A short distance from where Qin Yi was hiding, a man and a woman were deep in conversation.
The woman wore the robes of a Mount Shu disciple, her appearance rugged, almost masculine, suggesting a hardy, middle-aged cultivator. The man, however, was clearly much younger, and his face was strikingly familiar to Qin Yi.
"Li Yuanli."
A cold glint sparked in Qin Yi's eyes, quickly followed by a smirk.
The young man was none other than the former King Yuanli, Li Yuanli. Ever since the punk had entered this world, the realm of The Legend of Sword and Fairy, Qin Yi had lost all contact with him. He'd tried to message him, but the signal was always blocked. After several failed attempts, Qin Yi had simply given up.
He never expected to run into him in such a small, unassuming city.
"Master, that fiend is too strong. We must return to Mount Shu for reinforcements. We can definitely subdue him with the Elders' help."
Li Yuanli spoke with intense seriousness, addressing the woman.
Qin Yi observed the woman closely. It was a surprise that this broad-shouldered, thick-waisted woman with rough features was actually Li Yuanli's master.
"Quite the luck of the draw, getting into Mount Shu," Qin Yi mused.
He decided against immediately revealing himself, staying concealed to observe the pair. Since Li Yuanli had blocked all contact, something was definitely afoot. Qin Yi was curious to see what scheme this former King was hatching.
In less than a minute, Qin Yi noted Li Yuanli's cultivation was already at the Seventh Realm, only one step behind his own. This gave him pause.
"This brat has more than a few tricks up his sleeve!"
As a former King, Li Yuanli naturally possessed deep secrets and unfathomable, powerful abilities. Unlike Qin Yi, Li Yuanli had likely spent his time traveling with his master, slaying demons and purging evil. With a King's innate abilities at work in such a life, his rate of advancement would naturally soar far beyond that of any ordinary person.
"Yuanli, I can no longer return to Mount Shu. Sect Lord Chang Hao expelled all female disciples. From that moment on, I ceased to be a Mount Shu disciple," the woman sighed, shaking her head with a bitter smile.
"But you are different. Your talent is exceptional. Six short years, and you've reached the Seventh Realm. Your future is far brighter than mine."
"That demon is formidable. I'm no match for him and am already badly injured. Your cultivation is also insufficient, you will not defeat him either. You must not act recklessly."
Li Yuanli's expression crumpled into sorrow. "Master, are we really going to let that fiend take junior sister away just like that?"
"I see your feelings for Ning Ya, but the two of you…" The woman trailed off, shaking her head with a long sigh. "It is truly not appropriate."
Li Yuanli burst into tears. "I won't give up! If I rescue Ning Ya this time, she'll definitely agree to marry me!"
Hearing this, Qin Yi, still hidden, was utterly dumbfounded.
This Li Yuanli was simply terrifyingly so! After arriving in a new world, he hadn't missed a beat in his pursuit of women, and, even more shockingly, he had targeted his own junior sister. What truly made Qin Yi's jaw drop was the master's next statement.
"Yuanli, you are a good man. Master is very fond of you. Now that I'm no longer a Mount Shu disciple, and can no longer be your master, the two of us could also make a good match and become a couple."
"Ning Ya is not your best choice." The woman's face was gentle as she spoke.
Qin Yi's mouth fell open, completely stunned.
A forbidden connection! He was witnessing a world-shattering, taboo relationship unfold!
Li Yuanli, terrifyingly so!!
"Master, we are not suitable! You are a perfect master and deserve a better man to cherish you. I'm merely a carefree rogue, I would only ruin your happiness!" Li Yuanli interrupted with righteous fervor.
The woman's lips trembled as if she wanted to speak, but in the end, she let out a profound sigh.
"The falling flower yearns, but the flowing water is unfeeling... alas."
Qin Yi could no longer bear the sight. Struggling to suppress a laugh, he stepped out from the shadows.
