So hard to write this chapter... I was going to skip over all this talking and stuff, but figured I shouldn't. Let me tell you, it was a long thought process over how to have a conversation between 'father' and 'son' without it getting weird. I mean he's your father, but not your father at the same time. How the heck would you write a conversation like that!? Anyways, I couldn't think of anything so I just wrote what I felt would be ok. (Even people I asked didn't come up with an answer xD)

Chapter of the day, enjoy!

Soaring Dragon Continent

Looking at the the person in front of him, Qiu Zhen was at a loss for words. There was no mistaking it, this young man had to be his son. That hair, eyes, even the way he walked was similar to himself. If he was not his son, then he didn’t know what a son was. Although his appearance looked like himself, he felt something else. It was a similar feeling he got when he was around Yan Xiang. A strange feeling of warmth.

This feeling was natural. Just like a baby knows it’s mother, a father will always know and want to protect their child. Seeing Chang Mo right in front of him, his body was reacting to him. It wanted to give him a hug, tell him it would be ok. Qiu Zhen urged his body not to move, not to react. He couldn’t hug Chang Mo because Chang Mo isn’t his son. It’s Chang Mu’s son. Although he himself is Chang Mu, he cannot reveal it, no matter what.

Qiu Zhen came here to check on Yan Xiang, but he didn’t think he would also come across Chang Mo also. He sensed Chang Mo coming this way, so he just had to approach. What kind of father would not want to see their own child?

There was so much Qiu Zhen wanted to ask Chang Mo. How was his life? How is his mother? Did he miss him? The questions flooded his mind, but they were hard to say. It’s not that Qiu Zhen didn’t want to say them, more like he couldn’t find the words to express them.

How does one have a heartfelt conversation with their son if their son hasn’t even seen them once. How can Qiu Zhen tell Chang Mo he’s his father without actually telling him that? Just thinking about that alone makes Qiu Zhen head hurt.

“Who are you?” Chang Mo questioned Qiu Zhen.

Qiu Zhen calmed himself down. If he can’t talk to his own son like a father, why not talk to him about his father?

“I’m… a friend of your parents.” Qiu Zhen said.

He didn’t think this would work, but why not give it a try. Naturally if a child hears about their parents from another person, they’ll be curious of what they have to say.

“You can’t be. You are almost as old as I am. How can you know my parents?” Chang Mo asked.

This made sense. Qiu Zhen was only fifteen years of age, his age was extremely similar to Chang Mo. If Chang Mo doesn’t know his own father, then how could Qiu Zhen. Not to mention his mother never left the clan, so how would Qiu Zhen know?

“You’re father was a friend of mines. I’ve heard stories from him, so I know about your parents. I’ve wanted to see if you are anything like them. I can see your looks can compare to your fathers.”

“Fatherr? I have no father. The man you call my father is a piece of trash. Something we spit on, something that bends over and rolls around for others. Something we can toss out when we are done with it. That father of mines, is a lowly piece of trash.”

Qiu Zhen was shocked. His own son thought of him like that, but why? Sure he died, but it wasn’t his fault he had to die. It was Chang Chi’s fault that he died. Still, a dead man can’t do anything to mistreat his own son. So why in heaven's name is he disrespecting his father!?

“Is that truly what you believe? From the stories i’ve heard, your father was a great man. Sure, he had his ups and downs, but he was still a good man.”

Chang Mo coldly snorted. “If he was such a good man, why is he dead? From what uncle has told me, he stole all of uncles credit for himself.”

‘Damnit Chang Chi! What have you told my boy!? This is how you are playing? Feeding my child lies!’ Qiu Zhen thought to himself.

“Your uncle huh. From my understanding, he wasn’t a great man. On the outside he appeared humble, but on the inside he was vicious. He would do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Truly a man like that should have been the one to die instead.”

Qiu Zhen’s thoughts were his true feelings. He cared deeply for Chang Chi when they were growing up, but Chang Chi was simply too much. He didn’t care for others and only himself. If he liked something he would use any means to acquire it. Look at Qiu Zhen for example, Chang Chi wanted the pendant and poisoned his own brother. Such a person is truly lower than any scum on this earth and should not exist.

“Don’t you dare talk about my uncle like that!” Chang Mo snapped at Qiu Zhen.

“He was and is a better man than my father ever was or will be! At least he tried to help mother in her time of need instead of leaving her in tears!”

‘Yan’er in tears? I would never…’ Qiu Zhen muttered to himself. He didn’t care much for how much his son praised Chang Chi, but saying that he left his own wife in tears was something else. His only love in the world is in tears? How can Qiu Zhen sit back and watch this?

He approached Chang Mo who was slightly startled. It seemed as if he was afraid of Qiu Zhen and took a step back. Qiu Zhen’s eyes had different emotions flashing through them. He grabbed Chang Mo by the shoulders and said, “Where’s Yan’er? Why is she crying?”

Chang Mo didn’t know what was going on. He met someone who told him he knew of his parents and talked about his father. He didn’t know if this man in front of him was speaking the truth or not, but when he spoke his mother's name it was filled with endless emotion. Having Qiu Zhen’s grip on him didn’t even make him feel uncomfortable, instead secure. Like his own father was there watching over him.

This was the first time he felt something like this. It didn’t matter if he lived with Chang Chi because Chang Chi never gave him this same feeling. No other man could give him such a feeling, not unless it was his own father. But yet, this young man who he doesn’t even know gave him such a feeling.

Chang Mo felt secure, and hearing Qiu Zhen speak of his mother he felt relieved. He didn’t know why he did, but he did. It was like a father who came back from a long journey was now returning and wanted to meet his loved one. That was the type of feeling Chang Mo was feeling from Qiu Zhen. He unconsciously pointed towards a room not far from where they were standing.

