"This woman is your mother. I am not your father. I am an evil man, and I was the one who caused your father's death and bound your mother. If your parents had never met me, you would be living a very happy life right now," Qi Hui said coldly as he brought the little girl to stand in front of Zhao Qiongman.
Zhao Qiongman shot Qi Hui a venomous glare.
"Child, come here. Let your mother hold you," Zhao Qiongman said softly, reaching out her arms toward her daughter.
The little girl glanced at Qi Hui, then at Zhao Qiongman. Hesitantly, she began to walk toward her mother.
But just as she was about to touch her mother, she suddenly pulled her hand back and ran straight to Qi Hui, clinging tightly to his leg.
"You bastard!"
Seeing her daughter rely on her enemy as if he were her father, Zhao Qiongman's heart twisted in agony.
Qi Hui showed no reaction to Zhao Qiongman's curses. Without a word, he picked up Shen Shengsheng and left.
Every three or four days, Qi Hui would bring the little girl to see her mother.
Each visit lasted no more than the time it took for a single incense stick to burn—sometimes even less than that.
But for Zhao Qiongman, being able to see her daughter, even briefly, became her sole reason to keep living.
What broke Zhao Qiongman's heart was how her child remained distant from her yet seemed utterly dependent on her enemy. However, she consoled herself with the fact that, whatever Qi Hui's intentions were, he hadn't taken her child back to the Black God Sect's main headquarters, and the little girl had not been harmed.
One night, Zhao Qiongman sat on the ground, her hands and feet bound. She dozed off, her head drooping in exhaustion.
"Awoo..."
The soft, childlike sound jolted Zhao Qiongman awake. She immediately raised her head, her eyes lighting up with hope as she scanned her surroundings.
She saw her daughter cautiously making her way toward her, step by tentative step, as if venturing into an unfamiliar and possibly dangerous world.
"It's okay. Mother won't hurt you," Zhao Qiongman said gently, extending her arms toward the girl, her gaze never leaving her daughter.
The little girl slowly approached, hesitating with every step. She reached out her small hand tentatively, and Zhao Qiongman, swallowing hard, watched as her daughter's fingers grew closer and closer to hers.
Finally, the little girl's fingertips brushed against her mother's.
Perhaps it was curiosity, or perhaps it was the bond of blood.
The girl's eyes suddenly lit up.
Zhao Qiongman, who had longed so desperately to touch her daughter, couldn't hold back her tears. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Awoo..."
Seeing the woman in front of her cry, the little girl grew inexplicably flustered. She reached out her small hands and clumsily tried to wipe away her mother's tears.
But the more she wiped, the more Zhao Qiongman's tears fell.
Standing in the shadows some distance away, Qi Hui watched the scene in silence. Without a word, he turned and left.
After that night, Shen Shengsheng began sneaking out to visit her mother every evening.
She didn't know why, but she always felt a deep urge to see this woman. There was a strange sense of familiarity and closeness that drew her.
Each time Shen Shengsheng visited, Zhao Qiongman would tell her stories about the outside world, teach her to recognize words, or try to get her to speak.
However, Shen Shengsheng seemed different from ordinary children. She didn't seem to understand.
Zhao Qiongman wasn't discouraged. She took her time, patiently teaching her daughter little by little.
However, Zhao Qiongman never spoke to Shen Shengsheng about Shen Sheng. She didn't want her child to bear additional pain. Sometimes, knowing nothing was better than knowing everything.
As for Qi Hui, he acted as if he was unaware of Shen Shengsheng sneaking out at night to visit her mother.
One day, members of the Black God Sect's main headquarters unexpectedly came to inspect the Baiwa Branch.
Caught off guard, Qi Hui found that Zhao Qiongman and Shen Shengsheng had been discovered.
Zhao Qiongman's presence was easy to explain away—claiming she was "just a woman captured from outside" sufficed, and no one pursued the matter further.
But Shen Shengsheng was a different matter.
"What's the story with this little girl?"
The deacons from the Black God Sect's headquarters weren't fools. The moment they saw Shen Shengsheng, they sensed something unusual.
Qi Hui cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and replied, "Reporting to the two deacons, this is a little girl I captured from the mortal world and fused with a magical beast."
"Unbelievable, and so successful!" one deacon exclaimed in astonishment.
"Indeed, it's rare," the other deacon agreed, his excitement evident. "You can feel the beastly nature within her, yet her fusion with human bloodline is seamless. Remarkably, the only visible traits are a pair of horns and slit pupils. By the way, what kind of beast was she fused with?"
Qi Hui thought for a moment. "Just an ordinary Night Demon Dragon."
One of the deacons turned to Qi Hui. "Qi Hui, this girl represents a major achievement. Why haven't you sent her to the main headquarters?"
Qi Hui replied, "The fusion was only recently completed. I wanted to observe her condition before sending her to the headquarters."
"Fair enough. But there's no need to observe further. We'll take her back for a more thorough examination. Who knows, this might lead to a breakthrough," the deacon said, waving dismissively. "Rest assured, we'll credit your contribution when we return."
"Thank you, esteemed stewards," Qi Hui replied, knowing full well that no matter what he said, she would be taken.
---
That night, after hosting the two stewards, Qi Hui returned to his courtyard.
As soon as he sat down, Shen Shengsheng toddled over and gently patted his knee.
Qi Hui looked at the little girl, who wasn't even as tall as his knee. "Tomorrow, you'll be taken away."
"Awoo?" Shen Shengsheng tilted her head, confused.
"When you reach the headquarters, you might be fed all kinds of potions. Your skin and flesh could be torn apart. They might keep you locked in a cage, and once you've grown, they might use you as a tool for breeding," Qi Hui said bluntly.
"Awoo." Shen Shengsheng, not understanding, continued to look at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"I have no reason to protect you. It's better if you go. At least I'll gain some merit for it." Qi Hui stared into her eyes. "I've said it before—I'm not a good person."
"Awoo."
Shen Shengsheng sat down at his feet, wrapped her small arms around his leg, and rested her head on his knee. Before long, she had fallen asleep.
"You really don't understand anything, do you?"
Looking down at the little girl, Qi Hui sighed. He gently patted her head and then raised his eyes to the perpetually dark cave above.
"Back then, when your mother wanted to take you and leave this world behind, perhaps she was right after all."
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