Just then, a delicate lotus fragrance drifted on the breeze, accompanied by barely audible footsteps.
Lin Qingyao appeared by the Immortal Pool.
Today she wore a flowing, moon-white dress, the hem adorned with tiny starlight, making her appear like a fairy from the moon palace descending to earth, pure and otherworldly.
However, her once aloof and ethereal beauty had faded, and a layer of sorrow shrouded her brows, making her appear like a beautiful jade covered in dust, evoking pity.
She walked to Li Qingshan's side, but did not immediately disturb him; she simply stood there quietly.
Their gazes fell on Li Qingshan's calm profile, as if trying to imprint his current appearance, along with the tranquil moment by the Immortal Pool, deep into their hearts.
After a long while, Li Qingshan slowly opened his eyes.
He turned to look at Lin Qingyao and smiled slightly:
"Senior sister is here."
His voice had an indescribable magnetism, as if it could reach straight to the heart, causing Lin Qingyao's heart to skip a beat.
"Um."
Lin Qingyao responded softly, and with her slender, delicate hands, handed over a white jade elixir bottle that she had been holding.
"This is the ' Spirit-Protecting and Soul-Guarding Pill,' personally refined by a Saint using the essence of a hundred rare divine medicines over a period of forty-nine days."
It has a remarkable effect on stabilizing the soul and resisting inner demons during tribulation. You, you should take it.
Her words were filled with concern and worry.
Li Qingshan looked at the elixir bottle she handed him; its jade was warm and smooth, but it was not as striking as the slightly white color on her fingertips from the pressure she was applying.
He did not refuse and reached out to take the elixir bottle.
The moment their fingertips touched, he clearly felt the slight coolness of Lin Qingyao's fingertips and that barely suppressed tremor.
He didn't immediately withdraw his hand, but gently enveloped her slender fingers that were offering him the elixir bottle with his palm, and a gentle warmth followed.
"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Sister and Master."
He spoke gently, his gaze falling on her worried expression.
"This elixir will indeed be of great use to me."
This brief contact and gentle words startled Lin Qingyao slightly; the warmth from her fingertips seemed to instantly spread throughout her body.
It dispelled some of the chill, but it also made the feelings buried deep in my heart surge even more intensely.
She hurriedly withdrew her hand, her cheeks slightly flushed, and whispered:
"If it works, that's good."
Li Qingshan carefully put the elixir bottle away.
Looking at him like this, Lin Qingyao thought of the raging undercurrents that had already been stirred up outside.
Thinking of the immense dangers of undergoing tribulation in the Northern Region Outer Sea, and the inevitable brutal attacks that would follow.
Then he thought about how he would have to settle his Cause and Effect after he survived his tribulation, and how his future was destined to be filled with bloodshed and danger at every turn.
A thousand words stuck in my chest, but in the end, they all boiled down to one sentence:
Is it absolutely necessary to go?
The tribulation will be conducted at Jade Pool, protected by the Western Emperor Pagoda and the Beginningless Bell, with our Master and us protecting you. Wouldn't that be even safer?
Why, why must you go to that deep Northern Region Outer Sea and put yourself in such a dangerous place?
Her voice carried a hint of pleading that she herself was unaware of, an emotion that transcended the care a senior sister might show to her junior brother.
Li Qingshan looked at her.
He naturally knew that undergoing tribulation at Jade Pool would be safer, but...
"The path to Severing the Dao lies in understanding one's true nature and breaking down barriers to establish anew."
His gaze swept across the sky above the secret realm, as if it could pierce through the barriers and gaze directly at the endless outer sea and the ancient road.
"How can one sever their dependence on the protection afforded by the wisdom of predecessors while living in a greenhouse?"
Immerse yourself in the boundless sea of stars and temper yourself amidst the most violent heavenly tribulations.
What do I fear when heavenly tribulations or human calamities befall me!
Only in this way can one break free from the shackles, see one's true self, and forge a path that belongs only to oneself.
He paused, then softened his tone and explained patiently:
"Moreover, some Cause and Effect must be resolved sooner or later."
Rather than letting them lurk in the shadows like venomous snakes, ready to pounce and devour us at any moment, it's better to take this opportunity to lure them out together.
The open sea is vast, a perfect place to settle old scores and prevent the flames of war from spreading and harming innocent people.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyao's delicate body trembled slightly.
She understood that this was his path, his choice, and no one could change it.
She knew even more that his words "draw him out" meant he would willingly step into the carefully laid trap for him!
The prerequisite for luring the snake out of its hole is to use yourself as bait and personally enter the game!
