New Family Member Reports

At six in the morning, Lin Fan woke up on time.

The rental room was still cramped, but with the addition of a few statues and sketches, it no longer felt so suffocating. The "Breathing Soil" on the windowsill still emanated a faint dao rhythm, and the Nüwa statue in the corner of the room seemed to have come to life, bathed in the morning light, it faintly shimmered with a soft glow.

Lin Fan got up quietly, preparing to start his daily Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra cultivation, when he suddenly heard a crisp "clang" from the kitchen.

His heart skipped a beat, and he rushed over to check.

At the kitchen doorway, a stranger was squatting on the ground, frantically picking up a broken bowl.

"Sorry, sorry... I didn't mean to..."

It was a young man, looking to be in his early twenties, tall and slender, wearing an old T-shirt and sweatpants that were clearly ill-fitting. His hair was messy, and his face held a mixture of childishness and panic.

Lin Fan was stunned. "Who are you?!"

The young man looked up, revealing a handsome but slightly disheveled face, his eyes full of apology. "I... I don't know either... I just woke up here... Your kitchen... smells so good... I couldn't help but come in and take a look..."

Lin Fan frowned, his divine sense scanning the man. He detected a trace of... Primordial Era aura on him?!

"Goddess, Senior Tongtian, something has happened!" Lin Fan quickly returned indoors, waking the two Sages.

Nüwa had already opened her eyes. Her gaze fell on the young man, and she paused slightly before a look of realization appeared in her eyes.

"This person... actually has innate wood spirit energy on him?"

Tongtian also walked over slowly, scanned with his divine sense, and snorted. "Another fragment of a true spirit, a remnant of the Primordial Era."

Lin Fan was shocked. "Another one?! Then he is..."

Nüwa said softly, "If I'm not mistaken, he should be - Jumang."

"Jumang?!" Lin Fan exclaimed, "The Wood Ancestral Witch?!"

Tongtian nodded, his tone indifferent. "One of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, in charge of the birth of all things in spring, the flourishing and withering of plants. He is ranked alongside Gong Gong, an ancient god of the Primordial Era."

Lin Fan's head buzzed, and he almost lost his footing.

Another ancestor?!

Jumang, one of the Ancestral Witches, the master of wood.

In the Primordial Era, he governed the growth of all things, the return of spring, the revival of withered trees, a manifestation of natural power. He was ranked alongside the Fire God Zhurong and the Water God Gong Gong, and was the gentlest among the Twelve Ancestral Witches.

But at this moment, he was like a lost child, squatting at the kitchen door, still clutching half a piece of unfinished toast.

"I... I really don't remember," Jumang said in a low voice. "I only remember... the sky collapsed, the earth cracked, and then I fell into darkness... When I woke up, I smelled a fragrance... it was your congee."

Lin Fan was amused and exasperated. "You were woken up by my millet congee?"

Nüwa smiled gently. "The Wood Spirit Body loves the taste of nature the most. The millet congee you cooked was precisely the catalyst to awaken his spiritual consciousness."

Lin Fan held his forehead. "So, do I have to cook congee every day from now on?"

Tongtian said indifferently, "If you want him to recover his memories sooner, follow his nature."

After some comforting and explanation, Jumang finally accepted the reality of being "stranded in another world."

His personality was gentle, and his speech was refined, a stark contrast to the violent Gong Gong. Upon learning that Nüwa and Tongtian were also here, he was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, and he knelt on the ground.

"Jumang pays his respects to Goddess Nüwa and Master Tongtian."

Nüwa quickly helped him up. "Brother Jumang, please don't be so formal. Now that we are all stranded in this world, we should treat each other as comrades."

Tongtian also nodded. "Your awakening is Lin Fan's fortune, and also your own destiny."

Jumang looked at Lin Fan, his eyes full of gratitude. "Young friend Lin Fan, I will always remember this debt of rebirth."

Lin Fan quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no, please don't kneel, I can't accept it..."

Jumang's arrival brought a touch of spring to the small room.

He was naturally attuned to nature. Even just standing on the balcony caused the potted plants in the house to grow at a visible rate. The pothos branches extended, the spider plants bloomed, and even the few chives Lin Fan had planted grew taller than a person.

Nüwa chuckled. "With him here, the house is full of vitality, which is also beneficial for cultivation."

Jumang was also happy to help. Although his divine power had not been restored, his control over the way of plants remained. Lin Fan bought a few nearly dead green plants, and with a light touch of his fingertips, they became lush and verdant in moments.

Lin Fan's heart stirred, and he suddenly thought, "Senior Jumang, since you can awaken the vitality of plants, can you also... improve the quality of ingredients?"

Jumang smiled. "We can try."

So, Lin Fan bought a pile of ordinary vegetables. Jumang nourished them with his wood spirit energy. In a moment, those vegetables emitted a faint fragrance and their colors became bright and fresh, as if they had just been picked from the mountains.

