'My parents should still be alive. After all, it's only been ten years since I disappeared and they were not that old when I did.'
Unable to contain his excitement, Austin took off at his fastest speed, arriving a few minutes later above a small suburb in the west of the city.
The suburb was located far from the city and on the edge of a large field. All of the buildings in Austin's line of vision were bungalows.
Before he had left, the female secretary had informed Austin on the details of his parent's address.
So, Austin didn't have to look for them. Using his spiritual sense, he located the overgrown, messy yard and dropped from the sky. He landed in the unkempt grass a second later.
Then, standing outside the front door, Austin used his spiritual sense to explore the room.
Immediately, he sensed the presence of two familiar figures.
It was his father and mother!
Filled with joy and relief, Austin allowed tears to pour from his eyes. His hands began shaking at his sides and he suddenly felt nervous to walk over the threshold.
"They're really here! I hope that nothing has changed."
Feeling braver, he began observing the activity inside.
On the far side of the first room, Austin's father was lying on a cot. His eyes were closed tightly, and he was motionless. His face was so pale that he looked like a ghost. As he breathed in and out, his chest trembled and the sound of it rattled into the air.
The room was filled with a strong aroma of herbs.
In the kitchen, a woman in her fifties was standing in front of a herbal pot, stirring meticulously. Steam rose from the pot and made the scent in the air thicker.
'Oh no! Is there something wrong with my father?'
Austin wondered, furrowing his brow.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back!"
Now that he was worried about the condition of his father, Austin didn't pause to think before he forcedly opened the front door and rushed into the room.
"Oh my God! Who--"
Austin's mother stopped mid-sentence and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. The bowl of cooked herbs was loosely gripped in her frail hands.
Bang!
The bowl fell to the ground, and it shattered into tiny pieces. Within moments, the herb juice was spreading out all over the floor.
"What? You... Austin? This is strange!
Am I dreaming? You look exactly like my son Austin.
Perhaps I am dreaming. I have been spending much of my days thinking about him. It is possible..."
Austin's mother was having trouble deciphering the situation in front of her.
After all, her son had gotten into a car accident and died ten years ago. This man looked like Austin but it was impossible for him to be there, especially looking so whole.
It had to be an illusion or a dream. She just missed her son. That was all.
"My poor Austin, are you here to meet your mom in her dreams?
I can see you. I'm right here," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks and dripped off her chin.
Her eyes raked over every inch of Austin, trying to picture what he would look like all grown up. At that moment, she seemed to forget everything else.
"Mom, it's not a dream. It's true. I'm not dead. I'm back!"
Without wasting another moment, Austin rushed over and scooped his mother into a hug.
"It's you? How is this possible?"
Austin's mother asked. Her eyes were still glazed over and distant like she was dreaming.
Closing his eyes, Austin put his mind to work. He let loose some spiritual soul energy and transferred it into his mother's brain.
The spiritual soul energy contained the essence of the spiritual tree, which instantly increased his mother's soul power. As a result, his mother's spiritual features rose sharply and she soon had a powerful soul force.
Additionally, his mother's appearance improved. The wrinkles in her skin smoothed over and her muscles pulled tighter, straightening her posture.
It was known that the spiritual tree was the holy tree of the spiritual race and it positively impacted the power of spiritual sense and soul.
And that was all known for cultivators. Austin couldn't imagine what it could do to help an ordinary person.
Already, his mother appeared stronger and more attentive.
Her eyes brightened and a smile spread on her face.
"Austin, it's really you! You are still alive!"
Stepping forward, she wrapped him up in her arms and squeezed tightly. He inhaled sharply but didn't try to squirm out of her strong grasp.
After a while, both mother and son calmed down a little bit.
"Austin, you need to tell me everything that's happened. We all thought you were dead.
But now, you are here, unharmed and intact.
Austin, are you a ghost?"
Being nourished by the life energy of the spiritual tree, Austin's mother's mind was very clear and had never been so sharp. She wouldn't be tricked by a ghost.
"Mom, it's a long story and a very complicated one.
I did have a car accident back then, but I didn't die.
Mom, what if I told you that I went to another world and now I've come back alive? Would you believe me?"
Austin figured that he shouldn't beat around the bush. His mother was still in shock and he didn't want to have to repeat himself.
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