Translator: AnubisTL
Having obtained nearly the complete inheritance of the Crimson Radiance Heavenly Monarch, Li Qing had no further reason to remain in the core space and immediately departed.
The rewards he had reaped were truly extraordinary, so abundant that even Li Qing, with his typically composed demeanor, couldn't help but feel a surge of intense excitement.
The Great Dao is within reach!
This time, the Great Dao truly seemed attainable. With the complete Crimson Blaze Heaven-Burning Art in hand, he could continue his cultivation without reservation.
Moreover, should he successfully achieve nascent soul formation in the future, he could return to this place and subdue the third heavenly spirit fire—the Profound Yellow True Flame!
Given his previous experience, subduing the Profound Yellow True Flame should be considerably smoother in the future. After all, they had already cooperated once before!
"Hah! Next up is the Fire Jade Bee Queen. This place lacks sufficient fire essence. If I don't take that hive of Fire Jade Bees with me, they'll gradually perish."
With that, Li Qing left the magma sea in the core space and returned to the intricate, interconnected tunnels of Fire Cliff Cave.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Reaching the tunnel junction where the Fire Jade Bees resided, he found Cao Xiu waiting patiently nearby.
"Senior Li! You're back?!"
"The commotion outside Fire Cliff Cave just now was deafening. I dared not move about. Do you know what's happening outside?"
Cao Xiu looked at Li Qing, who was slowly approaching, his face lighting up with relief. After confirming Li Qing was unharmed, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"The matter has been resolved. It wasn't a major issue. Next, I'll subdue this nest of Fire Jade Bees and then we can leave."
With that, Li Qing approached the Red Jade Beehive suspended in mid-air.
Around the beehive, which resembled crimson jade, numerous Fire Jade Bees swarmed, their vigilance focused on Li Qing as he slowly approached.
Soon, as Li Qing neared the base of the Red Jade Beehive, the Fire Jade Bees finally swarmed out en masse.
Buzz! Buzz!
The dense swarm of Fire Jade Bees surged toward Li Qing, fiercely defending their hive and queen bee with unwavering courage.
Of course, Li Qing was no ordinary core formation realm cultivator. Not only had his body cultivation realm reached the peak of the third-tier, rivaling late third-tier demon beasts, but he also possessed a protective magical artifact:
The Golden Jade Garment!
With a subtle movement of his divine sense, the protective garment woven from Golden Silk Silkworm threads shimmered with spiritual light, repelling the surging Fire Jade Bees.
Ignoring the bees' harassment, Li Qing extended his divine sense, probing into the Red Jade Beehive above.
The beehive's structure was incredibly complex, divided into numerous chambers.
Inside, many unhatched Fire Jade Bee eggs lay dormant, while young, hungry larvae greedily sucked up the dwindling Fire Origin Nectar.
But Li Qing's focus was on the Fire Jade Bee Queen, who resided at the very heart of the hive.
"Found her!"
Li Qing's eyes flickered slightly before he leaped into the air, soaring directly toward the beehive.
His divine sense was formidable, rivaling the soul strength of a nascent soul realm cultivator.
He didn't even need to breach the Red Jade Beehive; he could imprint a Master-Servant Spirit Contract from the outside.
Boom!
Li Qing unleashed his divine sense, probing deep into the entire beehive.
Instantly, the Fire Jade Bee Queen inside began to tremble violently, as if engaged in a desperate struggle.
But her resistance proved short-lived. Within a few breaths, she surrendered, allowing Li Qing to forcibly imprint his divine sense imprint upon her.
With the task complete, a triumphant smile gradually spread across Li Qing's lips.
The process had gone remarkably smoothly. He had successfully subdued the Fire Jade Bee Queen!
"I underestimated my current divine soul strength. Subduing a mere second-tier spirit insect was indeed no challenge at all."
As soon as he spoke, Li Qing commanded the Fire Jade Bee Queen to recall all the Fire Jade Bees relentlessly harassing him outside.
The moment the command was issued, the buzzing Fire Jade Bees instantly fell silent and swiftly retreated into their beehive.
This unique communication method among Fire Jade Bees allows them to receive and strictly execute any command issued by their queen bee.
