BaiLing dropped her sword and ran over to her mother, who was lying on the ground with blood soaking her clothes.

BaiLing: "Mom! Mom, are you alright? Please... hang on. I'll treat you okay?"

Tears were running down her face, and Ling Hwa reached up and wiped them and told her.

"Ling'er, I'm okay. So don't cry, okay?"

BaiLing nodded her head, yet tears were still running. From her magical dimension, she pulled out a set of acupuncture needles. BaiLing did everything that she could, tried everything that she was taught, to save her mom. But all was in vain. A poison that she had never learned about before was running through her mother's system.

Jia Le carried Ling Hwa to their bedroom, while Zhi Chen turned into a bird and flew to his grandpa's house for help. When Li Qiang arrived, he headed towards the room immediately. He checked on his daughter and tried everything he could think of, but it was also in vain. The divine doctor who has saved hundreds of lives couldn't save the one he wanted to most.

Seeing the expression on her grandpa's face, BaiLing started to cry even harder. She begged her grandpa to figure out a way to save her mom, but all he could do was give her a sad face.

Ling Hwa: "Ling'er, please don't cry. I'm okay, really. You don't have to worry about me."

BaiLing: "(crying)... Mom, please... please don't leave me. I'm begging you. I'll be a good

daughter, I promise. So, please don't leave me."

Ling Hwa: "Ling'er, listen to me. You and your grandpa gave tried your best. Don't forget, I'm also a doctor. I know my condition. So, don't blame yourself, okay?"

BaiLing: "No... it's my fault. If I didn't let those four men getaway in the first place, they wouldn't have sneaked onto the capital, and they wouldn't have come here for revenge. It's all my fault."

Ling Hwa reached out to pat BaiLing's head. She smiled at her and said.

"None of this is your fault. You wanted to show them mercy. You wanted to give them a second chance. It was their choice. So this isn't your fault."

Ling Hwa then looked at her dad and said.

"Dad, I know you did your best. So please, don't blame yourself. At least now, I get to go see mom."

Li Qiang: "Hwa'er... I'm sorry."

Ling Hwa shook her head and smiled.

Ling Hwa: "I'm okay, dad. Really. Also, I'm sorry that I can't be by your side anymore. Please forgive me."

She then looked over to her husband and said.

"Jia Le, please promise me you'll look after the kids. Promise me you'll love them in my place as well."

Jia Le: "I will. I promise."

Although he was trying to keep up a strong front, tears slowly flowed down his face.Ling Hwa: "Thank you. Meeting you and marrying you was the best thing that happened in my life. I'll never forget the memories that we shared."

She then looked towards Zhi Chen and called him forward. He went to his mother's side, his face a wet and grimy.

Ling Hwa: "Chen'er, you're a big boy now. I'm sorry, I can't be there to watch you or your sister getting married. But know that I will always be watching you guys from above. So, promise that you will listen to your dad and grandpa and grow up to be the best person you possibly can be, okay? And please take care of your little sister."

Zhi Chen: "(crying)... I promise... I promise, mom. I'll protect Ling'er for the rest of my life and will grow up to be the best I can."

Hearing all the promised put Ling Hwa at ease. But there was still one person who she couldn't put her worries aside for. Using the last of her strengths, she held BaiLing's hand tightly and told her.

"Ling'er, I love you very much. Don't you ever forget that. And know that I will and have never blamed you for anything. So please be happy. This is my last request to you."

And with that, Ling Hwa closed her eyes and left the world. BaiLing, who couldn't accept the fact, kept shaking her mother's arm while crying and begging her to wake up. She stayed by her mother's side the entire night, and no one could pull her away. BaiLing guarded her mother's body, not letting anyone take her away, but soon she gave out and fainted.

The news made its way to the palace, and the next day, they held a funeral for her mother. All of the generals and their friends went to the funeral instead of the banquet that day. Everyone who came could see how heartbroken BaiLing was. She rushed to the funeral hall the moment she came to, staying there all day, not caring what others told her.

Late into the night, the emperor came to pay his respects. He gave the whole family some time off so that everyone could rest and heal.

Once the funeral was over and Ling Hwa was buried, BaiLing locked herself in her room, not letting anyone in and not eating or drinking anything either. She spent her days crying. Everyone in the mansion was worried about her health, but they knew they couldn't force her into anything either, so they let her have her own time.

When she finally came out a week later, everyone thought she was better now, but no one excepted that she would break every instrument in sight. The only ones that she couldn't bear to destroy were those owned by her mother. This went on for half a year. From that day forward, no music was played in the residents, and BaiLing never danced again.

She withdrew herself from the social world, so she was rarely seen. She only left the house to go visit her grandpa and help him at the clinic. People of nobility didn't know what she looked like, but the commoners were more familiar with her appearance.

And every time there was a war, she would make sure that no enemy would survive. She also wore and mask that made her look like a demon. Earning her the title of the Demon General. A general who was thought to be a man. A general who was both feared and respected by his people and made his enemies tremble.