115: Chapter 115 Earth

"Teacher..." Xiao Nannan's voice rang out, hoarse and trembling.

"Brother, he..." She could not continue.

Chu Tianjiao looked down at her, watching her eyes, which were red but holding back tears, and an indescribable ache welled up in his heart.

He reached out and gently stroked her cheek.

"Do not be sad."

His voice was very gentle.

"Nannan, when I left back then, I knew this day might come."

Xiao Nannan raised her head and looked at him.

Chu Tianjiao continued, "Therefore, I left a True Spirit within Xiao Shitou."

Xiao Nannan's eyes suddenly lit up.

"A True Spirit?"

"Yes." Chu Tianjiao nodded. "That True Spirit can protect his Divine Soul after he dies, allowing him to undergo Reincarnation and Rebirth."

He paused, his gaze becoming profound.

"If I am not mistaken, Xiao Shitou has already undergone Reincarnation."

Xiao Nannan grabbed his arm, her fingers trembling slightly.

"Where is he?"

Chu Tianjiao did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes and spread out his Divine Thought, sweeping across the Big Dipper Astral Region, across the Emperor Burial Star, and across every ancient life star.

A moment later, he opened his eyes.

"He is not in the Big Dipper Astral Region."

Xiao Nannan's heart tightened again.

"Then..."

"Do not worry." Chu Tianjiao said softly, "I have an idea of where he is."

He looked at Xiao Nannan, his gaze becoming serious.

"Nannan, there is one thing I must tell you in advance."

Xiao Nannan looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Xiao Shitou has already undergone Reincarnation. He has started a new life, with new parents, new friends, and new experiences. He is no longer the Xiao Shitou we knew."

"His memories, his feelings, everything about him—have all started anew."

"The reincarnated body we find may not be the Xiao Shitou we are familiar with. Do you... understand?"

Xiao Nannan fell silent.

She lowered her head, her hands tightly clutching Chu Tianjiao's lapels, her knuckles turning white.

After a long while, she raised her head.

Her eyes were still red, but the despair and emptiness from just moments ago were gone. In their place was an indescribable complexity—there was anticipation, nervousness, worry, and also determination.

She tried hard to pull at the corners of her mouth, wanting to force a smile.

The smile was forced and awkward, yet it warmed Chu Tianjiao's heart.

"I understand, Teacher."

Her voice was very soft, yet carried a stubborn determination.

"Regardless of whether he still remembers me, regardless of whether he still acknowledges me as his younger sister—"

"He is still my brother."

Chu Tianjiao looked at her, his eyes filled with heartache and relief.

He reached out and pulled her into his embrace.

"Good." He said softly. "Then we shall go find him."

Chu Tianjiao turned around and looked at Willow Deity.

Willow Deity had been standing quietly to the side, watching all of this. Her gaze lingered on Chu Tianjiao and Xiao Nannan for a moment, and then she nodded gently.

"Go." Her voice was gentle and calm. "I will be here waiting for you to return."

Chu Tianjiao nodded. "Then I will trouble you."

He looked at the Ancient Kirin Emperor.

The Ancient Kirin Emperor, holding the two children, nodded at him. "Go. I will watch over this place."

Chu Tianjiao smiled and did not say anything more.

He took Xiao Nannan's hand, turned around, and took a step forward.

The two figures disappeared into the starry sky.

In the starry sky, two figures walked side by side.

Xiao Nannan held Chu Tianjiao's hand, silent the entire way.

She had many questions she wanted to ask—who did Brother undergo Reincarnation into? Where is he? Is he doing well now? Does he still remember her?

But she did not dare to ask. She was afraid of hearing an answer she did not want to hear.

Chu Tianjiao sensed her nervousness and gently squeezed her hand. "Rest assured." He said softly. "That child, Xiao Shitou, no matter how many times he undergoes Reincarnation, he will always be fine."

Xiao Nannan raised her head and looked at him. "Teacher, how do you know?"

Chu Tianjiao was silent for a moment, then smiled. "Because I understand him."

His gaze became distant, as if seeing back a very, very long time ago.

