Lían followed Auntie Xu through the residence.
The familiar interior gradually came into view.
Nothing seemed to have changed.
The same wooden furniture.
The same simple decorations.
The same faint scent of herbs lingering through the air.
Yet—
Lían's attention was focused entirely ahead.
His footsteps gradually became faster.
Auntie Xu noticed.
She smiled.
"She's in the back room."
Lían nodded.
"I see."
They continued forward.
Then—
a familiar voice suddenly came from inside the room.
"Is that someone?"
Lían stopped.
His expression changed.
He recognized that voice immediately.
"...Mother."
Auntie Xu glanced at him.
"Go."
Lían didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward.
The door opened.
Inside—
his mother sat beside a wooden table.
Several herbs were spread across its surface.
She appeared to be sorting them.
The moment she heard the door—
she looked up.
Her eyes met Lían's.
For several seconds—
she didn't move.
The room became completely silent.
Lían stood in the doorway.
He smiled awkwardly.
"...Mother."
Her fingers suddenly stopped moving.
The herb in her hand slipped.
It fell onto the table.
She stared at him.
Her lips trembled slightly.
"...Lían?"
"Is that you?"
Lían nodded.
"It's me."
His mother immediately stood.
The chair scraped against the floor.
She crossed the room in several quick steps.
Then—
she pulled him into her arms.
Lían froze.
He hadn't expected it.
His mother's arms tightened around him.
"You're finally back..."
Her voice trembled.
Lían slowly raised his arms.
He hugged her back.
"I'm sorry."
"I should've come back sooner."
His mother shook her head.
"No."
She pulled away slightly.
Her hands immediately moved over his shoulders.
Then his arms.
Then his face.
Checking him from head to toe.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Did you encounter any danger?"
Lían hesitated.
"...A little."
His mother immediately became nervous.
"A little?"
Lían quickly added.
"But I'm alright."
"You don't need to worry yourself."
His mother stared at him.
Then—
she sighed.
"You..."
She gently touched his hair.
"Look how long your hair has become."
Lían scratched his cheek.
"I didn't really have time to cut it."
His mother smiled faintly.
"You've grown."
She stared at him for another moment.
Then—
her eyes became slightly moist.
"You took so long..."
"I thought..."
Her voice stopped.
Lían's expression softened.
"I'm sorry."
His mother shook her head again.
"You're here now."
"That's what matters."
Lían nodded.
"Yeah."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
his mother suddenly looked toward Auntie Xu.
"Xu..."
Auntie Xu smiled.
"I'll leave you two alone for a while."
She turned toward the door.
But before leaving—
she glanced back at Lían.
"The Village Head wants to speak with you."
Lían nodded.
"I know."
"He sent someone to find me after all."
Auntie Xu's expression became slightly surprised.
"You already know?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"Then I'll let him know you're back."
She left the room.
The door closed.
Lían looked toward his mother again.
"Mother..."
She raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
Lían looked at his mother for a moment.
Then—
he asked softly,
"Mother..."
"Are you alright?"
His mother blinked.
Lían continued.
"Before I entered the clam..."
"I told you to come here."
"And I gave you that stone."
"You were supposed to give it to the Village Head."
He paused.
"Did they treat you well?"
His mother's expression suddenly changed.
Her eyes became moist.
Then—
tears began falling.
Lían's expression immediately changed.
"Mother?"
"What happened?"
"Did someone do something to you?"
His mother quickly shook her head.
"No."
"I'm fine."
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand.
"I've been treated well."
Lían frowned.
"Then why are you crying?"
His mother looked at him.
A faint smile appeared through her tears.
"I'm just happy."
"Happy?"
"You're finally back."
Her voice trembled.
"I heard what happened from the villagers."
"After you came out of that clam..."
"You disappeared."
"I didn't know where you went."
"I was so worried."
Lían's expression softened.
"Yeah..."
"I understand."
His mother wiped her eyes again.
"But I'm fine."
"You don't have to worry about me."
Lían nodded.
"That's good."
He hesitated for a moment.
Then—
his mother suddenly looked around.
"That immortal..."
"Where is he?"
Her gaze moved toward the doorway.
"Where's your master?"
Lían immediately raised a finger.
He gently placed it against her lips.
"Shh."
His mother froze.
Lían glanced toward the door.
Then—
he lowered his voice.
"Don't say anything."
His mother looked confused.
"Did you tell anyone about him?"
She quickly shook her head.
"No."
"You told me not to."
"So I didn't."
Lían released a quiet breath.
"Good."
His mother frowned slightly.
"But..."
"Everyone in the village is already talking about what they saw."
"They saw you come out of that clam."
"They saw the creature with you."
"They've been asking what happened."
Lían nodded.
"Yeah."
"I know."
His mother looked at him.
"Then..."
Lían shook his head.
"They don't know the truth."
He paused.
"They don't know that creature is my master."
His expression became serious.
"And I want to keep it that way."
His mother nodded slowly.
"I understand."
Lían sighed.
"Besides..."
His expression became slightly complicated.
"This whole situation is basically his fault."
His mother blinked.
"...Your master?"
Lían nodded.
"Yeah."
He rubbed his forehead.
"He doesn't act like an immortal at all."
