The echo of Huang Kong Di's footsteps resounded faintly against the stone walls as he retreated from the underground cavern. The three great trees, the pool that shimmered with mysterious light, and the profound Qi that had shaken even his Martial Spirit — all of it still lingered in his mind like a vivid dream. He had been careful, plucking only one fruit from each of the three trees, resisting the greed from the depths of his heart.
As he tightened the seals, he sealed them away in jade containers he had brought along for emergencies. Huang Kong Di cast one final glance back into the cavern. The firefly-like lights hovered silently, illuminating the grove as if reluctant to let him leave. He bowed slightly, a gesture of respect toward the unknown spirits dwelling within these Ancient Trees, then turned and retraced his path through the dense moss and shadowed roots.
Before exiting, he used the very techniques his mother had once forced him to memorize — methods for concealing and camouflaging traces. He scattered moss back over disturbed ground, brushed away footprints with bundled branches, and even disrupted the faint Qi patterns at the cave's entrance using his own Battle Qi circulation. Anyone who passed this place would see nothing more than an ordinary patch of forest. Only someone who knew exactly what to seek — or possessed a fortune as absurd as his — could find this treasure again.
The journey back to the capital was not swift. Huang Kong Di did not rush; caution was more important than speed. For three days, he trekked through forests, rivers, and barren patches of land, always vigilant for beasts or cultivators who might sense him. More than once, he felt the pulse of his Martial Spirit — the Hollow Hydra — urging him to return to the cave and let it absorb all the mysterious qi inside the pool. But he suppressed the urge to return immediately. He could return here anytime, but his mother can't leave the capital like him, at least not yet.
When the city walls of Martial Origin Capital finally rose on the horizon, he exhaled a long breath of relief. The sight of the bustling city, with its vendors shouting, carriages clattering, and cultivators coming and going, felt like the embrace of familiarity after the eerie silence of the underground world.
Huang Kong Di made his way straight toward the Auction House, the place where his mother, Huang Kong Mei, worked diligently each day. The towering building stood resplendent in carved stone and golden banners, a hub where treasures of heaven and earth passed through eager hands. Stepping through its gates, he spotted his mother seated at a long table stacked with scrolls, jade slips, and various herbs and ores waiting to be appraised.
Her slender fingers brushed lightly across a translucent crystal as she murmured notes to a scribe nearby. Her expression was serious, yet her calm presence exuded a quiet authority that made even the wealthy merchants treat her with deference.
"Mother," Huang Kong Di called softly.
Huang Kong Mei's eyes lifted, and for an instant, the sternness of her role melted. A warm smile spread across her face.
"Kong Di. You're back."
But she saw that his face was weird.
"Kong'er? What is it? Did something happen?"
Huang Kong Di inclined his head, lowering his voice. "Mother, there is something important I must show you. But… not here. It would be better if we spoke at home."
The intensity in his eyes made her chest tighten. She thought of the silent watchers who always lingered in the Auction House halls — merchants, rival appraisers, even royal informants. With a small nod, she agreed.
"Very well. Finish your errands, and I will return shortly tonight. We will talk at home."
That evening, when the bustle of the Auction House had dimmed and the city's lamps glowed along the streets, Huang Kong Mei stepped into their modest residence. She found her son waiting in the main hall, meditating but a little restless as his eyebrows were crossed.
"Kong Di," she said gently, setting aside her cloak.
"Now, tell me. What has you so restless?"
Huang Kong Di took a deep breath and unsealed the three jade containers. One by one, he placed them on the low table between them. Opening them carefully, he revealed three fruits, each radiating faint light and releasing an otherworldly fragrance that immediately filled the room.
The ghostly tear-shaped fruit shimmered faintly, like a weeping soul. The blood-red ruby fruit pulsed with vitality. The grey-white fruit radiated a calm, solemn aura that seemed to touch the soul itself.
The moment Huang Kong Mei's gaze fell on them, her entire body stiffened. The aura from the fruits stirred her cultivation base, sending ripples of power through her meridians. She instinctively recognized them as extraordinary.
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, Huang Kong Mei gasped, her hand trembling as she covered her mouth.
"Kong'er… these… these are—!"
"Yes," he said quietly. "The fruits from the Ancient Trees. The Wailing Ghost Tree, the Ruby Blood Tree, and the Soul Bearing Tree."
Huang Kong Di continued saying.
"I found them in a secret underground cavern. The entire place is shrouded in mysterious Qi. I only plucked one fruit from each of the three Ancient trees, nothing more. I thought… I should give them to you, Mother. With them, you can finally break through the barrier of the Fifth Order."
Huang Kong Mei's eyes widened. For years, she had been stuck at the peak of the late Fifth Order, her advancement hindered by the lack of resources. For her son to bring forth such divine treasures was almost unthinkable.
"You foolish child," she whispered, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.
Then she turned toward him sharply.
"Do you have any idea what kind of dangers you faced by approaching even one of these?! Even the air surrounding these fruits is perilous. The ghost tree's cry can shatter a man's soul; the blood tree thrives on resentment and death! Even seasoned elders… Kong'er, if you had been careless, I—"
Her voice faltered, unable to finish.
Huang Kong Di stepped forward and clasped her hands. The "Mother, I knew what I was doing. You were the one who drilled into me the knowledge of heaven and earth materials. I followed the proper methods carefully, without taking risks. Please, trust me. I would never gamble recklessly with my life. I picked them for you because… Father is gone, and you've carried everything alone. Now it's my turn to help you a little."
Huang Kong Mei's tears spilled freely. In her son's eyes, she saw the reflection of her late husband — that same determination, that same refusal to bow before fate. Pride and sorrow tangled in her chest until she could hardly breathe.
He continued.
"I was careful. I came back without a scratch. Because of your teaching, Mother."
She pulled Huang Kong Di into an embrace, her voice shaking as she whispered against his shoulder, "You truly are my son… and your father's. Forgive me for doubting. You… you are no longer the little boy clinging to my robes," she whispered, her tears falling freely now.
"You're growing so quickly, Kong'er. Too quickly."
Huang Kong Di, face flushed with awkwardness. He did not know how to answer, so he simply stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. She stiffened for an instant, then melted into the embrace, burying her face against his shoulder.
"Mother… don't cry. I don't know how to handle this. Just… just smile instead, alright? That suits you more."
Huang Kong Mei laughed through her tears, the sound tender and bittersweet. She drew back, wiping her face, though her eyes still glistened. "Very well. I will accept these treasures, not for myself, but because they are the gift of my child's heart.
Calming down, she said.
"Okay, now, I must prepare myself. These fruits are no ordinary treasures — refining them will require all my focus and strength. Tonight, we will rest at home. If fortune favors me, I will finally step into the Sixth Order after we reach the cave you have discovered."
Huang Kong Di's face broke into a smile, and he bowed his head respectfully.
"When we reach there, I will guard you while you break through. Nothing will disturb you, Mother."
As Huang Kong Mei smiled at her son's words, she withdrew to her cultivation chamber. Huang Kong Di remained in the main hall, staring at the closed door. His fists clenched unconsciously.
Father, watch over us. These fruits will give her the strength she deserves. And I… I will make sure she never sheds tears of hardship again.
The room fell silent, the faint glow of the fruits lingering in his memory as the night deepened.