At the edge of the sky, a divine rainbow exploded, and a golden road unfurled downward from it.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Clear footsteps rang out. A woman approached, clad in pale blue celestial robes, her body shrouded in mist. Even so, her graceful bearing remained visible. Her figure was flawless, her swaying movements enchanting.
"Yao Yue, little Xi." The woman spoke in a clear, melodious voice, like music from the heavens, yet it carried the majesty of an emperor surveying the realm.
The mist dispersed, revealing the woman's true appearance.
Hers was a cool, otherworldly beauty, with brows like distant mountains brushed with dark ink, eyes like cold stars reflecting the moon, and skin whiter than snow, untouched by dust. An indescribably noble air surrounded her.
Lan Ling!
"Mother!" The two girls were delighted to see her.
As far as they remembered, they had not met Lan Ling very often, but she was indeed a wonderful mother, sending them divine treasures from time to time.
Lan Ling teleported to their side in a single step and said fondly, "Hehe, your cultivation has improved again. It seems you haven't been slacking."
"Clan sister." Lan Wu stepped forward and bowed. Her cultivation was unfathomable, so he ought to show his respect.
"Since the two little princesses have arrived, I'll take my leave."
He was merely a distant younger clansman, scarcely closer to them than an outsider. It was best not to disturb their reunion.
"Very well. Thank you for your efforts." Lan Ling nodded with a faint smile.
Mother and daughters had not seen one another for a long time, so naturally, they had much to discuss. Lan Ling took the two girls around this realm, introducing things along the way.
Many people stopped as they passed. All were extraordinary and had embarked on cultivation early in life.
Their eyes held curiosity, along with a hint of scrutiny.
"Who are those two girls? Why have we never seen them before?" someone asked.
The two girls possessed extraordinary bearing and exceptional beauty. To these hot-blooded young men, they were naturally very alluring.
Even some young women could not help stopping to marvel at them.
"And that tall, stunning woman-she's unfathomable. Truly extraordinary."
Yet everyone merely shook their heads. No one knew.
They could hardly be blamed. After all, Lan Ling had always preferred to conceal her appearance. Within the Lan clan, so few people could recognize her that they could be counted on one hand.
As for Xi Yue and Yao Yue, they had never been here before, so naturally, no one recognized them either.
They arrived atop a divine mountain, where violet clouds steamed upward and immortal light surged, like a sacred pure land.
An old man stood there, wearing coarse hemp robes, his white hair casually tied back with a strip of cloth. He looked like an ordinary elderly man, without the slightest trace of divine bearing.
"Father," Lan Ling called as she approached.
"Mm." Lan Canghai glanced at her and gave only a flat acknowledgment before looking away.
"Grandfather." The two girls stepped forward to pay their respects, their eyes clear.
"Hahaha! Little Xi, Yao Yue, come, come! Have a cup with this old man."
Lan Canghai's eyes lit up, and a smile instantly blossomed across his stern face. With a wave, he summoned a huge rock and carved a stone table from it without using divine power.
At this, dark lines appeared across Lan Ling's forehead. Sure enough, there was a reason grandparents doted on their grandchildren.
Only yesterday, the old man had been calling her his precious daughter at every turn. Today, he had turned his back on her as though he no longer knew her.
He kept bringing out all kinds of divine materials, rare treasures, precious artifacts, medicinal treasures, and even some extremely valuable blood essence from ferocious beasts.
Watching this, Lan Ling was at a loss for words. Was all this really necessary? Even she, his own daughter, had never received such treatment.
Helpless, she could only sit down and pour herself a cup of fragrant tea.
"Spirit-Nourishing Tea!" Yao Yue was somewhat surprised. This tea could calm the mind and focus the spirit, allowing one to enter a state of enlightenment. Even sect masters regarded it as a treasure.
"It's only because you two are here. Usually, the old man is terribly stingy. It's hard enough to pry even a little something from between his fingers." Lan Ling sipped her tea, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
But the old man refused to indulge her. He immediately rapped her on the head, so swiftly that the movement was hard to make out.
"You wretched girl! All day long, you think of nothing but this old man's few possessions. You're already a half-step Supreme, yet you still haven't crossed that threshold. And instead of reining yourself in, you keep acting like a little girl!"
Although he was scolding her, there was not the slightest reproach behind his words. Even that knock on her head had carried no divine power.
Lan Ling: "..."
She wanted to argue. To her, the old man's possessions were hardly worth coveting. With her cultivation and standing, she could obtain whatever she wanted herself.
But at the dangerous look in his eyes, the words changed as they reached her lips. "I understand. Give me another two or three years, and I'll reach that realm."
In truth, she had returned to the clan precisely to make her breakthrough. She had also invited Xi Yue and Yao Yue because she did not want them to feel neglected.
After all, this period of secluded cultivation would last several years at the very least. Who knew what things would be like when she emerged again?
Besides, the Lan clan was their maternal clan as well. It was necessary to build a good relationship with them.
"Mm, that's more like it." The old man nodded, seemingly quite satisfied.
Xi Yue and Yao Yue watched everything from the side. They wanted to laugh but did not dare, so they simply kept drinking their tea.
There was no other reason: they were afraid of getting beaten.
Although Lan Ling truly treated them well, she truly did beat them, too.
With their mischievous temperaments, they had received no shortage of discipline as children. Others had not dared lay a hand on them, but Lan Ling had no such qualms.
Only after they awakened and tempered their dispositions had things eased somewhat.
"The past is too painful to revisit," Xi Yue sighed.
"Why don't you stay here with me for a while? You can keep this old man company." He looked at the two girls and stroked his beard as he spoke.
Both nodded slightly, accepting his suggestion.
At this, the old man immediately grew enthusiastic and drew them into a conversation about everyday matters.
The path of cultivation called for both tension and release. A meal had to be eaten one mouthful at a time. Even knowing the darkness that lay ahead, they still had to walk the road step by step, or everything would descend into chaos.
In other words, precisely because of the hardships ahead, she had to cherish these peaceful days all the more, along with the family and friends around her.
For she could not be certain how many familiar faces would perish in this calamity sweeping across the heavens, reduced to a handful of yellow earth and buried in the river of time.
Despite these thoughts, her fighting spirit had not faded. This was merely the worst possible outcome.
Her very presence in this lifetime represented limitless possibilities. Those predetermined endings could all be changed!
If that day truly comes, with you gone
, with her gone, with all eternity emptied, I will ascend to the utmost peak and bring everyone forth through my radiance. I will share glory with you all, and share the passing years!
Her state of mind transformed. She truly gained an invincible momentum, her edge laid bare, unstoppable.
"Little Xi, what's wrong?" Seeing her fall into a daze, the old man immediately waved a hand before her face.
"Nothing. I'm just a little tired from cultivating." She shook her head, casually raising an excuse like a banner.
The old man nodded without saying more.
He was a Supreme. At his realm, little could escape his notice, and he had keenly caught that fleeting anomaly.
Still, he did not expose it. Once children grew up, they would always have ideas of their own. All their elders needed to do was pave the way for them as best they could.