Bai Tianheng knew that he couldn’t completely fault her after knowing the truth.
As for where he was during that period, he knew very well.
It was during the conflict with the Li Clan, who had challenged them and wanted to assert their dominance over the Desolate Heaven Empire.
He had been preoccupied with dealing with them when the news of Mu Yuelan taking the Dao Bone from Bai Xinyue reached his ears, and he acted immediately to deal with it.
By then, Dao Bone has already been taken away from Bai Xinyue and he didn’t need any other evidence to know that what he heard was true.
His wife has taken Dao Bone from Bai Xinyue to increase the Cultivation talent of Bai Zihan.
Thinking that Bai Xinyue’s life would be in danger—and not knowing what his wife might do—he had Bai Xinyue exiled from the clan.
Of course, he had sent many protectors and continued to help her in secret.
On the other hand, Mu Yuelan had also sent men to bring Bai Xinyue back, but they were blocked by the people Bai Tianheng had sent.
Bai Tianheng believed Mu Yuelan was still trying to get Bai Xinyue, which only reinforced his belief that he had made the right decision.
If Bai Xinyue had stayed in the Bai Clan while Mu Yuelan was there, he believed she would have been in danger.
Perhaps if he had been more trusting and not made such a stupid decision, those misunderstandings wouldn’t exist.
Perhaps the conflict with Bai Xinyue might not exist either.
After all, Bai Xinyue seemed to be more hurt about being abandoned than having her Dao Bone taken, to be honest.
Bai Tianheng stood in silence, unmoving.
Mu Yuelan’s voice still echoed in his ears—harsh, cracking, yet laced with an unbearable vulnerability.
The proud woman he had once known as flawless and firm had just unraveled before him—not as an alchemist, not as a matriarch, but as a mother.
His fists slowly unclenched, then tightened again.
His heart, a fortress forged through countless battles, now cracked with guilt.
(Was I too hasty…?)
Back then, when he had heard what Yuelan had done, he hadn’t stopped to ask why.
He hadn’t demanded an explanation.
He had assumed the worst.
Assumed that she, like many others, had grown cold and ambitious in the pursuit of power… that she had sacrificed Xinyue just to raise their son’s talent to the heavens.
So he acted.
Soon, he has also banished her from the clan with a single decree, despite her trying to explain the situation.
He thought that he didn’t have time to listened to excuses since Li Clan didn’t stop their attempt at dethroning Bai Clan as the strongest Clan.
But now…
Now he realized.
He had been too preoccupied—too absorbed in the fight against the Li Clan. That conflict had consumed everything he had.
Even his trust.
Even his family.
His jaw tightened as memories surged like a tidal wave.
Yuelan’s absence.
Zihan’s weakened state back then.
The emptiness that filled the Bai Clan halls after Xinyue was exiled.
Everything… had started there.
And perhaps—just perhaps—he had played a larger part in that tragedy than he dared admit.
“I…”
Bai Tianheng’s voice was hoarse.
Mu Yuelan, who had turned her face away, slowly looked back at him.
“I didn’t know,” he said quietly. “I didn’t even try to know.”
She said nothing, but her fingers curled at her sides.
“I was so focused on protecting the clan… even that might be an excuse… I didn’t see the truth. I didn’t see you.”
His shoulders slumped. The proud, indomitable patriarch seemed… aged in that moment.
“I thought you’d changed,” he muttered. “That you were willing to sacrifice an innocent child for cultivation potential. That you’d lost your heart.”
He met her gaze, and there was no fire in it now. Only regret.
“I’m sorry, Yuelan!”
Mu Yuelan’s lip trembled.
“No need to apologize! It doesn’t undo anything you or I did.”
Mu Yuelan knew she hadn’t handled things well either.
And while she could excuse it as a matter of urgency and desperation, even that couldn’t truly justify her actions.
Still, that didn’t mean she wasn’t angry at Bai Tianheng—for never giving her a chance to explain.
Though in truth… she hadn’t tried to explain, either.
After that day, she had withdrawn completely, maintaining the distance between them in silence.
Moreover, he had expelled Bai Xinyue—someone Mu Yuelan believed deserved her apology and her explanation more than anyone.
She had even sent men to bring the girl back… only for them to be blocked by Bai Tianheng’s own people.
That had only deepened the rift between them.
“So what now?”
Bai Tianheng asked awkardly.
“Zihan is already engaged to Chu Ziyan. And Xinyue… she’s been taken away by the Flowing Moon Sect. We don’t even know if we’ll get to see her again.”
“…”
Mu Yuelan stayed silent.
She’d heard bits and pieces of what had happened while she was in seclusion—and had nearly exploded in fury.
Bai Xinyue, the girl she had been trying to find all these years, had reappeared while she was still cultivating… only to vanish again, taken far beyond her reach when she was out.
It felt like the heavens were mocking her and playing with her.
What had calmed her was hearing of her son’s recent achievements—how Bai Zihan, once the sickly disappointment of the clan, had now become the most talked-about genius in the entire Desolate Heaven Empire.
Of course, she assumed the rumors were exaggerated as always. But still… she had been happy.
And more than that, she’d heard that Bai Xinyue had risked herself to protect Bai Zihan when he was gravely injured and surrounded by enemies.
Maybe—just maybe—the promise she’d once made to her old friend could still be fulfilled, at least that was what she thought before coming to know that she has been taken away by Yue Wushuang.
The only thing that wasn’t mentioned was that Bai Zihan was already engaged which is already old news and something that most have already heard about.
Anyways, Bai Tianheng made a fair point.
There was no point getting worked up over it. The engagement was already done, and Xinyue… was far away.
Sigh!
“You’re right,” Mu Yuelan murmured. “I was just upset. I had already chosen a bride for our son, and it didn’t go as I planned.”
Phew!
Bai Tianheng breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Just then—
“Mother! Father!”
Bai Zihan burst through the shattered doors, slightly out of breath. His eyes darted between the two.
To his surprise, his father was still alive—and his mother seemed calmer than before.
“So… you two finally worked things out?”
He asked, head tilted.
(We’ll talk later.)
Mu Yuelan sent the message to Bai Tianheng via Mental Transmission.
He gave a faint nod.
“Haha… of course. It was just a small misunderstanding anyways.”
She said aloud with a faint smile.
(Small, my ass!)
Something that had lasted seven years, tearing the family apart… and that’s just a small misunderstanding?
Still, whatever. If it meant they’d finally patched things up, he wouldn’t complain.
“So, you’re engaged to the Chu Clan’s daughter?”
Mu Yuelan asked.
Bai Zihan nodded.
“I wonder how she is. Is she even suitable for my precious son? She doesn’t have an overbearing personality, right? That wouldn’t be good as wife.”
(Yeah, right…)
Both Bai Zihan and Bai Tianheng nearly rolled their eyes at her comment.
“Ahem! How about this then,” Bai Tianheng interjected.
“Ziyan is at the Bai Clan Estate. You can take this time to meet her and get to know her. Zihan’s birthday is only a few days away, after all. Why not use that time to know your daughter-in-law a bit?”
Mu Yuelan nodded in agreement, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.
“Then let’s go meet my daughter-in-law!”