Yang Ruo Lan searched on the snowy plains in the mountain like a lost soul. From south to north, from east to west! From morning to night, she did not sleep a wink. She then searched from morning to dawn.
She persisted and searched determinedly. Occasionally, she would find a high point and look in all four directions. Her long hair would fly in the wind.
She even moved aside some of the bigger rocks and chunks of ice to search in their cracks.
Chu Fei Ling could only sigh when he witnessed this. Even a three-year-old child knew that no one could hide inside these cracks.
However, Yang Ruo Lan, an adult and a Martial Monarch to boot, lacked this judgmental skill.
However, he said nothing as he accompanied his wife in her search.
He knew what she was thinking.
Yang Ruo Lan looked straight ahead. Her hair was becoming undone and her pretty face showed nothing but worry. Her lips were dry and her bright eyes were bloodshot!
"They were right! Chu Yang was on this mountain!"
"He did not go down!"
"They did not see him when they descended!"
Then, the two of them went up the mountain. There was only one path that led up and down.
"So where did he go?"
"Where could he have gone?"
Yang Ruo Lan was on the verge of collapse!
"My son!"
"Where is my son?"
"It has been 19 years!" Since the disappearance of her son, Yang Ruo Lan had never been happy.
Guilt and self-blame tugged at her stomach. She thought about him constantly. "Where is my son? Is he still alive? Did someone kidnap him?"
"How"s his life? Was he tortured?"
"What martial art did he train in?"
He was three years old… eight years old… ten years old… 18 years old…
"It"s getting cold. Is he cold? Did he bring warm clothes? Is it raining? Where is he? Will he fall sick? It"s snowing. The ground is slippery, will he fall…?"
She had been thinking all this while holding onto a tiny shred of hope. She refused to believe that he was dead. However, with the pa.s.sage of time, she became more and more despondent…
The Chu Clan had searched for an entire year with no result. Every time they searched, Yang Ruo Lan could not sleep. Every time she saw someone walking into the Chu Clan"s residence, she would stare intently.
In the end, Chu Fei Yan, who was in charge of the search, scampered away pathetically whenever he saw his sister-in-law. He could not bear to see the spark of hope in her eyes…
Every time he saw this gaze, Chu Fei Yan felt as if he had committed a grievous sin!
Every single year, there was nothing but disappointment! Every single year, there was nothing but despair!
Now, this year, she finally obtained news about her son! She could be sure that her son was still alive and that he had grown up! He had accomplished something!
He was exceptionally intelligent and handsome! He was heroic and brave! His loyalty to his brothers was well-known!
He was the most perfect man in the world.
At that moment, Yang Ruo Lan"s heart appeared to have opened up!
Pride, sadness, relief, desire, antic.i.p.ation… 18 years of emotion congregated in her heart.
All of these emotions raged in her motherly heart!
They were about to burst out!
Finally, at this moment, she was finally able to see her son!
The evidence was correct! The location was without any doubt!
If she ascended the mountain, she could see him!
However… at the top of the mountain, she saw nothing!
Where was her son?
Yang Ruo Lan was most hopeful this time around. She was also more excited than she had ever been! However, at this moment, this hope and excitement became two cruel and crus.h.i.+ng blows!
She stopped searching and remained there, stunned and helpless. As she stood by the Lake of Death, her eyes were vacant and her soul appeared to have left her body. It was as if everything that had been supporting her until this moment had been taken away.
Tears slowly trickled down her face and dripped into the snow…
In her despair and sadness, the two of them did not realize that the water of the Lake of Death started to bubble. It was as if… something was going to rush out…
Yang Ruo Lan stood there in shock. She did not say a single word. It was as if she had turned into a lifeless statue. As her tears fell, they touched the freezing cold around her and steam began to rise, which then froze over her face.
She did not even use her powers to stave off the cold. All she did was to stand there dumbly and stared.
"Ruo Lan, are you… alright?" A hand fell on her shoulder. It was Chu Fei Ling.
Yang Ruo Lan was still dazed as she stared dumbly around her. Suddenly, she screamed ear-piercingly, "Where is he?! Where"s my son?!"
Her voice traveled into the distance. In this silent world, an echo could be heard.
"Where is he?! Where"s my son?!"
Chu Fei Ling closed his eyes. He knew that his beloved wife was on the verge of collapse. However, at this moment, all of the bones in his body appeared to have been taken away. An intense disappointment… After so much effort, Chu Fei Ling was truly and utterly drained.
He gathered his last shred of strength and said tiredly, "Ruo Lan, you…"
The moment he said that, his body trembled in shock. He exclaimed as if he had just discovered something.
