Chapter 76 A Joyful Glance at the Gate of Spring's Visit "Little..."

"Xiao Chao, wake up! Look what delicious food Daddy has made for you!"

A wave of heat washed over Yan Chao's face, and the familiar aroma instantly banished her sleepiness. Opening her eyes, she saw Ming Qi standing by the bed, smiling at her, holding a plate of sour fish soup. Seeing she was awake, he turned and left, saying, "Get up and eat."

Yan Chao came to the table, where there were twelve dishes, all of which were her favorites.

Yan Chao said, "What day is it today? Why are you making so many dishes all of them, and they're all my favorites?"

Ming Qi gestured for her to sit down quickly, raising an eyebrow and saying, "If you want to make it, then make it. Don't you want to eat?"

Yan Chao immediately picked up a piece of sour fish soup with his chopsticks and said, "Eat, eat, eat!"

Mingqi watched her eat happily for a while. After a long while, reminded by Yanchao, Mingqi finally picked up her chopsticks.

After the two finished their meal, Ming Qi said, "Xiao Chao, I have to go now."

Yan Chao was taken aback and asked, "Are you going out again?"

"Um."

How long will this trip take?

"...It's been quite a long time."

Yan Chao nodded somewhat forlornly, but assumed that he was the same as before, always returning no matter how long he was gone. Thinking this way, the loneliness in her heart lessened a bit.

Ming Qi packed his bags as usual, but this time he brought very little.

There were only two things—the medical book written by Yunxiang and the cloak given by Yan Chao.

Before leaving, Mingqi, as usual, reminded Yanchao, "Eat well. Sleep well. Take good care of yourself."

Yan Chao agreed to all of them.

Finally, Mingqi patted her shoulder and said, "Child, if you're tired, stop and rest. Otherwise, your mother and I will worry about you."

Yan Chao was somewhat surprised to hear this for the first time, but still agreed, "Okay. Don't worry, Father."

Mingqi seemed to finally feel relieved, turned around and left without looking back.

Yan Chao stood there for a long, long time, watching his receding figure.

Daylight broke.

Yan Chao slowly woke up and subconsciously called out "Father".

No one answered.

Yan Chao regained consciousness and looked around. She sat up abruptly, alarm bells ringing. This was not Xingfeng Xiaozhu.

Just then, Feng Xi brought in a bowl of hot soup. Seeing that Yan Chao was awake, she exclaimed happily, "Chao Chao, you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Yan Chao asked, "Where is this place?"

Feng Xi put down the hot soup, poured a glass of water and handed it to her, saying, "This is Yao Xu's place."

Yan Chao looked out the window. In the courtyard, a tuft of hair was chasing after several chickens and ducks, while a large water buffalo watched leisurely nearby. The promise he had casually mentioned before had actually come true. But Yan Chao couldn't smile.

Yan Chao seemed to suddenly remember something, looked down, and saw that she was completely unharmed and felt no discomfort whatsoever. Yet she clearly remembered going to Tianjia Mountain, being severely injured, and how her magical power had actually recovered! She suddenly recalled her dream and cried out urgently, "Feng Xi, where's my father?!"

Feng Xi lowered his head and remained silent.

Upon seeing this, Yan Chao's heart sank, but he still persistently asked again, "Where is my father?"

Feng Xi looked up at her and said with difficulty, "Uncle Mingqi..."

Yan Chao immediately jumped out of bed and ran outside. Feng Xi hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, asking, "Where are you going?"

Yan Chao turned around, tears welling in her eyes, and said, "I want to go to the Spring God Temple... take me to the Spring God Temple..." With that, she broke free from Feng Xi's hand and disappeared into the distance.

When she arrived at the Temple of Spring God, Yan Chao did not see the place she remembered. The place where she used to frequently come to offer incense and deliver messages was now a dilapidated and dangerous building, which would probably collapse soon, even worse than the one she had seen in Shi Yue.

She carefully pushed open the rickety door, the dust under the eaves blinding her. The flowers that had once graced the hall were now just withered earth and grass. All the furnishings were gone, even the statue of Mingqi was gone. Only a broken stool and a petal drifted down from the drafty roof remained.

Yan Chao murmured, "Impossible...it can't be..."

Yan Chao picked up the petal and looked at it for a long time. Suddenly, she ran out and met a passerby. Pointing behind her, she excitedly asked, "Do you know what place this is?"

