Nuwa, the goddess of immortality, said that cultivating immortality does not require spiritual energ

"I never imagined your sister had such a background."

Sitting down in the Chu family's courtyard, Chen Yun looked at Chu Xiaonan and couldn't help but sigh.

Although he had never seen a real spiritual object of heaven and earth, he had learned about such special beings favored by the heavens from various ancient books.

He once fantasized about encountering a celestial being in the form of a flame, becoming its companion, and having it provide him with the top-grade flames needed for refining weapons.

However, Qin Le later promised that after he ascended to the Heavenly Realm, he would give him a wisp of fire from the torch, so Chen Yun gave up the idea.

After all, no matter how fine the treasures of heaven and earth may be, they cannot compare to the seed fire of a torch.

As for why we're not giving it to them now?

Firstly, Qin Le only obtained a small piece of fire-nurturing wood from Laozi and stored a small amount of fire for Lin Wanrou to use in alchemy.

Secondly, Chen Yun's current level of weapon crafting and fire control is far from sufficient to control flames of the level of firewood and seed fire. Forcing his way to use them may harm him.

Chu Xiaonan scratched his head and said with a wry smile, "Actually... when Anran was born, His Majesty came to our house and explained her special circumstances. At that time, our whole family was already mentally prepared... knowing that she might one day return to her original form and become a spiritual being of heaven and earth again."

The Chu family once felt powerless regarding their younger sister's fate.

They have no power to change the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao, and those powerful quasi-saints in the Heavenly Realm would not descend to the mortal world specifically for a reincarnated spiritual being.

Therefore, Chu Xiaonan's parents had already silently accepted the reality that they might lose their daughter in the future.

After Chu Xiaonan entered high school and truly understood all of this, she forced herself to prepare herself mentally for the day when she would lose her younger sister.

Unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better.

Just as Chu Anran's Heavenly Dao Mark was being activated and about to return to its origin, the Jade Emperor's mortal avatar personally descended and intervened to suppress it.

Even more surprisingly, the Jade Emperor told them that Qin Le might be able to change everything.

To be honest, Chu Xiaonan was stunned when she first heard the news.

He had never thought of, nor had he ever connected, Qin Le with this matter concerning his sister's life and death.

But now that hope had appeared, he was determined to seize it no matter what. He had never truly accepted the thought of losing his sister, and he couldn't bear to see his parents heartbroken.

Because once Chu Anran returns to her original form and transforms back into a spiritual being of heaven and earth, she will lose all her memories of being Chu Anran in this life.

At that time, she would no longer be the sister he knew, but a strange, powerful, inhuman being.

"Now it seems," Qin Le said with a relaxed smile, sitting to the side, "all that 'mental preparation' you did was for nothing."

"It would be better if all that work was for nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiaonan finally revealed a relieved smile, a smile that carried the weariness of relaxation after a long period of tension, but even more so, a sense of relief.

At this moment, Chen Yun's eyes darted around, and he revealed his usual slightly smug smile, teasingly saying, "Hey Lao Chu, what you should be worried about now is probably something else entirely."

"What is it?" Chu Xiaonan asked, puzzled.

"Is your sister a reincarnation of a celestial being?" Chen Yun counted on his fingers: "Once the gift of the Heavenly Dao within her is slowly unsealed and absorbed, she'll start at least at the Golden Immortal realm. At that time... you, as her older brother, will probably be left far behind in cultivation."

Chu Xiaonan: "..."

There's really no way to refute that.

Although Chu Anran's immense gift from Heaven was temporarily sealed, her essence remained unchanged; she was still a favorite of Heaven.

Nuwa's seal only temporarily delayed its release. As Chu Anran's cultivation level improves, the seal will gradually be broken, and those powers will gradually merge into her body.

When the seal is completely lifted, Chu Anran's cultivation level will be at least at the Golden Immortal level.

And what about Chu Xiaonan herself?

Whether I can cultivate to the Golden Immortal realm in the future is truly an unknown.

"It's not like you'll be able to compare to his sister in the future," Qin Le couldn't help but complain from the side.

