Decades flew by in the blink of an eye, and before long, more than 30 years had passed.
âGrandpa,â said Xu Fangjin and Xu Biyun in unison as they walked into the room, each accompanied by their significant other.
âAfter all these years exploring the cosmos, youâve finally decided to come home,â said Xu Jingming, smiling at his grandchildren.
âI heard from your letters that youâre thinking about getting married,â he added.
âGrandpa, this is Dodoâan Nonaeclipse,â said Xu Fangjin, introducing the petite woman beside him with a bright smile.
She bowed reservedly and said, âGreetings, Deputy Dean.â
According to the rules of the Primordial Research Institute, any cosmic legend automatically became a deputy dean, but there could only be one acting dean.
âNonaeclipse?â Xu Jingming grinned in surprise. âIâve heard of it. They produced a cosmic legend in history.â
âBut that was eons ago,â Dodoâan Nonaeclipse said modestly. Before she arrived on Earth, her family had repeatedly reminded her of Deputy Dean Wu Mingâs potential. He could become the fourth human Paramount in the future and rival the other three.
Xu Jingming nodded in approval. âI can see you have real talent. Work hard and become an Origin lifeform on your own.â
âYes, Deputy Dean,â Dodoâan Nonaeclipse replied respectfully. She had a good relationship with Xu Fangjin, but she was more advanced on the evolutionary path. Her family had advised her not to rush into marriage and study the situation first.
When the news of Xu Jingmingâs cosmic legend status spread, her family immediately capitalized on it. With the familyâs pressure lifted, Dodoâan felt happier and more relaxed.
âXu Biyun, why the sudden change of heart?â Li Miaomiaoâwho sat beside her husbandâglared at her granddaughter. âI thought you said you werenât in a hurry to get married?â
âBro is getting hitched, so I figured a joint wedding would be nice.â Xu Biyun squeezed the hand of the young man beside her. âPlus, I met someone suitable.
âScarletjade Swordcrow?â Xu Jingming nodded in recognition. âIâve heard of you. You became an Origin lifeform in over 200 years and are a genius of the Eternal Academy. Impressive.â
âIâm nothing compared to you, Deputy Dean.â Scarletjade Swordcrow lowered his head, his eyes sharp with pride.
He was a talented member of his family, becoming an Origin lifeform in just over 200 years. Although his talent was inferior to the likes of Redmond, Primordial One, and others, he still had a chance at becoming a cosmic legend.
Scarletjade Swordcrowâs goal was to become a cosmic legend and a high-dimensional lifeform. And when he met Xu Biyun at a gathering, he knew she would be the one.
Xu Jingming let out a heavy sigh.
His grandsonâs wife came from the Nonaeclipse family.
His granddaughterâs husband was a peerless genius of the Swordcrow family.
He understood the strategic considerations behind such a marriage.
âI hope the two of you can find true joy together,â Xu Jingming said with a smile, but his gaze was intense as it swept over Dodoâan and Scarletjade. The duo couldnât help but feel a sense of invisible pressure under his scrutiny.
Scarletjade wondered to himself, Is this Deputy Dean Wu Mingâs warning? All he wishes is for our happiness on our first meeting?
âŠ
The two couples held their wedding on the same day.
The wedding was held in the virtual realm and attended by guests from every corner of the cosmic human race. It was a grand affair, far surpassing even Xu Lixingâs nuptials of yesteryear. The whoâs who of the Cosmic Human Alliance, including officials, royalty, legends, and top factions, all descended upon the virtual venue.
âI canât believe itâall nine cosmic legends of the human race are here. Iâve never seen anything like this before,â one guest exclaimed.
âThis is even bigger than a royal wedding,â another exclaimed in awe.
Guests felt honored to be in the presence of such powerful figures.
The three emperors, Cosmic Human Alliance representatives, and top faction representatives could only sit at the fourth rowâs third table.
Xu Jingming sat at the second table with Redmond and the other seven cosmic legends.
The first table was reserved for the newlywedsâ families and relatives. The Xu family, Li Miaomiao, Xu Lixing, and Meng Tian, sat there along with the Nonaeclipse and Swordcrow families.
âItâs clear that all these important figures arenât here for the newlyweds but for Deputy Dean Wu Ming,â one guest whispered.
âThis is the first time Deputy Dean Wu Ming is appearing in public after becoming a cosmic legend,â another murmured.
All eyes were on Xu Jingming.
Xu Jingming sat among the cosmic legends, laughing and chatting as he watched the wedding ceremony unfold. But as he looked on, a thought crossed his mind: How long can I enjoy familial love?
As an Origin lifeform, advancing through external forces only granted a lifespan of 30,000 years. And even if he paid a steep price, his loved ones could only live for 100,000 years.
Using the three Paramounts as examples, other than Spacetime Island Lord having a child, Redeye, the other Paramountsâ relatives were long gone.
High-dimensional lifeforms were lonelyâthe limit of a low-dimensional lifeformâs 100,000 years of life was just too short for them.
Nurturing his family members to become his spawn?
It was only achievable by a select few existences at the half-step third realm. Even powerful entities like Gumo and the fully-mastered Red Lotus Fire couldnât do it.
Loneliness was the norm!
With this realization, Xu Jingming knew that having family members around was a luxury.
I should cherish the years I can spend with them, Xu Jingming thought.
âŠ
Xu Jingming treasured the tranquility of his days.
He cherished the time spent with his loved ones, and his thoughts were solely centered on the evolution of his being.