"I am Su Li. I happened to pass by and found much to gain from comprehending the Dao's resonances here. Might I meet you, fellow Daoist?"
Su Li rarely asked so tentatively.
The resonance of the Great Dao just now had been extraordinary, and it had left him astonished.
"Come inside."
A cool, ethereal woman's voice came from within the cottage.
Su Li entered the thatched cottage, and a faint, sweet fragrance wafted toward him.
The furnishings inside were simple, yet the place was filled with an elegant air. Bamboo chairs, a wooden table, green tiles, white walls—everything seemed so natural and harmonious.
The owner of the thatched cottage was a woman dressed in a plain white gown, like a white lotus in full bloom, pure and elegant. Her eyes were deep and bright, as if she could see through to the essence of all things.
"Jiang Yue?"
Su Li looked at the ancient book in the woman's hands. The words "Jiang Yue" were engraved on its outermost layer of hide.
At that moment, she sat quietly on the jade bed inside the cottage, holding a yellowed ancient book and reading it with keen interest.
Jiang Yue?
Su Li murmured the name, seeming to realize who the woman before him was.
Jiang Yue might have been little known by that name, but mention "Fairy Qingyue," and it was another matter entirely. The fairy's name resounded throughout the Ancient Realm.
She was not only a frequent presence on the Heavenly Pride Ranking among the younger generation, but also a role model in the hearts of countless cultivators in the Ancient Realm—and the ideal partner they hoped to choose.
Jiang Yue possessed peerless beauty, like a peach blossom just beginning to bloom—graceful and refined. Her eyes were as deep as the sea, seeming to draw in all light and making it impossible to look away.
Her figure, meanwhile, moved like drifting willow fluff, graceful and elegant, as if she were a spirit of heaven and earth.
Yet she was not merely beautiful. Jiang Yue possessed exceptional talent and strength, and was one of the few peerless geniuses in the Ancient Realm.
Her swordsmanship was like a bolt of lightning, swift as the wind and unmatched.
"Who might you be, fellow Daoist?" Fairy Qingyue asked calmly, her voice as clear as a mountain stream.
Su Li's heart quivered. He hadn't expected Fairy Qingyue's bearing to be so extraordinary and otherworldly. "I am Su Li. I happened to come here by chance. Please forgive my abrupt visit."
Su Li?
The son of Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation?
Fairy Qingyue gave a slight nod to show that she understood.
Su Li noticed a book in her hands. Its pages were yellowed, and the words Moon-Clear Dao were written on it.
His heart stirred, and he asked, "Fairy, what book are you holding?"
"This is Moon-Clear Dao, a record of my insights into cultivation," Fairy Qingyue replied calmly.
"Oh? I have a deep interest in the path of cultivation. Might you offer me some guidance, Fairy?" Su Li asked.
Fairy Qingyue fell silent for a moment, then slowly began, "The path of cultivation requires an undistracted heart and a still mind. Only by casting aside worldly thoughts can one glimpse the true essence of the Great Dao.
"The Great Dao is the source and order of all things under heaven. To cultivate is to seek the Great Dao and understand the essence of all things, ultimately becoming one with the Dao."
"Become one with the Dao?"
Su Li fell silent for a long while. His admiration for Fairy Qingyue only deepened. At such a young age, she had already reached the pinnacle of the Human Dao realm.
Su Li knew well that the path of cultivation was beset with trials and dangers, and required one to constantly gain insight and break through.
Yet Fairy Qingyue had long since seen through the mortal world and reached a realm beyond the reach of ordinary people.
"Please, fellow Daoist, take a seat."
Fairy Qingyue invited Su Li to sit.
Su Li was just as straightforward. With the fairy inviting him to take a seat, he didn't hesitate, sitting cross-legged opposite her to discuss the Dao together.
Time seemed to stand still. Su Li and Fairy Qingyue sat facing each other, sharing their insights into cultivation.
The thatched cottage was filled with a faint, moonlit glow, as if it were an immortal paradise cut off from the world.
Inside the thatched cottage, Su Li and Fairy Qingyue sat facing each other, their breathing in perfect harmony.
"Fairy Qingyue."
"Hmm?"
Su Li looked at the white-clad fairy before him. Her bearing was elegant and serene, and her beauty peerless.
She had a face that could make even heaven and earth pale in comparison.
She wore a gown as white as snow, as if an ethereal fairy had descended into the mortal world. Her beauty was breathtaking.
Her features were like a painting, crystalline and clear, like rippling autumn waters—lively and mysterious.
Her straight nose and rosy lips revealed her beauty in all its splendor.
But at this moment, she had a dazed look about her. Her eyes had lost their former radiance, as if her soul had left her body. It was somewhat eerie.
Fairy Qingyue suddenly sensed something. Her holy body stiffened, and her eyes turned vacant, as if her soul had been sealed away.
She felt a mysterious force tugging at her soul, carrying her into an unknown time and place.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a wondrous scene.
The South Sea shimmered, the bamboo grove swayed in the breeze, the manor stood elegant and refined, and the gathering bustled with people.
There were also the fences and thatched cottages—everything seemed so familiar, yet so strange.
She slowly came to her senses and realized she was still sitting inside the thatched cottage.
But Su Li had vanished.
Confused, she wondered where Su Li had gone. She tried to find him, but discovered that he was nowhere to be found.
A few breaths later, after confirming that Su Li was gone, Qingyue paid it no mind. He had simply left without saying goodbye. He was merely the son of an Immortal King.
Qingyue pondered for a moment in the thatched cottage, then decided to go out for a walk and attend the manor's gathering. Perhaps she could learn more there.
The gathering was a sea of noise and voices.
The young geniuses from all walks of life were the cream of their generation, with upright postures and extraordinary bearing.
Some held long swords, some gently waved horsetails, and others wore robes of magic, their spirits high.
Qingyue moved through the crowd, her gaze bright and her bearing distinctive, drawing the attention of many.
She smiled and greeted everyone, discussing their cultivation insights and experiences with them.
When she asked them about "Su Li," their expressions all turned bewildered.
A young man holding a long sword shook his head. "I've never heard that name." A woman wearing a robe of magic also said, "I've never encountered this person in my cultivation. Immortal King Six Paths Reincarnation has no children."
Qingyue's heart gave a faint tremble. Had Su Li really vanished? Or had he been no more than a figure conjured up while she was comprehending the Dao?
Afterward, Qingyue followed the others to the Immortal King Dao Altar.
The Immortal King's lecture platform was set in an open field surrounded by swirling clouds and mist, as if they had entered an immortal realm. Qingyue felt a powerful aura—the majesty and strength of the Immortal King.
When she stepped into the field, she saw the Immortal King seated atop a high platform, his face kind yet majestic, his resonant Dao voice filling the air.
Qingyue listened, entranced, as if drawn into a wondrous world by the Immortal King's words.
Her soul felt a stirring unlike anything she had ever experienced, as if an invisible force were guiding her and opening the door to the wisdom deep within her.
The scene around her gradually blurred until only the sound of the Immortal King's lecture remained, echoing all around.
His voice was like music from heaven, filling Qingyue with boundless comfort and peace.
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