Qingyun Peak was overgrown with clumps of weeds. As the rich vitality from the cave dwelling atop the mountain rippled outward, the weeds and shrubs began shooting upward wildly.
Before long, the once utterly desolate mountain had been draped in a fresh shade of green.
Then, the vitality spilling out from the cave dwelling suddenly drew back, all of it sucked inside again.
Thump! Thump!
A powerful heartbeat resounded. It was thunderous, as if someone were striking great bells and massive chimes.
The next moment, a long breath came from within the cave dwelling.
The tall figure lying bare-chested inside the Black Furnace slowly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed from his pupils, only to swiftly vanish into their depths.
Li Qing, who had been "playing dead" for nearly a hundred years, had finally awakened. The hair on his head had grown past his shoulders and hung loose in an unruly cascade.
His gaze was slightly dazed. Looking at the spotless cave dwelling around him, he had thought his slumber after suffering such grievous injuries had not lasted very long.
"How long have I been asleep? My injuries have actually healed?"
"Who brought me back to the cave dwelling? What exactly happened?"
His thoughts were somewhat chaotic, because his memories still lingered on the instant Old Daoist Xuxuan self-destructed his Nascent Soul. He had only had time to take out the Black Furnace before losing consciousness.
"Black Furnace."
Li Qing murmured, recalling how, before he had fallen unconscious, the dozen or so Fiery Gold Marks on the Black Furnace's inner wall had seemed to undergo some change and emit a hazy glow.
"Hiss! Was I hallucinating? Or have my memories become muddled?"
"I remember there being only a dozen or so Fiery Gold Marks. Why are there only two