The ancient return was exposed by his sister's live stream.

Chen Hao reached out again and pressed his hand against the door.

The stone gate groaned heavily beneath his palm, like a giant beast that had been sleeping for a thousand years slowly turning over.

Instead of a musty smell, a refreshing and sweet breeze wafted towards us.

The wind seemed alive, gently brushing against my cheeks and slipping into my collar. Wherever it passed, every pore opened up, like rain after a long drought.

Chen Siyao, Cai Jingwen, and the other girls subconsciously closed their eyes and took a deep breath.

When I opened my eyes again, my feet had already stepped inside involuntarily.

The sky above was an unbelievable blue, and above the highest dome, golden light flowed like clouds, like living veins or ancient runes. The light was soft and not dazzling, condensing into a visible mist in the air, pearly in color, sometimes gathering into lotus flowers, sometimes dispersing into a light veil.

Beneath my feet lies warm, white jade, yet it feels softer than stone. With each step, a subtle halo of light ripples from beneath my feet. In the crevices of the white jade grow unknown spiritual herbs, their leaf tips adorned with dewdrops, each drop containing a tiny rainbow.

In the distance, a stream murmurs softly, like the first notes of an ancient zither. The water is so clear it's almost invisible, with colorful pebbles on the bottom. Tiny fish, no more than an inch long, swim by, their tail fins creating a trail of tiny sparkles, like diamonds melting into the water.

The streamside was covered with exotic flowers and trees. On a small tree, barely taller than a person, hung several crimson fruits, their peels shimmering with golden veins that seemed to whisper ancient script. Beneath the tree, several unnamed wildflowers, their petals as thin as cicada wings, tinkled softly in the breeze.

A pure white rabbit emerged from the mist with unhurried steps. As it passed by the crowd, it even glanced at them sideways, its eyes showing neither fear nor curiosity, as if it had long been accustomed to the presence of immortals.

The seasons here seem different from those in the outside world.

The hustle and bustle, restlessness, and deceit of the outside world seem as distant as a dream from a past life.

Chen Siyao and the other girls walked on in a daze, none of them making a sound, afraid of disturbing this eternal tranquility.

Just as everyone was marveling at the beauty of the secret realm, a three-colored streak of light swooped down from the clouds at breakneck speed, accompanied by a sharp and clear bird cry, so fast that it left only a blur!

"What...what is that?!" Yang Wanqing screamed in fright, causing the live stream camera to shake three times as she stared intently at the streak of light.

The three-colored streaks of light flew straight toward the distant cave and disappeared in an instant.

Yang Wanqing and Chen Siyao instinctively moved closer to Chen Hao, while Li Li and Cai Jingwen dared not move again.

"Brother, is this place... real?" Chen Siyao asked in a very low voice.

Chen Hao didn't answer, but simply pointed to the small tree by the stream.

Crimson fruits hang from the branches, their golden veins shimmering in the light and shadow, like a silent invitation.

"Try it."

The younger sister's eyes widened: "Can we just eat this? What if it's poisonous...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Hao had already picked one, wiped it casually with his sleeve, and held it to her lips: "Trust me."

She hesitated for a moment, but finally took it and took a small bite.

In that instant, her eyes widened suddenly.

The peel is as thin as a layer of morning mist, melting on the tongue at the slightest touch. The juice doesn't surge forth, but rather seeps out slowly, spreading like a drop of melting amber on the tongue. It's neither too hot nor too cold, just the right temperature, as if the fruit has been waiting for this moment.

Is it sweet? No.

Is it sour? No, it isn't.

It was a sensation that transcended taste—

It felt like her mother's hand on her forehead when she had a fever as a child, like the first ray of sunshine after being soaked in the rain all night, like waking up from a long nightmare and finding herself lying in the safest bed, with her brother sitting quietly watching her from the side.

It is the peace of regaining what was lost, the purest tenderness in this life.

She involuntarily closed her eyes, tears welling up in the corners.

"Brother..." she opened her eyes, her voice choked with sobs, "I think... I've eaten the cleanest thing I've ever eaten in my life."

