Chapter 164: All Kinds of Past Events, Venerable Yeqiong Striking

Chapter 164: The Dust of Former Days, the Poor Exalted Makes His Move

Memories of the past surged into his heart.

All the fragmented scenes passed through his mind once more.

“You are… the wooden hairpin?” Qi Yuan gazed at the tender girl.

Back then, after leaving Tianjue, he had carefully prepared a gift for Jinli.

Alas, by the July Lake, he never saw Jinli.

The two of them, at opposite ends of time and space.

It was the Moon Maiden who accompanied Qi Yuan, snow covering his shoulders, sharing the falling snow with him.

Later, he ventured alone to Dijue, and the Moon Maiden left the mark of the moon on his arm, while he gave her the hairpin, hoping she could pass it to Jinli, who existed in a future time.

“I am no wooden hairpin; I am Father’s daughter,” the High Priestess said, lifting her head stubbornly.

Qi Yuan looked at her, his heart filled with myriad emotions.

Everything, at this moment, connected.

He and Jinli had only communicated through Linglong Yuxi.

They had never met, but Qi Yuan could sense that she was merely an ordinary young girl.

He recalled the fragments of words he had heard in the Five Elements Forbidden Land.

Back then, the Great Sun had encountered a powerful foe, ultimately unable to prevail, and had exhausted nearly all means, only managing to wound that foe’s leg.

He had also heard Jinli speak of her embarrassing childhood moments—how she had tripped on flat ground during her coronation, and how her leg had been injured in her youth, never fully healing.

Thus, the powerful foe who fought the Great Sun back then was Jinli’s former self.

But later, why did she become the Moon Maiden, and then Jinli?

The High Priestess seemed to see the confusion in Qi Yuan’s eyes, and she spoke in a crisp voice: “Does Father wish to know Mother’s origins?”

“…Mm.” To be honest, Qi Yuan was somewhat reluctant to acknowledge this daughter.

After all, having a daughter appear out of nowhere, and one who had not yet severed the myriad ages, made his earlier bold words seem rather awkward.

But then he thought, having an extra daughter was better than inexplicably losing one, and so he accepted it in his heart.

In a certain sense, she truly was his daughter.

“Mother came from the Upper Realm,” the High Priestess said, looking up at the star-filled sky.

Qi Yuan too could not help but gaze at the myriad stars adorning the ancient Qizhun tree.

He thought of the Moon Goddess Yuanjun, and of the Moon Token left to him by his master.

“Back then, Mother, by order of the Moon Goddess Palace, descended to this realm to annihilate its master, the Great Sun.

She slew the Great Sun with ease, but fell into a trap set by the Black Demon Abyss.

The Black Demon Abyss, in the Upper Realm, is a power even greater than the Moon Goddess Palace, and has always been its enemy.

After killing her foe, Mother was caught in the cycle of reincarnation.

The Yin Deity of the Black Demon Abyss, before his fall, had set in motion a scheme—the Heaven Dog Devouring the Moon.

If it came to pass, Mother would perish utterly, unable to return to the Upper Realm.

Later, Mother, having lost all memories of her past, became the Moon Maiden and met Father.

Father ventured alone to Dijue, annihilated the Outer Realm Demons and the Great Sun, broke the Heaven Dog Devouring the Moon scheme, and saved Mother.” The High Priestess’s cherry-red lips were thin, her teeth like shattered jade.

Qi Yuan was silent, and after a long while said: “Later, it was she who awakened me?”

Jinli’s first reincarnation in this realm was called the Moon Maiden.

She left the mark of a crescent moon on Qi Yuan’s hand.

Back then, Qi Yuan fought the Outer Realm Demons alone, slew the Great Sun, and performed the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment.

In truth, his injuries were very, very severe.

It was the Moon Maiden who consumed the last of her divine spiritual power to heal his wounds.

Thus, when Qi Yuan awoke again, the Moon Maiden was no more in the world.

After an unknown span of slumber, Jinli appeared, having nearly become a mere mortal.

Without divine spiritual power, she could not even suppress the old wound on her leg left by the Great Sun.

The High Priestess looked at Qi Yuan, lifting her head: “Mother said that Father is very handsome.”

“Where is she now?” Qi Yuan could not help but ask.

“The battle between the Moon Goddess Palace and the Black Demon Abyss has reached a fever pitch.

After Mother’s cultivation was restored, she ascended to the Upper Realm through a teleportation array.

She left me here, because Mother believed that Father surely had not died.

One day, Mother will see Father!” The High Priestess’s starry eyes were full of smiles.

As if seeing you, seeing you.

Where had they ever missed each other? They had clearly met, only in the wrong time, not recognizing one another.

Qi Yuan looked up at the sky, at the stars scattered across it, his heart a tumult of thoughts.

