Earlier heavens verdant physique***

"Yu'er, come with me," Xin Dongyang requested, prompting me to follow him as he began to leave. Before departing, he gave a knowing nod to Mother.

I trailed after him, knowing what was to come. 

He walked wordlessly, not turning back to look at me.

Upon reaching our destination, his cultivation chambers, Xin Dongyang entered first, and I followed suit. The room's aesthetics appeared to favor simplicity, with only a simple table, seating area, and a mat for cultivation.

"Take a seat." He gestured, prompting me to sit down as he settled himself.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Ahem, Yu'er, you must already know about the relationship between the five fundamental elements, correct?" Xin Dongyang's expression remained unchanging as he asked.

"Yes, I do," I answered, not making any unnecessary remarks.

"Mhm, water can extinguish flames, while fire can boil water away to nothing. When someone has roots of opposing elements, they are referred to as conflicting roots. Under usual circumstances, we would try to remove one of the roots to avoid elemental conflict. However, in your case—" He paused looking at me with his crimson-glowing eyes.

"The fragments of Dao make it difficult to remove the spiritual roots,"

"Not only that, your spiritual roots have begun to fuse," Xin Dongyang's words finally induced a response from me, as my brows twitched.

"The Dao of life and the Dao of death are innately interconnected, causing your spiritual roots to fuse. Water and fire eliminated each other, leaving only fragments of life and death Dao. Consequently, the fused part of your spiritual roots has become something akin to 'Pseudo-Samsara Dao roots,' to a certain extent."

"The fusion of your spiritual roots will most likely escalate with your cultivation, and as you progress, the clash between fire and water qi would most likely cause your death. Now that you know the problem, what do you think is the solution?"

Grandfather asked me with a slight smile, that was finally apparent on his visage.

"There are two primary solutions," I responded, my brows still furrowed, "Firstly, we can forcefully remove one of the spiritual roots. But this method would cause damage to one's talent. Secondly, we can temporarily try to stop the fusion while creating a strong foundation and a unique cultivation method that will help in the complete fusion of the spiritual roots while also expanding the comprehension of the Dao." 

"Then which one will you choose?" Xin Dongyang asked as his smile grew wider.

A moment of silence passed by as I wordlessly stared into Xin Dongyang's eyes, "...Let me think about it" I replied, lowering my eyes.

"Mhm, make sure to make your choice by tomorrow."

...

Looking at the setting sun and the rising moon, the sky bleeding a crimson hue, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the scene.

It had already been 5 years since, I became Xin Jianyu, a loving family, a caring mother, an illustrious background, and even an unimaginable talent, I have it all. Yet, even then, I can't help but look back at the past, my time with her, when I was the happiest I'd ever been.

Such a life was my dream life before meeting her, and honestly, I feel at ease living my new life. Perhaps, it's because of my youthful body, or perhaps it's my surroundings influencing me, but I'd started to feel like my past is nothing more than a burden upon my soul.

A thought that would've never crossed my mind in the past.

"This reminiscent view of crimson-hued skies, golden clouds, the sun and  the moon, adorning the vast heavens... remains just as exquisite as back then..."

As his gaze remained steadily at the sun and moon, a peculiar gleam appeared in his eyes. It radiated an aura of life and death, which spread across his surroundings. The sight was quite unusual, with half of the plants wilting as if they had been charred by flames, while the remaining half bloomed beyond their ordinary state....

...

"...Strange dream." Muttered Jianyu as he groggily opened his eyes.

...

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...

"Greetings, Brother Jianyu," Mo Suyin greeted Jianyu with a slight bow, her gesture carrying a hint of stiffness.

"Good day, Miss Suyin. I trust you had a restful sleep?" Jianyu returned the greeting with enthusiasm, a warm smile gracing his face.

"Umm...?"

Mo Suyin hesitated, her gaze flickering towards something behind Jianyu, her finger trembling as she pointed.

"Hmm?" Jianyu raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence, as if he couldn't fathom what had caught Mo Suyin's attention.

"Um... W-what's... 'that'?" Mo Suyin stammered, her voice shaky.

