Yue-Qing entered Riven's room, bringing porridge. Yue-Qing chuckled, seeing Riven joking and laughing with Lan Xue.
"This is your favorite food, Son. Mother knows you are hungry. Why haven't you found your cultivation partner?"
Riven was silent for a moment. He knew that to increase his strength, he had to have a cultivation partner.
"How about you, Lan Xue? Do you want to be my cultivation partner?"
Lan Xue smiled happily. "Yes, I want to be your cultivation partner."
"That's wonderful, Son. Mother hopes you can help him well."
"I will do my best, Mother." Riven immediately stroked Lan Xue's head and laughed when the girl roughly slapped his hand away.
Yue-Qing, seeing the unusual behavior of the two, narrowed her eyes. "Are you two dating?"
"That's right, Mother. Lan Xue and I are officially a couple."
"Then what about your ex-girlfriend? Have you broken up with her?"
"I have never met her again, Mother. And I won't have anything to do with a traitor. Do you know where that woman is now? Father and Grandfather Wei Feng lost track of her." Yes. Except for one person he could interrogate—Su Ling's Mother. However, considering his strained relationship with the woman, it would be too embarrassing for Riven to speak with her.
"You truly loved her, didn't you?"
"Of course not. I have forgotten her. And I will get my revenge for daring to betray me."
"That's good, Son. Be kind to Lan Xue. Mother wants to give you more news. Tonight, you must also come to see the event your Father is holding. He is hosting a thanksgiving ceremony because you survived. Oh, Heavens, how kind He is to us. However, if your condition is not strong enough, you don't need to force yourself."
"Alright, Mother. I will attend. Besides, I already feel much better."
"Mother is leaving now."
"Yes, Mother," Riven and Lan Xue answered in unison.
Riven slowly got up. He felt much better now. Even the pain from the poisoned arrow he received seemed to have left no trace. The young man stood in front of two large open windows.
"I have always dreamed of this happening to me."
Lan Xue approached Riven and turned towards him. Her gaze was straight ahead, where a dense forest filled their view. "What did you dream of?"
"I always dreamed of having a complete family and a lover who sincerely loves me."
"Didn't you have a complete family all along? And you also had a girlfriend before. What makes you dream of the life you have already been living?"
Riven smiled faintly at Lan Xue. "Whether you want to believe me or not is up to you, Lan Xue. But I am not from this world."
Lan Xue was surprised by her lover's statement, then chuckled lightly. "Your words are not funny this time. How can you not be from this world? Where are you from?"
"I am from a world in the future. You see the carriage the servant used to transport your vegetables?" Lan Xue nodded slightly.
"In the future world, we created trolleys, cars, and trains. Do you believe me now?"
"Then are you going to leave me? Wait, this is very hard for me to believe. You... you must be playing a prank on me again."
Riven held Lan Xue's hand that was pointing at him. "Promise me you will never turn away from me, Lan Xue."
Lan Xue suddenly felt nervous under Riven's serious gaze. "Yes... I will stay with you. No matter what happens."
Riven immediately cupped Lan Xue's beautiful face. He leaned his face towards Lan Xue and kissed her lips. They kissed for quite a long time. Riven's tears fell onto his cheeks. Unnoticed by the pair of lovers, Elina, who was standing at the door, dropped her groceries. She was shocked to see Riven and Lan Xue kissing. Was it true that Riven and Lan Xue were dating? Then why did her heart hurt so much seeing that scene? Elina immediately ran away from Riven's room with a broken heart.
Riven wiped his tears. "Now I know, although it's hard for me to believe, I will still be with you. Can you tell me about your previous life?"
Riven stroked Elina's head and began to tell his story. "I used to be an orphan. My mother died when I was 13. And my father died when I was a baby. I grew up relying on myself. I worked hard so I could finish school. Then I got a job and also had a girlfriend. Unfortunately, my girlfriend cheated on me, and our relationship ended. My work performance declined. I was fired, and I was severely depressed. Until finally, I decided to take my own life. And you know... I ended up here."
