"Xiao Xuan, don't panic. It's just a superficial wound. Once I circulate my spiritual energy to heal for a few days, I'll recover fully. The most urgent matter now is to find a place for Qingyi and me to stay."
Seeing his son's anxious expression, a warm feeling surged through Li Ye's heart.
"Right, right, right! Look at how scatterbrained I am. I'll take you home right now, take you home!" Li Xuan slapped his forehead vigorously, his expression one of sudden enlightenment, as if clouds had parted to reveal the moon.
"By the way, who is this..."
Sensitive to the key word, Li Xuan roughly understood that the "Qingyi" he mentioned was that celestial, fairy-like woman.
Before Li Xuan could finish his sentence, Li Ye declared with evident pride and satisfaction, "Xiao Xuan, Qingyi is my wife. That makes her your mother, in a way!"
Boom!
Li Xuan felt as if a thunderbolt had struck the crown of his head, leaving him dazed and disoriented.
How... how was this possible?! That fairy was actually his mother?!
His mouth fell open into an "O" shape, so wide it could have swallowed a duck egg. He stared at Li Ye in utter disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.
Watching his son in such a state, Li Ye couldn't help but straighten his back even more, his entire demeanor radiating pride and confidence. If he had been given a pair of wings at that moment, he would have soared out of the Profound Pole Continent to proclaim to the world that Chu Qingyi was his woman!
He had always taken pride in marrying a woman as unparalleled as Chu Qingyi, and even now, he felt the joy had come too quickly, almost like a dream.
To save time, as the father and son supported Chu Qingyi on their way home, Li Ye patiently recounted his experiences over the past five years, giving Li Xuan a general understanding of his foster father's journey.
The revered expert from the Celestial Master Palace, now Li Ye's master, Chu Xiongzhi, not only held a high-ranking position with significant authority within the palace but also devoted himself wholeheartedly to Li Ye. He imparted all his lifelong knowledge to Li Ye and ensured he was nourished with countless rare spiritual treasures, allowing him to progress at an astonishing rate. In just five years, Li Ye leaped from the Innate Qi Refining Realm to the early stage of the Three Flowers Converging—a full four major realms!
It must be understood that the path of cultivation is incredibly arduous. Advancing even a single minor realm often requires cultivators to exhaust all their resources and ingenuity, sparing no expense to seek out or purchase rare spiritual treasures. As for major realms, progressing one within three to five years is already considered remarkable, while achieving it in two years marks one as a prodigy. Yet, someone like Li Ye, who advanced four major realms in just five years, was nothing short of a monstrous existence!
Rising stars always attract attention, and Li Ye was no exception. In the Celestial Master Palace's triennial competition for new disciples, he emerged as a dark horse, charging into the finals and ultimately claiming the championship. This success won him the favor of the palace's elders, who designated him as a key disciple for focused cultivation.
What stirred even more envy and jealousy was that Chu Qingyi, the aloof and ethereal daughter of the current palace master, Chu Tiannan, fell for Li Ye at first sight during that grand competition. With the matchmaking efforts of Chu Tiannan and Chu Xiongzhi, the two soon became inseparable.
Drawn together by the pull of their hormones, the two inexperienced young lovers clung to each other like glue, never parting.
Chu Qingyi had grown up under the spotlight, not only as the esteemed daughter of the palace master but also blessed with once-in-a-century cultivation talent. During her foundational cultivation stage, she resonated with the Celestial Master Palace's treasured secret artifact, the Primordial Sword. Under the palace master's meticulous guidance, she cultivated the "Great Dao of Heartlessness Art," advancing at a breathtaking pace and earning the title of the top junior in the Celestial Master Palace, revered by all as Fairy Qingyi.
However, Chu Tiannan, who had always cherished his daughter as the apple of his eye, found himself troubled. Since childhood, Chu Qingyi had been detached and reserved, rarely showing emotion in front of others. Even when wronged, she would grit her teeth and swallow her grievances. Often, he wondered if she even possessed the seven emotions and six desires common to humanity, as he, her own father, could scarcely grasp her true thoughts.
To make matters worse, after she began cultivating the "Great Dao of Heartlessness Art," her temperament grew even more solitary and aloof. She exuded an icy, unapproachable aura, often keeping to herself and rarely engaging with others—even her father could only occasionally exchange a few words with her.
Just as Chu Tiannan was worrying over his daughter's disposition, Li Ye appeared.
Although Li Ye's origins were rather humble—apparently, it was Second Elder Chu Xiongzhi who, while passing through a small city in the northern part of the continent, recognized his talent and exceptionally brought him back to the Celestial Master Manor—his strength was formidable, and he was a promising young talent. More importantly, Qingyi actually fell in love with him at first sight!
