Li Qingshan composed himself, his eyes shining brightly.
"It's time to go back." With a thought, his figure faded into the starry sky.
In the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness, Jade Pool Holy Land.
Lin Qingyao was staring blankly at a pool of clear water.
Li Qingshan has been in seclusion for several months. During this time, apart from handling the affairs of the Holy Land and occasionally discussing the Dao with Yan Ruyu, her thoughts always involuntarily drift to that small world shrouded in sacred and immortal energy.
Just a few days ago, she seemed to vaguely sense a vast and distant fluctuation that made her heart tremble, coming from beyond the heavens, which had only just subsided.
"Is he my junior brother?" A thought flickered in her mind.
Just then, ripples appeared in the space beside him, and a familiar figure quietly appeared.
"Junior Brother!" Lin Qingyao's eyes lit up with surprise instantly. She quickly stepped forward, almost instinctively reaching for his sleeve, but stopped as she raised her hand, instead asking with concern, "You, did you just go to undergo your tribulation? Did everything go smoothly?"
She keenly sensed the faint, lingering pressure and new life force emanating from Li Qingshan, a force that was not yet fully subsided and belonged to the Heavenly Tribulation.
Seeing the undisguised worry and joy in the woman's eyes, Li Qingshan felt a warmth in his heart and nodded gently, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Senior Sister. Everything is going smoothly, and I've made some progress."
Lin Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief, then couldn't help but mutter a complaint, "Even if it's a tribulation, you should have told me beforehand. The starry sky is vast, but dangers lurk beneath the surface."
Li Qingshan smiled slightly, offering no explanation, and instead asked, "While I've been in seclusion, has anything significant happened outside?"
When the topic turned to business, Lin Qingyao's expression became serious, but her eyes still sparkled. "Indeed, many things have happened."
Her voice softened, "Ever since you swept through the Nine Hells in one night and Reverse-Slaying the Great Dao, your influence has shaken the Five Regions. Naturally, those ancient and powerful families and holy lands are filled with curiosity about everything about you."
She smiled slightly and said, "Since you've never deliberately concealed your background, with their capabilities, they've already figured out most of your origins in the past six months."
She slowly revealed the "truth" pieced together by the outside world. "They already know that you, Junior Brother, are not a native cultivator of Big Dipper, and that you, along with Sacred Body Ye Fan, and your students Lin Jia, Zhou Yi, and others, all came from a distant star field aboard that mysterious ' Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin.' Sacred Body Ye Fan's claim of a 'teacher-student' relationship stems from that homeland called 'Earth,' not from the traditional master-disciple relationship of Big Dipper."
At this point, Lin Qingyao's eyes revealed a question and a hint of worry.
After all, having one's origins thoroughly exposed is no small matter for any cultivator, as it involves the safety of a distant homeland.
Upon hearing this, Li Qingshan remained calm, even a faint smile playing on his lips.
He was naturally aware of Lin Qingyao's unspoken worries, and spoke slowly, his tone carrying a transcendent insight:
"Senior sister, there's no need to worry."
He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the celestial mist of the Jade Pool, looking towards the boundless starry sky.
"If they possess extraordinary abilities, they can simply traverse the starry sky to reach that ancient star. Ancient Life Star are not unique, and traversing the cosmos has never been an unattainable secret. Throughout history, the lineages of countless Great Emperor, originating from the Big Dipper, ultimately stemmed from beyond the heavens. Our accidental arrival here in coffins is merely another small episode in this endless tale of star migration."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyao was slightly startled, realizing that she had truly let her concern cloud her judgment.
Li Qingshan looked calmly at Lin Qingyao: "What Senior Sister just said is related to me. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
"And then there's the younger generation," Lin Qingyao said, her tone softening slightly.
"In the past six months, the struggles in the Eastern Wasteland have intensified considerably. The Yaoguang Holy Son, the Divine King Body of the Ji Family, Jiang Yifei of the Jiang Family, and others have all successfully broken through to the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm."
" Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, has stirred up quite a storm in the past six months, and his influence is considerable."
She shook her head slightly, seemingly finding it amusing.
