" Old Zhou, what did you bump into?" Ling Yi asked with a smile.
"What, Old Zhou? Do I know you that well? Encountering someone with bad luck is never a good thing."
"Grandpa, are you alright?" Zhou Xiaohuan asked, wiping her greasy little hands on Zhou Yixian's sleeve.
"What could possibly be wrong with me? I'm perfectly fine."
"Big brother said his bad luck only applies to people who have ill intentions towards him. If they don't have any ill intentions towards him, then nothing will happen."
Do you think I believe you?
As he spoke, Zhou Yixian jumped to the dining table. Looking at the table full of delicious food, he didn't hold back and grabbed a braised pork knuckle to gnaw on.
"Aren't you afraid of my bad luck?"
"Didn't you say that bad luck only comes to those who have ill intentions towards you?"
"Didn't you not believe it?"
"I just don't believe such a thing could actually exist, not that I don't believe what you're saying isn't true. I've already consulted a fortune teller for myself, and it was a very auspicious reading."
"Your divination skills are truly remarkable."
Zhou Yixian paused for a moment before saying helplessly, "I have disgraced the patriarch."
Tell me about Qingyunzi.
"You cultivate the Tai Chi Mysterious Purity Dao, you're a disciple of the Qingyun Sect, right? Don't you Taoist Venerable your seniors? According to seniority, you should call me 'Grandmaster'."
"Forget it, you're clearly a disrespectful person. The Qingyun Sect has records about the founder, and what I know is unlikely to be wrong. If you want to know, go back and ask your elders."
Ling Yi shook his head and said, "What I want to know is what happened before Qingyunzi discovered the Heavenly Book."
Zhou Yixian put down his pork knuckle, frowned, and asked, "What do you need to know all this for?"
Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs!
"You've read the Heavenly Book?" Zhou Yixian asked in surprise.
Ling Yi did not answer this question, but continued to ask, "Before Qingyunzi founded the Qingyun Sect, how were cultivation levels divided?"
"What was the highest level of cultivation at that time? Before Qingyunzi, who was the most respected figure in the Immortal Cultivation Realm?"
"I don't know much, and I only know some things from what my the Final Master told me. But before that, could you tell me what's going on with you?"
"Me?" Ling Yi was a little curious. What had Zhou Yixian?
" The Karmic Luck you possess is immense and boundless, a Karmic Luck that this entire world cannot contain. Who exactly are you? Where do you come from?"
I don't want to talk about it!
"Fine, if you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask. But what's going on with your cultivation level? You're clearly only at the Jade Purity Realm First Level, yet why do you possess such boundless Magic Power? This is completely illogical."
Ling Yi was startled; this was the first person to see through his cultivation level.
Even Tian Buyi, Daoxuan, Cangsong, You Ji, and others could not see through his cultivation level.
This Zhou Yixian... Ling Yi stared at it for a long time. Jade Purity Realm, Level 3. Was this cultivation level real or fake?
"You have no doubt, I am only at the third level of the Jade Purity Realm. My aptitude is extremely poor. If it weren't for my passable divination skills and the discovery of a method to prolong my life, I would probably have died a hundred years ago."
"My situation is a bit special; you can understand it as me using a treasure that amplifies my Dantian Qi Sea."
"Such a treasure does not exist in this world at all. The many things you have concealed suggest that your identity is also extremely special. If you are unwilling to speak, I will not ask."
After a pause, Zhou Yixian, "Leaving aside the matter of the patriarch, do you know the origin of the Heavenly Book?"
"It's just some speculation!" Ling Yi shook his head.
"The earliest appearance of the Heavenly Book was a thousand years ago. According to my the Final Master, the Immortal Cultivation Realm was extremely chaotic at that time, the general level of cultivation was not high, and there were no orthodox cultivation methods."
"Of course, there's no distinction between good and evil, and the Immortal Realm are a mess, but generally they're divided into the Qi Drawing Realm, Object Manipulation Realm, Body Separation Realm, and Tribulation Transcendence Realm."
"But at that time, the highest cultivation level was only at the Object Manipulation Realm. It was said that the Body Separation Realm could separate the soul from the body, and if the soul did not perish, one would be immortal. As for the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, it was simply Legend."
"At least cultivators have never experienced any tribulations, nor do they know what these so-called tribulations actually refer to. My the Final Master suspects that the Tribulation Transcendence Realm is most likely a random conjecture by our predecessors and has no real meaning."
"According to my the Final Master, on the day the Heavenly Book appeared, the world underwent a tremendous change. Day turned into night, and blood-red cracks Daodao in the sky. The rumbling sounds lasted for a full Half Moon, as if someone was fighting a great battle in the heavens."
Half Moon later, the world was filled with sorrow, and all cultivators were affected by it, inexplicably shedding tears of grief. Acquired returned to clarity, and the inky black Heavenly Book descended from the sky.
"At the time, everyone believed that this Heavenly Book was an ominous object, and some cultivators even wanted to Destroy Heavenly Book. After being attacked, the Heavenly Book split into five pieces, which turned into five ribbons of silk and disappeared from then on."
"Until eight hundred years ago, the patriarch Qingyunzi discovered the Heavenly Book on Qingyun Mountain, comprehended the Tai Chi Mysterious Purity Dao, and thus founded the Qingyun Sect. It is precisely because of this Heavenly Book that the Qingyun Sect has been able to grow and prosper, becoming a leader of the righteous path to this day."
"However, the scene of the Heavenly Book appearing in the world was something that Patriarch Qingyunzi heard from elsewhere and orally passed on to his disciples and grand-disciples. The specifics are now impossible to verify."
