The Wise Mind of An Linghui

Xu Mu was still in a state of shock. Where on earth had he ended up?

The people here weren't quite right.

Now he finally understood why Ji Liang had been made the chairman of the Sanitation Department.

He also understood why the alien races on Dragon Nation soil were so quiet, unlike abroad, where they had already infiltrated every aspect of society.

Xu Mu followed Ji Liang, looking at the house before them, also built of yellow earth.

But it was actually three houses clustered together, with about twenty meters between each. This formed a large open area in the middle.

Beside them stood a few paulownia trees, and between two of them, a swing had been set up.

Through his perception, Xu Mu detected that Ji Qingge was lying in a bedroom of one of the houses, looking at her phone.

"Qingge!"

Ji Liang called out again, and when there was still no response, he walked straight into one of the houses.

An Linghui sat on the swing in the courtyard, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

"What's the matter? Not getting along well with each other?"

Xu Mu asked with a smile.

"That's right. Back then, I was never prepared to be a mother. I had her by accident, without really thinking it through."

An Linghui gently swayed the swing. "So to her, I was never a good mother. Even a few years ago, if there was something good to eat, I'd fight her for it."

"Damn!"

Xu Mu was utterly stunned, inwardly marveling at how powerful the old man in the hat was—two women who didn't get along at all, yet he had managed to win them both over.

Just then, Ji Qingge, led by Ji Liang, came out of the room holding her phone. This time she wasn't wearing her armor, just a simple floral dress, her shoulder-length hair looking a bit messy.

"Qingge, it's been three years. You seem to have changed quite a bit."

An Linghui stood up from the swing with a smile.

"Mhm."

Ji Qingge gave a short response, then sat down on a stool nearby, continuing to stare at her phone.

The people around them all fell silent, not knowing what to say.

Xu Mu felt the atmosphere was getting awkward, so he took the initiative to speak up: "I must say, I'm quite surprised. Auntie was trapped for three years—no food, no water—and yet she's still alive and well."

"Xu Mu! Qingge can call me mother, but you can't call me auntie."

An Linghui shot Xu Mu a cold glance.

Xu Mu rolled his eyes. Damn it, can't you see I'm just trying to break the ice here?

"That's right, Xu Mu has a point. Qingge, your mother didn't come back for years because she was trapped in the inner realm. Three years, trapped the whole time."

Ji Liang chimed in from the side.

"Even before she got trapped, she rarely came home more than a few times a year."

Ji Qingge said while looking down at her phone, speaking to herself.

Hearing this, Ji Liang didn't know what to say either.

Although their mother-daughter relationship had never been great, Ji Liang had thought that after several years apart, they would have grown closer. Apparently, that wasn't the case.

"Senior, I've already brought you the person. As for the divine medicine you promised me, when will you make good on it?"

Xu Mu changed the subject.

"Oh, I've had it ready for you for a long time. I'm not a stingy man."

Ji Liang went into another room and brought out a piece of ganoderma that looked like jade. Around it, a faint glow could still be seen.

Xu Mu, with his expertise in medicine, recognized it at once. "A Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ganoderma."

"You know your stuff. What do you think of it?"

Ji Liang asked with a smile.

"Senior, this is too precious. This divine medicine that enhances strength, once refined and activated, can greatly boost even those at the Realm-Breaking level."

Xu Mu waved his hand. "You'd better exchange it for something else."

"I've already taken it out—how can I take it back?"

Ji Liang handed it to Xu Mu. "Take it. Linghui's life is worth more than this thing."

Ji Qingge looked up at Xu Mu. "Just take it. You did save me once before."

Xu Mu reached out and accepted it, then said, "I can refine this into pills. I'll do it right here on the spot, and afterward I'll give you five of them."

"Of course. Old Wei always said your alchemy skills were impressive too."

Ji Liang nodded with a smile.

This man really was something—not the type to covet treasures.

"Impressive isn't the word for it. He's an eighth-rank alchemist."

An Linghui chimed in from the side.

"What? Eighth-rank?"

Ji Qingge's eyes went wide in disbelief. He's this young—how could he possibly be eighth-rank?

After all, alchemy and combat were not the same path. Being a great alchemist didn't mean you were a great fighter.

A person's energy was limited. Ji Qingge couldn't understand how Xu Mu could be so powerful in battle while also excelling at alchemy.

Compared to Ji Qingge, Ji Liang wasn't nearly as shocked.

The final spark was extremely hard to cultivate, requiring tremendous sacrifice.

Xu Mu's proficiency with it showed he was a man of great diligence.

So it was only natural that his alchemy skills were this strong.

"I'm just a bit talented when it comes to alchemy."

Xu Mu smiled at Ji Qingge. "I'll refine it right here. Please don't disturb me during the process."

With that, Xu Mu walked to the corner of the courtyard. The medicine's effect was to strengthen one's inner power, used to forcibly break through realms.

Xu Mu brought out his furnace and the other rare herbs needed to activate the medicine's effect.

The others watching from the side were taken aback—the auxiliary ingredients alone included two eighth-rank spiritual herbs.

Xu Mu entered a state of deep focus, pouring his concentration into the work.

The three people nearby all watched him, noticing that his movements were fluid and seamless, without a single moment of hesitation.

"To think he entered that state so easily. This Xu Mu is truly formidable."

Ji Liang shook his head slightly, then turned to An Linghui. "What needs to be said should be said. Better to make it clear sooner. What's your stance toward our family now?"

Hearing this, Ji Qingge lowered her head again and looked at her phone, pretending not to care.

"I... I don't want to be tied down by this family. I still have many things to do. I need to seek revenge."

An Linghui returned to the swing and spoke quietly.

"Are you holding a grudge against me? Because when your parents died back then, I didn't help you get revenge?"

Ji Liang sat on the chair next to Ji Qingge and asked.

"No, I've never thought that way. On the contrary, I deeply admire who you are. You had your reasons, and I fully understand the Ji family's position."

An Linghui shook her head. "So I've never brought it up. I just wanted to..."

At that, she stole a glance at Ji Qingge, who was still staring at her phone, and didn't finish her sentence.

"If you have something to say, just say it. These tangled, unresolved matters are the most annoying. Better to cut through them cleanly."

Ji Liang looked at An Linghui's expression and already guessed what was on her mind.

Still, he wanted her to say it out loud—mainly, to say it to Ji Qingge.

"Then I won't hold back. I want to live my own life. Qingge is my daughter, and she always will be, but I don't want to be bound by all this. If Hongqi were still alive, I might have settled into being a devoted wife and mother, but he left far too soon."

An Linghui paused at this point, shifting her gaze to Ji Liang. "To be honest with you, the exchanges I had with Hongqi were even fewer than those I've had with you."

Ji Liang let out a deep sigh. "I understand."