The dangers involved are multiplied!
She lowered her head, gently biting her lower lip with her pearly teeth, and remained silent for a moment.
The only sounds by the Immortal Pool were the rustling of the divine lotuses swaying in the wind and the soft yet clear breathing of the two people.
Suddenly, she raised her eyelids and looked directly at Li Qingshan.
Her gaze held worry, confusion, and a hint of bitterness, almost defiant, which even she herself wasn't entirely clear about. Her tone unconsciously carried a touch of urgency.
"Junior brother, your current cultivation level is such that even the older generation in the Big Dipper cannot rival you."
Yet they are so eager to improve their strength, insisting on stepping into danger at this moment.
Is it because there are still more unknown powerful enemies and storms ahead?
"Does it make you feel like you have to race against time and can't stop for even a moment?"
Lin Qingyao herself was taken aback when she asked the question.
What she actually wanted to inquire about was perhaps not just a formidable future adversary, but also a vague exploration of his inner world and his motivation to move forward.
A concern that is unwilling to be expressed but cannot be suppressed.
She wanted to know what was driving him so resolutely forward, even at the risk of his life.
Even Lin Qingyao herself was stunned when she asked the question.
She never imagined that she would ask such a question in such a discomposure at this moment.
The feelings hidden deep in my heart, catalyzed by my current anxiety, were uncontrollably released.
Two blushes instantly rose on her cheeks, like red plum blossoms blooming in the snow, breathtakingly beautiful.
She hurriedly looked away, not daring to look at Li Qingshan again, feeling a pang of regret.
Li Qingshan clearly hadn't expected her to bring this up suddenly, especially in such a tone.
He was slightly taken aback, seeing his senior sister showing such a rare girlish side.
Her forced composure, coupled with her barely concealed embarrassment and nervousness, made one chuckle.
That's true; Senior Sister doesn't know about the Road to Immortality in the Big Dipper and the Dark Turmoil two hundred years from now.
Currently, only a few high-ranking elders of the Queen Mother of the West know about Jade Pool.
It's normal to have such concerns.
However, Li Qingshan was unwilling to let her bear such a heavy burden, so he spoke in a deep voice, carefully considering what he was about to say.
Lin Qingyao felt uneasy from the brief silence. She felt as if her junior brother's gaze was tangible, burning her cheeks and making her flustered.
The emotions I felt earlier vanished instantly, and I couldn't help but want to escape this suffocating silence once again.
Just as she was about to collapse under the pressure of the silence and was about to turn and leave.
Li Qingshan finally spoke:
"My path is solely for transcendence, not for anyone else."
He leaned forward slightly, closing the distance.
As for why the Dao was Severing the Dao at this time,
He paused slightly, then laughed loudly:
"It's simply because the time was right, and things fell into place naturally."
"Senior sister, there's no need to worry too much. I know what I'm doing."
"This Big Dipper, I traverse the universe, but the one who can leave my mark has not yet been born."
Lin Qingyao stood there, gazing at his profile. His sharply defined features seemed somewhat unreal amidst the misty, ethereal aura.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm her turbulent emotions.
After chatting for a while longer, Lin Qingyao took her leave.
He glanced at Li Qingshan one last time.
Then, she quietly turned around, her moon-white skirt brushing against the dew-kissed fairy grass on the ground.
Just as they had come, they silently left the Immortal Pool Secret Realm.
After she left, Li Qingshan slowly opened his eyes, gazing in the direction she had disappeared, his gaze deep and unwavering for a long time.
He opened his palm, and the white jade bottle containing the " Spirit-Protecting and Soul-Guarding Pill " lay quietly in his hand.
It exuded a warm luster and carried a faint, lingering lotus fragrance from her fingertips.
He gently stroked the smooth bottle, feeling the coolness of the jade on his fingertips. After a moment of silence, he finally grasped it tightly.
" The Human World, Hell, and all the lurking demons and monsters—it all depends on whether you have the courage to stand in my way."
He muttered to himself, his voice as cold as ice that had stood for millennia, and his eyes suddenly flashed with an incomparably sharp light, like a celestial sword that had been dormant for eternity suddenly being drawn from its sheath, as if it wanted to tear the sky apart and sever the Milky Way!
"After the Severing the Dao, the reckoning begins."
An invisible yet immense and terrifying battle intent, capable of eclipsing the sun, moon, and stars, rose from his body.
It caused the chaotic energy around him to surge violently, roaring and churning! The waters of the Immortal Pool rippled endlessly.
Ripples spread out, and the entire Immortal Pool seemed to tremble and resonate with them!