Why… were they all in the heavens?

“Can I go to the Upper Realm through the teleportation array?” Qi Yuan asked.

The High Priestess fixed her gaze: “One must reach the Yin Deity realm to ascend to the Upper Realm through the teleportation array.”

In the Moon Dynasty, there was a teleportation array that could send some people to the lower realms of other Moon Goddess Yuanjun’s sects.

The sects there possessed arrays that allowed Yin Deities to ascend to the Upper Realm.

“Yin Deity… too far away,” Qi Yuan sighed.

He could slay a Yin Deity, but his current cultivation was merely at the Yuan Dan stage.

He still lacked the two great realms of Divine Infant and Purple Mansion to reach Yin Deity!

“What cultivation does Father have now?” The High Priestess stared at Qi Yuan’s face.

“I am very weak, just a mere Yuan Dan cultivator.”

“Yuan Dan?” The High Priestess was surprised. “That must be no ordinary Yuan Dan.”

Qi Yuan, in turn, looked at this daughter he had never met before: “You… what is your name?”

The High Priestess’s starry eyes held a smile, and she kept gazing at Qi Yuan: “Qi Jianjun.”

…

In the inn.

Dazhi Zhenjun yawned.

Jiang Ya sat to one side, earnestly studying the newly acquired techniques.

Xu Tongchen was intently studying the newly acquired "Suona Score," mastering its techniques.

The inn door swung open, and a gust of cold wind swept in, mingled with white foam.

Two figures, one large and one small, stepped into the inn.

The Great Wisdom True Lord glanced at Qi Yuan, his eyes gleaming with sagacity.

Jiang Ya fixed her gaze on the little girl, sensing an aura of menace.

A Yin God?

How could a being of the Yin God level arise on Wangyue Continent?

Was this not a realm where the Heavenly Dao was flawed?

And what was this Yin God doing, holding the Blood-Robed Sword God's hand...?

At that moment, Zhao Ci's eyes widened as he stared at the girl clasping the Blood-Robed Sword God's hand, his expression shifting from confusion to reverence.

"Greetings, High Priest!" Zhao Ci hurried forward, his eyes brimming with respect.

From the suona troupe, six or seven members stepped forward as well, bowing to Qi Jianjun.

Yet deep confusion lingered in their hearts.

Though the High Priest was not tall, she was known for her cold demeanor, rarely speaking with others, and always commanding authority.

When had she ever been so lively and endearing, like a little girl frolicking in an elder's embrace?

Qi Jianjun's eyes twinkled, a smug look on her face: "Father, see? Your daughter is still quite formidable."

Qi Yuan heard this but said nothing.

After all these years, without having dominated the ages alone, could that be called formidable?

He showed no reaction.

But Jiang Ya's eyes were wide with shock.

If before she could barely accept that the Blood-Robed Sword God had a Yin God as a Dao companion,

now... in less than half an hour, he had gained a Yin God daughter?

What was happening to this world?

"She's your daughter? How does the senior have a Yin God... daughter?" Jiang Ya's voice trembled.

"The senior has a Yin God wife and a Yin God daughter—that stands to reason," the Great Wisdom True Lord remarked.

Just then, Qi Jianjun's small hand pinched Qi Yuan: "Father, have you found me another stepmother?

Tell me, after I ascend to the upper realm, should I inform Mother about this?"

At these words, Jiang Ya was utterly baffled!

Wasn't this High Priest's mother that Yin God who had taken two steps into the heavens?

Or was she another Yin God from the upper realm?

This Blood-Robed Sword God... merely at the Purple Mansion stage, how could he have two Yin God Dao companions and a Yin God daughter?

The feeling was profoundly strange.

The Great Wisdom True Lord's eyes shone with wisdom: "The Blood-Robed Sword God senior is truly remarkable!

Originally, I merely proposed a plan—if the Blood-Robed Sword God found more Yin God Dao companions, he could become invincible under heaven. I never expected the senior had already begun implementing it!"

"Cough, cough..." Qi Yuan cleared his throat.

"The only pity is that time is too short for the Blood-Robed Sword God," the Great Wisdom True Lord lamented again.

After all, the threat of the Mara clan was imminent.

When would the Blood-Robed Sword God have time to find another wife?

Xu Tongchen and Jiang Ya, along with the others, snapped out of their shock, their faces etched with worry.

The Mara clan boasted two Yin Gods who had taken two steps into the heavens, and two more who had taken one step.

The Blood-Robed Sword God had slain the Mara Venerable; surely the Mara clan would seek revenge.

Their situation was still perilous.

"Within the Moon Dynasty, there is a teleportation array. If we cannot prevail, we can use it to flee to other worlds," Qi Jianjun's voice rang out crisp as a bell.

