The boatman hummed a little ditty as he rowed, and the small boat disappeared into the distance as it crossed the Great Abyss. 

“Yōu Qin pays her respect to the matriarch.”

In front of Yōu Qin was a tall woman wearing a dark-colored robe made of a sheer fabric. “You have suffered.”

The woman’s voice was beguiling to the extreme, and her tone contained a mature sense of beauty. However, her face was concealed by a veil. This was the Yōu family’s matriarch, Yōu Kexin.

Yōu Qin bowed, but did not speak.

“How was your trip to the Mountain and Seas Zone?” Yōu Kexin asked indifferently.

Yōu Qin’s gaze went soft. “Your daughter is still too weak. So weak that I was not a match for any of the people upon the golden screens. I lost face for our family.”

Yōu Kexin slowly turned to face Yōu Qin. “No worries. You were never the Yōu family’s first heir. It wasn’t easy for you to achieve what you have. Your mission is simply to live and pass down the Yōu family’s inheritances.”

Yōu Qin’s eyes betrayed her, as she did not want to accept this fate.

Yōu Kexin sighed. “Have you seen your big brother?”

Yōu Qin’s body trembled and she nodded. “I have.”

“Is… he still okay?” Yōu Kexin hesitated as she asked her question.

Yōu Qin felt extremely bitter. “Mother, are you asking about the status of his body? He is nothing but a dead person!” 

Yōu Kexin suddenly...