CH 59: Daughters of the Past

(A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long. Had some things I had to take care of. But now I'm back, so expect updates!)

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- (???)

Destruction. Devastation. As far as the naked eye could see, it was all in ruins. Torn down buildings, demolished streets, corpses still lying around. It was a scene of despair. No living humans, only dead ones, along with the bugs accompanying them and the vultures feasting on them.

The once proud city of Martial Soul City, the dream of every Soul Master, was in complete ruin. The outcome for those in the Martial Soul City wasn't pretty after the victory of Tang San, the Sea God. It didn't matter who it was, be it Soul Masters of the Martial Soul Hall, soldiers serving them, or civilians who simply lived in the city, they were all killed. Tang San didn't want any remains of his enemies, so he slaughtered them all.

Even children weren't spared.

Loose ends lead to further problems. He firmly believed that, so he had killed everyone even remotely related to Martial Soul Hall. Well, at least except two. Two women. Women who thought death was a better end. Women who were, outside of the city, looking at the few graves they had built.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." One of them continuously sobbed, her eyes red with all the cries and tears that had left them :"I'm so sorry, master..." It was Hu Liena, the proud disciple of the past pope. Once a beautiful lady, now wailing with guilt and sadness on her knees.

Next to her stood the other woman. With unmatched beauty, but eyes empty of any hope or happiness. Qian Renxue. Looking at the grave of her mother, the person she sought love from the most, but only received it at her dying moments, her heart felt empty.

She had lost everything. She had lost it all. Her mother, her grandfather, her empire, her cultivation, her godhood, everything. Now stuck as a Lv 89 Soul Douluo forever. Just because she was blinded by a foolish love. A love that Hu Liena, her supposed junior sister, also shared. What had sent her into a world of guilt and sadness.

But she couldn't blame her. She was as foolish as her. Looking at the graves, she felt like a corpse as well. She didn't shed any tears, for they had already dried up. There weren't many of them, only a few graves of their loved ones.

Bibi Dong and Xie Yue being among them. Hu Liena could still remember it. The death of her brother, and his severed head she was hugging and crying for so long. She hated herself. If only she hadn't been foolish enough to let her supposed love get in the way of her judgment, to let her not hide Tang San's location and schemes, none of this would have happened.

If she hadn't protected him, Bibi Dong, her master, the person she saw as her own mother, would have killed their enemy instead. She hated herself for letting this happen. This was all her fault, and she would never, could never, forgive herself for it.

"What are you going to do after this?" Qian Renxue's hollow voice came, void of any emotions :"We can't stay here forever." Hu Liena's sobs grew softer as she shook her head :"I-I... I don't know... I don't know anymore... I just want to end it all..."

"Don't say that. She... she wouldn't like that." She replied, sadness evident in her voice. Hu Liena grew silent, her tears still falling, her quiet sobs still coming :"What about you? What are you going to do now?"

"I... I don't know either..." She sighed softly :"But I'm going to leave here. I don't know where to, but I'm going to go somewhere else. I'd recommend the same to you. Don't stay in this forsaken place. Goodbye."

Having already packed whatever she had left, she was about to leave. She didn't have anything left anymore anyway. Hu Liena didn't try to stop her either. She knew she was right. She was going to do the same as well.

But suddenly, just as Qian Renxue was about to walk away, the soave behind them distorted. The fabric of reality itself seemed to twist and roll around itself, before literally being torn apart. And from it, two hands reached out towards them. They didn't have time to react. Everything happened so suddenly and out of nowhere. Before they could react, they felt a hand on their shoulders, and a voice was heard.

"Hello, ladies, hope I'm not bothering you."

Deep, yet smooth like butter, sweet like honey. Before they could fight back, the hand pulled with a force they couldn't even resist against. They were suddenly pulled into the black hole that was created with the tear of the space.

- (???)

As they were pulled into an unfamiliar space, and the hole in space closed behind them, they quickly got ready to fight :"Who are you?!" But they froze in place. Next to a teenager they didn't recognize, they saw someone. Someone who meant the world to them.

"M-master/... Mom?" There she stood, wearing the dress she always wore as the pope, and looking at them with disbelief. Seeming to be trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Just like them.

"Xue'er... Nana..." Bibi Dong said, voice shaky as she looked at her daughter and the girl she considered her daughter. Seeing them so miserable broke her heart. The light of hope slowly came back to their eyes, both of them staring at who they thought they had lost forever.

"M-mom... i-is that... is that you...?" Qian Renxue's voice trembled, her hands shakily reaching out to her mother, tears building up in all of their eyes. "Oh... oh my dear daughters!" Bibi Dong was the first to cry, quickly running towards them and hugging them both :"Oh, my children! It's alright, everything alright! I'm here now! Mother is here!"

Her cries echoed around the space. The two blondes unconsciously reached back, hugging her as Hu Liena's sobs broke out :"M-master... i-is it really you...? A-are you real?" Her tears had already begun falling again. Bibi Dong hugged them tighter, pushing their heads onto her shoulder as her own tears streamed down :"It's me! Of course it's me, Nana! It's me, your master! I'm here, my sweethearts! I'm here for you!"