"It's strange, perhaps it's just the Sacred Body's own destiny, but wherever he goes, he always manages to stir up some trouble. Although he bears the title of 'student' of you, Junior Brother, and now various forces generally know that you both come from the other side of the starry sky and are not strictly a master-disciple lineage, this relationship still provides some protection. However, his two companions, the Black Emperor and Duan De, have truly resounding 'reputations.' This positive and negative situation makes his predicament quite delicate. He hasn't been wantonly hunted down like ordinary rogue cultivators, but he has indeed offended many successors of holy lands."
Listening to Lin Qingyao's words, Li Qingshan couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It seems that her 'trouble-causing' constitution, which brings trouble wherever she goes, is indeed true. However, if we're talking about the 'mastermind' behind the Ye-Suffering Sect, it's probably those two guys, Black Emperor and Duan De, who played a significant role. Surely it couldn't be that person pushing things from behind? Tsk, that thought is a bit dangerous."
She paused for a moment, then continued:
"Some time ago, it was rumored that he fought a fierce battle with the Golden-Winged Little Peng King in Ze Prefecture, ending in a draw. Even earlier, the Jiang Family offered a reward to the world for clues about the Elixir of Immortal Medicine in order to help their God King Ancestor prolong his life. The rewards were so generous that they shook the Big Dipper, even promising the right to read the Imperial Scripture. Who could have predicted that in the end, it was the Sacred Body who brought out the Nine Marvels Immortal Medicine from the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land and seized this incredible opportunity. After this incident, his fame became unparalleled."
Li Qingshan couldn't help but chuckle to himself, "It seems the bulk of the massive amount of Source Stone Ye Fan needs to break through to the Four Extremes Secret Realm will still come from the Jiang Family. This kid has certainly found himself a tremendous backer. Now, on the surface, he has the peerless God King Jiang Taixu, plus me. Among the younger generation of Big Dipper, I doubt you can find a stronger 'backer'."
Lin Qingyao glanced at Li Qingshan and continued, "I know him because of our shared junior brotherhood. Four months ago, I had the opportunity to explore the Primordial Ancient Mine. On the way, I traveled with him, Black Emperor, and Duan De to ' Fallen Sun Ridge,' the place where Emperor Hengyu once trained his troops. In the end, he was the most fortunate, as he actually found a precious piece of Phoenix Blood Red Gold left behind by Emperor Hengyu. His fortuitous encounter was extraordinary."
Hearing Lin Qingyao's words, he was taken aback. "A cultivator at the Four Extremes Secret Realm dares to venture into the Primordial Ancient Mine? I almost forgot about that in the original story. My senior sister's courage truly lives up to her title of ' Shrouding the Heavens Man.' However, the 'bait' left by Emperor Hengyu was ultimately obtained by that kid Ye Fan. Seriously, who's the real protagonist here?!"
She changed the subject, mentioning recent rumors. "As for the rumors about the Holy Body's good relationship with Ji Family's Little Moon, his alleged acquisition of a portion of the Void Scripture, and his entanglement with the Purple Mansion Saintess, these rumors are rampant. The Ji Family, out of consideration for their junior brother and given their recent internal purge, hasn't reacted as strongly as the outside world expected. However, the latest development is that the Holy Body Ye Fan seems to have accumulated enough power, and it's expected that he will soon plan to re-enter the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, triggering the Heavenly Tribulation of the Four Extremes Secret Realm and breaking the curse that has lasted for ten thousand years."
"This kid wasn't exactly an 'honest guy' back on Earth, and he's certainly become even more of a ladies' man in Big Dipper. But the fact that he managed to get the Ji Family to back down shows that my influence is still effective. Is he preparing to undergo the Four Extremes Heavenly Tribulation? That's quite fast. And who was the genius who chose this Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land land for him? It's truly a stroke of genius," Li Qingshan thought to himself.
Lin Qingyao added an important piece of information, "Furthermore, there has been a sudden turmoil in the Northern Region's Licheng area recently, reportedly related to clues about the ' Nine Secrets,' attracting many holy lands and aristocratic families to send experts there. Many have already suffered losses, and the situation remains unclear."
Li Qingshan lightly tapped his fingertip on the jade table, his eyes flickering slightly. " The Nine Secrets of Licheng, tell me the details."
