"Wu Hao, is it finally the Day of the Ancestors' Celebration?" a man named Wu Ren asked, his voice competing with the rhythmic clatter of the horse-drawn wagon. "My wife has already prepared everything needed for the ancestral rites."

  Wu Hao, who wore a simple robe embroidered with stars, replied, "You’re right, Ren. I can’t wait to welcome this commemorative day; it’s bound to be lively. I have a feeling I’m going to stuff myself with the roasted meat—it’s always so delicious."

  "You and your stomach," a woman named Ming Ye countered, her voice soft and punctuated by a light laugh. "But you’re right. I once read the records of the Star Village ancestors. It said that during celebrations or memorials, they would feast on game meat until they were fully satisfied."

  Wu Ren nodded and sighed softly. "You’re right, Ming. Ancestor Ming, Ancestor Bashan, and even Ancestor Tang recorded the same thing. However, I once saw a scroll mentioning that one of our ancestors actually became an Immortal."

  "An Immortal?" Wu Hao burst out laughing, his laughter shaking the dust clinging to the wagon wheels. "Ren, you spend too much time in the Ancestral Hall. I’ve never heard of any ancestor of ours becoming an Immortal. Even the Great Ancestor Wu Quezi only reached the peak of the Consciousness Transformation realm back then."

  Ming Ye tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes fixed on the expanse of pine forest beginning to be shrouded in the evening mist. "I agree with Hao. Even we are already in the same realm as the ancestors of old—the Consciousness Transformation realm, where we’ve already manifested our Trees of Life, haven't we?"

  Wu Ren stopped the horse pulling the wagon for a moment at the crest of a small hill. Below them, Star City began to come into view, looking majestic with lanterns of light that resembled constellations fallen to earth.

  "It is said that he had eyes clearer than sapphire gems," Wu Ren whispered with a tone of curiosity and reverence. "Hao, Ye, I’m not joking. Perhaps there really was an ancestor who became an Immortal. It is said he left the village five hundred years ago."

  "Five hundred years? Ren, that is a very long time, even for those of us who possess a Tree of Life," Ming Ye replied while staring into the distance. "If he truly exists, shouldn't he be far away from us by now?"

  "Who knows," Wu Ren muttered. "Don't you see that silver-leaved tree in the center of the city? Long ago, this great city we live in now was just a tiny village surrounded by untamed wilderness. Then, a legend emerged that the silver-leaved tree was the result of a breakthrough by that mysterious ancestor when he reached the Divine Wheel realm!"

  "Divine Wheel?" Wu Hao snorted, though this time his voice didn't explode with laughter. He stared at the faint silver glow visible in the heart of Star City—a giant tree whose canopy seemed to embrace the moon. "If that legend is real, then that mysterious ancestor must have been an unparalleled genius. But Ren, five hundred years have passed; much of history is buried or rewritten. Who knows if that tree truly grew from someone's enlightenment or if it’s just a coincidence?"

  Wu Ren fell silent, his fingers gripping the reins tighter. In his soul, there was an unexplainable tremor—a resonance that seemed to recognize his very blood every time he looked at those silver leaves. "Maybe you're right, Hao. But every time I stand under the shade of that silver tree, I feel my meridians vibrate... as if our ancestor truly did become an Immortal."

  "Perhaps it’s just your imagination from inhaling too much incense in the Ancestral Hall," Ming Ye chimed in, though her eyes did not stray from the beauty of Star City as it began to light up its formation lamps. "Let’s continue. My father must be waiting for this shipment of wine to host the village elders."

  The horse-drawn wagon moved again, its wheels rolling over the stone road with a sound that blended with the surrounding nature. Below them lay a sight so soothing to the eye that it would make any practitioner or mortal choose to settle in Star City. It was no longer the small village of old with wheat fields, a surrounding river, and untouched wilderness.

  Now, the village had expanded to a radius of forty li. It accommodated mortals and practitioners coming from afar, all inhabiting the territory ruled by the Wu Family—the official descendants of the original Star Village. Every year, the Ancestral Day celebration was held, strictly honoring the customs passed down through hundreds of years.