“M-mother is that way.” He slowly said. He didn’t understand the feeling that Qiu Zhen was giving him and he himself was scared of it. However he still told Qiu Zhen where his mother was located.

After he spoke he realized what he has done. What if Qiu Zhen was an assassin who was after his mother's life? He gave her location up and now he could easily go kill her!

Qiu Zhen let go of Chang Mo’s shoulder and looked in the direction he pointed. There was a light coming out of the room. He started walking towards the room, until Chang Mo grabbed him.

“What are you doing!? Let me go!”

“No! What are you going to do to my mother!?”

“I have to deliver a message. It was left for my father by your father. My father is too old to deliver it himself so he trusted me with it.”

There was no way that this was true, but it was his only hope. He needed to see Yan Xiang, even if it was only a glimpse. He needed to tell her it would be alright and that he would have his revenge. He needed to tell her that she should not cry over his death but accept that he was dead. She needed to continue living her life not only for herself, but for him. He needed her to be the strong woman she once was.

“What message?” Chang Mo asked.

“A message from Chang Mu. It was his last wish that he wanted to be fulfilled if he ever died.”

Chang Mo released Chang Mu from his grip and stared at him. What sort of message did his father leave behind? Why didn’t he tell his mother of this before he died?

Chang Mo still had to go meet with Chang Chi, but that wasn’t important any more. If his father left a message, he wanted to hear it no matter what. ‘Let’s see what kind of man you are father.’ Chang Mo told himself.

If this message would make his mother stop crying and cheer up, then he would believe that his father was a great man. If that didn’t happen, then that would mean all the stuff Chang Chi told him was true. His father was nothing but a piece of trash that died and left them alone. Let his mother to suffer alone, and left him fatherless.

“Fine, i’ll show you the way.” Chang Mo said as he started walking towards the room.

Qiu Zhen took a deep breath as him and Chang Mo slowly approached the room. Every step he took closer felt like more weight was being added onto his shoulders. How would she look? How would she feel? Did she change in the time he hasn’t seen her? However the most important question he had wondered about, was how she would react when he appeared.

Qiu Zhen’s appearance was very similar to how he looked back in his younger days. If she noticed him even for a slight second, what would happen?

The door was right in front of his eyes. Chang Mo walked in first. “Mother, a guest has arrived.”

The woman who seemed dead looked up and became stunning. It’s not that she wasn’t stunning before, but the way she acted made it feel depressing. She wasn’t in the mood to see to guest, but she needed to make sure she seemed like she was. She couldn’t have others noticing her depressing behavior.

-----

‘Mu, oh my dear Mu’er. Why did you have to be the emperor? Why did you have to go to that temple. Maybe if I urged you not to go, you wouldn’t have. Maybe if we had a child before, you wouldn’t have left.’ She told herself.

She missed her husband more than she missed her own family. He was the greatest gift she could ever receive besides her child. He was the light to her star, and the heaven to her earth. She truly enjoyed every bit of him, and he did her.

When she received the news of his death, it was like her heart was ripped out from her chest and stepped out. It was like an earth without a heaven. A sea without water. Nothing could replace him in her heart, and she could do nothing about it. Being at the peak of cultivation wasn’t even her goal in life. She just wanted to be happy and enjoy the things given to her.

When she returned back to her clan for the meeting, she was depressed then. Being away from her loved one even for a moment truly hurt her. The Yan clan’s clan head was dying and they all knew it. Now they needed someone else to take over, so they called in everyone.

Sure she might have been the empress, but she is still a part of that clan. If she didn’t attend the meeting, that would be giving them a slap in the face. She could not do that, no matter what.

After the meeting she rushed home, only to receive shocking news. Her husband, the strongest man she had ever knew. The one who reached the peak of cultivation. Died. How? Who did it? Why? Those were the questions that ran through her mind when she heard that. Her perfect world came crumbling down in a split second.

That day she cried tears of blood. That day was the day she stopped living. When she fainted, she was rushed to the bed. When she woke a doctor was by her side examining her. She would have ended it all if not for what the doctor told her.

‘Pregnant.’ That word shook her. She had a new life inside her, and it was from the man she loved. ‘I can’t give up! I must continue to live even if it’s only to see our child grow up!’ She told herself.

Being in the palace only brought her memories. They were mostly good, but it still hurt her. Being constantly reminded of her dead husband wasn’t good for her heart at all. She was left with no choice but to move back to her clan. In the palace, there was nothing left for her there.

Years past, and her child grew up. He had a stunning appearance just like his father. This made her wish for him even more, and remembered each and every moment they spent together. Looking at her son she was reminded of Chang Mu. She couldn’t continue doing that, so she didn’t pay him much attention. If she gave him love and affection like he needed, she would get too attached. She feared that if he grew up and wanted to be like his father, he would end up the same. Her heart couldn’t take it, so it was better if she didn’t give him a lot of affection. Maybe then he won’t become like his father.

Time slowly passed and Chang Chi came. Her son had talent, and she knew it. She thought of crippling him so he would become normal, but she couldn’t do that. What sort of mother would hurt their own child for their own safety? If he wanted to be like his father, she would let him.

“Mother a guest has arrived.”

She was thinking about all that has happened, but that all broke down when she heard her son’s voice. A guest was coming so she shouldn't be like this. ‘It’s ok, as long as they don't’ stay too long, it’ll be fine.’ She told herself while changing the way she sat. She looked up and made herself cheerful.

A young man walked in. His eyes were filled with complicated emotions as he looked at her. Her eyes locked with his, and a tear streamed down her face. ‘It… can’t be!’ She told herself.

“Mu’er!” She almost screamed as she placed her hand over her mouth.