By controlling the Fire Jade Bee Queen, Li Qing had essentially gained control over the entire Fire Jade Bee swarm.
Unlike the Bandit Cultivator who had hunted Cao Xiu earlier, Li Qing avoided imprinting divine sense marks on multiple bees, a crude method that would have strained his divine soul.
"Now I've imprinted a few too many divine sense marks," Li Qing sighed. "Fan Tong, ninth insect, three Golden Silk Silkworms, five corpse puppets, and now the Fire Jade Bee Queen! Even with my current divine sense strength, I'm running thin."
If he planned to subdue more demon beasts or spirit insects in the future, he would need to carefully consider the burden on his divine soul.
"Time to leave!"
Outside Fire Cliff Cave, two figures slowly emerged from the pitch-black cavern.
These were Cao Xiu and Li Qing. Having concluded their purpose, there was no reason to linger inside.
"Cao Xiu, what are your plans now?" Li Qing asked, glancing at the young man beside him, who stood half a head shorter.
Hearing this, Cao Xiu pondered for a moment, then suddenly knelt down as if remembering something.
"Senior Li, please accept me as your disciple!"
Plans? Though Cao Xiu had already reached the foundation establishment realm, he remained a solitary rogue cultivator.
Li Qing had just demonstrated profound cultivation and extraordinary methods, making Cao Xiu naturally eager to become his disciple.
Seeing Cao Xiu's sudden kneeling, Li Qing shook his head with a wry smile.
He was reminded of their time at Azure Radiance Pool, when Cao Xiu's mother, Hu Sanniang, had hoped Li Qing would take her son as his disciple.
At that time, Li Qing's cultivation was still shallow, and he had no intention of accepting disciples.
Time had passed swiftly. Over the years, he had unknowingly become a core formation realm cultivator at the peak of his power, standing at the pinnacle of the Azure Ridge Domain.
Yet even now, he had no intention of accepting Cao Xiu as his disciple.
Dao Lord Bai Ling had previously told him that Cao Xiu might be the ideal cultivator to inherit his legacy.
Having made this prior agreement, Li Qing naturally wouldn't compete with Dao Lord Bai Ling for a disciple.
Dao Lord Bai Ling hadn't yet made up his mind about accepting Cao Xiu as his close-door disciple and heir. He was still considering the matter.
Therefore, Li Qing decided to settle Cao Xiu at the Lingyun Sect for now, until Dao Lord Bai Ling made his decision.
With this in mind, Li Qing retrieved a plain, unadorned jade pendant from his robes. The characters "Ling" and "Yun" were carved on its front and back, respectively.
"You cultivate the Metal dao, and my inheritance isn't particularly suited for you," Li Qing said.
At these words, a flicker of disappointment crossed Cao Xiu's eyes as he lowered his head.
But Li Qing continued, "Take this ascension token to the Lingyun Sect. It will grant you immediate status as an external affairs elder, giving you a permanent foothold there."
"Life as a rogue cultivator is harsh and precarious. Joining the Lingyun Sect will spare you from such hardships."
"Moreover, I guarantee that if you join the Lingyun Sect, a great opportunity may await you in the future!"
Cao Xiu numbly accepted the ascension token, staring at the characters "Lingyun" carved into its surface.
Join the Lingyun Sect?! Become an elder?!
This was something he had never dared to dream of. The Lingyun Sect was now the immortal dao colossus of the Azure Ridge Domain, its influence towering over the entire cultivation world.
Now that he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, joining the Lingyun Sect seemed inappropriate.
He never imagined Li Qing would give him an ascension token from the Lingyun Sect.
"Th-this..."
"Hah!"
"Thank you, Senior Li!"
Cao Xiu kowtowed deeply to Li Qing on the ground. He didn't refuse the ascension token, knowing how crucial it was for him.
"The sect is rebuilding after the war and desperately needs manpower. There's no need for such gratitude."
"Also, here's some Fire Origin Nectar, a spiritual object brewed by Fire Jade Bees. It strengthens your foundation and nourishes your vital energy, allowing you to advance your cultivation further."
Li Qing handed Cao Xiu several jars of Fire Origin Nectar.
