As the morning light washes over the courtyard, amidst a profusion of flowers and swaying willows, the world seems to fall silent in the warmth of this moment.
Yang Zheng Zhao Xinyu, Sect Master Xiao, and the others finished their breakfast and left one after another...
As Qin Yu gazed at the serene morning light in the courtyard, he suddenly flicked his right finger, and ripples spread across the void before his finger.
A throne, as beautiful as a dream, slowly appeared.
Nine-colored clouds condensed into a rosy cloud at the bottom, and in the center, a crystal lotus slowly bloomed. The lotus petals were as clear as crystal, and the seat in the center was like soft clouds and flowing light. Around the lotus heart, vines of starlight coiled to form a protective eave, and a crystal feather-like barrier flowed around it, like a protective shield woven from moonlight. Every now and then, several creatures like spirit rabbits would fly around and dance, leaving behind stardust tails, and their playful antics brought out a joyful Spiritual Qi like a spring breeze.
The entire Flying Lotus Throne slowly floated up, radiating a soft, seven-colored glow. Wherever it passed, the sky reflected the flowing clouds, and faint spiritual patterns rose on the ground, like a sacred site marked by the arrival of a celestial being.
"Mother, please come up." Qin Yu smiled and gently took Qin Yu's hand.
Qin Yu was slightly taken aback, then smiled and gently stepped into the lotus seat. Her clothes fluttered in the wind, and her cloud skirt danced in the air. She was like an elder immortal ascending on clouds. The spirit rabbits beside her rolled and jumped around her feet, and one even peeked out and rubbed against her knee.
Qin Yu stood on the clouds, lightly raised his hand in a hand gesture, and the entire crystal lotus throne shimmered with a soft blue starlight, instantly transforming into a long rainbow that carried the mother and child straight into the distance.
At this moment, in the sky above Taiyan Heaven, all the clouds parted to make way, starlight faintly appeared, and the gods remained silent, as if they were all silently blessing the tender journey of this mother and child.
The nine-colored lotus throne slowly flew across the sky, its flowing light trailing across the horizon like a moving star cloud, painting the high sky of Taiyan Heaven with a warm and dreamlike glow.
Qin Yu and his mother Qin Yu sat quietly in the lotus heart, surrounded by spiritual energy, with flying clouds forming a ring, and a gentle breeze blowing silently. The world seemed to stand still at this moment.
Looking down at the vast mountains and rivers, Qin Yu's eyes revealed a long-lost sense of awe and emotion. "Yu'er... is this the Great Yan Continent as it is today?"
Qin Yu smiled and nodded, "Mother, this is our world, the 'Reborn Realm' which was rebuilt after the collapse of five eras."
Beneath my feet stretched a vast, picturesque landscape unfolding before me.
The mountains, like dragon veins, meander and undulate, their verdant flow seemingly breathing the earth itself; the spiritual abyss, thirty thousand feet below, is like a tide, dark as ink, with wisps of white mist rising and transforming into spiritual dragons that soar through the air.
In the distance, misty clouds drifted, ancient pagodas stood silently, and the shadows of deities' abandoned bones appeared beneath the Yellow Springs, like ancient echoes; beyond the void, wisps of rainbow light, formed from the bloodlines of the Ancient Clan, swirled in the sky, reflecting the vitality of the Nine Realms.
In the Eastern Region, spiritual light shines brightly; in the Southern Wasteland Wilderness, raging flames surge. In the Western Nether, the Yin Sea is deep and dark; in the Northern Realm, the cold desert is vast and desolate. In the heart of the Central Continent, the golden light that appears seems to be a gift from the gods, suppressing countless causes and effects and inheriting the foundation of the Taiyan.
The Origin Heaven hangs high, like a transparent celestial mirror suspended above the Nine Realms. The uppermost layer, where the "Three Heavenly Origin Forbidden Realms" are located, is even more so, with divine light closed and rules chaotic, as if heaven and earth never allow any gaze to truly peek into its true form.
"This is... our former home, and now our world," Qin Yu sighed.
"Hmm," Qin Yu said gently, "Mother, what we see now is only a corner of Taiyan. It is no longer our ordinary hometown. Now it is a crucial place where multiple realms meet, and Hidden Source Ridge... is still waiting for us in the same place."
The mother and son looked down at everything, sitting quietly on their lotus thrones, with starlight swirling around them and playful rabbits circling around, as if playing a gentle prelude to their journey home.
The world is vast, the Milky Way lies below, and the lotus light never ceases. This scene is warm and peaceful, as if it lasts forever.
The vast sky stretched out before them, and a nine-colored lotus throne slowly descended, a soft halo of light falling upon the earth, gently caressing a secluded mountain ridge.
This place is called "Hidden Source Ridge".
Compared to the past, the mountains and rivers remain, but time has long since etched silence and vicissitudes onto this land. The old village on the mountainside, once bustling with smoke rising from chimneys and children running around, has now fallen into tranquility and oblivion. Houses are in ruins, and green grass and vines climb all over the eaves. The stream of yesteryear has dried up and become a narrow stone path.