In daily life, Qingyi still maintained her aloof, ethereal fairy-like demeanor, treating everyone with a detached coolness. However, she never refused Li Ye's approach and would even take the initiative to speak with him.
All of this was observed by Chu Tiannan. Upon realizing his daughter's budding feelings, he was so shocked that his jaw nearly dropped, almost losing control of the immortal energy within him!
His daughter, who had never understood the taste of love, had finally awakened to it!
This moved the old father so deeply that he nearly shed tears of joy. He immediately summoned Second Elder Chu Xiongzhi, and the two towering figures, revered and unapproachable in the eyes of the outside world, engaged in an animated discussion about the younger generation. They even went so far as to plan how many children the couple would have and what names they would give them!
As expected, the progression of Chu Qingyi and Li Ye's relationship unfolded just as the two elders had envisioned: from understanding and affection to marriage, all in one smooth flow.
However, when it came to the matter of children, the couple had their own plans.
The Great Dao of Emotionless Ascension placed high demands on cultivators. Only those with both talent and insight could glimpse its mysteries. Beyond that, the most crucial and rarest requirement was that the cultivator must still be a virgin.
Only a pure and flawless virgin body, combined with the Great Dao of Emotionless Ascension, could double the efficiency of cultivation.
Moreover, since Chu Qingyi focused on sword cultivation, she needed unique comprehension and untainted immortal energy. Thus, even after marriage, she had never shared a bed with Li Ye and remained a virgin to this day.
Upon learning this, the young and passionate Li Ye felt somewhat frustrated. Yet, faced with a woman as divine as Chu Qingyi—one who seemed to belong in the heavens, rarely seen in the mortal world—and the fact that she had become his wife, he agreed to all her conditions.
Chu Qingyi had expected Li Ye to react with anger and humiliation, but to her surprise, he hesitated only briefly before nodding in agreement, fully respecting her wishes.
This stirred waves in the heart of the usually proud and aloof Chu Qingyi. The two agreed that they would consummate their marriage only after reaching the Rui Bian Ling Ji realm.
Afterward, the two lived together without shame or restraint, attending every event side by side, embodying the image of an immortal couple. Li Ye, in particular, seemed eager to announce to the world that Chu Qingyi was his woman.
However, this provoked intense envy among the countless young talents of the Celestial Master Manor and even the entire Mysterious Mechanism Continent, who revered Chu Qingyi as a goddess. The thought that their long-admired Fairy Qingyi had become someone else's wife was unbearable for them. Some of the more powerful among them even vowed to tear Li Ye to pieces to vent their hatred.
But under Li Ye's inhuman level of strength, all who came to challenge him were thoroughly defeated. Gradually, the outside world came to accept this reality. Though many were consumed by envy and resentment, they dared not voice their anger openly.
Thus, the couple spent a blissful year amidst the envy of the outside world and the admiration of their fellow disciples.
Unfortunately, misfortune soon struck.
In his most recent breakthrough, eager to test his strength, Li Yehuo hastily challenged a fellow disciple who was also at the early stage of the Three Flowers Converging at the Crown. Believing he would remain undefeated as before, reality dealt him a harsh blow.
In this battle, Li Ye, brimming with fighting spirit, launched a fierce offensive. Initially, he managed to hold his own against his senior brother with the help of his lifebound immortal artifact, the Tianxuan Sword. However, the tide of the battle quickly turned. Li Ye's immortal energy began to fluctuate erratically, becoming unstable and chaotic. In terms of both depth and purity, his immortal energy paled in comparison to his senior brother's. Soon, he was defeated due to a depletion of his energy reserves.
The defeat left Li Ye deeply frustrated, often tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand why two individuals who had both reached the "Three Flowers Gather at the Summit" stage could differ so vastly in their control and refinement of immortal energy.
Being relatively inexperienced, Li Ye was unaware that this was a consequence of Chu Xiongzhi's recent efforts to nurture his strength with rare elixirs and medicines. Immortal energy enhanced through external means could never match the purity and solidity achieved through steady, self-cultivated training.
The outcome of that day's battle sent shockwaves through the Tian Shi Manor. Many were baffled by Li Ye's sudden defeat, given his previously unbeaten record. Even the senior brother he had fought against was taken aback, suspecting that Li Ye had intentionally held back.
Soon, the matter caught Chu Xiongzhi's attention. He was well aware of the underlying reasons and blamed himself for it. In his eagerness to boost Li Ye's strength, he had overlooked the importance of genuine mastery over immortal energy. He had assumed that Li Ye's natural talent would prevent such flaws from emerging, but to his regret, the very thing he feared had come to pass.
