Touring Qilin Cliff

On the plaza before the Earthy Palace, the floor paved with spiritual jade gleamed like a mirror, with spirit qi slowly seeping from within the jade. Mo Xuan transformed into a streak of Seven-Colored Light and landed before the extraordinary man and woman in an instant.

"Father, Mother, I'm back!" Mo Xuan cheered and was about to pounce on them. But after taking only a few steps, he suddenly remembered that Lin Yan and Ao Ye were behind him, so he abruptly stopped and tried to put on a composed air. Only his constantly wagging tail betrayed his inner excitement.

The graceful and gorgeous woman was Mo Xuan's mother, Xuan Ji. Smiling, she stepped forward first and reached out to straighten the scales at his temples, which had not been messy to begin with. Her voice was as gentle as water. "Xuan'er, you're back? It's good that you're back. You ran off to travel without even saying hello. You really deserve a beating." Though she said so, her gaze upon Mo Xuan was filled with maternal affection.

"Hmph! You dared to leave Qilin Cliff without permission before even reaching the True Immortal Realm. That was utterly reckless. You certainly cannot be let off lightly this time."

The man who spoke beside her was Mo Xuan's father, the Wood Qilin Yu Chen. Though his words were stern, Lin Yan could clearly see the deep concern in his eyes.

Leaning his head against his mother's side, Mo Xuan chuckled at his father. "This child traveled abroad because Old Ancestor personally ordered it. He said there was an opportunity for me beyond Qilin Cliff and told me to seek it out. But I traveled outside for several thousand years and still failed to find the opportunity Old Ancestor spoke of. Still, over these years, I made two good friends."

After saying that, Mo Xuan winked at Yu Chen, indicating that the two behind him were his friends and asking his father to leave him some dignity before them.

Lin Yan and Ao Ye stepped forward together and respectfully bowed.

"This junior, Lin Yan, greets Uncle and Auntie." Lin Yan performed the proper courtesy of a junior greeting elders, neither servile nor overbearing in tone.

He could sense that Mo Xuan's father, Yu Chen, possessed unfathomable cultivation. At the very least, he was at the Mysterious Immortal Peak, like Elder Xuan Yue, and might even have reached the Golden Immortal Realm. As for Xuan Ji, she appeared gentle, but her aura was harmonious and restrained. Her cultivation was certainly not low either.

Mo Xuan was exceptionally gifted and was an exceedingly rare Seven-Colored Qilin within the Qilin Clan. Perhaps it was also because both his parents possessed extraordinary talent.

"Ao Ye of the Dragon Clan greets Senior Yu Chen and Senior Xuan Ji." Ao Ye properly bowed to them. The relationship between the Dragon Clan and the Kirin Clan was somewhat delicate. It was said that Ancestor Qilin and Ancestor Dragon had not gotten along particularly well either, but as a direct descendant of the Dragon Clan, he had to be thorough in his etiquette.

Yu Chen's gaze swept over Ao Ye first, and he nodded slightly. "Ao Ye, a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon. Who is Ao Lie to you?"

Ao Ye hurriedly replied, "He is my father."

Understanding flashed through Yu Chen's eyes. "Mm, so you are Ao Lie's son. I have dealt with your father before. You may address me as Uncle."

"Senior knows my father? Ao Ye greets Uncle and Auntie." From Yu Chen's tone, Ao Ye could tell that he seemed quite familiar with his father. He quickly went along with it and changed his form of address.

Yu Chen nodded, then turned his gaze toward Lin Yan. After examining him carefully, a trace of barely perceptible surprise crossed his eyes.

With his cultivation, Yu Chen could naturally tell that Lin Yan's true origin was merely an ordinary Earth Dragon. Although Lin Yan had already reached the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage, that was nothing particularly shocking in the eyes of the Kirin Clan.

Yet what surprised him was that Lin Yan's aura was harmonious and clear, faintly resonating with the earth beneath his feet. The stability of his Dao foundation and the depth of his comprehension of the Earth Element Laws far exceeded those of ordinary living beings. More importantly, this boy's gaze was clear and open. Though he was extremely respectful before someone like Yu Chen, he showed neither flattery nor fear, and was even more composed than the noble-born Little Golden Dragon beside him.

"Earth Dragon Lin Yan..." Yu Chen slowly spoke, his voice steady and weighty. "Not bad, not bad. Your foundation is solid, and your Dao Seed has formed. Your future prospects are limitless."

Those were not entirely polite words, but an extremely objective assessment. For a living being of ordinary origins, reaching such a realm at this age meant that his future cultivation would surely not be poor.

Seeing that his parents had formed a favorable impression of Lin Yan, Mo Xuan was overjoyed. He smugly winked at Lin Yan and Ao Ye, as if to say: See? My father and mother have good judgment!

