After breakfast, Su Wen spoke, his tone calm.
"Today, I'll clear the farm and distribute all the mortal crops to the villagers down the mountain. After that, I'll plant spiritual herbs, fruits, and vegetables in the main farm. I'll set up a minor-grade Spirit-Gathering Formation, a temperature-control formation, and a barrier formation to keep rodents away. It'll take quite some time."
Then he turned to Du Yue, his gaze softening slightly.
"After we finish today's body cultivation, you'll focus on your soul cultivation. Compared to your body and spirit, your soul realm is lagging far behind."
Du Yue nodded and smiled gently.
Su Wen then looked at little Suzume and curiously,
"Grandpa told me you can control the mountain's location and that you're something special… like the Spirit of the Mountain. What exactly does that mean?" he asked.
Little Suzume lifted her chin proudly, tapping her feathers as if weighing the gravity of the question.
"Do you want the long answer or the short answer?"
Su Wen replied eagerly, "Long answer."
The little bird's expression shifted to exaggerated annoyance.
"Chirp! Oh, so you want the short answer, I see."
Su Wen's face flushed. "I asked for…"
She cut him off mid-word, making him sputter in irritation.
"Chirp! So, the thing is… hmm… how do I explain this… Chirp… this mountain's location can be changed by me. If you want, I can plop it right next to the Yellow Town!"
Du Yue, still giggling at Suzume's antics and mentally taking notes on how to tease her husband later, watched in astonishment.
Su Wen, his face flushed with irritation, was equally stunned. He furrowed his brows and thought, 'Is this mountain… a secret realm? Or some kind of divine hall?'
Little Suzume tilted her head smugly, clearly savouring their stunned expressions.
Su Wen still in shock asked, "Are you saying this mountain is a Divine Hall, and you are the artifact spirit? Or… is it a Secret Realm, and you're the guardian spirit of this place?"
He paused, his voice dropping, "…Don't tell me I've spent living most of my life in some kind of a secluded realm?"
Divine Halls are essentially artifacts that contain entire worlds within them. Ordinary storage rings have limited space… sometimes as big as a single room, or at most, a thousand rooms… but even if a living being could physically fit inside, it would die instantly. A Divine Hall, however, is far different. It can sustain life, grow environments, and even give birth to an artifact spirit that manages everything within it.
Secret Realms are similar in that they can also accommodate people and living things, but they exist as separate worlds with their own rules and ecosystems. Each Secret Realm provides a guardian spirit to maintain and oversee its balance, ensuring that life and energy flow smoothly within. So, in a sense, calling this mountain a Secret Realm or Divine Hall… and recognizing little Suzume as its spirit, wouldn't be entirely wrong.
Little Suzume paused for a moment, then struck a posture reminiscent of an old aunt lecturing children.
"—Chirp… This mountain is not a Secret Realm or a Divine Hall, and I am not a guardian or artifact spirit. You can think of this place as an independent domain…"
She tilted her head, as if considering how to explain it to someone with very little comprehension.
"Mmm…, how do I say it… you probably won't understand it because you're dumb."
Su Wen could only force a smile and wait for her to continue.
"—Chirp, never mind. Just think of this mountain as a fixed point in space and void, not connected to any world or person, but accessible from anywhere in the universe. Chirp."
She paused briefly, then added with mock seriousness,
"Chirp… don't use your little brain to think too hard. Let's just keep it simple."
She puffed out her chest slightly and continued,
"I am the owner of this mountain, and as long as I am with you, I can make it accessible to you from anywhere in the world. Chirp. For example, I can turn the Yellow Town gate into an entry or exit point for this mountain. Chirp."
Su Wen was stunned… bewildered and completely caught off guard. He had never imagined that the mountain he had lived on for so long held such an astonishing secret.
Thinking back to his grandfather's final words, Su Wen couldn't help but suspect that even Grandpa himself might not have known the full truth behind this mountain.
Even Du Yue was shocked by her explanation, wondering how this mountain could be so mysterious. 'Does that mean little Suzume is carrying a portable house with her?' she thought to herself.
Su Wen, still bewildered, picked up little Suzume and gave her a few quick pecks, as if trying to calm himself down. Her feathers instantly fell into disarray, and her expression turned dazed and flustered… the complete opposite of her earlier proud, smug look.
After calming down, Su Wen looked at her and said seriously,
"So… does that mean you're basically a portable home mover?"
Little Suzume froze, then stammered in embarrassment,
"Y-You! I explain such cool, profound powers, and that's the conclusion you come to?... Chirp!"
Du Yue also laughed out loud, quietly keeping to herself that this was exactly what she had thought as well when she heard about Suzume's powers. She quickly tried to cheer her up, smiling warmly as she said,
"Little Suzume, you're really amazing. Having such cool powers is incredible."
Su Wen spoke with a slightly fawning smile,
"How could I ever say something like that to my adorable lady? You're the best in the world… full of awesomeness, beauty, cuteness, intelligence, and that overwhelming aura of yours. You're basically a goddess descended from the heavens to help mortals like us."
He then leaned closer and added teasingly,
"Don't tell me you're actually some kind of divine sparrow? If so, it's truly our honour to be able to love you… and tease you a little. You are…"
Before he could say anything more, the little bird hurriedly stopped him, her face flushed with embarrassment and an oddly silly grin plastered on her beak.
"—Chirp! That's enough, you dumb Su Wen. I'm not that awesome… hehehe."
Su Wen and Du Yue exchanged strange looks.
In the next instant, Su Wen couldn't hold himself back anymore. He reached out, patted her head, and rubbed her tiny cheeks with obvious satisfaction before handing her over to Du Yue. Du Yue followed suit without mercy, gently squeezing and cuddling her as well.
The little sparrow was completely overwhelmed, drowned in affection and utterly bullied by the couple, her earlier pride nowhere to be seen.