As soon as Chu Feng spoke those words, a complex look surfaced on Jie Tiannian's gentle face.
After a brief silence, she finally spoke: "I don't want to hide anything from you, but I truly don't know your mother's current situation."
"I've searched for information, but I've never been able to find anything about her."
"There have indeed been some unpleasant rumors within the clan."
"But given how much my father doted on your mother, Ranqing, I don't believe he would actually harm her."
"I believe your mother is most likely unharmed."
"That said, it's only my personal speculation," Jie Tiannian said.
However, to Jie Tiannian's response, Chu Feng gave a cold laugh: "Heh, Jie Tianran — what wouldn't he do? You trust him?"
"My father's methods are indeed sometimes extreme."
"But my speculation doesn't rely solely on his decisions," Jie Tiannian said.
"What do you mean?" Chu Feng asked.
"Chu Feng, what do you think of your aunt's strength?" Jie Tiannian asked.
"Aunt's strength is formidable," Chu Feng said.
Hearing this, Jie Tiannian smiled faintly: "Under normal circumstances, I should have long since stepped into the Heavenly Dragon realm."
"But someone once advised me to consolidate my cultivation base before advancing further."
"Ever since then, every time I was about to break through a major realm, I would take the time to stabilize — and I've benefited greatly from it."
"That's why all these years, I've been deliberately suppressing my cultivation, choosing not to break through."
"But if I wished to, I could break through at any time," Jie Tiannian said.
"So in truth, Aunt, you are already a Heavenly Dragon Spirit World Master?" Chu Feng asked.
"Mm." Jie Tiannian nodded, then continued: "But the person who gave me that advice wasn't my father or my mother, nor was it an elder of the clan — it was my younger sister. Your mother."
"She was not yet twenty at the time."
Hearing this, Chu Feng fell silent.
His mother, who had been not yet twenty back then, must have had a cultivation level far below his aunt's at the same age.
Yet she had been able to offer advice to someone whose strength surpassed her own — which spoke volumes about how deep her understanding and perception of barrier arts had been even back then.
At the very least, she had far surpassed him at the same stage of life.
Of course, this was also because Chu Feng had grown up in the Lower Realm since childhood, where the resources and knowledge he had access to had inevitably slowed his growth.
But none of that could deny the fact that his mother was a genius among geniuses.
"The reason I'm telling you all this..."
"Is to let you know..."
"My talent is not lacking."
"But your mother's talent surpasses mine by more than a hundredfold."
"I believe your mother is unharmed because I am absolutely confident she has the ability to protect herself."
"Although, I also know my father is not to be underestimated. If he were truly determined, he would indeed be terrifying."
"But isn't your mother terrifying as well?"
"Let me put it this way: if between your mother and my father, I had to choose one of them as an enemy..."
"I would far less want to be your mother's enemy," Jie Tiannian said with a smile.
"Thank you for explaining, Aunt." Hearing all this, the weight in Chu Feng's heart eased considerably.
Unlike anyone else, Jie Tiannian had directly affirmed his mother's strength.
And Chu Feng felt there was no reason for Jie Tiannian to lie to him.
After all, his own talent had been inherited from both his mother and his father.