The sky remained eternally clear, tinged with a crystalline blue where white clouds drifted slowly, while a gentle sun illuminated the entire landscape without ever becoming harsh. Verdant mountains, rivers of translucent waters, serene lakes, and endless fields of flowers formed a scenery of such perfect beauty that it seemed to exist only in the most beautiful dreams.
The immortal energy in that place was incomparably pure, mixed with a dense vital aura that made all forms of life grow in abundance. Divine trees laden with rare fruits, gardens filled with divine herbs, and untouched forests coexisted in perfect harmony, creating a true paradise where there were no wars, intrigues, or any trace of the corruption of the outside world.
In the center of this small universe stood only a single residence.
It was a large house, built entirely of spiritual wood and divine bamboo, without any extravagant luxury. Its exterior maintained a welcoming simplicity, surrounded by flowering gardens, small streams, and fruit trees that swayed gently in the breeze. The interior also followed the same style—spacious enough to accommodate Ren Zu's entire enormous family, yet without losing the warm atmosphere of a true home.
At that moment, Ren Zu was walking calmly through the gardens surrounding the residence. A smile was etched on his face as he carried two small children, a little girl and a little boy.
The two were tiny bundles of cuteness. They had soft, silky black hair that fell delicately over their foreheads, and large, round, shiny black eyes full of curiosity and innocence. Their fair, delicate skin resembled porcelain, while their slightly rosy and chubby cheeks made anyone want to pinch them. Their small, delicate noses and pure, carefree smiles made it impossible to look away, as if they were the most adorable babies who had ever existed.
The little boy waved his tiny hands from time to time, looking around with childish fascination, while the little girl remained nestled in Ren Zu's arms, gently holding onto his clothes with her little fingers, displaying a sweet smile that could melt even the coldest heart. Just watching them was enough to warm anyone's heart, such was the tenderness they conveyed.
They were his children with the Little Demon Empress. Their names were Ren Qingyang (Green Sun) and Ren Guyue (Ancient Moon).
"Daddy! I want to fly!" exclaimed Ren Qingyang, the little boy.
Ren Guyue, the little girl, let out soft giggles while nestled in his left arm, gripping her father's clothes with her delicate little hands as if it were both a guarantee of safety and fun at the same time.
"Daddy… please!! We want to fly, walking is boring!" she said in a sweet voice, her little eyes sparkling with amusement.
Ren Zu let out a low, warm laugh, the soft sound spreading through the garden like a tranquil spring breeze. With a simple thought, he made his body float gently, spinning slowly in the air while keeping the two securely and safely held against him.
"Hold on tight. Daddy won't let you fall."
The two children let out joyful squeals as Ren Zu increased the pace of the spin a little, creating the sensation of a gentle flight among the dancing flowers in the garden. Qingyang stretched out his little arms trying to catch spiritual butterflies crossing the air, while Guyue hid her little face in her father's chest, laughing uncontrollably.
After a few minutes of playing, Ren Zu landed carefully on the soft grass, as if the ground itself had been chosen not to disturb the moment. He sat down slowly, placing the two on his lap. Ren Qingyang immediately began climbing his chest to try to reach and pull his long dark hair, while Ren Guyue nestled against him, holding one of her father's large fingers with both of her tiny hands as if it were her entire world.
"Daddy, tell the Dragon Ball story again—what happens in the fight between Gohan and Cell?"
"No… the Little Red Riding Hood story!" protested Ren Guyue, pouting.
Ren Zu smiled, calmly and affectionately stroking the heads of the two, alternating between them with infinite patience and serene affection.
"Daddy can tell both, okay?..."
The two nodded vigorously, their little faces full of anticipation.
While telling the stories in a calm and expressive voice, making gentle gestures with his hands, the two children listened attentively, occasionally letting out giggles or innocent questions.
It was at that moment that a graceful and majestic figure approached along the stone path.
The Little Demon Empress. Her long black hair danced softly in the wind, and her dark eyes shone with a mixture of affection and maternal concern. Even after giving birth and becoming the mother of two children, her beauty remained breathtaking. On the contrary, motherhood had only further enhanced her charm, giving her a mature elegance and an even more captivating allure. Her body had also become more voluptuous than before, with even more generous curves that accentuated her femininity.
Beside her was Xia Qingyue. She wore no makeup, but that was completely irrelevant, for the sky itself seemed to have gathered all its perfection to sculpt her countenance. Her skin lived up to the expression "jade bones, icy flesh," so fair and flawless that it seemed to radiate a soft luminosity. There was not the slightest imperfection in her delicate features, in her naturally ruby lips, or in her ethereal beauty. She gave the impression of a pure and immaculate fairy, an existence that seemed to belong to a plane above the nine heavens.
