At dawn, Ling'e was shaken awake by a vigorous hand.
Before she could fully come to her senses, she heard Jiu Jiu's somewhat excited voice:
"Hahahaha!" "This Big Junior Aunt's bottleneck actually broke on its own!" "Little Ling'e, remember to tell your senior brother—I'm going back to closed cultivation!"
"Oh... huh? It broke just from sleeping?"
Blue Ling'e mumbled in response, opening her eyes to see Jiu Jiu searching the floor for her shoes.
This Big Junior Aunt was quite spirited at the moment. Her cultivation had once again taken a firm small step toward the Celestial Immortal stage. She dashed out of the thatched hut, jumped onto her gourd, and hurried off in the direction of Pico Potian.
"Remember to tell your senior brother—I'll come back to help him refine pills when I'm done—"
Blue Ling'e sat by her bed in a daze for a moment, yawned twice, then walked to her dressing table.
Thinking about the little incident this Big Junior Aunt had caused yesterday, a small smile tugged at the corner of Ling'e's lips, followed by a soft sigh.
Being immortal really was carefree.
"Junior Sister."
A thread of voice transmission reached her ear. Ling'e instinctively responded, "Present!"
Li Changshou continued transmitting, "I heard what Big Junior Aunt said. I'll be in closed cultivation for about three months, and after that I may need to go out for a trip. Do you need any pills? This trip will probably take three to five years before I return."
Senior brother...
Was he going out to face his Tribulation?
Blue Ling'e was first delighted, then pouted unhappily. The delight was naturally for her senior brother, and the unhappiness was simply because he would be gone for three to five years. She had never gone this long without seeing him since coming to the mountain.
"I don't need anything. Just take care of yourself, senior brother," Blue Ling'e murmured softly.
A trace of laughter came through the transmission. Li Changshou added, "When I leave, I'll wake up Master and ask him not to go into deep closed cultivation these next few years. Remember not to run around recklessly. Keep my previous instructions firmly in mind. Don't let your guard down and be bullied."
"I know, senior brother. You can tell me all this again when you come out of closed cultivation." Ling'e's eyes darted. "Could it be... you're planning to sneak away?"
In the pill room, Li Changshou laughed softly but said nothing more.
He looked down at a faint green glow rising from his palm.
He hadn't expected the ninth stage of Return to the Dao to arrive so much earlier than anticipated.
At this moment, his Dao realm held an impulse—like bamboo shoots after rain—constantly wanting to surge upward. Fortunately, he could still suppress it.
Once he broke through to the ninth stage of Return to the Dao, he would very likely face his Tribulation directly.
The matter of undergoing the Tribulation had to be put on the agenda.
Going outside to undergo the Tribulation was a plan Li Changshou had set long ago. First, he didn't want to expose his cultivation level. Second, he didn't want anyone to see his Tribulation.
The Tribulation was his own business, and the mountain protection formation would have no effect on it.
Finding a hidden, uninformed location outside to undergo the Tribulation wasn't much different in safety from undergoing it within the sect.
But slipping out of the sect's gates smoothly would require some effort.
Li Changshou sighed softly, "Good thing I have fish."
......
The rules of the Secta Du Xian were strict, but most only applied to disciples who hadn't yet become immortals—constraining their conduct, urging their cultivation, and protecting their safety.
In the sect's disciple registry, Li Changshou was an excellent cultivator at the second stage of the Return to the Void realm, with fairly strict restrictions on going outside.
This was one of the reasons he had chosen the training assembly to go north to forage for herbs.
For this trip outside to undergo his Tribulation, Li Changshou had long prepared his reason for applying at the Sala Baifan—every disciple was entitled to one homeward trip to sweep ancestral graves.
Upon entering the sect, one would have no further ties to the mortal world. Connections should be completely severed.
But hearts are made of flesh, and even a Dao heart faces worldly tribulations.
The ancient sages of the human race upheld loyalty, righteousness, propriety, and filial piety, using these to educate the masses. Though cultivators had left the mortal world, they couldn't serve their parents with filial piety at their knees. At the very least, they should visit their graves and pay respects.
The Secta Du Xian had adopted many practices from the major sects of Tierra Divina Central in this regard, and did quite well.
When a new disciple who came from the mortal world joined, there would be an outer sect steward responsible for visiting the new disciple's parents every ten years, providing them with gold and silver for their livelihood, telling them how the disciple was doing in the sect, and giving them pills to cure illness and talismans to ward off disaster—but not helping them extend their lifespan.
Birth and death were fated, bound by heavenly mandate. The Secta Du Xian didn't want to accumulate unnecessary karma.
After the disciple's parents passed away, the sect would also notify the disciple and allow them to return home for three years to guard the graves, thoroughly severing all remaining ties with the mortal world...
