A hundred thousand years ago, the young man who was protected by his Master and lucky enough to survive being pushed off a cliff by his Senior Martial Sister had now become the strongest being in the universe.

But his Master was gone.

His Senior Martial Sister was gone.

Even his two Senior Martial Brothers were also gone.

It is said one shouldn't travel far while their parents are alive, and if they must, they should have a clear purpose. Yet, Xu Lai always felt that one *should* travel far when their elders were still around.

That feeling of wandering far from home, yet still having a place to return to, was especially reassuring and warm.

No matter how perilous and dark the road ahead, he knew there was a harbor behind him, a place he could rely on with complete trust.

Although Ye Meizi did not understand how Xu Lai knew wine was buried here, he sensed the pervasive melancholy surrounding the other man.

He was gradually affected by it.

Thinking of his wife, who had passed away over a decade ago, his back involuntarily hunched, and he murmured softly, "This young master is a man with a story."

Taotie didn't respond to him, saying instead, "Old man, please take me to the location of the divination."

Ye Meizi nodded.

The two of them left the back of the mountain.

Xu Lai, however, refilled the hole he had dug. Holding the jar of Plum Wine, he walked alone toward the summit.

It was there he found the four memorial mounds he had erected in his youth. It seemed the fruit farmer from the foot of the mountain had come to pay respects. Several dried wildflowers were laid before the cenotaphs.

Before the graves stood four stone plaques. They had been worn down by time, but the inscriptions on them were still faintly legible.

The Tomb of Master Yu Shouzong.

The Tomb of Senior Martial Sister Yu Guiwan.

The Tomb of Senior Martial Brother Song Zhongling.

The Tomb of Senior Martial Brother Qing Qianqiu.

Xu Lai gazed at the names, set down the wine jar, and with practiced formality, bowed deeply. "Master, Senior Martial Sister, Senior Martial Brothers, Qingfeng has returned."

WHOOSH…

Besides the howling cold wind and the rustling leaves, there were no other sounds on the mountain.

"Qingfeng Xu Lai, terrible at cultivation but incredibly fast at peeling grapes."

His Senior Martial Sister's teasing words still rang in his ears, but all that stood before him were four hundred-thousand-year-old graves, where his family lay buried.

"Senior Martial Sister, I've planted a whole courtyard full of grapes for you. I know you love sour things, so I brought you some."

Xu Lai took a bunch of grapes from his Storage Space. It wasn't a precious variety, just the most common type found in the Eastern Desolate Domain.

Xu Lai peeled a dozen or so and placed them in a jade bowl.

Then he broke the seal on the wine jar, took out five cups, and filled each to the brim.

Xu Lai looked toward the tombs of his two Senior Martial Brothers and smiled. "Second Senior Brother, your storytelling was so halting it was even more of a headache than Third Senior Brother's constantly off-key music. How could Senior Martial Sister have listened with such rapt attention?"

What a pity I can no longer hear them.

Xu Lai drained his cup in one go, his expression complex. "Master, this wine is so bitter and astringent. It's not as sweet as you said it would be."

Xu Lai rambled on for a long time.

He told his Senior Martial Sister the racy jokes he'd heard on Earth and updated his Master on all the fine wines he had drunk over the years. For his two Senior Martial Brothers, he recounted old folktales long lost to time and shared the musical scores he had collected.

「As dusk fell.」

Taotie's startled voice transmission reached Xu Lai's ears. "Supreme Emperor, please come down and take a look. There's something strange here."

Xu Lai stood up.

A gentle breeze began to blow, causing the branches of the plum trees to sway as if waving a reluctant farewell.

He couldn't help but smile. "I'm not leaving for the night. I'll be back soon—this jar of wine isn't finished yet."

Fearing he would disturb the tranquility of this place, Xu Lai did not teleport but walked down the mountain to where Taotie was waiting.

This had once been the site of the Sect Gate.

An imposing stone gate should have stood here, the words "Heavenly Court" carved into its center. It had collapsed during the battle against the Hehuan Valley.

It was also from here that his Senior Martial Sister had pushed him off the cliff and into the raging river below.

At that moment, Taotie and Ye Meizi, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator, were crouched before the collapsed Sect Gate, their expressions grim.

"What is it?" Xu Lai asked.

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