I decided to run away... Ahem, I mean to go to a secret realm because my fame made me lose my peaceful life in AnNan city.

I was not bragging here! I was also the first cultivator of my continent to reach Nihility since my ancestor’s time. It also took decades but most of those who tried my cultivation techniques wanted to be my disciples.

Everyday, I had jade messages filling my desk with meeting requests to talk about coaching or being invited as an elder to one sect or another. None could understand my rejections and some just didn't want to take no as an answer. My peaceful life was gone because of them! 

So when Sun ChengLi¹Formerly known as Wu ChengLi and Li-er suggested we try our luck in a secret realm, I accepted without thinking. It was a realm I calculated its opening a few weeks before Aunt Sun’s wedding. It opened every millennia for 75 years. Only Nihility cultivators could enter and there was an entrance on every continent. We already knew the location of portals in Greenwood and Golden Tree continents and we picked the Greenwood one assuming we would be the only ones to use it. 

Being away from my family and friends for 75 years was long enough to expect changes. I also had some worse case scenarios running in my head so I took my time tying loose ends. I transferred the mine ownership to the Li boys. I promised grandma Li to take care of them and could do so only financially from now on. They were both grown ups and powerful enough to protect themselves. They were already married and had children so I considered my promise fulfilled. 

Xie-er was an adult that was about to get married and had his parents' backing. I still gave him my residence to start his new family. Independence was important especially when your father was the 2nd cultivator to reach the Nihility stage in this continent after me. He also hired attendant Wen who previously took over the Li boys' job when they moved out²Attendant Wen was assigned to serve MC during his 1st mission making arrays in villages before the freezing winter        

Sui-er took over part of his father’s empire. As expected, uncle Qin never married but he was a happy grandfather who enjoyed cooking for his grandchildren. I gave them a copy of some protection arrays I created, they would help share them thanks to the father-son fleets. I learned from my mistakes and told them I found them by luck

Jiang-ge was promoted to head disciple in his sect and was working hard to get stronger. He turned into a martial art fanatic but he agreed to take a break to visit me before I left.

For my goodbyes, aunt Yan organized a banquet for family and close friends only. At the end of it, I took a last look at the people who supported and - unknowingly³Uncle Huai and Aunt Yan never knew they saved MC from evil immortal fragment at the beginning of the story - save me before turning back and leaving quickly. No banquet was eternal.

It was hard but not too hard. Everyone grew up and lived the life they were meant to.   

...

I met Sun ChengLi halfway through the trip as he also went to say his goodbyes to his family. Over the years, his mother and stepfather gave him 2 siblings surnamed Qing. 

On our way to the portal of the secret realm, I remembered my bracelet; the Heavenly artifact. Ji FangFang told me that it was meant to stay in this plane. It reached 80 times the speed but except for sleeping and sometimes closed door cultivation, I did not use it much anymore. Anyway, the multi-root technique made my body automatically collect and purify most of the spiritual energy around me and the extra work I had to do once in a while was to tweak the rotation angle of my spiritual roots.

Before, ascension was not my dream but now that my peace was disturbed because of over eager cultivators and most of my close relations were happily living their lives, I found the possibility not so bad. 

With my technique, and my luck, there was a tiny chance for me to ascend in the secret realm. A tiny chance was still a chance so I could not take the bracelet with me. 

My ancestor gave this bracelet to her family before ascension and that turned into a curse that almost wiped her descendants. I could not take that chance. 

To avoid hurting my loved ones, I simply erased my energy from the bracelet to turn it ownerless and dropped it in the middle of a lake on the way. I had no regrets. If I came back, I would collect it. Otherwise, let fate decide on its next owner... 

Thanks to ChengLi urging me, we arrived on time and entered the secret realm without issues

Despite my previous preparations, I did not expect much from this realm except for staying alive. The energy here was abundant and I used it to cultivate and practice array making level 10. I could try level 11 when I reached the middle stage and level 12 at the late stage of Nihility. I was enjoying the creation process but Sun ChengLi preferred fighting beasts so he left me at my own device often. To exercise, I joined him once in a while. It was during one of those sessions that I met her.

…

The beast was refusing to die, I was regenerating my arm that it tore minutes ago while Sun ChengLi was stalling it to give me time to heal. I did it quickly but before I had the chance to join the fight, a blue fire hit the beast and burned it to crisp. 

“Sorry boys, you were too slow so I lost patience” said a female voice.

I turned to see a mid-stage Nihility cultivator in a blue robe. No extra jewelry or makeup. Her hair was not tied, she let it run wild and free. Her phoenix eyes did not hide her intelligence and a sparkle I could not understand. Though, she did show us a smug smile while waiting for our reply. 

She was the most beautiful woman I ever seen

I unfroze and bowed “Thank you my lady for your support. The beast core is yours”

It was the rule of any secret realm, the one who gave the coup-de-grace won the beast core. As she took our kill, she did not follow the other realm rule but neither ChengLi nor I minded.  