The man glanced behind her, then looked back at her and said, "It's just a dilapidated house, what kind of place could it be?"

Yan Chao then asked, "Do you know about the Spring God's Prayer?"

The man gave her a strange look and said, "Are you sick? What are you talking about? There are only Spring Goddess and Sheng in this world. Where did this person you're talking about come from?" After saying that, the man walked away with a look of disgust on his face.

Yan Chao paused for a moment, then shook her head to herself. She asked several other people, but received the same answer each time. Suddenly, Yan Chao turned and ran to Feng Xi, who had been silently following behind her, saying, "I must have remembered the wrong place, right?"

Feng Xi was heartbroken, but she had no choice but to tell the truth: "Chao Chao, Uncle Ming Qi has already..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yan Chao immediately stopped her, saying, "Stop talking!" She took a few steps back and said again, "I want to go home! I want to go home!"

Feng Xi said, "Every morning!"

Yan Chao returned to Xingfeng Xiaozhu. Looking at her familiar front door, she felt a little more at ease. She thought that Ming Qi would be sitting in the rocking chair in the yard, just like before, waiting for her to come home. He would be making her favorite food and smiling as he said, "Chao Chao, welcome home."

Stepping inside, everything was as it had always been, except for the person who had welcomed her home. Yan Chao rushed inside and found two boxes. She opened them, then collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

One of them contained her new clothes for all four seasons.

One of them contained dried apricots wrapped in oil paper, enough to last a year.

At this moment, Yan Chao finally had to admit that Ming Qi was truly gone.

Feng Xi stood at the door, not going in. Yan Chao looked at Feng Xi with tearful eyes and said sadly, "Why didn't he wait for me? Why couldn't I even see him one last time?! Why couldn't I forget him too?!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Xi stepped forward and embraced Yan Chao, saying, "You are his most beloved daughter. He has always been there. He will always be there."

Yan Chao said, "Actually, I've always known..."

“He rarely talks about the past. As far back as I can remember, he would go out alone for a few days every year. Before I left home, I once secretly followed him to Tianjia Mountain. From then on, I knew that he always kept his old friend in his heart.”

“I know he wants to know the truth about the Power of All Spirits even more than I do. Because he carries the burden not only for me, but also for his wife, close friends, and all living beings. He's struggling alone... so I have no choice but to take this risk, even if it means enduring immense pain…”

"I want to be faster, much faster. I've already lost my mother... I was so close..."

Why couldn't he have waited for me a little longer?

"Why was I still too late...?"

Suddenly, a thousand emotions welled up inside her. The words she had hoped to keep hidden forever could no longer be concealed.

Feng Xi sighed softly, "No one did better than you. It's just that he feels sorry for you; you've always been his pride."

Yan Chao replied, "But I want him to live!"

Feng Xi clenched his fists and said firmly, "Our parents have sacrificed so much for this. It's time for it to end here with us." He looked at Yan Chao, as if he had made a decision, "Chao Chao, believe me. I will never let them leave like this."

Yan Chao calmed down a lot and said, "Feng Xi, thank you. But this is not something you can do alone. Mi Qing, Yao Xu, and I will face it together."

Feng Xi said, "Okay."

That day, Yan Chao looked at the things Ming Qi had left behind all night.

Feng Xi didn't disturb him; he just stood guard outside the door all night.

The next morning, Yan Chao opened the door, and Feng Xi turned around upon hearing the sound. The two smiled at each other. Feng Xi held out her hand and said, "Chao Chao, time to eat."

Yan Chao's eyes welled up with tears, but she smiled and went to greet Feng Xi, taking his hand in hers. She was never alone.

The news of Yun Huai's innocence spread like wildfire throughout the Three Realms, causing an uproar among the people. Some sighed, some lamented, and some felt guilty. But what was most surprising was that even after hundreds of years, people easily accepted and acknowledged this fact. Although a few dissenting voices remained, they did not gain much traction.

The four of them gathered at Yunhuai. Mi Qing, dressed in plain clothes, held a lamp and played the zither, staying in front of the Yunhuai Imperial City day and night, not leaving for a long time.

Yan Chao asked, "Can't the seal on Yun Huai still be broken?"

Yao Xu said somewhat dejectedly, "We've tried many methods, but nothing has worked. We originally thought this seal was set up by me...that person, but after he left, this place remains unchanged. Maybe it's not that simple."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xi looked at him for a while, said nothing, and patted him on the shoulder.

