Under the moonlight.

Two figures walked hand in hand, strolling across the White Jade Square.

In the quiet atmosphere, there was a woman's low sobbing and a man's comforting whispers. Eventually, after the man said something, the woman inexplicably started to laugh, and the atmosphere turned from heavy to warm and comforting.

Inside the [Xuanchen Hall], Yao Mingyue, who had just emerged from closed-door cultivation, paused her steps.

But the young boy quietly poked his head out, curiously watching outside.

Suddenly.

Sima Huiniang, who was nestled in the man's embrace, looked over and waved at the boy.

"Lingxi, come over here!"

Luo Lingxi bit his lip, feeling a bit timid and hesitant.

Yao Mingyue, standing behind him, gave him a gentle push.

"Go on, that's your father."

Luo Lingxi stumbled a bit and cast a pleading look at Yao Mingyue, who merely smiled encouragingly.

He bit his lip and took a few hesitant steps towards Sima Huiniang, looking back every few steps.

Yao Mingyue kept smiling and encouraging him, which boosted his courage a little.

Over the years, his mother would sometimes lose her temper, but Sister Ming Yue never got angry at him—he trusted Yao Mingyue.

But was that man really his father?

As he got closer, a sense of kinship naturally welled up, seemingly from his bones and blood, quickening the boy's steps.

When he finally walked timidly to the man's side, Luo Lingxi dared to look up and gaze at this "father."

So young?

Younger than Uncle Qin Yuanjiang and Uncle Sha Dragon Child!

Instinctively, he grasped Sima Huiniang's hand.

"Mother..."

Sima Huiniang joyfully said, "Husband, this is our child. Look, he looks so much like you! His mouth, his nose, and those eyes!"

Luo Chen looked down at the small boy, who was somewhat thin and lacking vitality.

As for the mouth and nose that Hui Niang mentioned, they didn't quite resemble his own.

His own lips were fuller, while the boy's lips were thinner, even a bit sharp.

His nose was high, and though the boy's nose was also prominent, it dipped slightly at the tip, resembling an aquiline nose.

But those eyes!

They indeed looked exactly like his!

With deep black irises and clear whites, large and expressive, as if they could see through a person's heart.

Just with those eyes, when they stood together, one might overlook the other features and assume they looked seventy to eighty percent similar.

Is this really my child?

Luo Chen smiled slightly and stretched out his hand.

Luo Lingxi timidly handed over his hand, and soon a powerful force pulled him up and held him in an embrace.

"Let's go, time to eat!"

Carrying his child in one arm and holding Sima Huiniang's hand with the other, Luo Chen walked towards Xuanchen Hall.

Yao Mingyue remained at the door, giving a graceful bow, "Disciple welcomes the Supreme Elder's return!"

Luo Chen glanced at her, slightly furrowing his brow.

Sima Huiniang seemed to realize something and immediately pleaded, "It wasn't Ming Yue's intention to disobey your orders. I was lonely over these years, so I specially called her back from Little Xuan Mountain to keep me company. Moreover, Ming Yue has been helping to take care of Lingxi all these years, she's been a great help to me."

Luo Chen's brows gradually relaxed, and he nodded lightly at Yao Mingyue.

"Join us for dinner!"

This meant he was letting go of her defiance of his closed-door cultivation order.

Yao Mingyue felt relieved, her face showing signs of joy.

The dinner that night, contrary to the imagined spirit tea and fruits, was quite reminiscent of a mortal family's home-cooked meal.

Strong liquor and hot dishes, fragrant and flavorful.

Having played all day, Luo Lingxi ate heartily, somehow fitting so much food into his small frame, yet not gaining any weight.

Sitting beside him, Yao Mingyue occasionally helped by serving him dishes and wiping his mouth.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen drank as he spoke with Sima Huiniang about various things.

He spoke of the stories he made up about healing and recuperating in seclusion, the developments of Luo Tian Sect over the years, and Sima Huiniang's personal cultivation progress.

Much of it did not interest Luo Chen.

Only when it came to Sima Huiniang's slow rate of cultivation did he express an opinion.

"Since there's no threat of the Spirit Beetle, and you're still young with hope of reaching the Nascent Soul State, why not work harder on your cultivation?"

"Just now, when I returned, my divine consciousness swept the vicinity and Caiyi's progress is nearly catching up with yours."

Gu Caiyi's talent wasn't noteworthy.

But the resources she could access as Luo Chen's Dao companion were abundant.

She already resides in a Third Order Ascendant Grade Spirit Land Cave Mansion, and in just a few short years, advanced from the Early Golden Core Stage to the Fourth layer of Golden Core.

Meanwhile, Sima Huiniang had been stuck at the Sixth Layer of Golden Core for over a hundred years, only a step away from it.

By now, Luo Chen understood that before reaching Nascent Soul, talent is merely a threshold in cultivation; the availability of resources is the most crucial.

As long as the resources are plentiful, even a pig or a blade of grass could achieve something.

Let alone a Golden Core Cultivator who's not lacking.

Sima Huiniang looked at Luo Lingxi lovingly and said with a smile, "Husband, with your accomplished cultivation level, and Li Yingzhang, a rare talent, assisting in the sect, they hardly need me anymore. If I were to enter closed-door purification, who would take care of Lingxi then?"

Luo Chen frowned slightly and instinctively looked at Luo Lingxi.

Just as he was about to say something, his gaze was caught by the little white jade horn hanging around the boy's neck.

"Oh?"

...

It was late at night.

Luo Lingxi had fallen into a deep sleep.

From beginning to end, he never managed to call out "father."

Luo Chen didn't mind, assuming the boy was just shy. All his focus was on the small white jade horn he had taken from around the boy's neck.

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