In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.
In the maple forest outside Maple Leaf Village, a delicate-looking boy in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts sat atop a giant boulder covered in Blue Silver Grass, gazing calmly into the distance. The scenery before him was beautiful, but he had no mind to appreciate it. His heart was occupied by many thoughts.
His name was Qin Ze.
After transmigrating, he had initially had no idea what kind of world he had arrived in.
That was until, at a wedding feast that year, the village chief named Ke Lan summoned a cabbage right in front of him, along with a white ring.
Qin Ze had immediately been dumbfounded. Wasn't this the world of Douluo Continent?
What Qin Ze had not expected, however, was that the timeline he had transmigrated into seemed rather strange. He had originally assumed he had arrived in Tang San's era, but that was not the case. Later, he had asked Ke Lan about Shrek Academy.
The answer had been simple: Shrek Academy, the number one Soul Master Academy on Douluo Continent, the holy land in the hearts of all Soul Masters.
Hearing that, Qin Ze understood. Tang San had long since gone to the God Realm.
"I wonder exactly what era I'm in." Qin Ze muttered to himself. He already knew of the Sun Moon Empire's existence, but he was not sure whether he was in the same era as Huo Yuhao. If he was, he could obtain many opportunities in the future. If not, things would be troublesome.
As he thought, a trace of gloom appeared in Qin Ze's eyes. "Grandma's health is getting worse by the day. Unfortunately, I'm too weak to find any precious heavenly treasures for her."
Five years had passed, and Zhu Xiyan, who had taken Qin Ze in, was growing weaker and weaker. Qin Ze saw it all and worried endlessly.
Pat! Pat!
After brushing the dust from his legs, Qin Ze jumped down from the boulder in a few strides. Though he had yet to awaken his Martial Soul, his physical condition was exceptionally good.
As for what Martial Soul he would awaken, he would have to wait another year to find out. Qin Ze was not anxious. Good or bad, all he wanted now was to find precious heavenly treasures to nurse his grandmother back to health.
He had been an orphan for eighteen years in his previous life. In this life, he had family, and he cherished them dearly.
Whoosh!
After jumping down from the boulder, Qin Ze casually picked up a small bucket beneath it. Several pale green fish swam inside. These fish were highly nutritious, and he planned to make fish soup for his grandmother.
Walking into the picturesque maple forest, Qin Ze ran toward the village as the breeze continually fluttered the hem of his clothes.
Ever since the seven children five years ago had awakened their Martial Souls, every child in Maple Leaf Village who reached the proper age in the following years possessed Innate Soul Power. Though their levels were not high, it had caused Maple Leaf Village to become immensely famous, making all the surrounding villages envious.
By today, three of the first seven children had successfully become Soul Masters and obtained Soul Rings. Though they were merely the lowest-grade ten-year Soul Rings, they were still Soul Rings. This meant that aside from Ke Lan, Maple Leaf Village finally had successors.
"Hey, A Ze, you're back!"
When Qin Ze returned to the village entrance, several women washing clothes by the river called out to him.
"Hello, Auntie Chen. Goodbye, Auntie Chen." Qin Ze replied with a smile, then promptly slipped away without stopping for even a moment.
Auntie Chen froze for a moment. Turning to look at her companions, she asked, "Do I really look that scary? Why does that boy act like he's seen a ghost every time he sees me?"
"What do you think? You always loved pinching A Ze's cheeks when he was little. Of course he's afraid of you."
"Haha, you really did scare him back then."
"Who told that boy to be even cuter than a little girl? I just couldn't help pinching him a few more times." Auntie Chen said somewhat embarrassedly.
"That is true. A Ze's skin is even softer and fairer than my daughter's. When he grows up, who knows how many girls he'll charm."
"Hahahaha!"
As they washed their clothes, the group chatted about gossip, easing their fatigue.
Inside the village, Qin Ze's forehead was covered in black lines. When he had still been a baby, countless people had loved pinching the flesh on his cheeks and bottom because he was too cute. It was an indescribably painful memory.
The paths through Maple Leaf Village were fairly level. Qin Ze ran along them, passing the square first, then the Wooden House, turning two corners and climbing a flight of stairs. Finally, he saw a house.
The house was not large, but it was warm and cozy. Outside the storage room on the right stood a stone mill for grinding soy milk, while on the left side of the house grew a ginkgo tree several centuries old.
The ginkgo leaves had already turned golden, and layer upon layer of fallen leaves covered the ground like a golden carpet.
When stepped on lightly, they made crisp cracking sounds.
"Grandma, I'm back!" Before Qin Ze even entered, his voice had already reached the house.
Yet before Qin Ze could go inside, a grave-faced woman walked out.
Qin Ze's heart skipped a beat.
"Auntie Lin, what happened to Grandma?"
Lin Cuicui glanced at Qin Ze but did not explain. She merely said, "Come in."
Hearing that, Qin Ze quickly headed toward his grandmother's room.
The moment he entered, he saw several people inside.
They included Village Chief Ke Lan, Uncle Zheng Long, and Uncle Zheng Hu. There was also a physician.
Zhu Xiyan lay on the bed with her eyes tightly shut. Her expression was peaceful, but her breathing was extremely weak.
At the sight, Qin Ze's lips trembled, but he could not say a word. When he had left home at noon, Grandma had still been fine.
Ke Lan turned to look at Qin Ze, gave him a meaningful glance, then left the room.
Qin Ze stared blankly at his grandmother before following him out.
In the living room, Ke Lan wore a solemn expression. Looking at the dazed Qin Ze, he said, "Do you know that five years ago, your grandmother's body had already reached its limit? Yet for some reason, her health suddenly improved again, until today."
Qin Ze slightly raised his eyes. Five years ago... wasn't that when he had been found?
"Alas, your grandmother's condition is worsening now. According to the physician, she has at most one month left." Ke Lan sighed heavily, his tone grave.
"What exactly is wrong with Grandma?" Qin Ze forced himself to calm down and asked.
Ke Lan said, "Nothing is wrong. Her Life is simply fading naturally."
Qin Ze went still at those words.
He had always thought his grandmother had some serious illness, but this was the answer he received.
Ke Lan looked at him and said, "Spend this final time with your grandmother. Come to think of it, if she hadn't found you back then, she would have gone with her husband and son long ago. I think these five years have made her very happy."
After saying that, Ke Lan returned to the room.
Qin Ze did not reply. He merely stood there in a daze.
For some reason, he suddenly lowered his head and looked at the bucket of fresh fish. Inside, the fish that had been lively moments ago were already barely alive.
Before you continue