Chapter 71

A flash of white light appeared, and Guo Jing was astonished to find himself returned to this grassland filled with memories. From the moment of his birth, he had lived with his mother, sharing every sunrise and sunset across this boundless expanse.

To him, every blade of grass on this grassland carried the years he and his mother had spent together. He could almost smell the fragrance of the grassland in the air, hear the distant lowing of cattle and sheep chewing grass, and feel the warmth of the soft earth beneath his feet.

Standing now on this familiar land, a surge of indescribable emotion rose within him.

As Guo Jing sank into deep thought, a stout peasant woman with rough, calloused hands suddenly entered his view—it was his beloved mother, Li Ping. Though in another timeline he had enjoyed familial warmth and kindness from those around him, his heart could never sever its bond of longing for his mother.

His mother, Li Ping, was merely an ordinary peasant woman. She was not wealthy; every day she bore heavy labor, her hands worn thick with calluses, yet she always saved the best food for him, ensuring he ate his fill so he might grow strong.

Back then, he was slow—he didn’t speak until he was four. He always lost the sheep while herding them, forcing his mother to scour the hills and valleys to find them.

Even decades later, he still remembered those days clearly.

“Mama,” Guo Jing rushed forward, eyes brimming with tears. Li Ping, startled, tried to pull away—but found his grip unexpectedly strong, and no matter how she struggled, she could not break free.

She was about to scold him, but his red eyes stopped her. Her tone softened: “What’s wrong, Ajing? Have you been wronged? If something troubles you, tell Mama.”

Guo Jing wiped his tears and said, “I haven’t been wronged. I’ve just missed you for a long time—decades without seeing you.”

Li Ping was utterly confused. Hadn’t they seen each other every day? How could it have been decades?

“Mama, here’s how it happened: one day while herding sheep, I became a Lunhuizhe of the Master God—a soul sent to alter countless worlds. I spent decades in a future centuries ahead, completing my mission.” Guo Jing fell silent, watching Li Ping.

Li Ping touched Guo Jing’s forehead, muttering under her breath: “You’re not feverish… Why are you talking nonsense in broad daylight? Did you get possessed?”

“I’m not possessed,” Guo Jing sighed helplessly. How could his mother still not believe him after all his explanations?

Seeing Guo Jing’s helpless expression, Zhang Chu’an, Nie Huaishang, and Zhang Xiaofan nearly laughed. Who could have imagined that Guo Jing, who always remained calm even as mountains crumbled, could be like this?

“Big Brother, just show Mom a trick or two—then she’ll believe you,” Zhang Chu’an said helplessly.

Guo Jing realized his own foolishness and immediately opened his palm, as if holding all the mysteries of heaven and earth. Guided by his will, streams of white light flowed toward him, settling gently into his palm. The air crackled with the promise of thunder and lightning; a powerful force surged within him. Finally, a brilliant bolt of lightning tore through the sky—like the wrath of a god—shocking and awe-inspiring.

Witnessing this, Li Ping was rendered speechless, her heart in turmoil, unable to find words to express what she felt.

“Mama, now do you believe your son?” Guo Jing said.

Li Ping nodded. If what Ajing said wasn’t true, then how had he become so powerful?

“Mama, let me introduce you: this is Zhang Xiaofan, this is Nie Huaishang, this is Zhang Chu’an—they’re all my closest friends, who’ve shared life and death with me. They came here to help me.” After introducing them, the three stepped forward to greet Li Ping.

“If you’re Ajing’s friends, come right in and sit down. I’ll go prepare some food for you.” With that, Li Ping walked to the sheep pen, grabbed a sheep, and slaughtered it with swift, practiced efficiency.

Soon after, Li Ping brought out a large pot of steaming mutton. The meat bubbled with rich, mouthwatering aroma, steam rising in inviting waves.

The four ate without ceremony, devouring the food like a whirlwind. As they ate, Li Ping beamed at Guo Jing: “Now that you’ve gained such power, it’s time to kill Duan Tiande and avenge your father.”

“Wait, Auntie, your real enemy isn’t Duan Tiande—it’s Wanyan Honglie, the Sixth Prince of the Jin Empire. He ordered Duan Tiande to kill your family.”

“Why would a Sixth Prince of the Jin Empire go to such lengths to target two humble peasant families?” Hearing the true enemy was not only someone else but of high rank, Li Ping was both furious and anxious.

Seeing his mother’s distress, Guo Jing recounted everything: how Wanyan Honglie had been saved by Bao Xiruo, fallen in love with her, devised a cruel plan, sent Duan Tiande to kill Guo Yang, then pretended to be a righteous hero to rescue them.

Li Ping sat stunned, unable to accept it—could her husband, Xiaotian, have died so absurdly?

Seeing Li Ping’s shock, Nie Huaishang quickly spoke:

“Auntie, don’t be shocked yet—there’s more. Bao Xiruo is now Wanyan Honglie’s woman. He never told Yang Kang who his real father was. Yang Kang believes Wanyan Honglie is his father. And one more thing: Qiu Chuji has found Bao Xiruo and her son—but he’s still left them in the Prince’s mansion and never told Yang Kang the truth.”

Overwhelmed by this sudden flood of revelations, Li Ping felt she needed time to recover. After a long silence, she sighed softly: “If your sister-in-law and Master Qiu chose this path, I have no right to blame them. As long as they don’t regret it later, that’s enough.”

“What? After all we’ve told you, that’s your reaction?” Zhang Chu’an cried in despair.

Li Ping blinked, confused. “What reaction should I have?”

“You should be shocked! Angry! Curse Bao Xiruo as a greedy, wicked harlot who traded her soul for wealth! Curse Qiu Chuji as a cowardly traitor who bowed to power! Your calmness is a disappointment!” Zhang Chu’an clutched his chest dramatically.

“Child, life is but a hundred years—fleeting as a breath. One need not cling to others’ wrongs.” Li Ping said.

“I’m utterly humbled,” Zhang Chu’an realized—this ordinary peasant woman had raised Guo Jing for a reason.

“Enough, Brother Chu’an, stop fooling around—we don’t have much time,” Nie Huaishang interrupted impatiently, then turned to Li Ping: “Auntie, we came here for two reasons: one, to help Brother Guo avenge his father’s death; two, to prevent the massacre of Song people after the fall of the Song Empire.”

Instantly, Li Ping’s eyes widened with fury—the fall of the Song Empire? Then all the Song people would become slaves of a conquered nation.