is not dead!”

He then recounted the true implications of the Anti-Spirit Seed.

“So, if my mother had genuinely perished, she would have irrevocably transformed into one of The Undead. Yet you witnessed her interment firsthand, observing no abnormalities! Therefore, she must be in a state of… feigned death!?” Du Chen cast a fleeting glance at his own body. *Damn Philip, could I, too, be susceptible to becoming one of those reanimated horrors?*

“I shall dedicate every fiber of my being to unraveling the enigma of your Spirit Seed. Now…” He gestured towards the hidden trapdoor, his voice laced with a tremor. “If your mother still draws breath, there is a ninety percent certainty she resides within!”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Du Chen produced his tools, effortlessly picking the lock on the hidden door in mere seconds, then slowly, deliberately, he opened the trapdoor.

Below lay a tunnel-like structure. On the steps immediately behind the slowly parting door, a pair of large, arresting eyes abruptly met Du Chen’s own.

“Mother!”