Xuangguang Pendant was a name Xuan Yuan casually gave to the jade pendant that had come with him through the dimensional rift.

It was only palm-sized, with an ancient, unadorned design, shaped somewhat like a mythical bird—possibly the legendary Xuan Niao (Dark Bird) of antiquity.

After using it to awaken Nüwa, Xuan Yuan had once given the pendant to her for further study, hoping she could find out more about it. But even after exhausting all current means available to her, Nüwa’s conclusion had been clear:

The Xuangguang Pendant had become just an ordinary object.
No different from any common piece of jade.

But now—
The pendant, which Xuan Yuan had just unhooked from his belt and was holding in his palm, was glowing faintly with golden light. A warm energy surged from it, flowing through his hand and into his entire body, spreading into his limbs and bones.

Somehow, Xuan Yuan felt it in his gut—and instinctively turned to look at the holographic projection screen before him.

On the screen, the villagers of Li Family Village were kneeling toward Mount Zi, their heads constantly bowing, mouths chanting over and over:

«Grandpa Taiyi, protect us! Grandpa Taiyi, bless us!»

«You think the pendant’s reacting to those villagers?» Nüwa blinked, eyes wide as she leaned in to examine the Xuangguang Pendant.
»I’m detecting energy again! It’s the same type of energy that reactivated me!»

«Same type? Didn’t you say you couldn’t identify what kind of energy it was?»

«That’s because I didn’t have a sample! Give it to me now—I bet I can find something new this time!»

Pouting in frustration, Nüwa stared hard at him, cheeks puffed out slightly, her tiny nose twitching—adorably animated. She had a five-plus rating in cuteness, no doubt.

If he didn’t know she was a hologram, Xuan Yuan might’ve just reached out to pinch her cheeks.

»Alright. Let’s take a look at what kind of mystery this thing holds.»

Turning around, Xuan Yuan headed for the lab inside the mountain—obviously the best place to analyze something like this.

But he had just taken one step when—

The Xuangguang Pendant suddenly released a powerful suction from his hand.

Before he could react, Xuan Yuan was swallowed in an instant—disappearing from the peak of Mount Zi in front of Nüwa’s stunned eyes.

                                        – Scene Break

A tickle at the tip of his nose stirred him from unconsciousness. Xuan Yuan sneezed, then slowly opened his eyes.

Above him were treetops swaying in the wind, sunbeams filtering through the canopy—not too bright, but enough to see clearly. The feel beneath him told him he was lying on a grassy forest floor.

«You’re awake?»

A voice—young, slightly raspy, but playful—spoke nearby.

Turning his head, Xuan Yuan saw a scrappy little beggar smiling at him.

The kid’s clothes were tattered, his frame skinny.
He looked maybe fifteen or sixteen, wore a crooked black leather cap, and his face and hands were caked with soot and dirt, completely obscuring any recognizable features.

He twirled a blade of grass between his fingers, grinning widely. His white teeth sparkled—oddly bright against his grimy appearance.

His eyes were sharp and black, clear and lively—not the dull, lifeless gaze of a typical street urchin.

Sitting up, Xuan Yuan rubbed his head, then glanced down to check his body. He didn’t feel any pain, which was a relief.

He looked back at the youth squatting beside him.

«Little brother, did you save me?»

«You’re a funny one,» the boy said, nodding behind him.
« Of all places, you passed out right on the main road. Wouldn’t wake up no matter how I called. Weren’t you afraid a bandit might come by and rob you blind?»

Judging by their surroundings, they were in a patch of woods. It seemed the boy had dragged him off the road and into cover.

«I see… Thanks.»

Xuan Yuan offered his gratitude and immediately checked his waist.

The Xuangguang Pendant, which he remembered placing in his palm, was now securely hanging from his belt again. But unlike before—when it had glowed warmly—it now looked plain and unremarkable once more.

«Hey! I saved you. How do you plan to repay me?»

Still trying to summon Nüwa silently—and getting no response—Xuan Yuan was snapped out of it by the beggar’s cheeky question.

Looking closer, he suddenly noticed:
Though the kid’s face and hands were covered in grime, there was a glimpse of smooth, pale skin near the collarbone where the clothes were loose.

Lowering his lids slightly, Xuan Yuan reached behind himself with one hand—and silently retrieved a silver ingot from his storage ring.

Gold and silver, beyond their monetary value, were important industrial materials. Nüwa’s factory beneath Mount Zi needed large quantities to function. Xuan Yuan kept a fair supply in storage.

Smiling, he extended the silver ingot in his palm.

«Thank you, little brother, for saving me. Please accept this as thanks. Also, I’d like to ask you a few things—do you mind?»

The beggar didn’t even look too closely at the silver—he casually stuffed it into his clothes and said:

«Go ahead!»

That nonchalant reaction wasn’t at all what one would expect from a typical beggar. Xuan Yuan  ’s suspicions about this »boy» deepened.

«May I ask—where is this place? How far are we from Mount Zi in Xiangzhou?»

The boy tilted his head.

«Xiangzhou? Never heard of it. Mount Zi either. But this place is near Zhangjiakou. From here, heading north is about half a day’s journey.»

Never heard of…?

Xuan Yuan frowned and asked again:

«Then how about Southern Dao?»

«Such strange names,» the boy muttered, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
«You must mean the Southwest Route of Western Capital? That old name—**‘Southern Dao’—was used before the Jianyan Southward Migration.»

Jianyan Southward Migration?!

Xuan Yuan  ’s pupils contracted slightly.

In Chinese history, »Jianyan Southward Migration» refers to the period after the fall of the Northern Song during the Jingkang Incident, when Zhao Gou (Emperor Gaozong) fled south to establish the Southern Song in Lin’an.

«Are you telling me I’ve time-traveled again…»

From the 21st century to tens of thousands of years into the future…
From being hailed as Grandpa Taiyi in a new world…
Now to being flung backward into Southern Song China?!

«What kind of power does Donghuang Taiyi have if it can toss me around like this…?»

«Hey, big brother—do you remember how you passed out on the road?»

The beggar waved a hand in front of his eyes as Xuan Yuan rubbed his temples.

«I don’t remember,» Xuan Yuan replied honestly, rising to his feet.

The dust and grime he’d gathered while lying on the road—and from being dragged into the woods—slid off his body instantly.
He gave his robe a light shake, and it turned bright white, pristine as new.

The beggar blinked in wonder.

«Whoa! That’s some amazing fabric! What’s it made of?»

«Don’t ask me,» Xuan Yuan said, forcing a smile.
«My… family prepared it.»

That « family» was Nüwa.

Now that she was gone again, he felt adrift.
But truthfully—he had been adrift from the very beginning.

From the moment he woke and met Nüwa… until now… Xuan Yuan had never really known what direction his life should take.

Seeing the beggar still staring at him curiously, Xuan Yuan smiled.

«My name is Xuan Yuan  . What about you, little brother?»

The beggar replied cheerfully and without hesitation:

«My surname is Huang, and my given name is just Rong!»

Xuan Yuan  : «……?»

Huang Rong?