Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation
58. Breakthrough & Breakdown

Jin Shu woke to the quiet stillness of early morning, long before the sun crept above the horizon. It was a habit he had carried over from his previous life on Earth. Beside him, Yin’er lay curled up on his pillow, her tiny chest rising and falling with each soft breath. Occasionally, a quiet snore or twitch of her paw broke the silence, drawing a faint smile from him.

A month had passed since his arrival at the Immortal Phoenix Sect. Day after day, time moved on since he began his search for his mother—or a way to find her, which he was lucky to have found here. Each day felt like the last, a steady rhythm of routine and training.

Moving carefully so as not to wake Yin’er, Jin Shu slipped out of bed and dressed quietly. His mornings always began the same way. First, he would visit Aunt Chen, who somehow managed to wake even earlier than he did—if she even slept at all.

Together, they checked the Soul Jade twice daily, once at dawn and again at night. It had become a ritual of sorts, though Jin Shu noticed Aunt Chen frequently stealing glances at the jade throughout the day.

His mother’s movements were as erratic as ever, constantly traveling across the southern region. Yet she never strayed far from the barren desert at the southernmost tip, a place marked on maps as a desolate wasteland.

Today, however, something was different. When they activated the Soul Jade, instead of the usual view from below, the image showed her holding her counterpart jade. She was smiling—directly at them. It was as though she knew they were watching.

Jin Shu turned to Aunt Chen, his brow furrowed. “Can she see us?”

Aunt Chen met his gaze and nodded. “She has the counterpart to this Soul Jade, so technically, yes. But the image she sees would be from six hours ago. She likely hasn’t seen you yet.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Relief that his mother was safe mingled with the ache of wanting her to know he was searching for her. Would she come back soon if she knew?

Noticing his disappointment, Aunt Chen placed a comforting hand on his.

“She’ll be back soon,” she said softly. “Just wait patiently and give her a nice surprise when she returns, okay?”

“Uh-huh.” Jin Shu nodded slowly, though the longing in his chest didn’t abate. “I’m going to train now. I feel like I’m close to a breakthrough with the Dragon-Tiger Steps.”

“The Dragon-Tiger Steps?” Aunt Chen raised an eyebrow.

“It’s what I’ve been calling the ‘Dragon Ascending, Tiger Descending Steps.’ That name felt way too long.”

“Ah, I see. A good name.” She smiled faintly. “Go on, then. I’ll let you know if anything changes with your mother.”

Jin Shu returned her smile, bowing politely before leaving the room.

As Jin Shu made his way back to his temporary lodging, he suddenly sensed a surge of qi emanating from one of the nearby buildings. He paused, recognizing the source—it was coming from Biyu’s house, rather the spare building she was staying in. Curiosity sparked within him. What could she be doing to release such a strong wave of qi?

Without thinking too much, he decided to investigate. They were close enough that he was certain she wouldn’t mind.

He approached her home with care, opening the door slowly to avoid startling her. Immediately, a strange, fishy scent hit his nose, causing him to scrunch it in mild disgust. The smell was unusual, almost unnatural.

He followed the scent deeper into the house, the familiar layout, same as his own, guiding his steps toward the master bedroom. As he reached the door, he gave a tentative knock. The door, unlatched, creaked open on its own, revealing a sight that left him momentarily frozen.

Biyu was partially submerged in a large wooden tub filled with murky, blackish water. The bizarre scent was almost overwhelming now. His instinct was to look away, but before he could fully turn, her eyes snapped open.

She spotted him immediately, and he braced himself, expecting her to shout or scold him. Instead, she smiled brightly, her expression surprisingly warm.

“Jin Shu!” she exclaimed, her voice cheerful as she stood up from the tub.

The murky water cascaded down her figure, accentuating every curve. Jin Shu’s eyes followed the motion despite himself, but the intensifying fishy smell caused him to recoil slightly.

Biyu glanced down at her exposed body, her face instantly flushing red. “Ah! T-turn around, now!” she screamed.

Jin Shu spun on his heel with the ingrained precision of a once soldier, facing away from the room in an instant. Behind him, he heard her stepping out of the tub, the sound of more water splashing followed by the rustling of fabric.

After a moment of awkward silence, he cleared his throat and blurted out, “Um… I didn’t mean to intrude! I just felt the qi surge and got curious. When I knocked, the door just… swung open!” His words tumbled out in a single breath.

She didn’t reply immediately, but he heard the faint hiss of a perfume bottle. A rosy scent filled the air, though it struggled to overpower the fishy odor still lingering.

A moment later, he felt a pair of hands press against his back. “Let’s get out of here,” Biyu said, her voice low but insistent.

He nodded quickly as she gave him a gentle but firm push, urging him down the hallway.

As they walked, Biyu began to explain. “I was undergoing a breakthrough to the Core Realm. During breakthroughs, your body expels impurities from your meridians.”

“Oh…” Jin Shu glanced at her, finally understanding. “That explains the… uh, smell. Congratulations on your breakthrough!” he added with an awkward smile.

“Thanks,” she said, her voice tinged with a mix of embarrassment and pride.