Eighteen years ago, Li Changshou had received notification from the sect that both of his mortal parents had passed away.
Under the care of the Secta Du Xian, his parents—who had been ordinary nomadic herders in a southern grassland—had lived past a hundred years, their entire lives free of illness and disaster.
For this life's parents, Li Changshou didn't actually have many memories, since he had been taken up the mountain by his master at an early age. And his entering the sect had in turn granted them a lifetime of food, clothing, and safety, with little illness or calamity.
When he received the sect's notification, Li Changshou had originally wanted to go immediately to guard their graves, but because he was preparing for the Tribulation trip, he had temporarily set it aside.
However, there was a slight complication here.
During the three years of grave-guarding, if an outer sect steward who happened to be traveling nearby passed through the disciple's hometown, they would need to check on how the disciple was doing...
For this, too, Li Changshou was prepared. He had long since built a good relationship with those "elders" at the Sala Baifan who handled disciple affairs.
Genuine fish friendship.
These elders were different from the real elders.
Most of the Sala Baifan elders were old True Immortals of the sect, like Elder Ge, who handled internal and external miscellaneous affairs.
The true elders of the Secta Du Xian cultivated on their respective peaks and didn't bother with mundane matters. One had to reach the Celestial Immortal stage to earn such a title.
Three months later.
Li Changshou woke his master from closed cultivation and spoke of returning to his hometown to guard the graves, with the intent of having his master keep an eye on Little Junior Sister.
Old Daoist Qi Yuan naturally agreed. He didn't think much of it and even urged Li Changshou to let go of worldly attachments early and focus on the immortal path.
Blue Ling'e, however, was somewhat reluctant to part. She asked quietly, "Could I... also go with you to guard the graves, senior brother...?"
"You guess," Li Changshou said with narrowed eyes and a smile. Blue Ling'e immediately understood the answer and lowered her head in acceptance.
Among misty mountains and clouds, a reluctant farewell.
Li Changshou caught a few Spirit Fish from the lake, tucked them in his sleeve, and flew on a cloud toward Pico Potian.
Blue Ling'e stood by the lake, quietly watching her senior brother's retreating figure. In her heart, she whispered, "Safe tribulation." She stayed for half a day before returning to the thatched hut to cultivate...
Arriving at the Sala Baifan, Li Changshou went straight to the elder he knew well and spoke of wanting to return home to sweep the graves. The Elder Wei on duty that day gladly approved.
"Changshou, I remember your hometown is in the northeastern region of the Southern Continent. There happens to be a sect steward going to the Southern Continent on business tomorrow. Let him take you along."
"Actually," Li Changshou took a few Spirit Fish from his sleeve, "Elder, there's something else I'd like you to trouble yourself with."
"You little rascal," Elder Wei's face immediately broke into a wide grin. He accepted the Spirit Fish wrapped in water spheres, brought out a porcelain basin, and placed the fish inside for temporary keeping.
Everyone had their preferences. Some loved drinking, others loved delicacies—especially these Spirit Fish, which were extremely difficult to cultivate and could be called a supreme delicacy.
Elder Wei smiled. "Go ahead. What scheme are you plotting?"
"This disciple would like to take this opportunity to train in the Southern Continent for a few years," Li Changshou said in a low voice. "Could you... not have the sect steward visit my hometown? And also not have him take me there?"
"Fine, go ahead," Elder Wei picked up the bamboo scroll before him. "That saves me a strip of bamboo." "You're a fine seed for cultivation, with a limitless future ahead. Remember—don't cause trouble, don't break sect rules, and don't become attached to mortal luxuries, letting worldly dust cloud your heart seeking the Dao."
Li Changshou repeatedly agreed, cupping his fists. "Thank you, Elder, for making this possible!"
"It's nothing. Go on—return early."
Elder Wei waved his hand and gave Li Changshou an jade token for leaving the sect, then offered a few more words of caution, telling him to avoid places with many mortals so that the turbid qi of the mortal world wouldn't corrupt his Dao foundation.
The elder's concern for Li Changshou was genuine.
After all, over the years, Li Changshou had given him over a hundred Spirit Fish in total...
Many disciples used grave-sweeping trips as excuses to wander the mortal world for years. When caught by sect stewards, they'd only get a scolding and have their monthly stipend docked. Elder Wei had long since grown accustomed to this.
A few Spirit Fish, in exchange for the elder not recording his grave-sweeping trip in the registry—naturally, no sect steward would be sent to check.
In Elder Wei's eyes, this was simply a young disciple wanting to enjoy the mortal world for a bit. Nothing unusual.
But for Li Changshou, this was also a crucial, indispensable step in his Tribulation plan.
......
Leaving Pico Potian, he flew south on a cloud and before long reached the sect's main gate.
