"Mom, what are you talking about? Do you want me to abandon you and save myself?"
Chen Xiao couldn't understand his mother's words.
Unexpectedly, Liu Zhen nodded.
"Yes, I want you to do that, because I'm not worth you risking your life for."
"If you're not worth it, who is? You're my mom!"
Liu Zhen was silent for a moment, then said with a bitter smile.
"But I'm not your mom."
"I'm just a pancake vendor at the market. How could I have such an outstanding son like you!"
Chen Xiao became anxious, "Mom, did I do something wrong to make you angry?"
He even thought his mother might be hallucinating from shock.
Liu Zhen shook her head, "Child, I'm not lying to you. I'm not your birth mother. You were found by me."
"I don't believe you, you are my mom!"
Chen Xiao refused to believe it.
Liu Zhen began to murmur to herself.
"Twenty-one years ago, on a snowy day, I found you as an infant. You were so small, not much bigger than a kitten."
"I originally planned to send you to an orphanage, but fate decreed that we were meant to be. You wouldn't stay with anyone else. As soon as you were out of my arms, you cried and cried, gasping for breath."
"Only when I held you would you be quiet and smile at me."
"I had no choice but to adopt you, and I've raised you for over twenty years."
Listening to his mother's quiet murmurs, Chen Xiao's eyes reddened.
"Mom, I'm all grown up now. Why are you telling me stories again? When I was little, you always said you found me in a pile of coal."
"Child, Mom isn't lying to you."
Liu Zhen fumbled around and pulled out a yellowed piece of paper from her clothes.
"When I found you, besides the Yin-Yang jade pendant around your neck, there was also this paper. Take a look."
Chen Xiao took it and saw it was a birth certificate.
His name was written on it, and the place of birth was listed as a hospital in the capital.
It was only then that Chen Xiao had to believe that Liu Zhen was not his birth mother.
"Child, from childhood to adulthood, I never hoped you would establish yourself for heaven and earth, or bring solace to the people, nor did I wish for you to achieve fame among the lords."
"I only hope you will be a good person, with a clear conscience."
"If you lived an ordinary life forever, perhaps I would have taken this secret to my grave."
"But as you grew older, Mom felt that you were extraordinary, and recently, I felt I had to tell you this secret."
"You are too outstanding, and I cannot keep you to myself. You should go find your birth parents."
Chen Xiao sneered and shook his head, "Since they abandoned me in the first place, why should I look for them now?"
Although it felt absurd, Chen Xiao accepted the fact that he was adopted.
Liu Zhen, upon hearing his words, became furious.
"Chen Xiao, you are so ungrateful!"
"What kind of mother abandons her child?"
"Who can comprehend the hardships of carrying a child for ten months?"
Chen Xiao immediately apologized in a low voice, "Alright Mom, I was wrong. I was just anxious just now. Please don't be angry."
Liu Zhen then asked, "So, does that mean you agree to go find your birth parents?"
Chen Xiao nodded, though he felt unconvinced.
He then added, "No matter if I find my birth parents or not, you are still my mom, the person closest to me!"
Liu Zhen smiled with relief, "Your words are enough for me."
After drinking the porridge, Liu Zhen fell asleep again shortly after.
By revealing this long-held secret, it seemed she had unburdened herself, and even her brow smoothed out.
Chen Xiao went to the window and gazed at the moonlight outside, his heart stirred by a ripple.
He didn't care about his birth parents.
What truly stirred his heart was the Yin-Yang jade pendant he had worn around his neck since childhood.
He had long noticed the fine patterns on the pendant, which hadn't been there last month. They had only appeared after he obtained the Divine Emperor's inheritance.
This made him wonder if the Yin-Yang jade pendant had anything to do with the Divine Emperor's inheritance.
If it did, what was the origin of this Yin-Yang jade pendant?
Thinking of this, Chen Xiao felt that if he had the chance, he would have to seek information related to his birth parents.
Chen Xiao took out the Yin-Yang jade pendant and carefully caressed it.
At this moment, his expression suddenly changed.
He discovered that the Yin-Yang jade pendant contained wisps of spiritual energy.
And that spiritual energy was actually Chen Xiao's own.
The Yin-Yang jade pendant could absorb his spiritual energy autonomously!
This meant it was a sentient magical artifact.
Once it absorbed enough spiritual energy, it could awaken and possess its own consciousness.
Chen Xiao's heart was greatly moved. He hadn't expected this Yin-Yang jade pendant, which had been with him since childhood, to be a sentient magical artifact.
After all, even in the Divine Realm, where heavenly treasures were abundant, sentient magical artifacts were exceedingly rare.
Chen Xiao immediately sat down cross-legged and began to cultivate the Nine Revolutions Canglan Art.
The stronger his power became, the greater the chance of the Yin-Yang jade pendant awakening.
While cultivating, Chen Xiao suddenly felt it was time for him to learn a martial skill.
Although he had killed the Qi realm expert Wu Dingbang with a single punch today, he had relied entirely on his brute strength, with no technique involved.
If he were to fight against a master like Xiao Tiance, the God of the Northern Army, he truly had no confidence in winning.
Soon, Chen Xiao decided on the martial skill he would cultivate.
Canglan True Martial!
This martial skill was uniquely created by Emperor Canglan. When executed, it could split heaven and earth, and sever mountains and rivers.
It would be more than enough to dominate Earth.
...
After dawn, Chen Xiao concealed his aura and ended his cultivation.
A while later, Liu Zhen also woke up.
Chen Xiao bought breakfast and ate with her.
After breakfast, Liu Zhen was to be discharged from the hospital.
Chen Xiao knew his mother was fine now, so he agreed.
He first took his mother home, and then returned to the hospital.
It was already past eight o'clock, with less than an hour before work.
But that was enough time to give Li Ziqing a massage.
Ten thousand yuan for one session, it was a profit to be made.
Chen Xiao arrived outside Li Ziqing's hospital room and saw a man in a yellow vest peering outside the door.
The man in the yellow vest was looking through the glass in the door, acting suspiciously.
Chen Xiao walked over and sternly asked, "What are you doing?"
The man in the yellow vest was startled. When had Chen Xiao approached? He hadn't noticed at all.
The man in the yellow vest replied, "I'm here to deliver takeout."
Chen Xiao frowned, "Takeout? Where's the takeout?"
The man in the yellow vest pointed inside, "It's already been delivered."
Through the window, Chen Xiao saw Li Ziqing scooping a spoonful of soup and about to bring it to her mouth.
Chen Xiao instinctively felt something was wrong and kicked open the hospital room door.