The morning mist at Jade Pool always carries the sweet scent of the sacred spring and the cool fragrance of lotus petals, wisps of it entwining the pavilions and towers.
These past three months have passed as slowly as the perpetual mist over Lotus Lake, flowing gently and softly, softening all sharp farewells.
Li Qingshan relinquished the prestigious title of " Eastern Exalt " and the distant ambition of " Heavenly Emperor," choosing instead to cultivate in seclusion at Jade Pool.
Having previously practiced diligently and bravely, taking a three-month break is also a form of spiritual practice.
Every morning at the first light of dawn, he would sit opposite Lin Qingyao in the Lotus Heart Pavilion.
The pavilion is suspended over the lake, surrounded by a white mist like gauze.
Lin Qingyao skillfully prepared tea, using the morning dew gathered from the very center of a lotus leaf, gently warming it with Dao Fire to brew "Qingxin Wuya," a specialty of Jade Pool.
The tea leaves unfurled in the jade cup, creating a faint ripple of essence.
The two often remained silent, simply watching how the sunlight patiently dispelled the cold mist on the lake's surface, and how the dormant lotus buds slowly awoke in the light, unfolding their first petals.
Or stroll side by side among the sacred peaks.
The Jade Pool Blessed Land is filled with spiritual plants, many of which are ancient species that have long been extinct in the outside world.
Lin Qingyao was intimately familiar with the nature of each mountain valley, knowing which spiritual herbs preferred shade and which immortal plants faced the sun.
She gave him instructions in a soft voice, and Li Qingshan listened attentively, occasionally asking a question or two about the medicinal properties and the key to the convergence of the primordial energy of heaven and earth.
It is simple, yet it carries a profound meaning.
One morning, the fog was exceptionally thick, almost so thick that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Only the area around the Lotus Heart Pavilion was cleared by the Daoist aura naturally emanating from Li Qingshan.
He took out the divine material obtained from the Feathered Ancestral Temple. The Feathered Green Gold flowed with a dreamlike azure halo, while the Eternal Blue Gold fragments were as deep as a piece of the night sky.
"These materials are just sitting there anyway," he said to Lin Qingyao, who was warming a teacup. The laws of magic flowed through his fingertips, and the fist-sized piece of Feathered Green Gold floated in his palm, emitting a clear, melodious sound. "I'll forge you a protective item."
Lin Qingyao paused almost imperceptibly in the motion of holding the teapot.
How could she not know the preciousness of these materials? Feathered Green Gold and Eternal Blue Gold are the ultimate divine materials that Ancient Great Emperor would seek when forging Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon. They are extremely rare in the world, and every bit used reduces the available supply.
But he spoke of it so casually, as if he were just giving away an ordinary gift.
She looked up, gazing into his calm eyes, hesitant to speak.
In the end, all excuses vanished without a trace.
She understood him; once he made a decision, it was the result of careful consideration, and no further explanation was needed.
Li Qingshan said no more and sat down cross-legged in the pavilion.
His body exuded a natural Daoist aura, without any earth-shattering power, yet it subtly harmonized with the entire Jade Pool world.
A blurry yet infinitely mysterious Yin-Yang symbol slowly appeared behind him, with black and white energies rotating, evolving into the image of the beginning of chaos and the separation of purity and turbidity.
He used his fingers as a knife, not to carve on a physical object, but to outline Dao patterns in the Void.
Where the fingertips glide, they leave a pale golden mark that lingers for a long time—a manifestation of the laws of the Great Dao.
The Feathered Green Gold was lifted up by an invisible force and suspended in the air, then enveloped by wisps of law flames containing the power to burn the heavens.
"Bite!!"
The divine metal emitted a clear and long vibrato, like the joyful song of a spirit awakened from its slumber of eternity, stretching its limbs.
Under the tempering of the Dao Fire, the divine metal's azure radiance became even purer and brighter, as if it had condensed the vitality of an entire spring.
This tempering process lasted for seven days and seven nights.
Li Qingshan kept his eyes closed and focused his mind, as if in Entering Stillness.
The Yin-Yang diagram rotated steadily behind him, sometimes manifesting the birth and death of the stars in the heavens, and sometimes returning to the primordial chaos.
Lin Qingyao did not leave either.
