Chapter 261: Did the Heart Pass?

"Mother!"

A heart‑rending, gut‑wrenching shout burst from Jiang Feng's throat.

The longing that had been piled in his heart for over a decade finally shattered its shackles at this moment.

He could no longer control himself; his legs went weak and he knelt before Xie Yinniang.

"Mother! I am Feng'er! I am your Feng'er!"

Jiang Feng choked, his voice hoarse.

Xie Yinniang could no longer hold back, hurried forward, extended her Trembling hands, and gently wiped the tears from Jiang Feng's face.

"Good child, Don't Cry, Don't Cry…"

Xie Yinniang's voice was also choked, but her eyes were full of a grateful Laughter.

"You've grown so tall, taller and more heroic than Mother imagined…"

She examined Jiang Feng carefully, and the more she looked, the more affectionate she felt.

"It's truly like a dream…"

Xie Yinniang gently stroked Jiang Feng's cheek, her eyes full of emotion.

"Your eyebrows and eyes are exactly like your father's; even this stubborn streak was molded from him just as he was."

"Mother, I miss you so much…"

Jiang Feng choked.

"These years, I've thought of you every day…"

"Mother also misses you…"

Xie Yinniang's eyes were rimmed with red, and she gently patted his back.

"Mother has been hoping every day, hoping my Feng'er would grow up safely… Now it's over, Mother finally sees you, Mother is completely satisfied."

After Crying for a long time, Jiang Feng's emotions gradually calmed.

He helped Xie Yinniang to stand, his eyes filled with urgent longing.

"Mother, I have many questions for you. Back then, why did the Yunding Xie Family chase us? And… what about my father? Who exactly was he? Why have I never seen him?"

These questions had been buried in his heart for over a decade, like a massive stone pressing his breath.

Hearing these questions, Xie Yinniang's Laughter faded instantly, and her complexion changed slightly.

She let out a soft sigh, gave a wry smile and shook her head.

"Feng'er, some matters are long to explain and involve too much; Mother doesn't want to tell you, nor can she."

"Why?"

Jiang Feng became anxious,

"Mother, it's our family's Blood Sea Grudge! I have the right to know the truth!"

"Silly child, precisely because it involves the Blood Sea Grudge, Mother doesn't want you drawn into it.

Xie Yinniang reached out and stroked his head.

"Just remember, never seek out anyone from the Yunding Xie Family, never try to probe the events of those years, and live peacefully; then Mother will be at ease."

"But Mother!"

Jiang Feng wanted to say more, but Xie Yinniang cut him off.

"Alright, Feng'er, stop asking."

Xie Yinniang's Tone was utterly decisive.

"Some things, not knowing, is the best protection."

Then Xie Yinniang said no more, took Jiang Feng's hand, and walked toward the interior.

"Alright, let's not talk about these sad things. Mother made you your favorite braised pork; you must haven't had Mother's cooking in a long time, right?"

Jiang Feng followed Mother into the room and saw the Table already laden with dishes.

A steaming bowl of braised pork, its color bright red.

A familiar fragrance hit his nose, and Jiang Feng's eyes reddened again.

Indeed, too long.

Since Mother passed away, he has never again eaten food made by Mother's own hands.

"Eat quickly, it'll be less tasty when cold."

Xie Yinniang picked up chopsticks and grabbed the largest piece of braised pork.

"Eat more, seeing how thin you are, you must have endured a lot these years."

Jiang Feng nodded heavily, lifted his chopsticks, picked up that piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth.

The familiar taste exploded on his tongue.

In an instant, childhood memories surged back to his heart.

Jiang Feng ate while shedding tears.

He ate mouth‑full after mouth‑full, as if to make up for the taste missed over the past decade in one go.

Xie Yinniang sat beside him, not moving her chopsticks, just watching him eat with a smiling gaze.

Soon, Jiang Feng devoured the entire spread cleanly, like a wind sweeping away clouds.

Seeing this, Xie Yinniang smiled, yet tears gradually welled up in her eyes.

At that moment, Jiang Feng suddenly noticed his mother's figure becoming somewhat translucent.

"Mother? What's wrong?"

Jiang Feng was startled, quickly reaching out to grasp his mother's hand.

But this time, his hand passed straight through his mother's arm, catching nothing.

Xie Yinniang's figure grew ever dimmer.

She looked at Jiang Feng, her eyes full of unwillingness.

"Feng'er, mother is leaving..."

"No! Mother! Don't go!"

Jiang Feng shouted anxiously, extending both hands to embrace his mother, yet missed each time.

"Mother, don't leave me! I barely managed to see you!"

"Silly child..."

Xie Yinniang's voice grew ever softer.

"This is only an Illusion Realm, you will eventually have to leave..."

Her figure gradually became ethereal, like smoke, and began to disperse.

"Feng'er, promise mother, you must live well."

Xie Yinniang's voice carried a final admonition.

"Do not think of revenge, live a safe and peaceful life, and mother will be at ease..."

"Mother! I won't agree! I will take revenge! I will avenge you!"

Jiang Feng shouted with a heart-wrenching cry.

"Listen...

" Xie Yinniang's Laughter gradually blurred.

"Mother loves you..."

As the final word fell, Xie Yinniang's figure completely vanished into the air, leaving no trace.

"Mother!"

Jiang Feng let out a desperate shout, thrust his hand out violently, but only grasped a void.

Immediately after, the surrounding scenery began to shake violently.

Everything within his sight collapsed, shattering piece by piece like a mirror.

Then the scene before Jiang Feng grew increasingly Obscure, his Awareness being drawn into a vortex, sinking continuously...

After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Feng suddenly opened his eyes.

What entered his view was still that vast, magnificent Golden Hall.

Miao Linfeng and Lin Qinghan were Standing by his side, both looking at him with concern.

"Mr. Jiang, are you alright?"

Miao Linfeng spoke first.

"Just now you suddenly fell into a coma, motionless; we called out to you many times, you didn't respond, which scared us badly."

Lin Qinghan also hurriedly nodded, his expression equally extremely tense.

"Jiang Feng, what happened just now? Did you encounter any Danger?"

Jiang Feng did not immediately answer; he took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, and slowly turned his head.

Zhan's figure still hovered in the center of the great hall, his gaze complex as he looked at him.

"Do you think you have broken through the Heart-Testing Trial?"

Jiang Feng heard this and only gave a cold smile.

"Whether I passed your test or not, I don't care. But I know, the vengeance for killing mother is unforgivable!"

Upon hearing Jiang Feng's words, Zhan not only did not get angry, but gave a faint smile.

"Good! I quite like your temper!"

"This Heart-Testing Trial tests not whether you can let go of obsession, but whether you can keep your true self within obsession, and whether you can uphold yourself in the Illusion Realm."

Zhan's gaze swept over Jiang Feng, seeming to carry a hint of sympathy.

"The Illusion Realm just now was formed based on the deepest obsession in your heart."

"If not for that illusion of Xie Yinniang refusing to let you sink, voluntarily choosing self-dissolution, you would probably be trapped in the Illusion Realm for this life, never able to awaken."

"But regardless, you ultimately emerged from the Illusion Realm, so..."

Zhan's Tone paused briefly.

"This stage, consider you passed!"

Accompanying the fall of these words, Zhan waved his large hand, and the three instantly appeared on a huge plaza.

Besides these three, many others were among them.

"Old Jiang, woo, I finally see you!"

Before Jiang Feng could react, Long Bad Dao's figure rushed forward and gave him a fierce bear hug!