Chapter 1679: Shelter of a Great Tree

Li Yan’s original plan for the lower realm was to convince Zhao Min and the others to accept Mu Guyue and Mu Sha, then use the ascension node provided by Su Hong to take everyone to the North Pastoral Realm. Once there, he would wait for Elder Hao or Elder Tang to emerge, after which Zhao Min and the two other women would stay with the Broken Army Sect to cultivate since their levels were too low.

Then, he would arrange for Zi Kun to go to the Sky-Demon Prairie, while he and Elder Hao escorted Mu Guyue and Mu Sha. Afterward, he would return to the lower realm to assist the Soul Suppression Palace with their investigation. Once all that was settled, he would find an excuse to seek out the Gui Water Immortal Sect alone!

But the situation was now vastly different. Though there was still much to do, at least he had his master, Dong Fuyi, to help him.

The most urgent matter was to help Bai Rou refine the True Essence Pill to stabilize her mind. He could do this himself and didn’t need to trouble Dong Fuyi. Furthermore, he had to deal with the fallout of the disaster he had brought upon the Malevolent Spirit Sect. Although he and his master would begin erasing traces, there might still be subsequent trouble. From what the two beasts encountered in the North Ice Continent, it seemed some people had already left the Desolate Moon Continent for other places. Others might return later to confirm the news.

“Master, we will begin modifying the disciples’ memories in three months. I will use this time to help Senior Sister Bai refine the pill!” Bai Rou’s mind was very fragile; Li Yan had to proceed slowly, which would take time.

Dong Fuyi nodded. While he could do it faster, Li Yan likely felt more at ease doing it personally. This way, Li Yan could feel the girl’s mind stabilizing day by day.

“Very well, I will guard you from the shadows!” Dong Fuyi had finally found his disciple and was willing to satisfy his requests as much as possible. Truth be told, he didn’t care much for the Malevolent Spirit Sect; as far as he was concerned, Li Yan could just take his family and leave. From then on, Li Yan would be under his protection, with no further connection to the sect. But he went along with Li Yan’s wishes.

By the time they finished talking, it was the early hours of the morning, shortly before dawn. The two of them quietly left the room and lifted the seal on Zhao Min and the others. The three women were entirely unaware, still sitting in meditation.

On a secluded peak of Little Bamboo Peak, Dong Fuyi and Li Yan appeared in the night. Looking at the massive full moon, Li Yan couldn’t help but sigh. The moon was the same as it was when he was a child, but so much had changed. Every blade of grass and tree on Little Bamboo Peak triggered a flurry of memories…

Dong Fuyi had mentioned he wanted to understand Li Yan’s current cultivation—this was something a master had to know upon finding their disciple. Seeing Li Yan staring blankly at the moon, Dong Fuyi also felt a sense of melancholy. Time was equally heartless to them. They possessed unparalleled memories, and the passage of time only made them feel like everything was aging while their memories remained vivid.

One day, if they couldn’t break through the final shackles, they too would enter the cycle of reincarnation. The youth before him was no longer immature, yet in his memory, he was still that wide-eyed, ignorant boy who gritted his teeth and practiced a “martial art” that caused him immense pain just to earn a few extra silver coins every month…

Dong Fuyi began to ask about Li Yan’s cultivation, and Li Yan took the opportunity to ask about his own doubts. He had been teaching himself throughout his journey, and there were many things he didn’t fully grasp. He had to rely on slow polishing to figure things out.

Dong Fuyi answered every question in detail. As the conversation progressed, Dong Fuyi’s initial guilt-driven desire to guide his disciple turned into surprise and eventually shock. Li Yan’s understanding of the Gui Water Immortal Sect’s techniques had reached a level that even he found surprising; it was as if he had been personally teaching the boy all along.

Furthermore, Li Yan had integrated the Gui Water techniques with the Malevolent Spirit Sect’s Limb-Severing Poison Body, producing effects that even Dong Fuyi found bizarre. Even more shocking was the power of Li Yan’s body tempering, which was not inferior to his Gui Water techniques. Li Yan could carve a path through his peers using body tempering alone. This meant Li Yan’s Dual Dharma-Body Cultivation didn’t have a primary or secondary focus; both were indispensable.

