Chương 308: The Lone Wanderer Returns

The last rays of sunset painted the western sky in brilliant hues of orange and purple as Han Renyi finished his daily meditation atop the Emerald Summit. A cool breeze rustled through his dark hair, now grown long enough to be tied back with a simple jade clasp, a small luxury he would never have afforded himself a year ago. Breathing deeply, he opened his eyes and watched as the first stars began to appear in the darkening sky. One year.

It had been one full year since his mysterious master had departed, leaving Han Renyi with a cultivation technique beyond anything the Three-Leaf Clover Sect possessed and a truth so profound he sometimes still woke in cold sweats, wondering if it had all been a fever dream.

"The Starhaven Realm is actually the Celestial Sovereign's inner world." The words echoed in his mind as they had countless times since that night. His entire world, the cities, the mountains, the seas, everything he had ever known, was merely the inner landscape of a dead cultivator of unimaginable power. And somewhere beyond, a greater world existed, the true cultivation world where his master had returned.

Han Renyi rose from his cross-legged position, dusting off his green robes emblazoned with the golden insignia of a Legacy Disciple. The promotion still felt strange, almost undeserved, though his family had celebrated for three days when the Sect Master himself had delivered the news.

"Young Master Han," Li Jie had said with unusual deference, "your remarkable cultivation progress have earned you the rank of Legacy Disciple. The sect will continue to invest in your advancement." Han Renyi smiled faintly at the memory. Both he and the Sect Master knew the real reason for his promotion, which was fear. Fear of the mysterious masked cultivator who had humiliated the Seventh Ancestor and claimed Han Renyi as his disciple.

Though his "master" had been absent for a year, no one in the sect dared to treat Han Renyi with anything less than perfect respect.

"Remarkable cultivation progress," he murmured, stretching his arms toward the heavens. That part, at least, hadn't been mere political maneuvering. The Nine-Life Immortal Tree Technique had propelled his advancement at a pace that had left the entire sect speechless. From a struggling Tier 1 Rouqin to Tier 3 in a single year, progress that would normally take decades if not centuries. Han Renyi focused inward, feeling the rouqi circulating through his meridians.

Unlike the crude, stuttering flow he'd struggled with before meeting his master, the energy now moved with steady purpose, guided by the principles of the Nine-Life Immortal Tree. In his mind's eye, he could see his cultivation core: a miniature tree with nine delicate branches, each representing one of the nine "lives" the technique promised. The first three branches glowed with a soft emerald light, signifying his breakthrough to Tier 3. The remaining six remained dormant, waiting for future advancement.

Han Renyi had discovered the technique's true power almost by accident, three months after his master's departure. During a training exercise that went wrong, he'd been struck by a formation backlash that should have crippled him permanently. Instead, the first branch of his inner tree had flared brilliantly, channeling healing energy throughout his body. When he awoke two days later, he found himself not only recovered but stronger, his cultivation base noticeably expanded.

The breakthrough to Tier 2 had followed soon after, and just last month, he'd ascended to Tier 3.

"Elder Mo says I have wood affinity beyond anything he's seen before," Han Renyi whispered to himself, a small, secret smile playing across his lips. If only they knew that the technique came from beyond their dying realm altogether. The thought sobered him. Dying realm. Though he kept the knowledge to himself, Han Renyi had begun to notice the signs his master had mentioned. The ever-so-slightly thinner rouqi in the air each season. The unusual weather patterns.

The increasing reports of failed harvests from the outlying provinces. The world was indeed slowly decaying, though it might take centuries or even millennia to fully collapse. He sighed, starting down the winding path that led back to the sect compound. Lanterns had been lit along the way, their soft glow guiding his steps as twilight deepened into night. The familiar sounds of disciples practicing formations and sword techniques drifted up from the training grounds below.

Han Renyi's thoughts turned to his family as they often did during his evening walks. His father, Han Zhongwei, had leveraged his son's newfound status to rebuild the Han family fortunes. Their silk trade now extended to three neighboring provinces, and their compound in Blue Horizon City had been expanded and renovated. His sister, Qingyi, had finally been permitted to begin her own cultivation journey, a privilege previously unthinkable for a merchant family daughter.

Though her progress was modest, the pride in her eyes whenever she showed Han Renyi a newly mastered technique was worth more than all the status his position had brought.

"Young Master Han!" Han Renyi turned to see a junior disciple hurrying up the path, nearly tripping over his own robes in his haste. He recognized the boy, Liu Kang, one of the many who had sought to curry favor with him after his promotion.

"Disciple Liu," he acknowledged with a slight nod.

