Seven years.
The number echoed in Lux's mind as he sat cross-legged on his meditation cushion, observing the steady flow of his gray Qi moving through his perfected meridians. Several months had passed since the peace agreement in Crystal Valley, and he was now thirteen years old. Time, like a river that never stops flowing, had brought with it inevitable changes.
His body was no longer small and childish. His height had increased significantly, leaving behind the shadow of the six years old who had first set foot in the Direct Disciple Pavilion. His frame was beginning to broaden, showing the first hints of the physique of a future male cultivator. His once-round face was now lengthening, his cheekbone structure becoming sharper, and his silver-gray eyes, always full of curiosity, now radiated a calmer depth, a reflection of a soul that had touched the realities of high-level war and politics. His voice, though not yet fully deep, had lost the high pitch of his childhood.
These changes were not only happening to him. Karion, now a confident seventeen years old, had transformed into a handsome young man with a captivating aura like the sun. His shimmering golden hair and sharp blue eyes made many female disciples in the sect's hearts flutter. Silvia, at sixteen, had become a beautiful girl with a mysterious charm. Her long silver hair and sharp purple eyes seemed to be able to penetrate every secret. Yuan, also seventeen, had become a muscular and imposing force, his sturdy frame like a solid rock. Even Erika, at fifteen, had blossomed into a cheerful and vibrant girl, her aura of joy radiating like a blooming flower.
They all, thanks to the sect's irresistible outpouring of resources and the privileges of being Direct Disciples, had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. Karion and Yuan had even opened 2 Pillars, while Silvia and Erika had stabilized at their 1 Pillar. They were the stars shining brightly in the younger generation of the Burning Sky Sect, and their future was bright.
However, Lux's progress was different. At thirteen, he had only just reached the peak of Qi Nurturing Realm Stage 6. His speed, once so phenomenal, now seemed ordinary, even a little slow compared to his peers. Yet, no one underestimated him. Everyone understood that his unique cultivation with his Gray Qi required a more careful and profound approach. His foundation, once refined, was more solid than spiritual granite, and his understanding of energy principles surpassed his cultivation level.
His current focus was divided between improving his formation abilities to the Advance Mortal Grade level and steadily advancing his cultivation. He had a clear goal, a deadline that could not be negotiated. Sect rules stated that Direct Disciples were allowed to take missions in the sect's territory after they reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and were fifteen years old. These missions, though still relatively safe, were designed to broaden their experience and apply what they had learned in the real world. Lux, with the adventurous spirit of his previous life and the desire to explore the world to see what it had to offer, craved that opportunity.
That meant he had two years to catch up and reach Foundation Establishment. Two years to go through three more stages in Qi Nurturing and then face the challenge of Breakthrough. It would be a difficult path, but his determination burned. He hardly saw his fellow Direct Disciples lately; they were all busy with their advanced training and their own small missions, leaving him to practice alone with the guidance of Elder Liam and Mobius.
"Your speed is satisfactory, considering the complexities you face, worm," Mobius commented one afternoon, as Lux completed an exercise measuring the reality coefficient of a complex illusion formation. "They are running on a straight path. You are building your own path on rocky terrain. There's no point in comparing."
"I know," Lux replied in his mind, wiping sweat from his forehead. "But still... sometimes I feel left behind."
"You changed the course of a war at the age of twelve. They're just going around chasing bandit cultivators and collecting herbs. Who exactly is 'left behind' here?"
Lux couldn't help but smile. Mobius's logic, though arrogant, was often correct.
Then, on a day that seemed as ordinary as any other, everything changed.
A message talisman, colored red and gold the colors for important announcements flew into his room and hovered in front of him. Lux's heart pounded, worried that there was a problem or a dangerous new mission. However, as he touched it with his soul, the information that flowed in made him freeze.
His parents, Noctis and Lumina, had arrived in Burning Sky Main City. They had successfully reached Core Forging Realm Stage 1.
Lux couldn't move. The air seemed to have been sucked out of his lungs. Seven years. Seven years without their hugs, without hearing their voices, without their comforting presence. The tears that he had never allowed to fall during years of loneliness and pressure now threatened to overflow. He wasted no time. He left his room and shot towards the main reception hall, his heart pounding like a war drum.
