Having her shortcomings exposed so bluntly by Nan Shuishui in front of Caelus, Nan Qiuqiu was instantly mortified, her previously slightly flushed face turning as red as a ripe apple.
She stomped her foot and made a large grimace at Nan Shuishui in both shame and annoyance.
"I hate Mom the most."
Disregarding everything else, she turned and dashed off the stage, her figure gradually disappearing into the distance.
Only a sentence filled with stubbornness and unwillingness, yet implicitly carrying determination, echoed through the Martial Arts Arena:
"I... I'm going to Cultivate."
Watching her daughter's fleeing back, a helpless smile appeared on Nan Shuishui's face, but in those beautiful eyes, there was more relief and expectation.
'This child has finally been stimulated enough to know she needs to make progress.'
She thought to herself.
In the past, no matter how she urged her, Nan Qiuqiu, relying on her talent and status as the Young Lord of the Earth Dragon Gate, was always somewhat lax, preferring to hang out with friends.
Today, being defeated so cleanly by a peer in front of everyone, especially Caelus's near-crushing strength and control, undoubtedly taught her an impressive lesson.
If this sense of frustration and refusal to lose could be transformed into motivation, it would be far more effective than a thousand of her sermons.
Nan Shuishui withdrew her gaze and smiled apologetically at Ma Xiaotao, Caelus, and the others: "My daughter is unruly; I apologize for the spectacle."
Ma Xiaotao waved her hand, completely unconcerned:
"Sect Leader Nan is too polite. It's just a child's Mind and nature, quite normal."
After exchanging a few more polite remarks, Ma Xiaotao again proposed their departure.
This time, Nan Shuishui did not ask them to stay any longer and personally escorted everyone to the entrance.
Leaving the Earth Dragon Gate's residence, Ma Xiaotao was in high spirits and patted Caelus on the shoulder:
"Well done, you didn't lose face for our Shrek. That self-created Spirit Ability of yours is very interesting. In the academy from now on, Sister Xiaotao will look out for you."
Ling Luochen also gave Caelus a rare glance; though she didn't speak, the approval in her eyes was evident.
Caelus only gave a humble smile and didn't say much.
Watching Caelus and the others' backs disappear around the street corner, the gentle and appropriate smile on Nan Shuishui's face instantly vanished, replaced by a look of deep solemnity.
She turned without hesitation and walked quickly back into the Earth Dragon Gate, ignoring the respectful bows of the Disciples along the way, heading straight for the deepest part of the Sect.
Passing through several heavily guarded courtyards and corridors, she arrived before an unremarkable stone wall.
A trace of unique Annihilation spirit power condensed at her fingertips, and she pressed it into a subtle groove on the stone wall.
The stone wall slid open silently, revealing a deep, downward staircase behind it.
This was the Earth Dragon Gate's Forbidden Land, the Sect Leader's cultivation chamber. Except for her, anyone—including the Sect Elders and her most beloved daughter Nan Qiuqiu—was strictly forbidden from entering without permission.
The interior of the secret chamber was quite spacious, with Soul Guidance Lamps embedded in the walls emitting a soft white light, but the air was filled with a faint aura of deathly silence that was completely at odds with the vibrant Earth Dragon Gate.
Even more striking were the several Soul Beast carcasses piled haphazardly in the corner of the chamber.
Without exception, these carcasses were in an extremely shriveled state, as if all their vitality had been drained away, leaving only a layer of skin over bone.
And in the center of this secret chamber sat an old woman.
She also had long pink hair, but it was already dry and thin; her face was covered in wrinkles and looked incredibly aged. Only when those eyes occasionally opened and closed would they reveal a hint of majesty and depth similar to Nan Shuishui's, along with a craving for vitality that was difficult to completely conceal.
"Mother."
Nan Shuishui walked up to the old woman, her tone carrying an unmaskable complexity and worry.
"People from Shrek Academy have come. They are here to track the traces of Nirvana Corpses, not directly for you. But I hope you won't go out again during this time; I will find a way to bring you enough Soul Beasts."
If any Earth Dragon Gate Disciple were here to hear Nan Shuishui's address to this old woman, they would surely be terrified to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.
Because Nan Shuishui's mother, the previous Sect Leader of the Earth Dragon Gate—Nan Xi, had been publicly announced to have fallen many years ago.
"Shuishui..."
The old woman, Nan Xi, slowly raised her head, looking at her daughter, whose temperament was now mature and steady, her eyes showing relief and a hint of guilt.
"You've worked hard all these years. The Earth Dragon Gate has developed well in your hands, even better than when I was alive. I am very much at ease."
"Mother, what do you mean by that?"
Nan Shuishui's expression changed abruptly, and the ominous premonition in her heart grew stronger.
"Shuishui, you should be very clear that my continued presence here brings nothing but harm to the Earth Dragon Gate."
Nan Xi's voice was hoarse and calm.
"That old fellow Heavenly Dragon Douluo is so sharp; he has probably noticed something already, hasn't he?"
She sighed and continued:
"Although you've done well, using the vitality of Soul Beasts to sustain me so that I wouldn't target the living people of Dragon City, and you also immediately cleaned up those low-level 'Common Corpses' I brought with me when I was resurrected, the Heavenly Dragon Gate has dealt with us for too long. Their control over Dragon City is also far beyond our imagination. They can't be fooled about the abnormalities in the city. Moreover... when I was resurrected, my mind was unclear, and I even fought with you, making quite a commotion..."
Nan Xi looked at her daughter's instantly pale face and smiled bitterly:
"Although you covered it up afterward by claiming a Sect secret method experiment went out of control, it's likely very difficult to completely hide it from an Old freak like Heavenly Dragon Douluo, who has probably already stepped into the Super Douluo Realm. The Heavenly Dragon Gate has taken no action so far, likely only out of consideration for our families' generations of friendship and the fact that our Earth Dragon Gate has always held the line and never harmed the citizens of Dragon City. But this tolerance is not infinite."
"Mother."
Nan Shuishui's voice carried a hint of trembling and severity.
"Have you done something behind my back? There have indeed been more Nirvana Corpses with mysterious movements in Dragon City lately, and I've noticed it too, but I never thought... it would be related to you."
"It wasn't me who drew them here."
Nan Xi shook her head, a deep light flashing in her cloudy eyes.
"Rather, this Extreme North Land is about to undergo a great change. Shuishui, the instincts of this body and its craving for vitality are becoming harder and harder to suppress."
"I am like a festering sore that could burst at any moment. Staying here will only drag the entire Earth Dragon Gate into an irredeemable abyss. Once my existence is exposed, the Earth Dragon Gate will immediately be identified as an Evil Soul Master Sect that colludes with evil entities and sustains the dead. At that time, forget Shrek Academy; even the Heavenly Dragon Gate will be the first to swing the executioner's blade at us."
Her tone became resolute:
"Therefore, I should have left long ago, and 'their' recruitment suits me perfectly. Perhaps... in another way, I can still protect the Earth Dragon Gate."
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