The Void passage opened by the Pangu Banner was smooth and swift, traversing the boundless territory between the Central Continent and the Northern Region in just one day.
As Li Qingshan stepped out of the Void, the twilight of the Big Dipper was bathing the Jade Pool Holy Land. The sunset, like molten gold, flowed over the layered mountains, enveloping the sacred peaks in a misty, ethereal haze.
The magnificent palaces and pavilions are half-hidden and half-revealed, with flying eaves and brackets occasionally peeking out from the clouds, as if a celestial palace has been left behind on earth.
In the distance, white cranes soared across the mountain peaks on the wind, their clear cries echoing far and wide, adding to the otherworldly charm.
Li Qingshan stood in mid-air, his black robes fluttering lightly in the twilight.
As he gazed upon this sacred place where he had lived for so long, a sudden surge of longing for home welled up within him. Ever since he learned the coordinates of Earth's star system from the Feathered Ancestral Temple, this thought had become increasingly vivid.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Li Qingshan composed himself, his figure transforming into a wisp of smoke, drifting towards the depths of Jade Pool.
The barriers along the way sensed his presence and silently opened and closed as if recognizing an old friend, making way for him.
Passing through the Lingfeng Waterfall, a secluded courtyard comes into view. Ancient trees reach for the sky, their spiritual energy flowing, with a faint glow of sunset lingering among the branches and leaves; a spring gushes forth from the crevices of the rocks, its murmuring sound like a zither.
This place is the meditation spot of the Great Saint Gu Tianshu, the protector of the Dao. Ordinary disciples are not allowed to approach, and even elders need to give permission before they can enter.
Li Qingshan had just reached the courtyard gate and hadn't even moved when a calm, aged voice came from inside. "You're back."
The courtyard gate opened by itself without any wind.
Gu Tianshu sat cross-legged on a blue stone beneath an ancient pine tree with gnarled branches, his eyes lightly closed. His aura blended seamlessly with the surrounding world, making him almost imperceptible unless seen. This was the Great Saint Realm, where body and Dao were one, and heaven and man were in harmony.
"Uncle Gu," Li Qingshan greeted him politely and calmly.
Gu Tianshu slowly opened his eyes.
Those eyes were as clear as an ancient pool, still and undisturbed, yet they seemed to reflect the ages and see through all illusions.
His gaze fell on Li Qingshan, like a spring breeze caressing water, leaving no trace yet clear.
After a moment of silence, Gu Tianshu nodded slightly. "The trip to the Feathered Ancestral Temple was quite fruitful. I caught a wisp of extreme Dao aura on my body; though incomplete, its aftertaste remains."
Li Qingshan was not surprised and said frankly, "Uncle Gu has a discerning eye. I have indeed gained something this time, and it has relieved me of a worry."
He then recounted what he had seen at the Feathered Ancestral Temple: the ancient, silent temple; the heavy pressure emanating from the two characters "Become an Immortal" on the wall; the scriptures cast in Feathered Green Gold on the stone platform; and the Eternal Blue Gold spear that had been severed by the Ruthless with a single palm strike.
Upon hearing that the Ruthless Great Emperor had destroyed the Divine Dynasty and shattered the Emperor Weapon, a complex emotion flashed across Gu Tianshu's eyes.
The emotions had been dormant for too long, like an ancient star extinguished deep within the Milky Way, suddenly flashing back a glimmer of light in the Void of memory. It was a sigh, a reminiscence, and even more so, a silent remembrance of that era of brilliant stars and fierce competition among emperors.
He seemed to see that peerless figure in white again, standing alone in the heavens, annihilating an immortal dynasty with a single palm strike—how Feng Cai, and how lonely!
After a long silence, Gu Tianshu sighed softly, his voice drifting away in the deepening twilight, as if from the distant past. " The Ruthless Great Emperor, the most brilliant and decisive person throughout history. With a mortal body, Reverse-Slaying the Great Dao, created the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art, devoured the origins of all kinds of physiques, and carved out a bloody path to the throne. That one palm strike not only destroyed the Feathered Divine Dynasty's ten-thousand-year ambition, but also completely severed the fate of that Emperor Weapon forged from Eternal Blue Gold and imbued with the will of the divine dynasty. Such decisiveness is rare throughout history."
His gaze shifted to Li Qingshan, his deep eyes reflecting the young man's calm face. "That spear, its divine power is gone, its laws shattered, and its Emperor Weapon's might has diminished considerably. Now it's merely a piece of Immortal Gold containing a portion of the Ultimate Dao Laws, its material unparalleled. But Eternal Blue Gold is still one of the nine Immortal Gold, extremely rare in the world. Even in the Mythological Era and the primordial ages, it was a supreme divine material for forging imperial weapons. You must use it wisely."
"I understand." Li Qingshan nodded solemnly.
With a slight thought, the faint phantom of the spearhead, still flowing with a ghostly blue starlight, flashed through his mind, cold and heavy, carrying a sense of unwillingness and loneliness at being forcibly ended.
