Xingyue felt the power surging through her body, but her eyes held no joy, only worry. Having stepped into the Divine Realm, she had also touched upon the truth of this world.
The war against the demon race back then, though ultimately victorious for the cultivators, had come at a cost unimaginable to ordinary people.
It was also due to the Demon Emperor's resentment towards this world in his dying moments that the spiritual energy of the cultivation world had become increasingly thin over the years, reaching a point where even the Divine Realm was rare.
Therefore, the Divine Realm now signified not only status but also responsibility.
But these were not what worried Xingyue the most.
After breaking through to the Divine Realm, she had seen things, many of them concerning the Ying Tian Beasts. It turned out that the ancient Ying Tian Beasts were indeed a powerful race!
However, the power they obtained came at a great price. If it were anyone else, Xingyue could have remained an observer, but if the person was A Yuan, whom she had raised, she could not treat her with ordinary eyes.
Xingyue walked out with a heavy heart, unaware that the moment she stepped out of the cave dwelling, a beam of light shot from beneath her feet and sped into the distance.
Xing Yuan opened her eyes, excitement glinting in her sapphire-blue gaze, and without hesitation, she ran outside.
Just as Xingyue was carefully examining the message left by Xing Yuan with her communication jade slip, the small beast that Xing Yuan had transformed into rushed over.
The small beast gently licked Xingyue's palm, its claws gripping her tightly.
"A Yuan? Why did you suddenly transform into your original form?" Xingyue chuckled, masking all the worry in her eyes, and gently stroked Xing Yuan's head.
"I want Big Sister to hold me!" Xing Yuan's voice was soft and sweet, her small paws gently grasping Xingyue's hand that was playing with her ears.
"Okay~" Xingyue put away the communication jade slip and let Xing Yuan nestle comfortably in her arms.
"When did A Yuan return?" Xingyue couldn't help but pinch Xing Yuan's ear again. She hadn't thought much of it before, but after seeing Xing Yuan's human form, she inexplicably grew fond of her ears.
Xing Yuan flinched, her paws instantly covering her ears, glaring at Xingyue with displeasure, "Don't touch, it tickles!"
"I've been back for a few days," Xing Yuan replied slowly only after seeing Xingyue retract her hand.
"Mmm~ Alright~_~" Xingyue's expression visibly drooped.
Xing Yuan looked at Xingyue hesitantly, then quietly lowered her paws, "If Big Sister wants to touch, then touch! But remember to be gentle."
"Okay!" Xingyue's face lit up with joy, but her movements were exceptionally gentle.
Xing Yuan: Something feels wrong. Ahhh! Was she tricked by Big Sister again?
Xingyue smiled wryly at Xing Yuan's dejected look and said, "Alright, as compensation for touching A Yuan. Now Big Sister will go down the mountain to inform Master about my breakthrough to the Divine Realm, and then we'll go down the mountain together for training!"
Xing Yuan: ٩(๑^o^๑)۶
Without Xingyue's prompting, Xing Yuan immediately enlarged her form, allowing Xingyue to sit on her back. Once Xingyue was settled, Xing Yuan sped her to Fang Qiu Mo's residence.
"You've broken through?" Fang Qiu Mo's eyes clearly held surprise. Although Xingyue had indeed received the blessings of the Heavenly Dao, truly breaking through to the Divine Realm was closely related to one's own talent and other factors.
"Yes! So now I want to go out and train, and also consolidate my realm." Xingyue's gaze was clear and cold, her pupils full of seriousness.
"That's fine! However, before you leave, there are some things I wish to impart to you." Fang Qiu Mo pondered for a moment, nodded, and gestured for Xingyue to speak with her alone.
"A Yuan, you wait for me outside first!" Xingyue turned and said gently to Xing Yuan, who had transformed into her human form.
Xing Yuan's gaze swept back and forth between the two, then she finally nodded and obediently walked out.
Fang Qiu Mo immediately activated the defensive formation in the courtyard.
She said solemnly, "A Yue, since you have broken through to the Divine Realm, you should be aware of some matters now, shouldn't you? Including her identity and origin."
"I know," Xingyue nodded calmly. "But no matter who she is or what her mission is, in my eyes, she is first the spirit beast I raised, and only then that identity."
"You... A Yue, you need to think carefully. Some things are not as simple as you assume. Her identity is too special, you know." Fang Qiu Mo's tone became stern. It was precisely because she cared for this disciple that she did not want to see her make mistakes.
"Master, please rest assured, your disciple has naturally considered everything." Xingyue's expression remained unchanged, she simply bowed and turned to leave.
For a long time afterward, Xingyue and Xing Yuan were active together in the cultivation world and even the demon realm.
Encountering injustice and drawing their swords to help was just the norm. They had also hidden their identities and infiltrated a sect, lived in a town as ordinary people, and experienced various lives, both good and bad. For the purpose of tempering themselves in the mortal world, what was always being tempered was the heart.
In fact, Xingyue knew that Xing Yuan could not be considered a true sentient being. Her so-called emotions were merely what generations of Ying Tian Beasts had understood and inherited.
Therefore, Xingyue intentionally let her experience all the joys and sorrows, anger and happiness of this world. She hoped that Xing Yuan would grow a heart for herself, rather than just being a puppet chosen by the Heavenly Dao.
Who said a chess piece couldn't jump out of the game? Xingyue refused to believe it. Since she had arrived in this world by chance, she could certainly bring about change in this world. After all, in a certain sense, she could be considered a true variable.
Xing Yuan did feel it, but what she felt more profoundly was the burgeoning attachment in her heart.
Every Ying Tian Beast was a new individual. However, the first Ying Tian Beast born was actually an embodiment of the Great Dao.
He was born into the world with a mission, and upon completing his task, he would immediately dissipate into the world. From where he came, to where he returned; in his world, this was a perfectly normal occurrence.
But then, at some unknown point, the Ying Tian Beast changed. He began to think about the colorful world, to develop a bit of his own "heart."
However, before his "heart" had fully grown, he dissipated due to the completion of his mission. But his desire for a "heart" did not vanish, so generation after generation of Ying Tian Beasts inherited his obsession, and the "heart" gradually became complete. Yet, no one knew who the true owner of this "heart" would be in the end.