Lin Qingyao nodded, her expression becoming even more focused, and recounted the information that Jade Pool had gathered:
"This matter originated from an ordinary weapons shop in the Northern Region. About a month ago, they happened to purchase a broken bronze bell. It was covered in rust, but two inscriptions written in Primordial Divine Script could be faintly seen: ' Nine Secrets.' This item immediately attracted the attention of someone with a keen eye."
She paused slightly, gathering her thoughts. "Later, an elder scholar specializing in ancient artifacts stepped in, expending considerable effort to painstakingly peel away and identify over a hundred indistinct ancient characters from the broken bell. From this, they roughly deduced the bell's origin. It was once a burial object of an ancient family that had long since vanished. The inscription subtly mentions that this family seemed to have guarded some kind of inheritance related to the ' Nine Secrets ' for generations."
A knowing glint flashed in Li Qingshan's eyes.
The power of the Nine Secrets has shaken the ages, needing no further explanation.
The peerless God King Jiang Taixu relied on the secret of the word "fight" to dominate the world, becoming the number one attacker in five thousand years. This is enough to make all Daoist traditions fervent for such supreme secret techniques.
"The news spread like wildfire, immediately causing a great stir." Lin Qingyao continued calmly, "Most of the Nine Secrets were lost to the river of time, and any trace of them was enough to drive the world mad. Various forces followed the clues on the broken bell, and eventually all the traces vaguely pointed to an ancient city in the Northern Region called ' Licheng '."
"Based on scattered ancient texts and historical records of the earth's veins, it is confirmed that around 105,000 years ago, a mysterious and powerful ancient family did indeed exist in the Licheng region. This family suddenly declined and perished at a certain era, and its lineage was cut off, leaving behind a great deal of mystery."
Lin Qingyao looked up at Li Qingshan, her eyes clear. "The higher-ups of the various holy lands and major sects have already reached a tacit understanding on this matter. The initial exploration and maneuvering will mainly be undertaken by the outstanding young disciples of each family. They intend to use this turmoil to temper the younger generation, observing their character, opportunities, and methods."
"The Holy Land and the Queen Mother share the same intention. In seven days, I will also lead the core disciples of Jade Pool to Licheng. If the secrets of Licheng are limited to this, then the young people will have to rely on their own abilities. However, if a truly extraordinary object appears and the Nine Secrets' inheritance is clearly established, then we will need a pillar of strength like you, Junior Brother, to step in and make the final decision."
Upon hearing this, Li Qingshan was slightly taken aback at first, then a playful glint flashed in his eyes, and he looked at Lin Qingyao with a slight smile, "To be honest, I'm ashamed to say that Senior Sister personally went to Licheng as a Holy Maiden, while I, the Jade Pool Holy Son, am only in my early twenties. By all accounts, I should be considered a young person of my prime, right?"
He spoke casually, with a hint of playful complaint, "Such a grand event, a gathering of heroes and a contest of geniuses, how come I was left out?"
He paused briefly, his smile deepening, and deliberately drew out his words:
"Could it be... that my title of ' Eastern Exalt ' is too intimidating, and my fellow cultivators in the Eastern Wasteland have quietly 'removed' me from their ranks and stopped including me in their group?"
According to precedent, once Li Qingshan has stabilized his status Immortal Second Realm Mighty Figure, the Queen Mother of the West can pass on the position of Holy Lord, which is a natural progression.
Unexpectedly, his cultivation progress was too astonishing. Before the handover and arrangements could be made, he had already triggered the Great Tribulation of Severing the Dao and succeeded in one fell swoop.
Now, he is approaching the realm of Great Accomplishment King, and his strength and status have already surpassed all others.
It would be out of step with the times to cling to the title and position of the lord of a holy land.
After all, his purpose in joining Jade Pool was to improve his cultivation, not to cause trouble for Jade Pool.
His current position and the resources he enjoys far surpass those of the Holy Lord.
However, since there were no other holy sons in Jade Pool, the empty title of "holy son" remained. On the other hand, the honorary title of " Eastern Exalt " was more widely known both inside and outside the country due to his achievements and strength that shook the Big Dipper.
