The mortal world welcomed them with a breath of air so ordinary it almost felt sacred, as if the planet itself exhaled relief at their arrival. The portal behind them sealed silently, leaving the endless sky stretched in flawless blue, the earth below rich with the smell of life and soil. After the suffocating silence of ruins and desolation, this ordinary wind seemed like a hymn.
Zhou Tian stood still for a long moment, letting his gaze roam over the familiar landscapes. Memories rose like a tide—his home, his family, his clan. He had left as a Tier C Ranker, with no certainty of ever returning. Now he had come back transformed, carrying a power that could make the heavens tremble, and by his side was Lin Moun.
She remained a step behind him, her expression as cold as ever, though faint traces of fatigue brushed her pale face. Her aura was sealed, her form indistinguishable from an ordinary woman. Yet Zhou Tian's eyes caught a subtle shift in her presence—a quiet unease she had never shown before, a ripple beneath her composed surface.
"Let's go," he said simply.
She nodded once, almost imperceptibly, and followed.
---
Return to the Zhou Estate
The gates of the Zhou estate rose like mountains, sunlight glinting off golden inlays in a display of understated grandeur. The moment Zhou Tian and Lin Moun stepped inside, students of the clan froze in awe.
"Zhou Tian… he has returned!"
"And the woman beside him… who is she?"
"She has no inner universe. Not even a single ranker!"
Whispers spread like wildfire. By the time they reached the main hall, the elders and clan leaders had assembled, their faces sharp and grave, eyes like blades honed on suspicion.
At the center sat Zhou Tian's father, Zhou Han. His once-proud eyes narrowed as they fell upon Lin Moun.
"Tian," he began slowly, voice carrying the weight of authority, "you disappeared for months without a word… and now you return… with this woman?"
Zhou Tian met his father's gaze without flinching. "Her name is Lin Moun. She is my woman, and I will marry her."
The hall erupted like a storm.
"What absurdity is this?"
"She has no inner universe, no rank, no clan! She is nothing but a mortal!"
"You are Zhou Tian, the pride of our bloodline. To unite with such a woman… it dishonors our lineage!"
The voices rose like thunder, echoing against the pillars. Lin Moun stood silently, her cold eyes betraying nothing, though beneath her composure a subtle ache coiled. In the boundless realms she had once traversed, she had been untouchable. Here, in a world she had never sought to impress, she was regarded as no more than a pest.
Zhou Han's face hardened further. "Tian, listen to reason. You cannot make such a reckless choice. The Zhou family will never consent."
Zhou Tian took a step forward, the sheer weight of his presence pressing upon the hall like a mountain.
"Enough."
The word fell like a thunderclap. Without hesitation, he unleashed his aura.
Boom—
The floor quaked. Walls groaned. Invisible mountains seemed to press down upon every person in the hall. The elders swayed, their eyes widening in disbelief, breath caught in their throats. The young students collapsed where they stood, their bodies trembling under the weight of his power.
"Tier… Tier A!" an elder gasped, voice breaking.
A cold, unwavering fire lit Zhou Tian's eyes. "I am Zhou Tian. I have returned as a Tier A Ranker. My will is law. I have chosen Lin Moun. Any who dare oppose me… step forward now."
No one moved. No one dared.
Silence suffused the hall like a tangible force. Even Zhou Han, usually as immovable as stone, stared in astonishment. His son, who had left as a Tier C, now stood at the pinnacle of mortal strength.
Power was the only truth the Zhou clan revered. And in that truth, Zhou Tian was invincible.
By his side, Lin Moun's eyes softened. She had witnessed countless battles, countless men announcing their dominance through force. Yet this—this fearless assertion for love, this unflinching defiance of authority—she had never anticipated.
---
The Marriage
The following days passed swiftly. The clan had no choice but silence. Whispers lingered in shadows, but no one dared confront him openly.
The wedding itself was simple. There was no pomp, no extravagance. Zhou Tian made no concern for ceremony; his only desire was to claim the woman beside him as his wife.
On that day, beneath the ordinary blue sky, vows were exchanged. Zhou Tian's eyes never left Lin Moun's. He, who had once stood above all mortals, now held her hand—not as a cultivator, not as an immortal, but simply as a man declaring his devotion.
For the first time, Lin Moun felt something warmer than power: kinship. The gentle bond of life, fragile and fleeting, yet infinitely more tender than any energy she had wielded in the vast reaches of the immortal realms.
---
Years of Quiet
Time flowed, gentle as a river, never seeking to disrupt the stones in its path.
Months became years. Lin Moun gave birth to their first daughter, bringing new life to the Zhou estate. Zhou Tian cradled her trembling body, his cold, steadfast heart stirring with a warmth he had never known.
Two years later, their second daughter arrived. The halls, once echoing with debates and rivalry, now resonated with the laughter of children. Even the sternest elders softened as they passed the courtyards where Zhou Tian's daughters played.
Lin Moun watched herself change. Centuries of cultivation and distant Dao had left her distant from the simple joys of life. Now, each morning was awakened by her husband's warmth and her children's laughter. The infinite universe had never granted her such peace. Here, she discovered it.
Zhou Tian, too, embraced his new role—not merely as a warrior, but as a father. He trained relentlessly, protected his family, yet always returned to the tiny hands waiting for him.
Yet fate is cruel. Peace is never eternal.
---
The Birth of Zhou Fang
When their son was born, even the air seemed to tremble. Lin Moun held him close, sweat on her brow, light in her eyes. Zhou Tian stood beside her, heart blazing as he gazed upon the little boy who carried both their blood.
They named him Zhou Fang.
The Zhou clan celebrated quietly, though whispers still lingered in shadow: two daughters, and now a son. Zhou Tian's bloodline was secured. His power ensured that no one would dare threaten them.
Yet that night, something stirred.
Deep within Lin Moun, the seals she had carried from the ruins quivered. The aura she had hidden, the infinite presence she had contained, sought to break free.
And far above the mortal world, beyond the constraints of time and space, cultivators of the infinite realms felt disturbance. Eyes long closed opened again.
The calm had ended.
---
Reflections in Stillness
Zhou Tian sat quietly in the courtyard, Zhou Fang asleep in his arms. The stars hung low in the sky, as if watching the fragile balance of a world too small for such power. Lin Moun approached, her presence gentle, yet containing the weight of untold infinity.
"Do you ever miss it?" he asked softly.
"Miss what?" she replied, though her voice carried the hint of distant worlds.
"The battles, the heights… the solitude of power."
She looked at the sleeping children, at the man who had chosen love over dominion, and shook her head. "I spent centuries chasing the Dao, seeking control over life and death. And yet… here, in this fleeting moment, I understand what was missing. Strength is meaningless if it cannot protect what is precious."
He smiled faintly, eyes reflecting the glow of the lanterns. "Then we are finally home. For now."
She leaned close, whispering, "For now… the storm is never far. But we will face it—together."
In the silent night, the estate seemed to breathe. Outside, the world remained oblivious, yet fate had begun its quiet turning. Across the infinite realms, threads of disturbance wove into a tapestry no mortal eye could yet see.
Love, power, and destiny—each a note in a symphony that had only begun to play.
And in that fragile stillness, Zhou Tian and Lin Moun stood at the center of a world that could either bow to their will or challenge it with fury. Their lives, their children, and their love would become the fulcrum upon which the future pivoted.
The mortal world had welcomed them. Yet the infinite universe had not forgotten.
Peace was never more than a pause.