A master of both medicine and martial arts, he recruits a beautiful CEO to cultivate immortality tog

"That matter concerns the Ye family's list," Ling Hanyue said. "Your father thought that as long as he signed it, Fang Boheng would save your mother. But he didn't expect that Fang Boheng wanted more than just the list."

"Your mother gave birth to you in the cradle. When you were born, you carried the power of Yin and the resonance of the Heavenly Mark Blade. Fang Boheng said that you are the 'key' born, and he wants you as that key."

Ye Heng's fingers clenched unconsciously.

Where is my mother?

Ling Hanyue remained silent for a while.

"She died," she said. "She suffered a postpartum hemorrhage when she gave birth to you. Fang Boheng couldn't save her."

The wind from the ice cave seeped in through the cracks in the window, making the paper on the table rustle softly.

Ye Heng sat on the edge of the bed, remaining silent for a long time.

He thought he would be angry, would want to kill, and would ask, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

But he didn't.

He just felt empty, as if someone had ripped something out of his chest, leaving a hole.

"Is Su Yingrou's mother related to her?" he suddenly asked.

Ling Hanyue glanced at him.

How did you know?

"Just guessing," Ye Heng said. "Su Yingrou was only five years old when her mother died. Su Yingrou said her mother died in childbirth. Su Changhong's story is inconsistent. It's impossible for a person to die in three different ways unless someone deliberately caused her to die in three different ways."

Ling Hanyue remained silent for a few seconds.

"Su Yingrou's mother was named Su Wan," she said. "Your mother met her in her cradle. They were both researchers and experimental subjects. After your mother died, Su Wan escaped with a genetic sample. Fang Boheng chased her for three years and finally found her in Jinling."

"and then?"

"Then, Su Wan hid the sample and went back to the Su family," Ling Hanyue said. "She thought that as long as she went back, Fang Boheng wouldn't touch Su Yingrou. But she was wrong. What Fang Boheng wanted wasn't her, but the sample."

"Where is Su Wan now?"

"The cradle," Ling Hanyue said. "The first cradle. She didn't die, but she didn't wake up either. Fang Boheng turned her into a 'key' to open the second cradle."

Ye Heng's throat moved slightly.

He thought of Su Yingrou.

I remember her squatting at a roadside stall eating kebabs, I remember her saying, "My family situation is quite complicated," and I remember her saying, "My mother died in childbirth." When she said those words, her tone was very flat, as if she were talking about someone else's story.

She didn't know that her mother was still alive.

"Master," he said, "I need to tell her about this."

"You can't," Ling Hanyue said, "at least not now. Su Wan's condition is unstable; Fang Boheng has done a lot of things to her. Tell Su Yingrou that she will only do one thing."

"What is it?"

"Go to your death." Ling Hanyue looked at him. "You know Su Yingrou's personality better than I do."

Ye Heng fell silent.

He knew Ling Hanyue was right. Su Yingrou seemed loud and boisterous, but she was actually more stubborn than anyone else. If she had known her mother was still alive, she would definitely have rushed in alone.

"Then don't tell her yet," he said, "but I have to keep an eye on her."

"How do you plan to tell Su Yingxue?"

"To be honest," Ye Heng said, "she can handle more than Su Yingrou."

Ling Hanyue looked at him for a while and nodded.

"There's one more thing," she said. "Han Yue's daughter, Han Xiaoman, is a pure Yang body. Fang Boheng captured her to be the 'igniter' for the second cradle. Extreme cold and pure Yang are the two keys to opening the cradle."

Who is Jihan?

"Xiao Ruoshui," Ling Hanyue said, "that girl from the Xiao family of Northern Yan. Fang Boheng has been eyeing her extreme cold essence for a long time. If you've seen her in Kunlun Ruins, you should know."

Ye Heng thought of Xiao Ruoshui.

I remember the way she froze the puppet in the sword tomb, and the look in her eyes when she said, "I'm ready to go with you."

"Is she on the list too?"

"Yes," Ling Hanyue said, "but she doesn't know it yet."

Ye Heng stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window was a gray-white snowfield, and the weather station tower in the distance hummed in the wind.

His phone vibrated at that moment.

The words "Su Yingrou" appeared on the screen.

He glanced at it for two seconds, then answered.

"Ye Heng!" Su Yingrou's voice burst from the receiver, slightly breathless, "Where are you?"

"Northern Yan".

"Northern Yan?" Su Yingrou was taken aback. "What are you doing in Northern Yan? My sister said you were on a business trip, but I don't believe her. Every time you say you're on a business trip, it's to get into a fight."

Ye Heng smiled. "This time too."

"You—" Su Yingrou choked for a moment, her voice suddenly lowering, "Ye Heng, I have a question for you, don't lie to me."

"you say."

"My mom... is she still alive?"

Ye Heng's fingers tightened slightly.

He did not answer immediately.

On the other end of the phone, Su Yingrou's breathing was very soft, as if she was waiting for a verdict.

"Why would you ask that?" Ye Heng asked.

"I found a photo," Su Yingrou said. "It was hidden in the bottom drawer of my grandfather's study. The photo is of my mother, holding me, with a white house in the background. There's a date written on the back of the photo; it's my fifth birthday."

She paused for a moment.

"My grandfather told me that my mother died in childbirth. But on my fifth birthday, she was still holding me."

Ye Heng closed his eyes.

He could imagine Su Yingrou looking like this. She was probably sitting in some corner of the Su family's old house, her hair disheveled, her eyes red, clutching that photo in her hand as if it were a lifeline.

"Ye Heng," Su Yingrou's voice trembled slightly, "tell me, is my mother still alive?"

Ye Heng remained silent for a long time.

"Yes," he said.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

She was so quiet that Ye Heng thought she had died.

"Su Yingrou?"

"I'm here." Su Yingrou's voice was very soft, as if it came from a great distance. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Ye Heng said, "but I will find her."

"You always say that."

"This time is different," Ye Heng said. "This time, I'm taking you with me."

On the plane back to Jinling, Ye Heng had a dream.

In his dream, he was on Mount Kunlun, the snow was heavy, and he stood before the mountain gate. Ling Hanyue had her back to him, her white hair blowing in the wind. He wanted to call her name, but no sound came out. Ling Hanyue turned around, her face expressionless, and said only one sentence: "You have to repay the debts your father owed."

When he woke up, the plane was descending.

Outside the porthole were the lights of Nanjing, densely packed, like an unfolded circuit board.

Ye Heng leaned back in his chair and stared at the lights for a long time.

"Senior," Ye Beiyuan handed over a bottle of water from the side, "we're almost there."

"Um."

"What are you planning to say to Miss Su?"

"To tell you the truth." Ye Heng took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. "I'll tell you everything I can."

"What about Su Yingrou?"

Ye Heng paused for a moment.

"I won't tell her yet," he said. "I'll tell her after I've confirmed Su Wan's position. Xiao Rou is still a bit young and not as mature as Ying Xue."

Ye Beiyuan glanced at him but didn't ask any more questions.

The plane landed at 9 p.m.

Ye Heng did not return to the villa, but went directly to the Su family's old residence.