Yao Xu tilted his head rather nonchalantly and said, "How about it? My place is pretty good, isn't it? Even a tuft of hair and a cow would be fine, right?"

Feng Xi said, "Everything is fine. But it's really less fun without you. I want to see the spectacular scene of 'a cow carrying your clothes and a tuft of hair carrying away your shoes' one more time."

Yao Xu rolled his eyes and said, "Are you still my brother? How dare you expose my shortcomings to my face?"

Yan Chao asked in surprise, "So, you two have already talked things out?"

Mi Qing took Yao Xu's arm and said with a smile, "We've made up."

Yan Chao said, "That's great! Finally, something to be happy about."

The four tried again to break the seal, but to no avail, so they returned to Yaoxu's courtyard. They began to recall everything. Mingqi had said that "the power of all spirits coexists with the Heavenly Dao," and the Tianji Ranking had even developed sentience after the chaos of all spirits, becoming beyond Yaoqi's control. This clearly showed that the "Heavenly Dao" was not an ethereal illusion, but a real existence.

Mi Qing suddenly asked, "Could the Myriad Manifestations Forest we visited before be the location of the Heavenly Dao?"

The four exclaimed in unison, "It's Bang Ling!!!"

Yao Xu clapped his hands and said, "I've always found that spirit to be strange. If he's just an ordinary spirit, how could he have taken us to a place like the Myriad Manifestations Forest, which is beyond the Three Realms?"

Yan Chao said, "Then every case we investigated before must have been intentionally orchestrated by Heaven."

Mi Qing suddenly said, "Oh, right, there's one more thing! Ever since I returned to Yunhuai, I've felt an extra power within me. I don't know what it is, but it quickly merged with my magic power."

Yao Xu also said, "Yes, yes, yes! I have one too!!"

Yan Chao and Feng Xi exchanged a glance, then each reached out and probed, finding it to be the power of all spirits!

Feng Xi said, "Both of you possess the power of all spirits."

Yao Xu hummed in response, then said, "What do you mean 'also'? Damn! Feng Xi, you also have the power of ten thousand spirits?! How come I didn't know?!"

Feng Xi spread his hands and said, "Now we have everything."

Yan Chao said, "Perhaps from the beginning of the chaos of all spirits, everything has been within the calculations of the Heavenly Dao."

Mi Qing asked, puzzled, "But why would Heaven do this?"

Feng Xi sneered, "Who cares why? We'll find out when we meet him."

Yao Xu said, "Then where are we going to look for him? Wanxiang Forest has collapsed, where else can we go?"

Tianjia Mountain.

The four returned to Tianjia Mountain, but the scene before them was completely different from before. Steep stone steps stretched from the foot of the mountain to the summit, where a mountain gate stood, and a woman was swinging on a swing.

Upon reaching the summit, Yao Xu asked first, "Are you the Heavenly Dao?"

The woman didn't answer, a faint smile playing on her lips. She swung for a while longer before leaping off the swing. She sized up the four men, her figure weaving among them. With each person she passed, she transformed. Sometimes she was a tall, strong man, sometimes a gentle, graceful woman, sometimes a toddler learning to speak, sometimes a frail old man. Their eyes were clear and kind. But as she finished observing them and turned away, they reverted to their former selves, their eyes now filled with murderous intent.

Feng Xi said, "It really is you."

Before he finished speaking, a lotus-shaped dart flew towards the Heavenly Dao. But the dart passed through his body, his form dissipated, and he quickly reappeared in another place.

Mi Qing refused to believe it and channeled all her magical power into her palm, intending to attack him from behind. But just as Mi Qing was within arm's reach, her figure vanished again. Mi Qing's palm strike missed its mark.

In the end, the four of them attacked several times in a row but all their efforts came to naught.

The Heavenly Dao said, "It's useless. Your weapons and magic are of no use to me. Continuing like this will only be a waste of your magic power."

"Oh, and by the way, you shouldn't even try to use the power of all spirits. It was created by me, and whether it stays or goes is not up to you."

Yao Xu demanded, "What exactly do you want to do?"

The Heavenly Dao leaned against the swing and said leisurely, "You are quite clever, knowing to come here to find me. Perfect, I want to invite you to watch a good show." With that, the Heavenly Dao raised his hand and waved it, and the surroundings were instantly turned white, and the scene of the Three Realms appeared before them.

