Chapter 3: A Mother’s Secret and a Fated Garment

A moment later, at Su Muxue’s residence, she descended from the sky, landing gracefully at the entrance to her dwelling. She then cradled her severely injured son and carried him inside, gently laying him upon her bed before swiftly removing his clothes to examine his wounds.

First, she formed a hand seal, and a faint white glow emanated from her eyes, signaling the activation of her Dharma Eye.

Under the scrutiny of her Dharma Eye, Su Yun’s injuries were laid bare.

His left hand was fractured, his right leg broken, and several ribs were snapped. Though he had sustained no fatal injuries, he was covered in wounds from head to toe.

Seeing her son in such a state, Su Muxue’s heart ached with profound sorrow.

“You reckless boy, why push yourself so hard?” Su Muxue murmured, her voice laced with sorrow. “There’s nothing wrong with living a peaceful life as an ordinary person. Your mother can at least ensure you’re well-fed and comfortable for your entire life.”

Then, she raised her hand and released her spiritual power, beginning to mend Su Yun’s damaged body.

She proceeded with extreme caution. As Su Yun was not a cultivator, his mortal body was fragile and could not withstand too much of a practitioner’s spiritual energy.

It took Su Muxue some time to mend his fractured bones. Finally, she retrieved some medicine for external wounds and blood circulation, gently applying it to the bruised areas of Su Yun’s body.

Perhaps stimulated by the medicine, Su Yun soon regained consciousness.

“Ouch, that hurts!” Su Yun groaned, his eyes fluttering open. “Mother, can’t you be a little gentler? You’re so beautiful and kind, why are your movements so rough?” he complained.

Upon seeing her son’s eyes open, Su Muxue seemed to understand something. She immediately raised her hand and slapped his backside.

“Ow!” Su Yun yelped, wincing in pain.

“You brat, you were faking it, weren’t you?” Su Muxue retorted angrily. “And now you’re complaining about me? Who told you to go and provoke trouble? If you hadn’t, would you have gotten beaten? You have no self-awareness whatsoever!”

Even when angry, Su Muxue remained strikingly beautiful.

“I… I was impulsive,” Su Yun admitted, his voice tinged with helplessness. “But I am still a disciple of the Moonlit Sect, after all. By the rules, I should participate in the Sect Assembly.”

“I’m not afraid of losing, nor am I afraid of being disgraced. I was just afraid of causing trouble for you, Mother.”

His very presence as a Moonlit Sect disciple had already drawn much criticism from within the sect. If he were to occupy a disciple’s spot and then refuse to participate in the Sect Assembly, it would undoubtedly give certain individuals an excuse to cause trouble for Su Muxue.

Upon hearing his words, Su Muxue’s hand, which had been applying medicine to Su Yun, immediately softened.

“It’s all Mother’s fault,” Su Muxue sighed helplessly. “I broke the sect rules back then, making the Moonlit Sect a laughingstock among the various powers in the Southern Barrens.”

“That’s why I’ve always tolerated my martial uncles and the others. This must be Sixth Martial Uncle’s doing again; he still resents me for taking his position as Sect Master.”

Although Su Muxue had never actually desired the position, in the eyes of others, she had indeed seized it.

“Sigh! I figured it was Sixth Elder’s doing,” Su Yun said, unable to hold back his question. “But Mother, am I truly a born good-for-nothing? Is there really no hope for me to cultivate?”

Su Muxue froze for a moment when Su Yun asked this. She seemed to harbor some unspoken difficulty, and thus did not immediately answer his question.

Seeing his mother remain silent for a long while, Su Yun assumed she was tacitly confirming the fact that he could not become a cultivator.

“Sigh! Mother, if it truly isn’t possible, then send me to the mortal world,” Su Yun lamented with a heavy sigh. “Remaining by your side in this state will only become a burden to you.”

How could Su Muxue possibly allow her only son to leave her side and venture into the mortal world? The mortal world was a great dye vat, far from peaceful, and she had no relatives there.

Staying in the mortal world would be far more perilous than remaining by her side. Moreover, she was not without enemies in the cultivation world. What if they sought revenge by harming Su Yun?

Su Muxue’s expression twisted in a moment of internal struggle. However, she eventually seemed to arrive at a momentous decision.

“Son, your mother asks you: do you truly wish to walk the path of cultivation?” Su Muxue inquired, pressing her lips together. “Have you made up your mind? Are you willing to bear all consequences, no matter what, just to cultivate?”

Su Yun nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“In this world, if I don’t become a cultivator, how can I ever rise above my current state?” Su Yun countered. “Even if it means enduring the pain of my body shattering into a thousand pieces, as long as it allows me to cultivate, I will accept it without hesitation.”

