Six People Leave Azure Nether Island

"What do you think your strength is now? Want your old brother to test you?"

"No, no. You're too absurd. I'm not fighting you. I can probably fight someone one minor realm above me, and with Spiritual Treasures, I can contend with someone in the late stage for a while."

Han Xi assessed her strength. As expected of a Companion Spirit born from a Supreme Grade Innate Spiritual Root, she was indeed absurdly talented. In the entire Prehistoric Era, perhaps only Hongjun and Luohu possessed such potential.

"Not bad. From now on, you'll be the Face Representative of Azure Nether Island. If anyone causes trouble, go beat them up."

Xuan Qing felt that, as the Island Master, he could not personally handle every matter. He had Little Followers now.

"Brother, you're way too lazy. You're ordering your own little sister around like this. Hmph!"

Han Xi looked unwilling, but she was merely grumbling. If everything required Xuan Qing, then what was the point of them cultivating so diligently?

"Right, the Shore Flower transformed some time ago. See how you want to arrange things. You're all women, so I won't interfere. It wouldn't be convenient."

Xuan Qing thought it over. Men and women were different, and girls understood one another's habits better. It was best to let them arrange it themselves.

Before long, the Qing Ya Sisters arrived with Bai Yu. The moment Qing Ling saw Han Xi, she shouted and ran over.

"Sister Han Xi, did you also form Twelve-grade Three Flowers? There was such a huge commotion then, and even Great Dao Divine Lightning!"

"Yes. Forming Twelve-grade Three Flowers brings a Great Dao trial. Fortunately, merit offset it, or I would have failed. But the twelve-grade is too difficult. I only succeeded after exhausting all my foundations and using the resources Old Brother gave me."

Hearing Han Xi say this, they understood that they had almost no chance of attaining Twelve-grade Three Flowers.

"Alright, alright. I'll introduce you to a New Friend later, and we'll celebrate Han Xi's breakthrough while we're at it."

Without giving them a chance to speak, Xuan Qing dragged them off to celebrate.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Han Xi, on breaking through to the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm."

The Heavenly Horse Patriarch also arrived, bringing harvested Spiritual Fruit.

Xuan Qing took out the remaining Dragon Meat from last time, along with ingredients Qing Ling had gathered, and began cooking. Qing Ya also came over to help. Before long, all manner of Delicacies came out of the pots.

"Alright, I'll bring our New Friend over and get some Spiritual Wine while I'm at it."

With that, Xuan Qing went to Enlightenment Palace and called out Qing Yue, who had been in seclusion. Qing Yue had only secluded herself to familiarize herself with her body. She had already finished long ago, and afterward had merely spent time condensing Five Elements Qi.

After collecting the Spiritual Wine with Qing Yue, Xuan Qing returned to Heart Nurturing Hall.

"This is Qing Yue. She transformed from the Shore Flower we brought back last time. Everyone, get acquainted." Xuan Qing introduced Qing Yue to the group.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Qing Yue. I hope you'll all take care of me in the future."

A Mature Female Voice came from Qing Yue's red lips. Having stayed in the Dao Field for so many years, Qing Yue had long become familiar with the way Xuan Qing and the others spoke.

"Wow, Qing Yue, your voice is so nice! I'm Qing Ling, and this is my sister, Qing Ya..."

Qing Ling introduced everyone to Qing Yue as well, and the group gradually became familiar with one another as they chatted.

"Alright, eat. If you don't, the food will get cold. Qing Yue, you'll have to get used to our way of life from now on."

Xuan Qing interrupted the group, who were still chatting away. If you weren't eager to eat, there was something wrong with your head.

"Mmm, it's delicious. Master, is this what you often call Delicacies? I heard you discussing them before I transformed."

Qing Yue ate the Dragon Meat with an intoxicated expression. She had never imagined that one day, a flower like her would come to love delicious food.

"Haha, you'll get used to it. There are no humans in the Prehistoric Era yet. This is simply how humans live, and you should learn it too. Otherwise, if you cultivate the Dao and cultivate the Dao until the end, wouldn't you just become fools?"

This was the first time Xuan Qing had spoken of humans in public. Bai Yu and the Heavenly Horse Patriarch looked bewildered, unable to understand what Xuan Qing meant.

Xuan Qing had no obligation to explain it to them. As long as they survived, they would eventually witness the emergence of humanity.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone lay together and discussed their plans.

Xuan Qing intended to take Han Xi, the four women, and Bai Yu out with him, leaving the Dao Field to the Heavenly Horse Patriarch. The Heavenly Horse Patriarch had performed quite well over the years, and his cultivation was nearing a breakthrough to the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm. He could be brought into their Small Group.

After Xuan Qing explained his arrangements, Qing Ya began instructing the Heavenly Horse Patriarch—Tian Yu—on the matters requiring attention in the Dao Field.

(The Heavenly Horse Patriarch was finally no longer Extra A. He had his own name now.)

The Qing Ya Sisters and Qing Yue had all transformed from High-Grade Innate Spiritual Roots, making them suited to planting spiritual roots. Qing Yue in particular had a future opportunity in the Underworld. Han Xi and Xuan Qing would protect them along the way and gather some Spiritual Treasures and Spiritual Materials as well.