In the scene, countless murderous, madmen appear throughout the land, resembling the monsters Jin Xin created years ago. Wherever they go, rivers of blood flow, and cries of agony fill the air. The people rise up in resistance, but if they come into contact with the blood of these men, they too will become like them within the time it takes to brew a cup of tea. Finally, in their utter madness, they turn on each other.

The ghosts of the Ghost Realm wailed, their bodies sprouting patches of blood that corroded their souls like ants burrowing into their hearts. They fled in panic, tearing their own bodies to pieces. In agony, they slammed their heads against walls and burrowed into the ground, plunging the City of Hope into chaos.

All the gods in Tiandu lost their magical powers. Their mortal bodies could not adapt to the environment of Tiandu; they were dizzy and rolled on the ground, and some even experienced a suffocating, near-death feeling.

The Three Realms are in complete chaos.

"What on earth is going on?!"

"What exactly did you do?!"

The Heavenly Dao said, "I have to thank Gongshu Ming for this. If he hadn't become Jin Xin and sown the seeds of hatred early on, how could I have invited you to witness this wonderful show?"

Yan Chao retorted angrily, "Gongshu Ming has already been influenced by Mi Zhen. What wrong have those people done that you insist on exterminating them?!"

The Heavenly Dao's eyes narrowed, and he said, "They are all wrong!!!"

In an instant, a gust of wind swept past. The four men couldn't dodge in time and were forced back several steps, their faces and clothes covered in scratches. They immediately coughed up blood.

"Do you all know...?"

"In the beginning of time, all things were in order. Humans, gods, ghosts, and even plants, trees, mountains and rivers were like the warp and weft of a loom, each fulfilling its function and maintaining balance together. I endowed you with intelligence in the hope that you would protect this world."

As thoughts flowed, a peaceful scene emerged, depicting the harmonious coexistence of all living beings and the abundance of spiritual energy in the universe.

"Yet, this ant-like being harbors desires that reach the heavens!"

The scene changed abruptly! Human greed, divine arrogance, the venom of the ghost realm... war, plunder, pollution, betrayal... it was all shocking.

"Humans desire to become gods, gods desire to rule the heavens, and demons desire to disrupt order! For personal gain, a nation can be overthrown; for a single thought, the three realms can be thrown into chaos! The string of balance is stretched tighter and tighter until—it finally breaks!"

The scene was filled with the mournful cries of heaven and earth, the spiritual energy of the Myriad Manifestations Forest was depleted, and even the Heavenly Dao itself was suffering endless pain.

“I regard you as children. I have given you years to grow, and opportunities to awaken. But what have you given in return? Ever-growing ambition, endless strife, and the foolishness of ignorance and blind obedience!”

"If a god is mediocre, how can he be a god?"

"If people are foolish, how can they receive the spirit?"

"If ghosts are consumed by hatred, how can they save the living?"

Yan Chao struggled to his feet and walked forward step by step, saying as he went, "You see gods who crave power and destroy them, you see people who commit evil and slaughter them, you see ghosts who harbor resentment and burn them—if a judge of sins only knows how to eliminate all evil, how is he any different from a tyrant?!"

Feng Xi said, "You say that all living beings are ignorant and beyond saving, but have you ever seen the peasant woman picking up tiles in the ruins of the Spring God Temple and carving the character 'prayer'? Have you ever heard the ghost general shouting 'Defend the national gate to the death' even in his madness?!"

Mi Qing said, "Good and evil are like yin and yang, mutually generating each other. Why not plant the power of all living beings in the mortal world—let all living beings prove their own path?"

Yao Xu pointed at the Heavenly Dao and cursed, "Even if they are wrong, what about our parents?! From beginning to end, they have been devoted to the common people, what wrong have they done?!"

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Dao seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, saying, "Hahahaha! How laughable! I painstakingly planned to lure you into this trap, to let you witness your sins and taste the bitter fruit... You're just as foolish as them..."

"The balance of this world has been broken; it is no longer pure. I will restore everything to its proper order!"

Having said that, the Heavenly Dao leaped up, transforming into its Dharma form. In an instant, it was no longer an ordinary world. A power that transcended all things was slowly taking shape.

It was neither humanoid nor the appearance of any living being.

