The night air by the sea was a little cool.

In a daze, Tan Chang had become the Flower Fairy's godson.

This felt rather strange to Tan Chang, who had been selected from an orphanage by the Jiang Family, raised to be a shadow, and had never experienced familial affection.

The Flower Fairy spoke as if giving her last will and testament, rambling on about a great many things, including pointers for cultivation and all of her possessions.

"Senior... are you preparing for..." Tan Chang mustered the courage to speak, but the word "Mom" never quite left his lips.

The Flower Fairy didn't mind, saying cheerfully, "I still have one battle left with someone from the Exotic Realm, so I must prepare for what comes after."

"Exotic Realm..." Tan Chang fell silent.

"Oh, right. You were at the initial stage of Seventh Grade before, so you probably don't know about the Otherworlders," the Flower Fairy said calmly. "To put it plainly, they are a group of Foreign Cultivators who want to invade Earth."

Tan Chang was taken aback. Foreign Cultivators?

"To put it even more plainly, they are cultivators from other star domains—what most people would call aliens," the Flower Fairy said.

BOOM!

Tan Chang's body jolted.

So that's what Gao He from the Martial Dao Association meant when he said 'the world is vast' outside the Dongli University infirmary!

"Do you know what's up there?" The Flower Fairy pointed to the bright moon hanging in the sky, her weathered face full of complex emotions.

Tan Chang hesitated, then replied, "There are numerous craters and an American flag."

"Think bolder."

"Are Chang'e and the Cold Palace of the Moon there?"

"There is no Cold Palace on the moon. There is only an imposing Chang'an City, which has stood for three hundred years." The Flower Fairy declared firmly, "That is the battlefield against the Otherworlders!"

Tan Chang was struck dumb, his face blank.

With just a few sentences, the Flower Fairy had opened the door to a new world for him.

He had always thought his intellect was enough to figure out anything, yet he never imagined how narrow his perspective truly was!

"Eighth Grade Martial Artists are allowed to know about the Exotic Realm, and Ninth Grade Martial Artists can enter Chang'an. A peak Eighth Grade is considered a reserve. When you get the chance, you can apply for a pass to go see it," the Flower Fairy said with a smile.

"Why hide this information...?" Tan Chang asked haltingly.

"With great power comes great responsibility," the Flower Fairy spoke serenely. "Besides, what good would it do for those below Eighth Grade to know? No one is certain how long we can hold out. If they remain ignorant... perhaps they can live happier lives."

Tan Chang fell silent, unsure how to respond.

"Don't worry. When you were at Seventh Grade, you left a wisp of your origin essence on the Sky Ranking, right? Then you should also know that the Sky Ranking is a sword for which all the Martial Ancestors of Hua Country have been gathering power for three hundred years!" The Flower Fairy patted the stunned Tan Chang's shoulder and asserted proudly, "The sword follows the heart's direction!"

Three hundred years ago, the Martial Dao World was preparing for the worst, amassing a trump card...

Tan Chang suddenly understood everything and was suddenly overcome by an inexplicable sorrow.

"It was our only trump card before, but now we have a genuine Sword!" the Flower Fairy said.

Tan Chang understood. That Sword was the mysterious Sword Ranking that had suddenly appeared.

Tan Chang looked up at the moon—it wasn't something he particularly liked before. This wasn't because he spent the Mid-Autumn Festival alone, despite it being a time for family reunions, but more so because as a shadow, he often had to carry out missions at night.

Looking at it now, however, his heart felt heavy.

The Flower Fairy knew that encountering this information for the first time wasn't easy for any Martial Artist to accept. It had taken her several days to adjust when she first found out.

Changing the subject, she smiled and said, "Actually, after coming out of seclusion recently, I was quite angry to hear people slandering me, saying I had an illegitimate child. But on reflection, I also felt a bit lonely."

"I've spent my entire life cultivating and have rejected countless suitors," the Flower Fairy said softly. "Having a son like you in my final years is quite nice. Even if I die, at least I'll have an heir."

"You can't die. We both have to live well. Can we watch the moon together next Mid-Autumn Festival?" Tan Chang's lips quivered, and he finally uttered that one word, "Mom."

The Flower Fairy was momentarily stunned, then let out a hearty, relieved laugh. "Good! Next year's Mid-Autumn Festival!"

A young man who had never experienced a family's love and whose hands were once stained with blood.

An old woman on the verge of death who, aside from the Martial Dao, could never love another.

On this night, they both found solace in each other.

Despite never eating mooncakes, they both began to wonder what flavor they would eat for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

And they both began to eagerly await the full moon of the fifteenth day of the next year, wondering if it would be as perfectly round as it always had been.

…

…

「The following morning.」

After Xu Lai dropped his daughter off at kindergarten, Tan Chang emerged from the shadows. His expression was solemn, and he watched Xu Lai for a long while without speaking.

"Honey, you can drive yourself to the office. I'm going to chat with a friend for a bit," Xu Lai said to Ruan Tang in the passenger seat.

"Mhm."

Ruan Tang drove off alone. "Don't forget we're going to my grandmother's tonight," she reminded him as she left.

Xu Lai nodded. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Ruan Tang's grandmother's death, but because of the long drive, they had to leave tonight.

"Xu Lai, I've broken through to the peak of Eighth Grade. It's all thanks to that jar of wine you gave me yesterday," Tan Chang said earnestly.

"No need to thank me," Xu Lai smiled. "So, what else did you want to tell me?"

Tan Chang wouldn't have emerged from the shadows just to announce his breakthrough and thank him.

"I may not be able to protect Yiyi for the next few days. I have a godmother now, and I'm going to learn some Cultivation Techniques and moves from her," Tan Chang said.

"A godmother?" Xu Lai raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the Flower Fairy," Tan Chang said with a wistful expression. "I originally thought you were her son, but it turns out I am."

Why does that sound so weird? Xu Lai wondered.

Still, he responded, "Go on, go on. Never mind a few days, take a few years if you need."

Hiring Tan Chang as a bodyguard had been a whim to begin with, not to mention Yiyi now also had Beibei, 'the greatest swordsman in this sea region.'

"A man is nothing without his word. I won't forget my promise to be Yiyi's bodyguard for ten years, nor will I shirk it, so I'll just take five days off!"

After saying this, Tan Chang turned and left.

Xu Lai, on the other hand, slowly made his way to Dongli University.

Upon arriving at the infirmary, he discovered that Li Shouzhong and the other doctors had finally returned.

But... why is there another group of old men and women here?

Xu Lai rubbed his forehead. He recognized one of the old men—it was Zheng Zong. The old man had once invited him to become a professional Go player after a match in the Go club.

"Mr. Xu."

Zheng Zong bowed deeply, and the other players hastily followed suit, their gazes fervent. They had studied the Go strategies of Lu An and Ruan Lan and considered them masterpieces of genius. After delving into them for nearly half a month, they still found the moves profoundly complex.

And so, led by Zheng Zong, the group had come to seek guidance.

Before Xu Lai could speak, Yan Gui said with exasperation, "Old Zheng, this isn't right of you. You promised me last time you wouldn't bother Director Xu anymore."

Zheng Zong's old face turned red.

He had heard from his old friend Yan Gui about Xu Lai's extraordinary medical achievements and had indeed promised not to disturb him again. But as a Go fanatic, the curiosity was gnawing at him.

He huffed, "I'm only asking for advice, not trying to recruit Mr. Xu as a professional player. Besides, playing Go is a refined pastime. How can you call that improper?"

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