Lin Xi walked out of the small courtyard. He didn’t get on a carriage again, instead, he waved his hand towards the inside of the carriage. Then, while holding the hand of Gao Yanan who walked out, he followed a small path, walking to Fort Heshan several li out.

The two of them were both dressed in ordinary clothes, strolling through the fields, looking no different from an ordinary pair of Yunqin sweethearts.

Lucky jumped out from within Lin Xi’s sleeves, following behind Lin Xi and Gao Yanan, bouncing happily within the underbrush.

There was a stupid small yellow dog who actually didn’t find Lucky all that scary, cheerfully running over.

Lucky was happy to play around with this small yellow dog. Then, even this small yellow dog was reluctant to part with Lin Xi and Gao Yanan.

After Thousand Leaf Pass’ distinguished meeting that was unprecedented in history, the entire world of cultivators seemed to have completely calmed.

The entire world of cultivators knew that Green Luan Academy’s legendary soul weapon Big Black had already been destroyed.

However, Ni Henian also died, Purgatory Mountain Patriarch also died.

Ten years before Yunqin was established, when Principal Zhang first brought Big Black into Central Continent City, this world still didn’t have Sacred Master level existences. However, more than sixty years after, because of his appearance, several Sacred Masters appeared in this world, and then came to an end following Big Black’s disappearance.

There were already no Sacred Masters left in the world of cultivators, especially those like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch who could use a portion of Sacred Master level power.

After Thousand Leaf Pass, the cultivators of the world all seemed to have come to a tacit agreement. If they disregarded Lin Xi, then the most powerful cultivator right now would instead be Yunqin’s tender faced genius Sacred Expert Nangong Weiyang.

In Thousand Leaf Pass, Lin Xi became a true Divine General.

No one dared try and kill him anymore. Similarly, there were no other cultivators opposed to him who dared fight against Nangong Weiyang.

This was the age of Lin Xi and his friends. Just like many years ago after the battle of Meteor City, just like Principal Zhang’s age, the entire world was more peaceful than any other time.

Fort Heshan was previously lost during Yunqin’s southern expedition. This was one of the places in South Tomb Province’s north where the battles were most intense when Thousand Sunset Mountain was abandoned. Ten thousand border army soldiers who were withdrawing from Thousand Sunset Border Pass, in a situation where they didn’t receive any replenishments in supplies, were in charge of holding up the rear for Yunqin’s forces. After fighting against the pursuing Great Mang troops for three days in succession, all of them ultimately perished.

In this world of cold weaponry with formidable military equipment, three continuous days of battle was already something incomparably bitter.

This Fort Heshan that was built in a valley between two hills was now already in complete ruins. The various structures of the past, even if it were the cave towers, had already collapsed. The tallest ruins were not more than a single story in height. However, even this type of place that had previously experienced this type of bitter battle had now already become extremely calm.

Golden colored wild chrysanthemums grew along the hills to the sides. Some broken arrows were scattered within the wild flowers and weeds, looking no different from some dried-up shrubbery.

The heavy marks left behind wherever large scale military equipment passed had already completely disappeared. The past barracks and fortifications had already completely become pastureland. The fort’s walls and building ruins were just like collapsed mines and rubble. After a rain filled season, all of the bloodiness had already been washed away, a thick layer of moss growing over everything.

An old locust tree scorched by the flames of war produced new branches. Even though under the autumn winds, the new greenery already turned into fallen yellow leaves, just the thin and craggy branches that grew from the slightly scorched trunk already gave off a feeling of new life.

Underneath this locust tree sat a beautiful woman.

Qin Xiyue was always extremely beautiful, shockingly beautiful even when she became angry.

Even Nightingale had previously said that Qin Xiyue was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen in Central Continent City.

After experiencing the baptism of war, as well as an increase in cultivation, right now, in this peaceful valley, she was even more like that rainbow in Thousand Leaf Pass, possessing the beauty of new life.

Some people’s beauty would always make one feel as if something was missing, or that they bore similarities with other people. That was because they wouldn’t persist with their truest selves, but instead become someone others wished for, in the end becoming like someone else.

Qin Xiyue had always been true to herself. That was why only a beauty that was unique and natural was truly a bright flower.

Lin Xi and Gao Yanan walked up to her side, and then also sat down.

“What made you suddenly decide to pay this place a visit by yourself?” The similarly extremely beautiful Gao Yanan smiled while asking Qin Xiyue.

“I just wanted to wander about peacefully alone for a bit, and then take some time to think about my own matters.” Qin Xiyue also smiled, and then said quietly, “In the past, I never had much time to properly think through my own matters, always worrying about fighting, about cultivation, seizing every second of time to increase my own strength a bit. Now, I finally have a lot of time to squander away.”

Lin Xi also smiled.

He understood Qin Xiyue’s emotions extremely well, because this was also how he and all of these academy youngsters felt.

After the death of a great enemy like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, even if there were still some cultivators left in this world who were stronger than them, there was already no need for them to immediately pursue these enemies, no need for them to seize every second in accumulating power to deal with them.

“Zhang Ping has sent back news from Purgatory Mountain as well.” Lin Xi knew that Qin Xiyue didn’t need any deliberate concealment, so he said in an extremely natural manner, “We have prevailed over Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, he has also prevailed over that Purgatory Mountain Great Elder… He wants to see you.”

Qin Xiyue turned around to look at Lin Xi, quietly saying, “He should know that regardless of whether we won over Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, his situation would become extremely dangerous. I originally thought that he would first leave Purgatory Mountain. After all, he has the identity of a Great Elder, so there is a high chance of success if he tried to run back to Yunqin… I thought that I would have seen him in Yunqin soon, but didn’t expect him to stay behind in Purgatory Mountain.”