It is mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas. His "face" is difficult to discern, as if it were outlined by clouds, storms, and thunder. Only when thunder strikes can one vaguely see a pair of "eyes" that have been born and died by countless stars, weathered and weary.

This is the Dharma form of the Heavenly Way—the world itself.

"The imbalance...has been long-standing..."

“Reshape...balance...”

With this thought, the Dharma image stirred slightly. Instantly, countless rocks slid down! Rivers transformed into torrents! Oceans surged with gigantic waves! threatening to engulf everything!

Facing the power to destroy the world, the four were as insignificant as dust.

Yan Chao was the first to be hit! She channeled her magic into the umbrella, attempting to deflect the falling rocks, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; the umbrella ribs groaned under the strain, her hand split open, and blood stained the umbrella handle. Her face was pale, but her eyes were resolute. She pushed the power of all spirits to its limit, constructing a thin but tough light barrier in front of her, desperately protecting the three people behind her.

Feng Xi followed closely behind! His figure blurred into afterimages, and his lotus-shaped darts flew like a storm, attempting to deflect or detonate the smaller rocks to relieve pressure on Yan Chao. His Ghost King power seemed so weak before the Heavenly Dharma Form; each impact shook his soul, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. But his eyes were fierce, and he refused to retreat an inch, determined to contend with the Heavenly Dao.

Yao Xu formed hand seals, transforming the power of all spirits into an aura of "stripping" and "purification." He attempted to guide and decompose the filthy resentment. The process was extremely dangerous; the slightest mistake would result in being devoured by the resentment. His face was ashen, but his eyes held a resolute determination.

Mi Qing sat cross-legged, Xiao Chenqin resting across her lap. Her fingers flew across the strings, producing no specific melody, only the most primal notes, imbued with vitality and soothing power, like a gentle stream attempting to calm the intense pain and restlessness brought on by her trauma. The music was faint, almost inaudible before the immense power of heaven and earth, but her expression was focused, as if she wanted to pour all her grief and prayers into the music.

Meanwhile, the human world has become like a purgatory, but it has not completely fallen.

The surviving civilians in various places, after the initial panic, displayed astonishing resilience. They used the terrain, set traps, used fire, lime, and anything else they could find to resist. Warriors stood at the front lines, healers risked their lives to treat those who had not yet been mutated, and the elderly, women, and children provided logistical support. They may still be afraid, but their eyes now held a fierce and united hatred for the enemy!

In the Ghost Realm, Yin Chi and He Bo endured the excruciating pain and joined forces to erect a barrier, protecting the creatures of the Ghost Realm.

The divinity of the gods in Tiandu had not been extinguished! He Sheng and the other three, enduring their discomfort, directed the still-mobile officials to move their colleagues showing signs of suffocation to the cloud platform below, where they received first aid using human medical techniques. Lu Yang and the others maintained basic order to prevent a stampede. Supporting each other, they believed there was still hope.

Heaven, however, declared: "Resist to the bitter end! Who dares to stop me!"

The power of Heaven was inexhaustible, and the four were on the verge of collapse. At this moment, Feng Xi stood before the three, lightly touching the lotus mark on his forehead with his fingertip, but was immediately stopped by Yao Xu:

"Feng Xi! What are you doing?!"

Feng Xi said, "The four of us can't all die here..."

Yao Xu roared, "That's a sacrifice! You'll be completely annihilated!"

Feng Xi replied nonchalantly, "I've already died once, so I don't care about dying again."

“We need someone to live... to see our parents properly, and even more so, to see the world we walked through together.”

Yan Chao gripped Feng Xi's hand tightly and said, "Feng Xi, I told you! This isn't just your problem; the four of us will face it together! What kind of hero are you trying to be now?!"

Mi Qing suddenly said, "I misunderstood everyone before, and now it's time for me to make amends."

Before she finished speaking, Mi Qing flashed in front of the three of them and used her body to block the attack from the Heavenly Dao.

"boom--!"

The powerful impact sent the four people flying, and they all fell to the ground unconscious.

It seemed like a long time had passed when suddenly a strong and powerful singing voice rang out:

I do not worship the Dragon King or seek immortality.

A small boat dares to venture into the nine heavens

When the wind comes, I will be the sail.

When the rain comes, I turn into rock.

Fearless of the mountain god, fearless of the abyss

Barefoot, I shattered the towering peak.

