Chapter Two: The Old Man

Han Tianyue, Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, Feng Shang, Lei Cong, and Guan Tian traveled together heading east.

"Crown Prince, where are you? Why is it that whenever there is news of you, you vanish into thin air once again so quickly!" Along the journey, Han Tianyue remained trapped in the body of a six or seven-year-old child. This physical form prevented him from opening the spatial dimension within his abstinence ring. For a long time, Han Tianyue had been unable to cultivate; if he remained in this childish body any longer, his cultivation might even regress. "The old man inside my body still hasn't awakened, and I have no idea when I will finally break free from this intermittent vanishing trick!"

As for Mao Xuanzi, whenever they stopped, he would practice breathing techniques to absorb and circulate thermal energy. By now, his little snake had grown into a massive serpent one meter long. Because it was inconvenient to carry around, he had also placed his natal beast into the spatial storage of his sound-dry pouch.

"Along this road, we have seen quite a few villages and settlements, but there has been no trace of Crown Prince Mao. Should we change our approach? Doesn't Crown Prince Mao want to become the Empress? Presumably, she will keep heading in the direction of the Azure Firmament. Therefore, we don't need to wander from village to village asking about this. As long as we arrive at the path entering the Azure Firmament before the Prince does, I believe we will meet her there!" Fang Zhe suggested.

"I think so too. This way, we are not only wasting time but also exhausting our energy. It would be much better for us to set a clear goal and march toward it together. Otherwise, when on earth will we ever reach our destination?" Having followed along this far, things turned out completely different from what Lei Cong had imagined. Hearing Fang Zhe's words, Lei Cong probed to test the waters.

"Actually, what they said makes sense. We should carefully consider our next steps; blindly searching like this is no way forward. If we can figure out where Elder Sister is heading and arrive there ahead of time, we won't miss her again!" Mao Xuanzi said earnestly.

"I came out with you all just to see what this world is really like anyway. I'm not making any decisions, so just go with whatever you've decided!" Feng Shang was indifferent to these matters. He walked up to Lei Cong and said, "Lei Cong, do you have any more bizarre stories to tell? I love listening to you talk about those!"

"If you're asking about bizarre tales, I wouldn't know any. But if you're talking about right in front of us, I think I have something to say!" Lei Cong walked to the front and pointed at the sea of mist rolling ahead. "Look everyone, the clouds and mist here are much denser than before, and the spiritual Qi within them is far more potent as well. Since ancient times, the spiritual Qi of each higher layer of heaven has been denser than the layer below. This must be a fragment of land that fell when the Nine Heavens shattered. Why don't we stop here and properly absorb some spiritual Qi?"

Spiritual Qi was an essential resource used by ancients for immortal cultivation, altering the internal structure of the human body to meet the standards of immortality. The more spiritual Qi a human body absorbed, the more it would stimulate their spiritual roots, refining them and making the path of comprehending the Dao and cultivating immortality much smoother. Although very few people practiced immortal cultivation nowadays, spiritual Qi remained a rare and precious treasure. Absorbing spiritual Qi could enhance and purify one's innate attributes, saving a great deal of time when comprehending new techniques and skills. However, absorbing spiritual Qi was not universally beneficial for everyone. Some attributes did not require spiritual roots, and for certain attributes, the presence of spiritual roots would actually weaken them. Thus, absorbing spiritual Qi varied from person to person.

Take Guan Tian, for example; she had no need for spiritual Qi or spiritual roots. If she were to absorb spiritual Qi, it was likely that her Heaven-Covering and Earth-Blocking ability would fail to coalesce. Similarly, the Grim Reaper had no need for spiritual Qi either. What he required was the aura of death, also known as deathly Qi. Spiritual Qi would disperse deathly Qi, while deathly Qi would swallow spiritual Qi, as the two were utterly incompatible.

Feng Shang, on the other hand, possessed the finest spiritual roots. Absorbing spiritual Qi was undoubtedly the best possible thing for him. Meanwhile, for Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, and Lei Cong, absorbing spiritual Qi would make their attributes more flexible, so it would still be helpful to them.