"Oh, that?" Jianyu's smile deepened as he glanced in the direction Mo Suyin was indicating. "That's just a tardy bastard, nothing to concern yourself with~"

"Don't refer to me as 'that'!" came a disgruntled voice from behind Jianyu, from Xin Guang who had collapsed.

"Well, well, it seems you still have some energy left," Jianyu remarked casually, his playful demeanor returning, "I thought you were completely exhausted,"

"Heek--!" Xin Guang recoiled in fear, attempting to distance himself from Jianyu.

"Now, now, behaving like this is quite impolite," Jianyu chided, his grin taking on a mischievous edge, clearly relishing Xin Guang's despair.

Mo Suyin, observing this exchange, felt a shiver run down her spine, silently 'W-would this happen to me as well?!' She wondered if she would suffer a similar fate.

"Miss Suyin?" Jianyu's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes?!" She straightened instinctively upon hearing her name.

"Hehe, there's no need to be so scared. This guy was just being a bit rebellious so I... Just disciplined him a bit, that's all." Jianyu smiled, playfully.

Meanwhile, Xin Guang's body instinctively trembled upon hearing 'disciplined'.

"Y-yes!" Mo Suyin stammered, her curiosity and anxiety now piqued. She couldn't help but wonder what exactly Jianyu had done to Xin Guang.

'What did he do to him?!!' 

...

"Anyways, Xin Guang, it's time to resume your training," Jianyu announced with a hint of mischief, eliciting a vehement protest from Xin Guang.

"You demon!" Xin Guang, still on the ground a few meters away from Jianyu and Mo Suyin, looked at Jianyu indignantly, his frustration clear.

Jianyu let out a weary sigh, appearing somewhat helpless. "Sigh, I'm doing this for your own good, you know," he replied, his expression softening.

But Xin Guang wasn't having any of it. "Shut up! You're definitely enjoying this!!"

Today had been quite a shock for Xin Guang. He had woken up to find himself bound by ropes, and when he had tried to question why he was in such a state, he was unceremoniously dragged to a clearing between the weeping willows, different from yesterday's garden. There, he had discovered Jianyu, who had claimed it was time for sparring but had seemingly forgotten the "friendly" part of the practice. Xin Guang wasn't having a delightful day, to say the least.

"Huh? Say that again, I think I misheard you~" Jianyu's eyes narrowed as he asked Xin Guang, his tone deceptively carefree. It was becoming increasingly clear to Xin Guang that the person in front of him was not merely a child. He was dealing with a devil in the guise of a child!

"Just forget it, I didn't say anything!" Xin Guang quickly backpedaled, his tone hurried.

"Mhm, that's better. Now, create a ball of fire about this big," Jianyu instructed Xin Guang, spreading his hands to indicate a distance roughly equivalent to a football's length between his palms.

[AN- Don't ask which football.]

"And make sure the size doesn't fluctuate, because if it does... well, you know what would happen~"

"Hmph! Something like this is child's play for me!" Xin Guang boasted, a triumphant smile on his face.

"Well then, get to it," Jianyu said, his smile growing more devilish as he regarded Xin Guang, who was about to demonstrate his abilities.

"Now then, let's focus on examining your physique for now," Jianyu said, shifting his attention back to Mo Suyin. He extended his hand, gesturing for her to place her hand on his.

"...Yes," Mo Suyin replied, her anxiety apparent in her expression.

"Now, relax and allow my qi to flow through you," Jianyu advised, his voice gentle and reassuring.

Mo Suyin nodded with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. Jianyu infused his qi into Mo Suyin, carefully probing her body to determine any irregularities.

"To begin with, a cultivator absorbs qi through their spiritual roots, so it should be fairly easy to identify any issues, especially since you possess spiritual roots for four of the five basic elements—only fire is lacking. Fortunately, I can control all four of these elements."

Jianyu made it sound simple, but controlling one's qi within another person's body was a skill beyond what most Foundation Establishment realm disciples could manage.

"Hm..." Jianyu mused as he continued his examination.