"Back in Qingshi Town, when I first saw him, he was with you—two little ones, thin as skeletons, huddled outside the private school."

"I asked them what their names were; he said he was called Xiao Shitou, and his younger sister was called Xiao Nannan. I asked them where they came from; he said he did not know, they just walked and walked until they arrived here."

"I asked him, 'Are you hungry?' He nodded, but then shook his head, saying he could not cause trouble for Teacher."

Chu Tianjiao's voice was very soft, yet carried an indescribable gentleness. "At that time, I knew this child had a good Heart-Nature."

"Later, I took him as my disciple and taught him cultivation. He was talented and willing to endure hardship, progressing very quickly. Yet, he never showed off in front of you; every time he had a Breakthrough, the first thing he thought of was taking you for a flight to make you happy."

"And later..." He did not continue.

Xiao Nannan listened, her eyes turning red again. Those memories, she remembered them too. She remembered Brother taking her flying in the sky, remembered Brother secretly saving good food for her, remembered Brother always rubbing her head and saying "Nannan is a good girl" every time he returned.

Those memories were carved deep into her Soul and would never disappear.

"So," Chu Tianjiao said softly. "No matter who he undergoes Reincarnation into, no matter what he becomes—that Xiao Shitou has always been there."

Xiao Nannan nodded vigorously. "Yes."

She took a deep breath and looked at Chu Tianjiao. "Teacher, where are we going?"

Chu Tianjiao raised his head and looked into the depths of the starry sky. There, a blue star was slowly rotating. Earth.

"That way." He pointed to that star. "Xiao Shitou is there."

In the starry sky, that blue star grew closer and closer. Xiao Nannan looked at it, her eyes full of curiosity.

This was the place where Brother underwent Reincarnation? This planet looked small, one could even say very small. But when her Divine Thought swept across it, she could feel a faint Dao resonance—that was the sealed Dao resonance, the obscured Spiritual Qi.

"Here... is it sealed?" She looked at Chu Tianjiao.

Chu Tianjiao nodded. "Yes. This planet is very special. In ancient times, this was a gathering place for powerful individuals. Later, for certain reasons, a Seal was placed upon it, isolating it from the outside world. Ordinary people live here, thinking this is the entire world. Those Cultivators also live in seclusion in Secret Realms, not interacting with Mortals."

He paused, his gaze landing on that planet. "Xiao Shitou's reincarnated body is right here."

Xiao Nannan took a deep breath and squeezed his hand tightly. "Let's go."

The two turned into two streams of light and descended into that blue star.

Earth, Mount Tai. The morning sunlight spilled onto the mountaintop, dyeing everything gold. Chu Tianjiao and Xiao Nannan stood on the mountaintop, overlooking the sea of clouds beneath their feet.

"Teacher, is Brother here?" Xiao Nannan asked.

Chu Tianjiao shook his head. "Not right now." He raised his head and looked at the sky. "But he will come."

Xiao Nannan followed his gaze, but saw nothing. "When?"

Chu Tianjiao was silent for a moment, then smiled. "Soon." He said softly. "Soon."

Xiao Nannan did not ask again. She just stood on the mountaintop, looking at the sea of clouds beneath her feet, looking at the distant mountains, looking at this strange and novel land.

Brother is right here. Although she had not seen him yet, she could feel it. That feeling was very strange, indescribable, yet truly existed.

"Teacher." She suddenly spoke. "Yes?" "Thank you."

Chu Tianjiao turned his head to look at her. Xiao Nannan did not look at him, but stared into the distance. The sunlight spilled onto her face, outlining her profile with a gentle golden edge.

"Thank you for telling me these things. Thank you for always staying with me. Thank you..." Her voice was very soft. "For letting me still have hope."

Chu Tianjiao looked at her, silent for a moment, then reached out and gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You are welcome." He said softly. "You are my wife. Your affairs are my affairs."

Xiao Nannan leaned on his shoulder and did not speak again. The two stood like this on the peak of Mount Tai, watching the sun slowly rise, watching the sea of clouds churn, watching this ancient land awaken in the morning light.