My classmates chose martial arts and fantasy, but I chose the prehistoric world.

Blue Star.

Great Xia, Cloud City.

December 31st, early morning.

Sunlight pierced through the thin mist, illuminating the mottled buildings in the old town.

Steam rises from the breakfast stalls on the street, fried dough sticks tumble in the pan, and the aroma of soy milk wafts in the morning breeze.

It looked like just another ordinary summer morning.

But throughout Yuncheng, and even the entire Great Xia Dynasty, an indescribable restlessness permeated the air...

There are only two days left until September 2nd, the day the children return home.

The high school students who set off for the myriad worlds on September 1st last year will be forcibly teleported back the day after tomorrow, as long as they are still alive, and will set foot on this familiar land again!

Old town area, staff quarters of a work unit.

In Xiao Yan's kitchen, the air was filled with the sizzling sound of cooking oil.

Li Xiuying, wearing a faded floral apron, was busy at the stove.

The stove was piled high with washed vegetables—ribs, crucian carp, and greens, all of which Xiao Yan loved to eat.

"Are you sure you can finish eating all this?"

Xiao Jianguo stood at the kitchen doorway, a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

"Keep the leftovers and reheat them before eating."

Li Xiuying didn't turn her head, her hands still moving. "Xiaoyan suffered so much over there, he needs to be well-fed when he comes back... Since he's not here, we usually eat simple meals. I need to practice my cooking these next couple of days."

Xiao Jianguo was silent for a moment, then put the cigarette back in the pack: "He'll be back the day after tomorrow morning. I don't know if he's lost weight or gained weight."

"You've definitely lost weight." Lee Soo-young's voice trembled with worry. "But, as long as you're back alive, that's all that matters..."

Xiao Jianguo turned around and walked to the living room, stood by the window, and looked down at the old locust tree.

The leaves rustled gently in the morning breeze, casting dappled shadows.

A year ago today, my son was sitting at the dining table at home, head down, eating his rice, muttering, "The school food is awful."

And now, his son is about to return from the low-level martial arts world.

"I hope he comes back safe and sound..."

Xiao Jianguo couldn't imagine how his son had survived the more than ten years in the low-level martial arts world.

The mortality rate in a low-martial-power world is less than three percent, which sounds very safe, but that is, after all, another world!

There are bandits, wild beasts, natural disasters, and diseases...

Any unexpected event could turn that 3% into 100%!

"Old Xiao!"

Li Xiuying's voice came from the kitchen, tinged with hesitation: "Do you think... Xiao Yan might come back after learning martial arts?"

"What advanced martial arts techniques can one learn in a low-level martial arts world?"

Xiao Jianguo shook his head. "It's good that you came back safely. Martial arts skills are not important."

……

South of the city, an upscale residential area.

The atmosphere in Luo Feng's living room was somewhat tense.

Luo Zhenshan, dressed in a martial arts uniform, stood beneath the enormous cursive "武" (martial arts) character, his hands behind his back, looking up at the sharp edge contained within the character.

He had been standing like that for a long time.

Zhang Hui sat on the sofa, clutching a handkerchief in her hand, her eyes red and swollen.

She didn't sleep well again last night, tossing and turning until dawn, her mind filled with images of her son fighting in the world of martial arts.

"Old Luo, do you think... Xiao Feng, what if he...?"

"Won't!"

Luo Zhenshan interrupted her, turned around, his gaze sharp, "Xiao Feng has been training his body since childhood, so his foundation is solid. If he goes to the world of high martial arts, as long as he doesn't act rashly, surviving won't be a problem."

"But that's a world of high-level martial arts! There are powerful figures who can fly and escape into the earth, and there are ultimate techniques that can split mountains and cleave rivers..."

Zhang Hui's tears fell again. "What use are all his skills over there?"

Luo Zhenshan remained silent for a moment, then walked to the sofa and sat down next to his wife.

He reached out and gently patted her shoulder. "Xiao Hui, I know you're worried."

His voice lowered, "But our son is no longer the child who needs our protection."

"He's over there; he'll either succeed or... In short, since he's chosen that path, he has to walk it himself!"

Zhang Hui covered her face, her shoulders trembling.

"I just want him to come back alive... I don't care whether he succeeds or not..."

Luo Zhenshan didn't say anything, but patted her shoulder again.

His gaze fell on the window, looking into the distance.

My son has spent decades in the world of martial arts.

He believed his son would definitely come back alive!

I wonder what his current strength is like? What will he bring back? Will he give me a surprise?

……

A detached courtyard house in the west of the city.

