It was three days after Purple Mountain returned.
Deep within the Jade Pool Holy Land Immortal Pool Secret Realm.
Li Qingshan sat opposite Lin Qingyao, the Jade Pool Holy Maiden.
I am in this secluded, ethereal paradise.
The hustle and bustle of the outside world seemed to be isolated by that invisible barrier of law, leaving only a peaceful tranquility that calmed the mind.
Just now, I explained the profound meaning of the " Western Emperor Scripture " to Lin Qingyao, which attracted the convergence of the essence of heaven and earth and the echoing of the Great Dao.
Although the sermon had ended, a rich Daoist atmosphere and spiritual energy still lingered in the hall.
Wisps of rosy light flowed slowly through the air, making Lin Qingyao's exquisite face appear even more radiant and translucent, Ruyu.
She did not immediately begin cultivating, but instead slightly turned her head, her clear, autumn-water-like Xing Mou gazing at Li Qingshan.
A barely perceptible concern flickered in the depths of his eyes, mixed with a complex emotion of admiration.
She looked at Li Qingshan, whose eyes were still closed, as if he was savoring the deeper insights he had gained into the Great Dao during his previous sermon.
It also seemed to be silently circulating profound energy, digesting the insights gained from the fusion of numerous imperial scriptures.
His profile was sharp and defined, and in the hazy glow of the celestial light, he resembled a silent mountain, bearing unimaginable weight and secrets.
Lin Qingyao knew that after returning from the trip to Purple Mountain, the burden this junior brother carried was far heavier than she could have imagined.
The legacy of the Great Emperor Wushi, the secrets of the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo, and the prying eyes of forces from all directions.
Even the enemy in that ethereal yet heavy, Life Forbidden Zone.
All of this weighed heavily on his still young shoulders.
But she never heard him complain even a little. In front of her, he always tried his best to restrain the indifferent and imposing aura that naturally emanated from him, appearing calm and patient.
"Junior brother,"
Lin Qingyao spoke softly, her voice like a celestial spring dripping onto jade.
A clear, melodious sound, carrying a touch of soft warmth, broke the lingering tranquility of the Daoist aura within the hall.
"You've just returned from Purple Mountain. I've had some ' Moonlight Condensed Dew ' prepared to calm the mind and spirit. Would you like some?"
Li Qingshan slowly opened his eyes. The terrifying, chaotic, and ever-changing phenomena in his eyes had quietly disappeared, replaced by a profound tranquility.
He looked at Lin Qingyao, meeting her bright eyes filled with concern.
A hard, cold place in my heart seemed to be quietly touched by these gentle words, and a very subtle warmth rose up.
He shook his head slightly, a barely perceptible, gentle smile curving his lips as he said:
"Thank you for your concern, senior sister. It's nothing."
These trivial matters are nothing compared to the vastness of spiritual practice.
His voice was calm, yet possessed a unique magnetism, which made Lin Qingyao's heart skip a beat when it reached her ears.
She tried her best to maintain the dignified and serene demeanor of a saint, but the slight blush on her ears betrayed a hint of unease in her heart.
She nodded slightly, her slender hands taking a glass cup that had been prepared on a jade table.
The cup contained a small portion of spiritual dew, shimmering with moonlight and emitting a cool, delicate fragrance, which was personally handed to Li Qingshan.
"Please drink some. This dew is collected from the stamens of the Moon Laurel Tree, mixed with the primordial elixir of the Jade Pool Immortal Pool. It has a remarkable effect on nourishing the soul and calming the heart's fire."
Her words carried a gentle yet firm tone.
Li Qingshan's gaze fell on the glass cup she handed him; her slender, Ruyu fingers reflected the glass, making it appear even more translucent.
He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it.
At the moment their fingertips met, he lightly touched her cool fingertips.
In an instant, the two seemed to sense something.
Like a startled deer, Lin Qingyao quickly withdrew her hand, her sleeves fluttering slightly, creating a fragrant breeze.
