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

As time went on, more and more people gathered around the playground.

Meng Chuan's father, Meng Shanhe, stood in an inconspicuous corner outside the fence, wearing a faded shirt and carrying a plastic bag containing several bottles of water and a pack of biscuits.

As the time drew closer, his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

Wang Xiulan stood beside him, wearing a clean, plain-colored coat, her hair neatly combed.

Her face was still somewhat pale, and she was much thinner than a year ago, but her back was very straight.

Meng Xiaoyu stood between the two, one hand on her mother's arm and the other clutching the hem of her clothes.

They arrived the earliest, before dawn.

Without disturbing anyone or greeting anyone, I simply found a corner and stood there quietly, waiting.

As more people gathered around, some noticed them, their eyes filled with pity, and they whispered among themselves:

"Those are the family members of Meng Chuan, a student from Class 7 of Grade 11 who was selected last year for the 'Primordial World' competition, right?"

"Oh, what a pity. Such a good child, why did he choose the primordial world?"

"I heard his mother was seriously ill last year and only recently recovered."

"Today is Homecoming Day. Other families are here to pick up their children, but they...sigh, they're here waiting for someone who will never come back."

"Stop talking, it's painful to listen to."

The sounds weren't loud, but they felt like tiny needles piercing my ears.

Meng Xiaoyu gripped the hem of her clothes even tighter, her nails almost digging into her flesh.

She didn't turn around or argue; she just pursed her lips and stared at the center of the playground, at the spot where her brother had left a year ago.

Wang Xiulan sensed the change in her daughter and gently squeezed her hand.

"fine."

Her voice was soft but steady, because she had prepared herself for the worst.

Meng Xiaoyu nodded, without letting go of her mother's hand.

Ye Chen's camera, at some point, landed on these three figures.

He looked at the family of three through the viewfinder, his gaze lingering on their faces for a few seconds before he looked away—

Suddenly, his pupils contracted sharply!

What did he see?

Above the heads of these three people, a surge of energy rose, like a rainbow or a rosy cloud, so dense it was frightening!

Good omen!

Ye Chen's finger hovered over the shutter button, but he didn't press it.

He put down the camera, squinted, and looked at the three people again.

That's right!

This family of three is blessed with great fortune; it's clearly an auspicious sign!

This kind of good fortune is usually only seen in people who are about to have a major happy event...

But what happy occasion could they possibly have?!

Their family member, Meng Chuan, chose the prehistoric world a year ago, a death trap where no one had survived for eight hundred years...

They came here today to wait for someone who will never come back!

But why is their luck so strong?

"Could it be that my bold guess just now was right...?"

"Can that boy named Meng Chuan really return from the primordial world?"

Ye Chen remained silent for a moment, then picked up the camera again and pointed the lens at the three people once more.

He didn't press the shutter button, he just watched...

Through the lens, I saw the intense, almost burning aura of fortune above their heads, and the calm yet hopeful expressions on their faces.

You know, the thought that Meng Chuan might return was just a bold guess, but he quickly suppressed it, thinking it was unlikely.

After all, no one has ever returned from that place. Even if someone did return, how could they possibly happen to appear in Cloud City? And right in front of him?

What a coincidence!

He felt that the reason he suffered a backlash might be for other reasons...

For example, after Meng Chuan entered the prehistoric world, he was easily killed by beings above the level of Great Luo Golden Immortal.

He went to calculate Meng Chuan, which involved that Great Luo Golden Immortal, and that's why he suffered a backlash.

But now it seems that might not be the case...

"interesting."

Ye Chen put down the camera, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

He didn't tell his assistant what he had seen, nor did he go over to talk to the family of three.

He simply repositioned the camera, adjusted the focus, and aimed it at the center of the playground.

Then, he glanced at his watch.

8:43 AM.

Less than twenty minutes until the return!

……

A world of low-level martial arts.

The Great Zhou Dynasty, Qingzhou, Yunya Mountain.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and the mountains were filled with the damp scent of earth.

Dewdrops slid off the blades of grass and seeped into the soil at our feet.

Xiao Yan knelt before a grave, his knees soaked in the wet mud, but he was completely unaware.

The grave was new, without a tombstone or incense, only a towering mound of yellow earth and a deep indentation left by a deep bow.

He had been kneeling in front of the grave all night.

"Godfather".

His voice was hoarse, as if something was blocking his throat, "I'm going back."

"Fifteen years ago..."

He said, "You saved me from the clutches of bandits, gave me a second life, and went to great lengths to teach me martial arts and help me succeed..."

"But I will ultimately fail to live up to your expectations!"

He lowered his head and looked at his calloused hands.

Those hands, which could not even hold a knife properly before, can now shatter bluestone with a single palm and break wooden stakes with a single finger!

The innate vital energy flows continuously through the meridians.

Early stage of innate nature!

In a low-level martial arts world, this level of skill would place one at the pinnacle of martial arts.

Even looking at the past eight hundred years on Earth, among those who returned alive from low-level martial arts worlds, no more than ten people were able to reach the Innate Realm.

But he knew that this was not what his godfather wanted.

His adoptive father wanted him to become a grandmaster, to make the Iron Sword Sect regret their decision, and to let Su Qingyue know that the boy she had rejected back then was not a good-for-nothing!

"I don't have time."

Xiao Yan's voice lowered even further, "I can no longer stay in this world to bring you honor."

He was silent for a long time.

"sorry."

As he uttered those three words, his forehead slammed heavily against the muddy ground.

Boom!

A dull thud.

My forehead was pressed against the soil, and the icy touch seeped into my bones through my skin.

He didn't get up immediately, but just lay there, as if he was taking one last moment to feel the warmth of this mountain and this land.

After a long while, he straightened up and wiped his face.

When he stood up, his knees felt a little numb. He swayed for a moment, but then regained his balance.

He took one last look at the grave.

Then, the sky brightened!

A blazing white beam of light descended from the heavens, piercing through the morning mist and enveloping him!

The light was dazzling, but not scorching.

A warm power enveloped his body, as if an invisible hand was gently lifting him up from this land.

Xiao Yan did not struggle.

He took one last look at Yunya Mountain, one last look at the small courtyard at its foot where he had lived for fifteen years, and one last look at the tree in the courtyard—

Under the tree, my godfather used to sit on the stone bench drinking, while he squatted beside him eating a steamed bun.

Then, he disappeared!

A white beam of light shot into the sky, disappeared into the depths of the clouds, and vanished!

From then on, silence returned to the grave.