Chapter 705 - 704: Entrustment

Chapter 705: Chapter 704: Entrustment

Yi Tianyun was so resolute that Jiao Linghe was at a loss for words. They were talking about the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom. While Yi Tianyun had demonstrated incredible power, the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom was a Divine Kingdom with multiple Saint Kings, far beyond what the Celestial Blood Four Bandits could ever compare to.

"If you’re going, then I’m going too!" Jiao Linghe had no intention of meekly waiting for news; she simply couldn’t do it.

"Alright, then you can come with me." Yi Tianyun nodded, deciding against leaving Jiao Linghe behind.

Nowhere was safer than by his side. He had countless methods of escape or combat. It was far safer than staying here; just because a place looked safe didn’t mean it truly was.

As far as he was concerned, the only truly safe place for someone was within his line of sight. He would never arrange for someone to hide in a remote area unless the enemy they faced was extraordinarily powerful.

Jiao Linghe immediately used her Living Ring to store the slumbering Yi Xingchen inside. She could have kept him with her the whole time, but she hadn’t because she had been heading into peril alone. If she had met with disaster, at least Yi Xingchen would have had a chance to survive by remaining here.

Yi Xingchen wasn’t dead, merely in a deep slumber from which he could eventually awaken on his own.

Once they were ready, Yi Tianyun summoned the Blue Phoenix, which carried the three of them swiftly toward the Sealing Heaven Divine Kingdom. Just then, the system’s voice rang in his mind.

"Ding! Main Quest ’Find Your Parents’ successfully completed. Reward: 500 million Experience Points, 100,000 Madness Value, and two chances at the Super Lottery Roulette!"

"Ding! New Main Quest accepted: ’Heal Your Father.’ Completion reward: 500 million Experience Points, 100,000 Madness Value, and two chances at the Lottery Roulette!"

Once the quest was complete, the Soul Guidance vanished. Three million points, gone just like that. But he felt it was well worth it. If he hadn’t arrived in time, Jiao Linghe would have truly been in grave danger.

Now, another main quest had appeared. Everything was falling into place, perfectly aligning with his current plans. It was essentially an added bonus.

When Jiao Linghe saw Yi Tianyun summon the phoenix, she was at a loss for words—or rather, she didn’t even know where to begin with her questions. It was all too incredible. ’Have my son’s achievements already surpassed our own?’

’He’s not even twenty years old, yet he’s already reached this level?’

She wanted to ask but couldn’t bring herself to. She felt she owed Yi Tianyun far too much over the years and didn’t know how to broach the subject. Seeing her hesitation, Shi Xueyun took Jiao Linghe’s small hand and smiled. "Sister, what’s on your mind? Are you curious about what Tianyun has been doing all these years?"

As she spoke, she nudged Yi Tianyun. Jiao Linghe was speechless, but Shi Xueyun knew just what to say.

Yi Tianyun felt a little helpless. ’What can I even say?’ he wondered. But when he saw the concern in Jiao Linghe’s gaze, he was reminded that, for all intents and purposes, she was his mother.

Still, he remained silent. Shi Xueyun, sensing the awkwardness between them, took the initiative and began to tell his story.

She gave a general account of Yi Tianyun’s deeds in the Mortal Realm, leaving Jiao Linghe utterly dumbfounded. To hear that Merak Palace had changed so much that it had become an Empire was truly shocking.

"My son established an Empire?" Jiao Linghe was both shocked and thrilled. Tears of relief streamed from her eyes once more. It seemed that even without her help, he had managed to become successful.

"Yes, Tianyun is incredibly capable. His talent is astonishing, just like you and his father!" Shi Xueyun added with admiration.

Jiao Linghe wiped away her tears, looked at Yi Tianyun, and said, "My child, it must have been so hard for you all these years..."

She wasn’t focused on the fact that Yi Tianyun had established an Empire. Instead, she could sense how difficult it must have been, how the path must have been filled with hardship. Though Shi Xueyun had recounted it in a lighthearted way, Jiao Linghe knew how much power and pressure it took to build a faction from the ground up.

"It was bearable, because I had my aunt with me." Yi Tianyun reached out and took Shi Xueyun’s small hand, right there in front of his own mother.

Shi Xueyun struggled for a moment but didn’t pull her hand away, her face flushing crimson. This was tantamount to announcing that they were officially a couple. ’The woman I called ’Sister’ has now become my mother-in-law. That’s quite a leap.’

’She asked me to help take care of her son, and now we’ve ended up together.’ The thought alone was rather embarrassing.

"You two..." Jiao Linghe was stunned for a moment when she saw them holding hands, but then her face broke into a radiant smile. She reached out and caressed Shi Xueyun’s cheek. "I decided long ago that if I gave birth to a son, I would want him to marry a girl just like you. I never thought it would actually come true!"

"Ah... Sister, you really thought that back then?" Shi Xueyun asked, astounded.

Yi Tianyun was stunned as well. ’She was already picking out a wife for me when I was just a newborn? Isn’t that a bit much?’

"Of course. You have excellent talent, you’re kind, and you’re responsible. Why else would I have entrusted Tianyun to you? I felt you could take good care of him and become his right hand, which is why I asked you to look after him," Jiao Linghe said with a gentle smile. "At the time, I considered several people, but after giving it some thought, you were the most suitable. I thought that if you two ended up together, it would be exactly what I hoped for."

"I... I..." Shi Xueyun was completely floored. She had been bracing herself for a scolding, but who would have thought that from the very beginning, Jiao Linghe had wanted her to be Yi Tianyun’s wife? That was planning a little too far ahead.

For Cultivators, however, age was never an issue. As long as one’s cultivation level was high enough, someone several hundred years old could look as if they were in their twenties. Therefore, age was never the problem; the real factors were cultivation level and talent.

"Since you two are together, a great weight has been lifted from my mind." Jiao Linghe took a necklace from her Storage Ring, placed it around Shi Xueyun’s neck, and said with a soft smile, "I don’t have much to give you, but this is a decent necklace. Please accept it as a gift."

This was no ordinary necklace, of course. It was at least a mid-grade Sacred Artifact. Jiao Linghe wasn’t as outrageously wealthy as Yi Tianyun, who could hand out Divine Artifacts like candy. The best she could offer was a Sacred Artifact.

"My son, from now on, I’m entrusting Xueyun to your care. I hope you’ll protect her well and never let her come to harm." Jiao Linghe squeezed their joined hands, a healthy flush returning to her once-haggard face.

"Thank you... Mother." Yi Tianyun smiled, a rare, genuine smile gracing his lips. He felt the distance between them shrink considerably.

"My child, we owe you so much. Your abilities are incredible now, but I hope we can be a proper family from now on and make it up to you," Jiao Linghe said with a gentle smile.

Yi Tianyun nodded. ’Feelings can be nurtured over time,’ he thought. ’At least it seems like getting along won’t be too difficult.’