Xiao An gently carried Li Qingshan in her arms and suddenly looked back. A streak of silver light appeared. The Silver Dragon King ripped through the surging demon qi and projected a silver column of light nearby.
“Fellow Xiao An, please board the ship for a conversation!” The King of Southern Yue invited her.
Xiao An considered it before stepping into the silver column with Li Qingshan. She rose up slowly and boarded the Silver Dragon King. A Puppet King led the way for her, bringing her to the bridge of the ship.
The Great Banyan Tree King, the King of Southern Yue, Ye Duanhai, and Ye Weiyang all stood up to receive her. They bowed and expressed their respect.
In the cultivation community, cultivation and strength was everything. After Li Qingshan and Xiao An underwent the third heavenly tribulation together and demonstrated terrifying strength and immeasurable potential, their status in their eyes had already become worlds apart.
The Great Banyan Tree King asked, “Qingshan is fine, right?”
“Thank you for your concern, senior. He’s just sleeping.” Xiao An tidied her clothes and bowed before telling everyone, “Thank you for saving us. Please do not disclose what happened today.”
Whether it was her Samādhi Flames of White Bone or Qiongqi’s descent, it would lead to unimaginable trouble once news made it out. If it only led to some buddhist or righteous path cultivators coming for them to purge demons, then that would be fine, but if it raised the attention of certain existences beyond the heavens, then the small trouble would become big trouble.
“That goes without saying!” everyone said together. After witnessing today’s battle, who still wanted to offend them?
The King of Southern Yue gazed at this woman who possessed unrivalled beauty and lamented inside. He felt a hint of regret. He should have sown a seed of good will in the past. Even without Xiao An, just Li Qingshan alone always repaid his debts and was extremely worth befriending. If he could obtain their assistance, it was even better than having another ten honoured guests. The King of Chu’s estate of the Green province would no longer be a problem.
However, who would have thought that in a measly decade or two, they would rise up to the peak of the nine provinces, standing beside the kings, even looking down on most of them.
In the past, many people even thought that Li Qingshan’s title as the King of Savages was undeserved, yet now, calling him the king of the south would only be an insult. Even the entire nine provinces could not compare to the vast Demon domain he had just given up. In a small chat, he had agreed to a promise of five hundred years with a god. Even if he actually lost five hundred years later, he would still be one of the few, prominent figures of the Demon domain. He could determine the fate of a world like this with a single order.
Compared to that, the feud between the Mist province and the Green province seemed insignificant, something not worth mentioning.
He admired the Great Banyan Tree King’s wisdom and insight even more because of this. Originally, he was quite perplexed by why the Great Banyan Tree King would pay special attention to a junior like him, even referring to him as fellow. As it seemed it basically led to endless benefits.
Li Qingshan snored away. Xiao An had adjusted her method of cultivation slightly, such that she did not come off as completely unfeeling anymore, but she was still quiet and nonchalant. She did not have too much to say to the people around her. The reason why she boarded the Silver Dragon King was to handle the situation. She did not want her attitude to lead to unnecessary trouble.
The King of Southern Yue and everyone else had yet to calm down either. They were not in the mood to talk. It was not because their mental fortitude was insufficient, but because they were stunned by the outside world as frogs in a well. They gained a new understanding to their paths of cultivation.
“Where are you going? I’ll send you off!”
“Thank you. Fire Melt mountain,” Xiao An said quietly, but she did think of some things, This is the King of Chu’s estate’s greatest enemy. I wonder if I can claim his life here with a stroke of my sword.
In the past, she would never think of something like that. There was even no distinction between the King of Southern Yue and the Fierce King of Chu in her eyes. However, there was a fundamental change now. Her past memories and experiences were no longer completely meaningless, but she had no idea whether this was good or bad. Was she following the same path that the White Bone Bodhisattva had once taken, or was she going off in the wrong direction with the Path of White Bone and Great Beauty? Everything required time to certify.
Of course, it was only a thought. She would never risk Li Qingshan’s life, nor did she believe she was obligated to participate in this feud.
At this moment, the Asura Field in Li Qingshan’s clothes began to tremble. Gong Yuan had run out of patience in there.
Xiao An opened the Asura Field and let Gong Yuan out.
Gong Yuan had already tidied herself up, recovering her cold, noble demeanour. She glanced at Li Qingshan deeply with her deep-blue eyes before looking away. Then she greeted everyone else one by one.
She had been in the Asura Field, but she had made Yin Qing pay attention to the outside situation the entire time, so she had an idea about everything that had happened. She even understood things that everyone else did not understand, such as how a certain consciousness from the Asura realm had once invited Li Qingshan to participate.
Ye Weiyang gazed at Gong Yuan meaningfully and smiled. “What sharp eyes, sister. You caught yourself a great husband!”
Gong Yuan glanced at Ye Weiyang coldly and said to Xiao An, “When he wakes up, tell him to pay a visit to the South sea.” Then she disembarked from the Silver Dragon King. She did not even take back the Heart of the Abyss.
The Silver Dragon King stopped above Fire Melt mountain, and Xiao An bade farewell with Li Qingshan in her arms.
The King of Southern Yue said, “When fellow Qingshan wakes up, please invite him to a hearty drink in the Mist capital.” Then he gave an invitation to the Shadow Queen as well.
Ye Duanhai also spoke up, but he was not inviting Li Qingshan, but Xiao An. “Fellow, your path of the sword is completely unheard of. If the opportunity ever arises, I would like some guidance from you.”
“I will pass on those messages. Though, please forgive me, pavilion master Ye. I’m not a sword cultivator, and I have no guidance to give.”
Ye Duanhai said nothing more. Paths of the sword were like cultivation methods. They were not freely taught or passed on to others. He had only said that because he was unable to hold back his curiosity. If that did not work out, then so be it. He was not exactly displeased. After all, he did not even have a hint of confidence in emerging victoriously against her right now, so what could he do even if he felt displeased?
Xiao An nodded in farewell and landed on the divine wutong tree on the main peak of Fire Melt mountain with Li Qingshan. Then they entered the phoenix’s nest.
A tiny figure rushed over and hugged Li Qingshan firmly. He sobbed and said, “First father, you’re finally back! Just take me away! I can’t stay here for any longer. Second father is just not human! Answer me, first father. What’s wrong with you, first father? You can’t die! If you die, what’ll happen to me?”
“Li Fengyuan!” Feng Xiwu let out a furious roar and grabbed the little phoenix by the back of his neck, lifting him away. His bearing as a gentleman had been mostly worn away by now. Only after this period of arduous education did he realise how adorable the phoenix’s embryo had been.
In the past, when Li Qingshan was still around, he would directly give him a kick if he heard anything wrong come out of him. The child’s vitality was startlingly powerful anyway. Normal scuffs and scratches were nothing. Feng Xiwu had even thought that method of education was too violent, so he regularly stopped Li Qingshan. By now, he was almost at the verge of using violence too.
They all said that naughty children were difficult to discipline, so a “phoenix child” with great strength and a sharp mind was basically a nightmare to fathers. Little did he know that the little phoenix would rather eat a few kicks from Li Qingshan than listen to Feng Xiwu’s tirades, so he really was moved when he saw Li Qingshan again.
Feng Xiwu saw Li Qingshan, but it was as if he had run into his mortal enemy. “Li Qingshan, it’s all because of you! Stop fake-sleeping! Hmm? This aura! You’ve undergone the tribulation!?”