Immediately, his expression turned serious, and he revealed the key to his journey. "Uncle Gu, this time, deep within the ancestral temple, I found the exact star system coordinates of the Primordial Ancient Star, which is also my home planet Earth. It has been over five years since I arrived in Big Dipper; it's time to go back."
Gu Tianshu. In his eyes, which seemed to pierce through time and space, there was no surprise, only a hint of knowing he had expected it, and a deeper, barely perceptible sense of melancholy.
He remained silent, the twilight casting a dark gold hue on his stone-carved profile, while the ancient pines behind him rustled softly in the evening breeze, like a sigh of the passing years.
After a moment, Gu Tianshu suddenly spoke, his voice steady yet hitting the nail on the head. "You emerged from seclusion this time with your energy perfectly balanced and your Daoist aura as deep and unfathomable as a abyss, already reaching the pinnacle of the King. That barrier of the Saint Realm Domain is as thin as a cicada's wing to you; I fear the Saint Tribulation, isn't it?"
Li Qingshan was slightly taken aback, but then became calm.
Before a Great Saint has lived for countless ages and witnessed the Feng Cai of the Great Emperor Wushi, concealing one's cultivation level is meaningless and unnecessary. Indeed. The threshold to sainthood is already beneath one's feet; all that awaits is a suitable opportunity. With a single thought, one can trigger a heavenly tribulation and step into the realm of Saint.
A hint of amazement finally welled up in Gu Tianshu's eyes.
Though the ripples were shallow, they were like pebbles thrown into a deep well, spreading out in concentric circles of "miracle".
He slowly stood up, walked to the spring with his hands behind his back, and looked down at the last glimmer of light reflected in the water, gradually being swallowed by the night, as well as a few exceptionally bright stars that had just appeared in the light.
"Five years have passed," he said slowly, his voice carrying a sense of profound experience. "From the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, breaking through all obstacles, ascending to the Immortal Platform, reaching the pinnacle of King, and touching the barrier of the Saint Realm. Such a speed of cultivation, let alone in this era, even throughout the Desolate Antiquity times, going back to the Mythological Era, how many could compare? Even those Ancient Emperor Great Emperor ultimately attained enlightenment and suppressed an era might not have achieved such astonishing progress in their youth."
He turned around, his gaze falling on Li Qingshan with a complex mix of emotions—examination, relief, expectation, and a rare, solemn look towards the "unknown." "I was sealed within the Divine Source during the era of the Great Emperor Wushi, slumbering for countless ages until this world. I have heard of the Great Emperor's invincible Feng Cai in his youth, and I have sought out the legends of mythical celestial beings and Ancient Emperor. You possess the same Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo as the Great Emperor; my expectations for you were already higher than the heavens. Yet, time and again, you have exceeded even my grandest imagination."
Gu Tianshu paused, as if carefully choosing his words, before finally letting out a heavy sigh, "In five years, you've traversed a path that others might not be able to reach even in five hundred or even a thousand years. This is beyond what talent alone can describe; luck, temperament, and opportunity are all indispensable. Sometimes, observing you, I truly feel that the ways of Heavenly Dao are unpredictable, and the differences between people can be as vast as heaven and earth."
Li Qingshan remained silent. He knew that the opportunities and Fortune he had encountered along the way were indeed beyond the reach of ordinary people. In addition, there was the blessing of the Stone Gate and the opportunities from all the heavens. The recognition of the Beginningless Bell, the profound methods of the Wushi Scripture, the Sun True Scripture, the Western Emperor Scripture, and even the Scripture of Feathered Scripture, the legacy of his ancestors, and the gifts of the Feathered Ancestral Temple. All of these intertwined to form the path he walked that seemed to defy the heavens, but was in fact paved with Cause and Effect at every step.
He could neither be humble nor arrogant; he simply bore the weight of it calmly.
"I understand you want to return to Earth." Gu Tianshu's tone shifted, becoming calm and pragmatic. "This trip might actually be a good thing for you, allowing you to temporarily escape the increasingly turbulent vortex of Big Dipper."
He raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly piercing through the misty immortal air above the Jade Pool, reaching the vast depths of the Big Dipper Ancient Star, and towards those ancient beings lurking in the Life Forbidden Zone, coldly overlooking all living beings. "You possess Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo. Such a physique undergoing Saint Tribulation will trigger extraordinary phenomena in heaven and earth, and the Great Dao's feedback will surely shake mountains and rivers, illuminating the star field. Its momentum will likely be more than a hundred times stronger than that of an ordinary Saint undergoing tribulation. At that time, the Heavenly Dao will resonate, all Daos will resound, and the phenomena will astound the world. It will be difficult not to attract the attention of certain beings."
Gu Tianshu's voice lowered, carrying a heavy, impending storm. "I'm worried that a supreme being from the forbidden zone might not be able to resist setting their sights on you. Even a single glance, a hint of interest, could be utterly annihilating for you."
Li Qingshan's expression was solemn.
He was well aware of these advantages and disadvantages.
That's why he suppressed his cultivation at the peak of the King for nearly half a year, delaying taking that final step.
