The young man standing before Chen Tian was Tu Xue'er's father, Tu Yunfeng. Tu Yunfeng regarded Chen Tian with admiration, a peculiar feeling in his gaze. Chen Tian felt a prickle of unease, sensing a look akin to a father-in-law's. He stepped forward and calmly introduced himself, "Hello, my name is Chen Tian."
"Hello, I am Tu Yunfeng, Tu Xue'er's father. Please wait a moment while I disable the surrounding restrictions so you can enter. My daughter owes you a great deal of care."
Tu Yunfeng glared fiercely at Tu Xue'er and spoke again, "Next time, why were you thrown out of the small mountain village? Don't you know how dangerous it is outside? You must understand that our clan has no combat ability when leaving the village. Don't go out to play again. The village is large enough, and you have friends."
"Du Qing, I was just going out to take a look. After all, Grandpa always said the outside world is wonderful. I won't dare to do it again."
Tu Xue'er instantly transformed into a docile girl before Tu Yunfeng, her fingers nervously fiddling with each other. Tu Yunfeng couldn't muster any anger towards his daughter, merely issuing a verbal warning. Chen Tian observed the father-daughter interaction and smiled, thinking how good childhood was, free from worries. Unlike now, Chen Tian was bogged down by a myriad of troubles, with no time to rest.
"Right, it hasn't been long since I entered the game. Three months have passed in game time. I wonder how the real world is. I still have exams to take. I hope the cultivation world can hold on a little longer."
Chen Tian looked up at the sky. In the three months spent in the game, he had grown significantly. He was far more powerful now than he was three months ago. Chen Tian's strength was no longer what it used to be. The fusion progress had reached thirty percent. Through countless quests and fortuitous encounters within the game, Chen Tian had surpassed his past self.
However, what puzzled Chen Tian was that his Divine Realm and Cultivation Realm had experienced anomalies. Even China had undergone changes. How did beings not of this world enter? When the pact was signed, only the Heavenly Dao of the three worlds were involved. Currently, the Heavenly Dao of the three worlds were still dormant, waiting for the appointed time.
"Ahem, little brother Chen Tian, please wait. I will break the barrier for you right away so you can enter."
Tu Yunfeng noticed Chen Tian standing outside for a while. He clasped his hands together, performing mysterious hand seals, and wiggled his index and ring fingers. Golden mystical characters flowed out and entered the surrounding barrier. Chen Tian felt as if he had seen these golden characters somewhere before, a sense of familiarity. Yet, Chen Tian was certain he had never been to this place before, nor had he ever seen these characters or this small mountain village.
The moment the barrier dissolved, Tu Yunfeng's face became gaunt. He hurriedly said, "Little brother Chen Tian, hurry inside! The barrier will only last for five seconds after disappearing."
"Alright."
Chen Tian could tell that Tu Yunfeng had paid a price to dismantle the surrounding barrier. Chen Tian's figure flickered and he entered the mountain village. The instant he entered, the barrier reformed. Had Chen Tian been a second late, he would have been repelled by the barrier and isolated outside once more.
Cough, cough, cough!
With a series of coughs, Tu Yunfeng spat out several mouthfuls of blood. Tu Xue'er rushed to his side, patting his back to help. Just as Chen Tian was about to intervene to help Tu Yunfeng recover from his injuries, a series of willow branches swayed above Tu Yunfeng's head. They shed a special aura and airflow that enveloped his entire body. Tu Yunfeng's form became youthful again, his imposing aura restored. The damage he had just sustained was completely gone.
Chen Tian could hardly believe it. What were those willow branches? Tu Yunfeng had been on his last breath just moments ago, only to be revived in the next, with no trace of injury. What a terrifying recovery ability! Chen Tian became intrigued by these willow branches. However, he had no intention of competing for them. These were artifacts of the mountain village, and Chen Tian did not wish to be a brigand. He had his principles.
As Tu Yunfeng's injuries healed, the willow branches from above suddenly shot towards Chen Tian at an astonishing speed. Chen Tian was stunned. The willow branches reached him and instantly drilled into his body. While Chen Tian was still in a daze, he realized the branches had entered him.
Tu Yunfeng and Tu Xue'er stared at this scene with wide eyes. Recovering from their shock, they immediately knelt. Tu Yunfeng looked at Chen Tian with respect and adoration. As Chen Tian took a step forward, Tu Yunfeng spoke, "Tu Yunfeng, a resident of Original Mountain Village, pays his respects to the Master!"
"Tu Xue'er, a resident of Original Mountain Village, pays her respects to the Master."
Chen Tian was speechless at Tu Yunfeng and Tu Xue'er's words. How had he become their master? What was going on?
Chen Tian spoke, "What is happening? Xue'er, Elder Brother Yunfeng, please rise and speak. This is bewildering me."
At Chen Tian's words, Tu Yunfeng and Tu Xue'er rose after receiving his permission. Tu Yunfeng looked at Chen Tian with immense admiration, "Master, I know you are confused. Please come this way, and we will talk as we walk."
"Alright."
Chen Tian also wanted to understand what was going on.
"Ding, congratulations to the host for absorbing the branch of the divine tree. This system's upgrade progress has increased by ten percent."
"Holy cow, System, you can upgrade again?"
"Of course, this system is omnipotent. Upgrading itself is simple, but the required materials need to be found by the host."
"Then, System, what are the remaining materials?"
"Ding, information withheld. This system can tell you that you have stumbled upon incredible luck to arrive here. Fortunately, the willow branch sensed your presence. Otherwise, it would take you tens of thousands of years to be qualified to obtain such a material."
Chen Tian asked with suspicion, "System, do you feel like you're hiding something from me?"
"Beep, beep, beep...!"
The system immediately disconnected. However, this only strengthened Chen Tian's conviction that the system was withholding information from him. The surroundings felt incredibly familiar, as if he had lived here since childhood. An inner voice told him to stay here, that this was Chen Tian's true home.
But Chen Tian had never been here before, neither as himself in the Divine Realm nor as himself in the Cultivation Realm. Yet, this sense of mystery... how to describe it?
"Master, I will now tell you the history of our Original Mountain Village. Our residents were not always like this. We haven't recorded our appearance for tens of thousands of years. Since Original Mountain Village descended into this world, we have stayed here, living as the Earth Tribe.
"Original Mountain Village came to this world by the arrangement of the Ancestral Tree. The Ancestral Tree once said: Only the one recognized by the willow branches can lead us Original Mountain Village away from here.
"Our Original Mountain Village has been in this world for a full ten thousand years. We thought the recognized one did not exist, but today I have seen him. I never expected the one who saved my daughter to be the Master."