Chen Xingyun's eyelids twitched uncontrollably upon seeing the two mountain-like piles of Star Stone before him, almost making him leap into the air.
"Ning Beichen, did you go on a raid?"
After a long moment, Chen Xingyun recovered his senses and asked Ning Beichen.
"Raid? Master, don't joke. Where could I possibly find so much Star Stone to raid?"
Ning Beichen replied with a wry smile.
"Then where did all this Star Stone come from?"
Chen Xingyun asked him, utterly astonished. He found himself increasingly unable to understand his disciple. The mysterious flying craft, the black flood dragon, those devastatingly beautiful women, and his arrival in the Mortal Quenching Realm – all of it had left him profoundly shaken.
"It's what Yingying and I dug up from the mines in the Falling Star Sea when we were looking for you. Of course, some of it was also acquired from spoils," Ning Beichen replied respectfully, briefly recounting his and Luo Yingying's experiences in the Falling Star Sea.
It was then that Chen Xingyun realized how much hardship and danger his disciple had endured to find him, and his heart ached.
"Oh, right, Master. I also found your sword inside the red thundercloud layer."
Ning Beichen produced the shattered sword and handed it to Chen Xingyun. Upon seeing his broken sword, Chen Xingyun's hands trembled as he took it, and Ning Beichen even noticed his eyes were slightly red.
"Master, you always cherished this sword dearly. What exactly happened that day? Why is this sword in such a state?"
Ning Beichen asked cautiously.
"That day, I was searching for the Universe Sword. I didn't find the sword, only a branch of it. Unexpectedly, this branch had developed sentience. Afterward, I battled this branch, and this sword was shattered by it. It's a pity that in the end, despite all my efforts, I failed to kill Yu Huaxue," Chen Xingyun explained to Ning Beichen.
"So that's how it was. Master, if a mere branch of the Universe Sword could easily kill a Heavenly Venerable, then surely the true Universe Sword would be even more formidable?" Ning Beichen asked with great curiosity.
"The full name of the Universe Sword is the Cosmic Sword, a supreme treasure born at the beginning of the universe, capable of creating and destroying worlds. What do you think?" Chen Xingyun said.
"Holy hell! If I got the Universe Sword, wouldn't I be invincible?" Ning Beichen exclaimed excitedly.
"You wish. The power of the Universe Sword is beyond our conquest. With your cultivation, you would likely disintegrate into dust long before you even came within ten thousand meters of it," Chen Xingyun told him, simultaneously warning him to not harbor any thoughts about the Universe Sword.
Hearing his master's words sent a shiver down Ning Beichen's spine. He decided it was best to avoid provoking such a thing. If a mere branch could effortlessly slay a Heavenly Venerable, then for a minor figure like him, it was even more out of the question.
"By the way, Master, I overheard Yu Huaxue mentioning something about the child of Goddess Luo earlier..." Ning Beichen suddenly said.
Chen Xingyun fell into a rare, prolonged silence before finally speaking.
"Yu Huaxue wasn't wrong. You are indeed the child of Goddess Luo. You were the child I took from Goddess Luo's hands years ago. Goddess Luo is your mother. At that time, many people were pursuing me, and I was forced into the Black Abyss. However, we didn't die. Inside the Black Abyss, there was also an ancient path leading to another world. So, I took you and we survived in that world."
Although Chen Xingyun's explanation was brief, it was undeniably complex. The events and dangers he himself had faced were likely known only to him. Fortunately, he had survived, and that led to Ning Beichen's existence.
This was the first time Ning Beichen had learned about his origins from his master. He didn't appear particularly excited. He had no memory of that mother, and until today, he hadn't even known of a woman named Goddess Luo in this world.
"Master, what kind of woman was she?" Ning Beichen asked with some curiosity.
"She was a very good and kind woman, and the most beautiful woman in this world. The beauty of all other women combined wouldn't even be a hundredth of hers."
When speaking of Goddess Luo, Chen Xingyun sounded like a devout follower. Ning Beichen recognized that expression well; it was the look of a sycophant.
"Could it be... Master is an admirer of my mother?" Ning Beichen suddenly thought to himself, feeling a peculiar sensation.
"Master, then who killed her?" Ning Beichen continued to ask. Rationally, he felt no anger, as he had no impression of the woman his master described as heavenly beautiful, and therefore, no love or hate for her.
"She wasn't killed by anyone. She took her own life. No one would bear to kill her, except herself," Chen Xingyun said, his words filled with a certain melancholy.
"Why? Why did she commit suicide?" Ning Beichen's eyelids twitched upon seeing Chen Xingyun's expression.
"Damn it, it's confirmed. Master must be a total simp for my mother."
"It was because of your biological father. All because of him. If not for him, your mother wouldn't have fallen into depression and ultimately chosen to commit suicide."
Upon mentioning this, Chen Xingyun's expression turned furious, making Ning Beichen's eyelids twitch again. However, concerning his biological father, Ning Beichen felt no emotion or connection. It was as if he were discussing a stranger. Furthermore, he suspected that if his master truly was a simp for his mother, it would be best not to discuss his father with him. In the eyes of a simp, the goddess is never wrong; it's always the bad guys who seduce the goddess. Of course, it wasn't entirely true that Ning Beichen felt nothing for his parents. Even though he lacked affection for them and had no memories, he was, after all, their blood descendant. While he wasn't heartbroken, there was a sense of loss.
Before Ning Beichen could ask, Chen Xingyun began speaking about Ning Beichen's biological father himself.
"Master, are you saying my father is not from this world, but from a higher realm?" Ning Beichen asked, astonished after listening.
"Yes, otherwise, how could your mother have been deceived by that scoundrel?" Speaking of this, Chen Xingyun became visibly agitated, appearing ready to beat up Ning Beichen's biological father.
"His name is Ning Wuyi. Ning Beichen, you must remember this name. Perhaps in the future, you might have the chance to go to a higher realm and find your family," Chen Xingyun told Ning Beichen.
"Don't worry, Master. I won't look for them. Besides, I can barely figure out this world; I doubt I'll ever have the chance to go to a higher realm in this lifetime," Ning Beichen replied immediately.