CHAPTER 221: THE BATTLE MAIDEN SECT.

The chamber felt quieter after the storm of emotions that had just passed. Mo Yuxin’s sobs had lessened, though the redness in her eyes betrayed how much she had cried. Shen Mingyue’s gaze lingered on her daughter, that gaze carrying both infinite pride and infinite tenderness. It was as if years of suppressed affection had finally found release, softening her entire being.

Mo Yuxin shifted slightly in her seat, still leaning against Su Yubing, while Shen Mingyue adjusted her posture, sitting gracefully back into her place. The tension that had weighed down the air only moments ago had been replaced with something lighter, something warmer.

Su Yubing, though she had not spoken much during the reunion, had been watching closely the whole time. She could see how fragile Mo Yuxin was in that moment, how the girl who always carried the weight of the heavens on her shoulders could also look as delicate as a child who had finally found her home. Without a word, Su Yubing reached out, lifting her sleeve and gently wiping away the tears clinging stubbornly to Mo Yuxin’s cheeks.

The touch was careful, filled with a softness that Mo Yuxin alone could draw out of her. To an outsider, it might have looked like the quiet intimacy of two lovers who had lived together for decades—an instinctive understanding, a quiet tenderness, the kind of interaction born not from passion but from familiarity and love that had withstood countless trials.

Shen Mingyue’s lips curved slightly as she watched. She had long since noticed how Mo Yuxin behaved so differently around Su Yubing, almost childlike, almost dependent. That same daughter who had just moments ago shown her such strength and determination now leaned so naturally into her partner’s touch, letting Su Yubing pamper her without restraint. To Shen Mingyue, this was not weakness but a kind of blessing. It meant Mo Yuxin had someone to rely on, someone who could carry the loneliness when it became too heavy.

For the first time in centuries, Shen Mingyue felt her heart unclench.

Now that they had recognized one another, so many knots in their hearts had unraveled. The weight of secrets, misunderstandings, and silent guilt had been lifted, leaving behind only relief and lightness. It was not the end of their journey, but it was a new beginning—a fragile but genuine connection between mother and daughter.

A silence passed, filled not with discomfort but with peace. Then, Su Yubing’s voice cut through, gentle yet teasing.

"Hm..." she said, her lips tugging into a playful smile as she finished drying Mo Yuxin’s face. "Why are you such a crybaby today?"

Mo Yuxin sniffed softly, lowering her gaze like a guilty child. And then, in front of Shen Mingyue no less, she leaned directly into Su Yubing’s arms, resting her head against her chest as though she had no shame at all. The sudden act caught Su Yubing off guard, and a blush quickly colored her cheeks.

"Yuxin!" she hissed under her breath, her ears turning pink. "What are you doing? Your mother’s here..."

But Mo Yuxin didn’t answer. She buried her face even deeper into Su Yubing’s neck, inhaling her familiar scent like a large dog sniffing its favorite comfort. She nuzzled gently, took in one last breath, and finally pulled back—only to flash an utterly silly, utterly cute smile that could melt glaciers.

Su Yubing’s flustered expression cracked, and despite herself, she let out a quiet laugh. "You’re impossible..."

Shen Mingyue, watching the exchange, could only shake her head lightly. Yet her eyes betrayed her emotions—they softened further, warmed by the sight of her daughter acting so freely. She had once feared that Mo Yuxin’s life would be nothing but blood, loneliness, and sacrifice. But now she saw differently: her daughter had found love. Not just any love, but a partner who was willing to walk with her for eternity. And the fact that this person was Su Yubing—a woman of unshakable loyalty and devotion—was a blessing Shen Mingyue could never have dared to ask for.

Her heart swelled with gratitude.

After a while, Mo Yuxin’s emotions finally calmed. She sat upright, her tears gone, her face still faintly flushed. She turned to Shen Mingyue, her voice hesitant but filled with yearning.

"M... mom..."

The single word was soft, tentative, but it carried a weight that could shatter mountains. For Shen Mingyue, it was a melody sweeter than any heavenly song. Her cold, untouchable demeanor seemed to brighten instantly, her usually composed face softening with a smile so radiant it seemed out of place on someone who had once been the embodiment of destruction itself.

"Hm?" Shen Mingyue answered gently, her voice like velvet. "What is it, dear?"

Mo Yuxin’s heart skipped at the way her mother called her "dear." The word wrapped around her like a blanket, unfamiliar yet comforting. She blushed faintly but pushed through her nervousness.

"Well... when will you tell Fengfeng that you’re our mom? And... when will Mother regain her memories? When will she be herself again—as Yin?"

Her voice was steady, but there was a fragile hope hidden beneath it.

