Li Xuanfeng Descends the Mountain

This feeling of being completely out of control made Master Tianji, who grasped heavenly secrets and saw through worldly affairs, feel a rare trace of unease.

He sighed softly, a hint of exhaustion and worry revealing itself in his eyes.

"The Patriarch's lifespan is nearing its end. He has already used secret arts to extend his life several times. If there is no Undying Divine Medicine to prolong his life this time, I am afraid he will not live to see the next alignment of the seven stars."

The Undying Divine Medicine had long vanished from the mortal realm for ten thousand years. The only faint glimmer of hope lay within the mysterious and unpredictable "Undying Secret Realm," which only opened after long epochs alongside the alignment of the seven stars.

The Seven Stars Secret Token was the key to that faint glimmer of hope.

"Battle Asura, Sword in White, Cyan Rakshasa..." Master Tianji softly chanted these names again, his fingertips lightly tapping in the void as he attempted to deduce their origins and backgrounds.

However, the result was exactly the same as when he tried to deduce the seventh secret token.

Their pasts were a chaotic blur, as if erased from the river of time by someone with supreme, mighty power. Their futures were heavily shrouded in fog, filled with countless variables and a terrifyingly majestic destiny that made one's heart palpitate—it was utterly impossible to pry into!

Their sect background was the greatest taboo in his deductions. Every time he tried to touch upon it, he would suffer a backlash, as if he were prying into some unspeakable, supreme existence.

"Alas, it is an eventful autumn. The shining of the stars is also an omen of chaotic times."

Master Tianji finally gave up on his deductions. He slowly stood up and looked into the distance.

"The Eastern Region has become the center of a vortex. Various heroes are rising together, dragons and snakes vying for supremacy. The ownership of the seventh secret token, along with the movements of those mysterious young geniuses, will perhaps be the key to stirring up the future's grand scheme."

"Our Tianji Pavilion must also make preparations early."

His figure slowly merged into the starlight, and a moment later, he appeared in a quiet room beneath the Star Observation Terrace, which was filled with stellar trajectories.

He pondered for a moment while looking at a floating astrolabe in the void that was constantly deducing and changing. Gathering starlight at his fingertips, he slowly tapped down.

"Om..."

Above the astrolabe, the area representing the Eastern Region burst into brilliant light. Inside, numerous stellar trajectories intertwined and collided. Amidst the chaos, there faintly emanated an indescribable order. Ultimately, all trajectories vaguely pointed toward a blurry yet crucially important node.

"The Eastern Region is indeed the eye of the storm. The gathering of the Seven Stars Secret Tokens is imminent, and the day the Undying Secret Realm opens is not far off. As for the ownership of the seventh secret token and those few variables like Battle Asura, someone must personally visit the scene to catch a glimpse of the true heavenly secrets and plan ahead."

Master Tianji's gaze was profound; he already had a decision in his heart.

He lightly flicked his sleeve, and the void in front of him rippled like water, revealing a solitary peak situated in the clouds and shrouded in endless starlight.

At the summit, a young man was sitting cross-legged.

He wore a star-patterned Daoist robe similar to Master Tianji's, but simpler. His face was handsome, and as his eyes opened and closed, it was as if billions of stars were born and destroyed within them. His temperament was ethereal and otherworldly, as if he had merged with the stars of the universe.

The aura around him was harmonious and natural. Shockingly, he had already reached the peak of the Celestial Realm, only one step away from stepping into the King Domain. This was precisely the Dao Child of this generation's Tianji Pavilion, Xinglan.

"Xinglan."

Master Tianji's voice passed through the void, sounding out calmly.

Xinglan slowly opened his eyes, the starlight within them retracting. He stood up and bowed respectfully toward the void, "Master."

"You have already sensed the situation in the Eastern Region." Master Tianji did not exchange pleasantries and spoke directly.

"Yes." Xinglan nodded. "The stars are restless, and the heavenly secrets are chaotic, especially in the Eastern Region. The Emperor Star faintly appears, the three stars of Sha Po Lang are acting abnormally, and there are many variables entangled, making it difficult to fathom."

"The Liuli Holy Land has been destroyed. Six of the Seven Stars Secret Tokens have appeared in the world, while the seventh is completely hidden. Furthermore, there are Battle Asura, Sword in White, and Cyan Rakshasa. Their backgrounds are a mystery, their destinies are majestic, and they are stirring up the winds and clouds. It seems there is an unfathomable power behind them obscuring the heavenly secrets."

Master Tianji briefly explained the situation. "The Undying Secret Realm concerns the grand matter of the Patriarch's life extension and allows for no mistakes. The Eastern Region has become a chessboard, and our Tianji Pavilion cannot merely be spectators."

Xinglan's expression remained calm. "Master's intention is for this disciple to enter the board?"

"Indeed." Master Tianji nodded. "There are three objectives for this trip:

"First, seek the whereabouts of the seventh secret token, or at least confirm its ownership. This matter concerns the opening of the secret realm and is of utmost importance."

"Second, keep an eye on the movements of Battle Asura and the other two. Get as close as possible to observe them and deduce their roots and motives. But remember, you may only observe from afar. Do not test them, and absolutely do not make enemies of them!

