Chapter Two: Qin Si Leaves Home

“Big Brother, Second Brother, you two keep talking. I need to go over for a bit!” Qin Yu’s heart was surging with excitement. Aside from Hong Meng and Lin Meng, no one else could understand the feeling of witnessing the birth of wisdom in a life he himself had created. It was as if the newly awakened, simple-minded mortal was his own child.

“Go ahead. You should also tidy up the four nascent universes. Don’t underestimate them just because they’re little more than empty spaces with no immortals; their significance to the Greater Universe is anything but ordinary.”

Hong Meng nodded with a smile, while Lin Meng merely smiled in silence. Qin Yu’s demeanor reminded him of his own past self. When life with intelligence first arose in Lin Meng’s universe, Lin Meng’s reaction had been even more dramatic—he had leapt right out in excitement.

In the new universe, within the vast expanse of the Mortal Realm, a small planet teemed with several dozen primitive tribes. Their numbers were meager, only tens of thousands, but it was these few who would gradually foster the prosperity of Qin Meng’s universe.

High above, Qin Yu hovered in the sky, joy and excitement shining in his eyes. Suddenly, Jiang Li was brought directly out of Misty City by Qin Yu. At this moment, the person who most deserved to share his joy was her.

“Brother Yu!” With a sweep of her divine sense, Jiang Li instantly understood what had happened. The emergence of intelligent life in Qin Yu’s universe was an event she knew would have a profound impact.

“Li’er, this universe will be our home from now on. In time, these people will become elites like those of Second Brother’s universe. Tell me, who among them should be entrusted with the Eight Primal Sources?” Qin Yu gently embraced Jiang Li, and the excitement in their hearts gradually calmed.

“Let life evolve naturally. Survival of the fittest will take its course. We can select the most outstanding among them to wield the primordial sources of the universe. For instance, the first to create a written language can be granted the Pearl of Light; the first to become an emperor, the Pearl of Darkness; and the first cultivator, the Pearl of Thunder.”

“Haha…” Qin Yu laughed heartily. “Excellent! Creating written language is the mark of wisdom—let the Pearl of Light be theirs. An emperor rises over a field of bones—how fitting for the Pearl of Darkness. The first cultivator, possessing the mightiest strength, shall command the wrath of heaven. Marvelous, simply marvelous.”

“And these five, let’s give them to the cleverest among them. We’ll set up some basic formations—only the truly smart can acquire them!” Qin Yu laughed again. Five spirit pearls floated from his palm and instantly vanished into the vast Mortal Realm. Thus, the masters of the Eight Primal Sources in the Divine Realm were set by their whim. As for who would become the first lucky ones, that was not a concern for Qin Yu and Jiang Li.

Had Jiang Fan been present, he would have been enlightened. His greatest doubt about his own origins could be answered by observing Qin Yu’s actions. What he didn’t know was that Lin Meng’s method for choosing the Eight Sacred Emperors had been even simpler—he had simply selected the leaders of the first eight primitive tribes he encountered. Jiang Fan had merely been the luckiest soul born with wisdom in Lin Meng’s space.

Having settled the matter of the Eight Primal Sources, Qin Yu took Jiang Li straight back to Zixuan Mansion. Now located within the new universe, it sat side by side with Lin Meng’s White Cloud Hall. In the vast halls of Zixuan, only Qin Yu and Jiang Li remained. It had truly become their own world, perfectly fulfilling Qin Yu’s original intent in forging the mansion.

The Qin family and Jiang Lan’s group all remained in Misty City, which was now the most powerful force in the Divine Realm. The story of Qin Yu shattering Thunder Punishment Celestial Sovereign’s treasure and being addressed as Martial Uncle by Floating Feather Celestial Sovereign had been witnessed by many godking servants. News of Qin Yu’s awesome strength had already spread throughout the Divine Realm, leaving only awe and fear in its wake.

Now, Misty City was sealed by an array above level ten, no longer accepting outsiders. If anyone from Misty City went out, they had to change their appearance and avoid trouble. Of course, if trouble found them first, that was a different matter—this policy was Qin Yu’s idea. The city’s power had disrupted the balance of Lin Meng’s Divine Realm, so it was best to keep a low profile.

With time, Misty City would fade into legend, while its inhabitants could live peacefully, hidden from the world. Even the godking servants Qin Yu had once subdued were now unwilling to leave; the cultivation environment in Misty City, after Qin Yu’s improvements, surpassed anything the Divine Realm’s cities could offer.