"Li Yuanli!"
He called out and materialized directly in front of the two.
The moment he saw Qin Yi, Li Yuanli was so shaken his pupils violently contracted. He pointed a trembling finger, unable to utter a word for a long, agonizing moment.
Just like Qin Yi, Li Yuanli had never expected to encounter his former Upper King here. After arriving, he had been thriving, his strength soaring like a rocket. His Life Source Talent, Memories from the Past, had proven so effective that it made him want to howl at the sky with excitement. Even more thrilling were the earth-shattering visions he'd accidentally stumbled upon.
Time and again, the visions brought immense enlightenment. Within Mount Shu, he'd seen fragmented cultivation insights left behind by past Sect Lords and Elders. After descending the mountain, he'd witnessed the paths walked by countless cultivators, grasping their wisdom.
For six years, his cultivation increased daily, filling him with an intoxicating sense of happiness. He even fantasized that, upon returning to the King's World, he would finally give Qin Yi a harsh lesson and completely reverse their standings.
Yet, here he was, face-to-face with Qin Yi.
"Y-y-y… it's you!"
"Call me Senior Martial Uncle. Are Mount Shu disciples truly this ill-mannered these days?" Qin Yi glanced sideways at Li Yuanli and said icily.
"Senior Martial Uncle?!" Li Yuanli was thunderstruck.
"Yuanli, do not be rude. This is the newly appointed Elder of Laws and Morals, Chang Yi. According to seniority, you must indeed address him as Senior Martial Uncle." The woman gently tugged Li Yuanli's sleeve as a reminder.
Li Yuanli's eyes bulged, he was completely and utterly stunned.
Damn it all! Qin Yi had joined Mount Shu too, and was somehow his Senior Martial Uncle? What kind of joke was this? He had clearly entered Mount Shu earlier than Qin Yi!
"Li Yuanli, what's wrong? You don't recognize your Senior Martial Uncle anymore?" Qin Yi barked, his voice sharp.
"Y-yes… Senior Martial Uncle!" Li Yuanli clenched his teeth. He wanted to resist, but in that moment, he realized he could not perceive Qin Yi's cultivation realm at all. A cold sweat instantly broke out across his entire body.
"This Junior Sister," Qin Yi said, ignoring Li Yuanli and turning to the woman. "I find his aptitude acceptable. I intend to take him in as a registered disciple. Would that be acceptable?"
"Sect Lord Chang Hao has decreed that I am no longer a Mount Shu disciple. If the Elder takes a liking to Yuanli, then it is naturally his good fortune," the woman replied dejectedly.
"Chang Hao expelled all female disciples? Truly absurd." Qin Yi paused for a moment, then shook his head lightly.
He knew something about the matters Chang Hao had caused after taking office. This twenty-fourth Sect Lord of Mount Shu, successor to Xu Zhangqing, was stubborn, conservative, and acted entirely on personal whim.
After taking the position, one of his first major acts was expelling Nangong Huang, who had been instrumental during the Mount Shu crisis. Later, due to his personal dislike of female disciples, he ordered that Mount Shu would no longer accept women and expelled all existing female disciples.
After that came the legendary Demon Prison Tower Incident.
Qin Yi also knew the other main protagonist of that incident: Jiang Qing.
Of course, these matters were beyond Qin Yi's control, nor would he comment further now. Chang Hao's ascension seemed mysterious and inevitable, perhaps predestined. Xu Zhangqing had considered him a possible Sect Lord candidate, but in the end, he missed the opportunity.
"Li Yuanli, come with me. This Senior Martial Uncle has something to discuss with you." Qin Yi's lips curved upward as he looked at Li Yuanli, his smile somewhat menacing.
Li Yuanli shuddered. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, and a strong sense of foreboding rose in his heart.
A few dozen steps later, Qin Yi walked ahead, with Li Yuanli following behind, his gaze flickering nervously.