As he arrived, he saw them standing in the sunlight filtering through the stained-glass windows, and it felt like seeing two familiar strangers. Noctis, his father, was no longer an elegant city manager. He was now a warrior. His posture was straighter, his once-warm eyes now radiating the alertness of an eagle that had seen too much battle. A thin scar adorned his temple, and his aura, which used to be like a steady flame, was now like solidified lava, dense and dangerous. Yet, beneath it all, Lux could still see the same warmth, a warmth now filled with awe and unimaginable longing.
Lumina, his mother, had also changed. Her gentle beauty had been forged into elegant toughness. Lines of fatigue and worry adorned the corners of her eyes, but her eyes themselves shone with a deeper light of intelligence and resilience. Her fire aura was now refined and perfectly controlled, like a candle flame unshaken by the strongest winds. And when her eyes found Lux, all that toughness crumbled, replaced by a flood of love and unstoppable tears.
"Lux?" Lumina's voice trembled, almost in disbelief. "My son?"
"Mom?" Lux's voice cracked, his newfound adolescence making him embarrassed.
Then, they ran. Lumina embraced him tightly, trembling, her sobs soaking his shoulder. Noctis wrapped his strong arms around both of them, his face buried in Lux's hair, his shoulders shaking.
"You... you've grown so much," Noctis whispered, his voice hoarse. "Listen, Father's voice... you're not a little kid anymore."
"We've missed so much," Lumina cried, holding him tighter, as if afraid he would disappear.
They sat on a park bench, and the words flowed freely. Lux told them about his training, about Elder Liam, about the pressure of being a Direct Disciple, about his peers. He carefully avoided details about the war and his role in it, only mentioning that the sect had won and was now safe.
In turn, Noctis and Lumina told their story of Wildfire City, about the battles, about the fear and despair, and about their determination to become strong for him.
"All the Contribution Points we collected," Noctis explained, "we exchanged for resources for Breakthrough. It was the only way." His eyes gleamed with pride. "And now we're here. Your mother has been accepted into the sect's Main Formation Team. An Earth Grade Low Level Formation Master in the Core Forging Realm is a valuable asset. And Father," he smiled, "will be placed as a Training Manager for Inner Disciples. Teaching the younger generation about survival."
Lux listened with mixed feelings. He was overjoyed that they were finally safe, but he also knew the consequences.
"But... your progress will slow down now, won't it?" he asked anxiously. "There are no missions with high Contribution Points here. And resources for Core Forging..."
"Lux," Lumina interrupted gently, touching his cheek. "No treasure or power in this world is more precious than being able to see you grow up. We've missed seven years. We won't miss another second. Let our cultivation slow down. Our hearts have been enriched with a priceless gift today."
Noctis nodded, his eyes glistening. "We've bought a small house in the city. A place for us. A home."
The word resonated within Lux. Home. Not just a room in a dormitory, not just a place to practice. A home, with his parents. After years of feeling like a guest in his own sect, he finally had a place to return to.
Then, Noctis showed something that made Lux gasp. On his finger, there was a simple silver ring with a small ruby.
"A Space Storage Ring," Noctis said proudly. "A gift from the sect for reaching Core Forging. Inside are our emergency supplies, some spirit crystals, and..." he smiled, "some gifts for you later."
Lumina also showed a similar ring on her finger. "Using it requires Spiritual Sense, Lux. It's fully open only in the Core Forging Realm. Energy Sense in Qi Nurturing and Foundation isn't enough to access this extra-dimensional space. One day, you'll have one too."
Lux looked at the rings, a tangible symbol of his parents' achievements. They had walked through hell, and they emerged stronger, not bitter, but filled with more love than ever before. He realized that this was what he had truly been fighting for not for recognition, not for power, but for moments like this, for hugs like this, for the simple concept of a family.
For the rest of the day, they just sat together, talking, laughing, and crying. The burdens that Lux had carried for years the loneliness, the pressure to become strong, the trauma of war seemed to evaporate in the face of his parents' unconditional love. He finally didn't have to face it all alone.
As the sun set, casting golden rays through the pavilion, Lux stood on the balcony, looking at the city below. For the first time since he had arrived in this world, he felt truly... at peace. He had a family. He had a home. And he had two years to prepare to explore the vast world.
However, that peace would not last long. Fate had other plans for Lux Noctis, and it would knock on his door sooner than he expected.