The world had never been so quiet.
The six relics Tian Yuan had gathered floated in a circle around him, glowing faintly as he sat cross-legged on the highest peak overlooking Green Mist Village. The wind howled across the mountain, pulling at his long white hair, but his golden eyes remained calm, fixed on the horizon.
The seventh relic—the Seed of Creation—rested in his palm, pulsing like a living heart.
Xiao Tianmie's voice rumbled in his mind, half-amused, half-curious.
> "You know, most people would use these relics to dominate the world, Farmer. But you… you're going to bury them like seeds."
Tian Yuan's lips curved into the faintest smile. "That's all they were ever meant to be."
---
The Final Planting
He rose to his feet, stepping to the edge of the cliff. The air around him thickened as his aura expanded, merging with the six relics. Golden roots of light erupted from beneath his feet, spiraling outward like veins across the continent.
Villagers and cultivators alike looked to the sky in shock as golden threads wove through mountains, rivers, and fields. The world itself seemed to breathe.
Tian Yuan pressed his hand to the ground, his calm voice carrying through the wind as if speaking to the earth itself:
> "Grow… even when I'm gone."
The Relic of Eternal Soil sank into the ground, stabilizing the land.
The Relic of Verdant Dew dissolved into mist, bringing soft rain to barren plains.
The Relic of Spirit Growth released gentle waves of spiritual energy, making crops bloom instantly.
The Relic of Ancient Sunlight turned the skies golden, giving warmth even to frozen lands.
The Frozen Root of Eternity melted into cold regions, making them fertile for the first time.
The Relic of Golden Roots connected it all, binding the land into a single living organism.
Finally, he knelt, placing the Seed of Creation into the soil at his feet.
The ground trembled. Across the entire continent, sprouts broke through cracked earth, rivers flowed with life, and forests grew where there had only been stone.
---
The Farewell to Green Mist Village
Down in Green Mist Village, Granny Xue leaned on her cane, watching the fields bloom around her as if spring had arrived in an instant.
Children stared in awe as trees sprouted overnight, bearing fruits they had never seen before.
The Seedbuds at the village borders pulsed faintly, their golden eyes glowing as if acknowledging their master's final command.
Tian Yuan's voice echoed softly in every corner of the village, carried through the golden roots:
> "The soil will watch over you. Keep it alive, and I will always return."
Somewhere, Mei Lin clutched the small hoe he had given her, tears welling in her eyes.
> "You'll come back… won't you, Farmer?"
The soil beneath her feet pulsed once, as if answering yes.
---
The Sky Opens
As the last of the relics dissolved into the world, the sky split open. A spiraling rift of golden and crimson light tore through the heavens, its pull undeniable.
Xiao Tianmie's voice went quiet for a rare moment, almost respectful.
> "…Looks like it's time, Farmer."
Tian Yuan stood, his golden eyes reflecting the swirling heavens. He looked once more toward the village below, then at the land now thriving for the first time in centuries.
"Take care of it," he whispered to no one in particular.
Then he stepped into the light, roots spiraling around him like a divine crown, pulling him upward into the heavens.
The last thing the villagers saw was a figure of white hair and golden eyes vanishing into the rift, leaving behind a world more alive than it had ever been.
End of Chapter 40