Why did the Reincarnator name this realm as Returning Home?
Coming from the essence, directly pointing to the essence, holding authority, perhaps, indeed, the word "home" can describe it.
But does it hold a lot of longing, and that unachievable desire?
"I have the chance to step forward; I can blend into the universe, become a living immortal in this world, free and unrestrained, but I hope that, through my step, the sword points to Tai Sui, helping you find the way home..."
"This step can merge with the universe, so why can't it also merge with Tai Sui?"
"..."
Returning Home is merely a realm, it's the non-divine end, the end of the bridge, the step into the other shore.
Hence, Returning Home only has to connect with the essence, merely touching the point of origin.
Theoretically, this home can be the universe, or it can be Tai Sui.
In my mind, I've considered the feasibility countless times since entering the Netherworld Palace.
The path of cultivation is the return to essence, the process of mastering essence, and hence, when it comes to Returning Home, Reincarnators and natives have different paths.
Natives' Returning Home is to return to the Eight Sceneries of Netherworld, thereby mastering the Eight Sceneries, and then can become the living immortals of this world.
Reincarnators cannot return home because when they do, they'll return to Tai Sui, then be controlled by Tai Sui.
But I'm an exception...
In the laughter, his Divine Soul shed, revealing the Lifebound Spirit Temple, which was once a dilapidated spiritual temple, but with the growth of his cultivation, baptized by Purple Qi, it's become sacred, resilient, more steadfast even compared to Brother Er Guotou.
And in the Lifebound Spirit Temple, the Divine Statue has already become himself, it's a unique existence belonging to Tai Sui, yet independent.
"This step can retreat into the universe, or enter Tai Sui to see the essence..."
"..."
Lao Junmei once gave this Lifebound Spirit Temple as a gift to me, and now, it's become a seed of hope.
With increasing determination, the Lifebound Spirit Temple charged towards the boundless darkness and eerie forces, blocking endless tentacles and eldritch phenomena, always moving forward, rushing into the vast darkness, then, the Divine Soul merged into the Divine Statue, then emerged...
In the distance, on Naihe Bridge, the State Preceptor watched him take this step, now roaring, furious, but finally sat weakly on the ground, laughed bitterly.
However, Hu Ma felt incredibly resolute.
Retreating this step, then it's the universe, then immortality, then everything that's ultimately achievable.
Yet, stepping towards Tai Sui, is void, something unseen by anyone, unimaginable results, possibly even despair, eternal punishment, yet he must take this step.
Simply because, retreating this step, he'd become a living immortal, this world would achieve perfection, while those reincarnators would be buried in desolate lands.
The opportunity to step into Returning Home is rare, perhaps since the beginning of the universe, this is the only chance, and for me, there's not much hope of achieving Returning Home through Tai Sui, although theoretically possible, Tai Sui is too mysterious, bizarre.
If speaking of success rate, perhaps less than one percent?
But it's enough, because if I don't take this step, those reincarnators wouldn't even have this one percent chance...
When considering this decision, Hu Ma didn't feel panic or confusion when stepping into the mysterious unknown, only sheer determination, even his face carried a smile.
"Sizzle!"
The endless darkness surged ahead.
In the darkness, it seemed there were endless tentacles, eerie, mad, and desperate.
Hu Ma prepared for everything, ready for death and the dispersal of his soul, prepared for nothing but endless darkness ahead, and forever, there'd only be endless darkness.
But even he didn't expect...
When he stepped out, suddenly witnessed a scene he had never imagined.
He saw, in the boundless dark suddenly appeared numerous Lifebound Spirit Temples, like flames in the dark, suddenly appearing beside him.
Some near, some far, then, from these Lifebound Spirit Temples, one by one, figures emitting golden light, whether familiar or strange, appeared by his side, joining him, emerging from the human world, arriving at the junction of universe and Tai Sui.
All around, Hu Ma saw familiar faces, Tieguanyin, Miss White Wine, curious Sweet Potato, Floral Carving Wine, Old Sorghum, Miss Red Wine, Bamboo Leaf Green, Yubing Shao, all the reincarnators still present in this world had already appeared here.
Little lights, like lamps in the dark night...
Pairs of eyes from the darkness looked at him, faces smiling: "In the end, the most courageous one is Old White..."
"You dared to take this step."
"None but you dared to take this step..."
"Since you have the courage to take this step, then we, why not spend our last strength to walk with you one more time?"
"..."
Faces filled with expectation and smiles appeared in front of him, hands reached out to Hu Ma.
Their light, though weak, at this moment, even illuminated the boundless dark, paving the road pointing straight to Tai Sui.