"Mom... mom... oh my god, mom!" Their faces twisted in sadness, fully breaking down in tears as they both grabbed onto her desperately. Fearful of her suddenly disappearing. Like how she had many times in their countless dreams. Their cries and sobs filled the space, their screams echoing around as they held onto her like their lives depended on it.

Their knees gave out. They fell to their knees, but we're unwilling to let go. Their bodies were unwilling. Their fists clasped tightly around the fabric of her clothes as she fell with them. Unwilling to let go of her daughters. All while her own tears fell constantly :"It's okay. It's okay, mother is here. Mom is here, my children, mom is here. I'm here for you both. I'm not leaving. I swear I'm here for you now!"

Their cries didn't stop. Their wails didn't end. Their tears fell down continuously, wetting her shoulders as her comforting words kept sounding in their ears without ceasing.

As they hugged each other desperately, Ah Li was crying silently on the other side. Skydream crying with him, a napkin in his hands as he tried to dry off the tears :"O-oh, oh my goodness... t-this is so sad yet such a beautiful moment..." His cries and hiccups broke out as he cried quietly with Ah Li. Nightmare on the other hand had turned away completely. Body shaking as he refused to let them see his tears :"I-I'm not crying... I'm not crying..."

While they silently watched, quietly crying manly tears, the three beauties kept crying for a good minute. As they calmed down slightly, Bibi Dong pulled them back :"Oh my sweethearts, let mother get a good look at you." Hands on their cheeks, she stroked soothingly as Hu Liena sobs :"B-but how? How are you alive, master?"

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter, Nana." She cooed softly, rubbing their cheeks as they leaned into her touch :"It's complicated, but all that matters is that I'm here now, alright? I'm here for you both now, and I promise nothing is going to separate us ever again."

"Mom... mom..." Qian Renxue's lips trembled, tears silently falling as she desperately held her hand, afraid that it would disappear :"Mom..." Bibi Dong's heart squeezed around itself. Seeing her daughter so sad broke her heart.

"It's okay, Xue'er. Mom is here now. Mom is here." She wiped her tears, but new ones kept wetting her hand again and again. She looked at her mom with sadness, with hope, the same hollowness no longer there :"How are you alive? You died in my arms? I watched you leave us... leave me..."

Bibi Dong's heart hurt at the sight. Squeezing around itself, aching at the sight. Her daughters, her irreplaceable treasures, so miserable, so sad, so desperate. She pulled them into her embrace again, explaining now that she had somewhat calmed down.

"S-so you did die?" Nana asked, dried tear marks on her beautiful face. Qian Renxue had calmed down as well :"And got reincarnated? Is that even possible?" Seeing that her daughters had calmed down, Bibi Dong smiled gently :"I'm here now, aren't I? How would I be if it wasn't? But well... it wasn't a complete reincarnation..."

Qian Renxue, worried :"Huh? What does that mean?"

Hu Liena, worried :"Master, are you really alright? Please tell us what's the matter."

Bibi Dong, smiling and petting them :"Calm down, you two. I'm alright, don't worry. It's just that I wasn't reincarnated as a human, but as a Martial Soul instead."

"What?!" Their cry of shock echoed, before rage took over.

Qian Renxue :"We need to find a way to free you! How could we let you stay as someone's Martial Soul, mom?! We need to save you!"

Hu Liena :"That's right! We need to find whoever's Martial Soul you are! I'm definitely sure we can find a way to save you!"

Qian Renxue :"That's right. And if that bastard had done anything weird to mom, I swear I will..."

Bibi Dong, sternly :"Calm down, you two. And never say that again. Although being a Martial Soul with limited freedom isn't the best situation, Li'er has never been someone to hurt or take advantage of me."

Qian Renxue :"But mom, this is serious! How can you act like this?! And who the hell is Li'er?!"

Bibi Dong :"Xue'er, I said calm down."

Qian Renxue :"B-but mom-"

Bibi Dong :"No buts. Do you think I'm stupid or unaware of my situation?"

Qian Renxue :"... Sigh, fine, I'll calm down..."

Bibi Dong :"Sigh, Xue'er, Nana, I know you're both worried, and that makes me very happy. But believe me, if my situation wasn't safe, I would definitely be a lot more serious."

Hu Liena :"Okay, master... but master's right, sister Xue. If master is so calm about it, then it should be okay. Right, master?"

Bibi Dong :"Atta girl."

Qian Renxue :"Sigh, fine, I understand. So who's this guy?"

Bibi Dong, smiling :"You've already met him. Li'er, come here."

Seeing that he finally had the chance to introduce himself, he came and stood next to Bibi Dong :"Hello, pleasure to meet you, I'm Ah Li. It's nice to finally meet Sister Goddess's daughters."

"Sister Goddess?"

"Daughters?"

The two asked curiously, one with confusion and one with shyness. Hu Liena didn't expect it to feel this good to be called her master's daughter, the person who she had always admired deeply. Qian Renxue on the other hand, raised an eyebrow at her mother, causing her to smirk :"I couldn't just reveal my identity to him back then. Also, it was him who came up with the nickname when I told him I'm a god-level Martial Soul. He has quite a silver tongue. And besides, it is true since I was a goddess."