Jiu Xian and Yao Qing stood there stunned. Their tear ducts dry, smell of burnt wood filling their lungs. It all happened so quickly. One moment they were rejoicing their victory and the next... She died, due to them celebrating too early, due to them being powerless.
Though they hadn't known granny for long she had quietly sneaked in and made a place for herself in their hearts. Her lame jokes, her pranks, her haughty and prideful personality, and their shared meals. They were sure that these memories will forever live on in their hearts.
"Never again..." Jiu Xian declared to no one.
"Qing'er, let's get moving. We have work to do." He continued as he lifted granny's body in his arms.
"hm" Yao Qing nodded and started following him towards the direction of the secret realm.
During their way to the tree Granny mentions they didn't encounter any wildlife, maybe they left due to the disturbance caused by the explosive fight.
A towering, wide-trunked tree adorned with pink leaves stood alone in the clearing, its form wreathed in a golden glow that whispered of secrets long forgotten.
Jiu Xian and Yao Qing looked at the tree in wonder, momentarily forgetting their grief.
"Look Xian! There an indent in its trunk. It matches the shape of the pendant."
Reeling in from the tree's beauty and majesty Yao Qing pointed at the tree's trunk, pulling Jiu Xian's attraction towards it.
"Yes, lets open the secret realm and bury Granny's body and give her a proper farewell."
Yao Qing pulled out the pendant from her sleeve placing it in the dent.
~Crackle~
The golden hue around the tree gathered around the trunk opening a golden portal in place of the pendant.
"WOW!" They exclaimed. Even after gaining knowledge about cultivation and other arts, this was their first time watching something this miraculous and magical.
Jiu Xian looked at Yao Qing and the later returned his gaze with a determined look on her face. Yao Qing and Jiu Xian walked side by side as they stepped into the golden portal, Jiu Xian still holding Granny's body tightly in his arms afraid of accidently dropping her.
Jiu Xian felt a sudden dizziness hit him, his vision blurring. His arms loosened, his knees giving out.
" NOOOOOOOOOO! NOT THIS AGAIN!" A shriek resounded, but before he could make anything of it a warm aura soon embraced him, lulling him into sleep.
...
"HOW MUCH MORE ARE YOU GOING TO SLEEP? IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP BY THE TIME I'M DONE COUNTING TO TEN YOU ARE IN REAL TROUBLE."
"Ugh! Mom, let me sleep five more minutes"
'Mom? That's not right.' Jiu Xian's eyes opened in an instant as he stood up and looked at the face of the woman nagging at him.
Black hair, innocent big black eyes, tall and the motherly smile that she smiled when she saw him waking up.
"MOM!" Jiu Xian cried, running up to her tightly embracing her. He felt something was wrong when he realised that he reached only up to her tummy.
"Go take a bath Xian. Today's your admission test for the 4 arts sect."
Jiu Xian looked around and realised that he was back at his house when he was a child. Confusedly he walked towards the bathhouse.
"Do you want mommy to help you?" His mother? Teased.
"NOOOO MOM!"
'what happened? Wasn't I with Yao Qing and Granny, going to wherever she was taking us? How did I come here? Did I somehow travel back in time? What's this 4 arts sect. Why didn't mother mention it before?'
...
Yao Qing was also having similar experience as Jiu Xian. As fell asleep soon after entering the golden portal and found herself in back in the past.
'4 arts sect? This sounds fun. I even got to see mom and dad again. Maybe this time I can save them. Hmm... I want to find Xian and Granny, but I can't travel to the forest with this body neither can I visit Xian.'
Yao Qing focused on her memories and tried to recall what she, Jiu Xian and Granny were doing when we was supposedly sent back in time.
"Let's go Qing'er. You wouldn't want to be late for the test." Her made her hold her index finder as she led them out.
...
'Ao Tian' opened his eyes. His mind buzzing in pain, it felt like he had lost some very important memories. He couldn't remember much.
"COME BOY! WE ARE GETTING LATE!" A rowdy voice came from outside the door. Following the voice he stood before a brawny man who appeared to be in his early forties.
The man hugged 'Ao Tian' and sat him over his shoulders.
"Tian'er, you must get into four arts sect. Only you can save your mother now." The man carried his 'son' to the sect's entrance.
'Ao Tian' asked his 'dad?' lots of questions. New memories filled his mind with every question his 'dad?' answered. He somehow felt holes in the stories his 'dad?' told him. Alas he was his 'dad' so he decided to believe him.
...