Generally speaking, the spiritual sense of a Qi cultivator in the early Light Condensation Realm could only survey twenty or thirty li.
Thanks to the "Spirit Gathering Realm Evil Ghost Special Training" of the past two years, Li Ping'an's spiritual sense was far stronger than that of Qi cultivators at the same realm, allowing him to survey an area roughly fifty li in radius.
That gave him a little more sense of security.
Li Ping'an traveled south all the way. If he could take an underground river, he would not travel on the surface; if he could fly close to the ground, he would not go into the sky. He avoided sect gates when he encountered them and steered clear of market towns when he saw them. His guiding principle was to avoid trouble.
He had always believed in this principle—enemies would not spare you just because you had only cultivated for three years.
Based on the immortal sect books his father had gradually brought back, Li Ping'an had gained a general understanding of this world.
There was a song that praised it:
Pangu's Creation began the world, as innate beings withdrew and life contended.
Dragons and phoenixes rose, then fell together; a hundred races stood atop Buzhou Mountain.
Yin and yang reversed, water and fire were buried; the Mother Goddess molded earth, benefiting the Three Pure Ones.
Yan and Huang rose, barbarian tribes retreated; to this day, the Four Continents were divided by the Five Elements.
This world was roughly the same as the "mythological age" Li Ping'an knew, though there were many subtle differences.
For instance, here, whenever one mentioned the Dao Ancestors, it referred to the Three Pure Dao Ancestors, rather than the famed Daoist Hongjun.
There were rumors that the Three Pure Dao Ancestors had another teacher, but their master had withdrawn from the world since ancient times. Perhaps it was that Hongjun.
This world did not directly call the six Sect Master level experts Saints. Only one being bore the title of Saint: Nuwa, the Human Mother Goddess.
As for the overall layout of the world, it was divided by direction into the four great continents of east, south, west, and north.
Among them, the most fertile East Continent and Southern Continent were now human territory, both honoring Nuwa, the Human Mother Goddess;
The Western Continent was a preserve for the ancient hundred races, where the Two Sect Masters of the Western Teachings were revered;
The Northern Continent was a bitterly cold land filled with miasma and venomous insects, with dangerous living creatures everywhere. Ancient great shamans and great demons lived there in seclusion.
The East Continent and Southern Continent also differed in some ways, but the Myriad Cloud Sect's records were vague on the details. It seemed that the entire Southern Continent was enveloped by an enormous formation that prohibited Qi cultivators from entering or leaving at will.
Compared with the mysterious Southern Continent, the East Continent where Li Ping'an and his father lived was much more "normal."
Here, immortals and mortals mingled, immortal sects stood everywhere, and human Qi cultivators honored both the Human Mother Goddess and the Three Pure Dao Ancestors.
It was said that the origins of all immortal sects in the East Continent came from the Three Pure Dao Ancestors' Dao grounds—mainly the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun and Golden Ao Island of the East Sea.
In the East Continent, the secular world had its own territory, and Qi cultivators had their own mountain gates. The two were clearly distinct yet intricately intertwined, with the former often serving as an appendage of the latter.
Immortal Dynasties often waged war against one another, and personal grudges among Qi cultivators were countless. Evil cultivators and the Demonic Path also plagued various regions...
In short, quite a few areas of the East Continent were indeed rather chaotic.
Li Ping'an traveled south for three days and three nights before witnessing a "robbery" near a market town.
The robbers were more than a dozen Loose Cultivators with their faces concealed. Their cultivation methods varied, their auras were mixed, and the weakest among them was at the seventh level of the Spirit Gathering Realm, while the strongest was around the sixth level of the Light Condensation Realm.
The victims were another group of Loose Cultivators, whose overall strength was somewhat weaker than that of the robbers.
After a brief clash, the robbed party began desperately trying to break out. Most fought on their own and paid little heed to whether the others lived or died.
Li Ping'an was deeply affected by the sight.
Of course, he would not intervene casually. This had nothing to do with him.
All he could do was move farther away from the site of the battle, observe these Qi cultivators fighting from the shadows, study their methods of combat, then sigh:
"Every strike is a fight for one's life."
After observing this conflict between Qi cultivators, Li Ping'an became even more cautious.
He took out the map he had received from the Affairs Hall and studied it carefully, then compared it one by one with the detailed map of the East Continent he had acquired earlier, doing his best to avoid areas where he might encounter danger.
In this manner, this minor Light Condensation cultivator traveled stealthily all the way toward Wan'an City.
The Immortal Dynasty where Wan'an City was located was called Linzheng. Its territory stretched for three thousand li, with a hundred great cities and countless mortals.
The cities, spirit veins, and incense offerings throughout the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty were all "sect property" of the Myriad Cloud Sect;
One of the Outer Sect's major duties was to protect the entire Linzheng Immortal Dynasty, open spirit mines in various places, clear out demon beasts, and regularly search the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty for children with immortal potential.
