Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

Zi Yan looked at Su Baichen's lowered profile and said nothing more.

She knew she didn't need to ask further; the silence itself had already provided the answer.

Time flowed slowly in silence, the tea on the table gradually cooled, and the aroma of the pastries faded in the air.

After a long silence, Zi Yan spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly: "It's Xiao Jin's blood, isn't it?"

Su Baichen still did not answer.

He just sat there quietly, as if he had turned into a stone statue.

But the taut shoulder line, the slightly trembling fingertips, and the fleeting surprise in the eyes all said it all.

Zi Yan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were glistening with tears.

She tried to force a smile, but only managed an expression that was worse than crying.

“I knew it… No wonder I haven’t seen Xiao Jin since I met my father, the Empress.”

As she finished speaking, the air in the room seemed to grow even heavier.

Just then—

【Yan'er, let me talk to him.】

A gentle yet authoritative female voice suddenly rang in Zi Yan's mind.

Zi Yan was startled and before she could respond, the Dragon Emperor's Blood-Weeping Spear hanging at her waist suddenly hummed!

The spear flew out automatically, hovering in mid-air, its body radiating a dazzling purple-gold light.

As the light coalesced, a phantom soul slowly emerged from the gun and gracefully landed.

She was a woman, who looked to be around thirty years old. Her features were somewhat similar to Zi Yan's, but she was more mature and elegant.

She was dressed in an ethereal purple palace gown, her long hair flowing freely. Although she was only a soul, she naturally exuded the majesty and aura of the Ancient Dragon Queen of the Void.

She looked at Su Baichen, nodded slightly, and said in a gentle and clear voice, "Hello, I am Ziyan's mother, Jiang Mingyue."

Chapter 294 Jiang Mingyue: My dear son-in-law! Su Baichen: ? ? ?

Looking at the female figure formed from soul power, Su Baichen felt a thin layer of sweat seeping down his back and his palms becoming slightly damp.

She simply hung there quietly, her once-renowned and unparalleled beauty still faintly visible in her features.

This is a top expert who stood at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent thousands of years ago!

She was once the queen of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan and the companion of Dragon Emperor Zhukun.

Even though her physical body has been annihilated and only her soul remains, who dares to say that she didn't leave behind any backup plan that could reverse the situation?

For example, something in the Dragon Emperor's Blood-Weeping Spear...

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, let alone a former peak powerhouse like this!

Su Baichen glanced quickly at Zi Yan, who looked somewhat uneasy beside him, out of the corner of his eye, and felt a little more at ease.

Given his connection with Zi Yan, and considering that he was the "benefactor" who helped her awaken, this senior should not be hostile to him, both morally and logically.

But what about Xiao Jin, who's sleeping in the system space?

The other party already knows about Xiao Jin's existence!

Jiang Mingyue might not harm herself out of consideration for her daughter and the debt of saving her life, but she has absolutely no feelings for Xiao Jin.

Just as Su Baichen was pondering whether to immediately flee with Xiao Jin or try to ensure their safety in a more tactful way, Jiang Mingyue spoke up again.

This time, there seemed to be a hint of...mischief in her voice?

"My dear son-in-law!"

"???"

Su Baichen felt as if his thoughts had been struck by a silent thunderbolt, instantly coming to a standstill, leaving only countless huge question marks bouncing and colliding wildly in his sea of ​​consciousness.

Virtuous...virtuous son-in-law? What's with this title?

He subconsciously looked at Zi Yan, only to see that Zi Yan was also clearly stunned. Her pretty face turned red at a visible speed, even her ears were tinged with crimson. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something, but she was silenced by her mother's next words.

“My dear son-in-law, are you…” Jiang Mingyue’s eyes curved into a smile, her loving gaze sending chills down Su Baichen’s spine. She seemed to want to continue speaking.

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Su Baichen raised his hand almost as if he had been electrocuted, making a "stop" gesture, his voice slightly hurried due to his urgency.

"Auntie, you've misunderstood! Ziyan and I are not in that kind of relationship!"

He had to clarify this fatal misunderstanding immediately.

Are you kidding me? If this misunderstanding is confirmed, the trouble that will follow is unimaginable.

Regardless of whether he and Zi Yan were truly innocent (at least that's what he firmly believed), just thinking about possibly facing His Majesty Zhukun's "father-in-law gaze" made Su Baichen feel that his future... might not be too bright.

"Hmm? Isn't that right?" Jiang Mingyue drawled, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes, her expression as if to say, "Young man, don't be shy, I understand."

She looked Su Baichen up and down, then glanced thoughtfully at her daughter who wished she could disappear into the ground.

"I, I, we..." Su Baichen felt a little uneasy under that gaze, and in a moment of panic, he blurted out.

"We're just siblings! Yes, I've always considered Ziyan my younger sister!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Baichen wanted to cover his face.

This explanation... sounds even stranger now? But words spoken are like water spilled, and he could only grit his teeth and bear it.

"Oh—brother and sister?" Jiang Mingyue nodded slowly, her voice still drawn out, carrying a knowing understanding.

She didn't press Su Baichen any further, but instead turned her gaze to her daughter, her tone carrying an undisguised "disdain".

