Chapter 195 - 115: Zombie Queen
"I’m sorry for bringing up a painful subject."
After a moment, she let out a faint sigh.
"I once had a son. If he were still alive, he’d be about your age now.
He was quite talented as a child, but... I failed to protect him. And in some ways, from your eyes to that stubborn streak of yours, you’re so much like him."
Jiang Mu fell silent.
It was difficult to know how to respond to the pain of a mother who had lost her child.
But now he understood why Tang Guixin had favored him, even going so far as to offend Yang Tianci.
’Seeing me must have reminded her of her son who died so young. She’s projecting.’
Gazing at the silent Jiang Mu, Tang Guixin offered a small smile.
"Don’t worry, I’m not trying to curry favor. I just suddenly felt like talking.
"After all, with your talent and strength, your future is boundless. You’re destined for greatness.
"As for people like me, we deal with Demon Fiends. Our lives are always on the line, and we never know which day will be our last. There’s no point in trying to build connections now; I could be gone tomorrow."
Sensing her sincerity, Jiang Mu looked up. "Lord Tang, if you don’t mind, you can just call me Xiaojiang."
Tang Guixin froze for a second, then her face lit up with joy.
"Alright, Xiaojiang. In that case, you don’t have to call me Master Tang anymore. Just call me Aunt Tang."
Perhaps it was an instant connection, but the more she looked at Jiang Mu, the more fond of him she became, unable to stop thinking of her deceased son.
And upon learning he was an orphan, her maternal instincts surged uncontrollably.
The word "Aunt" made her chuckle as she thought of her own stunningly beautiful superior.
Because Shui Miaozheng was so captivating, she was constantly pursued by a swarm of admirers, especially naive and arrogant young men like Yang Tianci.
So, whenever that happened, Shui Miaozheng would deliberately make them call her "Aunt" to emphasize their age difference.
It was an attempt to use their generational gap to extinguish any romantic ideas they might have.
It just never seemed to work very well.
After a moment’s thought, Tang Guixin retrieved an exquisite Jade Pendant from within her robes and pressed it into Jiang Mu’s hand.
"We’ve only just met, so I don’t have much to give you. This Jade Pendant was passed down to me by my master. It’s a fairly old Magical Artifact, with the power to protect its wearer, ward off evil, and help calm the mind and focus the spirit.
"I... I had intended to leave it for my son. Giving it to you now means it will finally be put to good use."
A look of both sorrow and relief crossed her face.
Jiang Mu’s first instinct was to refuse, but hearing her mention her son, he quietly accepted it and said solemnly, "Thank you, Aunt Tang."
Tang Guixin’s smile was gentle. She looked at Jiang Mu, then her curiosity got the better of her.
"Xiaojiang, are you married?"
Jiang Mu shook his head. "Not yet. Still single."
Tang Guixin sighed. "You know, I also have a daughter..."
Hm?
Jiang Mu’s expression changed, and he instinctively recoiled.
"Aunt Tang, come on now. We were just having this tender mother-and-son-like moment. Are you suddenly trying to set me up with a wife?"
’So that’s what this is about! She’s trying to find a son-in-law!’
When Tang Guixin realized what he was thinking, she chided him good-naturedly, "What are you thinking! My daughter is only thirteen."
"PHEW—"
Jiang Mu let out a long sigh of relief and said sheepishly, "You scared me for a second. My apologies, I completely misunderstood."
His reaction made her laugh.
"You’re handsome and incredibly capable. I’m sure plenty of young women adore you. It’s hardly my place to worry about your marriage prospects.
"I was just feeling sentimental. My daughter... she has always hated me for abandoning her when she was young, and she refuses to be close to me. When she gets married someday, her own mother won’t be there to see her off or watch her walk down the aisle.
"But now that I have you as a nephew, if you get married, at least I can be there as an elder to help with the arrangements and receive the ceremonial tea from your bride."
Seeing the dejected look in her eyes, Jiang Mu said with sincerity,
"Don’t worry, Aunt Tang. When I get married, I will make sure you have the seat of honor, as my elder."
Tang Guixin smiled and nodded, her eyes welling up with tears.
Jiang Mu couldn’t resist his curiosity. "Aunt Tang, is your daughter here in Yunzhou City?"
Tang Guixin shook her head, a bitter look on her face.
After a moment, she asked, "Xiaojiang, have you ever heard of the Celestial Blade Sect?"
The Celestial Blade Sect?
Jiang Mu’s hand instinctively went to the Blood Mad Saber at his waist—a blade forged by the Celestial Blade Sect. He nodded. "I have."
Tang Guixin’s gaze grew distant as she spoke slowly.
"I was once... the wife of Duanmu Hanshan, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Blade Sect."
Now Jiang Mu was genuinely astonished.
’This new aunt of mine was the wife of a first-rate Sect Leader?
’Her background is nothing to sneeze at!’
Tang Guixin gave a bitter smile and began to recount her story.
"I had made a small name for myself in the martial world before I married into the Celestial Blade Sect. Back then, the Sect was at its zenith, founded by my father-in-law himself.
"On top of that, my father-in-law and He Qingyang of the Divine Sword Sect were sworn brothers, which gave our sect immense prestige.
"But then, my father-in-law angered the Imperial Court and his peers in the martial world by defending a so-called Great Demon. The sect was isolated and ostracized.
"Even though Elder General Chang and others intervened to save the Sect from being wiped out, the Celestial Blade Sect never recovered from the blow. After my father-in-law passed away from grief, it declined into a mere third-rate sect."
Jiang Mu had heard all of this from Ran Qingshan before.
Perhaps because he now wielded a blade forged by the man’s own hands, he held the stubborn yet deeply loyal Celestial Blade Ancestor in very high regard.
Tears welled in Tang Guixin’s eyes.
"Honestly, I didn’t care about the Sect’s fate back then. All I wanted was a peaceful life as a wife and mother. But then... my son died in an ’accident.’ He was murdered!"