"When will you come back, Mama?" Xu Yiyi blinked her clear large eyes and asked.

"Do you see those white stars in the sky? When you can fly up to those stars, Mama will come back," Ruan Tang replied.

Xu Yiyi stood on tiptoe to look.

Daddy said that at the Golden Core Realm, one can traverse the void.

She and her brother had already broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm, wouldn't flying to those stars be a piece of cake?

So she exclaimed joyfully, "Then Mama will be back very soon. Ping'an, come and see, don't those white stars look like a flower?"

"No, they don't." Xu Ping'an shook his head straightforwardly.

"They clearly look a lot like the Haitang flowers at home."

Xu Yiyi said, pouting a bit, "Mama, I miss Daddy, I really want to go home."

"Daddy will be home soon."

Ruan Tang tapped her daughter's nose gently and said warmly, "While I'm away, you have to take good care of Ping'an, okay?"

"I'm a boy, I don't need her protection."

"Her?"

Xu Yiyi raised an eyebrow.

Xu Ping'an immediately corrected himself, "I don't need sister's protection."

"Don't need?"

"..."

Xu Ping'an hid behind Ruan Tang and fell silent.

Xu Yiyi pretended to glare fiercely at her brother before running back to her room, "Mama, wait a bit, I have a gift to give you."

Ruan Tang wasn't in a hurry, so she waited patiently.

At this moment,

Xu Ping'an spoke softly, "Mother, are you never coming back, like... Father?"

Ruan Tang was taken aback, then smiled gently, "Mama... I would miss Ping'an and Yiyi the most, so I will definitely come back."

"People who lie, their noses will grow—uh!"

As soon as Xu Ping'an finished speaking, Ruan Tang gently pinched his nose, "Then are you afraid of a long-nosed Monster Mama?"

"Afraid."

Xu Ping'an clung tightly to Ruan Tang's sleeve, "So, Mother, don't go. You can ask Uncle Taotie, Aunt Baize, or Master Aunt to help..."

"Ping'an, let's make a pinky promise."

Ruan Tang said seriously, "When you can use your own strength to fly up to those white stars, Mama will definitely appear before you."

"Definitely?"

"Definitely."

Xu Ping'an linked pinkies with Ruan Tang.

Even though Xu Ping'an was still a small child, his brow and eyes already bore a slight resemblance to Xu Lai's.

For a moment, Ruan Tang was lost in thought.

Then Xu Ping'an took out a black wooden hairpin from his storage space and raised his small face with a smile.

But the smile couldn't hide his reddened eyes, "Auntie said these past few days, it's Mother's birthday soon, so sister and I prepared a gift. This is a farewell gift. When Mother returns, Ping'an will make another birthday gift."

"Thank you, Ping'an."

Ruan Tang accepted the hairpin, unable to put it down, and happily put it on.

"Mama!"

Xu Yiyi ran over, bouncing with joy, "Guess what's in my hands."

"Is it candy? Hmm, maybe a little accessory."

Ruan Tang guessed a few times in cooperation, but didn't guess right.

Xu Yiyi spread her hands, revealing a heart-shaped stone strung together with fine string.

"Ding-ding-ding"

As Yiyi shook her hands, a crisp sound came from inside the stone, very pleasing to the ears.

"It's a heart-shaped stone wind chime."

Xu Yiyi's large eyes were full of expectation, "Mama, do you like it?"

"Mama loves it."

Ruan Tang tied the stone wind chime to her wrist, listening to the ding-ding-ding sound, her eyes curved in a smile.

"Hee-hee, I want a kiss."

Xu Yiyi brought her rosy little cheek closer, and Ruan Tang gave her a kiss.

Xu Ping'an hesitated a bit, wanting to step forward but feeling it lacked the manly spirit. The next second, he was pushed forward by his sister, stumbling.

"Ping'an, you're not a two or three-year-old anymore. If you want a kiss, just say it, no need to be shy."

"!!!"

Xu Ping'an's face burned with embarrassment, he indeed wasn't two or three years old, he was only just one year old!

"Mwah."

Ruan Tang kissed him on the forehead.

All of Xu Ping'an's dissatisfaction vanished, feeling only that his mother's lips were slightly cool. He instinctively reached out but didn't catch hold of Ruan Tang.

What was left for him,

Was a fleeting figure that vanished in the blink of an eye.

The two little ones couldn't see it, a blue staircase extended from the back mountain to the base of the White Jade Stairway in the center of the Four Immortal Domains.

Half a quarter of an hour later.

Ruan Tang looked at the White Jade Stairway that was just within reach, and the cultivators floating nearby in the starry sky.

Most of them were shrouded in the aura of death, their eyes had long lost their gleam, looking up desperately at the White Jade Stairway and the blood-red fruit.

An Immortal Path.

An Immortal Fruit.

It attracted a large number of Immortal Venerables from the Immortal Domain, Quasi-Emperor Realm cultivators, all trying to seize the chance of immortal destiny on the brink of death.

Some of these cultivators held significant status, the Lords of Holy Lands or clan patriarchs who should have fallen several or even dozens of eras ago, sealed at the brink of death within the Dao Endowments.

One, to awaken in times of existential crisis for the Holy Lands or clan, to make one last effort.

Two, to wait for a superlative chance like the Immortal Path and Immortal Fruit.

Yet they all failed, regardless of their boundary, exploding into clouds of blood mist on the Immortal Path.

Most of the cultivators couldn't even leave a single small step stained with red.

Of course.

Not all the cultivators here intended to tread the Immortal Path or pluck the Immortal Fruit. Many were watching the 'moths to a flame', hoping to gain insights to advance.

But most were at least at the Celestial Venerable Realm, very few like Ruan Tang were in the Venerable Realm.

"Are you ready?"

The old man of Netherworld sat at the bow of the ship, his voice a bit hoarse.

"Yes."

Ruan Tang nodded, "No matter the outcome, my thanks to Daoist Huang."

That said.

Ruan Tang took a step back, giving Huang Zhongtian a deep bow, then prepared to fly towards the White Jade Stairway.

Huang Zhongtian's eyes flickered, "You still have time to back out now. Once you step onto the White Jade Stairway, everything... will be irreversible."

Ruan Tang paused her steps, didn't say a word, looked strangely at Huang Zhongtian, her gaze making him feel uneasy, causing him to smile awkwardly:

"Daoist Ruan, I gave you the Suiya, so you can't burn bridges now."

"Daoist Huang, you don't have to pretend. I know Divine General Bai was right, you have something in mind coming to find me, although I don't know what it is yet."

Ruan Tang's voice was light, as Huang Zhongtian's smile faded, "Then why did you still do this deal with me?"

"Trade is always like this."

Ruan Tang swung the black lantern, which had transformed from the Suiya in her hand, "You give the goods, I pay, though the payment is my life."

"Daoist Ruan, don't you want to know why it was you, and not your daughter Xu Yiyi or Baize, or Yu Guiwan to pluck the Immortal Fruit?"

Huang Zhongtian stared intently at Ruan Tang, trying to spot a trace of regret or curiosity on her face.

But he was disappointed.

Ruan Tang showed no change in her mood, merely asking calmly, "Is it important?"

"Very important."

"Will you tell me?"

"I will, and the information is free, consider it a bonus."

"Every so-called free gift has long been priced indirectly."

As Ruan Tang flew within a hundred feet of the White Jade Stairway, her voice came distantly, "Daoist Huang, this second deal, I won't make it."