This was merely second-tier Fire Origin Nectar, insignificant to Li Qing himself, making it the perfect reward for Cao Xiu.
"I couldn't possibly accept this..." Cao Xiu protested.
But Li Qing insisted, "Just take it. This nectar is of little use to me. If you refuse, I'll simply reward it to the sect's disciples instead."
Only then did Cao Xiu nod and accept the Fire Origin Nectar from Li Qing.
With this matter settled, Li Qing nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, prepare yourself and head straight to the Lingyun Sect. If you encounter any problems within the sect, seek out any supreme elder and mention my name."
"I still have matters to attend to, requiring further worldly experience. I won't keep you any longer."
"Finally, remember what I said before: cultivation is like sailing against the current—if you don't advance, you'll be swept back!"
With a gentle smile, Li Qing transformed into a beam of spiritual light and vanished, leaving Cao Xiu standing there in a daze.
Cultivation is like sailing against the current—if you don't advance, you'll be swept back!
The same words, spoken again, struck Cao Xiu with a completely different resonance than before.
"Senior Li is truly an enlightened master."
After parting ways with Cao Xiu, Li Qing, in high spirits, embarked on a new round of mental refinement.
This time, he passed through the Heavenly River Market and lingered for some time at the Azure Radiance Pool.
He then journeyed to the former mountain gate of the Heavenly River Sect, where he gazed upon the majestic and turbulent scenery.
Seas of clouds surged between towering peaks. As Li Qing beheld this magnificent vista, fresh insights stirred within him.
He recalled the Heavenly River Sect of old, and many past events.
"Even the mightiest sects will eventually fade away."
After leaving, he followed the Black Sand River westward until he reached the foot of a verdant mountain range that stretched endlessly across the horizon.
Small Jade Ridge!
Without hesitation, Li Qing entered the mountain range, following familiar paths from his memories.
Finally, he arrived at a spirit stone mine.
This Spirit Stone Mine had once belonged to the Heavenly River Sect, but the Shangqing Sect later seized it. After further twists and turns, it had now fallen into the hands of the Lingyun Sect.
Compared to its former glory, the Spirit Stone Vein had become much depleted. At most, only seven or eight thousand spirit stones could be mined annually, a far cry from its earlier abundance.
Despite this decline, two cultivation clans still managed the mining operations, bringing substantial spirit stone revenue to the Lingyun Sect.
As Li Qing gazed at the familiar mine, a nostalgic smile spread across his face.
He recalled his days working in the mine, his former mining companions, and Old Zhou, his mentor.
"Old Zhou," he murmured, "the Flying Eagle Bandits who killed you have met their end by my hand. May you finally rest in peace in the Nine Springs."
After speaking, Li Qing suddenly realized that Zhou Tong didn't even have a grave.
He pondered for a moment, then found a sturdy granite boulder in the mountains. Using his finger as a chisel, he carved an inscription into the stone:
"Zhou Tong's Grave: The Finest Spirit Mine Worker!"
He erected the tombstone in a secluded spot near the mine, clasped his hands in a deep bow, and departed.
Next, Li Qing traveled to the Liu Clan's former Spirit Vein Land.
Due to the changes in heaven and earth, the spiritual energy here had grown exceptionally dense. Though still a second-tier spirit vein, the surrounding spiritual energy was unnaturally rich.
While it couldn't compare to a third-tier spirit vein, the difference was now minimal.
The Liu Clan had long since vanished, and the land was now occupied by the Meng Clan.
"The Meng Clan..." Li Qing narrowed his eyes, finding the rare surname vaguely familiar. A sudden premonition stirred within him.
Had he ever encountered cultivators named Meng in his life?
Li Qing's brow furrowed as he meticulously searched his memories.
After a long silence, he abruptly lifted his head, his back drenched in a cold sweat.
He finally remembered.
Back when he was at the Heavenly River Sect, he had encountered a down-on-his-luck stall owner. He had purchased two ancient texts from him at an incredibly low price: the Fragmented Manual of Artifact Refinement and the Secret Art of Sealing Wood.
The reason for the low price was a verbal promise he had made: that when he became capable, he would repair a top-grade magical artifact for the stall owner.