Chen Hao didn't say anything, but gently patted the top of her head.

She couldn't bear to swallow it, letting the fruit slowly melt in her mouth. The juice slid down her throat, and wherever it passed, it felt as if a warm light was coursing through her body, making her feel warm and comfortable all over. It wasn't just a feeling of fullness, but a cleansing—like a spring rain washing away years of accumulated grime.

"Brother, it's so delicious, a hundred times better than any fruit in the world."

Seeing that Chen Siyao was eating with peace of mind, Yang Wanqing, Cai Jingwen, and the other girls each picked one to taste.

"Wow, so sweet, so sweet! I've never eaten such sweet fruit before, and it's not cloying at all. It's so addictive!" Yang Wanqing exclaimed.

Cai Jingwen, however, felt a different sensation.

It's sweet, but not the sweetness of sugar; it's a kind of sweetness that makes you inexplicably want to smile.

But the sweetness only lasted for a moment, followed by a faint sourness that slowly crept up, not strong, but like lemon juice dripping into water, spreading out in wisps.

She and Chen Siyao exchanged a puzzled look—this fruit seems to taste different to everyone?

The two instinctively looked at Li Li, only to see her silently shedding tears.

Cai Jingwen went over and took her hand: "Lili, what's wrong?"

"I tasted four flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy... First it was very sweet, then sour, bitter, spicy, and finally..."

All that remained was a vast emptiness.

Chen Siyao suddenly realized: "It turns out that everyone feels differently when they eat this fruit, as if it reflects their different lives."

Chen Hao explained calmly, "This is the Red Dust Fruit. The Red Dust Fruit has no fixed taste; a thousand people will taste a thousand different things when they eat it; and even a single person will experience a different taste each time."

He smiled and said, "Don't be greedy. We can pick some more when we come out. Let's go."

The screen is already flooded with comments:

[Ye Family of Chancheng: We are giving away 100 Carnival items. Yao Yao, please be sure to pick some and sell them to the Ye Family. We will buy them at a high price.]

[The Qin family of Wuyishan: We're giving away 100 Carnivals, and we're offering 100 million just to get one.]

[The Wu family of Los Angeles: Giving away 100 Carnival prizes! My Wu family will also contribute 100 million!]

[Life is not worth living: I'm crazy, I must be crazy, a single piece of fruit worth a hundred million?]

[Slaying one's beloved upon landing: Is this the true essence of the three great martial arts families?]

Unfortunately, the girls were so engrossed in the beautiful scenery of the secret realm that they had no time to pay attention to the live stream.

The group continued onward, stepping across the soft grass and skirting the bushes blooming with silver bell-shaped flowers. A misty aura swirled around them, making each step feel like walking on clouds.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the fog gradually dissipated.

Ahead, a huge bluish-gray stone wall suddenly appeared.

The stone wall was so smooth it didn't seem natural; its surface had hidden patterns, like ancient runes or the marks left by water flowing for thousands of years. The stone wall was only three or four zhang high, yet it exuded an indescribable majesty amidst the clouds and mist.

There is a cave entrance at the bottom of the stone wall.

The cave entrance was small, just wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Its edges bore the marks of time, and a few vines hung from the cave ceiling, their tips adorned with dewdrops. The depths of the cave were dark, making it impossible to discern its depths, yet a cooler, more ancient wind blew gently out from within.

As the wind brushed against his cheek, Chen Hao suddenly had a strange feeling—

Something is waiting for them in the darkness.

Chen Siyao unconsciously moved closer to Chen Hao and asked softly, "Brother, shall we go in?"

He stared at the deep cave entrance and remained silent for a moment.

Then I took her hand and walked closer to her step by step.

Behind the door was a huge stone chamber with a dome tens of meters high. The surrounding stone walls were inlaid with luminous pearls, and the dim light made the stone chamber as bright as day.

In the center of the stone chamber, there is a stone platform, on which sits a huge bronze cauldron. The cauldron is covered with green rust, but the exquisite patterns are still clearly visible.