The sky stretched vast and endless above Green Mist Village, painted with streaks of crimson as the sun dipped behind the hills. The village was quiet now, the Seedbuds standing in eternal vigilance, and Tian Yuan sat at the edge of the largest rice field, fingers idly dragging patterns in the soil.
He could still feel their auras, faint echoes lingering as his seven disciples moved farther away. Each step they took in the distance tugged at him—like roots slowly pulling away from the same soil they once shared.
For a man who had lived two lifetimes, who had once shattered universes as Xiao Tianmie, the ache of letting them go felt… human.
The Disciples Depart
Far down the dusty path, the seven disciples walked in silence, each step heavy with anticipation of the unknown.
Mei Lin turned back one last time. Her heart tightened as she saw her Master sitting there, his silhouette framed by golden fields.
I will return, Master. And when I do, this soil will be proud of me.
Tian Long, sensing her hesitation, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't look back too much. Roots may stay, but branches must grow elsewhere."
Wu Fang kept his gaze forward, his back straight, already exuding the weight of an emperor in the making. Shen Huo spun his spear playfully, but even he didn't dare crack a joke—his Master's words still rang in his ears like a divine decree.
The seven of them split at the village gates, each taking a different path, destined for their own fields to till in this vast world.
A Conversation with the Soil
Tian Yuan stayed seated long after they left. The evening breeze whispered across the field, and for a long while, he simply stared at the dirt beneath his hands.
"So, they've gone," he murmured.
The soil thrummed faintly, reacting to his voice. In his current state, the entire village, the fields, even the Seedbuds, seemed alive—extensions of his will.
A faint, dark chuckle echoed in his mind.
"You're getting sentimental."
It was himself—the part of him that had once been Xiao Tianmie. The voice was deeper, colder, but no longer felt like a separate entity trying to dominate him. It was simply… there, observing.
Tian Yuan smirked faintly. "Let me have this moment. You wouldn't understand."
"Oh, I understand perfectly," Xiao Tianmie's voice rumbled. "But sentiment breeds weakness. You've given them your roots. Now, let's hope they don't turn into weeds."
Tian Yuan's fingers tightened around the soil, his golden eyes glinting. "If they do, I'll uproot them myself."
"Spoken like me," the voice whispered approvingly.
Preparation for Departure
He stood slowly, dusting the soil from his hands. His gaze swept across the Seedbuds stationed around the village. Their golden eyes opened briefly, sensing his intent.
"Protect them," he commanded softly.
The Seedbuds bowed in eerie unison, their wooden forms creaking like ancient trees.
He turned toward the northern mountains, the direction where his next relic awaited. The sixth relic, hidden deep within the cursed ruins of Frostbane Gorge—a place whispered about in tales, where no cultivator returned alive.
"Time to till the next field," he murmured, gripping the old Hoe at his back.
As he took his first step, the soil behind him rippled, responding to his departure. The air shifted, the village holding its breath as its protector finally left.
A Shadowed Omen
Unknown to Tian Yuan, far beyond the village, in the cracks of a dying mountain range, a pair of glowing, abyssal eyes opened.
A voice hissed into the darkness:
"So… the Riftbreaker walks the earth again."
The creature's body—twisted, almost formless—slithered toward a broken stone tablet carved with Xiao Tianmie's ancient sigil.
"The soil breathes because of him… but soon, I will make it bleed."
The air around it tore apart like paper, opening a small rift as it disappeared into the void.
Tian Yuan paused mid-step far away, his golden eyes narrowing.
"...Something just shifted."
The god within him stirred, almost in anticipation.
End of Chapter 37