He obtained the exit jade token, stating he was going home to sweep graves. The immortal guarding the gate also cautioned Li Changshou to be careful outside. Li Changshou thanked him twice and flew out through the gate on his cloud.
The area within a thousand li of the gate was technically still Secta Du Xian territory.
Several important spirit vein mines were distributed in the southern region.
Li Changshou flew two thousand li on his cloud, landed in a forest, and from a hidden corner within, observed for two days to confirm that no one from the sect was secretly following him. Only then did he use the Escape por Tierra and headed southward.
Along the way, he used Escape por Tierra when encountering mountains and Escape por Agua when encountering water.
He encountered cultivators fighting, stumbled upon mountain demons in internal conflict, came across a brother-in-law and sister-in-law seeking trysts, and witnessed several thousand mortals in chaotic battle.
He walked and looked, never stopping his pace.
Li Changshou moved like a ghost no one could detect, passing through ten thousand li, then another ten thousand li...
Half a month later, in the northeastern part of the Continente Jambu del Sur, not far from the Eastern Prosperity Continent, on a grassland.
Following the information provided by the sect, Li Changshou easily found his parents' grave on a hillside.
The grave was very well maintained—it had clearly cost a good amount of money. In the corner of the headstone was the mark of the Secta Du Xian, and the inscription read "Erected by Eldest Son, Changshou."
Weeds had grown around the grave. Li Changshou took out a short knife and carefully cleared the area around the burial site.
He then knelt before the headstone, offering the fruits, meat, and fish he had prepared on the journey, burned two rolls of yellow paper, lit three sticks of incense, and kowtowed four times deeply, releasing a bond from his heart.
Afterward, he found an inconspicuous corner not far from his parents' grave and sat there in meditation, cultivating—counting as guarding the graves for the two elders.
Seven days later, Li Changshou prepared to set off again, heading toward the tribulation site he had pre-selected.
Where had he chosen?
Actually, it was in the Mar del Este, but the section of the Mar del Este along the Continente Jambu del Sur.
Because it was within mortal territory, very few cultivators appeared there. The turbid qi of the mortal world was mixed in, and only a few minor demons caused trouble.
The fortune of the human race was mostly concentrated in the mortal world of the Continente Jambu del Sur. Fearing a clash with human fortune, even the Dragon Palace maintained no garrisons there.
On the edge of the mortal world, in the vast ocean—finding a hidden, inconspicuous little island would be the perfect tribulation site!
Li Changshou took out a treasure pouch marked "Earth-Twelve" from his wrist bracelet and retrieved... a pile of eyebrow pencils and cosmetics, along with makeup materials he had personally developed...
Then, for the first time in two lifetimes, this grown man began carefully disguising himself.
Disguising one's appearance had several basic principles. Simply using a blinding technique or the Técnica de Transformación Ilusoria was far from sufficient in Li Changshou's view.
He would first use physical methods like cosmetics to alter his appearance, then apply a specially made ultra-thin, hydrating silk mask, followed by a blinding technique to transform into an old Daoist, and finally use the Técnica de Transformación Ilusoria...
This way, even if an expert glanced at him and pierced through two layers of technique disguise, they still wouldn't see his true face.
Cultivators who traveled outside commonly used blinding techniques—it was nothing unusual.
After spending a good while, Li Changshou transformed into a cold-faced old Daoist and silently departed via Escape por Tierra, heading toward the Mar del Este to search for a closed cultivation tribulation site.
At the same time...
At the junction of the Southern Sea and the Eastern Sea, on an immortal island wreathed in immortal light and shaped like a great sea turtle.
In a treasure pool in a corner of the island, the newly arrived "island pet"—a small green dragon several dozen zhang long—was using his eyes, just barely above the water's surface, to slowly observe his surroundings.
Bubbles rose from the dragon's mouth, and those dragon eyes narrowed slightly.
*'Good.'*
It was the day when the Daluo Golden Immortal gave his lecture again. Those immortals cultivating nearby had all gone to listen.
*'You probably never imagined that since I was six years old, I had already memorized all the water routes of the Four Seas.'*
*'From here I head toward the Continente Jambu del Sur, hug the southern coast toward the Eastern Prosperity Continent, use the turbid qi of the mortal world to conceal my tracks, then make landfall at the border between the Southern and Eastern Continents, moving secretly toward the Eastern Prosperity Continent.'*
*'If the Secta Du Xian doesn't have the courage to take me on as a disciple, I can go to Tierra Divina Central and find those Three Teachings immortal sects!'*
The green dragon smiled coldly. His body shrank gradually until he was three chi long, and he swam toward a crevice in the seabed below.
And when he left the island's boundaries, at the far end of the island—the part that looked exactly like the head of a golden sea turtle—a pair of enormous, somewhat terrifying turtle eyes slowly cracked open a slit...