Lan Xue stroked Riven's cheek. "Thank you for telling me. I didn't know you went through such difficult days. But now you have me, and we will get through it together. I will never leave you."
Riven held Lan Xue's hand. "Thank you, Lan Xue."
At night, far from the Beifeng Clan residence, Elina walked through the forest where she saw Su Ling's Mother talking to a woman wearing a white dress. Elina hid behind a bush. She secretly listened to Zhao Ling's conversation with the woman.
"Madam, I have done everything you ordered."
Zhao Ling snorted and was seen massaging her temples. "Yes, but that damned child came back to life. How could you not account for that? You didn't kill him, you only made him sleep! Tell me, did you do it correctly or did you intentionally lie to me?!"
The woman immediately knelt and cried in fear. "Forgive me, Madam. I truly killed him. I never lied to you."
Zhao Ling lowered herself to be level with the woman, stroked her hair, and whispered to her. "I forgive you. After all, the next power will fall into Su Ling's hands. Not in that damned child's hands. Tell me, what do you think when I become the Supreme Matriarch?"
"Fitting, Madam. You are very fitting to be the Supreme Matriarch," she replied stammering. The woman shed tears again.
"You are right. And this time… the Sky God will be on my side. Go. Return to your village. You still have provisions, right?"
"Thank you, Madam. I will remember your kindness forever."
Zhao Ling smiled sinisterly. She watched the woman, who was Riven's ex-lover, leave for the North with the provisions she carried.
As the woman disappeared among the trees, Zhao Ling immediately gave a signal. Suddenly, a number of people wearing black clothes and face coverings appeared. There were five of them. Suddenly, a sound of laughter came from Zhao Ling that terrified Elina.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mira. But I also want you to remember my kindness in hell."
Elina covered her mouth. Elina's body trembled; she suddenly heard a woman's scream, who she was sure had been killed. Elina never expected that the person who had always looked elegant and wise harbored cruelty behind her mask.
Carefully, Elina left the place. Accidentally, she stepped on a twig, causing Zhao Ling to immediately turn her head. Elina quickly hid and completely left Zhao Ling, who was terrified that her cover would be blown.
"How is it possible that you can perform that technique?" asked Wei Feng, then laughed proudly. He was amazed by Riven's strength, who moved as fast as lightning and destroyed a giant rock with a single punch.
"I did some training yesterday. And my ability won't stop at this stage."
"Good, my grandson. This is what your Grandfather hoped for from you. You have realized there is a hidden strength within your soul. Next, you can conquer the world by possessing the Immortal Stage strength—the power where you can control the laws of the world itself."
"Is that power truly real, Grandfather? I mean, has anyone in our clan ever achieved it?" Riven felt challenged.
"It is very impossible for ordinary humans like us to achieve. But I once had a friend who almost reached the peak of the highest heavenly strength. But not long after, his body disintegrated like grains of sand. He could not bear that great power. The end of his life is written on the Western Stone of Shiaoming Mountain Peak."
Meanwhile, from a distance, Su Ling sneered, watching Riven's act of destroying a large rock with his hand. He could not stand idly by, seeing Riven suddenly change so drastically for some unknown reason. Su Ling decided he would kill his brother.
Riven was silent. He saw Wei Feng suddenly activate his active skill—wind technique. Wei Feng flew in the air with a cluster of thick clouds as his vehicle. Riven remembered Su Ling also had that skill. But why did he only have a passive skill that he thought was very weak?
"Ponder my words, my grandson. Someday you will understand... that we can take ourselves to the limitless, uphold justice, and maintain peace on this earth."
"I understand, Grandfather. I will begin my journey to become the strongest. Tomorrow I will head to Shiaoming Mountain." Riven bowed his head, showing respect to his Grandfather.
"I will continue to pray for you, my grandson. Give my regards to Lian-Ming if you find him."
Riven nodded in understanding. Wei Feng then left the Azurilum Pavilion fortress.