Once they were completely out of earshot of the woman, a cold smile settled on the corner of Qin Yi's mouth.
"You've got a lot of nerve, Li Yuanli!"
Li Yuanli's forehead was drenched in sweat. He immediately clenched his right fist and slammed it hard against his left chest, shouting loudly,
"This royal subject is at fault, please punish me, Your Majesty! But I had a reason, truly!"
As he spoke, Qin Yi suddenly spun around. Two swords flashed within his pupils, and in an instant, a terrifying Sword Intent locked onto Li Yuanli, cutting off his words and causing his entire body to tremble.
"Were you too wrapped up in cultivation to break free? Or was chasing girls just too much fun, so you completely forgot about me, your Upper King?"
The icy words, coupled with that piercing, heaven-shocking Heavenly Sword Intent, filled Li Yuanli with shock and terror. He had never imagined this Upper King had already cultivated such a terrifying Sword Intent, one that even his own master was far inferior to.
"I, I, I didn't." Li Yuanli tried to defend himself.
"Hmph! Spare me the useless nonsense. I won't waste words with you. In these six years here, besides chasing your junior sister and enchanting that master of yours to the point of losing her senses, what valuable gains have you made?" Qin Yi snorted coldly and demanded in a deep voice.
Li Yuanli's eyes flickered. He finally breathed a sigh of relief, clearly, the other party still had a use for him. Taking a deep breath, he made up his mind.
This Upper King must be furious. If I can't produce something to satisfy him, I'm in for a difficult time.
'Damn it… this heaven-defying opportunity, I had planned to keep it for myself!'
Gritting his teeth, Li Yuanli moved closer to Qin Yi and spoke in a low voice right by his ear.
"Your Majesty, I truly did make a discovery. Do you remember my Life Source Talent: Memories from the Past?"
"Memories from the Past?" Qin Yi froze for a moment and stared at him.
"That's right. My talent allows me to see certain images and information from bygone time and space. Recently, I uncovered an enormous clue." Li Yuanli said quietly.
"Go on." Qin Yi narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't know much about Li Yuanli's talent, but he knew his own all too well, the power it gave during cultivation was practically like cheating.
"Do you know why I pursued that junior sister of mine, Ning Ya?" Li Yuanli said slyly.
"Heh. You chase girls and you need a reason? Wasn't it just thinking with your lower half?" Qin Yi sneered.
Li Yuanli's face instantly darkened. "Of course not! Through Ning Ya, I saw traces of the past. I learned that she is connected to a powerful Sect that has already vanished from history."
"Oh?" Qin Yi raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.
"This Sect was called the Magnificent Jasper Faction. It was once located in the Kunlun Mountains. In terms of scale and influence, it was likely no weaker than the Mount Shu Sect."
"If we follow this clue, we might obtain the Magnificent Jasper inheritance that vanished into history, and even…"
Taking a deep breath, Li Yuanli's expression became incomparably serious.
"…use it as a foundation to establish a new Sect in this realm. Going one step further, we could even create a Realm Gate projection!"
The moment he said this, Li Yuanli's heart was roaring in anguish. He didn't want to give it up; the torment made him want to howl at the heavens.
Damn it! This clue was something he had intended to use for himself! It was the greatest harvest of his arrival in this world, the most perfect path for advancement. If successful, it would truly be a leap to the heavens in a single step! And yet, it had been intercepted by Qin Yi!
He knew very well what the expression Qin Yi had shown earlier meant, the Upper King standing before him was already deeply dissatisfied.
After hearing Li Yuanli's words, Qin Yi was momentarily stunned, genuinely surprised.
After a long pause, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he lightly patted Li Yuanli on the shoulder.
"Well done!"
Li Yuanli's lips twitched. He wanted to cry, but no tears came.
"Then, take me to meet that junior sister of yours."
"I grant you permission to keep chasing her."
"Happy now?"
(End of Chapter)
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