Chapter 246: The Unconscious Ji Kongkong
Ji Zhi had mentioned the River of Time to Jiang Li more than once, saying it was shrouded in thick mist, and anywhere with thick mist was absolutely impossible to cross.
Ji Kongkong proved that true.
But Jiang Li gave a counterexample.
Jiang Li could walk freely along the riverbank, the thick mist couldn’t stop him at all.
Indeed, the world of the River of Time held only the white fish in the river—no other living beings.
The white fish didn’t like to move, staying at one point in time for long periods.
The Ancient and Modern Sword was the only exception among them. It had developed intelligence, leapt about energetically, and stood out among the white fish. The main difference between these white fish and ordinary fish was simply that they lived in the River of Time.
Jiang Li strode forward, swinging his arms as he walked toward the past, countless moments of time left behind him.
Twelve hours, twenty-four hours, forty-eight hours…
Half a month, one month, two months…
Half a year, one year, two years…
Five years, ten years, twenty years…
Fifty years, one hundred years, two hundred years…
Jiang Li headed far into the past, yet the thick mist still couldn’t block his steps.
He saw himself just after overcoming his fifteenth Heavenly Tribulation, the system arriving late.
He saw himself easily defeating an Outer World Demon and defending the Nine Provinces.
He saw himself achieving a breakthrough into the Mahayana Stage thanks to a stroke of fortune.
He saw himself forced to ascend the throne and fiercely battle two Tribulation-Stage cultivators.
He saw Jiang Yixing seduced by the Outer World Demon, learning demonic cultivation, and falling into the abyss.
“That must be the Celestial Immortal-level Outer World Demon that had been hiding in the Nine Provinces for a while.”
At first, Jiang Li had hoped Ji Zhi could work hard on his cultivation, go even further back in time, and find that Outer World Demon—but Ji Zhi couldn’t be relied on. In the end, he had to do it himself.
The Outer World Demon wore a wide black robe, its appearance unclear—only its humanoid shape could be vaguely discerned.
Jiang Li felt regretful—he couldn’t get much information at all.
He wanted to keep walking forward in time, to see how the demon had arrived in the Nine Provinces. Maybe, back then, it hadn’t yet concealed its appearance.
Then Jiang Li suddenly remembered Ji Zhi’s warning—that a cultivator couldn’t stay in the world of the River of Time too long. Remaining there was equivalent to constantly using the Dao of Time. At best, it would deplete all spiritual energy; at worst, it would lead to death and the dissipation of the Dao.
Jiang Li himself was fine, but Ji Kongkong was still there!
Jiang Li quickly rushed back and found Ji Kongkong lying on the ground, barely breathing.
“Uncle Jiang… I waited for you… can we go back now…” Ji Kongkong’s eyes were hazy, on the verge of losing consciousness.
“Good girl, this is Uncle’s fault, I didn’t think about you—let’s go back right now.” Jiang Li cradled Ji Kongkong with guilt, repeating his apologies.
Jiang Li knew Ji Kongkong could have returned on her own. She stayed behind only because she feared he didn’t know the way back.
And in fact, Jiang Li really didn’t know how to return.
Ji Kongkong used her last remaining strength to open a rift, and Jiang Li carried her back to the Nine Provinces.
Second Princess Ji Huayu had only blinked after Jiang Li and her sister vanished—then, they reappeared again.
But their condition was very different. Jiang Li held Ji Kongkong in her white-fish form, looking anxious, while Ji Kongkong was so weak she had fainted.
“What happened?!” Ji Huayu’s face changed—Ji Kongkong looked terrible.
Jiang Li didn’t have time to explain. Pouring refined spiritual energy into Ji Kongkong, he dashed straight into the Hall of Nurturing Heart to seek help from Ji Zhi.
Ji Zhi and several ministers were still discussing the topic of “humanity” when Jiang Li suddenly burst in.
They had never seen Jiang Li in such a panic.
“Come look at Kongkong! What happened to her?!”
Seeing the situation, Ji Zhi ignored the discussion on law entirely and rushed over to check on his beloved daughter.
“Whew, she’s okay, she’s okay—just passed out from spiritual overexertion. A good sleep and she’ll be fine.” Ji Zhi let out a sigh of relief, and Jiang Li relaxed upon hearing it.
Jiang Li took out rare heavenly treasures and pills that restored divine sense and fed them to Ji Kongkong.
These were the kinds of treasures that even high-level cultivators would envy—things even the Great Zhou national treasury had little of, showing just how valuable they were.
Especially the Eightfold Sea-Expanding Pill. It nurtured the Spiritual Platform, expanded the Sea of Consciousness, and enhanced divine sense. It was a top-tier spirit pill for divine sense, made from rare ingredients and extremely difficult to refine—even Su Wei only had a 20% success rate.
Ji Zhi twitched at the corner of his mouth watching his precious daughter swallow Jiang Li’s stash of heavenly treasures. Some worked instantly, some gradually, and others laid the foundation for long-term growth.
Jiang Li had never used these good things on himself!
Ji Zhi could already imagine that, as Ji Kongkong grew, the accumulated medicinal effects inside her would gradually activate, turning her into a cultivator with divine sense stronger than anyone else.
The elixirs Jiang Li gave her were too potent, so Ji Kongkong remained asleep, absorbing their effects.
The two moved her to her bedroom.
Ji Kongkong’s room had a bed and a large wooden tub filled with water—prepared for her fish form, and perfect for now.
Jiang Li gently placed her into the tub so she could rest.
“But it’s strange. This is the result of overusing the Dao of Time—what were you doing?”
“We went to the River of Time.”
“What?” Ji Zhi thought he was hallucinating.
Jiang Li explained everything from start to finish, and Ji Zhi felt like a whole new door had opened.
“Good thing you broke up Ancestor Shun and his ex-girlfriend—otherwise, where would the Ji family be?”
Jiang Li thought Ji Zhi’s focus was way off.
“Your daughter is only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, yet she managed to take me to the River of Time. You’re already late Soul Formation Stage, just a step away from Fusion—how come you can’t do it?”
Ji Zhi grinned proudly. “That just shows how talented Kongkong is. She can reach the River of Time without even using a mantra. I had high hopes for her, but her gift for the Dao of Time is beyond anything I imagined.”
“This trip had little to do with her cultivation. Kongkong’s bloodline traces back to the River of Time—she’s basically half a native of it. Her first time entering caused a resonance, which let you enter by sheer luck. Honestly, even a pig next to her could’ve gotten in.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean you’re a pig—don’t overthink it.” Ji Zhi quickly backtracked after accidentally revealing his true thoughts.
“I’m not petty. Keep talking.”
“There won’t be a next time. That first time was a special case. The second time, it’ll probably be Kongkong alone who can enter—she won’t be able to bring anyone else.”
Jiang Li frowned. “Then how come Ancient and Modern Sword said it saw me in the future?”
“No idea. Maybe Kongkong reaches the Fusion Stage and brings you in. Maybe you find another way into the River of Time.” Ji Zhi shrugged.
“By the way, why didn’t I see you on the riverbank?”
Jiang Li had walked back over three hundred years of history and never saw Ji Zhi once.
And yet Ji Zhi had entered the River of Time multiple times in that same period.
Ji Zhi rolled his eyes, looking at the culturally clueless Jiang Li with disdain. “How many times do I have to tell you—don’t treat the world of the River of Time like the normal world. Regular logic doesn’t apply there.”