Father Seeks Ascension

Generally speaking, a Light Condensation Realm initial-stage Qi cultivator's spiritual sense could only probe twenty or thirty li.

Thanks to the 'Spirit Gathering Realm Evil Ghost Special Training' two years prior, Li Ping'an's spiritual sense was far stronger than that of cultivators at the same realm, allowing him to probe roughly fifty li in all directions.

This gave him a bit more of a sense of security.

Li Ping'an traveled south, taking underground rivers whenever possible, skimming the ground instead of flying through the air, hiding from mountain gates, and avoiding market towns—his main principle was to stir up no trouble.

He firmly believed in this reasoning: an enemy wouldn't go easy on you just because you'd only been cultivating for three years.

From the immortal sect books his father had gradually brought back, Li Ping'an had already gained a rough understanding of this world within the mountain gate.

A song praised it thus:

Since Pangu split heaven and earth, the primordial receded and living beings vied.

Dragons and phoenixes rose and fell together, the hundred tribes stood tall atop Buzhou.

Yin and Yang reversed, burying water and fire; the Mother Goddess shaped clay, aiding the Three Pure Ones.

The Yan and Huang rose, the barbarians fled; to this day, the four continents divide the five elements.

This world was largely the same as the 'Mythological Era' Li Ping'an knew, but with many subtle differences.

For instance, here, mentioning the Dao Ancestor referred to the Three Pure Ones, not the renowned Daoist Hongjun.

There were rumors that the Three Pure Dao Ancestors had another teacher, but that teacher had retired from the world since ancient times—perhaps it was that very Hongjun.

This world did not directly call the six Sect Master-level experts 'Sages'; the only being bearing the title 'Saint' was the Human Mother Goddess, Nuwa.

As for the overall layout of the world, it was divided into four great continents by direction: East, South, West, and North.

The most prosperous, the Eastern Continent, and the Southern Continent were now human territory, both revering the Human Mother Goddess Nuwa;

The Western Continent was the reserve land of the ancient hundred tribes, with the two Sect Masters of the Western Teachings as its highest authority;

The Northern Continent was a bitter, cold land rife with miasma, venomous insects everywhere, and dangerous living beings, where ancient great shamans and great demons dwelled in seclusion.

The Eastern and Southern Continents also differed, but the Myriad Cloud Sect's texts were vague on the specifics, as if the entire Southern Continent was shrouded in a massive formation, barring Qi cultivators from free passage.

Compared to the mysterious Southern Continent, the Eastern Continent where Li Ping'an and his father lived was much more 'normal.'

Here, mortals and immortals mingled, immortal sects stood in abundance, and human Qi cultivators revered the Human Mother Goddess while also honoring the Three Pure Dao Ancestors.

It was said that the origins of all immortal sects on the Eastern Continent came from the Dao fields of the Three Pure Dao Ancestors—primarily the Jade Void Palace of Kunlun and the Golden Ao Island of the East Sea.

On the Eastern Continent, the mortal world had its own territories, and Qi cultivators had their mountain gates; the two were clearly demarcated yet interlocked, with the former often being vassals of the latter.

Immortal dynasties frequently waged war, personal grudges among Qi cultivators were countless, and evil cultivators and demonic path practitioners plagued various regions...

In short, many areas of the Eastern Continent were indeed quite chaotic.

Li Ping'an traveled south for three days and three nights, and near a market town, he witnessed a 'robbery' incident.

The bandits were over a dozen loose cultivators with hidden faces, their techniques varied and their auras mixed; the weakest was at Spirit Gathering Realm seventh stage, while the strongest was around Light Condensation Realm sixth stage.

The victims were another group of loose cultivators, overall slightly weaker than the bandits.

After a brief skirmish, the victims began desperately breaking through, mostly fighting for themselves without caring for the others.

Li Ping'an watched with some feeling.

He certainly wouldn't intervene casually; it had nothing to do with him.

All he could do was keep his distance from the battle, observe these Qi cultivators' fighting styles from the shadows, study their techniques, and then sigh:

"When they strike, it's a fight for their lives."

After witnessing this conflict among Qi cultivators, Li Ping'an grew even more cautious.

He carefully studied the map he'd obtained from the Affairs Hall, then compared it with the detailed Eastern Continent map he'd acquired earlier, doing his best to avoid areas that might be dangerous.

And so, this minor Light Condensation cultivator traveled in stealth, heading straight for Wan'an City.

The immortal dynasty where Wan'an City was located was called 'Linzheng,' stretching three thousand li, with a hundred great cities and tens of millions of mortals.

All the cities, spirit veins, and incense within the entire Linzheng Immortal Dynasty were the 'sect property' of the Myriad Cloud Sect;

One of the main duties of the Myriad Cloud Sect's outer sect was to protect the entire Linzheng Immortal Dynasty, open spirit mines in various places, clear out demonic beasts, and regularly search for immortal children within Linzheng.

