"My cultivation is already sufficient. Going too far is as bad as falling short. I should let it settle a little more."
The path of cultivation required a balance between tension and relaxation. Beyond advancing one's cultivation, one's state of mind had to keep pace as well; otherwise, it would be no different from a castle in the air.
The vital essence here was incredibly dense. After all, this was where many powerful beings had fallen, and even the aura of the immortal path lingered.
A rain of light showered down from the sky, sacred and serene, like a profusion of falling blossoms shimmering with wondrous colors.
Without question, a prodigy in the Divine Fire Realm might even cultivate immortal energy in such an environment.
She had already broken through all the trials of the Cave Heaven Realm, and those imprints would no longer appear. There was no point in staying any longer.
With her previous experience and her battles against so many creatures, her spiritual perception had long since become exceptionally keen. Thus, she navigated the familiar route with ease and left the abyss without expending much effort.
"Are you... little Xi?" Xu Tianheng could scarcely believe it. Less than a year had passed, yet Xi Yue had undergone such an astonishing transformation.
Having undergone a rebirth-like transformation, Xi Yue had shed her childish appearance. Though only eight or nine years old, she now looked like a girl of sixteen or seventeen, graceful in bearing and possessed of a sharp, heroic air.
"Third Granduncle, it's me. I obtained a little good fortune and underwent a transformation," Xi Yue said softly, a smile blossoming at the corners of her lips.
"You're so beautiful, Miss. You'll surely become the foremost fairy of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths someday." Qing Shuang stared in a daze, an entranced smile spreading across her face.
"Hmm... your cultivation-nine heavenly caverns?!" Xu Tianheng let out a startled cry, unable to believe it. He even wondered whether his eyes were deceiving him.
Then he threw back his head and laughed. "It seems that old senior was right! Little Xi, you're destined to become a king and an emperor!"
At those words, the corners of Xi Yue's mouth twitched. She had merely invented an old senior on a whim back then. Who could have guessed that Xu Tianheng would take it seriously? She had no idea what to say.
Afterward, he asked what Xi Yue planned to do next.
"Let's not return to the Xu Family yet. We should take this opportunity to travel," Xi Yue said.
After all, they had sneaked out. Who knew whether her father would catch them if they returned now? They might as well seize this chance to experience the customs and culture of Boundless Heaven.
As the saying went, the mortal world tempered the heart. Struggling to cross its currents was also a form of cultivation.
Xu Tianheng naturally had no objections. After all, they were already here...
Boundless Heaven was vast and limitless, with many great wildernesses and immense wetlands, as well as numerous large cities separated by hundreds of thousands of li.
The divine cities at its center were even more astonishingly huge, with distances between them often measured in tens of millions of li. Thus, every city had a large teleportation formation.
Moreover, countless fierce beasts inhabited these mountains, rivers, and vast marshes. Among them were beings in the Void Dao Realm, and even higher realms, making the land incredibly dangerous.
Without sect-master-level strength or a guardian accompanying them, one could scarcely take a single step through this wilderness.
Of course, even sect-master-level beings could not roam freely through the wilderness, for no one knew where a divine insect or ferocious beast might lie hidden, savage beyond measure.
Along the way, they encountered quite a few such creatures. One crocodile flood dragon had even reached the Escape One Realm, its ferocious might surging to the heavens and its aura terrifying beyond measure.
Fortunately, Xu Tianheng was traveling with them. The crocodile flood dragon could stir up no waves at all; he slew it on the spot, and even its primordial spirit failed to escape.
"The dragon blood within this crocodile flood dragon has revived, and half its body has even transformed into that of a True Dragon. Eating it will be immensely nourishing. We mustn't waste it." Xu Tianheng put away its corpse, not even letting its blood essence go to waste, gathering it all together.
Since ancient times, certain fierce beasts that evolved to the utmost would begin transforming their bodies into those of True Dragons. This crocodile flood dragon was one such creature.
Unfortunately, it had fallen a little short and failed to succeed.
True Dragons had already vanished from this world and could scarcely be found anywhere.
Only Xi Yue knew that a True Dragon Nest existed in the lower realm's Eight Regions, with a living True Dragon hatchling inside.
What a pity. In the end, it was born deficient and never awakened the True Dragon Treasure Technique, she sighed inwardly.
A True Dragon-the foremost of the Ten Fiends during the Immortal Ancient era, and the only Immortal King among them, possessing combat strength on par with the giants.
In truth, she very much wanted to obtain the True Dragon Treasure Technique. Unfortunately, she had no way to do so, leaving her helpless.
"It smells so good! It must taste amazing!" Qing Shuang crouched beside a large cauldron. Broth boiled within it, its rich fragrance filling the air as waves of auspicious light rose.
She was not reserved around them. Although there was a distinction between master and servant, the Xu Family had always been broad-hearted and paid little heed to such trifling details.
Chunks of meat bobbed in the cauldron, gleaming with crystalline radiance, accompanied by several sacred herbs. Spiritual mist rose in billows, intoxicating both heart and mind and soothing the entire body.
It had to be said that this crocodile flood dragon truly had thick hide and tough flesh. It took more than half a day of stewing before it was fully cooked.
The energy within an Escape One Realm fierce beast was far too immense. Xu Tianheng had to refine it first; otherwise, it would likely burst them apart in an instant.
"It's decent, just a little old. The meat isn't all that tender," Xi Yue remarked between bites.
"This was an old flood dragon, very advanced in years and nearing the end of its life. Otherwise, it wouldn't have leaped out to attack us." Xu Tianheng smiled and shook his head as he explained.
Then he brought out a jar of fine wine and began eating and drinking with abandon.
They chatted for a while longer, though Xu Tianheng did most of the talking while Xi Yue and Qing Shuang listened.
Spittle flew as Xu Tianheng talked without end, recounting his glorious past victories and the tangled loves and hatreds of bygone days.
Whenever he grew excited, he took a great gulp of wine and gestured wildly, his eyes shining as though he had returned to the years when he had commanded the winds and clouds.
Only the following morning, when dawn broke, did he finally wind down. Then they set off on their return journey.
Lintian City was a colossal city renowned throughout Boundless Heaven.
From afar, it appeared veiled in mist. That was the dense worldly essence that would not disperse, shrouding the city and lending it an air of mystery and ethereal beauty.
Its walls towered into the clouds, stretching across the land like a celestial abyss, majestic, imposing, and impossible to cross.
Many undying ancient clans were entrenched within the city, each with supremely powerful experts presiding over it.
The three remained inconspicuous, concealing their auras as they strolled into the city.
The streets were crowded and extraordinarily lively, with all manner of races in sight-a flourishing spectacle in a golden age of prosperity.
As they wandered, the three quietly listened to the conversations of passersby.
After all, these were the cultivation world's "passerby great emperors"... those who knew, knew.
And sure enough, listening in yielded some information.
"What huge news! Apparently, the Heaven-Rending Treasure Pavilion will auction off an extraordinary divine material tonight. They say it came from the Primordial Ancient Mine!"
"Who could have imagined that the Primordial Ancient Mine would awaken on its own recently, drawing in and exhaling the sun, moon, and stars? Some people went to investigate, and many perished inside before they managed to obtain this divine material."
"Anything born in the Primordial Ancient Mine must be a divine treasure rarely seen in this world. It might even be a legendary immortal material."
"Some important figures speculate that a Life Stone might be hidden inside. That's an immortal stone that would make even sect masters green with envy!"
Everyone was engrossed in heated discussion, and every conversation revolved around the words "Primordial Ancient Mine."
For the Primordial Ancient Mine was simply too extraordinary, and far too eerie.