The Mara clan belonged to the Black Abyss lineage.

The Black Abyss and the Moon Palace had been locked in conflict.

Wangyue Continent, surrounded by the Black Abyss lineage, stood out as an anomaly.

"Since I have come, I will not leave. The Mara clan—I will deal with them personally," Qi Yuan declared.

In a few more days, he would fully reclaim the Heavenly Dao.

His power would reach a terrifying level.

"Could it be that the senior... you have other Yin God Dao companions?" Jiang Ya blurted out.

By now, she too had been led astray.

She simply could not fathom how the Blood-Robed Sword God could turn the tide. The only way, surely, was to summon his other Dao companions.

She looked at Qi Yuan with eager anticipation.

She had to admit, following the Blood-Robed Sword God to Wangyue Continent had broadened her horizons.

The Great Wisdom True Lord shook his head: "The senior said he would act personally, so it's definitely not about calling for backup.

The Blood-Robed Sword God senior is at the late Purple Mansion stage, immensely powerful, yet still unable to break the deadlock.

To personally slay a Yin God, there is only one possibility!"

"What possibility?" The others all turned to the Great Wisdom True Lord.

Even Qi Yuan looked at him with curiosity.

"I suspect that the Blood-Robed Sword God senior will shout to the sky: 'Future me, come save me!'

Then the future senior will appear and help the present senior overcome this calamity."

Jiang Ya was stunned, feeling her mind couldn't keep up.

"And if the senior has no future?" she whispered, casting a glance at Qi Yuan.

What she meant was: what if the Blood-Robed Sword God died in the Moon Dynasty?

The Great Wisdom True Lord looked at Jiang Ya: "Even if the senior cannot defeat the Mara clan, escaping with his life is still simple.

This time, he only needs to flee, lie low, and then a future will exist.

That future self might cross time and space to mend the regrets of the past."

The Great Wisdom True Lord's words left the musicians present utterly bewildered, as if they half-understood.

Qi Jianjun gazed at the Great Wisdom True Lord, a radiant smile in her eyes: "A very intriguing idea."

"Ah, speaking of this, I feel a touch of melancholy."

Years ago, I sent an invitation to my future self.

On that invitation, I wrote: If you, future me, do not come, I will die here.

But I sat in solitude for seven days, and the future me remained the future.

It seems... my cultivation in this life is limited, insufficient to tear through time and space.”

The Great Wisdom True Lord’s expression grew troubled, then he turned to the others.

“This method—never let it leak out.

I created it myself; it can test whether one’s future self can truly cross the river of time!”

Jiang Ya furrowed her brow.

For some reason, she felt the Great Wisdom True Lord’s words made sense.

Just then, Qi Jianjun chuckled: “Your idea is good, but... there is one problem.”

“Oh?” The Great Wisdom True Lord looked at the High Priest.

“First, any being strong enough to tear through time and space must have long ascended to the upper realm. Those in the upper realm have only one or two chances to descend in this life.

Second, you may not know... the living beings of this world have a past body and a present body, but no... future body.” As Qi Jianjun spoke, she glanced at Qi Yuan.

“No future body?” The Great Wisdom True Lord’s body stiffened, then fear crept in.

Even the Yang Gods have no future body? What does that mean?

Qi Yuan found this quite intriguing.

To be honest, this was the first time he had heard such knowledge.

His daughter knew so much.

He couldn’t help but ask: “I’ve actually had a doubt in my heart for a long time.”

“Father, please speak.”

“Why do the Mara Clan, the Wangyue Continent, and the Canglan Realm all use the same language?”

Even the same as Blue Star.

Logically, shouldn’t different races have different languages?

Blue Star, that tiny place, has thousands of languages.

Yet the vast Canglan Realm uses only one.

“All lands illuminated by the stars of the heavens speak the same language.” Qi Jianjun was surprised, never expecting Qi Yuan to ask such a question.

Qi Yuan froze. He reached out and caught a snowflake: “Then why doesn’t snow speak human speech?”

“...”

...

Three days later.

The Moon Dynasty, July Lake.

Qi Yuan sat by the lakeshore, watching the ever-expanding lake, his eyes filled with reminiscence.

He had finally come here.

By his side, not the Moon Maiden, but Qi Jianjun instead.

The two seemed carefree, as if fishing.

On a distant pavilion, a woman in white watched this scene, her expression unreadable.

“The Blood-Robed Sword God... is actually the Faceless Sword God.”

This was something she had never imagined.

The Faceless Sword God, in the history of the Wangyue Continent, belonged to the ancient era.

Yet now, he was still alive, and his cultivation seemed not even that of a Yin God.

This was very strange.

