Starfall Nine Heavens

Shi Yue nodded solemnly: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'll take good care of this child." He paused, looking at the lingering seriousness between Lu Xiuyuan's brows, and his voice deepened, "Old Lu, you have the heaviest burden on your shoulders. Some things don't always have to be carried alone. Everyone in the department is important and capable."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiuyuan smiled genuinely. He patted Shi Yue's broad shoulder and said nothing more.

The two of them stood quietly by the window, watching over the light in the room, and also watching over the heavy city outside the window and the dark darkness that was stirring in the distance.

It was almost 8:30 when Lin Fan opened the door to his home.

The room was bathed in warm yellow light, and the lively background music of an animated film played from the television, creating a bustling atmosphere. Mother Chen Xiuzhi sat on the old sofa in the living room, carefully sewing the cuffs of a guest's coat by the light. Father Lin Jianguo, in his wheelchair, helped fold the altered clothes neatly according to the order. The two occasionally exchanged a few words in hushed tones, the atmosphere quiet and peaceful.

Lin Xiao, the younger sister, was curled up on the old sofa, hugging her knees, engrossed in watching something. She turned around when she heard the door open, her eyes lighting up immediately: "Brother! You're back!"

"Yes, you're back." Lin Fan replied with a smile, taking out a carefully wrapped oil paper package from his bag. "I brought you osmanthus cake, have a taste."

"Osmanthus cake?" Lin Xiao's eyes widened, as if she had received some incredible treasure. She carefully took the oil paper package, brought it to her nose, and smelled it. "It smells so good! What's it made of?"

She picked up a piece of rice cake adorned with golden osmanthus blossoms, examined it under the light for a while, and then carefully took a small bite. The soft, chewy texture of the glutinous rice and the delicate sweetness of the osmanthus melted in her mouth. Her eyes widened even more, then happily squinted into two crescent moons: "Brother! This...this is so delicious! It's fragrant, sweet, and so soft and chewy!"

As if she had discovered a new continent, she skipped and hopped over to her parents, holding up most of the remaining cake: "Dad, Mom, you have to try this! The one my brother brought back is especially, especially delicious!"

Looking at his daughter's excited little face, Lin Jianguo smiled gently. He took a tiny bite from her hand, about the size of a fingertip, and nodded, "Mmm, it's delicious." Chen Xiuzhi quickly waved her hand, "Mom doesn't want any, it's too sweet. You kids can have it." But she couldn't resist Lin Xiao's insistence on sharing, so she only took a tiny sip, saying repeatedly that it was enough, but her gaze lingered tenderly on her two children.

Chen Xiuzhi looked up at Lin Fan, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes appearing soft under the light: "Xiao Fan, have you eaten? There's still some food left in the pot."

"I've eaten, Mom. There was a team dinner at the shop today." Lin Fan took off his coat. "Business was good today, the boss is happy."

"That's good." Chen Xiuzhi nodded repeatedly, then lowered her head to continue her needlework. She moved quickly, stitching each thread tightly and firmly. Lin Jianguo helped fold the clothes beside her, his movements slow, but the folds were neat and tidy.

"Dad, let me massage your legs." Lin Fan put down his backpack and walked to his father's side.

"No need, no need," Lin Jianguo waved his hand. "You've had a long day too. Xiaoxiao just said she finished her homework quickly and wanted me to massage her."

"Yes! Brother, you go and get some rest!" Lin Xiao had already washed her hands and volunteered to squat down next to her father's legs, pressing her little hands down in a very serious manner, her little face extremely tense.

Lin Fan's heart softened, and he gently stroked his younger sister's soft hair: "Okay, then it's Xiaoxiao's turn today. Remember to apply a hot towel to Dad after you're done."

"Okay!"

This ordinary yet heartwarming scene quietly eased the tension Lin Fan had been feeling all day because of the star stone, the secret chamber, and the inheritance. This was what he had been desperately trying to protect.

"Dad, Mom, I'll go inside first. I still have some work to look at," Lin Fan said.

"Go on, go on, don't stay up too late," Chen Xiuzhi reminded her.

Back in his small but tidy cubicle, Lin Fan closed the door. The sounds of the television outside, his parents' whispers, and his sister's occasional laughter faded away, creating a quiet little world of his own.

He did not begin cultivating immediately. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, took off the jade pendant he wore close to his body from around his neck, placed it in his palm, and examined it carefully by the light of the lamp.

The warm, white jade, with its unique spiral pattern, looked so ordinary, nothing special except for its age. But today, in the secret room, the incredibly clear, almost blood-related resonance between it and the Origin Star Stone, along with the fragmented images forced into his mind and the poignant words, "Bloodline... finally..."—all told him unequivocally that this matter was not so simple.

Especially in those images, the warm white jade pendant worn around the neck of the swaddled baby, with its unique spiral pattern... it was clearly the same one in my hand!

"Where did this jade pendant come from?" Lin Fan stared at it, pondering over and over in his mind.

Judging from Uncle Lu's words, that Origin-Tracing Star Stone was a sacred artifact passed down for thousands of years by the Dust Fate Pavilion, its history so detailed that even the pavilion's records couldn't fully capture it. Uncle Lu's shock at that moment didn't seem feigned. Although he quickly composed himself, trying his best to maintain his usual calm, Lin Fan clearly saw the fleeting, almost unconcealed shock in his eyes, and the instantaneous tension and relaxation in his fingers. It was probably the first time he'd ever seen a star stone react like that. Keeping it a secret must have been for a very deep reason. Perhaps it involved a secret that even Uncle Lu couldn't fathom.

Lin Fan looked at the jade pendant with a complicated expression. This ancestral heirloom was somehow intertwined with a secret that had shocked even the leader of the Watchers.

Too many questions, too few answers. If you can't figure it out, just put it aside for now. "I'll figure it out slowly later." He gripped the jade pendant tightly, feeling its familiar warmth, but a sense of urgency rose in his heart.

"Whatever it is, the most important thing now is to become stronger."

What he saw and heard at the Dust Fate Pavilion today opened a door for him—a dangerous yet vast world beyond. The monsters were real, the battles were brutal, and beneath the seemingly calm surface of this world, undercurrents surged. Lu Xiuyuan's words, "Perhaps it can't be hidden for long," weighed on his heart like a stone.

The living room was filled with the hushed laughter of her parents and the chatter of her younger sister. How long could this hard-won, warm and peaceful tranquility last?

A strong desire welled up from the bottom of his heart—he had to be strong. Not to show off, but so that when the storm really came, he would have the ability to protect the small, warm home behind him.

Lin Fan let out a long breath and carefully put the jade pendant back around his neck. The warm touch against his skin brought him a sense of peace.