Chapter 146: The Mysterious Mother Qiu (Part I)

"Please excuse us for a moment, revered immortals. My sister and I must first drop off our hunt, and then we shall escort you into town." Qiu Hanyun cast a glance at Ji Mo and Su Ye, a flicker of hesitation passing through his eyes. After a brief internal struggle, he composed himself and spoke to the pair.

"Hehe, Hanyun, if you don't mind, why don't you let us accompany you to your home for a visit?" Ji Mo had not missed the boy's struggle. It was clear that there was some matter at home for which he wished to seek her help, yet he likely felt it improper to constantly trouble her, ultimately choosing to suppress the impulse.

"Immortal, y-you would be willing to visit our home?" Qiu Hanyun was stunned, followed immediately by a surge of excitement and surprise. His sister, Qiu Li, shared the same look of anticipation.

"Of course. We have nothing pressing to do, and our presence here is purely out of whim. It is rare to meet siblings so much to my liking; I would be quite pleased if you invited us to your home as guests," Ji Mo said with a smile.

"Please, follow us, revered immortals." Qiu Hanyun managed to suppress his excitement and gestured to Ji Mo and Su Ye.

The Qiu siblings lived in a courtyard in the final alleyway to the far west. The property was not small, covering over two hundred square meters. It featured a small front garden, and the gate was adorned with a quaint gatehouse. The entire structure was built of blue brick and tile. The area before the gate was meticulously kept—the fences were neat, the grounds were orderly, and not even a speck of dust could be seen. The two sturdy wooden doors were shut, standing in stark contrast to the other dwellings Ji Mo had seen along the way.

Ji Mo had initially assumed the siblings' circumstances were dire, but looking at this courtyard, she felt otherwise. While not wealthy, it was certainly above average for commoners in such a town. Furthermore, the care taken in its upkeep gave it a unique charm; it was clear that the mother was a woman of exceptional domestic skill.

Qiu Hanyun and Qiu Li, unaware of Ji Mo's thoughts, walked up to their gate. Just as they were about to call out, a frail, elderly voice emanated from within: "Hanyun, Li'er. Have you brought guests back with you?"

"Yes, Mother," Qiu Hanyun replied.

"The door is unlatched; bring our guests in," the woman’s voice responded.

Qiu Hanyun pushed the gate open to reveal a small, square courtyard. In the center stood an ancient tree, beneath which sat a stone table surrounded by four stone stools. Standing under the tree was an old woman, appearing to be in her seventies, her face so deeply lined and wrinkled that her features were nearly blurred.

Most surprising of all were the two cups of tea already sitting on the stone table, as if the old woman had long anticipated that her children would return with guests.

"Mother, your old ailment has been acting up these past two days; you should be resting properly! Why have you come out here into the wind?" Seeing the woman under the tree, the siblings were startled. They tossed their catch aside and rushed to her side, their expressions a mix of anxiety and trepidation.

"It is just an old ailment, it is of no consequence. With honored guests at our door, how could I not come out to greet them? This old woman pays her respects to the two immortals." The woman waved her hand dismissively. She moved slowly toward Ji Mo and Su Ye, bowing deeply.

"Madam, please, there is no need for such formality. We are the ones who should apologize for intruding uninvited." Ji Mo observed her quietly, a trace of unconcealable shock hidden deep within her eyes. With a light flick of her sleeve, she helped the old woman up. The woman seemed shrouded in mystery; from the moment they entered, she had seemingly known of their arrival, and the tea on the table only confirmed this.

What defied logic was that, given the siblings' ages, their mother could not possibly be this old—even as a mortal. She appeared to be an ancient crone of over a hundred years, on the verge of death. In reality, however, she was a cultivator, though her cultivation was low, merely that of a common Foundation Establishment practitioner.

Yet, this was clearly not her original level of cultivation. The woman was suffused with a dense, pervasive aura of death that had long since seeped into her internal organs. It was evident that her cultivation had gradually withered away due to the relentless erosion of this death energy.

Logically, someone so consumed by such an aura should have perished long ago. Yet she lived, and not only was she alive, she maintained a Foundation Establishment level of power. Clearly, she must have been a formidable, high-level cultivator before suffering her injuries.

If that were all, it would not have shocked Ji Mo. It was not uncommon for cultivators with eccentric temperaments to tire of the cultivation world and move to the mortal realm for a quiet life. What truly chilled Ji Mo was that she recognized this aura of death—she was intimately familiar with it.

Over a hundred years ago, she herself had been afflicted by this death energy that devoured one's vitality. It had happened when she was struck by the Violet Meteor Soul-Burning Sword. In other words, the source of the old woman's death energy was identical to her own: she, too, had been wounded by the Violet Meteor Soul-Burning Sword.

"Mother, while we were at Phoenix Perch Mountain, we encountered a first-order peak Spotted Hyena. Fortunately, these two immortals happened to pass by and saved us; otherwise, I fear we would not have returned to see you," the siblings, oblivious to the silent assessment between Ji Mo and their mother, explained. Qiu Li reached out to take the old woman’s hand, introducing Ji Mo and Su Ye with a joyful expression.

"On behalf of my children, I thank the two immortals for their life-saving grace. Please, have a seat; let me go inside and brew some tea for you," the woman said with a smile, bowing once more before speaking.

"Mother, your health is poor, please rest. Let me handle the tea," Qiu Hanyun, knowing his mother's condition well, said with a note of urgency, gently pressing down on her arm.

"Madam, please do not stand on ceremony. You are unwell and should not overexert yourself. Neither my junior sister nor I are sticklers for protocol," Su Ye added.

"While you two immortals may not be sticklers, I cannot neglect my duties. Please, wait a moment." The woman offered a faint smile, gently pushed aside Qiu Hanyun’s hand, and turned to walk into the house. Moments later, she emerged carrying an antique tray, upon which sat two steaming cups of tea, their aroma intoxicating.

"Immortals, please, have some tea!" She placed the tray on the stone table and set a cup at each end.

Ji Mo did not understand tea, but as she inhaled the fragrance, she found the scent incredibly pleasant, bringing an indescribable sense of ease to her spirit. She sat on a stone stool, picked up the cup, and took a light sip. As the tea reached her belly, she felt every pore in her body open instantly. The comfort was akin to the sensation she had felt when she first drank the Pulse-Cleansing Soul-Purifying Tea at the Moon-Watching Sect.