My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 103 - 86: Uncle?

Chen Yi felt dizzy.

Even though he had once cleared "Heavenly Realm," Chen Yi never imagined he would encounter something like this.

He recalled that when he and Zhou Yitang were trapped in the underground palace, they discovered the remains of the Tushan Clan, sealed them again, and concluded the events at the Praying Place.

Throughout that time, the Tushan Clan hadn’t appeared in the underground palace, and nothing like possession had ever happened.

But now, the childless Empress An was caught in a half-possession and, influenced by the Tushan Clan, she believed Chen Yi was her son.

How could this be...

Where did everything go wrong?

Chen Yi couldn’t figure it out; he glanced at the fainted woman in his arms.

Empress An took a breath, seemingly about to wake up.

Chen Yi turned his head and exchanged a glance with the female crown.

"Yi’er, you’re still here, it’s good that you’re still here."

Empress An opened her eyes groggily. When she saw Chen Yi, an unconcealed joy filled her gaze.

"I... am not your son."

After hesitating, Chen Yi said slowly,

"I am Chen Yi, Thousand Household of the West Factory, and your subject..."

Chen Yi didn’t directly reveal their adversarial relationship but cautiously probed first.

"During the time of Yu Shun, subjects served their fathers, and concubines served their mothers. Naturally, you are my subject,"

Empress An replied while slowly releasing Chen Yi, speaking sorrowfully:

"...Why must you refuse to acknowledge your mother?"

Seeing her calm down slightly, Chen Yi continued to deepen his testing:

"You are the Great Yu Empress Dowager, mother of the realm..."

"Great Yu Empress Dowager..."

Empress An showed a faint trace of confusion, and the illusion of nine tails flickered behind her.

Just as Chen Yi thought she had realized something unusual, unexpectedly, her demeanor shifted as she smiled and said:

"Yi’er, what an amusing thing to say. Of course, I am the Great Yu Empress Dowager."

Chen Yi froze for a moment.

"Yu Shun of the Youyu Clan abdicated to the Xiahou Clan, hence I am naturally both the Great Yu Empress Dowager and the Great Xia Empress Dowager."

Empress An laughed foolishly, spinning in circles as she spoke.

Chen Yi was genuinely at his wit’s end; who would’ve expected that getting the Empress Dowager to recognize some anomaly would immediately be rationalized away?

The female crown raised her brows and whispered:

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Chen Yi considered for a bit, then grabbed Empress An’s shoulders and said firmly:

"Your surname is An..."

"My surname is An? Then my surname is An, so be it. Who cares about surnames? A woman only needs to know her clan name."

Chen Yi froze again, finally realizing that Empress An’s view of morality and etiquette was fundamentally different from theirs—possibly still rooted in ancient times.

Empress An spoke while stroking Chen Yi’s hair, smiling somewhat dazedly:

"How did you grow so tall all of a sudden? And you’ve gotten thinner?"

Chen Yi held her reaching hand and, after pondering for a while, decided to drop the big reveal:

"I’m not your son. We’re enemies."

Enemies...

When Empress An heard these words, her gaze became momentarily unfocused.

Just as Chen Yi let a glimmer of hope emerge in his eyes...

"Then that’s correct."

Empress An unexpectedly nodded and said.

"What’s correct?"

Even Yin Weiyin couldn’t help but speak up.

"I and my son are enemies; he killed me."

After speaking, Empress An shifted her gaze back to Chen Yi,

"Chen Yi, and you’re still claiming you’re not my son?"

Chen Yi was nearly scared out of his wits.

"I’m really not..."

In the dim underground palace, Empress An seemed provoked by this statement. A ferocious expression suddenly appeared on her face, and the nine tails behind her unfurled violently. Her beastlike mouth grinned as her blood-red eyes flared:

"Such a cruel heart, such a cruel heart—you killed me and won’t acknowledge me. How did I raise such a cold-blooded wretch!"