Chu Xiaonan and Chen Yun are two equally bad guys; they are both making progress thanks to his preaching.

They might be able to comprehend the laws of nature, become immortals, and attain eternal life.

But if one wants to go further, comprehend the Dao of Immortality, and achieve the status of a Golden Immortal?

That's hard to say.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many gods in the celestial realm. Even though they often listen to the teachings of sages, they are still stuck at the level of perfect celestial immortals.

"Exactly!" Chu Xiaonan, prompted by Qin Le's remark, immediately snapped back to reality and looked at Chen Yun with disdain: "Just because I can't beat him doesn't mean you can!"

Chen Yun stiffened his neck, defiantly saying, "I... if I ever research and develop a 'Golden Immortal-level' weapon of truth, I can still go toe-to-toe with a Golden Immortal! Even... we could die together! Can you do that?"

"This..." Chu Xiaonan choked for a moment.

He really couldn't respond to that.

Even if he cultivates to the peak of the Heavenly Immortal realm in the future, he probably wouldn't be able to harm the opponent even if he self-destructed, let alone perish together with him.

"Come on, you!" Qin Le rolled her eyes at Chen Yun, annoyed. "You're always talking about 'mutual destruction,' can't you think of something more positive?"

"Uh... I just said it offhand, it's just a metaphor, a metaphor, right?" Chen Yun awkwardly touched his nose.

The three chatted idly in the courtyard for over half an hour, the atmosphere relaxed. Just then, a clear voice came from inside the house.

"elder brother?"

Everyone turned their heads and saw that Chu Anran had woken up at some point and was standing at the door.

She looked much better, and although the mark between her eyebrows had faded, her eyes seemed clearer and more lively than before.

"Anran! You're awake? How are you feeling?" Chu Xiaonan immediately stood up, nervously and happily going to greet her.

"Yeah, I'm fine now, I feel great." Chu Anran smiled, her gaze sweeping across the courtyard before landing on Qin Le.

At this moment, Chen Yun couldn't contain his curiosity and stepped forward to ask, "Um... Xiao Anran, can I ask you a question?"

Chu Anran blinked and nodded: "Go ahead and ask."

"What was your true form when you were a spiritual being of heaven and earth?" Chen Yun asked the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

Chu Anran smiled slightly, but instead of answering directly, she raised a fair hand.

Above the palm, a wisp of seven-colored light slowly converged, eventually transforming into a small, exquisite auspicious cloud with a constantly changing soft halo, which floated quietly.

"A cloud," she whispered.

"I thought it was a rainbow," Chen Yun said, somewhat surprised.

After all, Chu Anran's signature rainbow-colored long hair makes it hard not to make associations.

Chu Anran smiled, ignoring Chen Yun's teasing. She put away the auspicious cloud illusion in her palm, walked up to Qin Le, her expression becoming extremely serious, and then solemnly bowed deeply.

"Brother Qin Le, thank you." Her voice was soft, but filled with utmost sincerity.

For her, Qin Le, or rather, the goddess Nuwa behind Qin Le, sealing the gift of heaven not only saved her life, but also preserved all her experiences, emotions, and ties as Chu Anran in this life.

If she were to return to her origins, she would lose her family, lose her memories, and revert to being that powerful yet cold and lonely spirit of heaven and earth.

"I appreciate your thanks." Qin Le waved his hand with a smile, his tone relaxed. "But you don't need to say things like that all the time. It's kind of embarrassing to hear it so often."

He has been thanked many times throughout his life, but he has never been used to this kind of formal expression of gratitude.

"Okay, I understand." Chu Anran straightened up, her eyes curving into crescents, and suddenly revealed a sly smile: "Then from now on... you can order my brother around to repay favors whenever you want!"

"Hey! You little brat!" Chu Xiaonan glared at him. "You've got some nerve, haven't you? Trying to use your brother as a way to repay a debt of gratitude?"

Chu Anran playfully made a face at him, then turned and called out in her clear voice towards the house:

"Dad! Mom! My older brother yelled at me and tried to hit me!!"

Chu Xiaonan: "..."