Destiny in Cinders

Bai Qinghan was actually in Riverside with An Jing's mother, Shen Mubai. This initially sounded unbelievable, but upon closer reflection, it was hardly surprising. Given the vast influence of the Heavenly Demon Cult, particularly the formidable cultists led by the Lord Inspector of the North who had infiltrated Grand Chen, it would actually be strange if they had failed to locate Shen Mubai. This was precisely why he was so concerned for his mother's safety and felt such urgency to find her as soon as possible. Although An Jing was clearly a step or perhaps even several steps too late, it appeared that Bai Qinghan hadn't done anything.

"Senior Brother, I won't disturb your long-awaited reunion with your mother." After a brief glance at An Jing, Bai Qinghan gave a small bow and went back inside.

An Jing was consumed by questions, but she was right. He had to find out how his mother was doing first. As they stepped inside the house, Bai Qinghan retreated to the back to give them some space. He settled down by the fire, gently holding his mother's hands as they began to talk. Shen Mubai rambled on with endless questions, while An Jing recounted almost everything he had done since arriving at Direlife Manor. He also admitted that he couldn't yet discuss certain matters such as Yvelbane and Skysource, to which his mother expressed her understanding. Just seeing him safe and sound was enough for her. Having her son right there, healthy and whole, was all that mattered.

Besides, Shen Mubai was fully aware that knowing his secrets would only make her a target for the people trying to extract it. Of course, if someone really wanted to use her, they would capture her regardless. However, remaining ignorant meant she could never inadvertently endanger her son even if they forced information out of her. An Jing sighed with relief at her understanding; he wanted to tell her, but the timing wasn't right.

Explaining Skysource was easy; he could just call it a hidden grotto. Yvelbane, however, had to remain a total secret. If the heavenly fiends caught even a whisper of it, his peaceful days would be gone for good. Yet An Jing found it odd how familiar Shen Mubai seemed with Direlife Manor.

"Qinghan told me everything." Shen Mubai glanced toward the back, smiling as she said, "I know you were both disciples of the same batch. She chose to stay, while you chose to leave. She gave me her side of the story about you. My boy, I'm really proud of the choices you've made."

Though expressionless on the outside, An Jing gasped inwardly. Wait, why did Little Bai even mention this? It's a good thing my actions were beyond reproach and nothing I'd ever have to hide from my family or friends, or I'd be mortified! Right then, he recounted everything he had done at Direlife Manor before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Beyond his time at the manor, Shen Mubai knew exactly what An Jing had been up to in Keensight down to the last detail. Not only had storytellers spread the events far and wide, Bai Qinghan also shared a detailed account of what happened in Keensight. Though her version was told from the demonic cult's perspective and diverged slightly from An Jing's own experience, it remained broadly consistent.

But why? An Jing was genuinely puzzled by Bai Qinghan's motives. She did more than tell the truth, making no attempt to conceal her ties to the demonic cult. In fact, she had openly revealed to Shen Mubai that she was the Profound Yin Goddess of the Heavenly Demon Cult and was still actively involved with them.

Setting aside why the girl's hair turned white or the reason she was in Riverside, An Jing couldn't help but wonder, Why didn't she take my mother? With Riverside in such chaos, she could've whisked my mother back to Heavenly Will Mountain without waiting for me. Even if she had done that, I still couldn't say she was in the wrong. Anyone else would be furious and assume the demonic cult was trying to control them. But she knows that I wouldn't be upset if she just explained things clearly. I would only be focused on getting Mother out. Suppressing his doubts for now, An Jing shook his head faintly and turned to his mother for her thoughts.

She shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter to me. It's true the demonic cult is evil, but we have to take care of ourselves first. Jing'er, life is just too hard, tiring, and bitter... We already managed to flee one disaster. I don't understand any of this, and I don't want to. Ignorance is bliss, and sometimes it's better not to know. At first, I thought Qinghan would take me to the demonic cult to get you back, but then I realized she was here to protect me. I can see that she's looking for you. She's with me only because she knows you'll come for me."

"Looking for me..." An Jing was quiet for a moment. Then, he shook his head and asked about his mother's experience during the past two years. It was exactly as An Jing predicted. Brightmont, the northern frontier city where the two parted ways, collapsed shortly after. Millions of residents fled, leaving only a small number of defenders and armored guards to defend the city. It wasn't long before the northern barbarian army attacked from three sides. They swiftly breached Brightmont, the mountain fortress that should have been impregnable under normal circumstances.

What followed, however, was the most devastating blizzard to hit the area around Brightmont. The entire mountain was frozen solid, and the northern barbarians reportedly lost their momentum, bringing their massive invasion to a standstill. It was against this treacherous backdrop that Shen Mubai fought for every second against the snow calamity to reach Brokeblade Mountain as soon as possible. As a martialist, Shen Mubai didn't have to worry about basic survival once she regained her strength. She also had some silver for the journey, though it was utterly useless out in the wilderness.

After arriving in the area, she spent some time recovering in this secluded courtyard. An elder from the An clan had once guarded this place, but he succumbed to the brutal cold of the snow calamity, passing away on a freezing summer day. With her health restored, Shen Mubai left Riverside and continued her journey south, fearing that the snow calamity would keep spreading. A mass exodus from Brokeblade Mountain followed her route, and the once vibrant banks of the Yonder River instantly became desolate. It was around that time that the Bejeweled Traders Guild moved in.

She still remembered that when she left Riverside, Bejeweled had locked horns with the local factions, resulting in numerous violent confrontations. At that point, no authorities or martialists intervened, and each conflict concluded with a resounding victory for the guild. But none of this concerned Shen Mubai. She journeyed south to the southeastern city of Northauspice, where she hid her identity, recuperated, and cultivated diligently, eventually breaking through to the River Aura Stage.

"Then I received news that you'd left for the northern frontier. So I left Northauspice to wait for you near Brokeblade Mountain. Along the way, I met this child. She told me that she was your junior disciple and explained what had happened to you as she escorted me all the way back to Riverside." Simple as it sounded, Shen Mubai's journey had been harrowing. An Jing recognized the peril in what she shrugged off as "fleeing," "evading fights," and "breaking through bandit lines."

"You could've waited for me in Northauspice." An Jing couldn't help but interject. "I would've moved on to our next rendezvous point if I missed you in Riverside! Northauspice is safe and warm. You would've been perfectly safe if you stayed there."

"How can that be? The situation in Northauspice is highly unusual right now. Martialists have been vanishing one after another. Rumor has it an underground river labyrinth was discovered. Martialists from all over are gathering there. It's clear something is going on." Shen Mubai shook her head. "The more people there are, the more likely my identity will be exposed. If your junior disciple can locate me, other forces can too. I felt a vague sense of unease, as if someone was watching me, so I decided to leave."

But the one watching you might actually be the Heavenly Demon Cult!