The sun hung high in the midday sky.
A carriage rolled toward Qingyuan Mountain, basking in the sunlight, and faintly, the buildings on the Qingyuan Main Peak began to come into view—an arrangement so unique it leaped off the paper, though who could tell which master had conjured it?
But.
Li Mo gazed at the mountain scenery, and his mind couldn’t help but wander back to what had just unfolded.
Half an hour earlier.
A little beggar had removed the blindfold from her eyes, revealing a pair of clear gray-white pupils that sparkled with an innocent naivety reminiscent of a baby’s eyes.
Yet there was a hint of shyness and humility, making her reluctant to meet anyone’s gaze.
Are there really people with eyes like that?
Li Mo was just recalling some ninja-themed anime when, out of nowhere, a pale little face popped into his line of sight.
Her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes were quite shabby, creating a stark contrast with her delicate little face.
Li Mo remembered this scene, though it wasn’t solely because of the girl’s breathtaking fourteen-year-old beauty.
She stood there, two small hands awkwardly entwined and unsure of where to place themselves.
Like a little white flower swaying in the wind amidst the desolate ruins…
“The color of fate hasn’t changed; she shouldn’t be discovered by the Celestial Patrol.”
“I wonder how long it will take her to realize the special nature of the Ancient Intent Ring?”
Thoughts swirled in Li Mo’s mind.
Suddenly, he slapped his thigh.
“What’s wrong, Brother Li?”
Murong Xiao, who had been dozing beside him, lifted his head, his sleepy expression scrunching his face into a funny contortion.
“It’s bad!”
“I forgot to tell her that she needs to drip bl**d on the ring to recognize it as her own!”
Little Li was regretting it to no end.
To make it feel more authentic, he had used a classic trope from a novel in his previous life while crafting the ring.
The ring was supposed to remember the wearer’s aura through their bl**d.
But as soon as he laid eyes on that girl’s lovely face, he forgot all about it!
…
That night.
In Mud Corner Alley, smoke began to rise.
The little beggars, each a bit rough around the edges, started busying themselves with tidying up the dilapidated courtyard.
Before, this had merely been a temporary refuge for them. But now, Brother Li declared it would be their home from this day forth.
Home… surely it should be kept tidy, right?
“Silly stuttering sister’s been dazing out all day.”
“Hehe, is she thinking about Brother Li?”
“Now that you mention it, I miss him too. His cooking is the best!”
“I want to join Qingyuan Sect too, so I can see him every day!”
“Babababa!”
“Silly stuttering sister, even if you polish the ring clean, Brother Li still can’t see it!”
“This ring doesn’t look like it’s from Brother Li…”
…
Jiang Chulong sat there, hugging her knees, carefully polishing the exquisite ring on her finger, terrified of getting it dirty.
Hearing this, she paused for a moment.
Right.
While Brother Li had given her the ring, it was Aunt Mei who prepared it.
But why did Aunt Mei give her such a ring?
It wasn’t some mystical treasure she knew about, nor did it seem to have any other peculiar attributes.
“Aunt Mei surely wouldn’t do anything pointless.”
“This ring must be very important.”
Jiang Chulong bit her increasingly pale lips, her heart racing anxiously as she thought:
“Could it be something’s wrong with me?”
Once upon a time, her world had been bright and full of color.
In her eyes, the world contained more things, more charm—almost as if she could see a unique hue others couldn’t.
But after the Sword Bone was taken, that tint disappeared.
“Am I going to disappoint Aunt Mei?”
“It’s all my fault… I’m sorry…”
Jiang Chulong gripped the ring tightly, her knuckles turning white; the sharp pain momentarily soothed her heartache.
Drip, drop—
Crimson droplets flowed down between her fingers.
And the Ancient Intent Ring was tinted with an enchanting luster.
Warm reminder: If you think this book is good, to avoid not finding it next time, please remember to add it to your shelf!
Buzz…
At this moment.
Suddenly, she felt dizzy, her vision swirling like a vortex.
What’s happening?
A fuzzy thought sprang up in her mind.
The voices of the little beggars echoed in her ears:
“Silly stuttering sister, what’s wrong?”
“She passed out!”
All at once.
All voices vanished, and silence enveloped everything.
Gradually, she opened her eyes, blocking out the sudden light, and finally saw where she was.
Endless white mist surrounded her, as if she had stepped beyond the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
This place wasn’t particularly large, only about a hundred meters in diameter.
However, pavilions and towers were arranged with exquisite detail, filling the space with a sense of elegance—she had never seen such a unique place even in the central lands.
Like a fairyland from a dream.
“Where am I?”
Jiang Chulong rubbed her eyes, her face a picture of shock.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, a deep, melancholic laugh echoed throughout the place.
“Little friend, you’ve come from afar; step inside, will you?”
“Me…?”
Cautiously, Jiang Chulong stepped across the threshold.
She saw a figure sitting leisurely atop a teal stone beneath an ancient tree in the courtyard.
He was clad in white, like snow, with a face covered in bronze, an aura both imposing and serene.
Countless phenomena and Dao rhythms ebbed and flowed around him, as if he had been there since the dawn of time, observing the rise and fall of humanity.
He was the very source of existence in this domain, able to summon storms and change the atmosphere with a mere wave of his hand.
“Predecessor, where… is this place?”
Jiang Chulong asked carefully.
“This place? I often find myself here beyond the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, creating a hidden refuge, that’s all.”
The man said with an unruffled tone.
Jiang Chulong: “!”
Her little head almost short-circuited.
Beyond the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths?
She had crossed an unmeasurable distance to find herself here?
“Heh heh heh, it’s just a little trick, no need to panic.”
“If I can bring you here, I can naturally send you back.”
The man’s ethereal voice echoed once more.
With a wave of his hand, a chair suddenly appeared on the ground, and a tea set appeared on the stone table.
“Have a seat.”
Feeling dazed, Jiang Chulong walked over, sat down, and after a long moment of silence, finally snapped back to reality:
“Who are you?”
“Why did you bring me here… and for what purpose?”
As she got closer, she felt the touching mystery of this predecessor becoming increasingly unfathomable.
Even her aloof father, laden with the fortunes of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, didn’t hold the same aura as this mysterious man.
Few possessed such power beyond the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
For her, this was supposed to be a familiar concept.
“The name I go by…”
The mysterious man opposite fell into deep thought.
Perhaps due to being unbothered for too long, the years having dulled him, even his own name slipped his mind.
After a while, he slowly spoke:
“I am known as… Primordial Celestial Venerable…”
Crack!
The moment he finished speaking.
Suddenly, thunder rumbled from the heavens.
Boom—
Storms gathered, and thunder danced, instantly turning the world into a canvas of white.
Jiang Chulong was so startled she froze, looking up in a daze.
And amidst the black and white world, the outline of the man grew increasingly clear.
What a profound and transcendental figure!