The Myriad Cloud Sect didn't just control the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty; it also had two smaller immortal dynasties under its wing, in addition to managing several medium and small market towns.

Li Ping'an traveled south for seven days and arrived at the border of the Linzheng Immortal Dynasty.

As he passed near a border barracks, he saw the Myriad Cloud Sect's banners and sensed the auras of several Myriad Cloud Sect immortals.

—The sect's elders and stewards were on rotation here.

Li Ping'an thought for a moment, but did not reveal himself to pay respects; he kept a low profile and hurried toward Wan'an City.

After another day's travel, with less than a thousand li to Wan'an City, Li Ping'an emerged from an underground river and found an abandoned hunter's hut in the mountains to tidy up his appearance.

He couldn't very well meet Daoist Priest Chen while still looking like Wei Yanzi.

Li Ping'an took out talismans to set up a simple isolation formation, then produced a sphere-shaped magic treasure.

The two Myriad Cloud Sect immortals watching over Li Ping'an from the clouds both frowned at this.

The sphere treasure lit up with immortal light, and Yan Sheng and Wei Yanzi's immortal senses were blocked out, leaving them only able to sense Li Ping'an's general movements.

Such a bizarre treasure—Li Dazhi must have gotten it from who knows where.

Elder Yan Sheng took a puff from his Spirit Root Dry Tobacco, pondering slightly. "There haven't been many dangers along this road. Escorting him so closely like this is really just gilding the lily."

Wei Yanzi chuckled. "Little friend Ping'an has avoided eight conflicts along the way—that's a skill in itself!"

"If you put it that way, it's not wrong."

Elder Yan Sheng sighed.

"It's just that watching Little Friend Ping'an act like this, I always feel he endured many hardships before entering the mountains to cultivate. So young, yet he's suffered who knows how much persecution."

"You're absolutely right, Elder. I feel the same way."

Wei Yanzi held the Yin-Yang Mirror, aiming it at the small hut in the forest below, and smiled.

"I know him fairly well. He's not the type to fear death—he just values his life a bit too much.

"Besides, his trial is to deliver a letter. As long as he completes the delivery, the trial is done. Not stirring up trouble is a good thing."

"I like Ping'an's temperament."

Elder Yan Sheng nodded, then furrowed his brow slightly without meaning to.

The elder turned his head to look at the distant sky and said quietly, "There's another True Immortal from the sect here."

Wei Yanzi was stunned and smiled bitterly. "Could it be that Ancestor Dazhi also invited other helpers?"

"Not necessarily a helper."

Elder Yan Sheng's brow gradually relaxed as he spoke softly.

"It's Elder Xiao Yue, bringing three female disciples with her.

"She likely intends to reveal her aura deliberately, letting you and me know she's here. She probably won't make things too hard on Ping'an later.

"If Elder Xiao Yue wants to add some trials for Ping'an, that's fine—just don't hurt him."

That Elder Xiao Yue?

Wei Yanzi thought carefully and already understood the gist of it.

This was someone coming to cause trouble.

Below, in the forest, the Immortal Light released by the Sphere Magic Treasure gradually receded. Li Ping'an, who had changed his appearance, pulled open the wooden door, tapped his toes lightly, and drifted like a swan feather toward the treetops.

Wei Yanzi took a closer look and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Although Li Ping'an was still using a disguise, he had finally stopped using Wei Yanzi's face.

Watching all this along the way, Wei Yanzi had nearly developed a real heart demon.

Li Ping'an skimmed swiftly over the sea of trees.

As if 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.

Li Ping'an laughed inwardly.

The immortals in the sect might have high cultivation and deep Dao, but they completely lacked attention to detail.

A white cloud floated right above his head, maintaining a fixed relative distance, ignoring the wind direction, unchanging in shape—how could he not notice?

But...

A hint of contemplation flickered in Li Ping'an's eyes.

The Glazed Mirror gently shifted its angle, and Li Ping'an locked onto another white cloud.

This was a cloud that had just appeared today, of the same origin as the Myriad Cloud Sect's Cloud Control Technique. An hour ago, there had even been a figure moving on it.

He Suddenly had a bad feeling and checked the reserves of treasures and hidden weapons on his person once more.

Meanwhile;

Within the Myriad Cloud Sect.

The Bamboo Forest hut on the Back Mountain of the Main Peak.

Li Dazhi had changed into a loose robe and sat cross-legged before the massive character "Dao," holding the Yin-Yang Mirror in his hand, occasionally glancing at the scene within.