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingyao couldn't help but glance at him. Seeing the undisguised teasing look on Li Qingshan's face, she couldn't help but chuckle, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
Seeing this, Li Qingshan laughed loudly, filling the quiet room with a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.
She paused, the smile in her eyes lingering, and her tone became lighter. "As for you, Junior Brother, ever since you Severing the Dao the two kings and broke through the Nine Hells in one night, shaking the Big Dipper, your name seems to have become an unspoken 'taboo' among the younger generation—no, perhaps it should be said, in the entire Big Dipper cultivation world, from proud and arrogant geniuses to Mighty Figure Saint Lords who wield authority. In daily discussions and debates, when people assess each other's abilities, everyone tacitly excludes you from the ordinary ranks and no longer includes you in the comparisons."
The implication was that he was implicitly categorized into another category.
Upon hearing this, Li Qingshan couldn't help but smile, realizing that he too would be able to enjoy the same treatment as the ancient forbidden god Dugu Baitian.
Lin Qingyao continued, "Based on some extremely fragmented ancient notes, it is speculated that some kind of precious treasure left behind by that aristocratic family may still be sealed in the land of Licheng. However, the era is too long, the information is vague, and it is difficult to be certain. Now, all eyes are drawn to the Nine Secrets, and this place has become a whirlpool, where danger and opportunity coexist."
She paused, then added, "Given the personalities and treasure-hunting abilities of Ye Fan, the Sacred Body, and his two accomplices (one human and one dog), they'll most likely get caught up in it."
Li Qingshan nodded and said no more.
The truth hidden beneath the fog of Licheng was crystal clear to him.
The so-called earth-shattering opportunity actually points to two places.
Firstly, it is an ancient map that records the exact location of the "Xing" character secret of the Nine Secrets, pointing to the infamous Saint Cliff.
Secondly, it is related to the Great Emperor Wushi, as it is the palace where he once stayed, where a rare and extraordinary chaotic stone is sealed.
When the time is right and the long-buried clues are fully revealed, he will come in person.
As the successor of the lineage of the Great Emperor Wushi, it is reasonable for him to have the first right of inheritance and to retrieve the "relics" related to the emperor.
"In addition," Lin Qingyao added, as if remembering something.
"Since our conversation, Miss Yan has remained secluded, focusing on her cultivation, and has not taken any other actions."
Li Qingshan nodded to indicate that he understood, but did not elaborate on the topic.
"Senior Sister's cultivation has improved considerably in the past six months, and she has already reached the Second Transformation of Dragon Transformation." His gaze fell on Lin Qingyao, and he could feel that her aura had become more refined, clearly indicating that she had not neglected her cultivation due to handling affairs.
Lin Qingyao's cheeks flushed slightly under his gaze, and she lowered her eyes. "I'm just following the rules step by step, not as good as you, Junior Brother."
"Everyone has their own path to cultivation. Senior Sister has a solid foundation, and her future path is limitless," Li Qingshan said earnestly, not as a mere formality.
He could sense that Lin Qingyao's Dao heart was pure and firm, and with the inheritance and resources of Jade Pool, her achievements would certainly not be low.
"Mmm," Lin Qingyao responded softly, her heart filled with joy.
She looked up at Li Qingshan, her eyes gentle. "Junior Brother's cultivation has greatly improved during this tribulation; it is truly gratifying."
Lin Qingyao's eyes were clear and gentle, and her words naturally conveyed a comforting care:
"Using the ancient methods of Jade Pool, I collected morning dew and moonlight, added three kinds of spiritual herbs, and condensed a small pot of ' Tranquil Void Embracing Truth Dew,' which is most suitable for nourishing the foundation of one's cultivation. If you don't mind, junior brother, let's drink a cup together later, as a token of my gratitude for your further progress on the path of cultivation."
Looking at his beautiful and intelligent senior sister, he felt that having such a person to accompany and care for him on this long and lonely path of cultivation was perhaps another precious connection beyond the Great Dao.
"Thank you, Senior Sister," he said gently.
Lin Qingyao's cheeks flushed even deeper, but she bravely met his gaze, smiling brightly. In an instant, she blossomed like a fairy flower, brightening the entire lake and mountain scenery.