Yu Zhibo, with a neatly trimmed beard and clad in a dark brocade robe adorned with cloud patterns, his wide sleeves flowing, exuded an aura of noble bearing and masculine charm.
However, Bai Yinchen paid no mind to his handsome appearance. She stood up, her beautiful eyes lit with a clear brilliance, fixing her gaze intently on his brow.
It was as if, in the next moment, she would be unable to resist entering his Pure Land space to reunite with her family.
For a full ten thousand years, she still often recalled the time spent with her parents and siblings in the Spirit Realm. To satisfy her longing, she had even used great means to create an illusory world where her family resided, frequently entering it to linger.
But she knew it was all false. An illusion was still an illusion. Though the faces and voices of her family within it remained, they were merely soulless husks.
Bai Yinchen trembled slightly with excitement.
The moment her divine sense enveloped Yu Zhibo's brow, she sensed several familiar soul fluctuations emanating from him.
Besides Bai Chanyi's, there were the soul fluctuations of Wang Shouyi and Bai Lanzhi, whom she had longed for countless times, and her third brother, Bai Xinyi. Even though she had been prepared, her heart was filled with immense surprise.
"Xiao Yu, my father and mother..." Bai Yinchen flashed before Yu Zhibo, her hands clenched into fists beneath her sleeves in her excitement.
Logically, with her Heavenly Venerate cultivation, she shouldn't have such a strong reaction. But having just overcome her inner demon tribulation and valuing her family so dearly, she was understandably distraught.
"Second Sister, calm down!" Yu Zhibo exclaimed, startled, and instinctively took a step back. He then waved his sleeve, and four figures appeared in the air.
They were none other than Wang Shouyi's family.
"I wonder if Xiao Er will feel estranged when she sees us. After all, for us, the destruction of the Spirit Realm was only fifty-odd years ago, but for her, over ten thousand years have passed—"
Within the Pure Land space, Wang Shouyi was speaking with deep emotion to his wife and children. Suddenly, the scene shifted, and his beloved second daughter, whom he had missed day and night, appeared before him, causing his words to halt abruptly.
He froze in place.
Opposite him, Bai Yinchen looked at him with tear-filled eyes, her gaze as dependent and loving as it had always been.
Then, with a wave of her sleeve, she transformed the surroundings. When everyone regained their senses, they found themselves in a lush valley filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers.
"Is this... the original Spirit Realm?"
Wang Shouyi surveyed his surroundings. Before he could fully process, his vision blurred, and the next moment, his neck was encircled by a soft arm.
"Father, Mother!"
Bai Yinchen hugged Wang Shouyi and Bai Lanzhi, tears mingling with her smile. "Daughter has missed you so much all these years..."
It was indeed her father and mother. The same soul imprints, the same familiar eyes. These were the relatives she had longed for over ten thousand years.
"Second Sister..."
Bai Chanyi and Bai Xinyi also called out softly, their expressions differing. Bai Chanyi's was one of closeness and admiration as she clutched Bai Yinchen's sleeve. Bai Xinyi was beaming with joy.
Although his second sister often bullied him when they were young, after so many years, those once frustrating experiences had become the most cherished memories.
Wang Shouyi, suddenly embraced, was first taken aback, then a gentle smile spread across his handsome face. He patted Bai Yinchen's shoulder softly and said, "Xiao Er,..."
He trailed off, unable to say more. Everything was understood without words.
Bai Lanzhi's beautiful eyes were also red. She hugged Bai Yinchen, murmuring repeatedly, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright..."
Bai Yinchen reveled in the familiar scent of her parents' embrace, feeling as though she had returned to her childhood (the childhood of a Celestial Fox lasts from 1 to 100 years). Her heart felt anchored.
Even though her parents' cultivation levels were not even at the Nascent Soul stage, they had once been her entire world. This dependence did not vanish with the passage of time or the growth of her cultivation. Instead, it deepened like aged wine, making her more greedy and reluctant to part.
Holding Wang Shouyi and Bai Lanzhi, Bai Yinchen said no more, simply savoring the familiar rhythm of their heartbeats, the flow of their blood, and the completeness of their souls.
After a long while, her agitated emotions slowly calmed. She detached herself from her parents' embrace and said, "Father, Mother, don't go back this time. Will you come with me to the Upper Realm? I don't want to be separated from you again."
In the Upper Realm, even though she had cultivated to become a paramount figure in the immortal world, the long lifespan felt cold and solitary. Now that she had found her family, her heart felt alive again.
Facing her second daughter's invitation, Wang Shouyi found it hard to refuse. His plan to ascend to the Upper Realm and serve the Liberation Sect wavered at this moment.
As for Bai Lanzhi, she readily agreed.
Seeing Wang Shouyi still hesitating, Bai Yinchen's expression remained unchanged.
As far as she knew, the Liberation Sect her father wished to join was merely a small sect in a corner of the Qingchu Continent. In the Upper Realm, where saints were absent and Grand Unity Immortals were rare, her Golden Immortal cultivation could easily provide protection. Then, wouldn't they still be together as a family?
After pouring out her longing to her parents, she turned and gently pinched Bai Chanyi's small face, dotingly saying, "Xiao Jiu, did you miss Second Sister?"
Bai Chanyi looked at her with sparkling eyes and said crisply, "Yes!"
Bai Yinchen smiled contentedly. "Xiao Jiu is still so well-behaved. Second Sister loves you the most."
Bai Chanyi hugged her waist, burying her face in her embrace, murmuring, "Xiao Jiu missed Second Sister very much, but also Big Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Sister, Eighth Sister."
Bai Yinchen's expression stiffened, and her heart turned bitter.
In the Upper Realm, after achieving success in her cultivation, she had never forgotten to search for her family. However, besides knowing that her eldest and fourth sisters had fallen into demonhood, she had no news of her other siblings.
Moreover, the Demon Realm was separated from the Qingchu Continent. Even with her Golden Immortal cultivation, she could not easily step foot there, as it was home to demon lords whose power was comparable to Grand Unity Immortals.
Seeing her unusual expression, Yu Zhibo couldn't help but ask, "Second Sister, did you not find your other relatives in the Upper Realm?"
Bai Lanzhi also looked up sharply, her beautiful eyes filled with expectation.
Bai Yinchen shook her head bitterly. "It's not that there's no news at all. I only know that Eldest Sister and Fourth Sister mistakenly entered the Demon Realm and have made a formidable reputation there. But I glimpsed them from afar across the Demon Abyss, and they... they don't seem to be themselves anymore."
Wang Shouyi's expression turned solemn. "As long as they are alive, there will be opportunities for reunion someday. Perhaps their true spirits can be awakened. Xiao Er, don't worry. You are no longer alone, and your father will never let you bear all the pressure by yourself."
Bai Yinchen smiled sincerely, nodding in agreement. "You have the Twin Pupils. Your future in the Upper Realm will be limitless. I have great confidence in you!"
Wang Shouyi nodded slightly, his eyes filled with determination. At this moment, he had no reason to slacken.
Yu Zhibo stroked his chin and said, "I was thinking, since we could find Second Sister with the giant tortoise Tuo Lu, and Third Brother in the realm nexus, perhaps we can find our other sisters and brothers too?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Yinchen's expression grew even more somber.