"Where… am I?"
Lin Yuan opened his eyes, and this time the panic that had seized him before did not return. The strange sensation of being pulled into this place had already begun to feel familiar, and that realization was more unsettling than the fear itself.
He was floating in an endless sky, weightless like a drifting feather carried by an unseen current. In front of him stood a colossal silhouette—vast and divine, the same unfathomable being connected to the ominous eye.
But the giant was not looking at him.
Its gaze was fixed far below.
Why is he staring like that…?
Lin Yuan slowly turned his head, following that distant line of sight downward. The moment his eyes aligned with it, his thoughts froze completely.
"Eh!?"
He felt his tiny jaw drop so far it nearly fell off his face. At an immeasurable distance below him lay a sight that defied every notion of reality he had ever known.
Nine enormous landmasses stretched across existence itself, surrounded by a boundless sea that coiled around them like a living entity. Cutting through everything was a river so vast it looked capable of rivaling an entire world.
At the very center rested the largest of all continents. It was so titanic that even from this impossible height, it dominated his entire field of vision.
That central land was encircled by a strange, shimmering sea that pulsed faintly with light. From within it, a massive river system branched outward—nine colossal pathways flowing straight into the surrounding ocean.
From that ocean, nine more monumental rivers descended outward into the distance. Each one led to another landmass, slightly smaller than the central one, yet still so immense that calling them continents felt like an insult.
And those outer continents… each one held nine more branching rivers. The pattern repeated with an almost terrifying precision, like a structure carved into the laws of existence itself.
That's… way too big!
Back when he had lived as Li Chen, he had traveled into space during an exploration mission. He had seen Earth from orbit and witnessed its full shape against the void.
But compared to even the smallest of those outer continents… Earth was not merely small. It was microscopic.
And that central continent…
That thing looked larger than the sun itself.
Lin Yuan felt his consciousness tremble as the scale of it pressed against his understanding. Everything he knew felt insignificant in comparison.
Just… what kind of world have I been reborn into?
The vision did not last long. His surroundings began to blur and fade, the endless sky dissolving like mist as something pulled him away.
He was waking up.
This time, there was no panic. Only a dull ache in his limbs and a faint awareness of the familiar room around him.
Before he could even gather himself, the door creaked open. Three robed elders stepped inside, their presence immediately filling the space with quiet authority.
Behind them, Lin Xingyao was already awake, dressed, and standing stiffly. She held herself straight, trying her best to appear older than she truly was.
Elder Chen Yuan bowed his head softly. "Since you have agreed, we will be taking her now."
Liu Yulan inhaled shakily but still forced herself to nod. "We have come to the agreement that it will be for her benefit… going."
Elder Fang Rui chuckled, stroking his long beard with a knowing expression. "As we said before—hastiness leads to wrong decisions."
The third elder, Guo Ming, offered a reassuring smile, his demeanor calm and composed. "And as promised, Liu Yulan, from today onward you will be appointed as the Temple's new physician."
He turned to Lin Zheng next, his gaze steady and measured. "And you will serve as the Temple's new blacksmith."
Lin Zheng blinked, clearly startled by the sudden arrangement. "What about Old Master Han?"
The elders exchanged a brief, amused look before Guo Ming waved his hand dismissively. "The old man retired a few days ago."
A short, smooth laugh escaped the three elders, far too controlled to be spontaneous.
Lin Zheng straightened, then nodded firmly. "Then… I would be honored to accept."
"Good," Chen Yuan said warmly. "Tomorrow, someone from the Temple will guide you to your new home along the mountain path."
As he spoke, Fang Rui stepped forward, his tone softening slightly as he approached Lin Xingyao.
"Child. It is time."
Lin Xingyao took a trembling breath and turned toward her parents. She tried—so painfully hard—to appear brave, yet the fear in her eyes betrayed her.
Liu Yulan crouched down and kissed her forehead, her hands lingering in her daughter's hair as if unwilling to let go.
Lin Zheng placed a steady hand on her shoulder and nodded gently.
Finally, with one last wavering look, Lin Xingyao stepped forward.
Chen Yuan rested a hand on her back. "Fear not. You walk toward a bright future."
The elders turned as one, leading her toward the doorway with calm, measured steps.
The moment the door closed behind them, the house fell silent.
Lin Yuan watched everything from his cradle, his expression completely flat. Everyone around him was emotional, tense, and burdened with worry.
Meanwhile, he felt… nothing.
Lin Xingyao leaving did not affect him in the slightest. If anything, he felt relieved that the noisy girl would no longer hover over his basket, whispering things he had no interest in hearing.
He shifted his gaze lazily toward the ceiling beams, letting his thoughts drift. If she wanted to leave before sunrise to train under some powerful sect, that was her problem.
He had more pressing concerns.
Like learning how to hold his own head upright.
"…It feels too sudden," Liu Yulan let out a heavy sigh.
Lin Zheng lowered himself beside her, his movements calm but heavy. "She'll be safe. With her talent, she will be greatly valued… Besides, it's not like we can't watch over her there."
Liu Yulan nodded heavily. "I know. But knowing doesn't make it easier."
Lin Zheng placed a steady hand over hers, offering quiet reassurance. "We did what every parent would. We gave her the chance to soar. The rest is up to her."
Liu Yulan nodded faintly and looked toward Lin Yuan.
"At least… you're still here."
Lin Yuan blinked back at her with the blankest expression a baby could manage. His thoughts, however, were far less cooperative.
Please don't make this emotional. I just want a nap…
His body already felt heavy again, exhaustion creeping in like an unavoidable tide. This newborn body drained him far too easily, making even thinking feel like effort.
Liu Yulan managed a weak smile despite everything.
Lin Zheng leaned back, staring at the ceiling as if trying to steady himself. "Tomorrow morning… everything changes. New home, new duties, new life."
If the world was changing, Lin Yuan had no intention of keeping up with it.
He fully intended to sleep through as much of it as possible.
Lin Yuan closed his eyes, done with everything, and drifted back to sleep without a shred of concern.
---
He was there again.
The same endless sky stretched around him, silent and boundless. The familiar weightlessness returned, as if he had never left.
The colossal figure still stood before him.
But this time, it was no longer looking downward.
Its chin was raised, its gaze fixed upward toward something unseen.
Lin Yuan hesitated for a brief moment, unease stirring faintly within him. Then, unable to resist, he followed that gaze.
His breath—if such a thing even existed in this place—almost stopped.