Contrary to what Su Qingcheng thought, the entire debacle with Master Shi and the Ghost Bandits didn’t actually last too long. Fortunately, Snake Empress Fang Li had made her entrance at an opportune time, causing the situation to be resolved very fast. This gave them ample time to catch up on the road and hopefully get to Bailing City on time. When everyone was situated back in the carriage, Fang Li had secretly injected her Death Python Tianqi into the wood of the carriage, giving it a very subtle aura of death. This is what she meant when she said that as long as she was around, no one would dare to get near it. The aura of death from the python tianqi would cause people who got near it to be very afraid.

Su Qingcheng blinked when Fang Li eventually invited her to initiate the conversation. “Then tell me from the beginning. At least, what you know about her.” Su Qingcheng asked seriously.

Fang Li stretched her arms and nodded. “It’s a bit of a long story. Of course, I don’t wouldn’t know anything about her in her formative years, but that isn’t important. What you need to know is that she’s one of the only living members of the Nie bloodline,” she pointed out. “The Nie bloodline used to be a great ancient power that existed since the Bailing Empire was first established. We call it the Nie bloodline despite the actual bloodline power they possess being the power of the Jade Doll’s Spirit… This is why only women can wield the Ghost Calamity Palm. The Jade Doll’s Spirit bloodline originates from an ancient yin beast called the Jade Fox,” she then added.

“So what does that have to do with mom?” Su Qingcheng asked. Su Yanran’s interest also piqued sharply.

“The Ghost Calamity Palm is an ancient mystical Universe-rank technique that was devised by the elder matriarchs of the Nie family,” Fang Li continued to exposit. “It takes its power directly from the Jade Doll’s Spirit bloodline in order to forcefully ignite tianqi into a flame that can directly touch another person’s soul. It is an incredibly tyrannical method that the Nie family’s women used to establish their foothold in the empire and became a feared existence that only Tianqi Emperors and a certain Tianqi God could dare to fight against.”

Su Qingcheng nodded, inwardly terrified of her mother who possessed a Universe-rank technique capable of totally destroying a person from the inside and rendering their physical body a husk, or a shell, of their former self. It was actually a fate worse than death. You left behind a corpse that could never reincarnate or even be resurrected. It might as well have been better to be burned alive… At least you felt pain. But having your soul blown up… How would that feel? Su Qingcheng already started sweating bullets.

“Mother was that strong?”

“Right. She was offered the position of a matriarch of the Nie family when young, but she decided she wanted to travel the empire in search of powerful opponents. However, when she used her Ghost Calamity Palm to defeat and kill everyone who wanted to battle her, she grew addicted to it and began using it to wantonly pick fights with everyone under the sun with the preconceived notion of ‘increasing her battle experience.’”

“Gulp.”

“This went on for a long time until she found one person who could match her battle prowess… This would be the Sect Leader of the Night Lily Sect, Yao Meiyue,” Fang Li explained. “The Night Lily Sect used to be incredibly powerful also; even stronger than the Nie family. They had branches all over the Liandou Continent, which is so vast that it’s even bigger than this empire would tell you. However, one of the branches infuriated a Tianqi God existence by accidentally murdering his daughter in a freak training accident. So the Tianqi God demolished everything belonging to the Night Lily Sect. Sect Leader Yao Meiyue was the only survivor.”

Yao Meiyue who was currently in spirit form tried very hard not to reveal her presence, as everything Fang Li was saying was definitely true. And it would cause Su Qingcheng a lot of trouble if Fang Li realized that Su Qingcheng was receiving training from the very same person.

“As far as I know, after this event, Yao Meiyue disappeared from the face of the continent, most likely to continue her personal training in seclusion. She re-emerged after reaching half a step into the Tianqi God stratum, but unfortunately had to meet your mother, who almost managed to beat her. However, Yao Meiyue was already about to become a god. The sheer differences in ranks was her only advantage.”

“So… Mother wanted to become Yao Meiyue’s disciple…”

“That’s right. Your mother became her first and last personal disciple. Under Yao Meiyue’s teachings, Nie Ran’s power beyond the Ghost Calamity Palm skyrocketed. However, the addiction to using it had decreased by an incredible amount. Eventually, Nie Ran discovered that she didn’t want anything to do with the Nie family line anymore. When she returned to her family, she discovered that all her relatives had forgotten about her due to hearing about her tyrannical deeds… And it turns out they disowned her.”

