Homecoming

After the Spirit Ascension Platform, everyone received perfect scores.

Tang Wulin had originally lost one point for an oversight while directing the battle, but Long Bing lodged a strong protest with Wu Changkong over it, and that point was ultimately restored.

Xie Xie looked at the score that had been crossed out in red ink, then tilted his head to glance at Tang Wulin, his eyes flickering slightly.

Tang Wulin understood immediately.

Teacher Wu is afraid of his wife. They had thought the same thing.

That afternoon before the holiday began, Wu Changkong called the three of them to his office. Standing by the window, the sunlight dyed the edges of his blue hair pale gold. Without turning around, he said toward the window, "After the holiday, go take a look at the Tang Sect. Long Bing and I have already handled the procedures. Someone will pick you up then." Tang Wulin stood in front of the desk without immediately replying.

"If it suits you, you can try joining the Tang Sect." With his back still turned, he added, "Of course, no one will force you even if you choose not to join."

He tilted his head to glance at Long Bing beside him. She was sorting through a stack of forms on the desk. Noticing his gaze, she looked up at him without saying anything, then lowered her head again and nodded.

On the day he returned home, Tang Wulin sat by the window of the soul-guided train, resting his forehead against the slightly cool glass. The scenery outside kept receding—the skyscrapers of Eastsea City gradually gave way to low fields, while distant ridgelines appeared and disappeared in the morning mist, as though they were slowly changing shape.

Sunlight slanted in through the window and fell across his knees, swaying slightly with the train's jolts. It suddenly made him feel at peace. For some reason, he recalled something Xie Xie had said while sitting across from him in his previous life: "Boss, why does something always happen every time you take a soul-guided train?"

He frowned. Why did I suddenly remember that?

Then the Golden Dragon King's voice exploded in his mind. "Tang Wulin, something's wrong."

A chill ran down Tang Wulin's back. No way. It can't be such a coincidence, can it? He only wanted to go home. Why did something like this have to repeat itself? When he sank into the Sea of Spirit, the Golden Dragon King sat upon his throne in the golden palace, holding a small dragon covered in dark-gold scales. The little dragon had grown much larger than before. It was curled up in the Golden Dragon King's arm, dozing, its tail dangling in the air and occasionally flicking. The Golden Dragon King wore a subtly satisfied expression as he stroked the little dragon's back.

Tang Wulin stood in the center of the hall and silently watched that scene for a moment.

Jinyu no longer bore even a trace of its former appearance as a defective Ten-Year Soul Spirit. Its body had grown sturdier, its scales had become much darker, and every breath carried a faint, almost imperceptible pressure. Tang Wulin suddenly felt that he might not even be able to defeat it with certainty in a one-on-one fight now.

"You called me here because of this?" Tang Wulin's voice carried restrained helplessness.

The Golden Dragon King glanced at him, his tone exceedingly casual. "I heard your thoughts. This king thought you seemed rather bored." He stood up, and Jinyu coiled around his shoulders, its tail draped over one shoulder like a dark-gold scarf. "It's not like nothing is happening." The Golden Dragon King reached out and lightly tapped Jinyu's forehead. "This little fellow is about to break through. Don't summon it for a while."

Tang Wulin froze. "Break through? A hundred thousand years?"

"No. What are you thinking? Do you think Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts are turtles in a pond?" The Golden Dragon King sounded annoyed at being disturbed. "Its aptitude is too poor. This king needs to cleanse its meridians. Reaching a hundred thousand years is definitely impossible."

Tang Wulin let out a breath of relief. If it reached that realm already, wouldn't it be over if some soul spirit skill ever came into play later? With his back to Tang Wulin, the Golden Dragon King added, his voice softer than before, "But it can still instantly kill that Dark-Gold Dreadclaw Bear."

When Tang Wulin returned to his senses, the soul-guided train was still moving steadily. He turned to glance out the window, and the receding scenery put him at ease. The Golden Dragon King's tone when he said those final words lingered in his memory. Thinking of the faint tenderness in the Golden Dragon King's eyes, so unlike his usual self, Tang Wulin felt an indescribable sense of reassurance. Though the Golden Dragon King always disparaged Jinyu's aptitude, in his eyes, it was probably no longer merely one of his subjects.

The imagined crisis never came. The scenery outside continued to drift steadily backward. The weather was clear, sunlight spread across the land, and low clouds slowly moved along the horizon. The train traveled through the tranquility, the sound of the rails steady and rhythmic.

His soul-guided communicator rang. Tang Wulin lowered his head to glance at his wristwatch, where a familiar name flashed across the screen. He tapped the answer button, but before he could speak, a voice came from the other end. "Brother!"

It was Na'er's voice. Clear and excited, as though she had saved up an entire day's worth of words for this moment, waiting to pour them all out after he answered. Tang Wulin leaned back in his seat, and the corners of his mouth curved up unconsciously. "Na'er!"

His voice was brighter than he had expected, as if something was reigniting in his chest. This time, he would definitely protect her. The Golden Dragon King had also said that they were afraid of losing control over there. Since she had come, then she should not leave. "Brother will be home soon. Will you come pick Brother up after school?"

"Mm!" A crisp response came from the other end of the call. Then, as if afraid he had not heard clearly, she added, "Me, Dad, Mom."

"Okay," Tang Wulin said.

This steel dragon passed through the boundary between cities and fields, briefly separating families before bringing them back into one another's sight.

The train continued smoothly along the tracks, passing field after field. Scattered towns appeared in the distance, then faded away. Tang Wulin leaned against his seat, the communicator in his hand already disconnected, while his gaze remained fixed outside the window.

Before long, he saw the familiar sign—Aolai City welcomes you all.

There were not many people on the platform. A cold announcement sounded from the broadcast system: "Aolai City has arrived. Please disembark in an orderly manner." The voice echoed once through the empty platform before being swallowed by the sound of the train doors closing.

When Tang Wulin stood up, he carried only a small bag containing snacks for Na'er. The gifts for his father and mother were in his storage ring.

He stepped out of the carriage, and the cool wind, carrying the warmth of home, embraced him.

"This is wonderful."

Sunlight fell across his shoulders on the platform. Shadows streaked across his school uniform as he ran toward the exit, the bag swinging in his hand. At the far end of the platform, he saw three familiar figures looking in his direction.

At this moment, he was not a boy suffering from the Golden Dragon King's bloodline corrosion, not a savior, not the son of a God King. He was only a boy running toward his family, a child who went home whenever he missed it.