"What brings you up the Emerald Summit at this hour?" The boy bowed deeply, catching his breath.

"Your honored father has arrived at the sect, Young Master Han. He awaits you in the Greeting Pavilion." Han Renyi raised an eyebrow. His father rarely visited the sect, preferring to keep business and cultivation matters separate.

"Did he mention his purpose?"

"Only that it concerned family matters of some urgency, Young Master."

"Thank you for delivering the message. You may go." As the junior disciple scurried away, Han Renyi quickened his pace down the mountain path. Family matters of urgency could mean many things, but his mind immediately went to his sister. Had something happened to Qingyi? The Greeting Pavilion stood near the sect's main entrance, a hexagonal structure with a gently curved roof supported by carved wooden pillars. Han Renyi found his father seated at a stone table, a pot of fragrant tea steaming before him.

"Father," Han Renyi said, bowing respectfully. Han Zhongwei looked up, his face breaking into a smile. Though only in his fifties, the past decade had aged him considerably. Still, prosperity had restored some of his former vigor, and tonight he seemed almost youthful in his excitement. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Renyi, my son. Come, sit. I have wonderful news." Han Renyi took the seat opposite his father, relief washing over him. Whatever had brought his father here, it clearly wasn't a tragedy.

"Is all well with Qingyi?" he asked, accepting the cup of tea his father poured.

"Your sister is in perfect health. In fact, this concerns her future." Han Zhongwei leaned forward, lowering his voice despite their privacy.

"The Feng family of Eastern Cloud Province has proposed a marriage alliance." Han Renyi nearly choked on his tea.

"The Feng family? The ones who control the jade mines?" His father nodded, eyes gleaming.

"The very same. Their second son, Feng Liang, has reached Tier 2 cultivation and seeks a partner with wood affinity to complement his earth techniques. When they heard of our family's rising fortune and your sister's cultivation progress..." He spread his hands.

"It's an opportunity beyond what we could have dreamed just a year ago." Han Renyi set down his cup, mind racing. The Feng family stood among the wealthiest merchant clans in three provinces. Such an alliance would cement the Han family's restoration and provide Qingyi with security and cultivation resources for decades to come. Yet the memory of Zhou Shentong's similar "proposal" from a year ago lingered like a bad taste.

"And Qingyi's wishes?" he asked carefully. His father's expression softened.

"I've raised no fool, son. After... last year's events, I would never force your sister into an unwanted match." He sipped his tea.

"Feng Liang visited our compound last month. They met several times under proper supervision. She finds him agreeable, handsome, well-mannered, and apparently quite talented at poetry." Han Renyi relaxed slightly.

"You came all this way to tell me of a marriage proposal?"

"I came because Feng Liang wishes to meet you before finalizing their offer. As Legacy Disciple of the Three-Leaf Clover Sect and Qingyi's brother, your approval carries weight." Han Zhongwei smiled wryly.

"And perhaps the Feng family hopes your connection might benefit their son's cultivation as well."

"Ah. There it is." Han Renyi couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him.

"And when is this meeting to take place?"

"In three days at our compound in the city. I've arranged for your leave from the sect already." Han Zhongwei reached across the table, gripping his son's hand.

"Renyi... thank you. For everything you've done for our family." Han Renyi squeezed his father's hand in return.

"We are Han. Family before all." After his father departed, Han Renyi decided against returning his quarters. Instead, he wandered the moonlit gardens of the sect, mind whirling with thoughts of his sister's future and the strange path his own life had taken. Would his master approve of how he'd used the gifts he'd been given? Han Renyi had tried to balance advancement with responsibility, never forgetting that his power came not from his own genius but from knowledge beyond his realm's understanding.

As midnight approached, Han Renyi found himself drawn to the Ancestor's Tree at the heart of the sect grounds. The massive tree stood sentinel as it had for millennia, its ancient branches spreading like protective arms over the meditation platforms below. Since his master's visit, the tree had flourished with new growth, its leaves a more vibrant green than anyone in the sect could remember. Han Renyi placed his palm against the rough bark, feeling the subtle pulse of life within.

Sometimes, when he meditated here, he thought he could sense a faint connection to something greater, it reminded him of his master.

"I wonder if I'll ever see you again," he murmured to the empty air. The sky above was clear, stars glittering like scattered diamonds across the velvet darkness. Han Renyi tilted his head back, searching the constellations. His master had come from beyond those stars, from beyond reality as Han Renyi understood it. A flicker of movement caught his eye. Something was moving among the stars, a light that hadn't been there before. Han Renyi frowned, tracking its progress across the night sky.