Xuan Qing did not intend to bring Qiongqi along. He simply handed it over to Tian Yu to raise, planning to take it out once it broke through to Daluo.

Once everything had been arranged, the group of six prepared to depart. It was the first time the Qing Ya Sisters had left Azure Nether Island, and Qing Ling skipped along happily the entire way.

"Qing Ling, stay close to me this time. Don't run wild, or I'll have Master leave you behind."

Since both of them were finally able to go out, Qing Ya still needed to keep Qing Ling in line and give her a warning.

"Don't worry, Sister. I'll stay right beside you and won't disobey. Just don't let Master leave me behind."

Qing Ling immediately made her promise. Otherwise, she might not even get to leave.

When Xuan Qing had gone to the Eastern Continent last time, he had only rushed toward Zhou Mountain. This time, the six of them decided to visit Kunlun Mountain and see just how extraordinary this Second Divine Mountain of the Prehistoric Era, said to have given birth to three Saints, truly was.

As they left Azure Nether Island, they saw that the atmosphere throughout the East Sea had changed again. Countless members of the Dragon Clan were gathering in one direction. One look was enough for Xuan Qing to know that the Dragon Clan was going to war again.

"Master, all these Dragon Clan members are gathering together. Are they going to fight some major force? Can we go take a look?"

Qing Ling was extremely curious about the Dragon Clan. Their blockade had angered her terribly before. Now that someone was opposing the Dragon Clan, she dearly wanted to see them suffer.

Xuan Qing drew two fingers together and flicked Qing Ling on the forehead.

"You still want to watch the show? If we get dragged into it, we'll be in trouble. We're nowhere near a match for the Dragon Clan right now. If you get killed, I won't care."

"Ow! Master, if you keep hitting me, I'll turn into an idiot. You're not allowed to knock my head anymore."

Qing Ling rubbed her head and glared at Xuan Qing unhappily, then watched the departing Dragon Clan with regret.

"So much Dragon Meat. What a pity."

The little girl was still drooling at the sight of the Dragon Clan. The Dragon Meat from last time had left too deep an impression on her. She had eaten too much the first time, and afterward there had been none left.

"Alright, little sister, listen to Master. Remember, you promised to behave when we left."

Qing Ya stared sternly at Qing Ling. They were outside now, not on Azure Nether Island. She had to keep Qing Ling under control and could not let her act recklessly.

"Stop scolding her. Some things cannot be learned through words alone. You have to experience them for yourselves before you can gain new understanding and insight. That is why, aside from teaching you about the world, I have taught you nothing else. You need to learn those things yourselves."

Xuan Qing had no intention of raising them as ornaments. To become strong, they had to endure trials and tempering. Otherwise, why had he taken them in? It was not as though he meant to use them as tools.

"When there's a chance later, I'll let you travel on your own. This time, I'll take you with me so you can see the rules of this world."

"Thank you, Master. We understand," they replied in unison.

"Since the Dragon Clan is gathering ahead, we'll go the other way and avoid their conflict."

After saying that, Xuan Qing led them in a wide circle toward the continent. The route was somewhat longer, but at least it spared them trouble.

As they crossed the sea, they passed one small island after another. When Xuan Qing had gone out last time, he had not seen many living beings, but now wild beasts covered the land, and some islands even had creatures that had awakened spiritual intelligence.

At times, Xuan Qing would stop and keep Han Xi by his side while sending the other three women and Bai Yu to interact with the locals, allowing them to try getting along with the outside world. This place was not far from the Azure Nether Sea Domain, and they would surely have dealings with one another in the future.

"Master, their cultivation is very difficult. Many of them do not even understand basic knowledge of the world, and they have neither Spiritual Treasures nor spiritual roots. No wonder the Dragon Clan spared them."

After returning, Qing Ya and the others reported what they had learned and felt to Xuan Qing.

"Now you understand, right? Our Dao Field has everything. You have never lacked resources, which is why you were able to reach the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm so quickly. If you were outside, whether you could even transform would be another matter entirely."

"Brother is right. You must not casually reveal your true forms. Innate Spiritual Roots are beloved by the beings of the Prehistoric Era. Be careful, or they may kill you and take your true forms."

Han Xi agreed with Xuan Qing. She had experienced such things herself, so she knew very well what happened to Innate Spiritual Roots.

"But it isn't much of a problem. It is already difficult for Innate Spiritual Roots to develop intelligence, let alone transform. Those who can see through your Root Origins would not be interested in you anyway."

Xuan Qing thought it over. Aside from the two great Saints of the Western Lands who would emerge later, no one would attack beings transformed from spiritual roots. By then, though, they were still only embryos.

Letting them properly experience the path ordinary beings of the Prehistoric Era took in seeking the Dao would also temper their Dao Hearts and prevent them from becoming arrogant in the future, like Yuanshi.

After leaving the sea, they arrived at the Eastern Continent. It was the Qing Ya Sisters' first time setting foot on land, and everything felt new to them. There was no fierce sea wind and no violent crashing of waves.

"So this is the continent? It's so vast. Our island feels like an ant by comparison."

Qing Yue sighed. Although she had once been on the Western Continent, her spiritual intelligence had been incomplete then. By the time she had awareness, she was already on Azure Nether Island.