After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

Inside the Saintess's Abode, the floor paved with warm jade gleamed with a gentle light, and the crystal lamps hanging under the eaves poured out a warm glow, making the entire abode both tranquil and cozy.

A faint, calming fragrance filled the air, mingling with the sweet scent of spiritual flowers wafting from the courtyard, dispelling the estrangement of a long-awaited reunion and the chill of returning from the battlefield.

He Anyao stood in the center of the hall, her plain-colored cloud-patterned long dress accentuating her gentle temperament. Only the excitement and agitation in her eyes betrayed the longing she had felt over the years.

Looking at the three figures in front of her, a wave of joy washed over her, her eyes instantly reddened, and tears welled up in them, but she held them back.

"Madam!" Liu Xuan stepped forward and grasped He Anyao's hand. The calluses and roughness on his palm made He Anyao's heart ache.

"My husband!"

He Anyao's gaze slowly swept over her daughter Liu Qingwan and son-in-law Xie Jinghan beside her, her voice choked with emotion: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Liu Qingwan could no longer suppress her longing. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Before He Anyao could say anything more, she rushed into her arms and cried, "Mother! I'm sorry to have worried you. Your daughter is back."

He Anyao quickly raised her hand, gently stroking her daughter's hair, and hugged her tightly in her arms. Feeling her daughter's warm body temperature, the worries and longing that had been building up for three years were finally released, and tears finally slid down her cheeks, dripping onto Liu Qingwan's hair.

Liu Xuan stood quietly to the side, his gaze tenderly falling on the mother and daughter who were embracing each other, his eyes filled with tenderness and guilt.

After the mother and daughter calmed down a bit, he stepped forward, gently took He Anyao's other hand, and said with tenderness in his eyes, "Madam, you've had a hard time these past few days."

He knew in his heart that from the day they went to the front line, He Anyao had shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Huosuidan Holy Land all by herself.

She had to make all the decisions on matters large and small within the clan. She had to personally handle the inventory, allocation, and transportation of spiritual materials and supplies. She had to painstakingly procure batches of scarce pills and provisions, sending them across mountains and rivers to the battlefield to support the frontline cultivators in their bloody battles.

They faced the demon soldiers head-on on the front lines, barely escaping with their lives, while He Anyao guarded the sacred land alone in the rear, exhausting herself with tireless efforts. The pressure and hardship she endured were no less than theirs.

He Anyao slowly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, turned to look at Liu Xuan, the tears in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by a gentle smile, she gently shook her head, "It's okay, as long as you can come back safely, no matter how hard it is, it's worth it."

Liu Xuan sighed softly, his words tinged with relief: "Fortunately, the Demon Lord came to his senses and took the initiative to withdraw his troops, ending the war and returning to the Demon Realm. Otherwise, if this war had continued indefinitely, who knows how many more casualties would have been incurred, or how long it would have lasted."

That war swept through the cultivation world, with cultivators and demon soldiers constantly clashing, leaving corpses strewn across the fields and countless lives lost. Every day of delay meant the destruction of countless families.

"yes."

Liu Qingwan got up from He Anyao's embrace, wiped away her tears, and echoed her words, but a subtle strangeness flashed in her eyes, and her expression was somewhat complicated.

As a reborn person, she obviously did not expect the war to end so soon.

In the previous life, this war lasted for a full ten years, with rivers of blood flowing, countless cultivators perishing, and the Fire Crystal Holy Land also suffering heavy damage.

But now, the war has ended seven years ahead of schedule, a huge deviation from the trajectory she remembered.

Feeling an indescribable sense of relief, Liu Qingwan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Most of the relatives, friends, and fellow cultivators who died in this war in their previous lives are still alive now, and they no longer have to experience the pain of separation and death. This is undoubtedly a great joy.

Yet beneath this relief lingered a persistent unease, like a fine haze shrouding her heart.

Since being reborn, everything around me has been quietly changing, deviating from the path of my previous life.

Aside from the war that ended too soon, Jiang Huaijin's rebirth had already exceeded her expectations. At this moment, her gaze slowly shifted to her husband Xie Jinghan, who had been standing silently to the side, and a thoughtful look flashed in her eyes.

Her husband, Xie Jinghan, was also reborn.

The series of unexpected events made it impossible for her to predict the future, and her anxiety grew stronger.

It was only then that He Anyao noticed Xie Jinghan, who had remained silent the whole time.

