The journey back to Green Mist Village felt different this time. The path he had walked countless times before now bent subtly under his presence, grass growing fuller with each step, wilted trees straightening as if greeting him. Birds that had long abandoned the roads chirped again, following him from branch to branch, as though recognizing something divine in his aura.
Tian Yuan—no longer just Li Yuan—moved with quiet purpose. His golden-red eyes scanned the familiar rolling hills, softened by the warmth of his return. Yet, there was something else beneath that calm: a weight that came with being what he now was—the Soilkeeper of Heaven and Earth.
---
The village came into view as the sun dipped low, casting a golden hue across the fields. Green Mist Village looked alive in a way it hadn't in years. Crops gleamed with an unnatural vibrance, the air smelled fresher, and the lantern trees swayed gently even without wind.
The Seedbuds stood at the borders, their golden eyes opening the moment he stepped onto the village's soil. They turned in unison, lowering their heads slightly in silent reverence.
Budder, the first of the Seedbuds, stepped forward, his carved wooden face unchanged but his spiritual presence bowing deeply.
> "You've returned, Master," he said, his tone respectful yet strangely warm.
Tian Yuan nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
> "The soil listens well when you take care of it."
The villagers began to gather, whispers spreading like wildfire through the streets. Children peered from behind their parents, wide-eyed, pointing at him as if seeing him for the first time.
---
Granny Xue pushed her way to the front, leaning on her cane, her old eyes shimmering with something between awe and relief.
> "So it's true… You've changed," she said, her voice trembling.
Tian Yuan knelt slightly to meet her gaze, his aura softening immediately, though it still carried that overwhelming balance of life and destruction.
> "I'm still me, Granny. Just… a little more whole than before."
Her wrinkled hands gripped his tightly. "No. You're more than you now, child. You're something we've been waiting for and didn't even know it." Tears welled in her eyes, and she chuckled softly. "But if you think this means I'll stop nagging you to eat properly, you're wrong."
A soft laugh rippled through the villagers, tension breaking slightly.
Mei Lin, the little girl who always watched him work the fields, stepped forward timidly, her small hands clasped behind her back.
> "Will you… stay this time? Or are you leaving again soon?"
Tian Yuan looked at her, his gaze softening.
> "I'll stay for a while. The soil here deserves my attention again. But there will always be other places that need planting."
Her lips pressed into a pout, but she nodded, as if trying to be brave.
> "Okay… but you have to promise to plant with me again before you go."
Tian Yuan's faint smile widened slightly.
> "I promise."
As night fell, the villagers lit lanterns across the streets. People brought food and drink, gathering to celebrate his return. But even amidst the joy, everyone could feel something different about him now. His presence filled every corner of the village—not heavy or oppressive, but undeniably powerful, like the soil itself was alive under his feet.
The Seedbuds stood watch at the edges, but they too seemed at ease, as if reassured by his presence. The ground hummed faintly, responding to his balanced aura, and new sprouts were already breaking through the fields without him even lifting his Hoe.
Budder approached him again as the celebration quieted, his wooden body casting long shadows in the lantern light.
> "The land outside the village… trembles. Others will come now that you've awakened the final relic."
Tian Yuan's golden-red eyes narrowed slightly, his voice calm but carrying an unshakable weight.
> "Let them come. I'll protect what's mine. No one touches this soil."
The villagers, though they didn't fully understand his words, felt the resolve in them. Even the children stopped to stare, sensing the promise behind his voice.
Tian Yuan stood at the center of Green Mist Village, the Hoe resting against his shoulder, his silhouette calm yet unyielding under the lantern glow.
> "This is my soil. My roots. Anyone who wishes to harm it will learn why heaven and earth bow to balance."
End of Chapter 32