However, since he hadn't sworn a great heart demon oath on his dao, Li Qing had gradually forgotten about the matter over the years.
"Even without a great heart demon oath, this still counts as karma," Li Qing murmured to himself. "It might create additional obstacles when I try to break through to the nascent soul realm."
With that, he directly infiltrated the Meng Clan.
This clan had only recently risen to prominence. Though its foundation was shallow, its collaboration with the Lingyun Sect in exploiting a Spirit Stone Vein had allowed it to develop at a decent pace.
Li Qing swept the clan with his divine sense, quickly grasping its overall structure.
The Meng Clan boasted several late qi refining realm cultivators, many of whom were relatively young and possessed considerable future potential.
As for foundation establishment realm cultivators, there was only one: Meng Mingyun, the Clan Head. His cultivation was at the mid-foundation establishment stage, with a faint aura suggesting he was on the verge of breaking through to the late foundation establishment realm.
Without hesitation, Li Qing directly approached Meng Mingyun, the Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Clan Head Meng, please emerge from seclusion and meet me."
Li Qing stealthily infiltrated the Meng Clan's territory, arriving at a small, spiritually rich island in the center of their spirit lake. There, he directly located Meng Mingyun, the Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The telepathic message precisely reached Meng Mingyun's ears as he meditated in seclusion.
"Hmm?" Meng Mingyun's eyes snapped open. Sensing the aura outside, he hastily emerged from his cave abode, his face pale with fear.
"This humble one is Meng Mingyun, greeting Core Formation True Lord!" he exclaimed, dropping to his knees the moment he stepped outside. "Has the Meng Clan offended you in any way? I beg Senior to show mercy!"
He didn't even dare to look Li Qing in the eye, his survival instinct driving him to kneel immediately.
"Heh, get up," Li Qing said with a gentle smile. "I'm not here for revenge or to cause trouble. I just need some information from you."
Meng Mingyun felt a wave of relief wash over him. For a moment, his entire body had been drenched in sweat.
He slowly raised his head and looked at the tall, imposing figure standing outside his cave abode, hands clasped behind his back.
"Are you... Limitless True Lord?"
Seeing that he had been recognized, Li Qing nodded with a slight smile. "You've seen me before?"
"At the Lingyun Sect's founding ceremony, I was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Senior from afar!" Meng Mingyun replied, his voice filled with reverence and awe.
Li Qing waved his hand dismissively and cut straight to the point. "I'm here to ask if the Meng Clan has a cultivator who looked like this in his youth."
As he spoke, Li Qing projected an image from his Sea of Consciousness directly into Meng Mingyun's Sea of Consciousness.
Before Meng Mingyun could marvel at the power of a core formation realm true lord, he froze, his eyes flickering. "This is Third Uncle-Grandfather? Senior Limitless knows my Third Uncle-Grandfather?"
Thus, through Meng Mingyun's introduction, Li Qing finally met the visibly aged Third Uncle-Grandfather of the Meng Clan.
His face was now deeply lined with wrinkles, and his hair had turned significantly gray. Only the faint resemblance in his eyes and brows hinted at his former appearance.
Yes, it's him, Li Qing thought. He's aged considerably since last we met. It seems these years haven't been kind to him.
"Meng Qi greets the Clan Head!"
Hearing this, Meng Mingyun immediately helped the old man to his feet, his voice anxious. "Third Uncle-Grandfather, please don't do that! You're embarrassing this junior. I've brought someone who wishes to see you."
As he spoke, Meng Mingyun shot Meng Qi a meaningful glance, its meaning complex and unclear.
Meng Qi paused, then turned to the tall figure standing behind Meng Mingyun.
Li Qing had completely suppressed his aura, appearing utterly ordinary.
Meng Qi stared for a long moment, but couldn't recall the man at all. There was no trace of familiarity, not even a faint sense of recognition.
"Heh, it seems Fellow Daoist Meng has already forgotten about this Li. Back at the Heavenly River Market, I promised you that once I had the ability, I would repair a top-grade magical artifact for you."
"Now that I have the means, I've come to fulfill my promise!" Li Qing said with a smile.
