Far beyond the Milky Way, past the countless silent stars that filled the dark expanse of space, another galaxy existed. Vast and ancient, filled with civilizations that had long surpassed the limits of mortal understanding, it stood as one of the great centers of cultivation in the universe known to powerful clans.
This was the Andromeda Galaxy.
At its heart floated a massive celestial continent suspended within a sea of stars, surrounded by countless smaller worlds that revolved around it like attendants surrounding a throne. Spiritual energy flowed freely here, dense enough to form visible currents that nourished the land and strengthened those born within it. Among the dominant powers that ruled this galaxy stood the Ye Clan.
Within the inner territory of the Ye Clan stood a grand palace built from celestial jade and star-forged stone. Ancient formations carved into its surface continuously gathered energy from the surrounding void while streams of spiritual qi drifted quietly through the halls like mist. Yet inside one particular chamber, far removed from the concerns of war and politics, the atmosphere was unexpectedly gentle.
The chamber had been arranged not for warriors, but for children. Soft fabrics lined the walls, protective formations glowed faintly around the windows, and several low-grade cultivation treasures floated slowly in the air, releasing threads of pure qi toward a small jade cradle placed at the center of the room.
Inside the cradle lay Ye Shen.
His breathing was quiet and steady as strands of spiritual qi flowed naturally into his small body, strengthening his foundation as part of the clan's preparation for future cultivation. To anyone observing, he appeared no different from any other newborn.
Beside the cradle sat Ye Zhentian.
At only four years old, Ye Zhentian already carried the natural confidence expected of a direct descendant of the Ye Clan. His hair was tied into a small knot behind his head, and although still young, there was a certain sharpness in his gaze that hinted at his extraordinary potential. Yet at this moment, none of that mattered. He sat cross-legged beside the cradle with complete focus on his younger brother.
Ye Zhentian gently touched Ye Shen's tiny hand and smiled. "You're really quiet," Ye Zhentian said with surprising seriousness. "Other babies cry a lot. You don't cry at all."
Ye Shen simply looked back at him without reacting.
Ye Zhentian puffed his chest slightly as if making a solemn vow. "Don't worry. I'll protect you. Father says I have to become strong, so I'll become the strongest. Then nobody will be able to bully you."
His small hands clumsily adjusted the blanket around Ye Shen before he added in a softer voice, "Until then… I'll stay with you."
Not far behind him, hidden beneath a thin veil of qi that blocked both sound and presence, Ye Haotian and Mu Yuyan stood quietly observing the scene. Their expressions were calm, but the weight of the decision they had already reached lingered heavily between them. Ye Zhentian remained completely unaware of their presence, continuing to speak to Ye Shen as if nothing else existed.
Mu Yuyan watched silently for a moment before speaking softly. "Zhentian is already trying to protect his brother."
Ye Haotian gave a slight nod. "Zhentian has always carried responsibility naturally."
Mu Yuyan's voice softened slightly. "He is still just a child."
Ye Haotian remained silent for a moment before answering quietly, "And because of that… we must prepare him now."
Mu Yuyan's fingers tightened slightly at those words. "You truly intend to send them?"
"Yes," Ye Haotian replied.
Mu Yuyan turned toward him slowly. "Both of them?"
"Both."
The answer came without hesitation. Mu Yuyan looked back toward Ye Shen, her gaze lingering as she spoke quietly, "Shen has only just been born."
Ye Haotian's voice softened slightly. "Which is exactly why he must leave now. The younger he is, the easier it will be for him to adapt."
"You speak as if they are soldiers being deployed," Mu Yuyan replied quietly.
Ye Haotian exhaled slowly. "If I had a choice, they would never leave this place. But the Ye Clan does not have that luxury anymore."
Mu Yuyan said nothing because she understood exactly what he meant. The Ye Clan still dominated the Andromeda Galaxy, but the cost of maintaining that dominance had grown heavier. Rival families had begun competing more aggressively for resources, external factions were testing their borders, and the stability they once took for granted was no longer guaranteed.
At that moment, the chamber doors opened and two more figures entered.
Ye Hongtian walked in with relaxed steps, his hands resting behind his back as if he had simply come to visit rather than discuss the fate of the clan's future. His long white hair fell loosely around his shoulders, and his eyes carried both humor and exhaustion, the look of someone who had witnessed countless eras rise and fall.
Behind Ye Hongtian followed Grand Elder Luo Chen, whose calm and composed expression revealed nothing of his thoughts.
Ye Hongtian glanced at Ye Haotian and gave a faint chuckle. "Still arguing?" Ye Hongtian asked casually.