  The wagon continued to glide down the slope, entering the great gates of Star City, made of ironwood reinforced with majestic and sturdy stone walls. As they went deeper, the silence of the pine forest was replaced by an incredible human bustle. The smell of toasted wheat, the aroma of meat smoked with sandalwood, and the scent of heavenly incense flooded their senses.

  "Look! The Wu family wagon has arrived!" shouted a burly man carrying a wooden beam by the roadside. "Wu Ren! Did you bring the best wheat wine from the southern slope? If not, Elder Wu will pull your ears!"

  "Relax, Uncle Chen Bao!" Wu Ren replied with a wave of his hand. "This wine is strong enough to make a bear sleep until next spring!"

  Chen Bao roared with laughter, his tanned arm muscles glistening under the lantern light. "Good! Hurry to the central square! Lian Ming has already started preparing the offering stage!"

  As their wagon passed through a market area filled with red and gold lanterns, a handsome young man in neat practitioner robes blocked their path. He held a jade brush and a long scroll of paper.

  "Hold on, brothers and sisters," the young man said with a formal yet friendly smile. "I must record everything arriving for tomorrow’s ceremony. Hao, Ren, is this the final shipment?"

  "Chen Yi, you're as meticulous as ever," Wu Hao hopped down from the wagon, patting the shoulder of the youth named Chen Yi. "This is the last of the wine and game meat. Everything is complete."

  Chen Yi noted it down quickly. "Good. The city is getting crowded. Lian Ming is almost losing her mind trying to arrange seating for the children who want to taste the blessing of the Silver Tree."

  Just then, a middle-aged woman with a fairly strong aura—reaching the peak of the Consciousness Transformation realm—approached with firm steps. "Chen Yi! Don't hold them up for too long! The preparations at the Tree Altar are not yet finished!"

  "Ah, Senior Sister Lian Ming!" Chen Yi bowed respectfully. "Just a quick check. They can pass now."

  Lian Ming turned toward Ming Ye. "Ye, you must head to the flower pavilion immediately. The girls from the Ming lineage are waiting for you to arrange the Heavenly Bell flowers. We cannot let this year's women’s ancestral tribute be less grand than last year's."

  "Understood, Sister Lian Ming," Ming Ye replied obediently.

  Around them, life seemed to overflow. Small children ran around with loud laughter, holding paper windmills that glowed with a hint of spiritual essence.

  "Brother! Look at me! I can jump as high as that tree!" shouted a small boy named Tang Chao, showing off his basic, albeit stiff, martial arts moves.

  "Don't be arrogant, Chao!" shouted an older boy, Tang Zhen, who was trying to chase him. "Remember what Grandpa Tang said: if you're noisy near the Silver Tree, the Sapphire Ancestor will pull your ears from the sky!"

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  "The Sapphire Ancestor isn't mean!" Tang Chao retorted, sticking out his tongue. "Grandpa says he is our protector!"

  The two children ran past Wu Ren’s feet, nearly startling the horse. "Hey! You naughty Tang children! Slow down your pace!" Wu Ren shouted, though he couldn't help but smile.

  On another street corner, several practitioners from outside the city were discussing things with looks of awe.

  "Truly incredible," an outsider murmured. "How is it possible for a city in the remote Star Wilderness to have such a pure concentration of spiritual energy? That silver tree in the center... it seems to breathe with the earth's meridians."

  "That is their ancestors' blessing," his companion answered. "It's said that whoever meditates under its shade during the ancestral celebration will gain enlightenment regarding their own Divine Wheel."

  The wagon finally arrived at the main plaza, where the Silver Tree stood tall. Its canopy, shimmering like molten moonlight, truly dominated the city's skyline. Its silver leaves jingled in the wind, producing a sound like the tinkling of a heavenly harp.

  Beneath the tree, an old man in gray robes was arranging rows of jade chairs. He turned when he saw Wu Ren’s group. "You are late by a sip of tea, young ones."