Li Yan’s path had diverged significantly from the traditional disciples of the Five Immortals Sect. What Dong Fuyi didn’t know was that Li Yan hadn’t yet mentioned refining the blood of the Undying Nether Phoenix, his soul cultivation, the Heaven-Stealing Veil, or the River of Blood.

The reason for this was Li Yan’s ingrained caution. He had confirmed Dong Fuyi’s identity, but this was their first meeting. His trust in Dong Fuyi was not yet as strong as his trust in Ping Tu. Furthermore, he didn’t know the Five Immortals Sect’s stance on soul cultivation, and the Soul Suppression Palace treated him as one of their own; Elder Hao and the others didn’t want their secrets known either.

So Li Yan kept those secrets, but he wouldn’t hide them forever like he did with Wei Chituo. This was different. Wei Chituo couldn’t know about the Five Immortals Sect or soul cultivation; that would only be a burden. He couldn’t face the enemies of either group, and knowing would only bring him endless trouble. Once Li Yan fully accepted Dong Fuyi and felt a level of respect similar to what he had for Ping Tu, he might reveal everything.

However, regarding soul cultivation, he had a larger plan in mind—one that he would implement step by step until the Soul Suppression Palace and the Five Immortals Sect were aware of each other’s existence.

The disaster that befell the Malevolent Spirit Sect and the sect secrets Dong Fuyi told him forced Li Yan to think about his future. Would he, like Dong Fuyi and the others, have to hide like a rat for the rest of his life, exhausting himself just to find a successor?

Li Yan was dedicated to the Dao and wanted to accompany his family in eternal life, but he could guess the future from Dong Fuyi’s troubled expression. If the Five Immortals Sect couldn’t truly emerge into the world, he would have to hide many things for his entire life. But Zhao Min, Gong Chenying, and even Mu Guyue were his companions. The longer they spent together, the more unexplainable things there would be. Given their personalities, they might not ask, but their suspicions would grow—and that was not a good thing.

Li Yan realized he could no longer be alone; he carried one shackle after another. But he had stepped onto the vast path of immortality; he was no longer that mortal in the mountain village who worked at sunrise and rested at sunset…

Through his brief conversation with Dong Fuyi before dawn, Li Yan was already incredibly excited. His perception of the Five Elements Laws was still a bit rough; there were many details that might take him years or decades to polish. But Dong Fuyi could often provide a single sentence—or even just a few words—that would clarify everything for him.

It was a feeling of exhilaration Li Yan rarely experienced, as if he had eaten a ginseng fruit; every one of his hundred and eight thousand pores felt refreshed. The magical power in his body surged with these breakthroughs, showing signs of becoming uncontrollable, like a wild horse wanting to bolt.

Li Yan knew this was because he had gained too much sudden insight and hadn’t had time to settle and organize it. He only needed to go into seclusion for a few days, and his True Scripture of Gui Water would successfully break through to the Mid-stage Spirit Transformation, allowing him to truly reach that level in both dharma and body.

“Even after you help that girl Bai refine the pill, do not rush to break through. Spend some time experiencing and contemplating your insights, allowing them to truly integrate into your original laws rather than just being forced upon them. Furthermore, it is best to break through once we reach the Immortal Spirit Realm. The heavenly laws there are more complete for the Spirit Transformation realm and will make your Great Dao more stable.

While you can break through in the mortal realm, such a breakthrough is inherently flawed. However, if you had a secret realm like the one your Martial Uncle Qian Chong made, it wouldn’t be an issue. That realm was personally refined and modified by him, though it is more suitable for the disciples of the Earthen Soil Immortal Sect!”

As Dong Fuyi spoke, he stopped his guidance. He lightly brushed Li Yan’s shoulder with his hand. Li Yan felt a sudden wave of icy coolness fill his body. His billowing magical power instantly calmed down, and that force soon swirled into his Dantian and entered the forehead of his Nascent Soul. This made his previous insights feel even clearer in an instant…

Li Yan’s body trembled slightly. Upon regaining his senses, he immediately bowed in thanks. “Thank you for the guidance, Master!”

Li Yan knew that the power placed into his Nascent Soul was a great gift from Dong Fuyi.