Qin Yu recognized the small courtyard where they used to live at a glance. She murmured, "This... is where we first lived. Yu'er, you were only... ten years old then."
The lotus seat slowly came to a stop. Qin Yu landed first, reaching out to support his mother as the two stepped onto the soft earth.
They slowly walked into the dilapidated but still discernible wooden house. The old door was still hanging, creaking in the wind, as if echoing the past.
Dust filled the room, old tables and chairs lay broken, and a faded curtain remained in the corner—the childhood bed curtain that Qin Yu had sewn herself for Qin Yu.
Qin Yu walked over quietly, her fingers tracing the cloth that had sheltered her from the night wind countless times. "Back then, the nights were always drafty, and I was always worried you'd get cold... You were always coughing and coughing, but you never said you were cold."
Qin Yu lowered his head, his eyes gentle as water. "The food my mother cooked for me back then was the most delicious taste in my memory. We used that old, worn-out pot for ten years."
The old well in the courtyard had dried up. Qin Yu reached out and slapped it, and a clear spring rose from the ground, washing away the dusty memories. He walked to the back hillside, where there was a crooked old elm tree—his favorite spot as a boy to lie and watch the clouds.
"Mother, look, the tree is still there."
"Back then, whenever you were naughty, you would hide up there. You thought I couldn't find you, but I always knew, I just didn't want to interrupt your freedom to look at the sky."
They smiled at each other, their eyes filled with tenderness.
At this moment, the lotus throne still hangs in the air, and the rabbit remains motionless on the branch, as if this moment has been frozen in time, just for the reunion and remembrance of this mother and child.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a golden glow between the old house's ruins, making the dilapidated courtyard seem to evoke memories of past joys and laughter.
Qin Yu said softly, "Mother, your son has finally returned."
Qin Yu nodded, looking up at the sky. "Yes, you're back. Our family is finally complete."
The door of the old house creaked open, and the morning light streamed into the dilapidated room, outlining the mottled contours of time. Qin Yu raised his hand and waved it, a gentle breeze like a curtain, and a wave of spiritual energy swept through the entire house—dust dissipated, cobwebs fell off, broken wooden beams were slowly lifted and pieced back together by a blue light, and the old utensils gradually emerged with a warm luster.
Qin Yu stood under the eaves, her eyes slightly moist. "Yu'er, this house... can it really be restored?"
Qin Yu chuckled softly, "Of course I can, Mother. I've come back to make this place 'home' again."
As he spoke, he joined his fingers together as if making a seal, and the phantom of the [Book of Fate Law - Realm Severing Origin Brush] appeared in his palms. Lines of "components" spread out from the air, transforming into a fine spatial logic framework, gradually repairing the structure of the old house.
The blue imprint shines brightly, like silk threads mending the cracks of time.
The shattered wooden table slowly returned to its original state in the spiritual light, and the yellowed chair solidified again with golden patterns flashing across it. Qin Yu even set up a small stove in the corner, heated it with spirit stones, and set up a constant-temperature protective array so that the stove fire no longer needed firewood, but still had the smell of cooking smoke from the past.
Then, he walked to the old well in front of the house, reached out and pressed his hand on the well curb, and whispered, "Silent Origin, Wheel-Breaking Seal."
Boom--
A gentle, Silent Abyss emanated from his palm, instantly bringing life to the dry well. Clear, spiritual water gushed forth, reflecting the sky and the eaves. Qin Yu stood by the spring, gazing in a daze, tears finally streaming down her face uncontrollably. "Yu'er... we can drink well water again..."
Qin Yu turned around, smiled and nodded, then pointed his finger and imbued the well with the "Spirit-Drinking Source Purification" array seal, ensuring the spring water would flow eternally, remaining undisturbed by the world.
He didn't move the old tree in the courtyard, but walked closer and gently took out a piece of bark that had been struck by lightning but was still sturdy. He then embedded a wisp of green light into it. "Since it is an old thing, I will use my Fate Soul seal to protect this house." -- The old elm tree then emitted a circle of eerie light, and from then on, it had the effect of "protecting the soul". If any other races approached, the tree's shadow would automatically appear to block them.
Finally, Qin Yu went to the deepest part of the house, where the old couch still stood. He slowly knelt down in front of the couch, raised his hands to his chest, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"I, in the name of Ji Initial Fate, have established the 'Return-to-Source Soul-Guarding Formation' for this place."
Buzz--
An invisible array spread out, and the entire old house seemed to be gently caressed by heaven and earth. Spiritual winds swirled, and azure light fell like starlight onto the roof beams—the house officially became the "place for registering Fate Soul," and in the future, if Qin Yu had any offspring, relatives, or fellow cultivators, they could all recognize this as the "domain of soul return."
Qin Yu beside the bed, looking up at her son with eyes full of emotion and comfort, "This moment... is the happiest moment of my life."
Qin Yu gently helped her up. "Mother, this is our foundation, I will not let it be eroded in any way."
The courtyard was quiet, the wind rustled the leaves, and the starlight was hidden in the sunlight.
At this moment, the old house in Hidden Source Ridge has regained its glory, the Fate Soul have returned, and family affection surrounds it. Everything is sealed in this period—the warmest time of cultivation.
