"Master, we want to see Mother. Please, Master, let us see Mother!" Yue'er pleaded, blinking her large, beautiful eyes at him with an irresistible charm. The Azure Emperor glanced at the three of them, noting the anticipation and earnest pleading etched on their young faces. He paused for a moment, then, with a graceful sweep of his sleeve, a shimmering, ethereal image materialized before them. In the projection, their mother sat cross-legged, enveloped in a vibrant green aura. Powerful currents of spiritual energy surged and swirled around her, a testament to her intense cultivation. Seeing her familiar face, so dear to them, the three children instinctively took a step forward, their voices rising in a unified cry. "Mother!" Their heartfelt calls, however, went unanswered. Yet, seeing that she appeared unharmed, Hao'er couldn't help but turn his gaze to their master, seeking further reassurance. "Master, my mother has already endured so many lightning tribulations," he began, his voice laced with a hopeful tremor. "She will surely be able to navigate the remaining ones smoothly, won't she?" The Azure Emperor looked at Hao'er, observing the genuine worry and anxiety reflected in his young eyes. He then shifted his gaze back to Feng Jiu in the image, noting her robust spiritual state. With a reassuring nod, he affirmed, "Barring any unforeseen complications, she should complete the remaining lightning tribulations without issue." A visible wave of relief washed over Hao'er. He exhaled softly, then broke into a wide, joyful smile. "That's wonderful! I knew Mother would be fine." Muchen and Muyue exchanged glances, their faces also lighting up with happy smiles, echoing Hao'er's relief. They watched the floating image for a while longer. Perhaps because the three lightning tribulations scheduled for today had already passed, they observed their mother primarily recuperating and restoring her energy. After a period of quiet observation, their master gently dispersed the image with another wave of his hand. "Alright, now return and focus on your cultivation," the Azure Emperor instructed, motioning for them to leave. "Children shouldn't dwell too much on adult matters." The trio had accomplished their objective. They had seen their mother, confirming her well-being, and received their master's assurance that her ascension would proceed smoothly. With their minds eased, the three bowed respectfully and withdrew, their mission complete. Meanwhile, in the bustling city, Shen Shiqi and the scattered cultivators who had accompanied Yue'er on her previous visit found themselves back once more. Their ongoing quest to locate the elusive, fox-like girl they had encountered on the road, however, remained fruitless. At a quaint restaurant, they sat by a window, sipping wine and idly munching on peanuts. One of the cultivators broke the silence, a note of frustration in his voice. "Old Shen, it's been over a year now, and we haven't heard a single piece of news about that little girl. The people we dispatched to find her have also come up empty-handed. It seems she's either still secluded within her sect or deeply hidden in the mountains. Otherwise, with our network, we surely would have uncovered some trace of her." Fоr сhаrасtеr shееts аnd glоssаriеs, visit "Indeed!" another chimed in. "Over the past year, we've covertly investigated all the prominent families in the region, but there's no sign of that little girl whatsoever. She must not be from around here. But what I find truly perplexing is this: how could such a young girl have evaded our pursuit so completely?" "Not only is she not in this city, but she's not even in any of the neighboring towns we've checked," added a third wandering cultivator, popping a peanut into his mouth as he spoke. "We've even posted pictures of her, but there hasn't been a single clue. She's truly mysterious. And it's been over a year now since we last saw her." Shen Shiqi, idly swirling the wine in his cup, chuckled softly. "It is precisely because she's so mysterious that she remains so utterly interesting!"