Li Qingshan looked back, a resolute glint in his eyes.
The Dragon Marrow of Kunlun, the hidden treasures deep within, and the unsolved mysteries of the Sun Sacred Clan all attracted him like a magnet.
But now, he has something more important and urgent to do: go home.
Xiaobai perched on his shoulder, curiously looking around.
Accustomed to the towering ancient trees and vibrant energy of Kunlun, she felt very uncomfortable with the lifeless mountains and rivers before her.
She wrinkled her nose; the almost nonexistent spiritual energy in the air made her instinctively feel a little thirsty.
"Brother Qing, there's no Heavenly Essence here."
Her little face scrunched up, as if she had tasted something unpleasant.
"Yes, this is the mortal world. The essence of heaven and earth is depleted. From now on, we must conserve our divine power." Li Qingshan bent down and held the little one firmly in his arms, feeling the cool touch of her scales. "Hold on tight, let's go home now."
Before he finished speaking, a crimson-gold divine radiance emanated from his body, and the Void beneath his feet trembled slightly.
A Divine Rainbow, condensed to the point of being tangible, shot into the sky, clinging tightly to the clouds, and pierced the heavens at a speed unimaginable to mortals.
He concealed his aura to the extreme, as if merging into the wind of the sky.
Xiaobai excitedly clung to Li Qingshan's clothes, watching the mountains and towns below recede like flowing water.
The wind whistled past her ears but couldn't get close; her golden eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wow, that's fast! Faster than the fastest bird in Kunlun!"
Li Qingshan smiled to himself, his divine sense already locked onto the direction of that large riverside city eight thousand miles away.
The Dragon Transformation Fifth Layer Heaven Realm, allowing one to transform into a rainbow and travel between the Northern Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening, is not an exaggeration.
What used to take several days to travel can now be covered in just half an hour.
The familiar outline of Jiangcheng quickly came into view.
Li Qingshan slowed down, and the Divine Rainbow quietly dissipated into the clouds.
He landed as lightly as a feather, appearing silently at the entrance of that familiar alley in the old town.
With all his mystique gone, he appeared to be just an ordinary young man with a rather calm demeanor.
Only the occasional glint of light in the depths of his eyes revealed his extraordinary nature.
Xiaobai clung tightly to his clothes, her little head turning curiously as she looked around at the gray bricks and tiles, the telephone poles, and the occasional bicycle passing by.
The unfamiliar atmosphere of everyday life made her both nervous and curious.
"Brother Qingshan, is this home?" she asked softly, her tail unconsciously curling gently around Li Qingshan's wrist.
"Yes, that's the building up ahead," Li Qingshan replied softly, his pace quickening involuntarily.
However, his divine sense had already probed into the house beforehand.
The senses, however, carried a strong sense of weariness, anxiety, and even a hint of lifelessness.
His heart sank suddenly, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
Three years of worry and anxiety have tormented the two elders to this extent!
When he arrived at the familiar apartment building, he didn't go upstairs immediately, but instead took a deep breath.
It releases a faint and gentle spiritual fluctuation, like a gentle knock on the door, allowing the parents to sense it first.
Upstairs, in the old but tidy living room.
Su Wan was sitting on the sofa, holding a sleeve from Li Qingshan's old clothes. She held the needle and thread in her hand for a long time without putting them down, staring blankly out the window, lost in thought.
Li Guoqiang leaned back in an old-fashioned rattan chair, holding a high school graduation photo of Li Qingshan in his hand.
His fingers repeatedly stroked his son's young, smiling face in the photograph, and his sighs were so heavy they seemed to crush the air.
Three years of searching, waiting, disappointment, and even despair had long since worn away the vitality they had once gained from their son's treatment.
Deep wrinkles, streaked white hair, Divine Capital.
Just then, that familiar, warm, and comforting spiritual wave swept through their hearts like a spring breeze.
Both of them were startled, looked up in disbelief, and exchanged a glance.
They both saw surprise and a hint of excitement they dared not hope for in each other's eyes.
Li Qingshan, carrying Xiaobai, stepped onto the stairs leading to the third floor.
Every step I take is treading on past memories, heavy yet urgent.
He stopped in front of the familiar dark brown security door, raised his hand, and knocked lightly.
The air inside the room seemed to freeze.
A few seconds later, Su Wan's voice, trembling and filled with extreme uncertainty, came through. "Who—who is it?"