Mu Yuyan lowered her head respectfully. "Father."
Ye Hongtian smiled lightly. "You were always too soft-hearted," Ye Hongtian said before sighing quietly. "Though perhaps that is not a bad thing."
Ye Hongtian stepped closer to the cradle and looked down at Ye Shen and Ye Zhentian. For a brief moment, the lightness in his expression faded and something deeper surfaced.
"They resemble their grandfather," Ye Hongtian said softly.
Ye Haotian spoke calmly. "The decision has been made."
Ye Hongtian nodded slowly. "It has."
Mu Yuyan asked quietly, "Must it truly be now?"
Ye Hongtian exhaled slowly. "Those lot have been pushing harder these days." Ye Hongtian paused briefly before continuing, "There are also signs that Taixuan World may be entering a new cycle."
Ye Haotian frowned slightly. "You believe Tianxuan's will may be stirring?"
Ye Hongtian shrugged lightly. "Perhaps. If it is, then destiny will gather there whether we act or not."
Ye Hongtian's gaze briefly rested on Ye Zhentian. "If Ye Zhentian stands at the center of that tide… the future of the Ye Clan will be secured for another era."
Mu Yuyan asked quietly, "And if he cannot?"
Ye Hongtian gave a faint smile. "Then he will at least have had the chance."
Grand Elder Luo Chen stepped forward slightly. "The sealing formation is prepared."
Mu Yuyan looked toward Grand Elder Luo Chen. "Will it hurt him?"
Grand Elder Luo Chen shook his head. "No. It will only allow him to grow naturally."
Mu Yuyan stepped forward and gently lifted Ye Shen into her arms. Her composure finally cracked slightly as she held him close, her fingers brushing his forehead as if trying to memorize the feeling.
"Shen'er," Mu Yuyan whispered softly, "wherever you go… live well."
Her voice trembled slightly before she added quietly, "You do not have to become the strongest. Just live."
Mu Yuyan kissed his forehead gently before placing him back beside Ye Zhentian.
Ye Zhentian looked up immediately. "Mother?"
Mu Yuyan forced a gentle smile. "Nothing. I was just watching you."
"I'm taking care of Shen," Ye Zhentian said seriously.
"I know," Mu Yuyan replied softly.
Grand Elder Luo Chen stepped forward as faint golden inscriptions began forming beneath Ye Zhentian's feet. The air grew slightly heavier, yet Ye Zhentian continued playing with Ye Shen, unaware of what was happening around him as the qi barrier isolated him from everything else.
For a brief moment, Ye Zhentian blinked in confusion as if sensing something unusual. His hand instinctively tightened around Ye Shen before the sensation passed as quickly as it had come.
The golden light slowly faded.
"It is done," Grand Elder Luo Chen said quietly.
The spatial formation activated moments later. Golden lines appeared beneath both children as the air distorted slightly and space itself began folding inward. Ye Zhentian instinctively wrapped an arm around Ye Shen as the light grew brighter.
At that moment Ye Shen felt something unusual. A faint pressure brushed against his mind, like something attempting to settle over his consciousness, but it dissolved almost instantly as if it had never existed. At the same time, the energy around him began to flow slightly faster, thin strands of qi drifting toward him without anyone noticing.
For a brief second, Ye Shen's eyes moved.
He looked at Ye Haotian, then Mu Yuyan and finally towards Ye Hongtian.
Mu Yuyan noticed and whispered softly, "Be safe."
The light swallowed them.
Planet Taixuan.
A quiet village surrounded by distant hills and scattered forests, evening had already begun to settle. Villagers returned from their daily routines while smoke rose from cooking fires, nothing unusual disturbing the simple rhythm of life.
Then a small wooden house appeared at the edge of the village without warning. There was no sound, no disturbance, no visible cause. One moment empty ground stood there, and the next a simple home rested in its place as if it had always belonged there.
Inside the house, Ye Zhentian and Ye Shen lay on a simple bed. Ye Zhentian still held Ye Shen protectively in his arms, both of them asleep as if nothing had changed.
A villager walking nearby paused briefly when he noticed the house. Confusion crossed his face for only a moment before recognition replaced it naturally. "Ah… those poor boys," the villager muttered sympathetically before continuing on his way.
To him, nothing was strange. The two brothers had always lived there. Their father had died hunting years ago and their mother had passed during Ye Shen's birth, leaving Ye Zhentian alone to raise his younger brother. The villagers helped when they could, just as they always had.
Night settled quietly over the village as the world continued as if nothing had changed. Inside the small house, both children slept peacefully, unaware of the distance they had crossed or the future waiting ahead.
As if nothing had changed.