Within the Dark Ice Cave Dwelling's silence, able to swallow all sound. Tang Xiaoqi sat quietly beside Aunt Su, his brow tightly locked. The memory fragments he had witnessed echoed repeatedly in his mind—those were not merely images, but Aunt Su's deeply hidden decades of emotional torrents—affection for her sister and pain of loss, sourness of unrequited feelings for Xu Zhan, hatred of home destroyed to the bone, helplessness and self-loathing of joining the Shadow Snake Pavilion, and the torment of repeatedly struggling between betrayal and protection in darkness to shield him. He had previously believed Aunt Su's severe injuries' root cause was the demonic entity fragment'sfierce strike, tearing her soul origin.
Thus for three years, he had exhausted all means, using Azure Lotus Origin power, supplemented with the sect's best soul-nourishing pills like "Spirit-Containing Pills" and "Soul-Nourishing Fungus," carefully tending her soul as fragile as a candle in wind. The medicinal effects were not ineffective. Under his meticulous care, Aunt Su's bodily life force stabilized. The soul's most fatal shattering trend was barely halted, no longer deteriorating.
But that was all. Her soul seemed wrapped in an invisible, tough membrane. All medicinal power and nourishment could not truly reach the core, awakening that dormant consciousness. Like stagnant water, no matter how many spiritual pills were thrown in, they could only create tiny ripples on the surface, unable to stir the depths' silence.
Until now, personally "witnessing" those memory fragments, Tang Xiaoqi suddenly understood. The demonic attack was the trigger, the last straw breaking the camel's back. But what truly caused Aunt Su's soul to fall into nearly self-enclosed slumber, resisting all awakening forces, was the intricate, deeply rooted "heart knot" in her innermost heart! For her sister's death, she harbored unbearable guilt, believing she was too weak to protect her loved one; For Xu Zhan, those complex feelings and later "betrayal" (joining the Shadow Snake Pavilion) made her feel unworthy of facing him, even unconsciously believing she didn't deserve salvation; For herself, shedetested that silver-masked, blood-stained "Aunt Su," denying the long years spent in darkness.
This profound self-negation formed a solid soul barrier. These heavy heart knots, like the most stubborn toxins, had long intertwined with her damaged soul, inseparable. External medicine might repair the soul's "form," but couldn't dissolve this "essence" originating from her heart. Perhaps her subconscious even resisted awakening, because waking meant facing again those painful past events and self-perception.
"So that's it." Tang Xiaoqi murmured, eyes flashing insight, then deeper solemnity. Healing Aunt Su's soul wound was far more difficult than imagined. This involved not merely medical skill and spiritual cultivation, but issues at the deepest levels of the human heart. He recalled his own cultivation path, also having demonic disturbances, also internal torment from Father's matter and the sect's calamity.
Ultimately succeeding in breaking through repeatedly relied not only on strength growth but heart breakthrough and firmness on his path. To untie the bell, seek the one who tied it. Aunt Su's "bell" was tied to her obsession with the past and self-negation. He slowly extended his hand, fingertip not immediately transferring purification power, but lightly hovering over Aunt Su's brow.
This time, hereceivealthough all healing spiritual power, merely transferring his own tempered, resolute, peaceful guardian intention, like the gentlest moonlight, slowly conveying it. No forceful impact, no attempting to cure. Just like a silent companion, attempting to understand and touch her icy heart lake. "Aunt Su," he spoke softly via spiritual thought, his voice directly resonating at Aunt Su's chaotic consciousness's edge, carrying the power to soothe: "I know. these years you have suffered greatly." "Sister never blamed you.
Her final choice was protection, was love. If her spirit is aware in heaven, she would only hope you live well." "Father. ultimately understood your hardships. When he left, he was lucid, carrying gratitude and release toward you." "As for the Shadow Snake Pavilion past. that was not your original intention. In that endless darkness, you still guarded your heart's final light.
You protected me, again and again." "You are not anyone's shadow, not Aunt Su who can only live under a mask. You are Su Wan'er, Mother's younger sister, my Aunt Su. You are. our important family." His spiritual thoughts repeated these words countless times, without flowery rhetoric, only the most plain, sincere understanding and acceptance. He attempted to use this kinship from blood ties and unreserved forgiveness to soften that hard heart knot shell, to tell that soul sinking in self-condemnation—you deserve redemption, you deserve a new beginning.
Time flowed in silence. Tang Xiaoqi's forehead again exuded fine sweat. This method of purely communicating via thought, attempting to dissolve another's heart knots, greatly consumed his spirit—perhaps more exhausting than a great battle. He had to be extremely careful, ensuring his thoughts carried no force, only warmth and guidance.
Otherwise, once triggeringorigincouldrejection from her soul, consequences would be unthinkable. Who knows how long passed. Just as Tang Xiaoqi began feeling his spirit waver, he acutely sensed an extremely faint, barely perceptible fluctuation from deep within Aunt Su's dormant consciousness. That fluctuation wasn't a sign of awakening.
It was more like in boundless darkness and cold, some tightly sealed cornerorigincould, extremely slightly. loosened because sensing a long-missing, unconditionally warm presence. At the same moment, the "Soul-Warming Jade" placed beside Aunt Su—used to assist nourishing her soul—all along had shown a gently flowing soft glow. That glow seemed to. accelerate its flow extremely subtly. Tang Xiaoqi violently opened his eyes, exhaustion in them, yet more hope's light.
He guessed correctly! Heart knots were indeed the key. External medicine was the "symptom," inner acceptance was the "root." Only unraveling this deepest soul cause, letting Aunt Su herself be willing to "awaken," could external treatment truly work. The road ahead remained long and difficult, but at least he had found the correct direction.
The following treatment would no longer be one-way spiritual power infusion, but a more meticulous, patience-requiring dialogue with the shadows in her deepest heart. He needed to continuously use his own resolute guardian intention and blood kinship as guide, coordinated with medicine, dissolving the heart knot ice freezing her soul bit by bit. Looking at Aunt Su's still sleeping face, Tang Xiaoqi's gaze became extremely resolute. However long it took, however much spirit it consumed, he would surely awaken her.
This was not merely to repay her protection, but to give Mother, Father, and that woman once named Su Wan'er a truly liberated and peaceful future.