Two Shining Stars

The light of the stars dimmed.

The azure planet shrank to the size of dust on the cosmic scale, and then, the entire physical universe condensed into an imperceptibly tiny black speck.

Convergence.

Churning.

The past and future of time and space crystallized into shimmering, ever-shifting currents.

Beneath the feet of Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue.

The distances between different universes, between myriad heavens—

Should have been unfathomably vast, impossible to traverse.

Yet before supreme power, even the concept of distance faded, becoming as flimsy as a sheet of paper, allowing the two to pass through freely.

"Yingxue, is this where you used to spar with Mo Li and the others?"

Walking upon the River of Spacetime.

Chaotic mist surged from all directions, yet it could not approach Xu Xi, repelled by an invisible force of reason and order, forming a boundless, smooth path.

"Uh, yes."

Wu Yingxue's expression was slightly unnatural.

She quickly glanced around, recognizing the battlefields that had been shattered and later repaired, then guiltily took Xu Xi's hand and hurried away.

If her master were to learn the truth behind her "sparring" sessions with the others—

Would his impression of her worsen?

At this thought, Wu Yingxue cleared her throat twice, drawing Xu Xi's attention, and quickened her pace to leave this chaotic realm.

"Master, let's hurry.

Everyone is waiting for us!"

Her tone was earnest.

The princess's expression was so serious it left no room for doubt.

Xu Xi nodded. "You're right. Let's go."

Without any flashy or overly complicated steps, Xu Xi's divine sense locked onto the chaotic cosmos of the martial arts realm across infinite spacetime.

As casually as strolling through a garden.

He crossed worlds with the girl in tow.

Then, among the countless worlds like stars, he pinpointed the exact location of the Martial Realm.

This world had once been plagued by demons, with humans raised as livestock for blood. But now, humanity ruled supreme, and all other races bowed in submission.

Returning to the Martial Realm after so long,

Xu Xi felt both familiarity and strangeness.

Gazing down upon the land, he saw that the once-great Ten Thousand Mountains and the Great Qian Dynasty had long vanished, erased by the princess in ages past.

New villages now stood upon that land.

People lived in peace, no longer fearing the threat of demons.

"Master, this is for you."

"This is the honey cake my mother loves."

"Mm... and this, the crispy peaches my father enjoys."

"Please don't mix them up."

After several shifts in location, guided by Wu Yingxue, Xu Xi saw an elegant mansion nestled among verdant bamboo, its inner and outer courtyards exuding an air of ancient tranquility.

It stood in a quiet corner of a human city.

After the fall of the Great Qian Dynasty.

This was the new residence the Dingyuan King and Queen had chosen for themselves.

Before stepping inside, the girl retrieved bundles of gifts from who-knows-where, her face serious as she explained to Xu Xi what each item was and who it was for.

Her eyes were like clear water.

Rippling with joy and anticipation.

"You've worked hard, Yingxue," Xu Xi said, taking the gifts from her hands. He felt their weight, sensing the warmth and brightness of her sincerity through them.

"Master, really—whether it's hard work or not doesn't matter."

"As long as everything goes well today, I'll be happy."

The princess stretched lazily.

Facing Xu Xi, her eyes curved into crescents as she grinned, teeth showing.

"You're right," Xu Xi said, infected by her smile. His own expression softened into something gentle, serene, and comforting.

The two began their descent, landing directly before the mansion's gates.

The rush of wind caught the attention of the servants at the door, who looked up in surprise, letting out exclamations.

"It's the young miss! The young miss is back!"

"Quick, inform the master and mistress—the young miss has brought the groom home!"

The quiet mansion erupted into chaos.

Like a pot of boiling water.

The crackling bubbles were the excited expressions and fervent chatter of the people, spreading the news in every direction.

Curious, Xu Xi glanced at the princess beside him. "Yingxue, what's this about 'bringing me home'?"

"Ah, well..."

Wu Yingxue's guilt resurfaced.

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she fidgeted. "I might have mentioned once or twice before that I'd bring Master home..."

A blush spread across her cheeks.

Like the color of clouds set aflame by the setting sun.

Xu Xi almost asked if it was an "accidental" slip on purpose.

But seeing the princess's flustered state, all his words melted into a smile. He gently ruffled her hair and said nothing more.

"Alright, let's go in."

"This is your home—you know it better than I do. Lead the way."

"Yes!!" Wu Yingxue regained her energy in an instant. She eagerly grabbed Xu Xi's hand and dashed toward the heart of the mansion.

So fast.

The shadows of the eaves couldn't keep up.

Leaving behind only the light, rapid patter of her footsteps.

"Father! Mother!"

Wu Yingxue pushed open the doors of the main hall and announced loudly, "I've brought him!"

The response to her excited voice was two pairs of resigned eyes, as if long accustomed to this, before their gazes shifted to Xu Xi.

They hesitated.

Words caught in their throats.

"You... are the great Master Xu Xi?"

The Dingyuan King spoke cautiously, weighing every word. His face, usually stern and dignified, was now etched with uncertainty.

He even used an honorific for Xu Xi.

In ordinary in-law relationships, interactions were either friendly or fraught with tension.

But Xu Xi's circumstances were too extraordinary.

He had paved the path for humanity's survival in the Great Qian Dynasty, and his power transcended mortal limits, leaving the Dingyuan King and Queen uneasy.

Xu Xi shook his head with a smile, his gentle voice breaking the stiffness.

"Just call me Xu Xi, Uncle, Aunt."

With that, he presented the gifts prepared by the princess.

Adding his own touches.

Offering specialties from other worlds to the Dingyuan King and Queen.

Seeing this, their expressions softened considerably, their earlier apprehension fading.

"You're too kind."

"You didn't need to bring gifts just for visiting."

"Our Xue'er must have caused you plenty of trouble, hasn't she?" The Queen, naturally sociable, quickly struck up a lively conversation with Xu Xi.

She began sharing amusing stories from Wu Yingxue's childhood.

"Mother!"

The princess grew flustered.

She reached out, trying to stop her mother's storytelling spree.

Seizing the moment, Xu Xi took a seat beside the Dingyuan King, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Uncle, here is the wedding invitation. Please accept it."

"So you're getting married? A joyous occasion indeed."

Faced with the invitation, despite this being their first meeting as in-laws, the Dingyuan King showed nothing but satisfaction, not a trace of displeasure.

As if.

He had long known Xu Xi's character, familiar beyond doubt.

When Xu Xi asked why, the Dingyuan King wore a nostalgic expression and gave an unexpected answer.

"This might sound strange, but... I've known you for a very long time, Xu Xi."

"I watched you save Xue'er."

"I watched you support each other."

"I watched you overcome hardship after hardship, leading the people out of the Ten Thousand Mountains."

"If I can't trust you, then there's no one else I can trust."

Back then, during the third simulation.

The two stars hanging high in the night sky, shimmering brilliantly to light the path ahead for Xu Xi and Wu Yingxue, finally revealed their meaning at this moment.

"So that's how it is," Xu Xi exclaimed in sudden realization.

"Cough! Cough!"

Suddenly.

The Dingyuan King cleared his throat heavily twice.

Under Xu Xi's puzzled gaze, the king cautiously raised two fingers and said, "Xu Xi, your father-in-law has only one request—after marrying Yingxue, could you give me a pair of twins, a boy and a girl?"

The Dingyuan King longed to hold his grandchildren.