Sun ChengLi nodded his thanks for the help and consent to take the prize. In normal circumstances, our decision could be taken as a cowardly one but I suspected she observed us for a while and knew how strong we were. As for why she killed the beast, I hoped she felt bad that I was hurt and wanted to avenge me. 

In your dream Bai Yu Shin... I refrained from slapping myself to stop the stupid thought. She would take me for a fool if I did  

“I like you two. You are not like those cheap cultivators who scream thief whenever I save them. What are your names?”

“I am Bai Yu Shin and this is Sun ChengLi” I replied with a smile

“Nice to meet you two, I am Fei Hong. My father wanted a son but he got only me. After he left, I burned my uncle's as* when he tried to marry me off and I ended up in this realm” 

“What a unique way to introduce yourself” replied Sun ChengLi 

I ignored him. My heart started beating fast. She was so…Perfect! 

I tried to act cool and said “Make sense, I don’t understand forced marriages”

Sun ChengLi smirked at me. I knew that he knew and I gave him a look to tell him that I knew that he knew. 

STOP thinking useless things Bai YuShin and start talking to your GODDESS! I was not fast enough and ChengLi had to come to my rescue

“I had to break ties and change my surname for the same reason. I am here for practice and Bai YuShin is running away from over eager fans”   

For the first time, I wanted to hit ChengLi badly to shut him up. He made me into an arrogant and pompous celebrity!

I faked a cough and said “I am from Greenwood continent and Sun ChangLi is from the Golden Tree one. How about you?” I had to find her location in case she ran… ahem we lost track of her. Sh*t, now I was thinking like a stalker! 

Calm.down.YuShin.

“I was born on the Red Dragon continent. Wait, Bai Yu Shin from Greenwood continent? I seem to have heard of you but I forgot …” she said while trying to recall

“I am not that famous to be known that far away! I am sure you did not hear about me” I panicked. It was the first time I felt bad about any of my achievements. What if she thought I was really arrogant? 

She snapped her fingers “Ah! I know. My cousin is using your multi-root manual. With his body constitution, he can’t take pills of any sort and my aunt found your manual for him to use. He is the only cousin I can stand so I thank you on his behalf. Don’t let it go to your brain though. Your fight with that beast was pathetic at best” 

“Could you teach me then? Sun ChengLi is bad at coaching me” I lied. 

“Sure, you are the only two cultivators I met that I don’t mind following,” She replied.

While she was taking out the beast core, Sun ChengLi mouthed You owe me big  

I did owe him big for not contradicting me. From that day on, our duo team transformed into a trio that fought beasts and found treasures. 

30 years later, I was still pursuing Fei Hong when we found a cultivation cave that tested our abilities. It made all three of us ascend at the same time. 

Ascension was easier than changing the free spirit mind of Fei Hong but I had the rest of my immortal life to reach my goal. 

Luckily, we got married a decade after ascension and ChengLi found his soulmate not long after. I was able to return the favor then.

~~~~ 

Decades later, at the opening of a certain secret realm, a couple went out filled with pride for reaching the early stage of Nihility. They found an AnNan city guard waiting for them. He guided them to the city where they met the new City lord and his parents. 

On the way back, the guide told them that the city changed a lot since they left it. It increased in size by three fold when neighboring cities chose to merge with it. It was now the most prosperous city of the Greenwood continent.

“Yu Qing, Lady Bai, welcome back! Congratulations both on your breakthrough” said Huai WenXie, the former city lord⁴MC calls him uncle Huai. He was also at an early stage of Nihility but was closer to the middle stage than the couple in front of him. He got tired of playing the lord and transferred the position to his son to enjoy the retirement life with his wife. They considered it as an extended honeymoon since they canceled the first one due to their former responsibilities. 

They returned to the city only because their son told them that the Yu-Bai couple left the secret realm and on their way back. They owed Bai Yu Shin at least that.

“We should be the one congratulating you, Lord Huai, you are stronger than us,” said Yu Qing politely. 

“Please, your son called me 'uncle Huai' long enough for you to call me WenXie” 

“Shin-er called you uncle Huai? How is he?” asked Lady Bai. 

“Brother Shin ascended two decades ago,” replied Huai ShinXie. 

The couple was shocked. The City lord enjoyed telling them their son’s achievements.

Huai WenXie and Yan MeiMei then explained what happened with the Yu family and the secrets they tried to hide from them, including the origins of Yu Qing and patriarch Yu's betrayal. 

As for how they dealt with that information, it was not my problem. 

I was observing the group from the magical mirror I borrowed from Ji FangFang. I did expect my biological parents to be alive but I doubt they would ever ascend. Running away at a critical time and leaving their only child to fend for himself at a young age. All those decisions to pursue power. Those were some of the mistakes they made. As an immortal, I knew now that they chose the wrong path to the top.

Father, mother, we are fated to never meet again but I am happy you are still alive.