Lin Xi and Gao Yanan only listened quietly, because they knew that this was something Qin Xiyue needed to think about here to begin with.

“Then this means that Purgatory Mountain is already under his control?” Qin Xiyue didn’t stop at all either. She raised her head slightly, looking towards the azure colored sky. “In that case, if he wishes to meet with me, then he has to come to Yunqin to see me, and not me heading over to Purgatory Mountain to meet him.”

Lin Xi nodded.

He understood Qin Xiyue’s intentions, that Zhang Ping had to return to Yunqin if he wanted to meet her.

For Zhang Ping to be able to prevail over that Great Elder who watched over Purgatory Mountain and control Purgatory Mountain, this means that he already possesses extraordinary strength. Zhang Ping could serve as Purgatory Mountain’s Patriarch and always remain in Purgatory Mountain, or he could choose to be a Green Luan Academy student and return to Yunqin. Judging from Zhang Ping’s choice, his attitude could be seen. They would be able to tell if he was still the past Zhang Ping, or if he already changed.

This was an extremely rational way of thinking, but this type of rationality made Lin Xi somewhat at a loss for words.

Qin Xiyue didn’t need to look at Lin Xi to know what he was thinking. She continued to say quietly, “I obviously know that he likes me. Just like you, I agreed to trust him. However, everything he has done, was it really for the academy or for me, or for some other reason? I need time to differentiate between everything. The thoughts within anyone’s heart cannot be decided by others through guessing. Also, just like how Leng Qiuyu accepted Li Kaiyun, to accept and like someone, one needs time and some heart stirring moments. I cannot promise him anything, I could only say that we will talk after meeting again. Perhaps after he comes back, I still might not have any special feelings for him, perhaps he has already changed greatly from before and the instant I see him, my heart will be moved. These are all unknown things.”

Gao Yanan and Lin Xi both understood Qin Xiyue’s intentions even more clearly.

“Emotions, this type of thing, is something two-sided.” Gao Yanan held her hand. “It is fine as long as you have thought things through yourself.”

“Those Purgatory Mountain high hatted pretentious Divine Adjudicators look like Man Chou-chous to me

[1]

. Rumor has it that there are volcanoes everywhere, smoke covering everything. I would only spend a few days in that type of place at most. After a few days, I’ll definitely find it extremely uninteresting, not wish to stay for even a day longer.” Lin Xi laughed and said, “How could that type of place compare to watching the flowers with you here? He will definitely be more than eager to run over.”

“Who is Wen Chouchou?” Qin Xiyue also began to laugh.

Lin Xi laughed and said, “If you just picture the most sissy-like Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicator, then it’s about the same.”

Qin Xiyue thought for a bit, laughed, and then looked at Lin Xi and asked, “How did your talk with the Imperial Princess go?”

Lin Xi said, “She has agreed to become Yunqin’s Empress.”

Qin Xiyue’s brows furrowed slightly. Even though she had made some mental preparations, she still felt like Lin Xi’s words were too shocking.

“Even she already feels complete despair towards Yunqin Emperor.” She thought for a bit and said quietly, “Yunqin Emperor possesses True Dragon Mountain, he will definitely not concede the throne. Moreover, during last year’s Autumn Sacrifice, Wen Xuanshu instead helped him, allowed him to further establish his identity as the sacred son of heaven… Right now, his greatest backing isn’t True Dragon Mountain, but rather that he is the son of the late emperor, that he is the son of heaven appointed over Yunqin’s people.”

“Trying to change something that has already assimilated into their very bloodlines for endless years is indeed quite difficult. Just like how I have no way of changing some of Liu Xueqing’s beliefs, Yunqin indeed has countless people like Liu Xueqing.” Lin Xi’s face still didn’t have much of a solemn expression, still smiling as he said, “Only, once I break through into the sacred level, I can uncover him at any time.”

“When I think about how there is an emperor waiting for me to beat up, how I can cultivate freely,  don’t need to be in a rush to do anything… The air around me truly is fresh, this world truly is beautiful.” Lin Xi stretched out his body, putting on an ‘extremely second’ expression.

Qin Xiyue couldn’t help but shoot him a look as well. However, from his mischievous tone, she also heard a bit of confidence, so as such, she couldn’t help but ask with a bit of a surprise, “Don’t tell me you are already not far from the sacred level?”

“The battles against the Sea Fiend King and Purgatory Mountain Patriarch have brought me many benefits.”

Lin Xi became serious and said, “The more one experiences this type of pressure from powerful opponents, the more it pushes a cultivator forward. Just during the final Big Black explosion alone… I already died an unknown number of times. My speed of cultivation will definitely be a bit faster than all of you.”

“From the very beginning, Nangong Weiyang predicted that I wouldn’t need ten years to break into the Sacred Expert level. Now, another year is about to pass… Of course, using just two or three years to truly break through to the Sacred Expert level isn’t too realistic, but you all should not forget that I cultivated Devil Transformation. Once I cultivate to the peak of State Master level, to a state where Devil Transformation brings me strength close to the Sacred Expert level, it shouldn’t take too long.” However, after he had just finished saying this, Lin Xi went from a serious tone to a somewhat indecent tone. “At that time, I can just directly give the emperor a beating.”

This time, Qin Xiyue actually didn’t express any disdain, instead, she looked at him and said, “You forgot to say that the biggest thing you have at your disposal isn’t Devil Transformation, but your Divine General identity, right?”

Lin Xi began to laugh in an embarrassed manner. “That might be the case.”

1. A fictional character from a Hongkong comic who serves as the assistant of a dictator, someone who excels at flattery and understands survival of the fittest best. If he says something wrong, then the dictator will erupt with killing intent

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