"Our Li family's talents are severely lacking to begin with."
"Even Sister took years to become a cosmic lifeform, and only with the personal guidance of Jingming," another added.
The three men and two women argued.
"Listen to me, Dad," one of them begged. "Jingming is now the top person in the cosmic human race below the Paramount realm. Sure, Origin lifeform spots are rare, but if he can help four of us, he can help the younger ones."
"Dad, Mom," all of them pleaded.
But Li Chen'an shook his head. "Your sister has made it clear how difficult it is to apply for a spot. Even the younger generation of the Xu family can't meet the requirements, so don't get your hopes up. 3,000 years of life is enough, what more do you want? Let me be clear, don't disturb your sister and brother-in-law. Trust me, if you anger your brother-in-law, you'll regret it."
We won't go to Jingming, but we'll go to Sister."
"We'll go to Sister ourselves."
The temptation of living longer was enough to make their once obedient children go crazy.
The closer they came to the end of their lives, the more they yearned for the chance to become Origin lifeforms. Why couldn't they have the same opportunity as their parents?
******
Li Miaomiao was the one who usually took care of the Li family's affairs. She didn't want to burden Xu Jingming with any of it.
"Master, Xiaoqing."
Xu Jingming arrived to see Dai Tongda and Dai Xiaoqing.
Dai Tongda lacked an Evolutionary Guide, and despite the resources Xu Jingming had given him and his junior sister, they were still far from reaching Lv. 8.
"Jingming."
"Senior Brother."
Dai Tongda and Dai Xiaoqing were also very surprised by Xu Jingming's arrival.
Xu Jingming had long been 'deified.' He was the greatest leader of Earth's civilization and an extremely dazzling figure of the human race. He was even recognized as a new Paramount existence.
With such a figure visiting, the Dai family naturally stirred. The others left, and only Dai Tongda and Dai Xiaoqing accompanied him.
"Time flies, and I'm already over 2,900 years old," Dai Tongda said with a smile. "Xiaoqing and I have silver hair, but you still look young, Jingming."
"He'll be a Paramount in the future," Dai Xiaoqing said admiringly. "Unfortunately, we won't be able to see it."
"Is there anything I can help with?" Xu Jingming asked.
Dai Tongda and Dai Xiaoqing looked at each other.
"The Pearwood Group already helps us enough. There's nothing troubling us," Dai Tongda said.
Xu Jingming nodded in understanding.
"The virtual worlds in the virtual net have fulfilled all our childhood imaginations," Dai Tongda remarked with emotion. "This life has been exciting."
Dai Xiaoqing glanced at her father. "He's never been able to forget my mother, but he's carefree in other aspects."
Dai Tongda was stunned, his wrinkled face filled with memories.
Compared to his wife, all the other women he had met in the years after her death were nothing.
"Master, Xiaoqing," Xu Jingming said, catching their attention. "Remember what I'm about to tell you."
The two of them looked at Xu Jingming.
"Don't wait until the last day of your life," Xu Jingming warned. "Pass away two weeks before the true end."
With advanced technology, cosmic lifeforms could now last until the very end.
"Two weeks before?" Dai Tongda and Dai Xiaoqing asked, confused.
"When I become a Paramount in the future, I have a chance of changing the fate of low-dimensional lifeforms," Xu Jingming explained. "I can revive you. Even your wife can be revived."
Dai Tongda's wife had died at a young age, so she was far from her true end.
"Really?" Dai Tongda was in disbelief, dreaming of seeing his wife again.
"There's only hope," Xu Jingming said.
It was difficult to nurture spawn, and the only legacy Xu Jingming knew was Monhado.
In the future, as a high-dimensional lifeform, he might acquire a new technique.
But one thing was certain… Xu Jingming wanted his wife, daughter, and many others to have a long lifespan.
"Understood, we understand," Dai Tongda said, his eyes burning with excitement.
Dai Xiaoqing asked, "Is there a limit to the number of spots?"
"We'll talk about those spots when I bring you back to life," Xu Jingming replied. He didn't know how many he'd be able to revive, but he knew there were a lot of them based on Monhado.
The 3,000 Emissaries were a small fraction of the spawn.
…
As Xu Jingming worked tirelessly to create a high-dimensional body, he visited his friends.
Thanks to Xu Jingming's resources and his own talent, his master, Liu Hai, finally became an Origin lifeform.
Most of his friends were reaching the end of their lives.
Earth, cemetery.
He stood alone at a cemetery on Earth, in front of a tombstone.
"Shuo, you're gone. Along with the rest of Team Pearwood—Wang Yi, Liu Chongyuan, Heng Fang. All gone," Xu Jingming said, looking at the stone.
"I still remember our days in the virtual world, participating in the first Firestarter Cup."
"Everything remains vivid in my mind. Our opponents, Lei Yunfang, Fang Yu, Zhou Yi, Zhang Qing, Xiong Tianshan, they're all gone now."
Few of Earth's earliest batch of cosmic lifeforms reached Lv. 8 on their own, and thus couldn't live past the 3,000-year lifespan limit.
Almost everyone from his childhood and adulthood had died and become a part of history.
Xu Jingming returned to his old residence on Earth alone.
Xu Jingming sat in silence, watching the sun set.
"Jingming." Li Miaomiao sat beside him.
"I understand why high-dimensional lifeforms rarely return to their homeworld. It's because their loved ones and friends are long gone," Xu Jingming whispered.
"A lifespan of 3,000 years, 10,000 years, 30,000 years, 100,000 years. Over and over again, people will continue to disappear until I'm all alone," Xu Jingming said, his voice barely audible. "That's the life of a high-dimensional lifeform."
Li Miaomiao held her husband's hand.
"The goal of my life is to watch the sun rise and set with you," Xu Jingming said, looking at his wife.
"Jingming, my lifespan may be shorter than yours, but I'll be with you as long as I live," Li Miaomiao said, squeezing his hand.
"You'll live a long, long life." Just as they were lost in their moment, Xu Jingming frowned slightly.
Five people had arrived outside their compound.
"Master, Madam's five younger siblings are here to meet you," the guardian informed them.
"They came all the way here?" Li Miaomiao's expression changed.
Xu Jingming frowned slightly and looked at the Guardian. "Tell them to scram!"
"Yes, sir," the Guardian replied.
"They are prohibited from entering Earth again," Xu Jingming instructed.
"Yes, sir," the Guardian replied.
The five members of the Li family were expelled from Earth before they could meet Xu Jingming.