She sat cross-legged not far from the pavilion, silently waiting. She looked at his serene profile and at the Daoist aura flowing around him, so different from yet perfectly harmonious with this world.
The lake breeze ruffled her hair; her neck was bare, as if waiting for something to fill it.
The eighth day, at dawn.
As the eastern sky began to lighten with the first pale light of dawn, the first pure purple rays of the rising sun pierced through the clouds above the Jade Pool and fell precisely upon the Lotus Heart Pavilion.
At that very moment, the jade pendant took shape.
The main body is a crescent-shaped, Feathered Green Gold skeleton with smooth and elegant lines and a clear, flowing radiance, as if capturing the brightest crescent moon.
At its core, a point of Eternal Blue Gold is perfectly embedded, transforming into a deep blue star that intertwines and reflects the moon's clear light.
Even more miraculously, at the point where the two meet, a tiny yet real world is formed, filled with chaotic energy and faint Dao patterns.
The jade pendant, suspended in the air, emitted a gentle yet resilient vibration without needing to be activated.
Outside the Lotus Lake, on the tranquil surface of the lotus lake, ripples spread outwards, reaching the entire lake and making all the lotus flowers seem to sway and nod in unison.
Li Qingshan opened his eyes, a faint trace of weariness flashing across them, which was quickly replaced by relief.
He reached out, and the jade pendant fell into his palm automatically. It was warm and smooth, and seemed to pulsate slightly as if it were alive, sharing the same origin as his breath and being connected by blood.
"This item is named 'Moonlight United Hearts.'" His voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable power. "It can calm the mind and stabilize the soul, aiding in your enlightenment. Wearing it daily will greatly benefit your cultivation. In times of crisis, it can also be activated on its own to withstand King's full-force attack."
He handed over the jade pendant, saying, "In the future, you can continuously nurture and refine it with your own Dao, accompanying your growth. One day, it can Saint Weapon, or even something higher."
Lin Qingyao stood up and walked to him.
She looked at him deeply, as if trying to etch the light in his eyes and the warmth of his fingertips into her heart.
Then, she reached out her hands, her fingertips trembling slightly, and carefully accepted it.
The moment the jade pendant touched his hand, a warm and smooth sensation instantly spread throughout his body. The calm and vast warmth, which shared the same origin as him, seemed to soothe the very depths of his soul.
She lowered her head, took out a red silk cord that she had prepared beforehand, made of silk mixed with ice silkworm silk, carefully threaded it through the tiny holes naturally formed on the jade pendant, then turned around, lifted the black hair behind her neck, and put the jade pendant on her neck.
The crescent moon pendant pressed against my skin, radiating a constant warmth, its ethereal blue starlight resting precisely between my collarbones, rising and falling gently with my breath.
"Thank you." Her voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the morning, or as if a thousand words were stuck in her throat, but in the end, they only condensed into these two words.
Li Qingshan shook his head, reached out and gently tucked a strand of her hair, ruffled by the lake breeze, behind her ear. "There's no need for thanks."
From then on, the Moonlight United Hearts, never left her side again.
Everyday life isn't all about whispering sweet nothings.
More often than not, the two of them would meditate quietly, separated by the half-rolled bamboo curtain of the Lotus Heart Pavilion.
Behind the bamboo curtain, Lin Qingyao was playing a guqin, a heirloom passed down through the Jade Pool.
The body of the instrument is made of warm, Ruyu wood, and the strings are made of a mixture of Celestial Silkworm Silk and mithril.
Her piano music was clear and cool, like a stream formed by melting snow from the mountains, melodious and pure, untouched by worldly dust.
As the musical notes flowed, they occasionally stirred the essence of the Jade Pool's earth veins, causing the lotus flowers outside the pavilion to sway and shimmer with hazy light.
On the other side of the bamboo curtain, Li Qingshan was immersed in deducing his own path.
The Yin-Yang and yang energies around him rotated naturally, sometimes transforming into chaos that devoured light and sound, and at other times evolving into illusory images of stars in the heavens, swirling and floating, flickering uncertainly.
Between the alternation of chaos and stars, it seems as if the profound truth of the birth and death of the universe is being reenacted.
His aura was sometimes ethereal and lofty, as if he resided in the heavens; at other times, it was profound and majestic, as if it bore the weight of the earth.
The two people's energy intertwined inside and outside the bamboo curtain, without interfering with each other, yet subtly echoing each other.
