Afterward, Xiao didn't spend much time wasting around. He spent the next hour getting accustomed to his powers. The paths of the soul, spirit, and mind have different cultivation techniques, and the ones for the soul and the mind are extremely rare. It would take some time for him to currently use these paths.
Plus the path for the soul and the mind are extremely hard to get his hands on, their group is an extremely tight nit, plus anyone bearing such powers with no protection would become the feast for ones with power, for now, Xiao would have to lay low till he gains an unbreakable backing.
Moreover, he can't do it alone. He needs a master, someone who can guide him on his path. Just knowing about all these doesn't make him a master. There's a lot in the paths he chooses, and he needs a mentor to guide him on the current path. Otherwise, he would just be an idiot walking blind.
'Umm, there are a few I can think of, but becoming their disciples is not going to be easy at all.'
Xiao sighed. In the future, there's a lot to do, but even though the path might be difficult, the returns would be enormous. With that, he finally made some last-minute plan changes and stood up. It was time for him to head out and meet the crowd that was waiting outside.
He already had plans to hide his sudden changes. Even if his outward look could be explained by a mutation of cultivation, the appearance of a spiritual core won't be taken lightly. He knows that he will be scanned upside down once he leaves, and the existence of the spiritual core must be hidden.
And such a task can be accomplished by using his new powers in the mind realm. It would be easy to mask the presence of the spiritual core. Of course, it won't be possible if he starts cultivating the spiritual core, but as long as that doesn't happen, he would easily be able to mask the core's presence with a light tinkering from his mind realm.
With that, the problem pertaining to his Spiritual core will be solved and his power of mind and soul is also safe since the ones in the lowest heavens won't be able to identify the mind realm and soul since they have never experienced it, though the hiding won't last for long. As he would definitely one day have to tread on the path of the World Spirit master, and for that, he would need 'that' item.
It's the only thing that would be able to hide him from even the gods and immortals of the fourth heaven and even the Cosmo. In normal circumstances, it would not be possible since that 'thing' has a huge ego. But with his plan, it might work.
Nodding to himself for the last time, Xiao stood up from where he sat and walked towards the door that blocks the outside from entering in. Commanding to deactivate the formation, the room started shaking as the huge closed door opened. And as soon as he did, a figure rushed towards the inside.
Feeling the familiar presence, he didn't dodge, and within seconds, he was in the embrace of a familiar presence. He could feel his mother hugging him tightly in relief. Raising his head, he could see that his always well-dressed and arranged mother was in a mess.
Her always immaculately arranged hair was a mess, and her face looked tired, which pointed out the fact that she was really worried. Then how else would a cultivator get tired from just maybe 10 or 9 hours of waiting?
Seeing this, his heart warmed. Across the entire cosmos, it was his mother who would always be worried for him. Smiling brightly for the first time, he slowly wiped away the tears that had accumulated in her eyes. He spoke with a teasing voice.
"What is it, Mother? Were you really worried? And here I thought that you were possessed by a ghost after looking at you."
Seeing her son make fun of her, Yun Lan slowly fixed her mess as she wiped away some of the happy tears that had left her eyes. She put on an angry face as she pinched Xiao's cheeks with some force.
"Ow... ow... ow... mother, stop!"
Feeling his cheeks being pinched, Xiao called out in surrender, but his mother didn't relent. She twisted his cheeks with a pull.
"Humph, this is your punishment for making your mother worried!"
Yun Lan now spoke with a teasing smile. Seeing it, Xiao showed a grieving look as he clutched both his cheeks with a pained expression. Seeing it, Yun Lan chuckled as she laid a kiss on his forehead. She smiled and spoke with a proud look.
"I am happy to see you safe, son."
Yun Lan's eyes became soft as she slowly started patting Xiao's cheeks with a smile and a touch of pride in her eyes.
"Xiao, if you are unwilling at your own talent, just tell me. You don't have to always risk your life. It doesn't matter if I have to drain my entire fortune dry. I will definitely get what you want."
Yun Lan spoke with an indulging smile. Hearing it, Xiao smiled back at her. He held the hands that were stroking his cheeks as he gave his mother a happy smile.
"I know, Mother. I know how much you love me. But you know better than I do that only power truly matters in this cruel world. I also know how much you want to get stronger, and I will do it, Mother. I will definitely make your dreams come true, Mother."
Yun Lan's face widened in surprise. She didn't know how her child could know or say all these things. Moreover, his words seemed to possess some sort of wisdom that a child should not possess. But she didn't care. Just the fact that he said those words was enough to warm her heart. With a prideful smirk, she ruffled Xiao's hair.
"Aww, look at you. You are growing so fast. Your mother is afraid that you would fly from her wings fast."
"Hehehe... it doesn't matter, Mother, because, in the end, my home will always be with you, Mother."
"Aw, my son's the best!"
Unable to hold back, Yun Lan pulled Xiao into a big hug that started to suffocate him. It took a few seconds of tapping from him for his mother to finally let him go. Taking deep breaths to fill his lungs, Xiao looked towards the new person who entered. It was Xuanyin.
The years have not changed much for her. She grew tall in height, while little of her chubby cheeks seemed to recede. Her silver hair, which was once a bob now extended to her waist. Her blue eyes, matching her silver eyebrows, were perfect. Even though she was just 7 years old, she seemed to exude a sense of coldness.
Her shivering had increased over the years, causing a great change in her temperament. Moreover, her intelligence seemed to increase at a frightening pace. Xiao could see that she was able to pick up on some things that would even be missed by adults. By growing up and seeing the cruelty of the world, there seems to be a change in her.
In the Yun family, she even earned the nickname the cold prisoner. Her beauty, grace, and temperament completely exceed her age. In fact, both Xiao and his sister are the weird duos of the family. Xuanyin entered the room, and upon seeing her brother, her eyes remained the same... cold. But if one looked deeply, one could see waves of relief dancing within them.
One must not look down on her for her cold persona. She might not show much outside, but on the inside, her feelings are double what one could imagine. Perhaps more than one can even think, after all, hidden behind those locked feelings of ice burned a fire fiercer than any other.