Chapter 2180

The entire Wynthorpe Manor was in an eerie, deathly silence after Shannon and Benjamin were pulled into the space-time chaos. Louise stood beneath the Soul Tree, her gaze indecipherable as she stared at the torn fox fur in her palm. After the souls were restored, Trevaris revealed to everyone the events that had transpired in the portal, including the fact that they didn't follow the original plan to return to three thousand years ago but to six thousand years ago instead. Thalia had been anxious since finding Shannon's soul bell fallen from the Soul Tree. With Shannon and Benjamin's divine souls missing and Trevaris' message—on top of that—she quickly deduced Louise had everything to do with this. Sending Shannon back to six thousand years ago to reunite with the Ten-Tailed Elythune was something that Louise would do. With a series of mishaps and Shannon's divine soul missing, Thalia could no longer control herself. She rushed to Louise's side, her eyes red, and questioned, "Why?" "Why, what?" Louise turned around to look at her, expressionless. "Why would you do that to my daughter?" Thalia screamed the question that had been plaguing her mind. Had the Wynthorpe clan not failed to protect Shannon or even decided not to eye her with hostility, she wouldn't have been stranded alone for 18 years. Had it not been for Louise's constant pressure, Shannon wouldn't have spent the last two years relentlessly striving to become stronger. "You're the leader of the Wynthorpe clan. You protect them and the demon clan, but why, out of everyone and everything, do you choose not to do that for me and Shannon?" With reddened eyes, Thalia poured the pent-up dissatisfaction in her heart to Louise. "You put all your hopes and expectations on Shannon and forced her to grow up—that I could forgive. "But you shouldn't have sent her soul back to six thousand years ago just so she could seize the Ten-Tailed connection without our knowledge!" In the past two years, Thalia and Hector had been in and out of Wynthorpe Manor from time to time because of Shannon's cultivation under Louise's guidance. Her relationship with Louise—even Reuben—had long since lost the earlier tension. At times, they could even sit down and chat for a while. Even if they hadn't mended their bond to the point of typical family closeness, she had always believed that their relationship was gradually improving. It was especially so when Louise had taken a strand of fox fur and tied it around Shannon's wrist… moments before she sent her into the time-travelling portal. Thalia had assumed her mother truly cared for and wanted to protect Shannon, at least in that moment. But, alas, that was nothing more than a bit of reassurance granted because she had sent her soul into a more dangerous situation. In the end, that so-called reassurance didn't manage to bring Shannon back. Only Thalia understood how disappointed and saddened she felt. Despite knowing her mother wouldn't care, she still wanted to vent her frustrations. "Am I not your child? Why have you never cared for me?" she questioned Louise. "Since you don't like me or my child, why did you bother bringing me into this world?" Tears fell uncontrollably from her eyes. Her questioning voice pierced into Louise's ears, slowly gnawing at the latter's heart. It stung, but was unmistakably painful. Though the woman before her was already a mother, looking at her still brought back memories of the way she had once clung to her as a child… and of that person. Louise's fingers trembled slightly. She wanted to wipe the tears from her daughter's face, but in the end, her reluctance won. She looked at Thalia for a long time before solemnly assuring, "I'll bring her back." She had been the one who sent Shannon into the time-travelling portal, so she had to ensure bringing her back safely—even if it meant entering the portal herself. Seeing that Louise had said nothing more beyond that, Thalia felt the weight in her chest, stifling, stuck somewhere between anger and helplessness. She believed Louise wouldn't stand by and do nothing for Shannon.