News that Shin was ascending during the next Day of Spirit travelled fast. First, the entire Lantis Republic found out about it, and it spread far and wide. Even if the Eyes of Silver wanted to keep the information under wraps, it was spreading like wildfire. A fire that couldn't be contained no matter how many firefighters threw their body at it.
A Spirit Immortal was going to ascend!
It was the most exhilarating news story of the century! Everyone wanted to witness the mystical grandeur of Shin's ascension. Would he trigger the glorious auroras of the past twenty Spirit Immortals, or would he follow in the footsteps of Spirit Immortal Dream? The twenty-first Spirit Immortal who triggered a worldwide disaster the moment she broke into heaven.
No one could predict what would happen with Shin's ascension, but one thing was for certain. On the next Day of Spirits, the twenty-second Spirit Immortal would be born!
The problem was, Shin kept the place that he wished to ascend strictly under wraps. Only the remaining Spirit Saints and those closest to Shin knew of his final destination, which left the world in a state of guessing. Would he ascend in the Lantis Republic, on Celestial Island with the entire government backing his ascension? Or would he ascend in the Himmel Empire, his birthplace and the country which he shared most of his childhood memories? Maybe Shin would choose a different place altogether?
While the whole world was left guessing, Shin continued his leisurely time with a beaming smile on his face. The next month passed by in a flash. Shin led Kanari and their four children on a worldwide tour, bringing Bingbing and Lady Seph along for most of the ride. With his One with Water spiritual ability, there wasn't a single place on the planet that Shin couldn't explore. Even the Empyrean Wonders which remained as enigmas to the human world were child's play in front of Shin's superiority.
Leading his family on an epic tour of the ages, Shin enjoyed his final month on the planet with smiles on his face. It didn't matter if Primordial Beasts or Spirit Saints were blocking their way, Shin would simply do as he wished. If he wanted to watch the stars at night in a holy site, Shin would just walk in uninvited. If he wanted to read ancient scriptures that were never revealed to outsiders' eyes, Shin would just walk into the relics and read them all.
But most importantly of all… Shin did everything in his power to please the ones closest to him on the planet. Kanari, Errol, Cassiel, Luciel and Uriel… His wife and four children. They were the ones that would be most affected by Shin's departure. So, Shin made sure to spend as much time creating memories with them.
Alas… all good things have to come to an end.
The month went by quick… almost too quickly. In the end, Shin and his family finished their tour in the Himmel Empire as Shin paid his final respects to Kanari's parents. The Day of Spirits was already here, and Shin only had a few more hours to prepare before his ascension. And so… Shin eventually reached his final location...
"Spirit Immortal Shin! We've been expecting your arrival!" The Frie Clan's Master, Enfen Frie, bowed down to Shin's delegation as they appeared on the foot of Frie Mountain.
"Clan Master, there's no need for formalities between us." Shin raised his arms, sending an invisible force which lifted Enfen's bent position into an upright one. "I used to bow to you all the time… Seeing you bow to me now is quite… the dilemma. Please, call me Shin like you used to."
"How could I dare?! You're the saviour of our planet and the next Spirit Immortal!" Enfen flailed her arms in the air, unable to accept Shin's proposition. "Also… Our clan has caused you many injustices in the past. We couldn't dare ask for your forgiveness, and yet, you chose our humble mountain to make your ascent! We..."
"Enough, Enfen..." Lady Seph interrupted her former pupil's words with a gentle smile. "Shin isn't like that, I think you know that."
"But..."
"Master is right, Clan Master." Shin walked over and tapped Enfen on the shoulders. "Let bygones be bygones. I have long forgotten about the grievances the Frie Clan had caused me."
"Spirit Immortal Shin… Thank you, thank you so much!" Enfen cried in relief. In terms of power, Shin was a behemoth, and the Frie Clan was an ant. If Shin wanted to crush the Frie Clan, all he needed was a word and the clan which killed his parents would have been burnt to the ground.
"If you want to thank me, please double the protection around your mountain, please. Though I have kept it under wraps, news of my arrival on Frie Mountain must have spread by now. In due time, there will be thousands of people flocking here. I would like to have a little peace before I make my ascension."
"Leave that to us! We will ensure that not even a fly gets into the mountain without your permission!" Enfen Frie saluted Shin and stormed out of chambers. It was the one job that the future Spirit Immortal was requesting her, there was no way that Enfen was going to screw it up.
"You sure the Frie Clan's protection is adequate?" Isadore came up to Shin with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you telling me that Eyes of Silver doesn't have boots on the ground?" Shin replied with a knowing smirk. With the One with Water ability, Shin knew everything and anything that was happening around Frie Mountain. He knew the exact number of forces that Isadore and the rest of the superpowers had assigned to protect the mountain from any trespassers. He knew precisely what measures they had taken to protect the Frie Clan while Shin made his ascent.