In her arms, Xia Qingyue carried a little girl who appeared to be a little over two years old. Fine black hair fell delicately over her forehead, framing a round and adorable little face. Her large eyes were amethyst-colored, inherited from her mother when using her Purple Pylon divine powers, shining with crystalline innocence and contrasting harmoniously with her long eyelashes and snow-white skin. Her soft, slightly rosy cheeks made her face irresistibly cute, while her small pink lips remained curved in a shy and sweet little smile.
Being much younger than Ren Qingyang and Ren Guyue, she still displayed all the naivety of a very small child. She remained nestled in Xia Qingyue's arms, hugging her with her chubby little arms while observing the world around her with silent curiosity. From time to time, she tilted her little head to the side and blinked her large violet eyes slowly, conveying a purity so sweet that a single glance was enough to melt anyone's heart. She was Ren Zu's third daughter, named Ren Huixin (Carefree Heart of Wisdom).
Ren Zu stopped playing with his two children and looked up, a gentle smile appearing on his lips upon seeing the two graceful figures approaching along the stone path. Ren Guyue and Ren Qingyang, upon seeing their mothers, let out joyful squeals and quickly ran toward the Little Demon Empress.
"Mommy! Mommy!"
The two ran at the same time and threw themselves into the Little Demon Empress's arms, hugging her waist with all the strength of their small arms. She smiled immediately, her eyes overflowing with maternal tenderness as she gently caressed the heads of the two.
"You two went to bother Daddy again? Didn't I say he was cultivating?"
"But, Mommy!" Ren Qingyang replied hurriedly, lifting his head. "Daddy did it! He advanced to the level he called… uh… True Mortal!"
Ren Guyue let out a small giggle and shook her head.
"It's True Immortal, little brother…"
"That's it! True Immortal!" Ren Qingyang exclaimed, clapping his little hands. "Daddy noticed that Yue'er and I were spying, but he wasn't mad! He came to play with us!"
"And Daddy told us two stories." Ren Guyue added with a sweet smile.
"Really…" The Little Demon Empress smiled, glancing at her husband, who had finally taken a step beyond the Ancestral God Realm and become a True Immortal! Without the limitations of the Primordial Chaos in that place, all of them had already reached the level of True Goddesses, and some had even ascended to Creation Goddesses. They had to work even harder to catch up to him!
Meanwhile, little Ren Huixin, who was in Xia Qingyue's arms, immediately stretched out her chubby little arms toward Ren Zu, letting out insistent and cute little sounds of complaint, as if she could no longer stand being away from him for another moment.
"Daddy… Daddy…"
Ren Zu, the doting father that he was, did not hesitate for a second. He approached with quick but careful steps, full of tenderness, and took the little girl from Xia Qingyue's arms with extreme delicacy, as if holding the most precious thing in the world. As soon as she was placed against his chest, little Huixin immediately relaxed, burying her little face in his neck and gripping his clothes with her tiny hands, as if she had finally found her place.
"Daddy is here…" he murmured in a low, comforting voice, leaning down to gently kiss the top of her little head while rocking her in a slow, steady rhythm, almost like a silent lullaby.
He then looked up at Xia Qingyue and the Little Demon Empress, and his previously serene expression gained a subtle trace of genuine concern.
"I was in seclusion for a few days and I'm worried. How are Yao'er, Xue'er, and Tong'er?" he asked, his voice calm but filled with attention.
Xia Qingyue stepped a little closer and gently adjusted the little Huixin's clothes in Ren Zu's arms with silent, maternal care.
"They are resting, husband. Sister Jasmine said she's feeling a bit nauseous today, so sister Caizhi is taking care of her. I also saw sister Xue'er playing with little Ning; she was with sister Shen Xi and sister Li Suo. So don't worry too much. Sister Chi Wuyao is being accompanied by sister Jie Ling, sister Jie Xin, and the others…"
The Little Demon Empress picked up her two children and also approached:
"By the way, husband. We have some news for you—sister Mu Xuanyin found out she's pregnant, and so did sister Jie Yuan! I just learned about it; they're really excited!"
Ren Zu was momentarily stunned, his red eyes widening slightly. A slow, deep, and enchanted smile appeared on his perfect lips, illuminating his entire face.
"…Really?"
He hugged little Huixin closer to his chest with even more affection, his heart overflowing with a warm and genuine happiness.
"I'm going to be a father again…"
The joy was visible in his expression. The man who had conquered the entire Primordial Chaos and become a True Immortal seemed, at that moment, simply an extremely happy ordinary father.
In the end, life has funny ways of teaching its meaning. What was once an endless pursuit of power, a villain's justification, or meaning had become something much simpler and deeper: the sum of small moments shared with those he loved.
