Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 769: Mother

What turmoil unfolded in the main hall remained unknown to Li Qingran, and she paid it no mind.

Back in her private chamber, she mulled over her next steps.

"The laws governing this realm differ entirely from those in the Cangyun Realm. I'm not sure if the items Master bestowed upon me will function here..."

She tested them without delay; the storage ring operated as before.

Yet the once vast, almost boundless storage had shrunk to a mere hundred cubic meters.

This stemmed from the Canglan Great World's spatial laws being less refined than the Cangyun World's, thus diminishing the ring's capabilities.

Merely the spatial principles compatible with the Canglan World could function properly.

Luckily, she required little space in the storage ring; a hundred cubic meters proved ample enough.

However...

"The talismans won't work... nor will the magical artifacts..." Li Qingran propped her chin on her hand, looking a bit distressed.

Her body's True Essence stood fully suppressed by this realm. While her physical prowess remained intact, she lacked any benchmark for its strength in this world.

"The medicinal pills ought to retain some potency." Li Qingran spilled out several healing pills for inspection.

Their medicinal aroma persisted, swiftly permeating the whole chamber.

It stood to reason, after all. Medicinal pills acted directly on the physique. Though she had entered a Small Thousand World, her body stayed unchanged.

That said, certain pills with unique properties might show reduced effectiveness—for instance, Qi Gathering Pills. Spiritual Energy was essential for them to work.

From the present circumstances, this world possessed heaven and earth qi, yet Spiritual Energy was scarce.

Even should Qi Gathering Pills draw in a bit of Spiritual Energy, the boost to her cultivation would be negligible.

One couldn't dismiss the possibility that the city location played a role. Venturing into secluded, untouched woodlands might reveal varying Spiritual Energy levels.

Still, such prospects felt remote to Li Qingran for now.

"I arrived in this world to grasp its cultivation methods, didn't I? Blending the two worlds' cultivation paths upon my return to the Cangyun Realm will spark a tremendous breakthrough." Li Qingran steadied her thoughts, a flicker of irritation in her gaze. "Yet my Battle Power sits at zero. Is it due to my Cangyun Realm origins and lack of adaptation? With Battle Power at zero, I can't even command a Battle Soul..."

Footsteps echoed from beyond the door.

Li Qingran swiftly stowed away the pills before her.

She withdrew to the bed, drew the curtain, and reclined in silence.

"Young Lady, Madam wishes to visit you."

The words came from a young maidservant.

Li Qingran eased a touch.

She hadn't decided yet how to approach this world's mother. Thankfully, her backstory involved vanishing for over a decade before this sudden reunion, so a bit of reserve seemed fitting.

Reportedly, Yang Fei had identified her via the birthmark on her hand's back.

Yet Li Qingran understood full well that the mark served only as an entry token from this world.

The door creaked open softly.

Yang Fei entered, bearing a tray of sweets.

Her gaze on the hazy silhouette through the bed curtain halted her stride for a moment. A hint of unease and wariness touched her features.

"Qingran..." she murmured tenderly, her tone laced with a faint quiver. "Mother... Mother has come to see you."

Li Qingran rose from the bed, parted the curtain, and murmured back, "Mmm."

Mother and daughter regarded each other wordlessly, the air thick with tension.

Yang Fei set the sweets on the table, her fingers fidgeting with her kerchief. Her eyes locked on Li Qingran's visage, brimming with longing and regret, as though yearning to reclaim the lost fifteen years.

"My daughter is so very lovely."

She sighed despite herself.

Without that birthmark, she would scarcely believe this poised and captivating young woman was her own flesh and blood.

Though she herself had been quite the beauty in her younger days, she paled beside Li Qingran's splendor.

"What transpired before... in the main hall, it's done with. Don't dwell on it." Yang Fei let out a breath, her eyes misting over. "It's Mother's failing, unable to shield you... and Mother's doing too. Had Mother not been so negligent then, you wouldn't have... wouldn't have wandered astray for all those years, enduring such trials..."

Her words grew heavier with sorrow, tears spilling freely. "Had you been raised at home from the start, with proper care, you surely... surely could have awakened Battle Power as well. You wouldn't be in this state now... All Mother's fault..."

Li Qingran observed the tear-streaked beauty across from her. She sensed the woman's sincere regret and deep affection; it rang true.

"It's not your fault," she replied gently, her voice softening considerably. "Leave the past behind."

At those words, Yang Fei's tears surged anew, though she mustered a smile. "Yes, yes, it's finished, no more talk of it. Mother only desires your well-being."

She dabbed at her eyes, drew a steadying breath, as if steeling her resolve. "Qingran, Mother understands your pains. Henceforth... simply stay at home in tranquility. So long as Mother has sustenance, you'll never want. Though you can't rise as a revered Soul Master, a secure life with plenty to eat and wear suits just fine."

With that, she drew a small wooden box from her sleeve and set it delicately by Li Qingran's pillow.

"Here... accept this." Yang Fei's voice hushed further. "It's a Battle Soul Pill. Mother scrimped for ages to obtain it... It may not prove much help, but in three days, when Battle Souls awaken, you ought to attempt it... on the off chance it succeeds?"

Battle Soul Pills held immense value, able to elevate Soul Power by a single tier.

Though such boosts applied only to Soul Masters under level fifty, their scarcity drove prices sky-high.

After all, for countless Soul Masters, that crucial breakthrough often hinged on one last surge, and the Battle Soul Pill offered precisely that edge.

The box weighed lightly in her palm, infused with a subtle warmth.

Li Qingran inferred the pill's worth. For the lead wife of a household fading into obscurity, it must rank among her most guarded heirlooms.

Noting the reluctance mingled with hopeful restraint in Yang Fei's eyes, Li Qingran sensed a gentle warmth stir within.

"Very well." Li Qingran clasped the wooden box firmly and inclined her head. "In three days, I'll give it a go."

Her acceptance seemed to lift a weight from Yang Fei, who at last displayed a true grin. After a few more entreaties for her to rest properly, she departed, glancing back repeatedly.

The door shut with a soft click.

Li Qingran caressed the sleek, heated wooden box in her grasp, fell quiet for an instant, then breathed out almost inaudibly, "Thank you..."

Quite possibly, the true Li Qingran of this world, Yang Fei's own, had long since perished.

But in her stead, she had garnered a mother's tenderness and solace on behalf of that lost soul.

Putting other matters aside, Yang Fei made for an exemplary mother.

"Still, what manner of pill is this?" Li Qingran scratched her head.

Yang Fei hadn't explained, likely presuming her knowledge.

That implied the pill enjoyed widespread renown. Displaying it to inquire might invite theft, no doubt.

Asking Yang Fei anew wouldn't do; it could spark doubts.

"If only my husband were present..." Li Qingran drew her knees close and exhaled.

"Should my husband be here, he'd surely discern its nature and effects..."

...

Unbeknownst to Li Qingran, Chen Huaian had lingered throughout, observing every event in the Small Thousand World.

And preparations for expenditure had already commenced on his end!

...