"No need for such formalities!"
Li Yu smiled at the crowd and nodded. "For mortal bodies to embark upon the path of cultivation, they must undergo rebirth. Just now, you burned your life force to awaken your bodies' potential, thereby shedding your Mortal Bodies."
"Great Immortal, what about our appearance...?"
A young woman looked at Li Yu hopefully. Clearly, in her mind, no rebirth could compare to her own appearance.
"No need to worry."
Li Yu chuckled, flicked his sleeve, and stood with his hands behind his back. "Although burning your life force aged your faces, life force is easily replenished once depleted. It is no difficult matter!"
Li Yu raised a finger, and a spark of spiritual light lit up at its tip.
"Spring wind turns to rain, withered trees bloom anew."
Li Yu softly chanted, then flicked his finger. The spiritual light burst apart, transforming into threads of luminous rain that drifted down and merged into everyone's bodies.
As the rain of light descended, it was like sweet rain falling upon land parched by drought, like spring returning to the earth and bringing forth boundless vitality.
It felt wonderful, utterly refreshing.
Every person felt an indescribable comfort rise throughout their entire body. A few women even let out embarrassing sounds.
It was as though time had been reversed. White hair turned black, wrinkles smoothed away, clouded eyes became clear, and loose teeth grew firm again.
Everyone's appearance shifted from old age to middle age, from middle age to youth, and from youth to... adolescence?
"Damn it! I used too much!"
Seeing this, Li Yu hurriedly withdrew the spiritual light he had scattered, his heart giving a little jolt. I only drew a little life force from a single drop of the Crocodile Ancestor's blood, and they actually regained their youth?
Though it was somewhat unexpected, the result was even more perfect.
"Everyone, are you satisfied?"
Li Yu looked entirely in control as he smiled and nodded at the crowd.
"Ah! I... I..."
"Did we get smaller? Younger?"
"Haha! We really became young again?"
"Oh my, look at my skin! I really got younger!"
"Hehe, this is wonderful!"
This miraculous reversal of time, this return to youth, left everyone shocked and delighted. Especially the young women—who did not want to be younger? Who did not want to be prettier?
"Great Immortal, you are merciful!"
"Great Immortal, you are merciful!"
Overjoyed, the crowd knelt before Li Yu.
"Rise!"
Li Yu waved his hand, sending out a gentle force that helped everyone to their feet, as if it were nothing worth mentioning.
Naturally, it truly was a trivial matter to Li Yu. He had not even used up the life force from one drop of the Crocodile Ancestor's blood, yet he had directly turned everyone back into sixteen- or seventeen-year-old adolescents.
Yes, everyone had returned to their adolescent appearance. Even Liu Yunzhi had become a teenager again.
It was not because Li Yu was magnanimous, nor because he repaid grievances with kindness.
Li Yu was playing the Dao Ancestor! With such an identity, how could he retaliate over a mere verbal dispute? Of course Liu Yunzhi had to be restored to a teenage appearance as well.
Uh... at least there could not be any visible problem on the surface.
"Hehe, I was never a kind person."
Li Yu's gaze casually swept over Liu Yunzhi, and he sneered inwardly. You dared call me an evil daoist? If I don't teach you a lesson, I won't feel right about it!
Li Yu had not tampered with much, only...
"You dared say that I absorb yang energy? I'll make sure you have no yang energy for the rest of your life!"
A gentle smile appeared on Li Yu's face, but inwardly, he was laughing wildly.
Every other part of Liu Yunzhi's body had regained its youth, but one particular part remained decrepit and aged. If one day Liu Yunzhi had certain thoughts, only to discover... that would be quite interesting!
"Everyone."
Seeing that they were still excitedly examining the changes in their bodies, Li Yu smiled. "The affairs of the world are like drifting clouds; meetings and partings are unpredictable. My fate with you has run its course, so I shall take my leave."
"Ah? The Great Immortal is leaving?"
"We... this..."
"Great Immortal, we're stranded in this wilderness! What are we supposed to do? You can't abandon us!"
Hearing Li Yu's words, everyone was immediately alarmed and hurriedly pleaded with him.
"Patriarch... you..."
Zhou Yi was also greatly shocked. Naturally, he did not want Li Yu to leave. He had not yet become his disciple, had not yet received immortal arts—how could he bear to let such an important benefactor go?
"You each have your own destined opportunity. Simply wait here."
Li Yu smiled and waved his hand. A radiant glow shot into the sky, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
"Patriarch..."
Watching Li Yu turn into light and depart, Zhou Yi felt deeply dejected. He secretly sighed. In the end, my fate was insufficient. I was fortunate enough to travel with the Dao Ancestor, yet I could not enter his sect. What a pity.
Time slowly passed, and more than half a day had gone by.
Yet their so-called destined opportunity had still not appeared, leaving everyone somewhat discouraged.
"Ah! Look! Over there!"
Zhou Yi was wallowing in regret when he suddenly heard someone cry out in surprise. He hurriedly turned to look.
At the horizon, a streak of dazzling, rainbow-like light swept across the sky.
What shocked Zhou Yi was that there was clearly a figure seated high within that multicolored light, seemingly flying through the air.
"An... an immortal?"
"Another immortal?"
"That Great Immortal said we had another destined opportunity. Could this be our opportunity?"
"Yes! Yes! It must be!"
At the sight of the multicolored light streaking through the sky, everyone's eyes filled with boundless longing.
"Immortal! Immortal! We're over here!"
"Immortal! We're here!"
Everyone cheered, jumped, and continuously waved their arms as they shouted.
The figure within the multicolored light seemed to have heard their calls. The light turned, whistling as it shot toward them.
In an instant, a streak of multicolored light tore through the air and landed before the crowd.
A young woman of eighteen or nineteen revealed herself.
Her pale blue dress fluttered in the wind, ribbons streaming behind her. Her jade-like face was beautiful and refined, carrying an aura detached from the mortal world and untouched by worldly dust.
"Wow! A fairy! A fairy!"
"So beautiful!"
"Is this a world of immortals? Did we arrive in the Heavenly Palace?"
The crowd was delighted to see the refined and otherworldly young girl descend.
"Who are you? Why have you appeared here?"
The young girl swept her gaze across the crowd. Seeing their strange appearances and their ill-fitting clothes, she asked in surprise.
"We..."
Hearing the young girl's question, everyone froze, unsure how to respond.
"Ahem!"
Zhou Yi gave a light cough and stepped forward. "Greetings, Fairy. Our appearance here was entirely an accident. We had been touring an ancient mountain in our homeland when our vision blurred, and we somehow arrived here. We have no idea what happened."
"Is that so?"
The young girl nodded and glanced over the crowd. "Judging by your clothing, I fear you are not from the Eastern Wasteland. Hm? You..."
At this point, a look of astonishment suddenly appeared on the young girl's face. "Your blood and vitality are as brilliant as rainbows, spiritual radiance overflowing from you. You are all fine jade of exceptional talent."
"Would you all be willing to cultivate?"
A flash of delight rose in the young girl's eyes as she smiled at them.
"We have long admired the immortal path. We ask that Fairy guide us into the sect."
Hearing the young girl's words, everyone was overjoyed.
"Good!"
The young girl nodded happily. "My name is Weiwei. Welcome, everyone, to Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven."
As she spoke, the young girl waved her hand and sent out a streak of multicolored light, which swept up the crowd and shot straight into the heavens.