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the three, Yu Chen and Xuan Ji led them away from the Earthy Palace and back to their own cultivation cave dwelling.

The cave dwelling where Mo Xuan's family lived, "Mysterious Qilin Cave," was located halfway up the mountainside beside Qilin Cliff's main peak. Though it was called a cave dwelling, it was actually a carefully developed, sprawling garden-like complex. The entrance was concealed by an illusion array, but within lay a Grotto Heaven. Spirit Springs were drawn into streams, auspicious clouds gathered into open lawns, strange rocks stood everywhere, ancient trees towered overhead, and several elegant pavilions and towers were scattered throughout. The concentration of spirit qi was even higher than outside.

"So, what do you think? My place isn't bad, right?" Mo Xuan proudly showed the two around. "That Seven-Colored Rainbow Robe Tree was bestowed by Old Ancestor back then. It blooms once every three thousand years, and its fragrance can temper the divine soul. That little pool over there connects to an underground spiritual eye. Soaking in it regularly is greatly beneficial to physical body cultivation. And this Star Gazing Platform—I love lying here at night and watching the Myriad Stars Bestowing Auspiciousness phenomenon over Qilin Cliff..." Mo Xuan introduced his cave dwelling endlessly, like a child showing off his toys to his friends.

"Hmph! You make it sound like nobody else has a cave dwelling. Lin Yan, come visit my cave dwelling in the Deep Sea Dragon Palace someday. My Treasure Dragon Lair is what you call grand. It's filled with Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that'll blind your eyes." Ao Ye could not stand Mo Xuan's smug expression and turned to Lin Yan.

"Xiao Ye, you actually dare look down on my cave dwelling? Then I won't arrange the best cultivation spot for you." Mo Xuan glared at Ao Ye with wide eyes.

"I never said this place was bad. I just said my Dragon Palace cave dwelling is better." Ao Ye stubbornly defended himself.

Lin Yan was somewhat helpless. The two had grown used to bickering. Whether there was something to argue about or not, they always had to trade a few words.

Over the following days, after Mo Xuan showed the two around his own cave dwelling, he took them to tour the various sights throughout Qilin Cliff.

Qilin Cliff was an important node of the Primordial Great Earth Ancestral Vein. Its innate conditions could be called exceptionally favorable. Its majesty and wonder far exceeded Lin Yan's imagination.

The central body of Qilin Cliff had been formed from Great God Pangu's Spine. Not only was it indestructible, it also contained the supreme Dao of Creation. The natural Dao marks upon the cliff face contained fragments of many Laws. Anyone who could calmly comprehend them would benefit immensely!

As they visited more and more places, Lin Yan felt Qilin Cliff's vastness and wonder ever more deeply. It not only had mountains that soared into the clouds, bottomless valleys, and endlessly rushing Spirit Rivers, but also mirror-like tranquil lakes. The richness of its terrain and diversity of its ecology far surpassed his imagination.

Those uniquely distinctive treasure lands opened his eyes even further.

The Seven-Colored Cloud Waterfall was formed from seven colors of spirit qi condensed to the utmost purity. Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet intertwined and flowed together, refracting dreamlike rainbow light beneath the sun.

In the Divine Wood Garden grew several thousand kinds of rare Innate Spiritual Roots from the Prehistoric World, or their descendants. The most eye-catching was a Star Tree a thousand zhang tall, entirely emerald green, with starlight flickering amid its branches and leaves. It was a top-grade Innate Spiritual Root, only a step away from the Prehistoric World's ten supreme Innate Spiritual Roots.

Within the Myriad Treasures Cave, the cave walls held hundreds of millions of treasures of every kind—gems, spiritual crystals, ores, and more. All were essences naturally nurtured by the Earth Veins over countless years.

Though the Ancient Trial Road was called a road, it was actually a path of training formed from countless small Mystic Realms. It was where the Kirin Clan's younger generation tempered their minds and honed their divine abilities. Most of the countless arrays, restrictions, and illusions along the way had formed naturally.

"Well? Lin Yan, I wasn't bragging, was I?" Standing atop a mountain peak, Mo Xuan pointed at the majestic scene below, where the Sea of Clouds churned and myriad mountains bowed in homage. He spoke proudly. "My Qilin Cliff gathers the essence of the Prehistoric World's Earth Veins and the spirit qi of heavenly auspiciousness. It is a Grotto Heaven Blessed Land unlike any other in the world!"

Though Ao Ye was also somewhat awed by Qilin Cliff's magnificent scenery, he refused to admit defeat aloud. Curling his lip, he said, "Hmph, it's not bad. But when it comes to grandeur and the number of treasures, it still falls short of my Dragon Palace."

Lin Yan did not join their bickering. His attention was focused more on certain details. As an Earth Dragon aspiring to improve the overall environment of the Prehistoric World, he viewed Qilin Cliff somewhat differently from Mo Xuan and Ao Ye.