The shop is small, with only three or four old but clean wooden tables.
A small oil lamp sat on the corner of the counter, trying to dispel the darkness and casting a flickering halo of light.
A faint aroma of food filled the air, along with a subtle, almost imperceptible, chilling aura.
This aura was extremely faint. If Li Qingshan's divine sense hadn't been made exceptionally sharp after undergoing the tribulation of lightning, and if it weren't for the fact that he cultivated the Solar Sacred Force, which subtly repelled it, he probably wouldn't have been able to detect it.
Behind the counter, an elderly woman with gray hair and a kind face was mending an old garment by the light.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up, a gentle smile on his face, "Guest, it's so late, would you like something to eat?"
Beside the old man, a little girl of about four or five years old was lying on a small stool, her little hand supporting her chin, her big, dark eyes blinking as she curiously looked at Li Qingshan as he entered.
She wore a patched but very clean floral jacket, had two pigtails, and her face was rosy and lovely.
Although she is still young, it is already clear that she is a beauty in the making.
What's rare is that her eyes are clear, carrying a maturity and quietness beyond her years.
This is Old Jiang and Xiao Tingting.
Li Qingshan was certain that the profound and vast Taiyin Divine Treasures Source hidden within the little girl's body, as deep and boundless as a frozen sea, was clearly visible to him with his cultivation level and special perception.
"Excuse me, sir."
Having traveled this far, I'm a little hungry. Is there anything else to eat?
Li Qingshan smiled slightly, his tone calm, and sat down at a table near the door.
Yes, there are!
Old Jiang quickly put down his needlework and replied warmly, "I also have some braised meat and homemade flatbread. Would you mind if I heated up a bowl of meat soup for you?"
"Okay, thank you for your help."
Li Qingshan nodded.
"No trouble at all, no trouble at all."
Old Jiang smiled and turned to busy himself in the kitchen.
Little Tingting obediently slid off the stool, and with her short legs, laboriously picked up a water bottle that was almost as tall as her, wanting to pour water for Li Qingshan.
Seeing this, Li Qingshan's heart stirred slightly. He reached out and took the kettle, saying gently, "Little sister, I can do it myself. Be careful not to burn yourself."
Little Tingting looked up at Li Qingshan, her voice soft yet articulate. "Thank you, big brother. Grandpa said we should treat our guests well."
Her eyes were pure; it seemed she hadn't seen such a gentle stranger in a long time.
Li Qingshan poured himself a bowl of water, his gaze sweeping over the shop's simple yet tidy layout, and he sighed inwardly.
The Emperor Hengyu was a man of extraordinary talent and brilliance, who suppressed an era. Yet his descendants have been reduced to this state, struggling to make a living by running a dilapidated little shop.
Even Xiao Tingting, who possesses an extraordinary physique, is on the verge of death because of it. Without someone's help, she may not live to adulthood.
The Cause and Effect of fate in this world, the ups and downs of destiny, are truly heartbreaking.
A short while later, Old Jiang came out carrying a plate of sliced braised meat, several steaming hot flatbreads, and a bowl of fragrant meat soup, and placed them in front of Li Qingshan.
"Please enjoy your meal, sir. It's a rural area, so there's nothing fancy. Please make do with what you have."
"That's already very good, thank you."
Li Qingshan picked up a pancake, added some meat, and ate it slowly. The taste was indeed simple, but it had a unique, homely charm.
As he ate, he chatted casually with Old Jiang.
"Grandpa, this town looks quite remote, there aren't many people coming and going, are there?"
"Yes."
Old Jiang sighed, picked up his needle and thread again, and continued mending by the lamplight. "Our Green Forest Town is nestled against these barren mountains. Apart from the occasional herb gatherer or hunter, we rarely have any travelers passing through. We barely manage to make a living."
"I see that the old man has an extraordinary air about him, unlike an ordinary countryman. Could it be from his ancestors?"
Li Qingshan carefully considered the wording and guided the conversation.
Old Jiang paused slightly in his needlework, a complex and unreadable expression flashing across his face—a mixture of reminiscence and bitterness—which ultimately turned into a deeper sigh, "Alas, it's all in the past."
Our ancestors were indeed wealthy, but their fortunes declined later, and they wandered from place to place until they arrived here.
"I'll be content if all I have left are these old bones, raising my little granddaughter, and living out the rest of my life peacefully."
He was clearly unwilling to talk about his family history, and looked at Tingting, who was sitting quietly to the side, with loving eyes.
Li Qingshan stopped asking questions and instead chatted about the local customs of the town and the rumors about the nearby mountains.
