About half an hour later,
Li Zhexian rode atop the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, heading toward the Star Dou Great Forest together with Di Tian, Da Ming, and Er Ming.
Considering the matter of strength,
in the end, only Qian Renxue accompanied him.
A mass of drifting clouds swept across the sky; in mere moments, they had already traveled hundreds of miles.
At that moment, a thought suddenly stirred in Li Zhexian's mind.
"Senior Di Tian, please wait a moment. I'll be right back."
Before the words had even faded,
he had already transformed into a streak of sword light, descending toward a frontier town below.
Seeing this, Qian Renxue immediately spread her wings and followed.
...
In Li Family Village, the annual Martial Soul awakening ceremony was underway.
"Line up properly, one at a time!" the Spirit Master in charge shouted loudly.
Seeing the children ahead leave dejected due to poor-quality Martial Souls, the Li couple in the crowd grew increasingly anxious.
"Xiao Hu, don't… don't be nervous," the woman said, clutching Xiao Hu's hand, her voice dry.
"Just stay calm. It's best if you awaken a Martial Soul, and if not, then—"
"I will definitely awaken a sword Martial Soul!"
Xiao Hu's young face was full of determination.
"I promised Brother Li Chen—after awakening a Sword Martial Soul, I'll go find him!"
The couple was about to speak—
when a call came from the platform.
"Next."
Xiao Hu took a deep breath and stepped forward.
At the instant he approached the Awakening Stone Formation—
His vision suddenly blurred.
Beside the Spirit Master—
A white-robed youth appeared out of thin air.
His appearance came without warning, yet his bearing was perfectly natural and harmonious, as though fused with heaven and earth themselves, causing no disturbance whatsoever.
Xiao Hu, the Li couple, and the villagers only felt that the youth looked somewhat familiar, yet could not recall where they had seen him.
"I'll handle his awakening," the youth said gently.
"You…"
The Spirit Master examined the young man carefully.
First came confusion—
then his eyes suddenly widened, his voice trembling with excitement:
"L-Lord…Lord Sword Wine!!!"
He served under the Heaven Dou Empire.
Since the war between Heaven Dou and the Spirit Empire began,
all villages and towns under imperial jurisdiction had their awakenings handled by designated imperial Spirit Masters.
He had once traveled to the Heaven Dou imperial capital on official business.
There, he had personally seen the young god's statue—enshrined day and night amid curling sandalwood incense.
"L-Lord…Lord Sword Wine!!!"
At first, the villagers were bewildered.
The next moment—
the old village chief reacted first, dropping to his knees with a trembling body.
Like wheat blown down by the wind,
the villagers knelt en masse.
Dark figures instantly filled the open space of the village.
To a remote village like Li Family Village, a Titled Douluo was already a legendary figure—let alone someone whose body had been gilded in statues and worshiped with incense in countless homes.
And now,
a god truly stood before them.
Aside from kneeling in reverence,
they could think of no other way to express their awe.
"Everyone, please rise quickly," Li Zhexian said, waving his sleeve.
A gentle force lifted the villagers to their feet.
He rubbed Xiao Hu's head, then turned toward the stunned Li couple, clasping his hands with a warm smile:
"Uncle, Auntie, it's been a long time. Back then, Back then, I was deeply indebted to your care. I've always remembered it with gratitude."
"You are…?"
The Li couple froze where they stood. Their throats bobbed stiffly, this address stirring a thought they dared not dwell upon.
Xiao Hu had none of these complicated thoughts. His eyes lit up instantly, and he shouted excitedly:
"You're Brother Li Chen!"
Li Zhexian smiled and nodded.
"Xiao Hu, steady your breathing and focus."
As his words fell, a warm sword light bloomed at his fingertip and gently touched Xiao Hu's forehead.
The sword light wrapped around him.
The innate secret buried deep within Xiao Hu's spiritual platform was perfectly awakened.
A longsword radiating a light, agile aura condensed from the void, hovering before Xiao Hu.
The smile at Li Zhexian's lips deepened.
He couldn't help but marvel once again at the wonder of fate.
"Innate Spirit Power: level 7. Martial Soul: 'Light-Agile Sword.'"
"Xiao Hu, your future path holds great potential."