Thorns Weave Battle Robe

Tiger's roar as a zither string

Unkneeling to the ice, undaunted by the cold

Blood boils over the three-foot abyss

Frosty Blade Cuts Through Corrupted Bones

Snowfield wheat fields

The song of "Man Will Conquer Nature" has never ended.

The Milky Way rolls up like cooking smoke

The child laughs and points into the depths of the clouds.

Half scars, half lotus

It's a song that Yu Zhi sang back then.

The singer was none other than Huaiyu, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

As the song played, the people with dementia gradually regained their senses; the red spots on the ghosts' bodies gradually shrank; and although the gods did not regain their powers, their suffocation symptoms were greatly relieved.

The Heavenly Dao chuckled sarcastically, saying, "Now that you're all united, it makes me seem like I'm being aggressive."

The four regained consciousness and were struggling to stand up. In an instant, a mountain pressed down on them, and their bodies, which had just straightened up, were forced to their knees again. The four of them held up the sky with their hands, their knees deeply embedded in the ground. Flying stones grazed past, and their clothes were already stained with blood.

The will of Heaven says: "You are well aware of the sins they have committed, and you have suffered greatly from them. Now you still want to aid and abet them, and stand in front of me for these cowardly scoundrels?!"

Yan Chao looked up to meet the gaze of the Heavenly Dao and said firmly, "I am here not to exonerate them, much less to aid and abet evil."

"I'm doing this for myself."

"The burden of the common people is too heavy for me to bear. But I am among them, and saving others is saving myself. This is because there are people among them whom I love and cherish."

Feng Xi's lips curled slightly, and he said in a hoarse voice, "When has the distinction between right and wrong in this world ever been clear? We act only because the lives of thousands of families are tied behind us. We only ask to have a clear conscience and don't care what others say!"

Yao Xu took a deep breath and said calmly, "Sins must be repaid and mistakes must be corrected. But if we deny everything and erase all possibilities of change because of past evils, how is that different from destruction? In this world, there must always be someone... who believes in that one in a million possibility."

Mi Qing said, "Even if everything starts over, what is destined to happen may still happen, but no matter when, as long as the belief remains, there will always be people who act for the common people. We are willing to be such people."

The four people's answers were not grand pronouncements, but simply an expression of their commitment to upholding the fundamental principles of being "human."

Suddenly, several beams of light pierced through the air. They passed over the flying sand and stones, attaching themselves to the four people, warm and powerful. The instant the light touched them, familiar figures appeared behind them.

They are their parents! And the people they helped on the Heavenly Ranking!

They channeled their power into the four of them, and with a deafening roar, the mountain collapsed, sending rocks flying everywhere.

Heaven was greatly shocked; it had never imagined that the dead could possess the power to be resurrected! What an incredibly strong belief this was!

For the first time, I truly "saw" the almost divine light that transcended desire and ignorance contained within these tiny creatures.

At that moment, a voice came from the human world:

"Heaven's will prevail!"

“We old folks are mere plants and trees, ignorant of the workings of Heaven and the great Dao. In the past, we only knew how to pray for blessings and avoid disaster, living our lives in a daze.”

"Today, having heard this earth-shattering question, and glimpsed a fraction of the Heavenly Dao's scheme... we, these ant-like beings, seem... seem to have understood a little bit as well."

"You maintain the balance, but seeing the imbalance worsen and yourself wounded, you have no choice but to resort to such drastic measures, forcing us to witness your sins. Is this to tell us that the balance of heaven and earth is not your responsibility alone, but also requires all of us to examine our own hearts and establish our own will, so that it can truly last?"

"You bear all the consequences alone, even at the cost of being misunderstood and hated... Is it because you believe that one day, we ignorant beings will also learn to bear burdens and know how to protect?!"

This question contained no accusation, no resentment, only a heavy sense of trying to understand, and a sense of responsibility that was breaking through the soil.

The Three Realms fell into silence.

After a long while, a very soft sigh was carried away by the wind.

A tear slid down from the "eye".

This is exactly what Heaven has been hoping for. And it has truly come to pass.

In an instant, the sky brightened, and everything returned to normal. The Heavenly Dao transformed back into the form of the Spirit of the List, only now it was a little dirty.

Yao Xu laughed and said, "You're cutest like this."

Tian Dao rolled his eyes at him and said, "You talkative brat." He looked at Feng Xi and said, "Have you two mixed up your fathers?"

Feng Xi raised an eyebrow and said, "I still prefer my father."