A gentle breeze blew Hidden Source Ridge, and the golden light of the setting sun bathed this old village at the foot of the mountain, forgotten by time.
The old house has been simply renovated, but it still retains its original appearance: bluestone walls, wooden tiles for the eaves, moss-covered stone steps in front of the house, and several clumps of green bamboo planted by the mother and son have grown taller than the eaves, dancing in the wind and making a rustling sound, as if old friends are welcoming old friends back.
"Mother, this is a gift of immortal tea from Sect Master Xiao. Please tidy up the kitchen utensils and brew a pot of tea. Yu'er 'll go to the back mountain to hunt some game and pick some wild vegetables. It's been such a long time since I've had any game," Qin Yu Yu'er gently to Qin Yu.
Qin Yu turned around gently, still dressed in a simple blue silk dress, holding the jar of "Heavenly Dew Azure Mystery" immortal tea in her hands, her gaze gentle as water. "Okay, Yu'er."
She stepped quietly into the house, her footsteps barely disturbing a speck of dust in the old dwelling.
The room remained tidy, and several old items were still in their original places—the small sandalwood knife used for shaving medicine, the old pestle polished to a shine, and the bowls and chopsticks that Qin Yu used as a child were still neatly placed in the old cabinet.
She placed the tea canister on the table, took out the finest spring water from beside the small kitchen counter, and poured it into the glass teapot. The spiritual fire rose, the stove gradually heated up, steam rose, the aroma of tea began to unfold, and a wisp of ethereal fragrance drifted out through the window, mingling with the scent of bamboo.
Outside the window, Qin Yu had already set foot on the mountain path. He did not choose to teleport or fly, but instead seemed to return to his childhood self, following the familiar old path, stepping on the rugged blue stones, crossing three mountain ridges, and stepping into the dense forest behind the mountain.
The forest was rich in Spiritual Qi; it was where Qin Yu, as a child, hunted rabbits and deer, and lived with his mother.
"I want Mother to have a good meal tonight," he murmured to himself, a blue mark sliding across his fingertip, instantly sealing off a space.
With a "whoosh" sound, a spotted spirit rabbit darted out from the bushes, while two feathered spirit birds cried out from a high branch, silently immobilized by a wisp of spiritual light in Qin Yu's hand. He took out a silk net and gently put it away; the spirit birds were neither startled nor in pain.
"Take no more, just enough for our needs." Qin Yu smiled.
He walked into the mountainside. The vegetable garden that used to be there was now overgrown with weeds, but miraculously, several clumps of lush green spiritual vegetables had sprouted in one corner—wild spiritual flowers and leaves that Qin Yu had planted himself years ago, as well as the purple-stemmed cloud lotus that Qin Yu was most familiar with.
He knelt down, extended his palm, and a Silent Origin energy from his body was released. The flower field's spirit was instantly revived, the leaves stretched out like silk, and a faint light flowed around them.
"Mother will definitely like this flavor tonight."
He picked three handfuls of spiritual vegetables, and also casually plucked a few golden-veined star peppers and two fragrant root vines, before heading back home.
When Qin Yu returned to the old house, the sky had already sunk into twilight. The setting sun shone obliquely on the Tianji Yunling Mountains, like fire and blood, illuminating half of the mottled shadow of the old locust tree in front of the house.
Qin Yu had already set up a tea table in the front courtyard, with several dim spirit stone lamps hanging from the eaves, where spirit butterflies flitted about, creating a gentle halo.
The tea is in full bloom, enveloped in an ethereal mist; this is the most prestigious "Misty Spirit First Charm" among the [Tianlu Qingxuan] teas.
Qin Yu filled the blue teacup, looked up at the mountain path, and saw Qin Yu walking slowly towards her, carrying a string of spirit rabbits, a spirit bird and a bunch of freshly picked spirit vegetables. The evening light stretched his shadow very long.
"Mother, I'm back."
Qin Yu stepped forward and took the spiritual vegetables, her smile gentle but her eyes slightly reddened, "Hmm, Yu'er, you brought back so many!"
"Tonight we won't enter the ancestral hall or receive any guests; it's just for the two of us."
"Okay," Qin Yu replied with a smile.
He lit the fire, and with swift, skillful movements, skinned and deboned the spirit rabbit and spirit bird, cleaning them thoroughly. He then skewered them with starwood and placed them on the grill to roast. The flames licked at the aroma of the meat, and the crisp, sizzling sounds filled the air, the fragrance permeating the entire mountain wilderness.
A stew of wild herbs and flowers was simmering in a pot, while a small pot beside the stove was stir-frying purple-stemmed cloud-shaped peppers and golden-veined star peppers, their aroma wafting through the air, a faint glow emanating from them.
As darkness fell completely and countless stars began to appear, the lights in the courtyard gradually came on. Qin Yu and his mother Qin Yu finally sat down at the same table in this old house they hadn't seen for ten years, drinking tea and soup, smiling and talking gently, as if time had never left them.
That night, the wind blew gently, and the starlight was warm.
A mother and child reunited is better than any True God powers.