Following Língzūn's last wish, his body was buried at the very top of the Sacred Mountain, the place closest to her.
That single tear went with him into the earth.
Yun Jin personally carved the tombstone. When she finished and looked up, a flicker of daze crossed her eyes.
Beside Língzūn's tomb, a blue plant had appeared, though she didn't notice when. Its jade-green leaves cradled a teardrop-shaped bud at the center.
Yun Jin sat quietly for a while.
In this world, there's reincarnation.
But each person only lives once. Maybe later, in another cycle, she could meet Língzūn again. But it wouldn't be the Língzūn she knew. Just like Li Xiaoran was no longer the Fairy Mie Jue of old.
Yun Jin sighed softly.
She could feel many spirit beasts atop the Sacred Mountain, quietly waiting. They all wanted to see Língzūn off on his final journey.
Yun Jin's figure vanished instantly from the summit.
She made space for the other spirit beasts. The spirit beasts lined up and ascended the mountain in order. They offered flowers in silence, turning the mountaintop into a sea of blossoms.
Yun Jin watched from afar for a while.
"Master…" Huan Huan looked at her with worry.
They still didn't know what had happened. But they felt Yun Jin's sadness deeply.
They could faintly sense it.
The energy within them came from the same source as that old man. It was him. Who'd given them such an astonishing gift.
"I'll tell you his story slowly later," Yun Jin said with a soft smile, her expression calm again. "Your heavenly tribulations are coming soon. Go find a secluded place to face them."
Though Língzūn hadn't ascended, over these long years, the energy he accumulated was terrifying. Even the strong in the Immortal Realm might not have such reserves.
The three little ones received the most from Língzūn. Their futures were boundless.
The three nodded.
Yun Jin took them deep into the ocean, to a deserted island. They no longer suppressed their cultivation. The heavenly tribulations of the three spirit beasts arrived simultaneously.
Each had a profound foundation. Facing their tribulation alone would've been easy.
But after decades of coordinating together, they chose to face it together this time.
The triple-layered tribulation struck, formidable in power.
Yet after decades of experience, they showed no fear in the face of such terrifying heavenly phenomena. No one could interfere with a heavenly tribulation.
Yun Jin watched quietly beside them. She couldn't help worrying a little, but over these ten years, she'd seen how they'd grown. They were no longer children who could only live under her protection.
They…
Had grown strong enough to make her proud.
The first tribulation fell without warning.
The triple-layered power was overwhelming.
A flame shot into the sky, weakening one layer.
A phantom appeared, weakening another.
Gun Gun bore the remaining force, unharmed.
The second and third tribulations followed without pause.
The tribulations came in different forms. Sometimes, it was a single massive bolt of lightning. Sometimes, thousands of thin bolts descended simultaneously.
No matter the type, the three handled them flawlessly.
Soon, only the final tribulation remained: the Heart Tribulation.
This one, they had to face alone.
Yun Jin's heart tensed again.
The Heart Tribulation could be hard or easy, depending on a single thought.
Gun Gun and Huan Huan may have been trapped in it for a long time, but in reality, awakening was instantaneous.
"Master!"
The three opened their eyes at once. Fear lingered in them.
"I don't know why, but I forgot the later memories. I only felt like I was still the abandoned iron-eating beast," Gun Gun said, still shivering. "In the heart tribulation, I was furious at being abandoned, training desperately to make Han Xiaoy u regret it. No matter how hard I tried, I only met failure… I was about to sink forever when the energy crystal in my dantian sent a cool sensation. I woke up instantly."
The energy crystal…
Yun Jin fell silent for a moment.
"Same here," Huan Huan said. "I vaguely realized it was a false vision, but I couldn't escape. The energy in the crystal guided me."
Dan Dan nodded. "Without the crystal's guidance, I'd still be struggling in the heart tribulation."
"Master, this energy crystal…"
They all looked at Yun Jin.
They knew it probably had something to do with Língzūn.
Yun Jin looked at them gently. "Why don't I tell you a story?"
The three sat cross-legged. Their energy slowly transformed. From now on, they'd step into the ranks of the top-tier cultivators. But for now, this story before them was what mattered most.
Yun Jin spoke softly.
She told them of Língzūn's past.
Of his protection.
Of his obsession.
Of his gifts.
And of the rare peace she'd experienced over these ten years.
The three listened intently. When the long story ended, silence fell. They hadn't known these things when Língzūn fell. Even then, it had made them ache.
Now, their eyes reddened with memories of that old man. Such gentleness and embrace, they'd never seen before.
Yun Jin finished calmly.
As the last word fell, a terrifying energy stirred within her. Her body underwent an earth-shattering transformation in that instant.
The three stared in shock.
Gun Gun gasped, "Master, your hair…"
At that moment, her hair instantly returned to black.
Yun Jin smiled.
The Primordial Yin-Yang, Third Layer: Yin and Yang in mutual generation. At that moment, she entered the third layer of the Primordial Yin-Yang.
She could almost feel a subtle connection with the Yin-Yang Wheel. As long as she wished, she could draw power from it.
But borrowing this power came at a cost. It couldn't be used casually, but in critical moments, it could decide the outcome of a battle.
"Nothing much, just a little breakthrough," Yun Jin said with a smile.
The three were stunned. A little breakthrough?
This was far more than that.
Connected to Yun Jin's mind, they felt her aura nearly double in strength. Though she concealed it instantly, as her contracted beasts, they felt it clearly.
"Huh."
Yun Jin let out a small sound of surprise.