Lin Fan stir-fried a plate of greens. The taste was tender and juicy, with a fresh aroma filling his mouth, even more delicious than the delicacies in a five-star hotel!

He was so excited he almost cried. "This... this is too delicious!"

Nüwa took a bite and nodded slightly. "The true flavor of plants has been completely stimulated. Brother Jumang's power is indeed extraordinary."

Tongtian also took a bite. Although his expression remained unchanged, he silently took another chopstickful.

Jumang's awakening also attracted the attention of the authorities.

Chen Jing sat in the monitoring room, her brows furrowed as she looked at the screen displaying the young man with a gentle demeanor interacting with plants.

"Target Five (Codename: Green Spirit), newly appeared male individual, age approximately 20-25, identity unknown, possesses suspected 'plant manipulation' ability. Resides with Targets Two, Three, and Four, suspected to be a remnant of the Primordial Era."

"Energy fluctuations are mild, no offensive capabilities, but possesses extremely strong life field interference abilities."

"Recommendation: Continue observing, do not make contact for now."

She rubbed her temples and murmured, "Lin Fan's home... how many more people can possibly live there?"

The arrival of Jumang also changed Lin Fan's daily rhythm.

He no longer needed to go out to buy groceries every day. He only had to buy a batch of ordinary vegetables, and Jumang could nourish them with his wood spirit energy, increasing their quality severalfold. He even set up a "spirit vegetable garden" on the balcony, planting tomatoes, cucumbers, chili peppers, and other common vegetables. He watered them with spirit energy daily, and they grew quickly and well.

Nüwa also began using the herbs cultivated by Jumang as ingredients to try and concoct some simple "spirit meals." Though they had no divine efficacy, they could calm the spirit, nourish the qi, and aid Lin Fan's cultivation.

Tong Tian was quite interested in Jumang's wood spirit energy. The two occasionally discussed the Dao. Although one was the supreme master of the sword and the other was the Ancestral Witch of Nature, and their philosophies differed, they still felt a mutual appreciation for each other.

Lin Fan looked at the harmonious scene inside the house, his heart filled with emotion.

--This home was becoming more and more like a "haven for immortals."

One morning, as Lin Fan was watering plants on the balcony, he suddenly heard a commotion from downstairs.

He peeked out and saw several uniformed staff members gathered around the residential complex's green belt, pointing and discussing.

"That's strange, how did these trees grow so much overnight?"

"This rose bush was withered yesterday, and today it's blooming?"

"This lawn, why is it so green it looks fake?"

Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly returned inside, "Senior Jumang! Did you 'help out' again?"

Jumang looked innocent. "I just felt sorry for them and lent a small hand..."

Lin Fan pressed his forehead. "Your 'small hand' has almost turned the entire complex into a botanical garden!"

Nüwa chuckled lightly. "Plants have spirits. Brother Jumang is merely following nature's course."

Tong Tian said calmly, "It matters not. If the beings in this world can gain a sliver of life, it is also a good karma."

Lin Fan was helpless and could only secretly decide to designate a "scope of activity" for Senior Jumang in the future, to avoid attracting outside attention again.

Jumang's addition also gave Lin Fan new expectations for his future life.

He was no longer just a "mortal" passively receiving the protection of Sages, but was gradually becoming the core bond of this "Primordial little family."

He began to proactively plan his life, arrange meals, coordinate everyone's schedules, and even try to record the preferences and habits of each Sage.

Nüwa enjoyed quiet and liked to paint insects and flowers, so he bought her better painting tools and pigments.

Tong Tian loved swords and was addicted to instant noodles, so he stocked up on all sorts of flavors and secretly bought a tea set, wanting him to try the "Way of Tea."

Gong Gong was strong and loved meat, so he organized a "barbecue day" every week, letting him feast to his heart's content.

Jumang loved nature, so he set up a "spirit plant corner" on the balcony, allowing him to converse with plants daily.

He was no longer a salaryman suffocated by life, but a true guardian of a "home."

Late at night, Lin Fan sat alone by his bed, opened his diary, and wrote down his thoughts for the day:

[Day 44, Senior Jumang awakened, another member added to the household.]

[He is gentle, humble, and close to nature, a stark contrast to the fierce Senior Gong Gong.]

[I am beginning to understand that the so-called 'Primordial powerhouses' are not all aloof, unapproachable deities.]

[They also have emotions, preferences, and moments of vulnerability and confusion.]

[And I, Lin Fan, an ordinary mortal, can actually become their 'family member'.]

[This is not a dream, but a reality I am protecting with my own hands.]

[The road ahead may still be difficult, but I am not afraid.]

[Because I am no longer alone.]

He closed his diary and looked out the window.

In the night sky, stars twinkled, as if also watching over this small rental room.

Inside, Nüwa sat quietly painting, Tong Tian sipped hot tea, Gong Gong snored thunderously, and Jumang gently stroked the green plants.

Everything was peaceful and beautiful.

Lin Fan smiled softly and whispered to himself:

"Welcome home, Senior Jumang."