The cool, clear sound of the zither sometimes quietly blends into the celestial trajectory he evolves, while his scattered chaotic aura occasionally adds an indescribable weight and depth to Lin Qingyao's zither music.
This is a tacit understanding between "Daoist partners," silently affirming and elevating each other.
Two hundred uneventful days and nights gradually polished away the sharp reluctance before parting, embedding it deep into every ordinary moment of daily life, and settling into a more mellow and resilient tenderness.
It is hidden in the lingering sweetness of every cup of tea shared, imprinted in every sunset watched side by side, and blended into every tranquil moment where the sound of the zither and the rhythm of Daoism intertwine.
However, the departure date eventually arrived.
The day before Li Qingshan left, he invited several of his students who were still cultivating in Jade Pool and whose hearts were always with their loved ones on Earth.
Ye Fan, Pang Bo, and others had already ventured out into the world, leaving only Lin Jia and a handful of others in the hall.
The side hall was softly lit. Li Qingshan looked at the faces of these young people, still bearing the marks of their youthful innocence but already weathered by the trials of the cultivation world, and said bluntly, "I am about to embark on a long journey to return to Earth. However, traversing the boundless starry sky is an uncertain journey, and with my current cultivation level, I am not entirely confident that I can protect them as they travel with me." His tone was calm and sincere, gently dispelling the students' unrealistic expectations.
A hint of sadness flashed across their eyes, but they listened quietly without losing their composure.
Seeing this, Li Qingshan softened his tone and continued, "However, if I am fortunate enough to return safely, I will definitely visit your families one by one, send them news, and do my best to take care of them. So that they know that you are all well here and are embarking on the path to immortality, so they can rest assured and not worry."
He paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, "You can also pass this on to your other classmates who are out in the world."
Upon hearing this, Lin Jia and the others' expressions brightened immediately, as if they had suddenly seen a lamp on the Other Shore after a long period of wandering.
They all bowed deeply, their voices filled with barely concealed excitement and gratitude. "Thank you, teacher!"
On this day, the sky above Jade Pool remained as peaceful and serene as ever, with celestial birds fluttering and ethereal mists drifting by.
Li Qingshan arrived alone at Gu Tianshu's secluded courtyard early in the morning.
An ancient pine tree in the courtyard has stood for thousands of years, its branches and leaves forming a canopy that casts a large, cool shade.
Gu Tianshu was already sitting on the stone bench, and two cups of tea were prepared on the stone table, with steam rising from them.
Upon seeing him arrive, Gu Tianshu merely raised his hand in greeting, his face remaining impassive.
Li Qingshan sat down and picked up his teacup.
The water temperature was just right, and the tea was a bitter tea grown by Gu Tianshu himself. It was extremely astringent on the palate, but had a lingering sweetness in the aftertaste, much like the path of spiritual practice and life itself.
"Are you leaving?" Gu Tianshu asked, his voice calm, as if he were asking about the weather today.
"Hmm." Li Qingshan nodded, drank the tea in his cup, and felt the bitter taste fill his mouth before turning into a warm sensation.
Gu Tianshu tilted his head back and drank his cup in one gulp, then gently placed the teacup on the stone table.
"I will take care of things here in Jade Pool." His voice was low and deep, without any passionate promises, yet it was more reassuring than any vow.
No further explanation was given. Everything was left unsaid.
Between them, they are protectors of the path, friends despite their age difference, and mentors and friends.
Li Qingshan stood up and bowed solemnly to Gu Tianshu.
Gu Tianshu accepted the bow and waved his hand, "Go."
After leaving the ancient courtyard, Li Qingshan headed towards the main hall of Jade Pool.
The Queen Mother of the West and three Tai Shang Elders, their faces shrouded in a soft glow, were already waiting.
The main hall is made of white jade, with a high and wide dome inlaid with reliefs of the sun, moon and stars, which shimmer with a warm luster under the morning light.
Li Qingshan stepped into the hall, his steps steady. In the empty hall, only the clear sound of his footsteps echoed, one after another, striking the hearts of everyone present.
The Queen Mother of the West sat in the main seat, dressed in simple palace attire and wearing a simple jade crown. She had no extravagant ornaments, yet she exuded an aura of majesty and grace befitting a supreme ruler of a great religion.