Tiandao smiled knowingly and said, "Thank you. If it hadn't worked today, and I were to perish one day, everything in this world would have been reduced to ashes. You saved me."

Yan Chao said, “We should be thanking you. Regardless of one’s status, everyone has responsibilities and missions to bear. From this moment on, would you be willing to join us in seeing the more real, vibrant, clumsy yet resilient present and future of this world you are protecting?” With that, Yan Chao stretched out a hand towards the heavens.

After thinking for a moment, Tiandao took Yanchao's hand and said, "Alright."

The group exchanged smiles.

Feng Xi suddenly spoke up: "You bestowed upon us the power of all spirits. Now that everything has calmed down, this power has long since become one with us. Doesn't it mean we're the ones who have the final say?"

Heavenly Dao: "What are you going to do?"

Mi Qing said, "The power of all spirits comes from the world, so let it return to the world now."

Having said that, without waiting for the Heavenly Dao to respond, the four of them placed their palms together, and a surge of powerful energy burst forth, which then transformed into countless rays of light, sprinkling every corner of the Three Realms.

Heaven was not surprised: "No regrets?"

No regrets.

"In that case, I can grant you one wish. Tell me, what do you want?"

Yao Xu said, "Can we bring our parents back? They are devoted to the common people, but they have never truly seen what peace looks like in the world. They deserve to live for themselves for once."

Heavenly Dao: "Is this all you want?"

"This is all we have."

The Heavenly Dao chuckled meaningfully and said, "Well, you've already achieved that. But you'll have to be patient."

The four returned to their respective homes. Yan Chao went back to Chunshan Tower, Feng Xi returned to the Ghost Realm, Yao Xu returned to Tiandu, and Mi Qing returned to Yunhuai. Everything was there, everything was alright. The people there had been waiting for them for a long time, and when they saw them in person, they all said in unison, "Welcome home."

One year later.

Yan Chao woke up from Xingfeng Xiaozhu. She had slept for a long time, but it was the most peaceful sleep she had had in the past few hundred years.

Momo had been waiting for her by the bedside for a long time. Yan Chao stroked its little head and said excitedly, "Momo, let's go back to Chunshan Tower. It's been a long time since I've seen everyone, I miss them."

Returning to Chunshan Tower and standing outside the door, Yan Chao suddenly felt as if she had been transported to another world. She stood there for a long time, lost in thought. Jin Qi, unable to contain himself any longer, called out to her, "If you don't come in soon, I'm going to have someone carry you in!"

At this moment, Feng Xi and the other two appeared behind Jin Qi, smiling at her.

Yan Chao snapped out of her reverie, her emotions indescribable, and exchanged smiles with the others. Just as she was about to take a step forward, a familiar voice called out to her, "Excuse me, is this Chunshan Tower?"

Yan Chao turned around, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. The person who had asked her the question was none other than Yun Xiang! Behind her were the others as well!

"I heard that Chunshanlou serves a special 'Joyful Spring Wine,' which symbolizes reunion. I wonder if it's still available?"

Yan Chao burst into laughter through his tears, "Yes! I have as many as you want!"

Not far away, several children were playing with a stone with inscriptions on it. One of the children pointed to the words and read: "People of this world... inscribed this monument for the benefit of all people, wishing... that those who come after will be ambitious and resolute even in adversity."

Upon hearing this, perhaps inspired by the words on the stone, the children raised whatever they were holding and pointed to the sky, declaring, "From this day forward, all living beings have my support!"

Spring arrives with the breeze, and joy is seen when one looks up.

—The End—

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Author's Note: It's finally, finally finished!!!

From October 1, 2024 to October 27, 2025, I finally finished writing about Chunshan. There are so many things to say, I don't know where to begin.

Thank you for the opportunity to meet Chunshan and travel with me. Thank you to every friend who has visited Chunshan; it has been an honor to share this journey with you all.

I still have many shortcomings and am still learning and exploring. Thank you to all the friends who like Chunshan.

Chunshanlou welcomes guests from all directions, offering fine wine and wishing you a pleasant and joyful time!

Looking up, I see joy; I won't say goodbye.

I'll post the epilogue on my Weibo account @持星wlog; feel free to check it out if you're interested! I'll start writing the side stories tomorrow; my current plan is to write two or three chapters first, and I'll add more if I have new ideas later. Stay tuned!