The Saint Tribulation is no child's play, especially his Saint Tribulation. Surviving the tribulation in the Big Dipper Tribulation, which is crowded with forbidden zones, involves too many variables and is too dangerous.
"Although the Starry Sky Ancient Road is fraught with danger, and you may even encounter extraterrestrial beings," Gu Tianshu continued, his tone shifting to one of decisiveness, "At least there are no Life Forbidden Zone, no lurking supreme beings. On your way to the Primordial Ancient Star, find a desolate star field, set up an array, and then trigger Saint Tribulation. Protect your path with the Beginningless Bell; this is the safest approach."
Li Qingshan wholeheartedly agreed, nodding and saying, "Uncle Gu's words are exactly what I've been thinking. Passing the Saint Tribulation should be no problem. Once I break through to the Saint Realm, with my foundation, my combat strength should be able to rival the late-stage Saint King. At that time, I'll be able to protect myself even traversing the starry sky. However..."
He looked at Gu Tianshu, his gaze sincere yet tinged with worry. "If I leave, Jade Pool will lose a powerful deterrent. While the Blood Moon Clan incident may have a temporary deterrent, the hidden enemies may not be so resolute. When I underwent my King Tribulation, those two hidden, unseen Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon —the owners behind them must have grand ambitions. Among the Primordial Royal Clan, there are quite a few who are at odds with me, and the descendants of the various royal families, with their bloodlines awakened, are unpredictable and may not be content to remain dormant for long. I worry that after I leave..."
Gu Tianshu fell silent again.
He walked back to the bluestone, but instead of sitting down, he looked up at the sky.
As the last rays of the setting sun completely disappeared behind the distant mountains, night fell silently like a giant velvet curtain, and the stars lit up one by one, cold yet dazzling.
His figure appeared even more upright and lonely under the starry sky, like a javelin that had supported countless ages.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his voice no longer aged, but instead carrying a resounding, metallic clang, like the echoing of an ancient bell reverberating in the tranquil courtyard. "I was born in an era Great Emperor Wushi reigned supreme over the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. By the Great Emperor's mercy, I was sealed within the Divine Source, allowing me to survive until now and witness this chaotic yet promising golden age."
The look of reminiscence in his eyes was so intense it was almost tangible, as if he had traversed time and space to see that invincible figure, back to all living beings, walking alone on the Road to Immortality. "In this life, I have Great Emperor's grace and protected the rule of Jade Pool; it is only my duty."
He turned his head, his gaze intense. A slight emanation of the aura of Great Saint, powerful enough to crush mountains and rivers, caused the surrounding Void to tremble gently, the spiritual spring to ripple, and the ancient pine branches to bow low. "Rest assured. Since the founding of the Western Emperor, Jade Pool's lineage has remained unbroken. Its profound foundation cannot be easily disrespected by outsiders. Furthermore, the Western Emperor Pagoda, an imperial Emperor Weapon, suppresses destiny. But if that moment truly arrives, and the tower is brought forth to seek revenge, even clans that have produced Ancient Emperor will have to consider whether they can withstand the wrath of a fully revived Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon."
"As for me," Gu Tianshu's aura subsided, returning to calm, yet appearing even more unfathomable, "Though I am old, my blood and energy are still at their peak. Unless the old monster from the forbidden zone personally takes action, or several imperial weapons arrive simultaneously, the pure land of Jade Pool will be safe."
Li Qingshan naturally knew that Jade Pool had profound and extraordinary resources, but the emergence of those ancient beings in slumber always came at a huge cost, and was the ultimate means.
With Gu Tianshu, Great Saint at the peak of his power, presiding over Jade Pool, it is currently the most stable foundation.
He took a half step back, clasped his hands in a fist salute, bowed deeply to Gu Tianshu, and said sincerely, "In this way, Qingshan will have no worries. Thank you, Uncle Gu!"
"No need for thanks." Gu Tianshu waved his hand, gesturing for him to stand up, but his tone suddenly became more serious than ever before, his gaze like two tangible lightning bolts locking onto Li Qingshan, "But you must promise me one thing."
"Uncle Gu, please speak." Li Qingshan said solemnly.
"Come back alive." Gu Tianshu spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to contain the profound truths of the Great Dao. Each syllable was as heavy as a mountain, imprinted in the Void, causing subtle resonances of the Dao principles. " The Beginningless Bell chose you, which means it recognized your qualification to bear the lineage of the Great Emperor. You also know that this era is darker than you imagine, and the source of turmoil has long been sown. Perhaps, in the near future, we truly need a human Great Emperor like the Great Emperor Wushi, capable of sweeping away all enemies and suppressing all turmoil, to reappear in the world."
He gazed intently at Li Qingshan, as if trying to etch the young man's image into Eternal: "Your path has only just begun. Becoming Saint is not the end, nor even Great Saint or Quasi-Emperor. Reach the highest point you can as quickly as possible. This is not only your path, but perhaps also the hope of this era."
As dusk settled completely, the night sky deepened.