He turned to the still-dazed Li couple and spoke earnestly:
"Uncle, Auntie—take Xiao Hu to Heaven Dou City. When you arrive, someone will naturally receive you and make proper arrangements."
"Xiao Hu's talent is outstanding and best suited to the Wind Sword Sect. I'll inform Senior Feng Bailong and have him accept Xiao Hu into the sect for cultivation."
"Right now, I have important matters to attend to, so I cannot personally escort you back."
With that said, his gaze shifted to the Spirit Master nearby.
"I'll have to trouble this—"
The Spirit Master hurriedly stepped forward, his tone filled with barely restrained reverence.
"Please rest assured, Lord Sword Wine!"
"I will personally ensure that… the two elders are safely escorted to Heaven Dou City!"
"Much obliged."
Li Zhexian gave the Li couple a final, gentle nod, then patted Xiao Hu's head once more.
He then exchanged a glance with Qian Renxue.
Amid the villagers' devout cries,
their figures shifted from solid to ethereal, gradually fading from sight.
...
"Zhexian, that family just now…"
On the way back up into the clouds,
Qian Renxue asked curiously.
"They were kind people I met while tempering my heart in the mortal world,"
Li Zhexian replied.
"Without them…"
"I might not have been able to rediscover my true heart so quickly."
Hearing this, a trace of lingering fear flashed through Qian Renxue's golden eyes, and she instinctively drew closer to him.
"Then they truly deserve proper thanks."
"When everything here is settled, I'll go with you to visit them and repay that kindness."
"Alright."
Returning to the clouds, Li Zhexian smiled at Di Tian.
"Senior, let's go."
Di Tian gave a slight nod.
A trace of something unusual flickered within his dark-gold eyes.
This youth before him possessed heaven-defying cultivation, yet still held fast to gratitude toward ordinary mortals.
Such a pure, childlike heart was exceedingly rare among those who stood at the pinnacle.
...
In less than half a day, the boundless sea of forests came into view.
As Li Zhexian stepped into the undreground palace beneath the Lake of Life,
this time, Da Ming and Er Ming finally caught a glimpse of the forest's true mystery.
Even with Li Zhexian's current realm,
the sight of this underground world—like a divine sanctuary—caused a flicker of surprise to cross his face.
When Da Ming and Er Ming saw the five terrifying beastly silhouettes soaking in the viscous primordial energy of heaven and earth,
their beastly pupils widened in shock.
The next instant,
catching sight of the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger's mocking gaze,
the two beasts strode forward—
bang, bang—
and punched it twice.
Young man..." Di Tian looked toward the deepest part of the underground palace, his low voice carrying reverence.
"My lord is waiting for you."
"Alright."
Li Zhexian gave Qian Renxue a reassuring smile when he saw the worry on her face.
Then, he stepped toward the depths of the palace.
Within his spiritual sea, Skydream exclaimed in astonishment:
"The Beast God Di Tian's lord?"
"Even I'm curious what kind of existence that is!"
"Could it really be stronger than Brother Zhexian?"
The Ice Empress and Snow Empress exchanged glances, intrigue appearing on their exquisitely beautiful faces as well.
Tap—tap—
Soft footsteps echoed through the deep underground palace.
Li Zhexian walked with unhurried composure,
advancing steadily toward the innermost chamber.
The farther he went,
the denser and purer the primordial energy of heaven and earth became.
A refined, elegant fragrance gradually filled the air.
When he finally stepped onto a raised slope,
the scene before him caused his eyes to narrow slightly.
A thousand-meter-long silver dragon lay coiled within a dragon's nest paved with heavenly treasures.
Her body was covered in diamond-shaped silver scales, each bearing four sharp ridgelines at its center. Her massive wings shimmered with a crystal-clear, glasslike radiance.
Seven-colored elemental energy gathered above her draconic head, forming an imperial crown that emanated indescribable majesty.
"Huff…"
"Huff…"
Each breath she took drew tides of seven-colored energy, and every stray wisp of her aura rivaled the full-force strike of a peerless powerhouse.
As if sensing something,
her closed dragon eyes trembled slightly.
Then—
her eyelids slowly lifted.
A pair of amethyst-like draconic pupils met Li Zhexian's gaze in silent stillness.
..
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