069 : The Return of the Strongest.

The blinding light of creation faded, leaving only silence.

Lin Tian stood still, his golden eyes locked onto the woman before him.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Su Yun was no longer just a presence in his mind.

She was here. Real. Alive.

Her body, once lost to time, was whole again. Her skin radiated with the warmth of life, her chest rising and falling with soft, steady breaths.

And then—she opened her eyes.

Golden light reflected in her gaze, mirroring Lin Tian's own. She blinked, taking in her surroundings, before slowly looking up at him.

A single moment of realization.

Then—tears.

"Lin Tian…" Su Yun's voice trembled. "I… I'm here?"

Lin Tian exhaled, a rare softness flickering in his gaze. "Yeah."

Su Yun lifted her hands, staring at her own fingers in disbelief. She touched her own face, as if confirming that she wasn't dreaming.

Then—she laughed.

Pure, unrestrained joy.

"I… I'm really here! I can feel everything!" Su Yun's smile was bright, her voice filled with something Lin Tian had almost forgotten.

Happiness.

And for the first time in centuries—he let himself smile too.

But as the moment passed, reality settled in.

Lin Tian had done the impossible. He had conquered the Tower, devoured its limits, rewritten the laws of existence, and even stolen the power of creation itself.

Now, he stood alone at the peak.

Unmatched. Unstoppable.

And yet—what now?

Su Yun must have noticed his silence. She stepped closer, her expression soft.

"You're thinking about what happens next, aren't you?"

Lin Tian's golden eyes flickered. "I've spent my whole life climbing, breaking, destroying. And now that I've reached the top…"

He looked at his own hands, once instruments of destruction, now wielding the power to create.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Su Yun reached out, placing her hand over his. "Live."

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow.

"You don't need to conquer anything anymore, Lin Tian." Her voice was gentle but firm. "You have everything now. And for the first time… you don't have to fight anymore."

Lin Tian exhaled, considering her words.

He had been fighting for so long.

Always moving forward. Always searching for more power.

But now—he had nothing left to fight.

And maybe… that was okay.

Lin Tian raised his hand, and space itself trembled.

With a single thought, he tore open a path through reality, creating a gateway back to the world he had once left behind.

The realm of gods, the Tower, the infinite expanse of creation—none of it mattered anymore.

Because now, he had something far more important.

A life.

Su Yun smiled. "You ready?"

Lin Tian smirked. "Let's go home."

Together, they stepped through the portal.

And for the first time in centuries—Lin Tian returned to the world of mortals.

The city was just as he remembered.

The bright neon lights, the familiar hum of cars and distant conversations. The skyscrapers stretched into the sky, towering over streets lined with people who had no idea that a god now walked among them.

But to Lin Tian—none of it mattered.

Because the moment he and Su Yun stepped onto the streets, the only thing that mattered was her laughter.

She spun in place, arms outstretched, taking in everything around her. "It's so normal!"

Lin Tian chuckled. "What, were you expecting something different?"

Su Yun grinned. "I just… I never thought I'd see this again." She looked up at him, eyes shining. "You really brought me back, Lin Tian."

Lin Tian shrugged. "Of course. I always keep my promises."

Su Yun reached for his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "Then promise me one more thing."

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Su Yun's smile softened. "Let's live. Together."

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then—he squeezed her hand.

"Yeah," Lin Tian murmured. "Let's live."

And just like that—his journey was over.

Not with a final battle.

Not with an ultimate victory.

But with something far greater.

A life worth living.

A small café on the edge of the city.

The smell of freshly brewed tea and warm pastries filled the air. Soft sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a golden glow over the wooden tables and quiet customers.

At a table near the window, Lin Tian sat, sipping his tea.

Across from him, Su Yun rested her chin on her hand, smiling.

"You're really just sitting here, drinking tea?" she teased. "Not tearing through realms, not destroying gods, not breaking the fabric of reality?"

Lin Tian smirked, setting his cup down. "Sounds exhausting."

Su Yun laughed. "And yet, that's all you used to do."

Lin Tian leaned back, stretching. "I've done enough."

Su Yun studied him for a moment, her gaze soft. "Do you regret it?"

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "Regret what?"

"Everything."

Lin Tian was silent for a moment.

The battles. The endless climb. The things he lost, the things he took. The Tower he devoured, the gods he erased.

And yet—he didn't regret any of it.

Because all of it… led him here.

Lin Tian shook his head. "No."

Su Yun smiled. "Good."

Lin Tian and Su Yun left the café, stepping onto the busy street. The city moved around them, people rushing to work, cars honking, life moving as if nothing had changed.

Because to this world—nothing had changed.

No one knew that a being beyond gods walked among them.

No one knew that the man casually holding Su Yun's hand could erase existence with a thought.

And for once, Lin Tian didn't care.

He wasn't looking for a fight.

He wasn't looking for more power.

He had already won the only battle that mattered.

A life.

A real one.

And so—he lived.

Not as a cultivator. Not as a god.

But simply as Lin Tian.

And that… was enough.

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