Chapter Seven: My Love, Mei’er Misses You So Much!

Hearing the sounds from within, Su Xingyue’s face filled with anxiety.

"Mother!"

With a startled cry, she ignored the warnings from inside and pulled Lin Fan into the room. The chamber was dim, lit only by a few candles flickering atop a central stand. The room was vast and empty, containing nothing but a low table and a few prayer mats. On the table sat a bronze incense burner, where three sticks of sandalwood had burned down to embers, leaving a faint, lingering fragrance in the air.

Beneath the candlelight, a woman of about forty years sat cross-legged on a mat. She wore a purple dress that clung to her graceful, shapely figure. Time seemed to have left few marks upon her, adding instead a sense of mature allure. Lin Fan was secretly surprised; he had expected Su Xingyue’s mother to be at least fifty or sixty, especially since Su Xingyue herself was thirty. He had not anticipated such a stunningly mature beauty. Yet, upon reflection, it was standard for cultivators—especially female ones—to possess techniques that preserved their youthful appearance.

The woman bore a slight resemblance to Su Xingyue, though her features held a more mature charm. Lin Fan could not help but steal a few extra glances. It was clear, however, that she was in a poor state. Her willow-leaf brows were furrowed in pain, and fine, crystal-clear beads of sweat dotted her forehead. The perspiration had soaked through her clothing, causing the purple fabric to cling tightly to her skin and trace an astonishingly breathtaking silhouette.

Lin Fan felt his throat go dry. He quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look further. "Do not look at what is improper," he muttered to himself.

Su Xingyue, oblivious to Lin Fan’s internal struggle, looked at her mother with eyes full of worry. "Mother, how are you?" Her voice trembled slightly.

"I am fine. I can still suppress it for now," Su Mei said, fighting through the agony. "You must leave quickly. If I lose my grip on my senses, I fear I might hurt you!"

Su Xingyue urgently pulled on Lin Fan’s arm. "Hurry! Hurry and help my mother break through!"

Lin Fan gave a soft grunt of acknowledgment and stepped forward obediently. Su Mei remained seated on the mat, her eyes tightly shut as if lost in a state of chaos. Looking down at her from above, her figure appeared even more voluptuous, making Lin Fan’s mouth go dry once more. He slowly crouched down, a faint, ethereal fragrance washing over him and causing his heart to flutter.

He reached out and gently took Su Mei’s soft, trembling hand. Her skin was slick with sweat. He whispered to himself, "System, help her break through!"

[Ding! Consumed 50 years of lifespan to help Su Mei break through the twelfth-level bottleneck of Qi Refining!]
[Host's remaining lifespan: 27 years.]

As the system’s voice echoed in Lin Fan’s ears, Su Mei’s aura, previously calm, began to fluctuate violently like boiling water. Her spiritual power surged, creating a strong current that made her purple dress whip about.

Lin Fan tried to pull his hand away, but Su Mei’s wrist flickered, and her five slender, jade-like fingers coiled around his like a spirit snake, locking their hands tightly together. Lin Fan was shocked by this sudden turn of events. He tried to break free, but Su Mei’s grip felt as heavy as a thousand pounds; no matter how hard he struggled, he could not budge.

Helpless, he cast a look of appeal toward Su Xingyue. Seeing this, Su Xingyue frowned slightly and explained, "Don't be anxious. My mother is at the critical moment of her breakthrough, and her spirit is cut off from the outside world. Once she completes it, she will naturally let you go." Although her voice was calm, a flicker of hidden worry crossed her eyes.

Before the words had even faded, a sudden change occurred!

Su Mei, who had been keeping her eyes tightly shut, suddenly snapped them open. Her previously vacant, unfocused eyes were now clear and bright. Her pupils locked onto Lin Fan, filled with complex emotions—confusion, surprise, and an indescribable tenderness.

"Husband, are you alright?" Su Mei parted her crimson lips, her voice as soft as water, laced with trembling concern.

Lin Fan stood frozen. *Husband?* What was happening?

Su Xingyue’s expression shifted drastically. "Oh no! My mother’s inner demons have taken hold, and she has fallen into an illusion. She thinks you are my father..." She could not bring herself to finish. Her mother mistaking Lin Fan for her father? This was utterly absurd!

More absurdly, Su Mei stood up and pulled Lin Fan into her arms.

Lin Fan felt a soft, jade-like touch accompanied by a faint fragrance, setting his heart racing. He tried to pull away, only to find himself restrained by an invisible force. *Well! She's soft, she smells good, but I’m suffocating!*

Seeing this, Su Xingyue called out anxiously, "Mother, wake up!"

Su Mei clearly did not respond. Su Xingyue then pulled a "Heart-Clearing Talisman" from the storage bag at her waist. She channeled her spiritual power into the talisman, which began to glow with a soft light, and attempted to place it on Su Mei.

However, the moment the talisman approached, Su Mei struck out with her palm. The blow, like a crashing wave, carried the immense power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator and slammed into Su Xingyue’s chest.

"Bang!" With a muffled thud, Su Xingyue was sent flying, crashing heavily against a pillar in the room. She spat out a mouthful of blood, her face turning as pale as paper. She struggled to stand, but her body felt as if it had been shattered, and she could only watch helplessly.

"Wooo... help... save me, I'm... suffocating..."

Lin Fan felt speechless. What sin had he committed? He had tried to help someone break through, only to nearly lose his own life. Just as Lin Fan was struggling to breathe, Su Mei finally released him. She grabbed his shoulders, her eyes brimming with tenderness.

"Husband, have you forgotten your Mei'er?"

Lin Fan’s brow beaded with sweat. Glancing at the fallen Su Xingyue, he groaned internally. If Su Xingyue, at the tenth level of Qi Refining, had been struck down like that, wouldn't he be killed instantly if he took a hit? His heart leaped into his throat. He forced himself to remain calm; he could not anger Su Mei now, or his life would truly be in jeopardy.

"Mei... Mei'er..." Lin Fan’s voice trembled. He gulped, trying to make his tone sound as gentle as possible. "How could I ever forget you? Didn't I just... return?"

In this crisis, Lin Fan could not afford to hesitate. He had to go with the flow, pretending to be her husband to stabilize the situation. Hearing his voice, the once-dazed eyes of Su Mei became even more clouded.

"Husband... it really is you... you didn't die... Mei'er missed you so much..."

Then, her red lips pressed down, and the room was filled with enchantment...