In the Chen family's tea room, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it couldn't mask the oppressive atmosphere.

Chen Jinyan sat at the tea table, the purple clay teapot in front of him had been empty for a long time, but he had no interest in refilling it.

Grandpa Chen sat in the main seat with his eyes closed, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest in a somewhat disordered rhythm.

"School starts tomorrow, another day of departure."

Chen Jinyan spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse: "The arrangements for all the eligible children in the family have been made. Three from the direct line and seven from the collateral line—they're all being sent to the Immortal Demon World to give it their all!"

Old Master Chen didn't open his eyes: "As long as it's arranged, that's fine."

"Father……"

Chen Jinyan hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Bei Xuan will be back the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, my grandson is coming back."

Old Master Chen's tone softened. "He went to the world of immortals; it's an achievement that he came back alive. But..."

He paused, his voice lowering, "Ever since Shi Hao overturned the table, the whole world knows about the existence of the Immortal-Demon World. No matter how strong the High Immortal World is, can it be stronger than the Immortal Realm? Can it be stronger than the Demon Realm?"

"Even if Bei Xuan were to cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage and return, in the past, that would have been a momentous event, bringing glory to his ancestors!"

"But what about now?"

"The mortality rate in the Immortal Realm is 60%, and in the Demon Realm it's 95%—but if anyone manages to return alive, they are at the level of an immortal!"

"What are Nascent Soul cultivators compared to immortals? Mere ants!"

Chen Jinyan clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, drawing out thin streams of blood.

Old Master Chen closed his eyes. "No matter what level of cultivation he has when he returns, no matter what he brings back, it's no longer enough for the Chen family to take off. The future of the Chen family lies in the children of tomorrow."

Silence fell over the tea room.

The sandalwood incense smoke rose gently and slowly dispersed in the air.

No one spoke anymore.

……

On the edge of the old town, Lao Meng's convenience store.

The roller shutter door was half-closed, and the sign outside had been replaced with a new one.

The five characters on the signboard had been repainted and gleamed cleanly in the morning light.

The steps at the entrance have also been repaired and are no longer bumpy.

A little over a year ago, this small shop was on the verge of closing down.

After Meng Chuan chose the prehistoric world, Wang Xiulan fell ill and could not get out of bed. Meng Shanhe had no heart to manage the shop, the shelves were covered in dust, and there were hardly any customers.

When neighbors pass by, they all sigh and shake their heads.

But slowly, the store came back to life.

Despite her illness, Wang Xiulan meticulously cleaned the shop, bit by bit.

Meng Shanhe restocked the shelves and filled them with goods.

My daughter, Meng Xiaoyu, has been on summer vacation for a while now. She helps out at the store, wiping the shelves and collecting money.

Business wasn't great, but we were just barely making ends meet.

There's no way around it; life goes on. We can't just abandon everything because our son had an accident.

"Mom, I'm going out for a bit. I'm meeting up with a classmate to go shopping."

Meng Xiaoyu came out from the inner room.

She has grown taller than a year ago, and her face has filled out a bit; she is no longer so thin.

Wang Xiulan was arranging merchandise in front of the shelves when she heard this. She turned around and said, "Be careful on the road. Are you coming back for lunch?"

"Let's go back." Meng Xiaoyu nodded, walked to the door, then stopped. She turned back to her mother: "Mom, the day after tomorrow... let's go to the Second Middle School to wait for my brother... what if a miracle happens?"

Wang Xiulan paused in her movements.

"Mmm." She lowered her head and continued tidying the shelves, her voice trembling slightly. "Let's go. Let's all go."

Meng Xiaoyu didn't say anything more, turned around and left.

Wang Xiulan stood in front of the shelf, clutching a packet of instant noodles in her hand, not putting it down for a long time.

She remembered that blindingly bright morning a year ago, the golden light that shot into the sky, her son's blurry figure in the golden light, and the last look he gave her.

Wang Xiulan closed her eyes and put the packet of instant noodles back on the shelf.

She took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the counter.

Behind the counter, Meng Shanhe was sitting there, holding a rag in his hand, unconsciously wiping a glass.

His temples had turned much whiter, and the wrinkles around his eyes had deepened, but his eyes were no longer as empty as they had been a year ago.

"Shanhe," Wang Xiulan said as she walked up to him, "we're going to No. 2 Middle School the day after tomorrow morning."

Meng Shanhe looked up at her, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"it is good."

He placed the glass back on the counter, nodded in response, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes at that opportune moment.

What if a miracle really happens?