He was dressed in a black outfit, his posture upright like a pine tree, his eyes carrying a hint of coldness from returning from the battlefield, yet he deliberately concealed his sharpness, simply standing quietly beside Liu Qingwan, exuding a sense of aloofness and tranquility.

Remembering Elder Xie, He Anyao quickly asked, her voice full of concern, "By the way, Jinghan, is Elder Xie alright?"

Elder Xie was one of the first cultivators to rush to the front lines. He possessed profound cultivation, but he was also seriously injured on the battlefield. When the news reached the Holy Land, everyone was filled with worry.

Now that the war is over, it seems that Elder Xie should be returning home.

Upon hearing his mother-in-law's question, Xie Jinghan nodded slightly, his cold demeanor softening somewhat, and replied respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Mother-in-law. Father is doing well."

"After the war, he was worried about the affairs of the Thousand Machines Pavilion and also missed his mother, so he went straight back to the Thousand Machines Pavilion. He should be dealing with the backlog of trivial matters in the pavilion with his mother at this moment."

"That's good, that's good."

Upon hearing this, He Anyao breathed a long sigh of relief, finally putting her mind at ease, and a relieved smile appeared on her face.

With Elder Xie safe and sound, one can say that a weight has been lifted from my heart.

Suddenly remembering something, Liu Qingwan glanced anxiously around the hall, her voice full of anticipation as she looked at He Anyao and asked, "By the way, Mother, where is Ranran? Where is Ranran now?"

The war lasted for three years, during which she was separated from her son Xie Xingran for three whole years.

During these three years, she fought on the front lines, worrying about her young son at home day and night. Even though she could occasionally communicate through the communication jade talisman and receive letters, those cold words and voices could not compare to a sincere call or a warm hug.

At this moment, her maternal love was overflowing, and she longed to see that little figure immediately and give him a good hug.

In her past life, she was constantly on the go and missed Xie Xingran's growth, neglecting his inner world, which led him step by step astray and ultimately to a tragic end.

In this life, she was reborn and determined to spend quality time with her son and make up for the regrets of her previous life. However, a war caused her to miss three years.

A wave of guilt washed over her, making her even more eager to see Xie Xingran.

Speaking of Xie Xingran, He Anyao's smile instantly turned kind and doting, her eyes full of tenderness. She gently patted Liu Qingwan's hand and comforted her, "That child is lively and active. He must have run off to play in the courtyard or the back mountain again. He's not staying still at all."

"Don't worry, I've already sent Bai Zhi to find him. That girl is meticulous, so she should be able to bring him back soon."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingwan calmed her anxiety slightly, nodded, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards the door, eagerly anticipating the appearance of that small figure.

As the saying goes, speak of the devil, and he appears. Her gaze had just settled on the doorway when a small figure slowly strolled in, followed closely by Bai Zhi.

Xie Xingran was dressed in a moon-white brocade jacket, her hair loosely tied up with a jade crown, her face round and chubby, with a touch of childlike innocence in her eyes. She walked with a hesitant gait, her little fists tightly clenching the hem of her clothes, looking timid.

On the way to the hall with Bai Zhi, Xie Xingran's little head was constantly racing, pondering over and over how to deal with these "cheap parents".

He had been abandoned for three years, and a small resentment was brewing in his heart.

You need to act timid and weak first, and be cautious in every word and action. You need to hurt their hearts a little, make them understand the consequences of abandoning them, and make them feel guilty and heartbroken, with their hearts full of guilt for what they owe them.

Once they've made amends and given him all the treasures, spirit stones, and constant favoritism and companionship he wanted, he can slowly let down his guard, try to connect with them, and gradually cultivate a relationship.

But before he could fully get into the mood for this carefully planned "performance," a bone-chilling cold suddenly enveloped him, as if he were being watched by a lurking beast, and the hairs on his body stood on end involuntarily.

Xie Xingran paused, subconsciously looking up, only to meet a pair of deep, dark eyes.

That gaze was icy and piercing, devoid of any warmth, and carried an indescribable sense of alienation and dislike. It fell directly on him, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

It was Xie Jinghan.

Xie Xingran's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously shrank back, her timidity instantly becoming more genuine.

He bit his lower lip tightly, not daring to meet those eyes again, but he could clearly feel that cold gaze was always fixed on him, without any intention of looking away.

At this moment, Xie Xingran was absolutely certain that his adoptive father, Xie Jinghan, did not like him.