Heavenly River Market? Repairing a top-grade magical artifact?
Hearing these words, Meng Qi finally recalled his days as a struggling street vendor at the Heavenly River Market.
Back then, he was just the orphaned heir of the Meng Clan, living a solitary life within the market.
Unfortunately, even with these memories resurfacing, he still couldn't remember Li Qing.
This was perfectly understandable, and Li Qing showed no offense.
With a flick of his finger, he transmitted fragments of their past encounter directly into Meng Qi's mind.
"Fellow Daoist, are you an artifact refiner?"
"I know a little, just a little!"
"The task I require of you isn't difficult. Once your artifact refinement technique has improved, would you help me repair a magic artifact?"
"..."
"I can agree to this, but I never take unnecessary risks. Do you understand?"
"Deal!"
Finally, with these familiar images flooding his mind, Meng Qi dredged up the long-forgotten transaction from the depths of his memory.
"So it was you all along!" Meng Qi murmured, his expression distant. "Fellow Daoist, you truly are a man of your word. After all these years, you still remember our agreement!"
"However, the top-grade magical artifact has already been fully repaired and is now in perfect condition within the clan. There's no need for you to intervene."
This didn't surprise Li Qing. Given the Meng Clan's current strength, finding artifact refinement masters capable of repairing a top-grade magical artifact shouldn't have been too difficult.
But this development meant he couldn't fulfill his original promise.
"Fellow Daoist Meng, the two secret techniques you sold me back then proved invaluable. I'd like to repay that favor now. What do you say?"
Meng Qi shook his head. "It was a normal business transaction. There's no favor involved. Still, I deeply admire your unwavering commitment to your word!"
Meanwhile, Meng Mingyun, who had been frantically signaling with his eyes, now felt his eyelids twitching from the strain.
Li Qing laughed heartily. "Fellow Daoist, do you have a family?"
Before Meng Qi could answer, Meng Mingyun interjected on behalf of his Third Uncle-Grandfather:
"Third Uncle-Grandfather has one son, who currently serves within the clan!"
Upon hearing this, Li Qing produced a token, an ascension token still engraved with the words "Lingyun": "This token allows you or your descendants to enter the Lingyun Sect for cultivation and grants you a foundation establishment pill!"
"How you use it is entirely up to you."
Meng Qi was utterly stunned. As a cultivator himself, he knew exactly what this meant.
To join the Lingyun Sect and receive a foundation establishment pill!
Wasn't this the legendary ascension token?!
Without giving Meng Qi a chance to refuse, Li Qing tossed the token to him.
"Take it, Fellow Daoist Meng! No need to decline!"
The token, crafted from warm, lustrous jade, felt smooth and comforting, yet Meng Qi remained in a daze.
With this, Li Qing's purpose was accomplished.
"From now on, the Meng Clan only needs to remit ninety percent of the spirit stones mined from the Spirit Stone Vein!"
This declaration, addressed to Clan Head Meng Mingyun, served as a boon for the entire Meng Clan.
Hearing this, Meng Mingyun clasped his hands in gratitude. "This junior thanks Senior for your benevolence!"
Before he could finish speaking, Li Qing's figure vanished without a trace.
"Hahahaha, Third Uncle-Grandfather, do you know who that was just now?" Meng Mingyun exclaimed excitedly, his voice trembling with excitement. "The Meng Clan is finally going to prosper!"
Meng Qi examined the ascension token in his hand, his gaze lingering on the Lingyun Sect inscription. Recalling their earlier conversation, he ventured a guess: "I suppose that must have been a core formation ancestor from the Lingyun Sect?"
"Exactly! Third Uncle-Grandfather, I never imagined you had connections with such a powerful figure!" Meng Mingyun exclaimed.
But Meng Qi shook his head calmly and sighed. "Ah, you foolish grandnephew!" he said. "I had my suspicions all along. Your frantic winking earlier was quite unnecessary. I pretended to be reserved precisely to make this Enlightened Master owe the Meng Clan a favor!"
"Ah, well, it's done now. This senior is clearly a man of his word. I imagine that if the Meng Clan ever faces trouble in the future, we could ask him for help."
"..."
(End of the Chapter)