His mother stared at him.
Lían continued.
"He just does whatever he wants."
"Disappears whenever he wants."
"Drops me into a lake without saying anything."
"And somehow..."
"I'm the one who has to deal with all the problems afterward."
His mother couldn't help but smile slightly.
Lían sighed.
"Honestly..."
"Sometimes I wonder if he's even a proper master."
His mother looked at him for a moment.
Then—
she gently touched his hair.
"Regardless..."
"He brought you back safely."
Lían fell silent.
His expression softened.
"...Yeah."
He glanced toward the window.
"And I suppose that's what matters."
For a brief moment—
neither of them spoke.
Then—
Lían's mother asked quietly,
"So..."
"Will your master come back?"
Lían paused.
He looked toward the sky outside.
"...I don't know."
"But knowing him..."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"He'll probably show up whenever he feels like it."
After a while—
Lían walked quietly through the hallway.
His footsteps slowed as he approached a familiar door.
He stopped.
Before he could knock—
a voice came from inside.
"Come in."
Lían pushed the door open.
He stepped inside.
The room was simple.
A wooden table stood in the center.
Several old shelves lined the walls.
Behind the table—
the Village Head, Wa Shi, sat quietly.
His eyes immediately settled upon Lían.
Lían bowed slightly.
"Village Head Wa."
Wa Shi studied him for several moments.
Then—
he gestured toward the chair opposite him.
"You're finally back."
"I've been waiting for you."
Lían nodded.
"Thank you."
He walked over and sat down.
For a moment—
neither spoke.
Wa Shi's eyes remained fixed upon him.
Yet—
his expression slowly became thoughtful.
*...I can't sense his cultivation level.*
Not even the slightest trace.
Wa Shi had expected that.
Still—
it was strange.
Wa Shi finally spoke.
"So..."
"Where have you been, Lían?"
"When your mother came to me a year ago..."
"She gave me a Water Essence Crystal."
"She told me you had gone to visit a relative and would be staying there for the time being."
Wa Shi paused.
"I didn't believe that, of course."
"But I didn't press her."
His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Then—"
"Two days ago..."
"According to the villagers who were present..."
"You suddenly emerged from an enormous clam."
Silence filled the room.
Lían remained calm.
"Yeah."
"That's right."
"I've been inside that clam this entire time."
Wa Shi's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"The entire time?"
Lían nodded.
"I was cultivating."
His expression remained casual.
"And that's where the Water Pearls came from."
Wa Shi fell silent.
*So he really was cultivating this entire time.*
His gaze remained on Lían.
*But how far has he progressed?*
*I can't sense his cultivation at all.*
Wa Shi's eyes narrowed slightly.
*Even if he reached the Second Stage of Spirit Refining...*
*That would already be extraordinary.*
*A cultivator with his Spiritual Root breaking through within a year would be considered extremely fortunate.*
*Yet this child disappeared for a year and returned completely different.*
Wa Shi looked toward him.
"I thought as much."
Lían didn't respond.
Wa Shi continued.
"If I may ask..."
"How did you come to obtain that clam?"
Lían's eyes remained calm.
Wa Shi leaned slightly forward.
"That clam was a Demon Beast."
"A Third Stage Spirit Refining cultivator like myself would not willingly confront such a creature."
His expression became serious.
"Yet you somehow obtained it."
Lían answered simply.
"It was my master's doing."
Wa Shi's expression changed slightly.
*As I thought.*
*There really is someone powerful behind him.*
His interest deepened.
"Your master..."
Wa Shi paused.
"If I may..."
"Could you introduce me to him?"
Lían stared at him.
*This old man.*
Wa Shi quickly added.
"I would, of course, make sure to compensate him appropriately."
Lían shook his head.
"Sorry, Village Head Wa."
"I can't do that."
Wa Shi sighed.
"I thought as much."
He leaned back.
"Then..."
"Do you at least have an idea of your master's strength?"
Lían's eyes narrowed.
"No."
The answer came immediately.
Wa Shi stared at him.
Lían stared back.
Neither spoke.
Inside—
Lían's thoughts became cautious.
*He's trying to gauge Master.*
*He wants to know how powerful he is.*
*Probably to figure out what kind of backing I have.*
Lían remained silent.
Wa Shi eventually looked away.
Then—
Lían suddenly remembered something.
"I was actually meaning to ask you something."
Wa Shi looked back.
"What is it?"
"The clam shell."
Lían's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Where is it?"
Silence.
Wa Shi's expression remained calm.
"It's in my possession."
Lían's eyebrows lifted.
Wa Shi continued.
"I couldn't simply leave something like that lying outside your house."
"It would've caused too much unease among the villagers."
"People would have constantly gathered around it."
"And if outsiders heard about it..."
He shook his head.
"It would've attracted unnecessary trouble."
Lían thought for a moment.
"That's true."
Wa Shi nodded.
"Exactly."
Another brief silence followed.
Then—
Wa Shi spoke.
"If you want it..."
Lían's gaze shifted toward him.
"I can't give it to you."
Lían's eyes narrowed.
"I want it..."
"I would like to trade it for something."
"What do you want?"
Wa Shi smiled faintly.
Lían's expression slowly became complicated.