Xichen was walking toward a secluded area of the imperial palace, even more isolated than his own designated quarters. With each step he took, the surrounding opulence seemed to gradually recede. The ornate pillars began to shrink, the number of majestic statues dwindled, and the decorations adorning the walls faded. The light grew dimmer, and the sound of his footsteps became clearer, echoing through the quiet corridors like the beat of a solitary heart.
There were no servants anymore, or perhaps they deliberately avoided this part of the palace. The walls here were older, their paint bearing the marks of time, yet that did not diminish the strange stillness that pervaded the place—a stillness different from imperial grandeur… it was closer to isolation and oblivion.
This part of the palace was reserved for only one woman…
Zhu Zhuqing.
Xichen's mother.
A woman quietly cast out from the arena of imperial glory, not because she had committed a sin, but because she did not carry the Phoenix lineage in her veins. Her situation worsened when she gave birth to a child who showed no talent for years… until everyone considered him a nobody, just another number on the list of forgotten princes.
But Xichen, despite everything, never forgot her.
On the contrary… with time, he became increasingly convinced that his mother was not what she appeared to be.
It was true he did not know much about her background, and no one had ever told him her true origins, but she had always carried an aura of latent power, as if her blood concealed something beyond imagination. She was not a weak woman, despite all the years of injustice and silence.
Rather, she was steadfast, composed, and resilient.
And deep down, Xichen felt that Zhuqing might not only hold a status higher than any noblewoman or empress he had known, but her background might even transcend the Divine Phoenix Empire itself.
In the original story, the Four Great Sacred Grounds were the absolute rulers of the continent, but from the history he had studied, there existed sects and hidden families in the Profound Sky Continent whose power could surpass the Four Great Sacred Grounds. However, they usually did not reveal themselves unless something affected the entire continent or an inheritance from a powerful expert who had reached the Profound God realm appeared.
But this was not important at the moment, as he had no hostile relations or anything of the sort with them. And even if they were hostile or similar when they appeared, he was confident that he would possess the full ability to stand on equal footing with them, as he would be the ruler of the empire, in addition to not being weak himself.
With this thought, Xichen arrived at the gate of the old palace, which had no guards. Yet, it was clear it was being cared for, as the garden was tidy, with no untamed weeds, and the place was clean, devoid of any filth one might expect from a neglected palace.
As Xichen walked, his attention was caught by movement amidst a cluster of purple flowers. There was a beautiful woman tending to them.
She stood there… among the violet flowers swaying with the evening breeze, beneath the shade of a blossoming tree with a white trunk, its delicate petals falling like spring snow.
A woman dressed in a simple, glossy black robe, without jewelry or adornments, yet her presence overshadowed everything.
With long black hair and a pair of violet eyes, she possessed an alluring hourglass figure: a pair of large breasts that could not be held with one hand, a waist slender as a willow branch, and full, enticing hips.
Although the woman was exceptionally beautiful, capable of enchanting any man who laid eyes on her, Xichen could only stare in terror at the flowers the woman was tending with her slender fingers, for he recognized them.
Netherworld Udumbara Flower.
He had searched for this flower through the Black Moon Merchant Guild and had seen many images and descriptions of it, so it was impossible for him to be mistaken.
[Ding! A Favored Daughter of Heaven has been detected.]
[Ding! An optional quest has been triggered.]
[Option One: Subjugate the Favored Daughter of Heaven to your will.]
[Option Two: Kill the Favored Daughter of Heaven.]
"..." Xichen ignored the system for the time being, as the stunning woman before him turned to look at him and smiled a truly beautiful smile.
"Welcome back, Chen'er." Zhuqing smiled with a kingdom-toppling beauty, gazing at Xichen with eyes full of affection and love.
[A/N: Zhu Zhuqing's appearance is her appearance as a Speed Goddess.]
Zhuqing moved with a light, graceful, yet clearly swift step and embraced Xichen with a warm, loving hug.
"Welcome back, Chen'er…" Her voice was soft, filled with longing, as if she feared the dream would shatter if she spoke any louder. Her beautiful, slender arms wrapped around him, settling on his broad back, while her lovely face rested against his chest, her ears listening to his heartbeat as if it were a heavenly melody delighting her ears.
"…" Xichen was silent, his gaze shifting between the simple-looking flower, the system notifications, and Zhuqing in his arms. Finally, he could only say, "I'm back, Mother."
Although he did not understand anything that was happening, it did not matter now. He had returned to those arms he had longed for over the past two years—those soft, calming arms that brought him peace and joy. As a fusion of the original Xichen and the reincarnated Xichen, he carried the emotions and memories of both, so he did not feel like a stranger to Zhuqing, who was his biological mother.
...
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