  "Forgive us, Grandpa Tang!" Wu Hao immediately hopped down and began unloading the crates of wine. "The streets are truly packed. It seems this year's celebration is going to be very crowded."

  Grandpa Tang stroked his long white beard. "Of course. No matter what the outside world says, everyone who comes here says they feel drawn to our city."

  "Grandpa," Wu Ren asked while lifting a crate. "Do you really believe the Sapphire Ancestor is still alive? In the Ancestral Hall, there isn't a single clue—only a painting of his face with black hair and the silhouette of black robes with red silk."

  Grandpa Tang fell silent for a moment, his aged but wise eyes staring toward the glowing peak of the Silver Tree’s canopy. He sighed, a breath laden with the weight of history carried across generations.

  "Ren, your father, your grandfather, and even your great-grandfather asked that same question before they returned to the dust," Grandpa Tang said in a raspy yet authoritative voice. "The painting in the hall only shows a silhouette because, to us, he is already in a world we cannot reach. Whether he is alive or not is not our concern. Our duty is to remember."

  "But Grandpa!" cried Tang Chao, the little boy who had been running around earlier, now tugging at the edge of the old man's robe. "I had a dream yesterday! I saw an uncle with blue eyes standing on the river water! He gave me a berry that was so sweet! Was that the Sapphire Ancestor?"

  "Hahaha! Chao, you’re just dreaming because your stomach is empty!" Tang Zhen joked, lightly rapping his brother's head. "Grandpa, don't listen to him. He even claimed he saw a talking rabbit yesterday."

  "Zhen, don't be mean to your brother," scolded Lian Ming, who had just joined them after finishing the incense formation. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with a silk handkerchief. "Grandpa Tang is right. Look around you. This Star City... used to be just fragile wooden huts. If not for the essence legacy left by the Ancestor when he reached the Divine Wheel under this tree, could we—our small families—have survived the pressures of the Star Wilderness?"

  "Exactly!" Chen Bao exclaimed, thumping his last wooden beam onto the ground. "In the past, other sects often extorted our wheat. But since this tree turned silver and its protective aura appeared, they haven't even dared to set foot within a ten-li radius. That is a fact, not just a bedtime story!"

  Wu Hao began pouring the wine into large vats in preparation for tomorrow’s banquet. The sharp yet fragrant aroma of alcohol immediately filled the air. "By the way, Chen Yi, I heard that this year there are representatives from the big cities who want to visit? Is that true?"

  Chen Yi, busy recording, stopped his jade brush for a moment. His face tensed. "The rumors are true, Hao. But the elders have agreed to reject them at the outer gates. Ancestral Day is a sacred day for the original descendants of Star Village."

  "Good!" Wu Ren clenched his fist. "Don't let them tarnish the peace of this tree. Ming Ye, how are the preparations for the girls at the pavilion?"

  Ming Ye, holding a basket full of Heavenly Bell flowers, smiled brightly. "Everything is ready, Ren. Lian Ming has also ensured that every corner of the city will be filled with the scent of sandalwood incense. However, there is one thing bothering us girls..."

  "What is it?" Lian Ming asked, frowning.

  "This year, the flowers around the river bloomed earlier and their color is much brighter, almost matching the color of sapphire," Ming Ye whispered in awe. "It feels as if this land is rejoicing, welcoming something much greater than just an annual celebration."

  "Perhaps it’s a sign the Ancestor is pleased with our devotion," Tang Zhen remarked proudly.

  In the distance, the laughter of small children grew louder. Tang Chao and his friends were now playing near a clear pool of water, trying to catch shimmering spiritual fish.

  "Come on, Chao! If you can catch that silver fish, you'll become the strongest knight in Star City!" shouted one of the mortal children playing along.

  "I'll catch it! Watch this!" Tang Chao jumped with excitement, creating a splash of water that soaked the robes of another young practitioner walking by.