But strange as it was, against the Mara Clan, their Moon Dynasty still had no chance of victory.

After all, one Yin God of the Mara Clan had already reached the pinnacle of Step Two of Heaven-Treading.

One more step forward, and they would be a Step Three existence.

A powerhouse of that level could suppress the Moon Dynasty single-handedly.

“July, why don’t you persuade the High Priest to prepare early, so we can leave the Wangyue Continent?” the woman in white said.

What she wanted now was to leave this realm as soon as possible.

The July Priest had long been replaced many times. She gazed at Qi Yuan by the lake, her expression fervent: “The Faceless Sword God will surely save the Wangyue Continent again!

All who invade our Wangyue Continent shall fall!”

Hearing this answer, the woman in white couldn’t help but press her forehead.

She didn’t understand why the people of the Wangyue Continent had such blind faith in that Faceless Sword God.

Even if he had saved the world before, the facts were now clear—they couldn’t win.

Why such trust?

She was deeply puzzled.

She wanted to persuade the High Priest again, but in the end, she didn’t.

Because the fervor in the High Priest’s eyes was even more intense than that of others.

...

In the Canglan Realm, within the Heaven-Earth Cave.

A youthful voice rang out.

“The results are out. The Blood-Robed Sword God does not possess a Yin God artifact; instead, behind him stands a Yin God at Step Two of Heaven-Treading.”

“Step Two of Heaven-Treading?” The Passionate Venerable drew a sharp breath. “No wonder he dares to kill our subordinates at will and provoke us.”

“Such a strong man—this old man is fortunate not to have offended him,” an aged voice said.

“But he killed Mo Hui, thoroughly offending the Mara Clan.

Just now, the Mara Clan’s Mo Chen Venerable sent word.

It wishes to cooperate with us three to jointly slay the Blood-Robed Sword God and the Yin God behind him.” The youthful voice was flat, neither sad nor joyful.

“Step Two of Heaven-Treading... a conflict of this level—this old man’s bones are brittle; I’ll sit this one out.”

“Heh heh, Cloud-Gathering Venerable, are you afraid?” The Passionate Venerable laughed seductively.

“Mo Chen Venerable said we don’t have to face the Step Two Yin God behind the Blood-Robed Sword God directly.

We only need to capture the Blood-Robed Sword God alive and block the Moon Dynasty’s teleportation array—such trivial matters are easy for us.

Mo Chen Venerable also said that if this succeeds, a quarter of the Wangyue Continent’s territory will be divided among us.” The youthful voice carried a hint of greed.

"I will do this." The charming female voice chuckled softly.

"This matter... I, this old man, will not meddle." An aged voice sounded.

"Are you afraid of the Wind Lord?" A youthful voice carried contempt.

"It has nothing to do with the Wind Lord. It's just that I am old, and my courage has grown smaller instead." The aged voice sounded, with helplessness.

"Venerable Cloud-Gather, you may not go, but... before this matter is concluded, you must not inform the Wind Lord, nor anyone else!" The youthful voice carried a hint of threat.

"Fine, I will not meddle." The aged voice was quite helpless, and finally fell silent.

In the Heaven-Earth Cave, only the youthful voice and the charming female voice remained, seemingly discussing something.

After who knows how long, the youthful voice spread throughout the Heaven-Earth Cave.

"Send a message to the Water Cloud Palace, saying that their grievances with the Blood-Robe Alliance can be resolved at any time."

The Water Cloud Palace's Water Immortal Continent and the Jade Cloud Continent had always been hostile.

Some time ago, the Blood-Robe Alliance captured a Purple Mansion cultivator from the Water Cloud Palace, and friction had already arisen between the two.

Now, news came from the Moon-Watching Continent that Ling Jiao had offended the Blood-Robe Sword God and was killed by him.

The Water Cloud Palace was enraged; if not for the three Venerables above them and their fear of the Blood-Robe Sword God, they would have already invaded the Jade Cloud Continent in force.

Now, the two of them intended to cooperate with the Mara Clan to strike at the Blood-Robe Sword God, so they would go with the flow and do the Water Cloud Palace a favor.

Let them attack the Blood-Robe Alliance, cutting off the Blood-Robe Sword God's wings.

This matter was not important; it could be done casually.

"As you command!" In the Heaven-Earth Cave, a Purple Mansion cultivator's eyes flashed with sharp light.

The Blood-Robe Sword God's provocation of the Heaven-Earth Cave had long aroused their discontent.

"Let's go, to the Moon-Watching Continent." At this moment, Venerable Yeqiong also finally left the Heaven-Earth Cave, where he had slept for thousands of years.

In the Eastern Land territory, a long rainbow could be seen flying across.

All cultivators who saw that rainbow knew that a great event was about to happen!

(End of this chapter)