She has lived for thousands of years, witnessing countless rises and falls. Her face, due to her profound cultivation, still resembles that of a woman in her thirties, possessing unparalleled beauty. Only her eyes, weighed down by time and wisdom, are calm and deep, seemingly able to see through people's hearts.
The Queen Mother of the West knew about Li Qingshan's decision three months ago.
She had little objection to this. The Big Dipper, though vast and boundless to ordinary cultivators, was indeed somewhat "small" to Li Qingshan, who was already capable of slaying Ancestor King and could contend with Saint King.
A dragon lurking in the abyss must eventually enter the sea. Moreover, the situation in Big Dipper is unpredictable, with the seven Life Forbidden Zone hanging like a sword of Damocles.
Li Qingshan's brilliance is so overwhelming that he has likely caught the attention of some ancient beings.
Venturing into the starry sky at this moment is both a form of exploration and a form of protection, leaving a buffer and time for growth for both Jade Pool and himself.
" Qingshan," the Queen Mother of the West spoke, her clear and melodious voice echoing throughout the hall, "The road ahead is long, the starry sea boundless. Jade Pool will always be one of your supporters. Go forth, simply follow your heart, be courageous and diligent."
The final farewell took place on that small island in Lotus Lake.
Lin Qingyao was already waiting there.
Today she wore a pure white dress, without any other colors, and her black hair, as black as a waterfall, was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin that Li Qingshan had given her years ago.
The morning light shone on her, and the Moonlight United Hearts pendant around her neck shimmered with a clear radiance and a deep blue hue, becoming the only bright spot on her entire body. It seemed to be a reflection of her mood at that moment, a quiet yet radiant inner beauty.
Li Qingshan came across the water, his steps light and slow. When he stepped onto the small island, she was facing away from him, gazing at the lake surface dyed golden red by the morning glow, her posture upright but slightly lonely.
"You're here." She didn't turn around; her voice was calm and even.
"Um."
Lin Qingyao then slowly turned around and walked up to him.
The two gazed at each other for a moment, a thousand words flowing through their eyes.
She reached out and carefully straightened his already perfectly smooth collar, smoothing out any non-existent wrinkles.
My fingertips occasionally touched his chest, and I felt his warm body temperature.
"Be careful on the road." Her voice remained steady, but the usually calm and cold autumn waters in the depths of her eyes rippled with a deeper, almost imperceptible turmoil than usual, revealing the unease in her heart.
"Wait for me to come back." Li Qingshan gently grasped her hand as she straightened his clothes.
Her hands were slightly cool, but they gradually warmed up as they were enveloped in his palm.
He suddenly smiled, a faint smile that instantly softened the sharp lines of his face, like ice melting and spring returning to the earth.
"What are you laughing at?" Lin Qingyao asked, seeing his rare smile, her own lips couldn't help but curl up slightly, but she quickly suppressed it, not wanting her sorrow to overwhelm her.
"I remember the first time I saw you." Li Qingshan's gaze was distant, as if piercing through time.
"It's time to go," she said softly, afraid that if she continued, she would lose the composure she was trying to maintain.
Li Qingshan nodded. He glanced at her one last time, his gaze tracing from her delicate features, down her pert nose, to her slightly pursed lips, and finally settling on the jade pendant that clung to her skin, its surface gently undulating.
He deeply and forcefully etched her face, the reluctance she tried so hard to hide in her eyes, and the gleam of the mark that belonged to him on her neck into his heart and soul.
Then he let go, turned around, and never looked back.
His figure transformed into a single step, easily piercing through the numerous restrictions above Jade Pool that were enough to block even Saint, and soaring straight into the heavens.
The barrier rippled outwards like gentle waves, then quickly closed again, returning to its original state, as if no one had ever passed through it. Only a faint trace of his aura lingered briefly at the edge of the barrier before slowly dissipating in the wind.
Lin Qingyao stood still, watching the streak of light disappear into the distant sky until it was completely swallowed by the heavens.
A lake breeze blew, carrying the fresh scent of lotus leaves and the slight chill of the morning, causing her white dress and long, ink-black hair to flutter in the wind.
She raised her hand and gently grasped the jade pendant around her neck.
The jade pendant was warm, still carrying the lingering warmth of his palm, and the pulse of his fundamental Dao principles, steady and powerful, one beat after another, as if he were still by his side.