The most peculiar among them was Han Tianyue. His Ice Soul required spiritual Qi, yet the deathly Qi within his body was completely opposed to it. It was only because the ice ball condensed from the ice heart inside him acted as a barrier that spiritual Qi and deathly Qi could coexist within his body. The Spirit-Devouring Beast was largely similar to Han Tianyue.

Hearing Lei Cong's proposal, Han Tianyue and the others agreed, "It's rare to encounter a place with such dense spiritual Qi. Let's stay here for a while!"

Having decided to linger here for a few days, Fang Zhe released the Spirit-Devouring Beast, Lei Cong released the Thunder-Winged Dragon, Mao Xuanzi released his natal beast the Fire Snake, and Feng Shang released the Swift Tiger. As the Swift Tiger was released, it thought to itself, "Fantastic! I've finally gotten out of that wretched pouch. Wow, spiritual Qi! This lord is going to drink his fill of spiritual Qi, bite you to death, you demon, and then leave in carefree freedom!" Harboring this plan, the Swift Tiger vigorously inhaled the spiritual Qi. It wanted to grow stronger—it needed to become even stronger, first to tear Feng Shang apart with its teeth, and second to make the big brute in front of it taste its true might.

Each of them found a spot they deemed ideal and began practicing breathing and absorption techniques. Guan Tian, meanwhile, sat to one side to keep watch. Just at that moment, Guan Tian noticed a white-haired old grandfather suddenly drifting out from the clouds and mist. With a benevolent expression, he walked right up to Guan Tian and asked, "Little girl, how come you aren't practicing breathing and absorption like the rest of them?"

Hearing someone else's voice, Han Tianyue immediately stood up and walked over. Upon catching sight of the old grandfather, he cried out in shock, "Old grandfather, didn't you die?" It turned out that the person who had arrived was none other than the old man Han Tianyue and the others had encountered in the village within the hilly region. Now, dressed in a pristine white robe with matching snow-white hair, he looked exceptionally ethereal and untethered.

"Miraculous! You have made me believe in miracles once again!" The old grandfather recognized Han Tianyue at a glance. "Though you've shrunk, you still retain that very same aura from back then!"

"Old grandfather, didn't you die?" Han Tianyue asked inquiringly.

"That was merely the mortal flesh of my physical body dying. This body right here is the true me!" the old grandfather said with a benevolent and amiable smile.

Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, Feng Shang, and Lei Cong rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

"Old grandfather!" Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, and Feng Shang cried out in unison.

"So all you children are here!" The old grandfather glanced back at Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, and Feng Shang, and laughed, "And how is it that two new members have been added now?"

Lei Cong stepped forward and said, "My name is Lei Cong. Greetings, old grandfather!"

Guan Tian chimed in, "My name is Guan Tian!"

"Ah, a descendant of the Heavenly Thunder and a maiden from the Land of Daughters. I wouldn't have expected the two of you to end up together," the old grandfather remarked.

"Old grandfather, how did you know I am a descendant of the Heavenly Thunder?" Lei Cong asked, somewhat surprised and puzzled.

The old grandfather smiled and said, "I am the Willow Immortal; what is there that I do not know?"

Upon hearing this name, Lei Cong was even more astonished. "Old grandfather, you are the Venerable Willow Immortal, Lord Yin Gong!"

"Hehe, this child certainly knows quite a bit!" The old grandfather was indeed the Venerable Willow Immortal, Lord Yin Gong. A Venerable was someone even stronger than a powerhouse, just as powerhouses were stronger than ordinary mortals. At present, Han Tianyue and his companions were considered mere mortals, so meeting a Venerable felt as awe-inspiring to them as common folk meeting an emperor.

"I wonder if Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong has business with us?" Lei Cong continued.

Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong nodded and said, "Since you already know of my arrival, I needn't worry about startling you. I'll get straight to the point: this time, I've come to tell Mao Xuanzi that your father, the Fire God Mao Jingzi, is about to emerge from closed-door cultivation. Meanwhile, the Human King Bo Ren intends to capture you as a hostage, so you must exercise the utmost caution!"