Not a shooting star; it moved too deliberately, its path curving rather than straight. The light grew larger, brighter, descending toward the sect grounds. Han Renyi's heart began to pound. Could this be some sort of treasure? The light touched down on the path before the Ancestor Tree, solidifying into a familiar figure. A young man with an otherworldly grace, surrounded by a faint aura that hinted at powers beyond Han Renyi's comprehension.

"Master Ling?" Han Renyi called hesitantly, taking a step forward. The figure smiled, and even in the dim garden light, Han Renyi could see those distinctive eyes that had once looked out from his own face.

"Hello, Han Renyi," Ke Yin said, his voice carrying the same gentle authority Han Renyi remembered.

"You've grown stronger since we last met." Han Renyi found himself speechless, a thousand questions crowding his mind. After a year of silence, of wondering if he'd ever see his mysterious benefactor again, the sudden appearance felt almost dreamlike.

"I... you're really here?" he finally managed, his voice smaller than he'd intended.

"It's been so long, I wasn't sure if you would return." Ke Yin nodded, his expression turning apologetic.

"Time flows differently between realms. What felt like a year to you has been... well, complicated for me." He gestured around the garden.

"I see you've put my teachings to good use. Your aura has the distinct resonance of Tier 3. Impressive progress." Pride bloomed in Han Renyi's chest at the praise.

"The Nine-Life Immortal Tree Technique you gave me, it's remarkable. I've been careful not to share its specifics, as you instructed."

"Good," Ke Yin replied, stepping closer. The mystical aura surrounding him seemed to interact with the garden plants, causing flowers to gently sway toward him as if drawn by some invisible force.

"Your discretion serves you well." Han Renyi had a thousand things he wanted to say, a year's worth of discoveries and questions, but Ke Yin's next words caught him completely off guard.

"I need to ask something of you, Han Renyi," Ke Yin said, his tone shifting to something more serious.

"Something similar to what I requested when we first met." Han Renyi felt a chill that had nothing to do with the night air.

"You... need my body again?" Ke Yin nodded, his expression sympathetic but determined.

"Just temporarily. There's something I need to accomplish here in the Starhaven Realm, and I cannot manifest physically without a vessel."

"Is it dangerous?" Han Renyi asked, trying to keep his voice steady. A slight smile crossed Ke Yin's face.

"Not in the way you might think. I need to speak with someone who can help me access certain resources. Resources that could benefit both of us." Han Renyi hesitated, memories of his previous experience as a passenger in his own body rising unbidden. The helplessness. The strange intimacy of sharing consciousness with another being. The disorientation when control had been returned to him.

But he also remembered everything that had come after, the power, the knowledge, the elevation of his family from near-ruin to prosperity. His rapid advancement through the cultivation tiers. And most of all, the safety he felt. Everything he had now, he owed to the being standing before him.

"I... I'll do it," Han Renyi said, his voice stuttering slightly despite his best efforts.

"Thank you," his master smiled.

"This means more than you know." Before Han Renyi could respond, Ke Yin stepped forward, his form becoming translucent as he reached toward Han Renyi's chest. The sensation was both familiar and strange, a cool pressure followed by a rush of awareness as another consciousness settled alongside his own. For a moment, Han Renyi felt a disorienting double vision, seeing both through his eyes and somehow outside himself. Then his perception shifted, and he was watching as his body moved without his command.

Ke Yin rolled Han Renyi's shoulders and flexed his arms, moving with careful precision as he adjusted to the borrowed form.

"It's been a while," he whispered, and Han Renyi could feel his own lips forming the words.

"Your body has grown stronger. The cultivation technique is integrating beautifully with your meridians." Is that good? Han Renyi thought, discovering that mental communication was still possible between them. Very good, came Ke Yin's reply. It means you've been practicing correctly. Ke Yin tilted Han Renyi's head back, gazing up at the star-filled sky of the Starhaven Realm. A look of determination settled over his features.

"Astralis," he called out, his voice resonating with a strange power that Han Renyi had never been able to produce on his own.

"I've returned. We need to talk." For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the air before them seemed to ripple and crack. Reality itself appeared to shatter like glass, revealing a swirling vortex of light. Han Renyi felt a sensation of falling, though his body remained standing. The garden vanished, replaced by an endless expanse that seemed composed of star-flecked darkness. At the center of this impossible space stood a young boy with stars shimmering in his hair.

His childlike face bore a cheeky smile that didn't quite match the power radiating from him.

"The lone wanderer returns," the boy laughed.

"And so quickly too."