Chapter Forty-Two: On the Journey Home

The two most difficult spiritual herbs sought by the Divine Sovereign of Liyang and the Herbal Sage have already been found. Now, they are traversing the starry expanse of the universe at full speed. Several days have passed since they departed from the Lujiashan Starfield, and both are growing anxious. The child had only just been born and already faced such calamity—his fate seemed fraught with hardship. The more time slipped by, the more they worried the child's condition might suddenly change for the worse.

Within a grand hall in the Litian Starfield, a strikingly heroic middle-aged man questioned his subordinates, "So many days have passed, yet there is still no news of my father or Hao'er?"

"Your Majesty, not yet," his subordinate replied with utmost respect.

At that moment, mixed feelings of worry, sorrow, longing, and helplessness warred in the heart of the Sovereign of Litian. With a casual wave, he dismissed his followers, saying, "You may all leave."

Soon, everyone was gone. Only the Sovereign of Litian remained, sitting alone on the throne that represented the highest authority of the Litian Starfield. His concerns for his son and longing for his father grew ever more intense in the silence. Never had he felt so lonely or powerless.

His wife, Mo Rou, watched him from nearby. In her eyes, her husband was always the most outstanding man, her unwavering support, a figure both tall and strong. Yet now, that invincible presence seemed fragile. Two silent tears of anguish slipped down her cheeks.

Mo Rou brushed away her tears with delicate, jade-like hands, then walked lightly to her husband’s side and sat beside him. With gentle grace, she poured a cup of hot tea, handed it to him, and offered a sweet, comforting smile. “Husband, please have some tea.”

“Rou’er, why are you up? You should be resting and taking care of yourself,” he said, accepting the tea and taking a small sip before setting the cup down.

“I’m fine, truly. But you’ve been working day and night, and your injuries aren’t yet healed. I worry for you,” she replied softly.

He forced a slight smile and drew her into his arms. “Rou’er, you know your husband is strong. Such minor wounds are nothing.”

Had he not put on this brave face, perhaps she would not have wept so bitterly. Now, as he tried to lighten the mood, her tears fell even more uncontrollably. There was comfort and happiness in those tears, but above all, heartache for the man she loved. He bore all the sorrow alone, always pretending to be strong so she would not be distressed.

The Sovereign of Litian did not realize her sobs were for him, not just for their son. He thought her grief was only for their child and sought to comfort her. “Rou’er, don’t be too sad. I will find Hao’er, I promise.”

The more he tried to console her, the harder she cried. Worried she might hurt herself so soon after giving birth, he gently carried her back to their bedchamber, tucked her in, and prepared to leave.

“Husband!” she called, her voice strained with emotion.

He paused, a flicker of doubt in his heart. “What is it, Rou’er?”

Her reply was a cryptic, “My husband is far too foolish.”

He could only utter a confused “Oh,” before departing.

Mo Rou was both amused and pained by his simple, earnest response. With a bittersweet smile, she gradually drifted off to sleep.

Alone, the Sovereign of Litian wondered to himself, “Am I truly foolish? What more can I do to find my father and son quickly?” Troubled by so many worries, he could not grasp the meaning behind his wife’s words.

Such is the difference between a man’s and a woman’s world—a man carries the weight of the heavens, while, for a woman, her world is the man before her.

On the path that the Divine Sovereign of Liyang and the Herbal Sage must take back to the Lujiashan Starfield—

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

This was a world where ninety percent was ocean, with land making up only a tenth of the territory. Here, forces of differing attributes clashed, space itself shuddered, and mountains and rivers were obliterated. Destruction reigned, and mountains of corpses and seas of blood filled the landscape in a scene of utter carnage. A fierce battle raged here—a conflict between two different races.

It was a war between sky and sea. The avian tribe, led by the roc, had preyed upon the aquatic creatures for countless generations. By day, sea creatures hid for their lives, only daring to emerge at night. Their sole hope was a peaceful existence; simple survival was happiness enough.

As the world changed, the kun of the deep and other powerful clans discovered various cultivation methods by chance. Gradually, over thousands of years, the sea demons grew stronger.

Yearning for peace, six centuries ago, the kun and dragons of the sea gathered other clans to rise against the avians. Caught unprepared, the birds suffered massive slaughter. Over several years, the avians suffered defeat after defeat, until, with no other choice, they united for a counterattack against the sea tribes.

