Lord Li Wangcheng's words sounded cheerful, but a closer look revealed bitterness and resentment.
He was the Lord of Li Wangcheng, a supreme being, a prominent figure in the entire Immortal Wood Kingdom, a noble ruler of a region.
Yet now he was nothing, worse than a cripple, and his mind couldn't accept this state.
Qin Chuan, however, smiled and said, "I have a way to restore your cultivation. Will you lead us out?"
Lord Li Wangcheng's body trembled. He looked at Qin Chuan with a crazed look, like a drowning man grasping at a straw.
Only one thing could make him happy, make him ecstatic, and make him willing to give everything:
restoring his cultivation.
In that brief moment, without cultivation, he realized he was nothing. No one around him came forward, not even a word of concern.
He was now a cripple.
Now, given any opportunity, he was willing to gamble, even if he was deceived, at least he wouldn't regret it.
However, although he thought this way, he couldn't show it. He feared Qin Chuan would demand an exorbitant price. Although he had lost everything, he still had hope.
He feared that Qin Chuan would take away his last hope, and he would die with regrets.
Qin Chuan smiled at the expression on Li Wang City Lord's face, because he knew that even if he couldn't get out, Li Wang City Lord still had a way.
This way was probably known only to him, not even to his own brother; otherwise, they certainly wouldn't be able to leave this desperate place.
Since Ying was certain they could get out, Qin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. Besides, he might be able to use his Five Elements Immortal Banner.
After all, it was a treasure of supreme value, and his current cultivation level was quite good. If he could get out, he really wouldn't need to make a deal with Li Wang City Lord.
The long corridor was wide and bright. After three turns, a huge stone hall appeared. It was large and luxurious, unlike anything underground, more like a huge palace.
It didn't feel oppressive here; in fact, it felt very comfortable, and the spiritual energy was even more abundant than outside.
The hall was clean, but it felt a little cold. At this moment, a woman stood in the hall, gazing outside, her figure slender.
"What are you doing here again?"
the woman asked, seemingly knowing who it was. Only that person could be here, so she asked without turning her head.
The junior sister stared blankly at the woman. Although it was only her back, she knew this was her mother, the mother who had saved her life.
Although she hadn't raised her, she had twice saved her life. Besides, it wasn't that she didn't want to raise her, but that she couldn't due to special circumstances.
Lord Li Wang City remained silent, while the woman seemed to realize something and slowly turned her head. Her gaze barely lingered on Lord Li Wang City, sweeping over Qin Chuan and the junior sister, before finally freezing, staring blankly at the junior sister.
Sometimes it's just a feeling, and besides, the junior sister and this woman shared at least three-tenths of a resemblance.
There's also that strange intuition, the ability to sense someone upon first meeting them, even if you've never met them before.
The previous Lord Li Wang City had recognized the junior sister as his daughter the moment he saw her.
The woman was thin, her face slightly haggard, a result of mental torment. She was beautiful, after all, the junior sister was beautiful, and she was the wife of the Lord of Li Wang City.
The woman stared intently at her junior sister, her body trembling. She walked towards her uncontrollably, slowly, each step seemingly requiring all her strength.
Her eyes held surprise, guilt, worry, and unease…
a complex mix of emotions, including joy and tenderness. This was her own flesh and blood, the daughter she had given away with such heartache.
She didn't even know if she was alive, what she looked like; she had never dared to hope for a reunion.
But after so many years here, she hadn't thought about her every day, but almost, because she had nothing else to do but reminisce.
Her impression of her daughter was always of her very young self. She had wondered what her daughter would be like now, and she desperately wanted to pray that she could see her.
Even if they couldn't recognize each other, just seeing her doing well was enough.
She never dreamed this day would actually come; she even doubted if she was dreaming. But she knew it wasn't a dream; it was real.
At this moment, she suddenly realized that fate hadn't been the most unfair to her. She felt her life had reached its nadir.
Time can erase everything, but sometimes it can't erase the unyielding love.
"Yaya, is that you…" The woman was so excited she could barely speak.
The junior sister, who had maintained her composure, couldn't remain calm at this moment. Her father wasn't a good father, but her mother was a good mother, the best mother.
It's said that it's better to follow a beggar mother than a high-ranking official father, and there's a lot of truth to that.
Of course, this saying often misunderstands people. Normal people love their children, even willing to give their lives for them.
But some people, for their own benefit, can kill their fathers, brothers, and children—the Lord Li Wangcheng before her was capable of such acts.
"Mother!"
The junior sister's lips trembled slightly before she finally uttered the word. It was the first time she had ever uttered this word, and it was an experience.
It was an unprecedented experience; after saying it, she felt as if she had found her anchor, like a lost child suddenly returning home.
The two embraced. Qin Chuan looked at Lord Li Wang, who stared blankly at the woman and his junior sister.
Qin Chuan could see a flicker of emotion in the man's eyes; perhaps only now could he feel something he hadn't felt before.
Now he had lost his cultivation, his status, and was about to lose everything. Now he saw his woman, the woman he loved, and his daughter, though she didn't recognize him…
"Do you regret it?" Qin Chuan asked calmly.
Lord Li Wang was somewhat taken aback, but shook his head slightly, remaining silent. It was unclear whether he meant he didn't regret it, or that regret was useless.
Perhaps both!
"She's your junior sister," Lord Li Wang said softly.
"Yes, but it's been many years since we last saw each other," Qin Chuan said.
"Is she doing well?" Lord Li Wang asked.
Qin Chuan shook his head: "I don't know, but from my feeling, she probably isn't."
Qin Chuan thought that she had been acting crazy for so many years, which shouldn't be considered a bad thing. However, this was just a setback in his junior sister's life, and perhaps things would turn out well in the future. It might even be a good thing.