A vast pressure poured out. The entire burial chamber rumbled, dust falling incessantly, as though it might collapse at any moment.

Realizing things were headed south, Yin Weiyin acted quickly and said:

"It’s not like that—he just doesn’t know how to face you for the moment."

At these words, Empress An paused, her eyes welling with tears as she started crying and laughing, saying erratically:

"Doesn’t know how to face me? In this world, there are no unworthy parents—only unfilial children. A mother doesn’t blame her child. Yi’er, can we go back to being mother and son?"

Chen Yi froze, unable to speak. Empress An suddenly lunged toward him, tears streaming down as she repeated "A mother doesn’t blame her child," like a mother who had been waiting a long time at the front door and finally saw her child return.

............

"No more direct provocation..."

After leaving the burial chamber, the female crown spoke in a low voice.

"So... gradual steps."

Chen Yi rubbed his forehead.

"Don’t act too straightforwardly, or else... we’re all doomed."

The female crown warned him.

Chen Yi turned back to look at Empress An, who quietly followed them, her gaze distant and watchful, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Empress An and he were originally enemies; she used him as a blade to kill the Jin Country’s Chen Family. Upon finding out, he began scheming in return—though plans never match reality. He anticipated many things, but not that she would be influenced by the Tushan Clan and start treating him as her son...

Isn’t this a bit... too twisted?

If Empress An regains her memories one day, then what?

Suddenly gaining a "convenient mother," Chen Yi found it hard to adapt to this peculiar relationship.

As Chen Yi’s thoughts drifted, distant rumbling suddenly echoed through the underground palace.

The rumbling reverberated throughout the underground palace. From the corridor, Chen Yi peered ahead and saw giants walking through the palace, their pale, skeletal frames radiating a chilling aura, massive like a chariot.

The Fengyu Mountain God—Defang Clan.

[When Yu gathered the gods at Mount Huiji. The Defang Clan arrived late, and Yu executed them; their bones became fit for vehicles. The Defang Clan guarded Fengyu Mountain.]

Its appearance caused both Chen Yi and the female crown to furrow their brows.

Yin Weiyin looked somewhat alarmed as he gazed at this enormous mountain god, its towering figure nearly filling the entire underground palace, its giant feet leaving imprint after imprint.

Behind the Fengyu Mountain God, in stark contrast to its colossal form, were two insignificant figures. freewebnøvel.coɱ

From the distance, Chen Yi narrowed his eyes slightly at the sight.

Those two were none other than Lin Yan and his wife.

Lin Wanxiao followed cautiously behind Lin Yan, who held the compass in his hand, glancing occasionally at the towering entity in front of them.

"So... if we help that mule-headed Crown Prince capture those intruders, we can leave this place?"

Lin Family Young Lady turned her head to ask.

"Correct. You needn’t worry, my lady; few of those entering here are still alive."

Lin Yan replied. Holding the compass in his hand, irritation flashed across his mind as he thought about the mule-headed Crown Prince donning a purple-gold helmet.

He and the mule-headed Crown Prince had collaborated, assuming that no matter how large the Crown Prince’s ambitions, the well-established Lin Family would suffice to handle it. But to his dismay, the Crown Prince sought to awaken the Tushan Clan.

The collapse of the Great Yu Capital caused the Lin Family’s golden body to disintegrate and fall into the underground palace. Now, there was no path except to align with the mule-headed Crown Prince and, when the Tushan Clan fully awakened, trade for wealth and power.

Fengyu Mountain God drew closer and closer to the corridor.

Chen Yi narrowed his eyes.

The compass in Lin Yan’s hand grew warm, sensing something.

Holding his breath, Lin Yan cautiously controlled the Fengyu Mountain God, scrutinizing every corner, the compass containing parts of the Tushan remains.

Finally, amidst the underground palace echoed a cry of surprise with the soft cadence of a Jiangnan woman.

"Uncle?"