The Hehuan Sect Was Squeezed Dry for Ten Thousand Years, but It Became a Sacred Ground?-Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Up close, the beautiful woman’s features became even more striking.

Her fair, creamy skin and delicately arched eyebrows framed an oval face, while her almond-shaped eyes—light brown with an undercurrent of sorrow—held a depth of emotion accentuated by their naturally reddish corners.

Her lips were a soft pink, her neck slender and graceful.

Even the elaborate folds of her palace robes couldn’t hide her elegant posture and alluring curves. The swell of her chest was modestly concealed, leaving just enough to the imagination.

She exuded the ripe charm of a woman in her prime—like a succulent peach ready to be plucked. Yet beneath the regal attire, she carried an air of untouchable dignity, softened only by the faint vulnerability in her gaze. Hers was a beauty impossible to forget—the kind that lingered in the mind after just one glance.

This was the mother of the Ninth Princess, Duanmu Yao—once Consort Ying, now elevated to Noble Dowager Consort Ying by the new emperor, Duanmu Yan.

The legendary beauty of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Hearing the voice—both familiar and strange—Tantai Yuruo instinctively turned, her eyes locking onto a petite girl in pale yellow robes.

For a moment, she froze.

That face—how could she not recognize it? It was identical to Yao’er’s as a child.

But that had been so many years ago…

Still, she tentatively called out,

“Y-Yao’er?”

“Mother!” The girl beamed, darting forward like an excited arrow.

Ignoring the attendants who moved to intervene, Tantai Yuruo caught her in an embrace.

Her lips parted slightly. Though she had sensed it, she still struggled to believe.

“You… is it really you? How did you become like this?”

“Of course it’s me! Who else in the Great Xia would dare impersonate me?” Duanmu Yao tilted her chin up, her old arrogance shining through.

Now, Tantai Yuruo was certain.

Her eyes flickered with astonishment. “Yao’er, what happened? How did you… turn back into a child?”

Changes in appearance from rare elixirs weren’t unheard of—some accelerated aging, others halted it entirely.

But reversing it? That was nearly unheard of.

Duanmu Yao grinned, looping her arm through her mother’s. “Let’s walk and talk.”

“Alright.”

The mountain path posed no challenge for cultivators. Though Tantai Yuruo’s robes were ornate, they were designed for ease of movement, requiring no attendants to trail behind.

As they walked, Duanmu Yao chattered about her life in the sect, her voice bright and animated.

Listening, Tantai Yuruo felt a pang of nostalgia—as if transported back to years ago, when Yao’er was still small, and her elder sister Lanxin was still alive.

Her thoughts snapped back to the present as she watched her daughter’s cheerful expression.

A soft warmth filled her chest.

She seemed happy here. That was enough.

After decades confined within palace walls, this was her first taste of freedom.

And she never wanted to return.

Duanmu Yao recounted nearly everything—her training, her adventures—though she carefully omitted any mention of him. Whether out of childish embarrassment or the weight of her oath, she said nothing.

“Mother, about my condition…” She lowered her voice, then switched to a private whisper, explaining it away as a bloodline anomaly.

Tantai Yuruo exhaled in relief.

As long as she was unharmed.

More than that, she was overjoyed.

She knew the limitations of the imperial Golden Dragon Body. Without this twist of fate, Yao’er’s potential would have been forever stunted—not like now, where she’d reached the Golden Core’s… third stage?

Wait.

Tantai Yuruo blinked, wondering if she’d misread.

Focusing again, her pulse quickened.

It was the third stage.

Before leaving the palace, Yao’er had barely touched Foundation Establishment.

To leap an entire realm in a decade—was this the power of her new physique?

Her mind raced.

The sect’s energy was palpable—many disciples had reached Golden Core, some even surpassing Yao’er.

For a once-obscure sect, their rise was staggering.

At this rate, they’d soon overtake the prestigious Yuan Tan Academy.

Her decision to send Yao’er here had been the right one.

Pride swelled in her chest—though she had no idea her daughter’s true cultivation was far beyond what she sensed.

“Mother, you’ll stay with me from now on,” Duanmu Yao declared, leading her to her private quarters.

She’d already secured permission—the sect leader had no objections as long as no men disrupted their tranquil environment.

“Of course,” Tantai Yuruo smiled, though looking at her childlike daughter, she couldn’t bring herself to say, You’ve grown.

Instead, she knelt and gently smoothed her hair. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Duanmu Yao leaned into the touch, then—unable to resist—buried her face in her mother’s chest.

Soft. Warm.

She sighed.

Why couldn’t she have inherited that?

Even in her late teens, she’d been… lacking.

Pulling back slightly, she inhaled the familiar scent.

“Mother, yours never… went back to normal after having me?”

It had been over thirty years.

How was there still—?

At the question, a flicker of discomfort crossed Tantai Yuruo’s face.

She forced a smile. “No, they… didn’t.”

Duanmu Yao moved on quickly. “What’s your cultivation now?”

“Nascent Soul Perfection.”

“That high?!”

Duanmu Yao gaped.

She’d always compared herself to her siblings—never her mother.

To think she’d reached such heights!

And she was only nineteen years older…

Suddenly, her own achievements felt meager.

If not for his guidance, Golden Core would’ve been her ceiling.

“Yao’er?” Tantai Yuruo frowned at her stunned silence.

Shaking it off, Duanmu Yao brightened.

No matter.

She had him now.

“Mother, with your strength, you could be an elder here,” she said eagerly. “Since you’re staying, why not join officially?”

Tantai Yuruo chuckled. “If that’s what you wish.”

—

The next day, the Green Lotus Sect welcomed a new elder—a Nascent Soul Perfection powerhouse, the mother of their rising star.

The news sent ripples through the sect.

In the following days, Tantai Yuruo settled in seamlessly.

The sect’s cultivation techniques and resources astonished her—no wonder they’d grown so rapidly.

The vibrant atmosphere invigorated her, and she threw herself into her new role with zeal.

For the first time in decades, she had purpose. Freedom.

But one thing troubled her.

Yao’er had changed.

Once diligent, she now slacked during the day—and sneaked out at night, returning with evasive excuses.

A mother’s intuition prickled.

Had her daughter… gone rogue?