Chapter Twenty: Family Reunion

"Damn it!" Zhao Huaisheng cursed furiously, the instant his flute shattered in his hands, he suffered a severe backlash.

Su Ye felt a slight relief in his heart. Seeing Zhao Huaisheng attempting to escape, he flicked his sleeve and cast a talisman of dark patterns. A cold, blue-grey light surged forth, striking toward Zhao Huaisheng.

In that moment, the Ghost Mother fully regained her senses. She glanced at Zhao Qi, whom she had just thrown to the ground, and a look of grief appeared on her face. Then, wrapped in a gust of ghostly wind, she sped toward Zhao Huaisheng.

With her mind restored, the Ghost Mother awakened all her memories. She knew what Zhao Huaisheng had done to her and her son—his actions had destroyed their family. She was determined to make Zhao Huaisheng pay in blood for his crimes.

The Ghost Mother's strength had long since surpassed Zhao Huaisheng's. If not for Zhao Huaisheng sealing her inside the Ghost Banner all this time, her power would be even more formidable.

Yet even so, Zhao Huaisheng was no match for her. He had already been wounded by Su Ye's talisman during his moment of distraction. Now, faced with the Ghost Mother's frenzied assault, he could barely defend himself.

"Father, Yue'er missed you so much!"

"Father, I missed you too!"

With Xie Jiaoniang restored to her senses, her two ghost children also awakened. Seeing Zhao Qi, they immediately floated toward his body, eager for his embrace.

Zhao Qi looked at his son and daughter before him, tears flowing once again from his eyes—these were his two beloved children.

"Father, did something sad happen? Why are you crying?"

"Don't cry, Father. Yue'er will blow your eyes for you!"

His son and daughter were still very young, ignorant of the world. Even after regaining their awareness, they did not understand what had transpired.

"It's nothing, Father just missed Yue'er and Ming'er too much," Zhao Qi said, holding his children close in a phantom embrace, unable to suppress his sorrow.

Meanwhile, the Ghost Mother was already overwhelming Zhao Huaisheng in battle. His injuries worsened with every passing moment, and he had long abandoned any hope of continuing to fight her.

Su Ye and the Cat Demon stood nearby, preventing Zhao Huaisheng from escaping. Any attempt to flee was met with their combined blockade.

"Su Ye, must you press me so? If I die here, the Bone Temple will never let you go!" Zhao Huaisheng was struck by the Ghost Mother's palm, ghostly energy burrowing into his flesh and destroying his body.

He coughed lightly, a mouthful of frost-laced blood spewing forth.

Zhao Huaisheng's gaze fell upon Su Ye, invoking the Bone Temple in hopes of intimidating him.

"Wait until you're dead, then we'll talk," Su Ye laughed lightly, unconcerned by Zhao Huaisheng's threats.

He knew nothing of the Bone Temple, but Zhao Huaisheng had to die here today.

Zhao Huaisheng's face darkened. He struggled to his feet and faced the Ghost Mother's attacks once more.

Time passed slowly. After a long struggle, Zhao Huaisheng finally succumbed, his skull shattered by the Ghost Mother's palm.

"Mother is so powerful!"

After their affectionate reunion with Zhao Qi, Zhao Ming and Zhao Yue turned their gaze to their mother, Xie Jiaoniang, unaware of their predicament—only that their mother was formidable.

Having slain Zhao Huaisheng, Xie Jiaoniang stepped gracefully toward Zhao Qi.

"Zhao Lang!"

"Jiaoniang!"

Though ruthless in battle against Zhao Huaisheng, the Ghost Mother adopted a different demeanor before her husband from life, Zhao Qi.

……

Su Ye did not disturb the family's reunion, silently cleaning up after Zhao Huaisheng's death.

Zhao Huaisheng had come from Jinhua County and carried little—only a black wooden sword and a Ghost Banner.

After collecting Zhao Huaisheng’s belongings, Su Ye summoned a flame in his palm. The fire surged up, engulfing the corpse and reducing it to ashes in moments.

Once the body was dealt with, Su Ye waited until the Zhao family had calmed before approaching them.

"Zhao Qi, what do you plan to do next?" As Su Ye spoke, the joyful smiles on the family's faces froze instantly.

They were forced to face reality: Xie Jiaoniang and the two children were now ghosts—they could not live with Zhao Qi as before.

Though Xie Jiaoniang retained her sanity, she was still a ghost. How long could that clarity last?

If she lost her senses again, her strength would make her a fearsome menace.

"Sir, is there any way you could save Jiaoniang and the children? I beg you, please help us!" Zhao Qi fell to his knees, bowing fervently to Su Ye until his forehead was bloodied.

"It's no use begging me. Your wife and children have been dead too long; I cannot restore them to life," Su Ye sighed gently, immediately helping Zhao Qi to his feet.

Had their bodies been preserved, there might be a slim chance for rebirth. But they had been dead for years, and Zhao Huaisheng might not have even kept their remains.

"Zhao Lang, this gentleman speaks the truth. Being able to see you once more is enough for me," Xie Jiaoniang said softly, approaching Zhao Qi with a gentle smile.

After being refined into the Ghost Mother by Zhao Huaisheng, Xie Jiaoniang had gained some insight. She understood her situation.

The best outcome now would be reincarnation, but even that seemed difficult for herself and the children.

She did not wish to burden Zhao Lang with these worries—he would not understand, and it would only add to his sorrow.

"Xie Jiaoniang, I can send you to the Underworld for reincarnation. If you wish, you may come to the Su residence," Su Ye said, leaving the choice to her.

She was not a malicious ghost, and his strength was inferior to hers, so he had no right to decide for them.

"Thank you, sir," Xie Jiaoniang replied warmly, watching Su Ye depart.

Su Ye did not linger with the Zhao family. Leaving those words behind, he took the Cat Demon and entered Jinhua County.

He went straight to the Su residence. Because of Zhao Huaisheng and Su Ming, the three members of the Su family whom Su Ye had been guarding were now released.

They were still unaware of what had transpired outside the city. Su Ming was waiting for Zhao Huaisheng to slay Su Ye, then escort him to the Bone Temple, that famed place of cultivation.

"Sir, you have returned!"

The gatekeeper of the Su family opened the doors at once upon seeing Su Ye, his voice trembling slightly. "The young master’s teacher has arrived. Perhaps you should hide for a while, sir!"