The Beginning of the Journey!

When Li Long heard that, he stowed the Dragon Emperor Rod behind his waist and rolled his shoulders.

Three years of secluded cultivation at the Icefire Yin-Yang Well had indeed left him a little weary. The daily routine was steady, but far too repetitive—cultivation, medicinal meals, sparring, then cultivation again, cycling over and over.

Now that he had reached level sixty-four as a Soul Emperor, the benefits of continuing to cultivate behind closed doors would gradually diminish. Going out and changing environments would instead be more helpful for his future cultivation.

"Alright." Li Long nodded. "Let's go together."

He turned toward Qian Yao and Qian Yue.

The two women stood beside the spring. Qian Yao had her arms folded, while Qian Yue still held the booklet on medicinal herbs.

Li Long asked, "Do you want to come along?"

Qian Yao shook her head, her tone decisive. "No. We'll stay here and cultivate, and try to catch up to you as soon as possible. If you come back and find that we're still standing still, that'd be embarrassing."

Qian Yue also shook her head and closed the herbal booklet in her hands. "The spiritual energy environment of the Icefire Yin-Yang Well suits both Qian Yao's and my current cultivation needs. We'll progress faster here than outside. Go ahead, but be careful on the road."

Li Long did not try to persuade them further.

He understood their personalities. Qian Yao was competitive and unwilling to fall too far behind in cultivation, while Qian Yue was practical and knew what would benefit them most at this stage.

He nodded at them before turning toward Qian Yaoting.

Qian Yaoting had already spread his six wings. The reddish-gold flame patterns along their edges flickered faintly beneath the sunlight.

"Let's go," Qian Yaoting said. With a