“…That’s…”

“Nie Ran was grief-stricken. She didn’t know what to do.”

“There’s one thing I’m missing from all this,” Su Yanran suddenly interrupted the conversation.

“What’s that?”

“Where do you come in? How do you know so much about mom’s past?” Su Yanran pointed out the obvious.

“It’s a long story. I only come in after Yao Meiyue died.”

Su Qingcheng knew for sure that Yao Meiyue was not actually dead, otherwise she wouldn’t be learning from her right now. However, she couldn’t deny that she was curious about how Yao Meiyue lost her body.

“Your mother and Yao Meiyue had a very close relationship. I think that’s the reason why I couldn’t really ever get close to her. Losing Yao Meiyue had mentally damaged her and reduced her capacity for decisive violence,” Fang Li sighed, almost as if she was regretting it for her. “I don’t know the circumstances behind it because Nie Ran wouldn’t tell me. I think that would be one of the secrets she’d take with her to the grave, if she ever died. Personally, I believe they were attacked by a divine or superior existence and then Yao Meiyue sacrificed her life to save Nie Ran.”

“…"

“Anyway, I met Nie Ran shortly after I had established my tower and information network. Nie Ran sought an audience with me because she wanted information on the most ‘peaceful’ place that was around in the empire. Though Bailing Empire at that time was still pretty peaceful – though nothing compared to today’s peace – certain cities were better to settle down in than others.

Su Qingcheng now understood. Her mother wanted to establish a friendly relationship with Fang Li as to make it easier for her to gather information on the empire. However…

“Unfortunately for me, I fell in love with Nie Ran at first sight…” Fang Li sighed, shaking her head. “But she was too strong for me. Deep down inside, I knew I could never have her…”

The awkward silence became palpable as the horses hooves kept trotting along the road. Su Yanran stared incredulously at Fang Li while Su Qingcheng looked rather pensive.

“So instead, I decided to support her the best way I could. I gave in to all her requests and made sure to make her stay at my place as comfortable as possible. Everything seemed great… For a time I thought Nie Ran even liked me or shared similar feelings to me. But every time I probed about the matter, she would reject me… And then a couple years later, she would marry into the Su clan with that old fogey, Su Zhan…”

Su Qingcheng looked down at the floor by this time. A spurned lover, huh… That would explain why a terrifying existence like the Snake Empress would take the time to help us. It’s because she still loves mother deep inside…

“I wouldn’t let this incident shake me, though. I continued to build up the information network until this day when I became a superpower of the empire in my own right. I have to thank your mother for all that, for inspiring me to get stronger. Though I’m still not a match for her, I’m happy that I can still help her by helping you two cuties out.” Fang Li nodded.

“I’m sorry,” Su Qingcheng frowned. “I’m sorry you have to suffer the heartbreak.”

“It’s alright,” Fang Li laughed. “It’s the thought that counts. If you were older, I would definitely have my eyes on you by now…”

“You kidding?”

“Not at all. I’m sure you’ll be a rising star in this land in the future. Just don’t forget about me when you get there. Hehe…”

“I definitely won’t.”

Su Yanran nodded in approval. Looks like the Snake Empress wasn’t too bad if you were able to befriend her. She then smiled. “Senior, would you like to join us before we sign up for the White Snake Competition?”

“Well, I’m not allowed to sign up, but I’d be happy to accompany you two, since I was going to go watch anyway.”

“We’ll have to trouble you then, Senior. Thank you.” Su Yanran cupped her fist respectfully and bowed her head.

Su Qingcheng smiled, before thinking deep down inside about everything Fang Li said. Something’s not right… Su Qingcheng thought to herself. Everything Senior said seems believable… But I feel like her coming with us, while giving us some benefits, might also lead to some unexpected troubles. I better keep an eye out on her while we’re at Bailing City…

Just as Su Qingcheng was musing about Fang Li’s reasons about joining them, the guy manning the horses on the carriage yelled out happily.

“Everyone, we’ve arrived at Bailing City!”