"... You know, I thank the heavens every day that you're not my enemy."
"Well, after today… I won't be a problem for you." Shin smiled as the two shared a firm embrace.
"I would rather you continue being a pain in my butt for the next four centuries though."
"Haha, then try your best to ascend! I'll be waiting for you on the other side."
"You fucking moron..." Isadore slapped the man away, giving him a chance to say goodbye to the other members that had come to send him off.
Elrin, the little imp, walked over to Shin and threw herself into his embrace. The whole world knew her as the cold and calculating President of the Zedcris Conglomerate, but Shin only knew her as a precious little sibling that he loved.
"Take care up there," Elrin said while holding back her tears. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'm going to miss you too..." Shin released his hold on the little imp's body and slapped her butt mischievously. "Also, get a husband, you spinster! Work is important, but starting your own family is equally important!"
"Oh shut it..." Elrin gently slapped Shin away, which led him to his next target group.
"Shin..." The orphans stared at their brother with expectant eyes. Some of them mournful, others in pure bliss. "You've grown up way too quickly..." Lia couldn't hold back her tears as she was the first to leap into his arms.
"What are you, my mother?" Shin chuckled.
"The day Sister Lily died, I became your mother, Shin!" Lia tearingly said, half-jokingly.
Elyse was the next in line. She was the one closest to Shin ever since they were young and was the one that Shin would officially recognise as his younger sister. It pains his heart that he was going to leave her alone, just as much as it pained him to leave his own family behind.
"Elyse, you've become strong..."
"Not as strong as you, Brother Shin..." Elyse tried her best to hide her sobs, but it was uncontrollable. She was about to lose her most cherished brother, how could she be elated?
"I'll do my best to become a Spirit Immortal, but if I can't cut it..."
"Yes, I will resurrect you so that we can live eternally in the Immortal Realm." Shin wiped the tears off his sister's eyes and cherished them with a smile. "But I believe that you can enter the Immortal Realm all by yourself, Elyse. I'll be waiting with some candied haw."
"I'm no longer a child, Brother Shin!" Elyse slapped Shin's chest and left his embrace with tears. As much as she didn't want Shin to leave, the result was inevitable.
After Elyse, Shin took turns hugging the rest of the orphans. One by one, they recounted the happy times they shared as children growing up on Frie Mountain as they reflected on their journey to become what they were. It was a hell of a ride, particularly for the twins who had been by Shin's side this entire time.
"Brother Shin, don't forget us in the Immortal Realm. I know that you'll resurrect Ariel, Junius and Sister Lily, but once we pass, you have to resurrect us as well!" Emma released her hold on Shin, giving a chance for her twin sister to hug the man for one last time.
"Brother Shin… When you revive Shizen, mind helping me give him a whack in the face?" Ella sneered as she thought about the immature boy who gave his life and left her all alone in the Mortal Realm.
"I'll do my best." Shin laughed as his gaze turned to the members of the Lantis Republic.
Longyu Tian, Sister Bingying, Jingyu Shenxian, Longyu Hai and Jingyu Taiyi… They were all integral members of his life when he became the Prince of the Lantis Republic. They have mentored him, guided him, kept him company… They were just as important as the other members who entered his life during his childhood. They were the rocks that helped him grow and the pillars of his strength as the Prince of Water.
"Take care, all of you…"
"Mmmm, my disciple is becoming a Spirit Immortal… What an achievement!" Longyu Tian stroked her chin, amused and proud.
"What do you mean YOUR disciple?!" Lady Seph wasn't able to take that statement lying down and protested with all her heart. "Shin is my disciple and my pupil! You've only taught him some tricks with the Time-Element!"
"The same goes for you, old hag! You only taught him how to heal!"
"No, I did far more than that, I-..."
"Master, wait..." Shin stopped Lady Seph before she could go too deep into the rabbit hole. He met Kanari's eyes and gestured to her with a meaningful nod. Understanding her husband's intentions, Kanari brought over a freshly brewed pot of tea that had been prepared from the very beginning and poured one cup for Shin to hold.
Confused, Lady Seph tilted her head as she watched Shin take the cup and fall on both his knees. "Master… You took me in when I had nowhere to go. You painstakingly taught me everything you knew and even sacrificed your hermit life just to accompany me on my education journey. You could have stayed at Yakkyoku Clinic, and you would still be the best Master I'd ever had. Yet, you went out of your way to watch me grow… to protect me… and to love me..."
"Shin, you..."
"Master, though I never have seen my mother… I know what it's like to have a mother's embrace. And you're the one that gave me that… So before I ascend… may I ask you to adopt me?"
"!!!"
Lady Seph almost dropped her body in shock. Becoming Shin's mother? That was a thought that she'd never entertained before. Lady Seph was just content with being his Master and to just… be there for him. She never anticipated getting anything in return.