"Afterwards, several other volumes of the Heavenly Book were discovered, and the Immortal Cultivation Realm began to be divided into the righteous and the demonic paths..."
Ling Yi became even more certain of his previous guesses about the Jade Dynasty World.
The cultivation period that Qingyunzi was in should be a transitional period, and at the very end of that transitional period.
But Ling Yi now harbored a new doubt about the Heavenly Book. Was it an opportunity left for the cultivators of this Heavenly Book, or a... shackle?
According to Zhou Yixian, the appearance of the righteous and demonic paths was too abrupt, as if the emergence of the Heavenly Book had suddenly created a distinction between the two.
The existence of opposing camps of good and evil signifies constant conflict; isn't this deliberately inciting infighting among cultivators?
Of course, it can also be interpreted from another perspective as competition driving progress...
"Don't wander off like that anymore. Come back to the Qingyun Sect with me."
"Impossible. Why would I go back to the Qingyun Sect? Daoxuan is too rule-abiding. I'm carefree outside. Why would I go back to the Qingyun Sect and suffer for those rules?"
"You don't have to go back. Xiaohuan will come back to Qingyun with me."
"If Grandpa isn't going, I won't go either," Xiaohuan said firmly.
Zhou Yixian laughed and said, " Xiaohuan, you're not suited for a place like Qingyun Sect, full of intrigue and backstabbing."
"My grandson and I are used to a carefree life, and we're quite content with our current existence."
Ling Yi thought for a moment and then didn't insist. Instead, he directly imprinted the inheritance of the Weapon Art into the memories of the two of them.
"This, this, this!" Zhou Yixian stared at Ling Yi in utter shock, stunned by the ingenuity and power of the Weapon Art.
"You've got this enough to start your own school, and you're just passing it on to us like this?"
"Consider this your payment for this time." Ling Yi said, then turned and walked outside.
Ling Yi originally intended to bring Xiaohuan back to the Qingyun Sect. With her talent, and with a little nurturing, she would surely achieve extraordinary things.
But if someone is unwilling, he won't force them.
Perhaps, Zhou Yixian is the most clear-headed person in this world.
Back in the courtyard, You Ji and the other two women were all cultivating, while the Protagonist, Zheng Hai, had apparently gone off somewhere to sign in again.
Ling Yi also began to organize and improve the Weapon Art.
And so, a month passed...
"Are you leaving today?" Biyao looked at Ling Yi, her reluctance undisguised.
"Yes, we'll see each other again soon, and besides, we can Weapon Art communication, right?"
"Hmph, is that what I meant? A blockhead!" Biyao said, then looked at Lu Xueqi.
"Remember, we made a promise. Whoever breaks the promise is a puppy."
"Childish!" Lu Xueqi said expressionlessly.
"Hey!" Biyao shouted angrily.
"I understand." Lu Xueqi waved her hand, feeling extremely annoyed. She had been tricked by Biyao last night and had agreed to Biyao's so-called agreement without thinking. Now that she thought about it, she was really too stupid.
"Does the Ghost King's plan not need my intervention?" You Ji asked Ling Yi.
"No need, I have my own plans," Ling Yi said, shaking his head.
"Take care of yourself!"
"Take care of yourself!"
Ling Yi used Weapon Formula to condense a Flying Sword and jumped onto it. Lu Xueqi also jumped onto it and stood behind Ling Yi.
The next moment, the Flying Sword carried the two of them into the sky.
" Lu Xueqi, you broke your promise!" Biyao shouted at the sky.
"Alright, a girl should be more reserved," You Ji said with a smile.
" Aunt You, where did I lack restraint?"
"You, you've been openly and covertly fighting with Xueqi for the past month, putting Ling Yi in an awkward position between you two. This isn't a wise move. If neither of you gives in first, Ling Yi will only get annoyed."
"Ah?"
Do you think Ling Yi would abandon Xueqi and choose you?
"Hmm... no!"
"You know it's impossible, so you're the one who has to back down first, or you have to withdraw!"
"I'm not quitting!"
"Let's go, we'll go to the Southern Border first." You Ji shook her head; she wasn't too optimistic about Biyao and Ling Yi's relationship.
As someone who's been through it all, she could sense that Ling Yi kept his distance from Biyao, but not from Lu Xueqi.
It wasn't that Ling Yi disliked Biyao, but rather that he clearly had some reservations.
Perhaps it's because of Biyao's identity, but that's unlikely. Ling Yi usually doesn't seem to care much about these things, or maybe he simply doesn't want to hurt Lu Xueqi's feelings?
Love is the most unpredictable thing; I just hope it doesn't turn into a tragic relationship.
What are we going to do in Southern Border?
" Ling Yi seems quite interested in the Heavenly Book. Since we have nothing else to do, why don't we go and retrieve a few volumes of the Heavenly Book? Perhaps they can be of help to Ling Yi."
" Aunt You, how did you know the Heavenly Book was in the Southern Border?"
"That's what Zheng Hai said. He seems to have quite a background and knows a lot of things, but Ling Yi has been telling him not to say more."
"However, that kid is extremely naive; with just a few simple tricks, he confessed quite a few things."
"Hmph, that lecherous scoundrel, why would he need any tricks? With Aunt You You's charm, just ask him anything, and he'll tell you everything."
Aunt You couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, let's set off now. This trip is probably going to take quite a while."
Half an hour later, Zheng Hai completed his sign-in task for the day and returned to the courtyard.
Seeing the empty courtyard, I was immediately dumbfounded.
"Damn it, why do I feel like I've been abandoned again?"