Changes on Earth

As soon as Li Hao returned to the villa, Xiao Daji cheered and pounced on him.

She clung to Li Hao like a koala, whining, "Master hasn't been back for so long, I missed Daji!"

As Little Daji spoke, she rubbed her head against Li Hao's face, her long fox ears swaying constantly, revealing her excitement.

Li Hao stroked Xiao Daji's head and smiled, "Have I been gone for a long time?"

Upon hearing this, Little Daji pouted towards the door and said helplessly, "Master, look, it's snowing outside!"

Li Hao was stunned, only then realizing that it was indeed snowing heavily outside.

The snow fell heavily, like endless willow catkins descending from the sky, covering everything on earth with a thick white blanket.

Li Hao looked completely astonished.

this?

It rarely snows on Emperor Mountain, let alone such a heavy snowfall.

Li Hao frowned slightly and asked, "Have I been gone for several months?"

Little Daji nodded repeatedly, saying, "Master, you have no idea how lively it's been outside lately."

Upon hearing this, Li Hao also became interested.

He sat on the sofa with Daji in his arms and smiled, "Alright, we have plenty of time today. Little Daji, you'd better tell me all about the changes that have happened in the last few months."

Little Daji was so happy that her big eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and her delicate face beamed with joy.

She cheered, "Yes, yes, I have so much to tell my master!"

Little Daji sat on Li Hao's lap, her long, slender arms encircling his waist, chattering away about the changes in the world.

The changes are mainly in two aspects.

One is Earth, and the other is the Grotto-Heaven world.

First, because of Li Hao's actions in France, Earth has completely embarked on a unique path of development that combines fantasy and science fiction. Since the opening of Grotto-Heaven small world created by Li Hao, countless people all over the world have ventured into it in search of treasures.

Some succeed, some fail.

But even a one percent success rate, no, even a one-thousandth success rate, would bring about enormous and sensational changes. Cultivation methods that were once unattainable for ordinary people are now widespread, and countless companies that make a living by selling cultivation methods hate Li Hao to the extreme.

However, Li Hao naturally didn't care about their hatred.

What truly caught his attention was the impact of the widespread adoption of cultivation techniques on people's lives, or more accurately, on the Earth itself.

Since the France incident, conflicts between countries have noticeably decreased.

While we can't say that Earth is truly one family, humanity has consciously begun to unite in the face of increasingly serious threats. Even if this unity is currently mostly superficial and merely verbal, the fact that wars around the world are decreasing is undeniable.

Of course, there are good aspects as well as bad aspects.

The bad news is that doomsday prophecies are rampant, and some people are even using Li Hao's name to establish cults. Some cults have been eradicated by various countries, while others remain rampant.

The most troublesome thing is that these cults are impossible to eradicate completely; for every one you eliminate, two more may spring up.

Especially with the rise in popularity of spiritual cultivation practices, crime rates have increased significantly in various regions, and this increase is global. Li Hao is quite helpless about this.

However, the issue of crime rates should be left to each country to handle.

He was helpless, but there was nothing he could do.

After all, directly interfering in the internal affairs of other countries will only complicate matters further.

Aside from changes in the international situation, the biggest changes have to be in people's lives.

The popularization of spiritual practice has directly changed people's lives.

Changes will be made in terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

As for exactly how much had changed, and what those changes were, Xiao Daji didn't say, nor did she allow Li Hao to spy on it with his divine sense. In Xiao Daji's words, such things should naturally be seen directly with one's own eyes and experienced personally.

In short, Xiao Daji wanted Li Hao to take her shopping.

Li Hao naturally wouldn't refuse such a request.

However, in exchange, Daji also had to pay a certain price, such as, hehehe.

Regarding the Grotto-Heaven, two more Grotto-Heaven appeared in the world during the time Li Hao was away.

One is located in western Americas, and the other is located in the high seas of the Pacific Ocean.

The Grotto-Heaven world located in the Americas is extremely strange; any living creature that enters it has never appeared again.

It is said that the United States once sent a special forces team of over a hundred people into the Grotto-Heaven world to investigate, but in the end, everyone disappeared without a trace. However, unmanned probes transmitted some fragmented images from the Grotto-Heaven world.

Since that exploration, the United States has sealed off the land, sea, and air space within a radius of dozens of miles around the entrance to the Grotto-Heaven World, and even the residents have been forcibly relocated. Now, three fortresses have been built around the entrance to the Grotto-Heaven World, with hundreds of billions of resources invested in each one.

As for what the Grotto-Heaven world in the Americas contained, Little Daji had no idea.

However, compared to the Grotto-Heaven worlds of the Americas, the Grotto-Heaven worlds deep in the Pacific Ocean are much quieter.

The Grotto-Heaven World is also a vast ocean, even more expansive and richer in species than Earth's oceans. As for the size of the Grotto-Heaven in the high seas of the Pacific Ocean, no country has yet been able to say for sure.