These three are heavily shrouded in mystery. Forcibly deducing them may invite backlash. The existences behind them are hard even for me to pry into; they are absolutely not ordinary."

"Third, watch calmly as things develop. Dragons and snakes are rising in the Eastern Region, and geniuses are vying for supremacy. This is the prelude to a great era. You must personally enter the world, temper your Dao heart amidst the myriad phenomena of the mortal realm, and verify what you have learned. Perhaps you can capture that sliver of an opportunity to break through your realm amidst the chaos."

Saying so, Master Tianji flicked his finger. That Tianji token, radiating the Daoist rhyme of the stars, turned into a streak of light, pierced through the void, and hovered in front of Xinglan.

At the same time, an ancient bronze compass and a starlight talisman descended.

"This is our pavilion's secret token; it can keep you safe."

"The Star Evolution Compass will help you deduce heavenly secrets and avoid danger."

"This 'Star Shift Talisman' contains the power of one of my strikes. It can tear through the void and help you escape ten thousand miles away. Do not use it lightly unless it is a matter of life and death."

Xinglan solemnly accepted the three treasures.

"This disciple will strictly obey Master's orders."

Xinglan bowed and replied. His eyes were calm and waveless, showing not the slightest fear or excitement, as if he had merely accepted an ordinary mission.

"Go."

Master Tianji waved his hand.

"Worldly affairs are like a game of chess, and the universe is unpredictable. Go and be the stone thrown into the lake, and see what kind of ripples you can stir up. Above all else, prioritize your own safety."

"Yes."

Xinglan bowed once more, turned around, and took a step forward. His figure vanished from the solitary peak.

In the next moment, he appeared in the sea of clouds on the outskirts of the Tianji Pavilion. He looked back at the magnificent pavilion that seemed to be forged from stars, the starlight in his eyes slightly flowing.

He did not immediately tear through the void to hurry on his way. Instead, his figure slowly descended. Like an ordinary traveling cultivator, he walked down the mountain step by step and blended into the vast sea of humanity.

Azure Cloud Peak, inside the Sect Master's quiet room.

Xuanyangzi was facing a flashing communication jade slip, his brows tightly furrowed.

News of the rising winds and surging clouds from all over the Eastern Region flowed through the jade slip. Every name represented a newborn force that could not be underestimated, stirring the waters of the Eastern Region to become increasingly muddy.

Right at this moment, the door to the quiet room was silently pushed open.

Xuanyangzi looked up and saw Li Xuanfeng standing quietly outside the door.

His aura was calm, and the spiritual energy around his body was harmonious and restrained. If one did not sense it carefully, they might even think he was just an ordinary Core Condensation Realm disciple, completely unable to see the majestic power of the early Celestial Realm, comparable to a King, hidden within his body.

"Master." Li Xuanfeng's voice was peaceful and steady.

"Xuanfeng? What is the matter?"

Xuanyangzi was somewhat surprised. Li Xuanfeng had the steadiest of temperaments and rarely sought him out on his own initiative.

Li Xuanfeng stepped into the quiet room, bowed respectfully, and after a brief moment of thought, spoke, "Master, this disciple has been cultivating recently and happened to gain some insights. My realm has advanced slightly."

Xuanyangzi's divine sense slightly shifted. He carefully probed for a moment, and his heart was instantly shocked.

Li Xuanfeng's cultivation had silently broken through to the early stage of the Heaven and Human Realm. Furthermore, the firmness of his foundation and the purity of his spiritual power far exceeded those of his peers in the same realm, yet he had concealed it all flawlessly.

"Excellent, such a solid foundation!"

Xuanyangzi suppressed the joy in his heart and nodded continuously. This was exactly what a disciple of his Qingxuan Sect should look like.

"Master, recently this disciple has heard that various prodigies are rising together in the Eastern Region, stirring the winds and clouds."

He paused, his voice earnest. "Although this disciple has devoted himself to cultivation within the sect, receiving the careful guidance of Master and Martial Uncle Gu, and never daring to slack off in techniques and spells, I believe my foundation is reasonably stable. However... cultivating behind closed doors all day ultimately leaves my horizons narrow. Reading ten thousand scrolls must eventually be followed by traveling ten thousand miles."

He looked at Xuanyangzi, his eyes clear and carrying a pure thirst for knowledge. "This disciple wishes to descend the mountain and travel for a time. It is not to fight for supremacy or to make a name for myself. I simply want to see with my own eyes the true bearing of the various prodigies in this golden age."

Xuanyangzi stroked his beard and pondered.

After a moment of thought, Xuanyangzi slowly nodded. "Hmm, what you say is not unreasonable. Cultivating behind closed doors is indeed not the best approach. Going out to see the world will also be beneficial to the cultivation of your Dao Heart."

His expression turned serious as he solemnly warned, "But remember! Unless absolutely necessary, you must never easily expose your background. In all things, prioritize caution and put your safety first! If anything feels wrong, retreat to the sect immediately without the slightest hesitation!"

"This disciple obeys Master's command! I will certainly maintain a low profile," Li Xuanfeng replied with a bow.