She forced herself to remain calm and shifted her gaze to the swaying divine lotus in the Immortal Pool, as if the lotus had suddenly developed some mysterious patterns worthy of in-depth study.
Li Qingshan paused almost imperceptibly, then naturally picked up the glass cup and drank the Moonlight Condensed Dew inside in one gulp.
A refreshing, sweet, and invigorating coolness flowed down my throat, quickly washing away the accumulated worries and mental fatigue of the past few days. It was truly an extraordinary product.
He could sense the thoughtfulness and care behind this gesture.
"This is indeed a fine spiritual dew; thank you for your trouble, Senior Sister."
He put down the glass cup and sincerely thanked him.
"If you like it, then that's fine."
Lin Qingyao continued to gaze at the Immortal Pool, her voice so soft that it would have been almost impossible for Li Qingshan to hear her if not for his extraordinary spiritual sense.
She felt her cheeks burning slightly and was secretly annoyed at her earlier loss of composure.
As the Jade Pool Holy Maiden, she remains composed and at ease when facing thousands of disciples and even Mighty Figure foreign guests, her words and actions always perfectly appropriate.
Why is it that she always acts like a little girl in front of this junior brother?
Li Qingshan looked at her profile, which was trying to remain calm but couldn't hide a hint of panic. The blush on her Ruyu earlobes hadn't completely faded, and a slight ripple flashed through his heart.
He wasn't a blockhead; how could he not sense the extraordinary camaraderie this senior sister held for him?
In this life, however, amidst the struggle for supremacy and the clash of blood and fire, he has long been accustomed to walking alone and bearing the burdens of life.
For him, the word "affection" was a foreign and luxurious concept.
But at this moment, by this tranquil Immortal Pool, facing this pure and cautious concern.
Indeed, a small pebble was thrown into his frozen heart lake, creating ripples.
He remained silent for a moment, neither continuing his cultivation nor mentioning the Daoist scriptures again.
Instead, they turned their gaze beyond the Immortal Pool, as if they could penetrate the barrier of the secret realm and see some of the scenes within the Jade Pool.
"How is everything in the Holy Land during the time I was away?"
Elders and disciples, are you getting used to the attention you're receiving these days?
He changed the subject, his voice softening considerably.
Unlike his usual indifferent demeanor when preaching.
It also lacked the coldness he displayed when facing external enemies.
It carried a rare, almost casual tone.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, turned her gaze back, and the heat on her face subsided slightly.
She gathered her thoughts, and her voice returned to its usual clear and pleasant tone.
But it also revealed a hint of dependence that she only showed in front of Li Qingshan.
"The area inside the holy site is generally stable."
With the Queen Mother of the West in charge, everything was in perfect order.
However, there were simply too many visitors, each with their own agenda, and the elders responsible for welcoming them were finding it difficult to cope.
She paused, then continued:
"The disciples were naturally somewhat bewildered and uneasy at first, after all, Jade Pool had always been a peaceful place and rarely had it been pushed to the forefront of the storm like this."
But more than anything, it was a feeling of excitement and pride.
At this point, the corners of her lips involuntarily turned up slightly, revealing a faint smile, like the first melting of snow and the first bloom of spring flowers.
"Especially the younger disciples, they now walk with their backs straighter than before."
Privately, they even spread rumors about you, about His Highness the Holy Son, making it sound like a miracle.
She glanced at Li Qingshan discreetly, and seeing that his expression remained unchanged, she continued,
"They all say that His Highness the Holy Son has inherited the lineage of the Great Emperor Wushi, which is the mandate of heaven, and he will surely lead Jade Pool to unprecedented glory."
Some disciples have even been privately discussing that in the future, Jade Pool might once again witness the unparalleled glory of "two emperors from one family."
As she spoke, her eyes shone with a light that reflected her hopes for the future and her absolute faith in the person before her.
"Two Emperors from One Family"
Li Qingshan repeated the sentence softly, his gaze distant, offering no comment:
"It is a good thing that the disciples' hearts are united in their faith."
But glory and honor must be forged with strength and blood, not empty talk.
