CHAPTER 81 — A World That Opens Its Eyes
The moment Lin stepped back into his inner Earth, the air felt different.
Thicker.
Richer.
Alive.
His senses expanded effortlessly—he could feel every breeze, every pulse of spiritual energy, every movement of his companions as if his consciousness overlapped with the world itself.
The Titan Sapling now stood nearly ten meters tall, its emerald leaves shimmering with a divine glow. Its roots spread out like veins of life through the land, infusing the barren plains with qi-rich soil and crystal-clear streams.
Mu, Wen, Bai, and Sheng stood nearby—exhausted, battered, but alive.
Sheng was the first to speak.
"Lin… the world changed again."
Lin exhaled slowly.
"I felt it. The sapling stabilized while I was fighting."
Aurora materialized beside the sapling, her translucent wings fluttering softly.
"This is only the beginning," she said. "Your world has taken its first breath of true vitality. Now comes the second phase—population."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"Population?"
Aurora nodded, her luminous eyes softening.
"You'll understand… now."
---
1. The Saint's Rebirth — A New Dawn
A soft glow appeared in the center of the grassy field—
pale, white, warm.
Lin felt the vibration in his core.
"Saint Shengyuan…?"
The glow intensified.
A humanoid outline formed.
A heartbeat echoed.
Then—
FWOOOM—
A man stepped out of the light.
He looked around thirty—long silver hair, deep eyes, noble bearing. His aura was weak—barely at Qi Gathering—but his presence was ethereal.
He recognized Lin immediately.
"You kept your promise."
His voice trembled. "You… truly rewove my soul into this world."
Lin bowed with genuine respect.
"You helped save my life. This was the least I could do."
Saint Shengyuan gazed at his hands, flexing his fingers.
"A new body… a new world. My knowledge remains, but my cultivation is gone. I am… reborn."
Wen whispered in awe.
"He's the first human born in this world…"
Sheng murmured,
"A founding ancestor…"
Lin smiled faintly.
"Welcome home, senior."
Shengyuan bowed gratefully.
"No. This is your world now, Lin Xuan. I am merely honored to live within it."
---
2. Aurora's Gift — The First Mother of Life
Aurora stepped forward, expression unexpectedly solemn.
"There is one more thing your world needs."
Lin turned to her.
"What?"
Aurora lifted her hand. Her body glowed bright gold—brighter than anything Lin had seen from her before.
Wen gasped.
"Aurora—what are you doing?!"
Aurora smiled.
"To create life, a world needs balance. Creation cannot occur without a spark… a catalyst… a mother."
Lin's heart pounded.
"You're not thinking—"
Before he could finish—
SHHIING—
Aurora pulled a fragment of her own soul from her chest.
Lin's eyes widened.
"Aurora! Stop!"
Bai reached for her.
"Aurora! You'll weaken yourself!"
But Aurora simply smiled through the pain.
"A world spirit can endure this. And I… trust Lin."
The soul fragment floated upward, glowing brighter and brighter—
before plunging gently into the fertile soil near the sapling.
The ground pulsed.
The air shimmered.
A new presence formed—
soft, delicate, yet powerful in its purity.
A woman emerged from the light.
She looked no more than twenty—dark hair cascading like silk, eyes the color of fresh leaves, her aura gentle yet overflowing with the essence of life itself.
Aurora exhaled, staggering slightly.
Mu caught her.
"You… birthed her?"
Aurora nodded weakly.
"She will be… the mother spirit. The one who guides the birth of natural creatures… beasts… plants… and eventually, new humans."
The maiden bowed deeply to Aurora first, then to Lin.
"World Master. First Spirit Mother greets you."
Lin swallowed hard.
He understood the gravity of what had just happened.
He was no longer just cultivating.
No longer just surviving.
He had become a creator.
---
3. The First Cycle of Life Begins
The Spirit Mother walked to the Titan Sapling.
She touched its trunk gently.
Green light spread outward like a sunrise.
The wind changed.
The land trembled.
And then—
Life emerged.
Small, rabbit-like beasts blinked into existence near the streams.
Birds of shimmering colors formed in the trees.
The soil thickened with vitality, causing flowers and grasses to burst into full bloom.
Mu stepped back, awe-struck.
"A world… giving birth."
Bai crossed his arms, trying to hide his amazement.
"Lin… this is… unbelievable."
Shengyuan knelt reverently beside the sapling.
"To witness creation itself… this is a blessing beyond measure."
Even Wen's voice cracked.
"We're… living inside a miracle."
Lin remained silent for a long moment.
Then he turned to Aurora.
His voice softened.
"…thank you."
Aurora smiled weakly.
"I merely helped the world take its first steps. The rest… depends on you."
---
4. Strengthening, Healing, and a World That Nourishes
The first generation of living creatures continued spreading across the landscape.
Lin finally let out a long breath.
"Everyone, sit. I'll heal your injuries."
He summoned his cauldron—its golden runes shimmering brilliantly.
Mu immediately moved beside him, notebook in hand.
"Senior Brother Lin, I'm watching closely!"
Lin smirked and began.
He upgraded each herb.
Refined each pill.
Made them stronger, purer, more effective.
Soon, batches of Celestial-grade healing pills filled the cauldron.
Everyone ate.
Their wounds vanished.
Their shattered bones mended.
Their qi soared.
Sheng broke through two minor levels instantly.
Mu, Bai, and Wen each advanced at least one level.
Lin watched them silently—
but inside, he felt something else.
His world was feeding them qi.
The sapling, the Spirit Mother, the living terrain—
all of it nourished his companions.
Mu's eyes widened.
"Lin… your world… it's cultivating us?"
Lin nodded.
"This world recognizes you as my people.
It wants you to grow."
---
5. Lin Faces a Temptation… and Rejects It
Later, when the others slept, Lin stood beneath the Titan Sapling.
He reached into his sea of consciousness…
Staring at his solar system.
The planets rotating around his brilliant dantian-sun.
He felt the temptation.
What if I upgrade it again?
He imagined:
planets doubling in size
laws strengthening
stars forming
time warping
countless new powers awakening within him
His heart pounded.
What if…?
Then he steadied himself.
"No."
The memory of the last upgrade flashed through him—the devastation, the tribulation, the risks.
"If I go too far, this world might collapse.
Or worse… the outside world could be destroyed."
He closed his inner sight.
Not yet.
Not until he was strong enough to bear the consequences.
---
6. Rumblings Beyond the World
Aurora materialized beside him.
"Your world grows swiftly. But so does the danger beyond."
Lin looked up.
"What's happening outside?"
Aurora's expression darkened.
"The demonic sect is hunting relentlessly.
The entire region trembles with rumors of your strength.
Some fear you.
Some want to kill you.
Others seek to control what you are becoming."
Lin clenched his fist.
"I expected as much."
Aurora turned to the sapling.
"But this world… is your sanctuary.
Your fortress.
Your future."
Lin nodded.
"Then I'll protect it—with everything I have."
The Spirit Mother approached, bowing her head.
"World Master, your people grow.
Your world lives.
All await your next command."
Lin looked into the horizon of his newborn world…
And felt, for the first time, the weight of destiny.
---