Shi Hao underwent a series of trials in the Fire Kingdom Ancestral Land, catching Yang Fish to absorb their divine substance. One day of enlightenment in the Divine Palace equaled dozens of days outside, and he gained further fortune in the Sacred Emperor Palace. His cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds.
Seeing that the appointed battle was drawing near, he returned to Stone Village, seeking peace of mind.
He believed this was his true home. There were his simple, endearing clansmen, the old chief who cared so deeply for him, the Willow Deity who protected everyone, and someone who was both sister and mother to him. He missed them all terribly and could never forget them.
The villagers were naturally delighted by his return.
Shi Hao learned, however, that his sister had only recently left.
Before his spirits could sink, he saw two people in the village whose presence took him by surprise, yet who had haunted his dreams for years.
Even from far away, Shi Hao realized who they were, and his vision blurred at once.
They were his parents. After more than a decade apart, he finally saw them again.
"Father! Mother!" he cried, unable to hold back his tears.
For years, he had yearned for them, meeting them only in his dreams. He had never expected to be reunited with them today.
"Hao'er!" Shi Ziling's and Qin Yining's voices trembled when they saw him.
Though they had been separated for more than a decade, they were certain this was their child, the little boy they had left in the Desolate Region. Now he had grown up.
In that instant, all three trembled. Their mouths opened, but none could form a complete sentence. Then they called out to one another, stumbling forward and rushing into an embrace.
Reunited