Shen Mingyue heard her words and fell silent for a few moments. Her eyes dimmed slightly as she considered the question, and when she finally spoke, her tone was deliberate, heavy with thought.

"Fengfeng will know eventually," she said. "But right now, she’s still too young. If she learns the truth now, I fear it will plant insecurities in her heart. She may come to think that only you are our true child, and that she is not. That would be unbearable for her. Yuxin, listen to me—Fengfeng is as much our daughter as you are. We love you both the same. So I will give her time... time to grow, to mature, until she can accept the truth with a steady heart."

Mo Yuxin’s gaze softened at her mother’s words. She could understand the logic, but she also felt the ache of protecting a sister from such truths. Still, she nodded. "I see..."

"And as for your mother..." Shen Mingyue paused again. A faint smile played at her lips, though it was a smile tinged with sorrow.

"That was the other reason I came to see you both today. I did not only want to reveal the truth... I also came to say that your mother and I must return to the Central Continent as soon as possible. Only there can I properly treat her soul and restore her true self. Yin’s essence has been damaged for too long—it is beyond what this land can mend."

Her words fell like stones in still water.

"We will also be taking Fengfeng back with us," Shen Mingyue continued, her tone resolute but not unkind. "After all, the two of you have already reached the Nascent Soul stage. You are cultivators now with your own journeys ahead. There are still four more Shenghua Menkou and four more reincarnations waiting for you. That path is yours alone to walk. As your mother, I will take care of family matters. You must focus only on your mission."

She looked directly at Mo Yuxin, her eyes sharp yet full of love. "You have been placed with a heavy burden, my child."

The words sank deep into Mo Yuxin’s heart. She glanced toward Su Yubing, who had gone quiet at the announcement, and for a long moment, neither spoke.

Su Yubing’s hand slid into hers, fingers intertwining. Her touch was firm, her silent message clear: we’ll face it together.

Mo Yuxin squeezed back, a faint smile on her lips despite the weight of what Shen Mingyue had just revealed. She lifted her head, meeting her mother’s gaze with determination.

"I understand, Mother," she said softly. "You’ve already done so much. Please, take care of Mother Yin and Fengfeng. Leave the rest to us. I... we... won’t let you down."

Shen Mingyue’s smile widened, pride gleaming in her eyes. For the first time in countless years, her heart felt whole.

Shen Mingyue sat in silence for a long time, her fingers tracing the rim of the porcelain teacup at her side. She wasn’t drinking; she rarely did. To someone like her, food and drink were little more than habit. But the motion seemed to steady her, as though she were sifting through centuries of memories that had lain undisturbed for too long.

Finally, she exhaled and spoke.

"You should know this. I, your mother, am the founder and matriarch of the Battle Maiden Sect. Perhaps you’ve heard of it—it is the only sect in this world that accepts only female disciples."

The words hung in the air. Mo Yuxin blinked. Su Yubing’s lips parted slightly, a soft sound escaping her throat before she swallowed it back down.

Of course they had heard of it. The Battle Maiden Sect was no minor name—it was an institution, a pillar, one of the powers that had shaped the cultivation world for hundreds of thousands of years. Even those who never touched the cultivation path knew its existence in passing, for its disciples were both feared and admired wherever they went.

But Shen Mingyue’s tone lacked the weight they expected. She spoke almost idly, as though she were recalling a long-forgotten pastime rather than confessing to being the founder of one of the most influential sects in history.

Mo Yuxin frowned faintly. "...The Battle Maiden Sect. You say it so lightly, Mother. For ordinary cultivators, even hearing the name brings awe."

Shen Mingyue’s lips quirked into the faintest smile, though her eyes remained unreadable. "For beings like us, Yuxin, such things are little more than toys. I built that sect because I was... bored."

"Bored?" Su Yubing repeated but she also understood why.

Shen Mingyue tilted her head back, her gaze falling somewhere far beyond the room, beyond even the skies. "Yes. I was waiting for your other mother, Yin. And waiting can stretch into madness when the years become centuries, then millennia, then eons. To amuse myself, I created many things—sects, kingdoms, even races—but most of them I discarded when I lost interest. The Battle Maiden Sect was different, however. That one I kept, because it was also Yin’s wish."

Mo Yuxin leaned forward slightly, curious. "Mother’s wish?"

Her mother nodded slowly. Her voice softened, carrying an odd tenderness when she spoke of Yin. "Yin was the Creator, the most compassionate being among us. Even as she wove the laws of heaven and earth, she worried for the suffering of the weakest. And among all the weak, women in this world suffered the most. Do you know what their lives were like, hundreds of thousands of years ago?"

The two younger women shook their heads.

Shen Mingyue closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, there was a glint like tempered steel within. "Then listen closely. Because to understand why I raised the Battle Maiden Sect, you must first understand the world before it existed."