Once they stepped outside, the crisp air mercifully dispelled the lingering scent of impurities. In its place, Jin Shu caught the faint, lingering fragrance of roses from her perfume.

His eyes drifted to her as they walked. Her dark green hair was damp, the strands glistening as they caught the faint light. The water dripped occasionally, trailing down her back and soaking into her robes, which clung tightly to her figure.

He cleared his throat, quickly averting his gaze. “It looks like you cleaned up quickly. That second splash of water must have been you rinsing off?”

She nodded, brushing a hand through her wet hair. “Yeah, I couldn’t exactly stay like that.”

He chuckled lightly, glad to see her in good spirits. “Still, I’m impressed. Reaching the Core Realm is a big deal.”

Biyu gave him a small smile, her cheeks faintly pink. “It wasn’t easy, but it’s done now. I just wasn’t expecting to have an audience at the end of it.”

“Trust me,” Jin Shu said with a sheepish grin, “I didn’t plan to be one.”

Her laughter was soft, but it eased the tension between them as they continued their walk, leaving the earlier awkwardness behind.

He glanced back down at Biyu, noticing she had frozen mid-step, her face a mix of shock and disbelief. Curious, Jin Shu followed her gaze and immediately froze as well, his shock even greater than hers.

Standing in the middle of the path, her back to them, was his mother—Sun Mei’er. She looked around as if trying to get her bearings, her familiar figure unmistakable.

“M-mom?” he asked hesitantly, his voice choked, barely coming out above a whisper.

Sun Mei’er turned, her gaze landing on him. Her expression was calm, as if this were the most ordinary encounter. “Jin Shu, what are you doing here?” she asked casually, as though they’d bumped into each other at a market.

He blinked, his mind struggling to process her words before the dam of emotions broke. Fury, relief, and confusion collided within him.

He pulled out a rose-gold earring from his pocket—a phoenix design so poorly crafted by his young hands that it resembled an ugly chicken—and held it up, his hands trembling with a mix of anger and fear. “This! This is why I’m here! I found this covered in blood—with no sign of you anywhere!”

Sun Mei’er’s eyes lit up in recognition. “Oh! My earring. I wondered where I’d lost it.”

“That’s it?!” Jin Shu’s voice cracked, his knees buckling as tears welled up. “That’s all you have to say? I… I thought something horrible had happened to you!”

Her eyes widened, and in an instant, she was at his side, wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, my baby! Momma is so, so sorry.”

Jin Shu clung to her as if she might vanish again, his voice trembling. “I was so scared. I’m just… so glad you’re okay.” He took a shaky breath before his tone hardened, his eyes narrowing. “But what about Biyu? You left her. What if I hadn’t been there? How could you?”

Sun Mei’er pulled back slightly, her smile unwavering as she glanced at Biyu, who stood awkwardly behind Jin Shu. “But you were there, weren’t you?”

Jin Shu stared at her in disbelief. “You knew I was there?”

Her smile deepened, a playful glint in her eyes. “Of course. You’re not exactly subtle, Jin Shu. Those strange, noisy weapons of yours are hard to miss.”

His eyes widened further. “H-how long were you watching?”

She tapped her chin in thought, her tone almost teasing. “Hmm… Let’s see. Until you went to see your father.”

“WHAT?!” His voice echoed through the courtyard. “You mean… the entire time?! Why?! What were you doing?!”

Sun Mei’er’s smile faded, her expression turning serious. She placed her hands on his shoulders, her gaze piercing yet gentle. “I had to make sure.”

“Make sure of what?”

Her voice softened, filled with unshakable maternal warmth. “That you were still my son.”

Jin Shu’s breath hitched, and his heart sank. His body trembled as he struggled to process her words.

Seeing his reaction, she pulled him into another embrace, stroking his hair soothingly. “I know you’re different now,” she said gently. “But no matter what, you’re still my son.”

“I… I…” Jin Shu stammered, his voice barely audible.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, holding him tightly. “You don’t have to explain everything right now.”

After a long moment, he finally whispered, “I have memories of my past life. I’m sorry—I should have told you sooner.”

She pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, her head tilting curiously. “Oh? A past life? What was it like?”

“Cold. Lonely. Heartbreaking.” He buried his face in her shoulder again, his arms tightening around her. “I’m so glad I was born into a loving family in this life.”

Sun Mei’er stiffened ever so slightly, her smile faltering. “Uh… Did Ai Yun not tell—”

“Ahem.”

A polite cough interrupted her, and Jin Shu turned to see Aunt Chen standing a few paces away. Her gaze shifted between the two of them, curiosity evident in her expression.

“Why’s it so noisy first thing in the morning?” Tian Li asked, stepping out of a nearby house while stretching and stifling a yawn. Her disheveled hair and groggy tone made it clear she’d just woken up.

“Daddy?!” Yin’er’s curious shout echoed from behind, followed by the sound of her small paws pattering closer.

Jin Shu glanced around. It seemed everyone had gathered, their gazes fixed on him. Even with all their eyes on him, he couldn’t stop the tears streaming down his face. The emotions swirling inside him—happiness, relief, and an aching sadness—were too overwhelming to contain.

For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt lighter, as if the burden he’d carried for so long had finally started to ease.

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