The senior sister still needs to guide them, urging them not to be obsessed with empty fame, but to focus on spiritual practice.
"I see."
Lin Qingyao nodded solemnly.
"I have discussed with several elders and deacons that we should take this opportunity to increase the training tasks and resources provided to our disciples."
He also strictly forbade his disciples from being arrogant and domineering outside.
The foundation of Jade Pool's existence lies in tranquility and non-action, upholding one's original heart; this principle must not be swayed by external circumstances.
Li Qingshan nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes.
Lin Qingyao is not only exceptionally talented, but also meticulous and considerate in handling matters of the Holy Land. The Queen Mother of the West's decision to appoint her as a Holy Maiden was indeed a wise choice.
"It's good that you have this intention."
He said,
"The storms outside will be dealt with by me, the Queen Mother of the West, and all the senior Emperor Weapon."
Within the sacred grounds, especially in guiding the minds and character of young disciples, is of paramount importance.
"Without a solid foundation, even the tallest building is nothing more than a castle built on sand."
The two sat by the Immortal Pool, no longer discussing profound Daoist doctrines, but instead chatting softly about trivial matters inside and outside the Jade Pool.
Lin Qingyao did most of the talking, while Li Qingshan listened, occasionally offering a brief opinion or suggestion.
Lin Qingyao discovered that this Holy Son junior brother, who was usually as unapproachable as the bright moon hanging high in the sky, was actually quite different from the others.
While listening to these mundane matters, he was unusually focused, his eyes able to pierce through illusions and reflect the starry sky.
When it falls on her, it makes her feel like she is being completely valued.
This feeling brought a sweet warmth to her heart, and she gradually became more talkative.
From the disciples' amusing anecdotes to the imminent ripening of a thousand-year-old Vermilion Fruit in the Spirit Herb Garden, to an elder nearly burning down his own cave while refining a weapon.
She shared with him in detail everything she had seen and heard, things she found interesting or noteworthy.
Li Qingshan listened quietly, watching the woman's vivid expressions—sometimes a gentle smile, sometimes a slight reproach, sometimes a serious demeanor.
Her image gradually overlapped with that of the dignified, ethereal, and otherworldly Jade Pool Holy Maiden in his memory.
Yet it also possesses a vibrant, down-to-earth charm.
He realized that he seemed to have never truly understood this nominal senior sister, except for her other side, which was also involved in cultivation and affairs of the sacred site.
The feeling was peculiar, as if a warm and peaceful lamp had been quietly lit on his lonely imperial path, which was destined to be filled with battles and conquests.
He didn't reject it; in fact, he somewhat cherished this brief moment of peace and tranquility.
Within the secluded realm, the atmosphere was tranquil and harmonious.
Li Qingshan and Lin Qingyao sat facing each other, no longer discussing profound Daoist arts, but instead chatting quietly about some trivial matters inside and outside Jade Pool.
Lin Qingyao shared with him in detail everything she had seen and heard, things she found interesting or worth noting.
Li Qingshan listened quietly.
In the short few years since I came to Big Dipper.
In the Divine Tomb World, a journey filled with conquest and cultivation.
This is a rare moment of relaxation.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming warmer, and an invisible barrier between the two seemed to be slowly dissolving,...
A subtle ripple spread through the space at the entrance to the secret realm.
A woman dressed in the attire of a core disciple, with a cool and aloof demeanor, appeared; she was none other than Yun Zhi, Lin Qingyao's personal maid.
She respectfully bowed in the direction of Li Qingshan and Lin Qingyao, and reported in a clear voice:
"Your Holiness, Holy Son and Holy Daughter."
Outside the holy land, a messenger from the Azure Flood Dragon King, carrying your token, requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report to you in person.
" The Azure Flood Dragon King's messenger?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyao raised her eyebrows slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
The Azure Flood Dragon King is Mighty Figure among the demon race of the Northern Region, wielding considerable influence. However, he and Jade Pool have always kept to themselves, so why would he suddenly send a messenger, specifically requesting to see Li Qingshan?
She glanced at Li Qingshan instinctively.