"Mother… Mother… HAHA!!! Yes, yes, YES!!! I will adopt you! My son, come here, my son!!!" Lady Seph fell to her knees, meeting Shin's eyes and claiming the teacup as if it were her most cherished treasure. She down the tea with a single gulp, holding back the beating heart that wanted to leap out from her chest. "Call me mom again!"
"Mom..." Shin returned Lady Seph's embrace with his own, bringing the hard-faced woman into tears.
"Hahaha, I have a son! I have such a prodigious son! Haha, mother of a Spirit Immortal! I'm your mother, Shin!" Lady Seph was beyond excited. She never had children of her own. She didn't have a husband, and her parents had long passed away. Shin was the closest thing she had to a family, but ultimately, they weren't related at all… until now that is.
"Mom, you're hurting me..." Shin tapped Lady Seph's tight arms, giving himself some space to breathe.
"Sorry, sorry!" Lady Seph released her hold on Shin, but her hands never left his arms. "My child… My filial child…"
Shin rubbed his nose, embarrassed from all the love that Lady Seph was throwing at him. However, he didn't dislike the intense love one bit. "Mom… Thank you for raising me all these years. I can't be by your side anymore, so please take care of your health."
"Haha, my son! Who do you think you're talking to? I'm a Divine Healer, the one that taught you everything about healing! You may be more powerful than me, but when it comes to health, you're just an amateur!"
"Then I'm relieved..." Shin smiled, showing off his pearly white teeth. And finally… he turned to the final five that he cherished the most in the world.
"Errol, Cassiel, Luciel, Uriel… Father is bad. Father won't be able to stay by your side anymore."
"No father, you're the best!" Errol shook his head and denied Shin's self-deprecating claim. "You're the best father I could ever wish for!"
"That means a lot Errol," Shin hugged his adopted son, gently enjoying the young man's warmth. "Thank you for letting me raise you, Errol. Thank you for being my son."
"Father..."
"Cassiel, Luciel… You're about to embark on your path to adulthood. Listen to your mother, alright? Give her all the love that I won't be able to anymore."
"Father!"
"And Uriel… You're still young, so you'll probably hate father for leaving you when you're still growing. However, I hope that you'll find a place in your heart to forgive me… Am I asking for too much?"
"Father! How could I hate you!" Uriel leaned in on Shin and bellowed away. "In the Immortal Realm… remember me okay? When I become old enough… When I cultivate enough... I will ascend just like you, father! So wait for me!"
"Haha, I'll be waiting!"
Shin caressed the faces of his four children. They were the gems of his life, the seeds that he'd personally placed in the soil and nourished. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for them. Shin loved them dearly, and they loved him. That was all it mattered.
And then… the final goodbye came...
"Kanari..."
"Shin..."
The pair stared at each other, and not a word was shared between them. All of their goodbyes had been said a thousand times before. All of their sweet whispers of love had been said a million times before. Every emotion that they shared had been shared a billion times before. At this very moment, the only thing that they needed to share… was one final kiss.
The two plastered their faces together, not caring about the dozens of eyes that were watching them. It didn't matter that the world's top Spirit Saints were present, it didn't matter that their family was present, it didn't matter that their children were present…
All that mattered was that they were in their own world. A pinkish world that could transmit all of their thoughts and feelings without even breathing a single word.
"Have a safe trip… Don't forget me, Shin."
Shin smiled as he gently kissed his wife on the forehead.
"I won't… I'll see you on the other side..."
❖❖❖
A white dimension.
When Shin had opened his eyes once more… his consciousness had been transported into a place of pure white. There was nothing for kilometres. No golden gate with angels singing choirs, no fiery hells which burnt with the heat of a billion suns, and no glorious energies that painted the world in an ethereal light. The dimension that Shin had awakened in… was a place without any mana, any elemental energy, and any… life.
"Where am I?" Shin asked unknowingly.
"Ah! Finally, someone has made it here!!!"
A voice exclaimed with the highest tone of excitement Shin had ever heard in his life. In this foreign land, Shin had to continually be on guard. Thus, the moment that voice came out, Shin instantly spun around, hoping to find the origin of the sound. And well…
An ethereal white-haired beauty, one with features that could cause the downfall of a nation, walked towards Shin with a beaming bright smile. She had a diamond crown softly planted on her head. At the same time, a strikingly acute aura wreathed her very being, making her seem more mysterious the more one looks at her. Snow-like complexion with crystal clear eyes that were unheard of in the human population, the woman didn't seem human at all.
No, there was one person in history that bore all of those features. The woman who was lauded as the greatest genius in human history and the Spirit Immortal that the Allfather had been chasing all this time...
"Welcome, my junior! You've worked hard!"
"Spirit Immortal… Dream?"