"Alright, that should suffice," he eventually declared, retracting his spirit sense and revealing a complex expression on his face.

"Is there an issue?" Mo Suyin inquired, her concern evident.

Jianyu's smile returned, warm and reassuring. "No issue at all," he assured her. "From the qi, you've absorbed, it's clear that wood qi predominates, followed by water and earth qi. However, when it comes to metal qi..."

Jianyu paused momentarily, locking his gaze onto Mo Suyin's hazel eyes.

"The metal qi is in conflict with your wood qi, and its purity is rather high. We'll need to verify your physique using an artifact."

"O-okay," Mo Suyin replied eagerly, her excitement building at the prospect of becoming a respected cultivator.

"Firstly, don't be overly concerned," Jianyu said, his tone gentle. "You've done admirably thus far. Now, let's use an artifact to confirm."

Jianyu brought out a colorless orb, floating gently, with a faint bluish glow emanating from it due to the ambient frost qi. This artifact, similar to the one used during awakening ceremonies, could assess qi quality, spiritual root purity, and physique characteristics.

"Simply place your hand on it and channel your qi into it," Jianyu instructed.

Mo Suyin followed his guidance, though her movements still carried a degree of stiffness. She hesitated briefly, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before allowing her qi to flow into the orb.

*Pzzt...

The orb emitted a soft hum, its surface taking on a faint green glow that steadily intensified.

Mo Suyin kept her eyes closed, oblivious to the phenomenon unfolding before her—an illusory scene of a lush mountain, a pristine river flowing from its summit, and a colossal tree crowning its peak, appeared behind her.

"A heavenly phenomenon-!" Xin Guang, who watched in awe, couldn't help but exclaim at the sight.

In most cases, heavenly phenomena occurred only during a cultivator's birth, awakening, or ascension to a higher level of cultivation. For instance, someone with a physique with natural affinity for swords might cause swords to resonate and soar during their birth, while someone with exceptional fire affinity might conjure illusory flames. However, Mo Suyin's heavenly phenomenon was far more grandiose than what was typically observed, a testament to her remarkable talent.

One notable exception to this pattern was Jianyu himself. Nothing extraordinary had occurred during his birth or spiritual root awakening. Moreover, due to the secrecy surrounding the news of his special roots, most of the younger generation in the Xin clan held low opinions of him. It was also noteworthy that despite being born to immortal parents, he had spent only one and a half years in his mother's womb, a stark contrast to other cultivators. For instance, Yin Xifeng, who enjoyed an eight-year gestation period, had a magnificent illusory phoenix flying over the Yin family's grounds upon her birth.

"Aagh-!" As Xin Guang marveled at the magnificent spectacle, he suddenly felt something cold strike the back of his head. His vision began to dim, but he managed to see Jianyu smiling down at him.

"You failed~" Jianyu's voice carried a teasing tone.

"You... Demon..." Xin Guang muttered weakly before losing consciousness.

...

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...

"Verdant jade mountain physique -!" Lei Qiang couldn't help but almost gasp audibly as she stared at the awe-inspiring heavenly phenomenon displayed by Mo Suyin.

"Hm?" Jianyu turned toward Lei Qiang, his brows knitted together as he questioned her reaction.

"Ah... Young master," Lei Qiang began, her voice filled with astonishment, "Miss Suyin's qi physique is one of the greatest wood element physiques. It's based on the complementing nature of wood, earth, and water elements. Such talent would be rare even in the Profound Heavens Sect!"

"Verdant jade mountain physique, huh..." Jianyu murmured, his mind racing with thoughts. His sharp eyes studied Mo Suyin's heavenly phenomenon closely.

'No, this isn't just the typical Verdant Jade Mountain Physique. It's something more...'

Jianyu's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he continued to observe Mo Suyin's remarkable display of talent.

'Perhaps it's a mutated version of the same physique... But this one seems to show part of the five elemental phases dao...'

He sighed, shaking his head as if resigning himself to something.

'Sigh, it doesn't appear likely that it can contain the complete Five Phases Law, as the wood element is far too dominant...'

