Amid the astonished cries of the distant cultivators, the golden pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth suddenly contracted, pouring into Qin Wangchuan's body like a whale swallowing the sea.
The blurry yet majestic Emperor Shadow behind him gradually faded away as well.
In the end, only wisps of Dao Rhyme remained, proving that the earth-shaking scene just now had not been an illusion.
The frozen space began to flow again. Dust continued to drift, and the candle flames began to dance once more.
Li Qingluan was the closest, and her feelings were the most intense.
She stared blankly at Qin Wangchuan. For the first time, she truly witnessed the heaven-defying comprehension of her little fiancé—
Comprehending the Dao at ten years old!
At this rate, he was very likely to become the youngest Great Emperor in history!
The wind swept past, carrying the scent of blood and a trace of chill. The Dao Patterns in Qin Wangchuan's eyes slowly subsided.
The sharp edge that had stirred resonance in countless Daos drew inward slightly, yet his entire aura had already undergone a fundamental transformation.
Like a divine sword hidden within a heavy scabbard.
Though its radiance was concealed for now, it contained an edge capable of splitting heaven and earth.
Yet what Li Qingluan still cared about was the moment Qin Wangchuan had become angry.
She took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent emotions in her heart, and slowly stepped forward.
"That youth named Han Han earlier..." Li Qingluan's voice was as gentle as spring rain in the third month, carrying a trace of concern and worry:
"I still have several Chaos Green Lotus Seeds. They can reunite a remnant soul and restore the fleshly body to its original state."
She thought he had been angry over that youth's death.
If so, then why not simply revive him?
Qin Wangchuan slowly raised his head, his gaze falling upon Li Qingluan's worried face.
Those eyes, whose Dao Patterns had only just settled, became deep and unfathomable once more.
As though they could see through her eyes and pierce the karma and whirlpools behind everything.
"Thank you, but there's no need."
Qin Wangchuan suddenly chuckled. The remaining Dao Patterns at his fingertips flickered in the night.
"If he wanted to live..."
He paused, then said, "Why would he have risked his life to give that thing to me?"
Before his words had even faded, he had already turned and walked away.
Moonlight stretched his shadow long, casting a sharp silhouette across the ground.
"I'm leaving." Without looking back, he waved a hand. Yet as he brushed past Li Qingluan, he whispered into her ear:
"A liar's a puppy!"
His voice was as light as the night wind brushing past, making Li Qingluan's pupils suddenly contract.
A flush rapidly spread from the tips of her ears to her cheeks, like sunset dyeing the clouds crimson.
She abruptly turned to look at his retreating back, her red lips parting slightly.
Yet it was as if some invisible force had seized her throat. For a long while, she could not utter a single word.
"How... did you guess?"
Under the moonlight, Qin Wangchuan's back drifted farther and farther away.
With so many details, it would have been truly laughable if he still could not figure it out.
Before, he had wanted to tease her a little.
But now...
He was not in the mood.
[Mission completed—Game Breaker] [Mission Details: Uncover the Wang Clan's conspiracy and crush the undercurrents within the Ten Directions Immortal Court.] [Reward: Directional Simulation unlocked.]
Above the Longevity Tenth Heaven.
"So it was this branch causing trouble."
Heavenly Emperor Ji overlooked the farce below. The floating Black Nail slowly rose in his palm, and a trace of coldness flashed through his eyes.
"It was my Ji Clan's failure in discipline that allowed such collusion with the Foreign Lands to occur."
He lightly rolled the Black Nail between his fingers, and the nail immediately released a piercing shriek. "Fortunately, it did not lead to a great calamity. It is good that this scourge was purged early."
"Old Man Qin, I owe you a favor."
"Two."
Qin Taiyi stood with his hands behind his back, his tone beyond dispute.
"One!" Heavenly Emperor Ji, who had been so immortal and dignified moments ago, immediately blew his beard and glared, his sleeves stirring without wind.
"Two."