Just now, his eyes swept over the surface of the lake subconsciously. To his shock, he discovered that waves had appeared in the calm surface of the lake. They crashed intensely.
In the center of the lake, a tornado-like stream of water suddenly appeared.
The most shocking thing was not that.
In the stream of water, there was a human body. It was rus.h.i.+ng gradually over to the sh.o.r.e. "What… what is that?" Chu Fei Ling stared at it intently. His eyes almost popped out of his sockets. He pointed forward as he spoke in a trembling manner.
"… A human?" Yang Ruo Lan looked over absentmindedly. Then, her eyes suddenly shrank. In her heart, an indescribable feeling surged. The blood in her body boiled and an indescribable sensation rose in her heart.
"Is that a human?!" Yang Ruo Lan"s heart was beating in a frenzied manner. She opened her eyes wide without blinking.
"It"s a human," said Chu Fei Ling. "I don"t know if he"s dead or alive…"
"Shut up!" Yang Ruo Lan snapped. Her eyes were almost spewing fire and she looked as if she was about to devour her husband.
Chu Fei Ling meekly lowered his head and shut his mouth.
He knew that he had said the wrong thing. The only person up here was his son. So how could he describe him as a dead person?
He smiled drily as he said, "He"s coming… eh… he seems young… not too old… unmoving…"
He heard a "whoosh" next to him. Yang Ruo Lan appeared to have been blown by the wind.
At that instant, Yang Ruo Lan"s speed shocked Chu Fei Ling!
After dozens of days spent traveling, the two of them were utterly exhausted. Even when they were at their peak, Yang Ruo Lan had never moved this quickly before.
Chu Fei Ling did not understand where his wife"s energy came from.
It was too late to talk about it. Before Chu Fei Ling could react, Yang Ruo Lan jumped into the water and swam over. Then, she swam back carrying a black-clad person.
With just one look, Yang Ruo Lan shrieked.
Her shriek brimmed with enough emotions for a lifetime.
"It"s him! It"s our child!" Yang Ruo Lan"s voice was shrill. She was crying as she shouted that. In the water, she hugged him tightly and did not let go. Her entire body appeared to have lost all strength as she said happily with tears streaming down her face, "He"s still alive! He"s still alive! Still alive…"
Chu Fei Ling felt as if something had sparked in his body. The hairs on his body stood upright. He was moved beyond words. This sensation was indescribable and he felt as if hot blood had surged into his head.
Stars flew in front of him. He almost fainted from this sudden blood rush.
His body swayed and then, he shot forward like an arrow. He leaped into the water and helped drag him up.
Both of them were wet as they lay on the snow. Their breathing was ragged and their eyes did not blink once as they stared at Chu Yang"s young handsome face as if it was a piece of treasure.
His brows were sharp. His face was white. His nose was straight. His lips were thin and his eyes were closed.
As she looked, Yang Ruo Lan sobbed, "There"s no mistake! This is my son!"
Chu Yang"s hand still gripped a purple crystal piece of jade. It shone with a purple light. However, even without that jade, Yang Ruo Lan would have recognized him!
This was her son!
There was no reason behind it! This was pure maternal instinct!
Chu Fei Ling recognized him instantly too. This was his "sworn brother"… King of h.e.l.l Chu. Chu Yang, his son!
At this moment, he did not know what to feel. He wanted to dance. He wanted to cry. 18 years" worth of pain and bitterness surged through his heart.
Initially, his sense of shame for recognizing his son as his "sworn brother" had completely disappeared!
Shameful… what"s wrong? Having his son was more important than anything else!
"That"s him?!" Yang Ruo Lan looked at his face. While she framed it like a question, her tone was sure.
"Yes!" Chu Fei Ling nodded his head.
"Good!" Yang Ruo Lan carried Chu Yang up as if he was a fragile piece of treasure and held him close to her chest. She placed her own face close to her son"s. All of her tears fell on Chu Yang"s face.
Her sobbing was uncontrollable. She did not dare to be loud but her body trembled more and more violently.
"Bless heavens!"
"My son is finally back to my side!"
After a long while, she finally realized that her son was unconscious.
"Quick, take a look! What"s wrong with our son? Why is he unconscious?" Yang Ruo Lan placed her hand on Chu Yang"s pulse and beckoned Chu Fei Ling.
Chu Fei Ling nodded his head seriously and felt Chu Yang"s back. A powerful vital energy was slowly inserted.
After a long while, the two of them looked at each other.
"What"s going on? There"s no external wound and his insides are fine too. Why isn"t he awake?" Yang Ruo Lan asked in a panic.