The true pinnacle of his existence was not above the heavens or beyond the Primordial Chaos, but in that garden, under that eternal sky, where he had achieved a truly happy life.
And happiness has no price!
______________
(A/N: And with that... Ren Zu's story comes to an end.
It feels strange to write those words.
After spending so much time with these characters, imagining scenes, creating conflicts, thinking about dialogue, and staring at a blank screen for hours, I've finally reached the last chapter. I think the best way to describe how I feel is that there's a strange sense of emptiness. I'm happy that I managed to finish this journey, but at the same time, I'm also feeling a little melancholic. After all, this is the first story I've managed to complete in a very long time... and that means a lot to me.
This epilogue was simple. In fact, the last few chapters as a whole ended up being more of a summary of events. And I know that wasn't what many of you were hoping for.
You know what the worst part is?
It was my decision to make it that way.
If I had written every event with the attention it deserved, scene by scene, dialogue by dialogue, this final stretch would probably have taken another ten, fifteen, or even twenty chapters. And, to be completely honest with all of you, I don't know if I would've been able to make it to the end.
That was one of the hardest decisions I had to make while writing this story. I had to choose between giving you a more condensed ending or risking never finishing it at all. After thinking about it for a long time, I chose the former.
So... I'm sorry.
I sincerely apologize to those who were hoping to see these moments explored in greater detail. I wanted that too.
As for the epilogue, all I wanted was to show a moment of peace. I wanted to show Ren Zu and his family after they had finally reached the end of their journey. After so many battles, losses, hardships, and victories, I felt they deserved nothing more than to simply live. To smile. To build a family. To enjoy the happiness they had spent so long fighting to protect.
At the same time, I know this story deserved an even better ending.
I'm fully aware that there were many paths I could have explored, many characters who deserved more attention, and countless moments that could have been developed much better. I know some of you probably expected more, and honestly... so did I.
But I also came to realize that if I didn't end the story here, I would eventually fall into the trap of dragging it on forever. Instead of ending it with care, I would've slowly worn down something that meant so much to me.
Every story deserves an ending.
Looking back, I can see many mistakes.
The biggest one was making Ren Zu far too powerful. At first, it seemed exciting, but as the story progressed, it became increasingly difficult to create challenges that genuinely felt threatening. When the protagonist grows beyond everything around him, the world itself starts to feel smaller.
Another mistake was spending too much time on Ren Zu's conflict and rivalry with Yun Che. Looking back now, I realize I invested far too much energy into that rivalry when I could have spent that time developing the relationships, emotions, and growth of the people who stood beside Ren Zu.
I also feel like I didn't do justice to many of the characters I genuinely loved writing. Mu Xuanyin, Mu Bingyun, Shen Xi, Chi Wuyao, Qianye Ying'er, Caizhi, Li Suo, Jie Yuan, and many others deserved more moments, more development, and more time in the spotlight. Every time I reread certain chapters, I can't help but think about all the opportunities I let slip away.
And... before someone points it out, yes, I know. I also owe you all a few smut chapters with them. I'm sure many of you distinguished men and women of culture will never forgive me for that. 😂
Jokes aside, not giving so many characters the development they deserved is probably the biggest regret I carry as I finish this story.
Even so, despite all of these regrets, there's one thing I'll never regret: writing this story.
It taught me far more than I ever expected. I learned about storytelling, character writing, pacing, planning, and most importantly, I learned through my own mistakes. Today I can recognize flaws that I wouldn't even have noticed a few months ago. That means I've grown, and that growth only happened because I wrote every single one of these chapters.
No story is perfect. There will always be something we wish we could change once it's over. I think every author goes through that. There's always that lingering feeling that if we could go back to Chapter One, we'd do everything differently.
But if I could go back... perhaps this story wouldn't be the same story that brought me to where I am today.
So I'd rather hold on to the fond memories than the regrets.
Finally, I want to thank every single one of you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this journey. Whether you've been here since the very first chapter or only found this story near the end, every view, every comment, every theory, every criticism, every compliment, and every word of encouragement meant more to me than you probably realize. There were many moments when your support was exactly what kept me writing, even when I felt discouraged.
Thank you for giving Ren Zu a chance.
Thank you for following his journey.
Thank you for laughing, getting angry, feeling emotional, and sharing so many unforgettable moments alongside these characters.
I sincerely hope this story entertained you, even if only for a little while.
And from the bottom of my heart, I hope you'll also be there for my future projects. I want to keep writing, keep improving, and above all, tell even better stories.
If you have any suggestions, criticisms, or simply want to share your thoughts about the story, please don't hesitate. I'll read everything with great appreciation. Your feedback has always been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Once again...
Thank you so much for walking this path with me until the very end.
See you in the next story. ❤️)