This evenly matched slaughter has lasted for six hundred years, with neither side able to overcome the other.

Along the path Liyang and the Herbal Sage must travel, the laws of heaven and earth clashed violently, murderous intent soared skyward. Sensing the chaos from a thousand miles away, the two paused and extended their spiritual senses ahead.

After a few moments, the Herbal Sage said, “Brother Liyang, the situation looks grim. Should we go around this starfield?”

Liyang replied, “To detour would take more than ten hours. With the child’s illness uncertain, I am deeply worried. Let us go and see for ourselves before deciding.”

“I will follow your lead in all things, brother,” the Herbal Sage responded.

After a brief discussion, they decided to approach the battlefield. As they entered the starfield, the battle between the sea and avian races had just subsided. Both sides were regrouping and making ready.

As Liyang and the Herbal Sage flew at a great height above the ocean, powerful auras quickly converged, encircling them tightly.

At the forefront, the roc demanded, “You two humans, why have you trespassed into our domain?”

Liyang answered politely, “We are merely passing through on urgent business. We mean no offense and are pressed for time. Please forgive our intrusion.”

The enormous roc was unyielding. “No. You may be spies sent by the sea tribe. We cannot let you pass.”

Liyang, anxious to return and treat his grandson, asked, “What must we do to pass?”

“Unless you can prove you are not sea spies, you may not proceed,” the roc declared.

“How should we prove this?” Liyang inquired.

The roc replied, “You are clearly powerful figures. If you slay one hundred thousand warriors of the sea tribe, we will let you pass without further trouble.” By issuing this demand, the roc both tested their allegiance and hoped to use their strength for his own side.

Yet both Liyang and the Herbal Sage were compassionate elders, incapable of senseless slaughter. If the lives they took were innocent, it would burden their souls with needless guilt.

The Herbal Sage remained silent, so Liyang addressed the roc and the other leaders, “Why is it you must wage such war upon the sea tribe? Is there some misunderstanding between you?”

The roc hesitated, then answered, “We do not know the true cause. Over six hundred years ago, the sea tribe suddenly grew powerful and began attacking us, the dwellers of the sky. In just a few years, tens of thousands of our kind were massacred. With no alternative, we united to retaliate.”

Hearing this, Liyang and the Herbal Sage, with all their experience, realized that every war has its reasons.

Liyang offered, “In my view, there must be cause for any conflict. Since you do not know why the sea tribe attacked, perhaps I may ask them for you?”

The roc considered, then agreed, “We would be grateful, but we have a condition.”

The two were puzzled. “What condition?”

For their own safety, fearing Liyang and the Herbal Sage were indeed sea spies, the roc would not allow both to leave.

“Before you return, the green-robed sage must remain as our guest,” the roc said courteously, though in truth, he meant to detain the Herbal Sage and use him as leverage.

Liyang was displeased and wanted to object, but the Herbal Sage sent him a message, “Brother Liyang, go ahead. I can look after myself.”

Liyang reconsidered. The roc was cautious and thorough; from another perspective, he could understand such wariness.

He said, “Brother Yishan, wait here for me. I will return shortly.”

With that, Liyang descended toward the ocean depths. Before he reached the water, the vast sea below surged upward like a storm, its might terrifying. Yet Liyang remained calm, suspended above the waves.

Moments later, countless sea creatures appeared. Among them was a massive kun, thousands of meters long, whose deep, mighty voice thundered forth, “Human, why have you entered our waters?”

Sensing Liyang’s power, the sea tribe grew uneasy, fearing he was an avian champion.

Liyang replied, “I am Liyang of the Litian Starfield, and my brother, the Lord of the Lujiashan Starfield, the Herbal Sage Lu Yishan, and I are passing through. We mean no harm and are pressed for time. The avian tribe barred our way and detained my brother, demanding I ask you why you wage war against them.”

Hearing that Liyang was not an avian ally, the sea tribe relaxed somewhat. As his words faded, the seas filled with curses of hatred, helpless complaints, angry shouts, and all manner of grievances, surging like rivers in flood. The ruckus continued until the great kun silenced them with a mighty roar, and the surface fell instantly quiet.

Suspended above it all, Liyang observed in silence, certain that there was more to this than the avians had claimed. As he pondered the situation, the sea demons of sufficient cultivation took on human form, sitting or standing atop those unable to transform.