The Myriad Cloud Sect did not only control the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty. It also had two smaller Immortal Dynasties under its command, along with several small and medium-sized market towns.
After traveling south for seven days, Li Ping'an reached the border of the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty.
As he passed near a border barracks, he saw the Myriad Cloud Sect's banner and sensed the auras of several Myriad Cloud Sect immortals.
—The Myriad Cloud Sect's elders and deacons rotated shifts here.
After giving it some thought, Li Ping'an did not reveal himself to pay them a visit, instead hurrying quietly toward Wan'an City.
After another day's journey, with less than a thousand li remaining to Wan'an City, Li Ping'an floated out of an underground river and found an abandoned hunter's house in the mountains to tidy up his appearance.
He could not exactly go see Daoist Priest Chen wearing Wei Yanzi's face.
Li Ping'an took out Talismans and set up a simple isolation formation, then retrieved a spherical magic treasure.
The two Myriad Cloud Sect immortals secretly protecting Li Ping'an from the clouds both frowned.
The Sphere Magic Treasure lit up with Immortal Light, and Elder Yan Sheng's and Wei Yanzi's Immortal Sense were shut out. They could only sense Li Ping'an's general movements.
Who knew where Li Dazhi had gotten such a strange treasure.
Elder Yan Sheng took a puff of Spirit Root Dry Tobacco and pondered for a moment. "There have not been many dangers along the way. You and I following him so closely truly seems a little superfluous."
Wei Yanzi smiled. "Young Friend Ping'an avoided eight conflicts along the way. Was that not a skill in itself?"
"If you put it that way, then that is true."
Elder Yan Sheng sighed.
"Seeing Young Friend Ping'an act this way, I cannot help feeling that he suffered many hardships before entering the mountain to cultivate. At such a young age, who knows how much persecution he endured."
"Elder, you are quite right. I feel the same way."
Holding the Yin-Yang Mirror, Wei Yanzi aimed it at the small wooden house below and smiled.
"I know him fairly well. He is not the sort who fears death; he merely cherishes his life somewhat.
"Besides, his trial is to deliver a letter. As long as he delivers it, he completes the trial. It is good that he does not stir up unnecessary trouble."
"I like Ping'an's temperament."
Elder Yan Sheng nodded, then casually furrowed his brow.
The elder turned to look toward the sky some distance away and said quietly, "There are other True Immortals from the sect here."
Wei Yanzi was stunned, then gave a bitter smile. "Could it be that Ancestor Dazhi invited other helpers as well?"
"Not necessarily helpers."
Elder Yan Sheng's brow gradually relaxed as he said quietly:
"It is Elder Xiao Yue. She has brought three female disciples.
"She likely deliberately exposed her aura so you and I would know she is here. She should not make things too difficult for Ping'an afterward.
"If Elder Xiao Yue wishes to add some hardships for Ping'an, that is not bad. So long as she does not hurt him."
That Elder Xiao Yue?
Wei Yanzi thought carefully and already understood the general situation.
They had come to cause trouble.
In the forest below, the Immortal Light cast by the Sphere Magic Treasure gradually receded. Having changed his appearance, Li Ping'an pushed open the wooden house door, tapped lightly with his toes, and drifted toward the treetops like a swan feather.
Wei Yanzi focused his gaze and relaxed slightly.
Although Li Ping'an was still using a disguise, he had finally stopped using Wei Yanzi's face.
Watching him all the way here, Wei Yanzi had nearly developed an inner demon for real.
Li Ping'an sped across above the sea of forest.
As though sensing something, a small Glazed Mirror appeared in his palm.
The Glazed Mirror directly reflected the white cloud where Elder Yan Sheng and Wei Yanzi were located.
Li Ping'an secretly laughed.
The sect's immortals had high cultivation and profound Dao attainments, but they paid absolutely no attention to details in their actions.
A white cloud floated directly above his head, maintaining the same relative distance, ignoring the wind direction, and never changing shape. How could he fail to notice it?
However...
A thoughtful look flashed through Li Ping'an's eyes.
The Glazed Mirror turned slightly, and Li Ping'an locked onto another white cloud.
This cloud had only appeared today. Its Cloud Control Technique came from the same source as that of the Myriad Cloud Sect, and an hour ago, shadows of people had even moved across it.
He suddenly had a rather bad feeling and checked his stored magic treasures and hidden weapons once more.
At the same time;
Within the Myriad Cloud Sect.
The small house in the Bamboo Forest behind the Main Peak.
Li Dazhi had changed into a loose robe and sat before that enormous character for "Dao," holding the Yin-Yang Mirror and occasionally glancing at the scene within it.
On the prayer mat before him, a gaunt old man in a black robe opened his eyes and sighed.
"Dazhi, you are about to ascend! At least calm your mind and prepare yourself. This is a major matter in your cultivation!"
"Ah, yes!"
Li Dazhi hurriedly tucked the mirror behind his backside and grinned.
