Chapter Forty-Three: Master or Father?

"Father, Mother, why! Why!" Yinyao burst out of the great hall, disregarding her injuries, charging forward recklessly.

Li Jin watched Yinyao rush out in panic and quickly beckoned to Li Suo, "Suo’er, go after her. Don’t let Yinyao get into trouble."

"Yes!" Li Suo responded and hurriedly chased after her.

Yinyao’s mind was in utter chaos. She had never imagined that, after crossing over into this world, she would have to face so many challenges. Was it truly fate, refusing to grant her even a moment of ordinary peace?

Li Suo followed Yinyao at a distance, keeping pace. Watching her frantic actions, he felt his heart inexplicably stirred.

With a wild strike, Yinyao unleashed her palm at a stone mountain, her strength so fierce that the mountain trembled and fragments of rock tumbled down.

Her breathing was rapid, her chest heaving violently, her face flushed with a feverish color unbefitting an injured person. Her long hair whipped about in the wind, and red light flashed in her eyes.

Holding her silver whip, Yinyao lightly touched the ground and slowly rose, suspended in mid-air. Her right hand, brimming with power, swung the whip desperately, as if her life depended on it.

"This is bad!"

Seeing Yinyao’s state, Li Suo cried out inwardly. Her wounds hadn’t healed, and now she was emotionally unstable, recklessly expending her spiritual energy. If she kept this up, she would succumb to inner demons.

Li Suo rushed toward Yinyao, calling out urgently, "Yinyao! Stop!"

Yinyao seemed to hear someone calling her. She slowly turned around, her blood-red eyes staring at the approaching Li Suo with a murderous glare, floating in the air like a god of slaughter.

"If you continue like this, you’ll lose control!" Li Suo’s mask could no longer hide his face. His eyes blazed with anger, though his hands never faltered.

He glanced at Yinyao, a flash of determination in his eyes—may she not blame him!

Li Suo summoned the broken stones from the ground, levitating them all at once. With a sweep of both hands, the stones flew toward Yinyao. She watched the incoming stones coldly—trivial! With a flick of her silver whip, the stones shattered in mid-air and fell to the ground.

Suddenly, Li Suo appeared behind Yinyao, and with a swift motion, struck her neck. Yinyao managed only to cast a venomous look at him before losing consciousness.

Li Suo caught her body, cradling her in his arms as he walked toward her room. His expression was conflicted as he gazed at Yinyao. So many emotions he could not name welled up inside him, and he felt his heart ache.

"Yao’er, how did you end up like this? I hoped we would meet again soon, not to see you on the verge of losing yourself. Wake up, please! You can’t go on like this!"

Amidst a hazy dream, a familiar yet distant voice echoed—it was her master’s voice, wasn’t it? Master, is that you? Tell me, are you really here?

Yinyao’s eyes flew open, only to find herself alone, standing in a place shrouded in white mist. She could not see her surroundings clearly, but her master’s loving voice lingered.

Aimlessly, Yinyao wandered, glancing about, calling out from time to time, "Master, is that you?"

"Yao’er, you know your true origins now, don’t you?"

She focused her attention but could not locate the source of the voice. She calmed herself, decided to quiet her mind, and closed her eyes to listen with her heart.

"Yes, Master, how did you know?" Yinyao asked inwardly.

The old man’s voice sounded again by her ear: "Yao’er, do you remember the letter I left for you? All of this was destined. Your true identity is Yinyao, not Si Tu Yao of the twenty-first century. And I am more than just your master."

"More than just my master?!" For some reason, upon hearing this, an idea suddenly sprang to Yinyao’s mind.

The ethereal voice spoke from all around, "Child, your guess is correct. I am also your father. I went to the twenty-first century to bring my daughter back to her rightful world."

Yinyao could scarcely believe it. She never imagined her master was her father, nor that her true identity belonged not to the twenty-first century, but to this fantastical parallel realm.

She hurriedly asked, "Why was I in the twenty-first century instead of here?!"

"Child, keep striving. I am waiting for you in the Realm of Nothingness, along with your mother." The old man’s voice grew ever fainter, so weak.

"Father, father!"

Yinyao reached out, trying to grasp something, but was powerless. She cried out anxiously, wishing only to keep her father a little longer. She still had so many questions—how could he just leave?

Li Suo watched Yinyao tossing restlessly in her sleep, anxiety gnawing at him, yet unable to help. He could only watch her struggle, cold sweat breaking out as she remained tense.

Grasping her suddenly flailing hands, Li Suo wished he could bear all her burdens. He didn’t know what Yinyao was experiencing in her dream, but he would willingly endure it for her.

Li Suo patted her back gently, comforting her softly, "Yao’er, it’s alright."

"Li Suo?"

Yinyao opened her eyes and found herself returned from that strange realm to reality. Her master was gone—no, her father was gone—but his words echoed in her ears, impossible to ignore.

Li Suo released her hand, looking at her with concern, "Yao’er, are you alright?"

Steadying her emotions, Yinyao smiled at Li Suo, "I’m fine, don’t worry. Really, I’m alright."

Despite her reassurances, Li Suo remained uneasy. He knew she had nearly lost herself to inner demons. His gaze was full of worry, "Are you sure? Yao’er, do you realize how close you were to losing control just now?"

Yinyao shook her head. She knew she had been confused, but hadn’t realized she was so close to disaster. If not for her father’s sudden appearance, dissolving her doubts and negative feelings, she might truly have been trapped, just as Li Suo feared.

Seeing her response, Li Suo didn’t press further, "As long as you’re alright, rest now."

"Thank you, Li Suo," Yinyao said sincerely as he left. Without his timely intervention, she might never have heard her father’s words, and her momentary loss of control could have led to irreparable consequences.

Father, you said you and mother are waiting for me in the Realm of Nothingness. Does that mean you aren’t dead? Your words were left unfinished before you vanished—was it because your strength was insufficient? What are you enduring in the Realm of Nothingness? I know it cannot be easy. Mother isn’t dead either, but she’s there—where is she?

What kind of world is the Realm of Nothingness, and I must strive to tear through the parallel space and rescue my parents.

Father, why couldn’t you leave your daughter more useful information?

I will use my own hands, my own strength, to break the seals of the parallel space and enter the Realm of Nothingness!