“Brief pain is always better than a lifetime of suffering, isn’t it?”

From her son’s words, Su Muxue could discern the unwillingness in his heart and feel the strength of his resolve. After a moment of hesitation, she seemed to come to a decision.

“Very well,” Su Muxue said, taking a deep breath. “Since you’ve come to this realization, your mother will no longer object. Son, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Perceiving the shift in his mother’s tone, Su Yun couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Su Muxue. At this moment, Su Muxue had shed her usual gentle demeanor, becoming incredibly serious.

“Eh? What’s wrong, Mother?” Su Yun asked, suddenly unaccustomed to her abrupt change in demeanor. “Why have you suddenly become so serious?”

Su Muxue raised her hand, and a neatly folded set of red clothes appeared within it. Adorned with numerous golden patterns, the garment shimmered with a golden light, clearly indicating it was a treasure.

“Son, your father entrusted this to me before we parted ways back then,” Su Muxue stated gravely. “He said that if ever you became unwilling to accept your current circumstances, I should give this to you. This item is capable of turning the tables and changing your destiny.”

Su Yun was utterly bewildered by her words. He stared blankly at the clothes in his mother’s hand.

“This? What is this thing?” Su Yun asked, his face a picture of confusion as he gazed at the clothes in Su Muxue’s hand. “It looks like women’s clothing. Is it a treasure garment? And why have you never told me about this before, Mother?”

Su Muxue’s expression was a mix of helplessness and embarrassment.

“Your father said that these clothes can activate a secret hidden within your body,” Su Muxue explained solemnly. “However, it also requires you to pay an enormous price. If possible, your mother would not wish for you to take such a risk.”

Upon hearing this, Su Yun immediately understood why his mother hadn’t mentioned it earlier. If he were Su Muxue, he wouldn’t want his child to take such a risk either.

“Ah? So how do I use these clothes?” Su Yun asked, his curiosity piqued. “And who exactly is my father? Why have you always been so reluctant to talk about him?”

The moment her son brought up the topic of that man, Su Muxue’s beautiful face flushed crimson. She became entirely flustered, as if the words were incredibly difficult to utter.

“Oh, just stop asking,” Su Muxue pleaded. “You’ll understand everything when you have the chance to meet him someday. I… I can’t bring myself to talk about it. As for these clothes, your father said to just put them on.”

Su Yun was once again riddled with questions.

“Put them on? No way, these are clearly women’s clothes, aren’t they?” Su Yun wondered, staring at the garment.

Su Muxue, however, unfolded the garment, revealing it to be unmistakably a woman’s dress.

“I don’t know why, but you’re right,” Su Muxue replied awkwardly. “These are indeed clothes meant for a girl. However, it is a treasure garment, though I’m unsure of its rank.”

Su Yun once again doubted the veracity of his mother’s words. Perhaps his old man was just playing a prank on him.

“Mother, are you… are you sure my father isn’t a pervert?” Su Yun couldn’t help but blurt out. “Is there something wrong with him mentally? Even if I have some secret that needs an item to unlock, there’s no need to make his son wear a woman’s dress, is there?”

Yet, Su Muxue didn’t seem angry that Su Yun was insulting his father. Instead, she spoke in a faint, hesitant voice.

“He… he might actually have something wrong with him.”

Su Yun was utterly speechless at her remark.

He glanced at the clothes. With a face that resembled Su Muxue’s, he had always been teased for not looking like a man. Now, to be asked to wear women’s clothing… it was truly difficult to accept. However, if a single humiliation could change his destiny, then Su Yun wasn’t entirely unwilling.

“This… alright then,” Su Yun said, his face flushing as he took the clothes. “Mother, please step out for a moment. I’ll try them on.”

However, Su Muxue was a little reluctant. She genuinely wanted to see what her son would look like in women’s clothing.

It wasn’t that she was a pervert; it was just that Su Yun resembled her so much when she was a child, and she was simply curious.

“Huh? Why should I go out?” Su Muxue asked, her face full of confusion. “I definitely need to stay and watch. If anything unexpected happens, I can help you immediately!”

Su Yun firmly shook his head.

“No, absolutely not! Please go out quickly and save your son some face,” Su Yun said, utterly speechless.

Upon hearing this, Su Muxue immediately rolled her eyes at Su Yun.

“Oh, just put them on then,” Su Muxue retorted, clearly displeased. “Why are you being so secretive in front of your mother? I gave birth to you; is there any part of your body I haven’t seen?”

Su Yun felt a pang of exasperation. His beautiful mother still treated him like a child.