Chapter 139: The Emperor's Scorched Vest Can't Stay Hidden

Shen Qingli was uncertain, because the person before her looked nothing like Zhao Yue!

In the Zhao Yue memory she saw, Zhong Minglan and Zhao Yue were exactly alike, after all they were twin sisters.

But the person before her—

Her aura was bright and gorgeous, her features vivid and striking, like a peony in full bloom, the national beauty.

In her phoenix eyes that naturally bore an aura of dominance and nobility, there was no water-like gentleness, but a steadfast warmth.

She was too different, completely different—was she really Zhong Minglan?

"I am."

Zhong Minglan replied in the affirmative!

She reached out her hand again, wanting to touch her beautiful daughter.

But even though they truly "saw" each other, their mustard seed Sumeru state meant they were only spirits, still unable to truly touch.

Even so, Zhong Minglan still restrained herself and carefully reached out to Shen Qingli, fearing that her high rank meant even a simple touch would harm her young daughter.

But she really wanted to touch her.

So small.

Even with only spiritual contact, Zhong Minglan could "see" that Shen Qingli was only eighteen.

In the Divine Realm, she was still not even an adult.

In the Divine Realm, one only comes of age at a hundred years old.

Zhong Minglan herself was ageless with the heavens, already hundreds of thousands of years old.

Therefore, in Zhong Minglan's eyes, Shen Qingli was no different from a newborn baby.

"Sorry."

Zhong Minglan apologized.

Such a young daughter, and yet she had forgotten her.

That slut Su Nv surely had laid hands on her daughter; she could not imagine how the child had survived.

In that instant……

Shen Qingli stared in shock as the gorgeous and proud Zhong Minglan burst into tears.

Tears like gold beads—even a single drop was shocking!

Aside from her identity as a mother, she was still the Divine Realm's first female war god—when had she ever shed tears in ages past?

Even the three-legged golden crow, her true form, fell silent upon seeing her tears, losing all its ferocity, left only helpless.

Shen Qingli was the same—she also reached out, but could not truly touch Zhong Minglan.

"How unbecoming of me." Zhong Minglan's brows and eyes slightly curved, the moisture in her eyes instantly fading, "I've come to take you home."

"I'm fine." Shen Qingli immediately explained, "Don't worry, I'm doing well now; you don't need to break heavenly law to come down—I can come find you myself."

"Heavenly law means nothing." Zhong Minglan utterly disregarded it, "I've earned great military merit; I'm merely coming down from the lower realm to fetch my daughter—who dares to talk back?"

"I heard all of that just now."

"Surely it's you." Zhong Minglan concealed a hint of unease, "Mother usually doesn't scold people; she has a wonderful temperament—didn't she scare you?"

Shen Qingli fell silent; she had never truly received maternal love, she didn't know what a mother would be like, but she knew Zhong Minglan was wonderful.

Her mother, wonderful.

For gods to descend to the lower realm is no easy feat, especially for those in high positions—clearly not permitted by the Divine Realm's order.

Yet Zhong Minglan came down regardless, even if she were to be "exposed," her greater worry was frightening her.

And not receiving her answer left Zhong Minglan a little panicked—had she indeed been frightened?

"No." Shen Qingli denied gently, speaking slowly because her emotions were overwrought.

Zhong Minglan could sense her emotional fluctuations; logically she should understand she wasn't lying.

But those involved are blind; despite Zhong Minglan's unmatched prowess, being a mother for the first time, she had lost her usual calm and confidence.

She even blurted out, "Really?"

"Mm!" Shen Qingli nodded firmly.

Zhong Minglan finally believed her, "Then wait for me, I'll be down soon."

"I—"

"Hmm?"

Sensing an abnormality with her true form elsewhere, Zhong Minglan frowned slightly.

Shen Qingli immediately realized Zhong Minglan had again urged, "Wait for me, I will surely come."

"No need to insist—I can manage on my own. Please take care, I don't want just after reuniting with my mother for you to come to harm." Shen Qingli blurted out anxiously.

Zhong Minglan's eyes softened, "Little beauty, rest assured, Mother will make sure I come to no harm. What's your name?"

"Shen Qingli."

"I am Zhong Minglan. At any time, you can summon me with your bloodline power; no matter where I am, as long as it's you, I will always appear." Zhong Minglan earnestly instructed.

She was uncertain how long her descent to the lower realm would take.

That damned tortoise Xuan Wu—she didn't even bother with it!

But after all, she had exposed her presence in the lower realm; Su Nv was best at underhanded tricks, so to be safe she first had to teach her daughter self-defense.

"Remember, no matter when, wherever I am, wherever you are, I can come."

"Besides, this is the method to awaken your bloodline power; I will pass it to you."

With those words, Zhong Minglan pressed her forehead mark against Shen Qingli's forehead mark, formally establishing their bloodline connection.

Shen Qingli didn't have time to say anything else before feeling her forehead blaze, even a slight sting. Consequently she withdrew from the mustard seed Sumeru state, yet immediately felt warm all over.

"A Li's burning up!" the young Jiu Li exclaimed.

Shen Qingli raised her hand, her palm full of flames, and indeed they ignited.

But these flames only seemed to float on the surface, not causing Shen Qingli any burning pain.

"Have you seen your birth mother?" Di Jin asked.

Shen Qingli nodded. "Yes, we even had a conversation."

"Talk? I didn't hear anything." Jiu Li scratched their ear.

Shen Qingli instead asked, "Does a deity descending to the mortal realm violate heavenly law?"

Jiu Li also looked at Di Jin, not knowing whether it violates heavenly law, but knowing that probably no one could punish this person.

"Yes, but she came to find you, which is understandable."

"But she also fought the Black Tortoise God Emperor, and he intends to go complain to the Dao Lord."

Shen Qingli was quite worried, feeling that her mother seemed to have run into trouble.

"Dao Lord?" Jiu Li widened their round eyes, staring intently at Di Jin.

"The Dao Lord is in seclusion and won't bother with their affairs." Di Jin didn't care, adding, "But if she has already clashed with the Black Tortoise, her trail is exposed; it's indeed best not to come down. Once down, she'd easily be meddled with by the Black Tortoise in the God Realm."

Shen Qingli instantly got a headache, "I advised her, but she seems determined to come, feeling she owes me."

"Don't worry too much; whether she comes or not, with her ability and decisive wisdom, she'll manage things well."

"Indeed." Shen Qingli, upon imagining the true appearance of Zhong Minglan, also felt she had been overthinking.

But she felt something was odd, "Right, the mother I just saw looks completely different from Zhao Yue."

"Completely different?" Di Jin rubbed his forehead, "That really is a problem."

Gods and humans are naturally different; even if it's the same person, when a divine aura is added, their demeanor will be markedly different.

But being completely different is not normal.

After the great calamity in the God Realm, many gods had to undergo the tribulation of reincarnation so their divine bodies could obtain rest and recuperation.

But no matter how they reincarnate, a god's appearance does not change, at least not greatly……

"Is there a problem?" Shen Qingli pressed.

"Hmm." Di Jin nodded.

But Shen Qingli seized upon a key point! A doubt!

She looked at Di Jin…