On the prayer mat before him, an emaciated old man in a Black Robe Opened his eyes and Sighed. "Dazhi, you're about to undergo Ascension! After all, you should calm your mind and prepare—this is a major event in your cultivation!"

"Ah, yes!"

Li Dazhi quickly tucked the mirror behind his back, grinning as he said, "Master, don't worry. Your disciple has long been ready!

"Ascension is just a leap in the realm of life. My Dao foundation is solid, my insights are sufficient. Now I just need to wait for that spark of inspiration to appear, grasp it, and step into the Immortal Realm.

"That's what Ping'an told me."

"You, you!"

Daoist Master Kongming shook his head with a light laugh. "You can't go half a sentence without mentioning that son of yours!"

"Hehe."

Li Dazhi grinned sheepishly.

"Master, please understand—if I had cultivated first and had a child later, perhaps I wouldn't value him so much.

"But I had this precious son while I was still a mortal. From his childhood, I held him in my palm, afraid he'd fall, and kept him in my mouth, afraid he'd melt.

"Now this is my obsession. It won't affect my cultivation at all; on the contrary, it gives me plenty of drive."

Daoist Master Kongming nodded gently and spoke slowly. "I have observed Ping'an a few times. His comprehension is indeed astonishing. Though his innate talent and luck are merely above average, he is still a malleable talent."

Li Dazhi's eyes went wide.

From the master's words...

Daoist Master Kongming deliberately shifted the topic. "But Ping'an's mind is too heavy. That makes me hesitate a little..."

"Oh my! Master!"

Li Dazhi hurriedly said, "My son is your grand-disciple, isn't he!

"Ping'an has many schemes and overthinks things, but he has no harmful intentions. His foundation is solid!

"Master! Master, if you could just say the word and assign a Heavenly Immortal as Ping'an's teacher, I'd truly have no more worries!"

Daoist Master Kongming squinted with a smile.

Li Dazhi dragged the prayer mat under him and scooted closer to Daoist Master Kongming.

Daoist Master Kongming couldn't help stroking his beard and laughing heartily, his eyes full of mirth. "Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Hand over that Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror."

"Sure thing."

Li Dazhi presented the Yin-Yang Mirror with both hands.

"Dazhi, you must understand—though I am the founder of the Myriad Cloud Sect, this sect is not my personal Dao field. I cannot directly open a convenient path for him. Everything must follow the natural course of water flowing into a channel."

Daoist Master Kongming took the mirror, glanced at it, and said warmly, "I haven't been in seclusion recently, so I've been watching this matter. A few disciples wanted to stir up trouble for your son. That's just the right chance to test him.

"If Ping'an does well, I'll call your Senior Brother back and have him accept Ping'an as a disciple.

"If Ping'an mishandles this matter, I'll select a Heavenly Immortal within the sect for him to bow to and cultivate in peace. What do you think?"

"Good! Of course, good!"

Li Dazhi was overjoyed and quickly kowtowed.

"Thank you, Master! I'll leave it all to your decision!"

"Alright, I'll keep an eye on this mirror for you. You focus on preparing for your ascension."

Daoist Master Kongming smiled.

"When that trace of spiritual light will flash is uncertain. You must be ready for a long seclusion. Even for those with extraordinary talent, ascension is no easy feat.

"What I can tell you is only three things: let go, give up, transcend."

Li Dazhi laughed. "Master, this disciple knows how to find that wisp of light."

"Oh?" Daoist Master Kongming looked puzzled.

Li Dazhi, intending to boost his son's standing, didn't heed Li Ping'an's admonition and said directly, "Half a year ago, Ping'an subtly guided me. He must have sensed that I had reached the peak of the Heaven and Earth Bridge but was delaying my ascension.

"He asked me: 'Dad, do you have any regrets in life?'

"I answered: 'My regrets are quite a lot.'

"Ping'an said: 'Enlightenment is actually tied to emotion. Human emotions are closely linked to the resonance of the Great Dao. If you're stuck in cultivation or waiting for insight at a critical point, try recalling regrets, experiencing them, then breaking free from them, seeking that feeling of release. That often drives your own understanding.'"

"A feeling of release?"

Daoist Master Kongming stroked his beard and murmured, then shook his head with a light laugh.

"Ping'an's cultivation is shallow. He can't help but oversimplify matters of cultivation.

"Try it this way, but be careful to keep your Dao heart clear and avoid falling into inner demons."

"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 robe, and slowly closed his eyes.

Daoist Master Kongming raised his hand and gently pushed. Li Dazhi's form slowly rotated, turning into a patch of white mist.

The sound of the Great Dao slowly resounded, and boundless spiritual energy washed over his Dao Body.

Daoist Master Kongming sat at the edge of the white mist, picked up the Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror, swept a glance over it, and didn't look much more.

As for Li Ping'an, he had indeed encountered a bit of trouble.