  "Hey, kid! Be a little careful!" the practitioner scolded, but he quickly laughed upon seeing Tang Chao’s innocent, water-drenched face. "Ah, never mind. On a day like this, even a lion must smile."

  As the night grew later, the lights in Star City only became brighter. Thousands of flying lanterns were released into the sky, creating a river of light in the heavens that rivaled the sparkle of the real stars. Street vendors began selling traditional treats: honey wheat, smoked venison, and spiritual fruit sweets.

  On the other side, atop a dark hill far removed from the lights of Star City, stood a figure in black-and-white robes. His sapphire eyes no longer radiated Divine Sense or emitted threatening ripples of essence. Instead, his eyes, which were usually cold and had seen blood spilled on every path, now looked somber.

  The night wind at the hilltop blew gently, playing with the edges of Zhi Xuan’s robes, yet he remained motionless like an ancient statue that had transcended time. Below him, the bustle of Star City was like a melodious life—a sound he had previously only heard in the cold silence of his meditations.

  "Five hundred years..." Zhi Xuan murmured, his voice raspy, swallowed by the sighing of the surrounding pine trees. "The village that was once small and full of warmth has truly grown larger."

  His sapphire eyes, usually as sharp as nine heavenly swords to dissect the laws of nature, now dimmed with deep emotion. He saw the faces below; Wu Ren, who had a jawline just like Grandpa Wu; Ming Ye, who had the agility of Mingling; and the small children of the Tang family, who inherited the boisterousness and burning spirit of his friend, Tang.

  Though their mortal bodies had long since returned to dust and merged with the soil of Xing Luo, the traces of their existence continued to flow, pulsing in the blood of the descendants who now filled the majestic city.

  "You truly kept that promise," Zhi Xuan thought. "You didn't just survive; you have grown into a lush forest."

  His gaze landed on the Silver Tree in the city center. He remembered the time when he was just a restless young practitioner, making his Divine Wheel breakthrough under the shade of what was then just an ordinary tree. Now, that tree had become a spiritual pillar, a silent witness to the power he left behind to protect the family he never forgot.

  Zhi Xuan raised a trembling hand, touching the dark red cloth wrapped around his arm beneath his robe. The red cloth embroidered with star-flowers from Aunt Lian was still there; though its color had faded through thousands of battles, it still felt warm—as warm as the prayers offered by the citizens below.

  "Uncle Chen, Aunt Lian, Grandpa Wu," Zhi Xuan whispered, his voice cracked and laden with a sudden surge of emotion. "Zhi has returned."

  Slowly, Zhi Xuan took a step. He did not dash, which would have triggered a massive essence ripple. Instead, he merged with the shadows of the trees, moving like an invisible night breeze. Within a few breaths, he was at the edge of the city, walking the stone streets crowded with rejoicing people.

  His black-and-white robes billowed, his tall figure looming like a pillar supporting the heavens above Star City. He looked around; it was so crowded, with many practitioners and mortals who were not from the original Star Village lineage but now occupied the expanded city, signifying the city's prosperity even without a sect or royal support.

  He passed a toasted wheat stall whose aroma was incredibly familiar—a scent that brought his memories back to Aunt Lian’s kitchen. A young woman whose face bore a faint resemblance to Aunt Lian was busy handing out bread to small children.

  "Traveler, would you like to taste some honey wheat bread?" the woman asked with a sincere smile as Zhi Xuan passed by. "It is a day of celebration; all guests are family."

  Zhi Xuan paused, staring at the steaming bread. He reached out with a slender, pale hand and accepted a piece. "Thank you," he said briefly. His voice was low and resonant, making the woman freeze for a moment, feeling as if the voice came from a very distant past.

  Zhi Xuan took a bite of the bread. The sweetness of forest honey and the coarse yet honest texture of the wheat exploded on his tongue. For a moment, the thousands of years of cold in the Northern Territory and the cruelty of the wars in Yao Gu seemed to melt away. He was no longer a slaughterer of sect elders or the master of the Six Paths; he was just Zhi Xuan, the shepherd boy who missed home.