The island was in ruin. There were enormous cracks far and wide; the vast stadium was in rubble. Brooding over the entire island, the thick smell of blood encompassed his senses. With a faraway expression, Feng Hui murmured, "Mom, I'm not supposed to be here."
In spite of his happiness, Feng Hui acknowledged deep down that this outcome should have been impossible.
"What does Bro mean?" With a confused look, Feng Mei questioned. Mother Feng also raised her brow.
"Before reaching this point, I lived another life in the Long Kingdom. In truth, I died ages ago to a crash, and I should not be here." Smiling, Feng Hui looked into his little sister's large eyes.
Treating his declaration like nothing, Feng Hui switched topics, "Mom, you're not wearing those pink glasses anymore. It's a big change. I'm too used to seeing those thick lenses of yours."
Laughing, Feng Hui's eyes continued to shift between the two startled figures, "To become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in such short time, that's amazing, Mom."
Regarding the length of separation from their mother, the difference was like heaven and earth between Feng Hui and his sister. For him, he had been longing to return to their side for decades.
However, his dream life had been stripped away from him after a single night; it could not even be considered a reunion three months ago.
"Son... died to a crash?" Coupled with her gifted genetics and boosted senses from cultivation, Mother Feng closed her eyes as she began to remember the morning before her kidnapping.
In her mind, that unusual morning was vivid. For the first time since her husband had abandoned them, Mother Feng had seen her son weep. Recalling his words…
'I… I've returned.'
'I'm back…'
At the time, Mother Feng did not think too much about it as everyone had off moments. Despite how intelligent her son was, he was still a teenager at the end of the day.
For Feng Mei, everything was beginning to make sense. From the start, she had noticed her elder brother's bizarre change; the transformation was too abnormal.
Looking at her smiling son, Mother Feng discovered that she could not see through him at all. From his profound gaze that seemed to contain the entire universe to his unfathomable strength, her son was like an unsolvable riddle, shrouded in mystery.
Back when Feng Hui had first returned, there was not such an enormous transformation as he was a simple mortal apart from his Golden Dragon soul. Furthermore, he had repressed himself while living in the modern, peaceful Earth.
"I lived another life in the Eastern World. For twenty-five years, I lived as Long Fengge, the emperor of the Long Kingdom." Chuckling, Feng Hui's eyes flashed with memories of the countless battles that he had gone through with Zhi Ruo.
With a thought, Feng Hui brought his sister and mother into an illusion that included the important parts of his life as Long Fengge.
For this piece of complicated news, it was too difficult to explain everything with words alone. Moments later, the illusion came to an end.
Looking at her elder brother with a tear-soaked face, Feng Mei cried while wrapping her thin arms around his waist, "Bro, we would have never blamed you."
"You didn't have a choice. Mom and I know that Bro would never leave us behind willingly." In that extended illusion, Feng Mei clearly felt her elder brother's immense longing. For over two decades, there was not a single moment where he was not thinking about them.
"Son, you have to think of yourself more…" Unconsciously, Chunhua's hands were bloodied from her long fingernails digging down. Wiping her tears, she looked at her son garbed in black robes; his black hair swaying in the wind. As a mother, she did not want her son to sacrifice everything for them; his life was his own to live.
"But regarding that cute little Zhi Ruo, when can mother see her?" Chunhua teased. In the illusion, she had seen the beautiful scarlet-robed girl help her son far too often. Of course, she was moved, and she highly adored Zhi Ruo before even meeting her.
Not wanting to bring up the sorrowful parts, Feng Mei also joined in on the teasing while wagging an approving finger, "And here I was thinking that Bro was immune to love for years."
"Then that Sister Ruo who I met earlier…?" Recalling that beautiful, timid woman, Feng Mei did not see too much of a resemblance apart from their names.
"Soon. Sis, it's difficult to explain, but they are one and the same." Feng Hui answered with a smile.
Feng Hui's gaze shifted elsewhere. The current area was unpleasant; he wanted nothing but the best for his family. With a thought, he brought his mother and sister next to him.
"Si la—"
A pitch-black portal emerged. In the blink of an eye, three figures disappeared inside.
. . .
Tian Shan Village.
Within the skies of Tian Shan, the sun was shining brightly. Suddenly, a portal took form, and three figures came forth from within. Their abrupt entrance went unnoticed.
Compared to the villagers, the three figures had the distinctive airs of an outsider. To their side, there was an abundant well with a brown brick roof.
Feng Mei interestedly looked around. All over the place, children were playing around on the streets. The rows of humble houses lined up to form a welcoming sight.
In the center of it all, there was a large statue. Crafted out of a mysterious jade, the statue was in the form of a human figure. With intricate lifelike features, the human statue was wearing golden robes with stars engraved on it.
People, mortals, and cultivators alike all had someone in their hearts to worship. In the Suxia World, that universal god was a human legend named Tian Changming, the absolute overlord.
"Things are unpredictable." Feng Hui surveyed the tall jade statue. "In the vast cosmos, lifeforms come and go."
"Mom, I want to eat your cooking again!" With a cute voice, Feng Mei clung to her astonished mother. On the surface, Chunhua was still dazed from the immense change in her son.
"Of course, Little Treasure." Feng Chunhua's arms wrapped around her daughter's flat, soft stomach. Continuing, she laughed, "However, Mother doesn't have the ingredients right now."
The words were reasonable. Nodding, Feng Mei's ears drooped, "But Mom…"
"Mom." Amused, Feng Hui laughed, "How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator be unable to find some simple ingredients? If your words were true, that would be too shameful."
Rolling her eyes, Chunhua chided, "Son, I see you've become more brazen as well. It isn't just your strength that has changed. To dare to even rebuke your mother's words..."
"Heh." Seeing her mother's spirited eyes, Feng Hui chuckled.
"Fine, fine. I'm just playing with your little sister." With a joking voice, Chunhua smiled. "Little Treasure, what would you like to have your mother cook up?"
"Fish congee with garlic!" Feng Mei yelled out what she wanted to eat. Not waiting for her elder brother's opinion, she giggled, "I haven't eaten with Mom and Bro in months."
The mother and sister duo knew that Feng Hui did not have much preference regarding food. Indeed, from the side, he just smiled. At present, the three of them only wanted family time; the food was trivial.
Feng Mei's energetic, cute voice drew the attention of the villagers. In the front of a medium-sized brickhouse, an old man was farming his home's crop field with a wooden hoe.
"Lass, you must love your mother's cooking very much." The old man with the wooden hoe laughed. In his aged eyes, memories of his own daughter made him feel emotional.
"Of course!" As she laughed out loud, Feng Mei's eyes were sparkling. In the entire village, her cheerful voice seemed to overshadow even the brightest sunlight.