Seeing that he didn't seem like a bad person, Old Jiang gradually opened up, revealing his satisfaction with the current situation and his vague worries about his granddaughter's future.
During this process, Li Qingshan secretly circulated his divine power. His cultivation at the sixth level of the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm was like a calm, deep pool, undisturbed, yet he elevated his spiritual perception to its peak.
Combining his deeper understanding of "Tao" after the battle with the young Hengyu Leiying, his perception reached a new level, as if he could see through the essence of all things.
He separated an extremely subtle wisp of divine thought, like an invisible stream of water, and quietly enveloped Xiao Tingting.
The Lunar Origin hidden deep within the girl's body seemed to fluctuate slightly upon sensing the probing of external divine sense.
In an instant, Li Qingshan seemed to see an endless, dark, icy plain, its extremely yin and cold aura enough to freeze divine senses and annihilate life.
It was a primordial power of extremely high essence, surpassing ordinary Yin power, profound, ancient, and tinged with an ominous stillness.
Deep within the core of this supreme Yin power, he vaguely sensed an imperceptible yet supreme imperial aura, like a slumbering emperor awaiting his awakening.
Could this be the latent manifestation of the Taiyin Human Emperor's lineage within his bloodline and physique?
This is the Taiyin Physique! The true Lunar Sacred Force!
The Solar Sacred Force within his Sun True Body Sun True Scripture, which was as blazing as the sun, formed an extreme opposition to his cultivation, yet they were also attracted to each other in the dark, as if Yin-Yang were originally of the same origin and coexisted.
"As expected, although the Lunar Origin has not yet awakened, its corrosive power is constantly consuming her life essence."
Li Qingshan felt a chill run down his spine, gaining a deeper understanding of the tragedy and potential of the Taiyin Physique.
"This constitution is both a gift from heaven and the most vicious curse."
However, given the right opportunity, she will emerge from her cocoon and transform, her radiance potentially illuminating the entire path of spiritual cultivation.
At the same time, he keenly sensed that Tingting's soul essence was extremely pure and powerful, and naturally compatible with the Great Dao of Taiyin. If he could resolve the problem of her early death and obtain the complete Dao inheritance of the Taiyin Human Emperor, her future achievements would be limitless.
It's not simply about reforging a certain Emperor Weapon, but about inheriting a complete path to the ultimate, concerning the transmission and re-emergence of the Great Dao.
" The Union with the Dao Yin-Yang, the evolution of chaos, the path lies beneath your feet."
Li Qingshan withdrew his divine sense, having already made up his mind.
He couldn't bear to watch this celestial seedling wither prematurely. It was not only a matter of verifying his path to enlightenment, but also a responsibility and a reluctance stemming from knowing the "plot."
Perhaps, this is also an opportunity to observe how the forces of the Taiyin and Taiyang begin to manifest and interact.
After finishing the last bite of bread and the broth, he took out several pieces of gold and silver commonly used in the secular world and placed them on the table, far exceeding the value of the meal.
"This, this is too much!"
Old Jiang quickly declined.
"Grandpa, please accept this."
It's getting late, so I won't bother you any longer.
Li Qingshan stood up, his gaze falling on Xiao Tingting again. He smiled gently at her, "Little sister, you're very sensible."
Little Tingting blinked her big eyes, seemingly a little shy, and hid behind her grandfather, then peeked out to look at him again.
Li Qingshan said no more, nodded to Old Jiang, turned around, lifted the curtain, and stepped out, his figure disappearing into the night of the town.
He didn't go far, but found an inn outside the town to stay in.
Inside the room, Li Qingshan sat cross-legged. The night sky was dotted with stars, and the moonlight was cool and clear.
He needs to process what he saw tonight and plan his next move.
Take Tingting away directly?
inappropriate.
Perhaps we could try to make contact first?
First, ensure the safety of the grandfather and grandson, then find a suitable time to intervene.
In any case, the Taiyin Physique has been found, which is a crucial link in his path of Yin-Yang Union with the Dao.
The next step is to seize this opportunity to help others and yourself, finding that glimmer of hope amidst the complexities of Cause and Effect.
A night breeze blew, carrying the coolness of the distant mountains.
Li Qingshan closed his eyes, Sun True Scripture within his body slowly circulated, echoing the faint Yin energy emanating from a corner of the town, as if they were performing the most ancient and essential Daoist rhyme in the world.
His path, since leaving the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, became clearer and more magnificent for the first time because of a little girl in an ordinary town.