"Human King Bo Ren?" Mao Xuanzi had no idea who this person was.

Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong explained, "He is none other than your headmaster. Although he and I are both Venerables, I am unaware of what other identities he might possess, because this person conceals himself exceedingly well, to the point that I cannot see through him!"

"Thank you, old grandfather!" Mao Xuanzi finally learned of his father, yet he still did not know who had killed his mother. He asked, "Old grandfather, may I ask you a question?"

Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong replied, "I know what you wish to ask, but even I do not know the answer to that matter!"

*Since the old grandfather knows Mao Xuanzi's background, I might as well ask if he knows mine,* Han Tianyue thought to himself as he opened his mouth to speak.

Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong smiled. "Han Tianyue, I do not know the answer to what you wish to ask either. If you truly desire the answer, let me direct you to someone: go find the Omniscient Heavenly Book; he will tell you everything!"

"The Omniscient Heavenly Book?"

"That's right. Among us Heavenly Venerables, the Omniscient Heavenly Book knows everything and is aware of all things. If you ask him, he will tell you all of it!" Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong stated.

"Then how can we find him?" Han Tianyue and Mao Xuanzi pressed urgently.

"There are five Heavenly Venerables in total. Setting aside the Fire God and the Human King, the only one who currently knows the whereabouts of the Omniscient Heavenly Book is the Rogue Immortal. As long as you find the Rogue Immortal, he will naturally lead you to the Omniscient Heavenly Book!" Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong explained.

"Then what about you, old grandfather?" Han Tianyue asked.

Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong chuckled. "The Omniscient Heavenly Book and I have a slight grievance between us, so it is inconvenient for me to take you there."

"Then do you know where the Rogue Immortal can be found?" Mao Xuanzi asked.

"The Rogue Immortal has seven female disciples, commonly known as the Seven Fairy Maidens. As long as you find the Seven Fairy Maidens, you will naturally find the Rogue Immortal!" Pausing to calculate, Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong hurriedly said, "I must take my leave now, children. My grandson has gone to burn paper offerings at my grave once more; I should go check on him. Even though he is only the grandson of my mortal flesh, I still miss him quite a bit!"

The familial affection between Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong and his mortal grandson was truly enviable. Watching the departing figure of Venerable Willow Immortal Lord Yin Gong, Han Tianyue muttered, "Aren't those Seven Fairy Maidens the exact same seven female bosses we ran into at the underground trading center that day?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Shang quickly chimed in, "They liked you so much; surely if you run into them again, they'll shower you with kisses and hugs. Wow!"

Han Tianyue's expression shifted.

Seeing the tiny Han Tianyue with his cheeks puffed out, Feng Shang could not resist stepping forward to pinch Han Tianyue's face as he said, "This little face is simply enchanting! No wonder those seven beauties love you so much!"

Noticing that Han Tianyue's complexion had darkened, Lei Cong stepped forward and said, "Big Brother Feng Shang, didn't you want to hear some bizarre stories? I'll tell you!"

"Who goes there? How dare you trespass on our Spirit Mountain and secretly absorb our spiritual Qi!" Just as Lei Cong diverted Feng Shang's attention, a sharp shout suddenly echoed from behind them.

Fang Zhe, Lei Cong, and Mao Xuanzi instantly recalled their respective spiritual beasts into their sound-dry pouches, and Feng Shang hastily tried to retrieve the Swift Tiger. Meanwhile, the Swift Tiger, which had been engrossed in absorbing spiritual Qi, turned pale with fright and thought, *No! Even if beaten to death, I refuse to go back into that cloth bag!* Despite Feng Shang giving a vigorous tug, the Swift Tiger was sucked into the sound-dry pouch. Once inside, the Swift Tiger wept and wailed, "Why is this lord's fate so bitter? Captured by such a demon, when will I ever return to my tiger den to reunite with my first, second, third, fourth, and fifth tigress wives?!"