Because the vast sea area spanning tens of thousands of miles centered on the entrance to the Grotto-Heaven has already been explored, but apart from oceans and islands, no trace of continents has been found, nor has the edge of the world been discovered. Some speculate that if this world is not entirely composed of oceans, its area would far exceed that of Earth.

This is why this winter is jokingly referred to as "Water Moon Grotto-Heaven" in the East.

As for why it's called "Water Moon," it's because there are two moons in this world, one purple and one silvery-white, shining brightly together in a breathtakingly beautiful way.

Since the scenery of Water Moon Grotto-Heaven was revealed, countless people have made special trips to Water Moon Grotto-Heaven to enjoy the beautiful views.

Furthermore, because it is located in international waters, any country or private individual has the right to explore it. Since its appearance, this Grotto-Heaven world has developed into a sizable town in just a few months, becoming the most popular adventure destination at present.

The residents come from all over the world, and even countries around the world have sent troops to be stationed there long-term.

Of course, the purpose of each country is not only exploration, but more importantly, to explore and exploit the resources of the Grotto-Heaven world. Since the revival of spiritual energy, the competition among countries for rare resources has not eased, but has become even more intense.

Especially resources for spiritual practice.

For countries with small land areas, resources are always an indescribable source of pain.

Therefore, a Grotto-Heaven paradise located in international waters with extremely low danger has become a coveted treat for countless countries, who are eager to take it home.

After learning about the situation in his hometown, Li Hao had mixed feelings.

There was joy, but also disappointment.

Not being able to witness the changes in his hometown firsthand is a great regret for him.

However, considering that the changes to his hometown Earth had only just begun and that earth-shattering changes would occur in the future, Li Hao's mood improved considerably.

Little Daji, her face beaming with happiness, leaned against Li Hao's chest, looked up at him, and said coquettishly, "Master, shall we go shopping?"

Li Hao smiled and said, "Alright, but I need to go see Linger first. Half a year has passed on Earth, I wonder how much time has passed in the Vast Blue World. Wait a moment, I'll be right back from the Vast Blue World."

The Vast Blue World, Ashe's palace.

Inside the luxurious palace, four people sat on a white fox fur sofa: Li Hao, Ashe, Zhao Ling'er, and the little girl Zhou Zhiruo.

Looking at Ashe, who had a gentle smile and an elegant demeanor, and her still adorable and charming little apprentice, Li Hao asked in surprise, "What are you doing here, Linger?"

Ashe scolded, "What kind of master are you? You just leave your disciple on a desolate planet and disappear without a trace. Luckily, Linger's cultivation has greatly improved, and she found me after successfully breaking through. She has been awake for two months, but because she couldn't find you, she can only stay here temporarily."

Li Hao looked completely bewildered.

He looked at Zhao Ling'er in surprise and asked, "Linger found this place by herself?"

Zhao Ling'er's cheeks flushed slightly. She lowered her head, not daring to look at Li Hao, her gaze darting left and right. She whispered, "I sensed Sister Ashe's presence, so I came over."

Li Hao suddenly realized, but looking at Zhao Ling'er's evasive gaze and her beautiful face, which resembled rose petals, he felt that things might not be so simple.

"Sister Linger said she saw Big Brother and Sister Ashe doing something naughty, so she knows that Sister Ashe must know where Big Brother is." Zhou Zhiruo suddenly spoke, breaking the silence of the room and making the atmosphere heavy.

Ashe's bright eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure, as if nothing had happened.

Li Hao's expression was stiff, and his eyes darted left and right.

Oh my god, Linger actually saw it! She saw it!

This group admin's face is in jeopardy!

Damn it, how could I, the group admin, have succumbed to temptation? And to make matters worse, my precious apprentice saw it. What am I going to do now?

Pretend nothing happened?

Cough cough, isn't this a bit too shameless?

Invite your apprentice to the party?

Ugh, I'm afraid I'll get beaten to death!

Li Hao's mind raced as he considered how to break free from his current predicament.

Just then, Zhou Zhiruo looked at Li Hao curiously, biting her thumb with her delicate red lips, and asked in confusion, "Big brother, what is something embarrassing?"

Li Hao's face twitched violently.

That's it.

This time it's really over.

But how should this be explained?

How should I explain this?

Zhao Ling'er's cheeks were as red as if they were dyed a bright red cloth, and she felt extremely shy.

Oh dear, Zhou Zhiruo, you idiot! How could you just say something like that out loud?

Now that their master knows, how can they ever face anyone again?

Oh no, oh no, now Master knows that the person saw that thing, and their innocence is gone.

Zhao Ling'er's feelings were complicated, mostly filled with shame and anger.

She quickly covered Zhou Zhiruo's red lips, saying in embarrassment and annoyance, "Idiot, who told you to say that?"

Zhou Zhiruo looked at Zhao Ling'er, who was filled with anxiety and embarrassment, and Li Hao, whose expression was stiff, with a puzzled look. Finally, she looked at Ashe, who was completely calm.

Sir, this is so troublesome.