Pathway

Quickly, he disappeared in the direction of the connection. Forsaken palace could wait, if it was still there. He would have to find her, to see if she was alright.

Not long after, he found Zhang Xiu Ying, standing under a mighty oak tree.

"Lady Zhang, Joyful heavens, you are alright."

"I guess I am, Chi Sheng Wu. Joyful heavens, indeed."

"I received your message as soon as I returned from my journey of self-enlightenment and came as quickly as possible. I guess it wasn't quick enough. I only saw traces of your divine aura, entering the forsaken palace."

"I came across the forsaken palace by chance. I was running from the blood cultivator while tracing the direction of my son and his friends."

"Oh, I see.  I had an encounter with one, possibly the same one. Blood aura and chaotic blood armor."

"Yes, he's the one. His name is Lang Hai. An ascendant with great powers and techniques. You should be more careful of him in the future. He's much more powerful than you think."

"Hm. I will do that. By the way, what are they doing this faraway from their sect? I mean your son and others."

"It's their luminary week, so they decided to go on an adventure. There was an elder with them also."

"Good enough. Glad you are safe and sound. I will probably join the other nascent souls at the Ivory-Yonder to wait for the next gate opening, lady xiu."

"No need to worry yourself, Cu shang Wu, the entrance is gone. It's no more."

"Very well then. Any thing you still want to take care of, lady Zhang?

"No, Chi Shang Wu. We're done here. I give my thanks, for coming."

"En. Nothing to it, lady Zhang."

Back at the Skyspring village, Zhang Xiu Ying's mind wandered back to the forsake palace. At the least, she would be needing the help of Chu Shang Wu, soon. Lord Luoyang would've been the obvious choice but he already left on a journey. Sooner than later, he would be having his ascension tribulations Order of the gathering of the gods and would take years for him to return at the least. Or, Adong, the other titan on the Kaifeng continent, if she would be available. Reena decided she would wait to see the best way to go about it when it would be the time. Maybe, lord Luoyang would have returned by then.

She hoped it wouldn't be a sorrowful taking.

***

Zhang Wang Jing was pacing restlessly, as she casted frequent glances at her husband who was standing with his sight set on the far distance. A look of anxiety and apprehension on their faces as they contemplated the situation on hand.

It's been over half a-day since they lost the contact with Zhang Xiu Ying. She always maintained her contact with her parents anytime she's outside, though she never went outside the Lijiang continent. Nothing on the other continent to warrant a voyage from her, away from her family. At the least, she would inform them of this if she planned on taking one. And they knew as a true demigod of the golden core stage, her mind connection could cover a great distance on Lijiang continent if stretched. Thus, the reason for the concern of the sudden disconnectionin of their minds contact with her.

What could possibly have caused the disconnection?

Zhang Li Qiang asked his wife while stroking his beard anxiously.

"It seems strange. Not like Xiu Ying."

"A demigod like our daughter wouldn't have lost connection like that."

Zhang Wang Jing uttered, pacing up and down.

"The distance was within her range, unless she's gone to another continent."

"Could she have done that without informing us?"

"I don't think so. Something seems off. I can feel it."

"What do you think of it?"

"I don't know what to think of it,

As Zhang Wang Jing and Zhang Li Qiang continued to conversed outside their cave, worried expressions on their faces, their connection to Zhang Xiu Ying was restored. They couldn't contain their joy as they shouted in chorus.

"Xiu Ying!"

***

As the sun began to set at the horizon, spreading its largess into a grateful sky, rich hues of red blended with oranges, purples and crimsons. They turned the sky into a wonder of a creation that cast an eerie beauty on the landscape .

Zhang Xiu Ying stared at the beautiful sky, captured in its serenity. That was no time to reminisce about the events of the past or think about the future. That was a moment in time for a soul to experience the harmonious peace of the universe. Lost in the wonder of the sky, she closed her eyes as the serene feeling encased her nascent soul. But immediately, her closed eyes flew wide open. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it, quietly. The moment was gone but not before Reena could grasp a thought. Although it was for a fraction of second, she laughed softly.

'Hehehe.' 

Reena was still laughing while staring at the sky, when she heard her mother's voice to her to her right.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Still smiling herself, Zhang Xiu Ying turned to the sight of her mother's own beautiful smile. She nodded in answer before turning her gaze towards the sky as her mother continued.

"The true joy of a sunset is something we no longer understand. Only the mind of the discerning ones, when there were no lights, could understand the true joy of a sunset."

"True words, Euanthe. True words."

Mother and daughter, directed their attention towards Zhang Li Qiang, who was staring at the sky with converged insight.

"Sunsets and sunrises are the moments of transitions. Though they are beautiful to behold, they carry with them hidden secrets, obscured information and aspects of the universal truth. When a soul discerns any of these, it attains some form of enlightenment. This is a step closer to being one with the universe. A complete oneness with the universe brings the true immortality."

Lowering his gaze from the sky, he watched his wife and daughter for a time before letting out a long breath of sadness.

"This discernment and insights are the most difficult parts of a cultivator's life. The reason why many cultivators focused on immortality instead. I do not blame them. Immortality without anyone killing you, is good enough for any cultivator. And as you know, Reena, immortality starts from the nascent soul. That is why your mother and I, are also striving towards forming our nascent souls."

"True, and we are on the right path. The crystallines have been a great help to us since we came to this cave. I'm already a middle-stage golden core while your father is a late-stage golden core. Surely, we are on the right path."

Reaching where his wife and daughter were standing, he put a hand over Zhang Xiu Ying's shoulder while holding Zhang Wang Jing with the other.

"Indeed, we are. But we must always keep this in mind, immortality doesn't come into account when facing a more powerful entity. Even a celestial, can easily go into reincarnation."

"Yes, we know. Before any combat, always know your way out. If there's none, you run." 

Zhang Xiu Ying said, resting her head on her father's shoulder. Her son could have been here too, enjoying this with them, but he had now gone back to his sect. Let him continued to learn, knowledge was too important to ignore anyway. Moreover, the sect premises was more safer for him for now, especially when uncle Luoyang wasn't around. Her mind would be peaceful if she should undergo the taking, knowing her son would be protected in the face of any attack, as much as possible.

Her thoughts were disrupted by the voice of her father.

"Not really running, Xiu Ying. It's simply 'staying alive'. Staying alive to enjoy the beauty of nature like this."

They continued to enjoy the scenery, until Zhang Wang Jing brought them back to reality.

"We should go inside now, before the food looses its aroma."

"The smell of the food can't even let me concentrate on the beauty of the sky."

Bemoaned Zhang Xiu Ying jokingly, as they all laughed while walking back into the cave.

She had a perfect family. Loving parents and a loving son. Her family was once bigger than this. She used to have a loving husband too. Although not from their clan, he had been a really good husband. Until, he died during the attack of the antramental demons on their village.

Could it?

Not now. She took her mind of it as she looked at her parents before turning to the contents on the table.

Sitting on the table, was a large pot of steaming mountain fowl meat. One of the ocassional change in meat since the discovery of the pond turtles. Accompanying it, were one smalk container of goat milk and two large containers of grubs and lily tubers layered with wasp honey. The aroma of the food, filled the whole interior of the knoll. This was due to a new cooking recipe that Euanthe bought from a food merchant, a week before.