However, his mild disappointment quickly transformed into a playful grin, 'But, the heavens sure hid a great treasure~' He relished the feeling of snatching something like this from the heavens.

'Since it contains a part of the Five Phases Dao that formed the early heavens within it, let's call this the Earlier Heavens Verdant Physique.'

...

Mo Suyin kept repeating reassuring words to herself, 'It will be alright. It will be alright. It will be alright...' Her eyes remained tightly shut as her hand remained placed on the crystal.

"Urgh!"

A few moments later, she sensed a brilliant light in front of her. She cautiously tried to open her eyes, revealing a strange and wondrous sight.

"Wow..."

Mo Suyin gasped in awe as she gazed upon the breathtaking scene before her. A stunning, lush mountain stood tall, with a river flowing from its peak and a majestic tree perched at the summit.

Mo Suyin took a step back in astonishment. After a few moments, the illusory mountain began to crumble away, its essence merging into Mo Suyin's body.

"Congratulations, Miss Suyin."

The sudden voice startled Mo Suyin, pulling her out of her reverie. She turned to see who had spoken and found Jianyu smiling warmly at her. Overwhelmed by emotion, Mo Suyin's eyes brimmed with tears as she smiled foolishly.

"I did it!"

"Yes, you did," Jianyu replied calmly, walking toward Mo Suyin.

"I didn't fail."

"Mhm." Jianyu nodded in agreement, now standing directly in front of Mo Suyin.

"You did great, Miss Suyin."

Jianyu gently patted Mo Suyin's head as he spoke. 

Mo Suyin, who had carried the burden of self-doubt and adversity for years, only capable of blaming her lack of talent for everything, finally let bitter-sweet tears of joy and melancholy flow freely.

...

...

'She sure cries a lot doesn't she?... Perhaps she is a crybaby.' Jianyu almost let out a chuckle as the thought crossed his mind. Thankfully he was someone who could read the room and restrain himself.

...

...

After the emotional experience Mo Suyin had just gone through, she and Jianyu found themselves sitting across from each other at a table meant for resting. Jianyu's clothes were covered in tears and certain fluids and Mo Suyin's gaze was downcast, just like the other day.

"There's no need to be that embarrassed, you know," Jianyu said, trying to reassure her.

Mo Suyin looked up, her teary hazel eyes meeting Jianyu's gaze. She responded, "But, despite receiving your kindness, I troubled young lord once again!"

Jianyu let out a small sigh as he rose from his seat and extended his hand across the table, gently patting Mo Suyin's head. "It can't be helped that you are such a crybaby," he teased.

"A-a crybaby!" Mo Suyin felt a pang of embarrassment at the word.

Jianyu continued, "Well, it's not unusual for children your age to cry or throw tantrums."

Mo Suyin couldn't help but think, 'It doesn't sound comforting coming from someone younger than me!' She blushed even more, and her face felt like it was on fire.

"Moreover..." Jianyu leaned back in his seat, his eyes locked onto Mo Suyin's hazel ones. "I find your crying face to be quite adorable, personally."

His teasing words caused Mo Suyin's face to redden further, and she was certain that steam was about to come out of her ears. 

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!!" She stammered incomprehensible mumbles, her face growing even redder by the moment.

*Thak

Finally, unable to handle the embarrassment any longer, Mo Suyin fainted, her head hitting the table.

"Ah... She broke..." Jianyu chuckled with a helpless smile as he looked at his unconscious underlings.

"Sigh... To think they are both knocked out cold..." He sighed, momentarily forgetting the cause of their unconsciousness.

"Lei Qiang, do you have soul and physique nourishing pills of high quality that even she can take?" Jianyu asked, pointing at Mo Suyin.

Lei Qiang responded, "... I should be able to get some."

"Mhm, please do so as soon as possible," Jianyu requested.

"Yes, young master," Lei Qiang acknowledged before disappearing from the training grounds, leaving Jianyu alone.

Finally enjoying some peace and quiet, Jianyu contemplated, "Maybe, I should make something for them, since this is their first day..."