“Grandpa Jiang, is there still no news of my little brother?” The lively Qin Si frowned, and Jiang Lan couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy as he gently tried to reassure him.

“Xiao Si, Xiao Shuang has just gone out to play and will be back soon. Trust your grandpa.” Jiang Fan had no other choice. Qin Yu had only said that Qin Shuang had gone to the lower realms and was perfectly safe, with no intention of bringing him back. If Jiang Fan told Qin Si where his brother was, Qin Si would likely disappear from Misty City the very next day.

“Thank you, Grandpa Jiang. I understand. From now on, I won’t fight with my brother for anything. Whatever Xiao Shuang wants, I’ll let him have it.” Qin Si’s voice was tinged with sadness. Despite being doted on since birth, he wasn’t foolish. He knew full well that Qin Shuang’s departure was because of him—he had monopolized all the family’s affection. If he could choose again, he’d have been more mindful from the start. After all, Qin Shuang was not like him; his cultivation was only at the seventh-level Immortal Emperor. Even in the lower realms, that didn’t make him invincible.

Watching him go, Jiang Lan was at a loss for words. He too had neglected Qin Shuang. Perhaps, for everyone, Qin Shuang’s departure was not entirely a bad thing.

A month later, Jiang Li’s good mood upon returning to Misty City was shattered by news that Qin Si had run away. He had gone to search for his brother. Zuo Qiu Lin, unable to resist Qin Si’s pleas, had finally told him that Qin Shuang was in the Mortal Realm.

“Brother Yu!” Jiang Li looked at Qin Yu with pleading eyes. She had long been somewhat resentful that he knew where Qin Shuang was but did nothing. Now, with both sons gone, she felt only failure and loss.

“Let me check.” Qin Yu frowned, but in an instant, he understood everything. Seeing Qin Si searching one world after another in the Mortal Realm for Qin Shuang, his frown eased.

“Li’er, it’s fine. Let the two brothers travel and experience the world. It will do them good. Who knows, when they return, they might be completely changed.” Qin Yu consoled Jiang Li gently, though he couldn’t help but smile wryly. Both sons had run away—though Qin Si’s departure had been well-intentioned, as a father, he couldn’t help feeling he had failed.

“Xiao Si has never suffered before; he’s always been pampered. Can he really handle things out there?” Jiang Li was still worried. Normally so clever, she was at a complete loss in this situation—a mother’s instincts taking over.

“Li’er, as long as he doesn’t encounter a godking, nothing in the Mortal Realm can threaten Xiao Si. Don’t forget, he has two top-tier Hong Meng treasures!” Qin Yu smiled again, albeit ruefully. Clearly, everyone had overlooked Qin Shuang too much; even now, Jiang Li’s first concern was Xiao Si.

“True, but what about Xiao Shuang? He didn’t even bring an artifact with him!” Jiang Li’s face, having just regained some color, paled again—her worries for Qin Si eased, only to be replaced by concern for Qin Shuang.

Her appearance made Qin Yu want to laugh and cry at the same time. He could only comfort her softly. In the Mortal Realm, truly no one could threaten Qin Shuang’s life. Besides, as their father, he’d always be watching over them. As for the little dangers—so long as their lives weren’t at risk, a bit of hardship would do them good. After all, Qin Yu himself had only grown by surviving life and death.

In the Mortal Realm, a vast divine sense swept through, and a figure slowly materialized. Before he was fully visible, a spatial fissure appeared at his side. As his form solidified, he slipped into the fissure, leaving behind a faint voice: “Not here. Next!”

This figure was Qin Si. All he knew was that Qin Shuang was somewhere in the Mortal Realm, but not in which world. He could only search, one by one. Fortunately, with the cultivation of an Upper Heavenly God, traversing the Mortal Realm was not difficult. Though the Mortal Realm was vast, a few teleports would allow him to search it all. It was cumbersome, but with a little luck, the next world might just be the one.

Thirty years later, a dust-covered figure finally stopped, a smile curling at Qin Si’s lips. “So this is where he is—while I’ve searched tirelessly, the kid is here enjoying himself!”

The Mortal Realm—Earth—the very world that had astonished Hong Meng, Lin Meng, and Qin Yu, a world housing six unknown fated ones. Now, Qin Si had arrived here as well.