After everyone's collective labor yesterday, the fruit orchard has begun to take shape. All it needs now is timely watering and fertilizing while we quietly wait for next year's harvest.
"The weather is quite nice today, and I haven't seen my parents for centuries. Why don't you all join me on a family visit to the Great Ao Universe?" I said while enjoying breakfast.
"This concubine once caused an absolute uproar in the Divine Realm... I am too ashamed to return to that old place," Zi Mi stopped eating and lowered her head.
"Uproar in the Divine Realm~ Uproar in the Divine Realm~ Pluck off the God Master's dog head and kick it like a ball~" The Divine Pillars at the dining table started jeering again.
"Shut up, right now!" Zi Mi barked at them.
"Alright, alright. Just think of it as a formal visit to pay your respects and make amends. You'll have to face the Divine Realm sooner or later, and with all of us accompanying you, it won't be an issue," I smiled, spearing a sausage with my fork.
"That's right. We haven't introduced our new sister to Mom and Dad yet. Since we have nothing else to do today, let's accompany Hubby," Enis also encouraged Zi Mi.
"Then it's settled. We'll set off as soon as we finish breakfast." We continued to savor the delicious food while chatting. Half an hour later, our simple breakfast concluded. My three wives went to clear and wash the dishes while the Divine Pillars were outside playing tag on the grassland. I pondered whether I should stop by my hometown, Earth, several centuries into the future. Although I could already see through my divine sight that Earth had developed remarkable technology, it still felt completely different to actually set foot on my native soil.
"Hubby, everything is ready. Let's leave the eight of them behind to watch the house so they don't cause trouble outside," Suōshā walked over at this moment.
"I agree. After we visit my parents, let's also take a side trip back to Earth to take a look," I replied with a smile.
"Great, I'll follow your lead~" Suōshā nodded. Enis and the others walked out just then.
"Hey~ you eight stay behind and guard the house, alright? We are going out for a bit, so don't go destroying things randomly!" I called out to the Divine Pillars.
"By your command, beloved Master~" "Safe travels, beloved Master~"
They complied obediently. Taking my three wives with me, I activated teleportation and flew toward the Great Ao Divine Realm.
Facing the Past
"Greetings, Ao Tian God Master! Apologies for disturbing the priests," we announced our arrival as we stepped into the central hall of the temple.
"Excellency white~ It is our absolute honor to have you here today. Welcome, everyone!" Ao Tian God Master greeted us joyfully upon seeing us.
"Greetings to you, Ao Tian God Master, and to Teacher Saditian. Today I've merely come to visit my elderly parents, who have been troubling you all this time. I haven't seen them for centuries and missed them dearly. I hope we aren't disrupting the gods~" I replied respectfully.
"She... came as well?" Saditian's expression turned complex when he saw Zi Mi, who had torn the Divine Realm apart not long ago.
Zi Mi immediately dropped to her knees to apologize: "Greetings, Lord Deities. In the past, this humble girl acted entirely on blind impulse and turned the Divine Realm completely upside down. I kowtow to you all here to acknowledge my wrongs and guarantee that I will never offend again. I beg for the forgiveness of the Lord Deities..." Seeing Zi Mi acting so sincerely, Saditian didn't say anything more.
"Forget it, forget it. Please rise. We shall not speak of the past. To turn back from the brink is the greatest virtue."
"My deepest gratitude for the Lord Deities' clemency~" Zi Mi only then slowly stood up.
"Haha, your honorable father has already ascended to the immortal path, so go along and see them. We old fellows won't take up any more of your time," Ao Tian laughed.
"Then we shall bid farewell to Ao Tian God Master and the priests for now~" I led the three women and continued flying toward the 56th Heaven.
A Long-Awaited Reunion
In no time at all, we descended to the 56th Heaven. The environment here was still completely familiar. My parents' residence could be spotted from afar, though it looked a bit different now; it seemed they had made some renovations of their own over the past few centuries.
"Are Mom and Dad inside the house, or...?" Enis peered ahead and asked me.
"No, they're in the flower field on the other side," I pointed toward the distant sea of flowers, and the four of us glided over. Upon reaching our destination, sure enough, I saw my parents—whom I hadn't seen in ages—planting flowers.
"Dad! Mom!" I shouted excitedly, flying over at top speed. Hearing my voice, my parents whipped their heads around.
"Tian Hao~"
The three of us locked into a tight, emotional embrace. We hadn't seen each other since our parting over three hundred years ago. In my parents' arms, I became that playful, beloved child once again. "Your son has been unfilial, leaving you two elderly souls unseen for so many years~" I wept uncontrollably.
"There, there, my dear boy. Your mother heard a few things from the God Master. It's you kids who have had it rough~" My mother also wiped away my tears with tears in her own eyes.
"Oh right, what about my uncle and aunt?" I suddenly remembered that they had traveled to the Divine Realm together back then.
"The two of them have attained quite a high level of enlightenment and ascended to the 60th Heaven long ago. We were afraid that if you came back you wouldn't be able to find us, so we stayed here all this time," my father replied.
"Greetings, Mom and Dad. This daughter-in-law has arrived late~" Enis and the others also stepped forward to offer their greetings.
"You've suffered these past years~ And this one is...?" My parents noticed Zi Mi's presence.
"Uh... she is my third wife..." I answered sheepishly.
Hearing this, my parents' eyes went blank for a second. "You brat, I really don't know what to say about you anymore," my father shook his head and scolded me.
"My apologies, it's all part of the confusing debts of the past..." At this stage, I could only accept my guilt and take the lecturing.
"Greetings, Mom and Dad~ Meeting you for the first time, this daughter-in-law's name is Zi Mi. These matters have nothing to do with Hubby; it was I who clung to him relentlessly. Please do not blame Hubby~" Zi Mi also quickly stepped forward to face my parents.
"Dad, Mom, Sister Suōshā and I have already accepted her, so please don't scold Hubby anymore~" Enis and the others also stepped in to plead on my behalf.
"Fine, fine. As long as you can all get along harmoniously, we old couple won't oppose anything anymore. But you must never let them down in the future!" my father said sternly, and my mother nodded reassuringly.
"I understand. I will absolutely never fail my wives in this lifetime. I heard from the God Master that you two have already achieved some success in your cultivation~" I attempted to steer the conversation away from my romantic life.
"Haha, it's all thanks to the grace of the Lord God Master for taking us in. While waiting for you over these centuries, your mother and I have indeed stepped into the immortal realm." My father smiled and demonstrated a divine art for us. It appeared that my parents had now mastered a few types of The power of the universe. During the time we were asleep, we weren't the only ones making progress.