"Mom, it's me. Qingshan." His voice came through the door, tinged with a barely perceptible hoarseness and sob.
"Click," the door lock was suddenly opened, the speed almost frantic.
The door opened, and Su Wan, the mother, appeared in the doorway.
With just one glance, Li Qingshan felt as if his heart had been pierced by a needle.
She looked more than ten years older than I remembered!
Her once jet-black hair had turned gray and was casually tied up.
His complexion was sallow, and his eyes were sunken.
Those eyes, which always held a gentle smile, were now bloodshot and filled with an overwhelming weariness and sorrow.
The old sweater she wore, which she had worn for many years, looked even more empty and desolate.
Upon seeing her son standing alive and well outside the door, Su Wan froze on the spot, as if struck by a spell.
His lips trembled violently, and the thimble in his hand clattered to the ground and rolled into a corner.
"--Mountain? Really--is it really you?"
She reached out her withered hand, wanting to touch it, yet fearing that what she saw was just another heartbreaking illusion, her voice broken and incoherent.
"Mom, it's me, I'm back." Li Qingshan stepped forward, making sure she could clearly feel his body temperature and presence.
That one word, "You're back," completely shattered the mental defenses that Su Wan had built up over the past three years.
She lunged forward, not to embrace him, but to grab Li Qingshan's arm with all her might, her nails almost digging into his flesh, as if he would disappear again if she let go.
The fear, longing, grievances, and despair that had been building up for three years burst forth like a flood, turning into heart-wrenching sobs.
My son! Where have you gone?!
Why are you only coming back now! Mom thought—Mom thought she'd never see you again in this lifetime!
"How could you be so cruel?" The heartbreaking sobs echoed in the narrow stairwell, tugging at the heartstrings.
Li Guoqiang staggered out of the house.
This father, who once stood tall and straight, is now severely hunched over.
His face was etched with the wrinkles and sorrows of time, and his cloudy eyes instantly reddened the moment he saw Li Qingshan, tears welling up silently.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but in the end it only turned into repeated, extremely hoarse murmurs:
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back." He stretched out his calloused and age-spotted hand and patted his son's shoulder heavily, the force carrying a thousand unspoken words.
Xiaobai was startled by this sudden and intense emotional shock, and timidly shrank behind Li Qingshan.
Her little hands clutched his clothes tightly as she looked at her weeping grandmother and her silently weeping grandfather, her golden eyes filled with confusion and unease.
She whispered softly, "Grandma, don't cry. Brother Qingshan is back; it's a happy thing!"
The child's innocent and straightforward words, like a clear spring, slightly diluted the atmosphere of grief.
Su Wan's crying gradually turned into suppressed sobs, and only then did she notice that there was a little person hiding behind her son.
She tried to stop her tears, forcing a smile that looked even worse than a grimace, and wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve. "This—this child is..."
"Mom, Dad, her name is Xiaobai. I met her by chance while I was away, and she's been living with us ever since."
I'll explain the details to you both later.
Li Qingshan quickly introduced, gently patting Xiaobai's back, " Xiaobai, say hello to Grandpa and Grandma."
Xiaobai obediently peeked out, looked at the two tearful old people, and softly called out:
"Hello Grandpa, hello Grandma."
Those pure and innocent eyes and soft, gentle voice seemed to possess a magical power, instantly soothing the sharpest pain in Su Wan's heart.
Her heart softened, and she instinctively reached out to touch Xiaobai's head, only to find that her hand was still trembling uncontrollably.
After entering the house, Li Guoqiang rushed to pour water, almost knocking over the thermos in his haste.
Su Wan sat down close to Li Qingshan, her hand still gripping his arm tightly.
She stared at him intently, as if trying to see and remember all the changes he had undergone in the past three years.
Xiaobai sat obediently on the old sofa, nibbling on the fruit candy Su Wan had given her. The sweet taste made her squint her eyes.
She looked around the small space with curiosity, yet it felt like "home".
She glanced at Li Qingshan every now and then, then at her grandparents, whose emotions were gradually calming down but who were still unable to hide their excitement. Being sensible, she didn't ask any more questions or make a fuss.
Li Qingshan felt the slight tremor in his mother's hands and his father's deliberate act of turning his back to wipe the corner of his eye.
Seeing their visibly weakened vitality and lingering sense of melancholy, I felt a deep sense of guilt and sorrow.