"Master, do not worry. Your disciple prepared long ago!
"Ascension is merely a leap in one's life realm. This disciple's Dao foundation is already solid, and my insights are sufficient. All that remains is to wait quietly for that wisp of spiritual light to appear. Once I grasp it, I can enter the Immortal Realm.
"That is what Ping'an told me."
"You!"
Daoist Master Kongming shook his head and chuckled. "You cannot go a single sentence without mentioning that son of yours!"
"Hehe."
Li Dazhi smiled honestly.
"Master, please forgive me. If this disciple had cultivated first and only had descendants afterward, perhaps I would not value them so highly.
"But this disciple had this precious son while still a mortal. Ever since he was young, I feared he would fall if I held him in my hands and feared he would melt if I held him in my mouth.
"Now, this is my obsession. It will never affect my cultivation. Instead, it gives me great motivation."
Daoist Master Kongming nodded gently and said slowly, "I have observed Ping'an a few times as well. His comprehension is indeed astonishing. Although his natural talent and fortune are only above average, he can still be considered a promising prospect."
Li Dazhi's eyes widened.
From the sound of his master's words...
Daoist Master Kongming deliberately changed the subject. "But Ping'an's thoughts are too heavy. That does make this poor Daoist hesitate..."
"Master!"
Li Dazhi hurriedly said:
"Is my son not your grandson as well?
"Ping'an may have many tricks and think too much, but he absolutely has no intention of harming anyone. His foundation is absolutely sound!
"Master! If you could speak a golden word and assign a Heavenly Immortal to be Ping'an's master, this disciple truly would have no more concerns!"
Daoist Master Kongming narrowed his eyes with a smile.
Li Dazhi dragged the prayer mat beneath him and scooted before Daoist Master Kongming.
Daoist Master Kongming could not help stroking his beard and laughing. His eyes were filled with amusement. "Enough, enough. I will not tease you anymore. Bring me that Yin-Yang Mirror."
"Right away."
Li Dazhi respectfully presented the Yin-Yang Mirror with both hands.
"Dazhi, you must understand that although I founded the Myriad Cloud Sect, the Myriad Cloud Sect is not my Dao ground. I cannot simply open a convenient path for him directly. Everything must follow its natural course."
Daoist Master Kongming took the mirror and glanced at it a few times, then said warmly:
"This master has not been in seclusion lately, so I have also been watching this matter. Several sect members wish to cause your son some trouble. That is a good opportunity to test him.
"If Ping'an performs well, I will call your eldest senior brother back and have him take Ping'an as his disciple.
"If Ping'an handles this matter improperly, I will choose a Heavenly Immortal from the sect for him and have him take a master so he can cultivate in peace. What do you think?"
"Good! Of course that is good!"
Li Dazhi was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed.
"Thank you, Master! This disciple will leave everything to Master!"
"Enough. I will watch this mirror for you. Go prepare yourself for ascension in peace."
Daoist Master Kongming smiled.
"There is no fixed time for that glimmer of spiritual light to appear. You must prepare for prolonged seclusion. Even for those of exceptional talent, ascension is no easy task.
"There are only three sentences I can tell you: let go, relinquish, transcend."
Li Dazhi smiled. "Master, this disciple knows how to seek out that wisp of spiritual light."
"Oh?" Daoist Master Kongming looked puzzled.
Li Dazhi intentionally wanted to praise his son and did not heed Li Ping'an's warning as he directly said:
"Half a year ago, Ping'an deliberately gave me some guidance. He must have noticed that I had already reached the peak of the Heaven and Earth Bridge, yet had been unable to ascend.
"He asked me, 'Dad, do you have any regrets in your life?'
"I answered, 'I have far too many regrets.'
"But Ping'an said, 'Enlightenment is actually related to emotions. Human emotions are closely connected to resonance of the Great Dao. If your cultivation becomes stuck, or if you are waiting for insight at some crucial juncture, you can try revisiting your regrets, experiencing those regrets, then breaking free of them. Seek that feeling of release, and it can often drive your own insights forward.'"
"A feeling of release?"
Daoist Master Kongming stroked his beard and murmured, then shook his head with a chuckle.
"Ping'an's cultivation is shallow, so he cannot help viewing matters of cultivation too simply.
"You may try it this way, but you must keep your Dao heart clear and bright. Do not fall into an inner demon."
"Yes, this disciple understands!"
Li Dazhi glanced at the Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror in his master's hand, took a deep breath, smoothed his wide robes, and slowly closed his eyes.
Daoist Master Kongming gently pushed with one hand. Li Dazhi's body slowly rotated and entered a patch of white mist.
The sound of the Great Dao gradually began to play, while boundless spiritual energy cleansed his Dao Body.
Daoist Master Kongming sat at the edge of the white mist, lifted the Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror, and gave it a glance without looking further.
As for Li Ping'an, he had indeed encountered a little trouble.
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