"Just one!" Heavenly Emperor Ji's eyes widened. "Don't think I didn't notice. That little brat of yours used a secret art of my Ji Clan!"
As he spoke, he suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Though it was an incomplete copy..."
"How about this?"
"On another day, I'll have someone deliver the complete version." Heavenly Emperor Ji stroked his beard and snorted. "I'll add a pair of Void Divine Feathers as well. That should be enough to offset one favor."
"Two pairs."
Qin Taiyi suddenly lifted his gaze, his eyes as deep as an abyss. "And the Heavenly Abyss Ancient Scroll."
"You!" Heavenly Emperor Ji was about to flare up, but after recalling Old Man Qin's temperament, he sighed helplessly. "Fine. One favor, the complete secret art, and two pairs of Void Divine Feathers."
"As for the Heavenly Abyss Ancient Scroll, that is absolutely impossible!"
Heavenly Emperor Ji's eye twitched, and his white beard fluttered without wind. Laughing from sheer anger, he said, "Old Qin, don't take advantage of a fire to rob me!"
Qin Taiyi's expression did not change. With only a light sweep of his sleeve, an image appeared in the void—
It was precisely the scene of Qin Wangchuan making his bold declaration.
"If the Heavenly Emperor cannot do it, then the Immortal Emperor!"
"If the Immortal Emperor cannot do it, then beyond the Immortal Emperor!"
"Looking at this, do you still dare say your heart is as still as water?"
Heavenly Emperor Ji fell silent for a moment before finally snorting coldly.
"...So that's how it is."
"You're forcing me to place a bet."
He gave Qin Taiyi a deep look. "The Heavenly Abyss Ancient Scroll can be given to you, but I have two conditions—"
"One."
"To hell with you!"
Heavenly Emperor Ji did not argue. Instead, he directly raised a hand, and a streak of golden light shot into the clouds, transforming into contract runes that covered the sky and sun.
"First, before this brat proves his Dao, he must go to the Ji Clan and preach the Dao three times."
"Second... he must make a trip to the Outer Realm for me and retrieve that lost Mirror Rune!"
It was no coincidence that the Wang Clan had been able to obtain an Outer Realm Item through the Ji Clan.
Back then, that Ji Clan Saint Son who possessed the Void Sacred Body had not only stolen the core Dao Patterns of the Void Mirror, but had also blood-sacrificed three elder protectors of the Dao while fleeing.
He had once established the "Void Heaven Pavilion" in the Outer Realm, specifically to oppose the Ji Clan.
Though the Ji Clan had reduced Void Heaven Pavilion to ashes with a mere turn of its hand.
That Mirror Rune had seemed to vanish into nothingness, remaining impossible to find for ten thousand years.
With the Great Dao upon Qin Wangchuan, perhaps entrusting it to him would yield something.
Qin Taiyi fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Agreed."
With that single word, the contract formed into runes and disappeared into the void.
There was another long silence.
Heavenly Emperor Ji's gaze pierced through the void, his voice seeming to come from the end of the ages.
"Can he truly reach the Immortal Emperor, even beyond the Immortal Emperor?"
"Most likely."
"If he can, then we..."
Neither spoke another word.
Just as Qin Wangchuan had said, the weak were constantly anxious for their own safety, while even the strong found no peace.
Even after becoming a Heavenly Emperor, one would still always wish to take another step forward.
As the feast gradually dispersed, the guests turned into streaks of light and departed one after another, leaving only clear moonlight filling the courtyard.
Within Wangchuan Pavilion.
The mountain-like piles of congratulatory gifts in the courtyard radiated treasures of every color, making the entire courtyard shimmer brilliantly.
Outside the gates, maidservants dressed in plain gauze carried gilded Brocade Boxes, continuously sending treasures inside like a flowing stream.
While exploring the system's new functions, Qin Wangchuan casually flipped through the gift list.
Suddenly, his brow lifted slightly, and his gaze paused upon several lines of writing.
"Flame Clan Sacred Relic, Nine-Flame Golden Crow?"
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