"I'll wait for you," she whispered, her voice as low as a sigh, instantly carried away by the wind, disappearing without a trace.
But that promise weighed heavily on his heart, and it seemed to be conveyed through this jade pendant to the heart of someone who was thousands of miles away.
Above the nine heavens, beyond the thick clouds, lies the cold, desolate, and boundless starry sky.
Li Qingshan stopped and looked back.
That enormous, familiar ancient star, the Big Dipper, is slowly rising and falling in the vast sea of stars, its surface shrouded in a hazy glow of life, and the outlines of its five continents are faintly visible.
Beneath that radiant light of life, in seven directions, a mysterious aura faintly emanates, stirring the soul—these are the seven Life Forbidden Zone.
His gaze was sharp as a sword, as if trying to pierce through the haze and look straight into the depths of the forbidden zone.
He turned away, no longer looking back, facing the boundless, star-studded yet dark and profound starry sky before him.
He took another step. Ripples naturally appeared in the Void beneath his feet, and a blurry passage unfolded before him, leading to unknown coordinates deep within the starry sky.
His figure became ethereal, merging into the passage, and his last trace of breath vanished completely beyond the sky of the Big Dipper Star Domain.
Deep within the Jade Pool, atop a solitary peak, Gu Tianshu stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the howling wind. He gazed at the starry sky where Li Qingshan had vanished, his eyes seemingly able to pierce through endless distances.
"They've left?" came the voice of the Jade Pool Saint from behind. She had also arrived at the summit at some point and was standing a little behind.
"I'm leaving," Gu Tianshu replied, still without turning back.
The Jade Pool Saint walked to his side, also gazing at the starry sky. "How far do you think he can go?"
Gu Tianshu remained silent as the mountain wind howled past, ruffling his hair and beard.
After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful. "I don't know how far he can go." He paused, his tone shifting to one of unwavering certainty, "But I know that wherever he goes, legend will be born. The legend of the Big Dipper will not be the end, but merely the beginning."
The Jade Pool Saint nodded slightly and asked no further questions.
She took one last look at the deep starry sky, turned around, and her figure slowly faded away, disappearing from the mountaintop.
Gu Tianshu remained standing, like an ancient stone statue, until Li Qingshan's last faint breath completely disappeared into the depths of the starry sea and was swallowed by the endless Void turbulence. Only then did he let out a barely audible sigh, and his figure vanished.
Lotus Lake Island.
Lin Qingyao sat cross-legged on the bluestone where Li Qingshan often sat, with the Jade Pool Guqin lying across her lap.
She closed her eyes, her fingertips lightly touching the cold strings.
After a long while, the first note emerged, somewhat scattered and hesitant, like autumn rain, each drop falling on withered lotus leaves, conveying a sense of desolation and the chill of parting.
Gradually, the notes connected, like the first melting snow in the mountains, forming a trickle that flows through cracks in the rocks and over withered branches, carrying a cold persistence as it flows forward.
The music began to rise and fall, gaining power.
After an unknown amount of time, the trickle became a stream, and the stream became a river.
The music became grand, no longer a soft lament of personal sorrow, but like a mighty river breaking free from the constraints of the mountains, surging forward.
The water is powerful and unstoppable, cutting through mountains and filling valleys, with a resolute momentum to destroy all obstacles and head straight for the vast sea.
The music lasted for three days and three nights.
Over the course of three days, Lotus Lake was sometimes shrouded in drizzle, sometimes rippling with gentle waves, and sometimes shrouded in mist and clouds, with rays of light shining in all directions, all changing with the music of the zither. Many disciples of Jade Pool were attracted by the continuous and ever-evolving music, some listening from afar, others seemingly gaining some insight.
Three days later, as the sun rose again, the last powerful note abruptly ended, its lingering resonance echoing across the lake and mountains for a long time.
Lin Qingyao slowly opened her eyes.
Her eyes were clear and bright, devoid of the turmoil of three days ago, replaced only by the calm of the deep sea and the steadfastness of a rock.
All the reluctance, longing, and sorrow of parting seemed to be released, settled, and transformed in the music of those three days and three nights.
She put away her guqin and stood up. Her plain white dress fluttered in the wind, and the jade pendant around her neck shimmered in the morning light.