“That makes sense!” She stroked her chin seriously and nodded.

"This girl, before, seemed to have not fully grown up, and was indeed... well, not very attractive. All she did all day was eat and sleep, sleep and eat, or get into fights and cause trouble, always so impulsive."

She seemed to be caught up in an objective assessment: "If I were you, I probably wouldn't have any other thoughts either. I'd just raise her as a little sister, it'd save me the trouble."

"Mother! What nonsense are you talking about!" Zi Yan finally couldn't hold back anymore. She stomped her foot in embarrassment and anger, and the surrounding space trembled slightly with her emotions.

She stole a glance at Su Baichen, then quickly looked away, her face flushing even more.

"Go away, go away, stay over there. Don't interrupt when adults are talking." Jiang Mingyue waved her hand at her daughter with a disdainful expression.

"After living with someone for so many years, all I got was the title of 'younger sister.' What does that say?"

"I...I..." Zi Yan opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found that what her mother said seemed to be...the truth?

Judging from Su Baichen's unwavering clarification... a strange mix of bitterness and anger welled up in her heart, leaving her speechless for a moment.

“That shows…” Jiang Mingyue concluded bluntly, and even sighed deliberately.

"That means you have absolutely no charm! You're just a little girl, no figure, no allure, and you're always so fierce. What kind of attention can you attract? Sigh, you really embarrass me."

Zi Yan's face was now so red it could bleed, half from embarrassment and the other half from pure anger.

She glared fiercely at her mother, but dared not actually lash out.

After reprimanding her daughter, Jiang Mingyue changed the subject, her face revealing a proud look of reminiscing about the past. In that instant, she seemed to transform from a mother who disliked her daughter back into the domineering queen of the monster world.

“Back in my day, your mother was me!” She raised her chin slightly, her voice filled with undeniable confidence.

"She's the undisputed number one beauty in the Warcraft world, sweeping across the continent! And she didn't just declare herself that way."

She held up her fingers, listing her treasures: "Beauty, breathtakingly beautiful; not a single male beast who has seen me has failed to be captivated; figure, exquisitely proportioned, neither too plump nor too thin; strength, unmatched among her peers; talent, a rare and auspicious beast bloodline. No magical beast can compare to me!"

Her gaze became distant, as if piercing through the barrier of time, returning to that era intertwined with passion and fervor.

"Just like your father, Zhu Kun, that big, dumb guy. The first time he saw me, his eyes were so wide they were like saucers, staring straight at me, he couldn't even walk straight!"

She chuckled softly, a hint of smugness in her voice: "At first, he tried to put on airs like the Dragon Emperor, intending to conquer me with sheer strength!"

"And what happened? I gave him a good beating, leaving him with a bruised and swollen face."

Memories brought a soft glow to her face.

"After that, he stopped putting on airs and started acting silly, trying all sorts of ways to pursue me. One day he'd send me a rare flower that supposedly only blooms once every thousand years, the next he'd hunt down a powerful magical beast and bring me its most precious blood essence. He was clumsy and made a fool of himself all the time..."

Jiang Mingyue recounted Zhu Kun's clumsy yet sincere pursuit of her back then.

The tense atmosphere in the room eased considerably without anyone noticing. Even Su Baichen was listening intently, finding it hard to believe that the now dignified and imposing Zhu Kun had such a "pure" childhood.

Chapter 295 The Honest Man, Zhu Kun!

"Finally."

Jiang Mingyue concluded, her tone softening.

“I think your father may be a bit silly at times, but Long is truly honest, and his feelings for me are as clear as day. He is so persistent that it’s impossible for anyone not to agree, so I… reluctantly agreed to his request.”

She spoke casually, but the smile in the corner of her eye betrayed the sweetness of those days.

As the curtain of memory fell, Jiang Mingyue's gaze became clear again. She looked at Su Baichen once more, then at Zi Yan beside her, who was so stunned by what she had heard that she had even forgotten to be angry. The contrast between them was undisguised.

"Then let's take a look at you!"

She shook her head at Zi Yan, looking at her with a disappointed expression.

"How many years have you lived with Xiao Chen? And what did you get in return? You only got a 'little sister'! Ha!"

This "ha" may not be very harmful, but it is extremely insulting.

Zi Yan felt a surge of heat rush to her head, feeling utterly ashamed and indignant, yet unable to refute it. She could only clench her fists tightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

After scolding her daughter, Jiang Mingyue seemed to have completed some important task, and her expression became gentle and...kind again?

She looked at Su Baichen again, and that gaze made Su Baichen's nerves, which had just relaxed slightly, tense up again.

"Since you and my Yan'er are called brother and sister."

Jiang Mingyue nodded readily, her tone kind and approachable.

"Then I won't call you 'my dear son-in-law' anymore, so you won't feel embarrassed. From now on, I'll just call you Xiao Chen?"

Although the form of address had changed, Su Baichen clearly felt that Jiang Mingyue's gaze towards him was still exactly the same as when she had called him "son-in-law"—it was the kind of gaze that grew more and more satisfied with him, carrying a certain deep-seated wisdom, the standard "mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law" gaze!

"Uh, yes, that's fine. Auntie, you can just call me Xiao Chen."