I took a deep breath and made my way through the dispersing crowd toward the Core Disciple viewing section where my parents waited with Liu Chen. The arena was slowly emptying as families and friends reunited with the survivors, creating pockets of celebration and relief throughout the massive structure.
As I climbed the steps toward their section, I could see my parents' faces clearly for the first time since the portal had closed behind us. My mother's eyes were red-rimmed from crying, though she was trying to compose herself by dabbing at her face with the handkerchief I'd seen her using earlier. My father stood with his arms crossed, his jaw set in that particular way that meant he was processing something difficult but trying to stay strong.
Liu Chen spotted me first, his young face breaking into a relieved grin. "Brother Ke! That was incredible! The way you fought that wraith, and then the sand creature, and that tree—"
"Liu Chen," my father interrupted gently, "let him catch his breath first."
My mother rushed forward before I'd even reached their seats, wrapping me in a fierce hug that spoke of hours of suppressed terror. I could feel her trembling slightly against my chest, and the realization hit me all over again: they'd watched everything. Every battle, every moment where I'd come close to dying, every technique that marked me as something beyond their understanding.
"My boy," she whispered against my shoulder, her voice thick with emotion. "My brave, foolish boy."
I hugged her back, careful not to squeeze too tightly with my enhanced strength. Over her head, I met my father's eyes. The look he gave me was complex, pride and fear and something that might have been awe all mixed together.
"Mother," I said softly, "I'm okay. We made it through."
She pulled back to study my face, her hands coming up to cup my cheeks. "Are you hurt? That creature with the claws, it injured you—"
"Wei Lin helped heal that," I assured her. "The death essence has been purged from my system. I'm fine, really."
Liu Chen bounced on his toes beside us, still radiating excitement. "Uncle Hong, Aunt Lixue, you should have seen how Brother Ke created that formation trap! The wraith couldn't maintain its intangibility anymore, and then—"
"We saw," my father said quietly, his voice carrying a note I couldn't quite identify. "We saw all of it."
There was a moment of silence that stretched between us, heavy with unspoken questions and fears. I could practically feel the weight of what they'd witnessed pressing down on our small gathering.
"Perhaps we should sit down," I suggested, gesturing toward the cushioned seats Liu Chen had arranged for them.
My mother nodded, settling onto the plush bench while keeping one hand on my arm as if afraid I might disappear again. My father remained standing for a moment longer, studying me with those careful eyes that had spent years measuring fabric and gauging the quality of his work.
"Yin," he said finally, "what happened to you in there? The breakthrough, the tree, those energies..." He trailed off, clearly struggling with concepts that had no equivalent in his mortal experience.
I sank onto the seat beside my mother, trying to figure out how to explain the Pseudo-Elemental Realm cultivation to people who'd never circulated qi in their lives. "The realm contained special resources," I began carefully. "When cultivators advance, sometimes we encounter opportunities that can accelerate our progress. The tree was formed from a failed cultivation attempt, and absorbing it helped stabilize my advancement."
"But the energies you displayed," Liu Chen added, his eyes bright with curiosity, "the red and blue lights during your breakthrough, those aren't normal qi manifestations."
I shot him a look that hopefully conveyed that this might not be the best time for technical cultivation discussions. He caught the hint and settled back with a sheepish expression.
"Are you in danger because of it?" my mother asked, her maternal instincts cutting straight to the heart of what mattered to her. "Will other cultivators try to hurt you for having these abilities?"
Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
The question was more perceptive than she probably realized. The sect's prohibition on leaving the grounds, the way some of the elders had been looking at me, yes, there were definitely complications ahead.
"The sect protects its disciples," I said, which was true if incomplete. "And I'm not the only one with unusual abilities. Wu Kangming, Wei Lin, several others, we all have our own advantages and secrets."
My father finally sat down, his expression thoughtful. "You're not telling us everything."
It wasn't a question, and the quiet certainty in his voice reminded me why he'd been successful enough as a tailor to support a family and take on apprentices. You didn't build a reputation for quality work without being able to read people and situations accurately.
"Tell them the truth," Azure replied. "Not all of it, but the parts that matter. They're not fools, and treating them like children won't help anyone."
I took a breath and looked between my parents' faces, my mother's open concern and my father's careful assessment.
"You're both right to be worried," I said. "The cultivation world is dangerous, and my abilities will bring both opportunities and risks. But hiding from those risks won't make them go away. The only real protection comes from getting stronger, finding trustworthy allies, and being smart about which battles to fight."
"And you believe you're being smart about this tournament?" my father asked.
I considered the question seriously. Was I being smart? I'd been forced to enter a competition that would pit me against some of the most talented young cultivators in the sect, with unknown environmental challenges and a prize that would inevitably attract the attention of powerful figures.
"I believe it's a necessary risk," I said finally. "The Elemental Chamber isn't just a prize, it's a foundation that could determine the entire trajectory of my cultivation path. And if I'm going to face the dangers that come with my abilities anyway, I'd rather face them from a position of strength."
My mother squeezed my hand. "We're proud of you," she said quietly. "Terrified, but proud. What you did in that realm, the way you protected your teammates and fought those creatures... that took real courage."
"And skill," my father added. "More skill than I think I fully understood you possessed."
Liu Chen grinned. "Brother Ke is amazing! You should see him work with formations, he can create arrays that most practitioners twice his age would struggle with. And his combat abilities are just as impressive."
The praise felt good, but it also highlighted the growing distance between who I was now and the Ke Yin my parents had known. The village tailor's son who'd helped with needlework and delivery runs was becoming someone they could admire but might struggle to recognize.
Before the mood could turn melancholy, my father stood up with a decisive expression. "Well," he said, clapping me on the shoulder with a grip that was surprisingly firm for a mortal, "now that you've proven yourself a man in battle, I think it's time for another important milestone."
I blinked at him. "What do you mean?"
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Your first drink. And it's on me."
I couldn't help but grin at that, even as I kept to myself that I'd actually had plenty of drinks both back on Earth and in this world. Elder Chen Yong had introduced me to spiritual wine a week ago, and there had been a few other occasions where alcohol had been involved. But the look of paternal pride on my father's face made it clear that this moment meant something to him, and I wasn't about to take that away.
"I'd like that," I said, and meant it.
Liu Chen perked up immediately. "There's a tavern in the guest section of the Outer Sect," he said. "The Jade Cup! It's where disciples and their families usually go for celebrations."
My mother smiled, the first genuinely happy expression I'd seen from her since the tournament ended. "That sounds lovely. It's been a very long day."