Without hesitation, Chu Xiongzhi ordered Li Ye to embark on a journey of tempering himself, during which he was to rely solely on his own abilities to advance to the "Yin-Yang Convergence" stage. Only upon achieving this goal would he be permitted to return to the sect.
The order stunned the entire Tian Shi Manor. No one could comprehend the Second Elder's intentions. How could the man who had always treated Li Ye like his own son suddenly become so stern and unyielding, sending him off on a solitary journey of cultivation?
Only Li Ye understood his master's true intentions. Without packing any belongings, he set out alone on his path of tempering. To his surprise, Qing Yi, defying the Manor Lord's advice, insisted on accompanying him on his journey.
Having lived together for several years, Li Ye had a fairly good grasp of Qing Yi's temperament. Revered by outsiders as the "Fairy Qing Yi," she possessed unparalleled beauty and talent that nearly matched his own. However, her personality was aloof and detached, often making their conversations brief and to the point. At times, Li Ye's enthusiasm would go unreciprocated, leaving him exasperated, while Qing Yi remained indifferent, not even sparing him a glance. Her demeanor made him feel as though his emotions were hitting a wall, with no outlet for release.
Over time, Li Ye grew accustomed to her ways and stopped expecting responses from her. Though he couldn't deny feeling a thrill at Qing Yi's decision to defy Chu Tiannan and join him, he soon realized that her motivation was purely to enhance her cultivation and broaden her experiences. His initial excitement quickly deflated.
Nevertheless, from their shared experiences, it wasn't hard to deduce that Qing Yi did harbor feelings for him. She was simply accustomed to solitude and struggled with expressing herself.
As it happened, during their travels, the two heard rumors of a monstrous beast wreaking havoc in the northern part of the Mysterious Continent. It was said that even a coalition of numerous immortal cultivators at the peak of their cultivation had failed to defeat it. Intrigued and burning with fighting spirit, they immediately rushed to the vicinity of Jinling City without delay.
To their surprise, the beast turned out to be the Mysterious Spirit Python—not only highly intelligent but also capable of shapeshifting into human form, far beyond their current abilities to handle.
Just as immortal cultivators vary in strength, monstrous beasts also adhere to a strict hierarchy, divided into five levels: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, and Human, with Heaven being the highest and Human the lowest.
Additionally, a very few beasts inherit the bloodline of ancient immortal creatures. Empowered by this heritage, they can shapeshift into human form even in their youth, allowing them to cultivate various immortal techniques and spiritual souls like human cultivators. Coupled with their innate physical strength, they are nearly unmatched among peers of the same level.
However, to maintain the purity of their bloodline, these beast clans typically remain reclusive, avoiding excessive contact with the outside world.
The Mysterious Spirit Python that Li Ye and his companion encountered was a high-level Mysterious-grade beast. Only cultivators at the late stage of the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit could contend with it. Both he and Qingyi were only at the early stage of the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, making them utterly incapable of resisting it.
Within a few moves, they were defeated. The Mysterious Spirit Python cast them a disdainful glance, snorted with an almost human-like expression full of mockery, then swung its tail, sending the two flying far away.
This was how Li Xuan earlier witnessed two immortals falling from the sky.
After hearing Li Ye's account, the three of them returned to the Li family's old residence. Li Xuan stood there, dumbfounded, his mouth agape like an egg, completely absorbed in the thrilling tale of his adoptive father's ordeal.
He understood nothing about immortal cultivation, sword techniques, or the like that Li Ye had described. All he knew was that, over the past five years, under the guidance of a noble mentor, his adoptive father had soared to greatness, becoming an immortal revered by thousands and even winning the favor of the Celestial Master Manor's Qingyi. It was as if a sparrow had flown up a branch and transformed into a phoenix overnight!
Tilting his head, he carefully studied his adoptive father's profile—his refined and handsome face now appeared more mature and steady.
He must have endured many hardships...
Li Xuan's nose tingled with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly turned away to hide it from Li Ye.
Unaware of his adoptive son's emotional state, Li Ye's attention was entirely focused on Chu Qingyi, whom he held in his arms.
During the battle with the Mysterious Spirit Python, both he and Qingyi had exerted their full immortal power but still failed to defeat it. The beast's final strike, in particular, was powerful enough to severely injure even a cultivator at the Yin-Yang Convergence stage...
At this thought, the scene of their confrontation with the Mysterious Spirit Python resurfaced in Li Ye's mind.