0009.

Wu Yan's impression of Su Jin as a scumbag swindler villain returned. However, he had many questions in his mind, but his first concern was his mother, who had just returned and sat on the floor, massaging Su Jin's thighs with pleasure.

Disgust and a surge of protective rage bubbled within Wu Yan. He glared at Su Jin, demanding an explanation with his eyes.

"Dear, show him," Su Jin said, noticing Wu Yan's glare, he asked Madam Wu Mei.

Wu Yan wasn't sure what to expect, but he looked at his mother. Madam Wu Mei, however, glared back at Wu Yan but obeyed Su Jin. 

With a deep breath, she closed her eyes. A moment of tense silence followed, broken only by her breath. Then, a wave of bestial aura erupted from Madam Wu Mei, slamming into Wu Yan like a physical blow. 

A tangible aura of savage fury, a berserk bestial blood essence that reeked of bloodlust and violence. The air grew thick and oppressive, stealing the breath from Wu Yan's lungs and leaving him gasping for air.

However, Wu Yan couldn't tear his gaze away. As he watched his mother transform, he felt both a morbid fascination and an increasing fear. Emerald scales, like those of an Emerald Serpent Spirit Beast he fought in his trial, erupted across her skin, each one glistening under the dim lamplight. Her eyes morphed into chilling serpent slits, black. A guttural growl escaped from her throat, turning into a bone-chilling hiss. As she playfully snarled, Wu Yan noticed razor-sharp twin fangs and a long, forked tongue that reached down to her chest.

Wu Yan stumbled back, dropping his teacup with a clatter. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His mother was morphing, turning into something... half Serpent, half human. It made him feel sick to his stomach, but he couldn't look away. Underneath the scary scales and strange eyes, he could still see a glimmer of her.

"What... what have you done to her?!" Wu Yan yelled, his voice trembling with fear and anger.

"Why are you looking at me like I am the Villain here who has done injustice to your mother?" But Su Jin kept smirking, like it was all a game to him.

*Click* *WHIZZ*

Wu Yan felt the urge to act, but the presence of Su Jin's menacing guard, hand on the sword's hilt, sent a chill down his spine. Despite the fear, Wu Yan remained defiant, refusing to back down.

"Sit down." Su Jin politely asked. However, Wu Yan does not want to be calm at all.

"Don't you understand, seeing this?" Su Jin gestured towards the serpentine figure that resembled his mother. "She isn't your mother."

Wu Yan did not want to believe it but sensing somehow Su Jin sounded honest, not playing a game here, he sat down again. "Then what is she? Why does she look like my mother? She previously spoke like my mother too? Who is she?"

Su Jin sighed. "She is your mother or rather she was." He revealed a cryptic answer. 

Wu Yan managed to control his emotions this time. He held his tongue, waiting for the full explanation.

"I returned to Serene Jade City searching for the Null-Point Core Reactor, I found the radiation traces of Null-Point Cryo Energy on her." Su Jin revealed new information and new words which confused Wu Yan more. "Think of it like the aura of that Soul Artifact you had, I found the traces of it on her. However, she was already dead at the time I found her."

"Half of her body had been eaten by wild beasts, so I had to get answers. I extracted her brain and preserved it. Then, I grew a new body for her using whatever resources I had," Su Jin explained, his voice tinged with regret. "It wasn't a clean job. I was short on many things and couldn't preserve her brain for long. So, I had to act quickly and use whatever I had, which included the carcass of an Emerald Serpent Spirit Beast."

"So, this... this thing," Wu Yan choked out the words, unable to bring himself to refer to the serpentine figure as his mother, "is just a puppet? A... a mockery of her former self?"

Su Jin's expression softened slightly, a hint of sympathy clear in his eyes. "In a way, yes," he admitted. "But I did what I could to recover her memories, to reach you."

Wu Yan struggled to accept Su Jin's explanation. It was too much to take in all at once - the revelation of his mother's transformation, the manipulation of her remains, and the unsettling truth of her current state.

"Why... Why did you do this?" Wu Yan asked, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and despair. "Why couldn't you just let her rest in peace?"

Su Jin's gaze softened, a touch of sadness lingering in his eyes. "I did it because I needed answers," he replied quietly. "Answers about the Null-Point Core Reactor, about its connection to her, and later to you after I learned about it from her memories."

Wu Yan felt a surge of resentment towards Su Jin. How could he justify such a cruel and heartless act, all in the name of his own selfish goals?

"But... but she's my mother," Wu Yan protested weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "She deserves better than this."

Su Jin's expression grew somber, his eyes filled with regret. "I know," he said softly. "And for that, I am truly sorry. But she was already dead. Do not look at me like I am the Killer of her. If I had left her as it is then she would have been eaten completely and you never get to know about her fate. I did a favor to you indirectly, why do you look at me that I am a villain here for finding out what happened to her?"

Wu Yan felt a heavy weight settle in his chest, a profound sense of loss and grief washing over him. He couldn't bear to look at the serpentine figure that once was his mother, knowing the truth of her fate.

"I... I need some time," he muttered, his voice choked with emotion. "I need to... process all of this."

Su Jin nodded understandingly, his gaze filled with a mixture of sympathy and remorse. "Take all the time you need," he said gently. "Dear, get relaxed, you are scaring your son." Su Jin quickly requested Wu Mei to resume her human form.

Wu Yan struggled to accept the reality of the situation. The woman before him, who was supposed to be his mother, still stirred up a complex mix of emotions within him. He felt a deep sense of disgust at the sight of her serpentine form, a clear reminder of the monstrous beast within. 

Fury welled up inside Wu Yan as he glared at Su Jin, seeing his deeds as cruel and wicked. Even though Su Jin tried to paint himself as someone desperate for answers, Wu Yan couldn't shake the feeling that Su Jin was truly a villain.

"Why does she listen to your commands like she is some kind of slave?" Wu Yan immediately questioned, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and confusion. He couldn't comprehend how his mother, or whatever remained of her, could obey Su Jin's orders so unquestioningly.

Su Jin's expression hardened slightly, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. "She listens to me because I created her," he explained curtly. "I needed the answers, why would I spend so much time and resources if I am not going to make sure she is completely honest with me, not lying to me, and will not betray me later."

Wu Yan recoiled at Su Jin's words, his heart sinking at the realization of just how much control Su Jin had over his mother. It felt like a betrayal, seeing her submit to Su Jin's will so completely, as if she had lost all sense of autonomy.

"But she's my mother," Wu Yan protested again, his voice rising with indignation. "She shouldn't be treated like some puppet at your whim. She deserves to be free, to make her own choices."

Su Jin's demeanor softened a fraction, as if he understood Wu Yan's distress but remained resolute in his stance. "I understand your sentiment, but you must also understand the fact," he replied calmly. "Your mother is dead, she is not your mother, as long as you accept this fact, it will be easier for you to comprehend the situation."

Wu Yan's frustration boiled over. "So, you're just going to keep controlling her forever?" he accused, his voice trembling with anger. "You're going to dictate her every move, like she's nothing more than a puppet to you?"

"She is not your mother." Su Jin calmly repeated.

"Why should I believe you?" Wu Yan challenged, his voice tinged with defiance. "You are manipulative and deceitful. I do not trust you and your words."

Su Jin's expression remained composed, his gaze unwavering. "And I don't care what you believe or not," he responded evenly. "I have nothing to gain from lying to you."

"You do have something to gain from me because I was the last person who had your so-called Null-Point Core Reactor. If you want my help then you will have to accept my wishes too." Wu Yan countered, his voice firm and resolute. "I won't stand by and watch you treat my mother like some disposable tool. She deserves better, even in death."