Li Hengsheng quickly turned around, only to find himself face to face with an elderly man.
His hair and eyebrows were already white, and he was sitting on a green stone not far away, smiling at Li Hengsheng.
Upon seeing the elder, Li Hengsheng vaguely felt as if the man had created a world of his own.
Standing face to face, the elder seemed as if he was beyond the horizon.
The short distance made Li Hengsheng feel like he could never reach him.
Even after encountering many powerful beings, including the mighty Guangzu, Li Hengsheng still felt that this elder was the most terrifying he had ever met.
"Cough cough cough."
The elder coughed a few times, his originally rosy complexion turning a shade paler.
"Junior pays respects to senior," Li Hengsheng hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.
If he wasn't mistaken, this powerful being was probably one of the terrestrial immortals.
But Li Hengsheng's heart was also uneasy.
He was merely a martial artist at the Great Perfection of the Postnatal stage, and lately, he had come into contact with so many terrestrial immortals. Normally, people would never meet such beings in their entire lives.
And what did this terrestrial immortal want with him?
"Come closer, let me have a look at you."
The elder slowly raised his hand, and in an instant, Li Hengsheng felt as if the space before him had shrunk, and he was abruptly moved right in front of the elder.
Such a feat truly startled Li Hengsheng.
What kind of divine technique was this?
Even space and time could be manipulated at will.
But when Li Hengsheng approached the elder, for some reason, he felt a sense of kinship with the old man he had never met before.
Despite it being their first meeting, there was a warm feeling.
"You resemble her."
The elder remarked softly.
"Senior means I resemble whom?" Li Hengsheng asked, surprised by the elder's comment.
The elder looked at Li Hengsheng's face for a while, then said with a smile, "Naturally, you resemble your mother. Your eyes, and your mouth, they are very much like hers."
Upon hearing this, Li Hengsheng froze on the spot.
"My mother…"
Li Hengsheng became excited: "Senior, you know my mother? Do you know who she is? Where is she? Please tell me."
Hearing Li Hengsheng's questions, the elder's gaze dimmed slightly.
"Senior, please tell me. Why has my mother never come to find me?" Li Hengsheng asked anxiously.
"Your mother is dead."
After a long pause, the elder finally spoke these words.
Li Hengsheng was stunned at first, not saying much. The death of his mother was something Li Hengsheng had doubted many times, and Li Changqing had always refused to tell him, but over the years, Li Hengsheng had still held onto a sliver of hope.
He had hoped that his mother was still alive but unable to find him due to some reasons.
Once he became powerful, he could find his mother and reunite.
The three of them could live happily together.
But with the elder's words, Li Hengsheng's hope was completely shattered.
Mother was indeed dead.
"How did my mother die?" Li Hengsheng still asked the question.
"This question, cough cough cough, I cannot answer you right now," the elder suddenly looked at Li Hengsheng and asked, "But if there was a way to revive your mother, would you be willing to try?"
"A way to revive Mother?"
Li Hengsheng's eyes widened.
"Wait," Li Hengsheng suddenly stepped back warily, "I still don't know who you are."
"I am your…"
Before the elder could finish, he suddenly looked up into the distance, only to see a golden light flying from the sky!
The golden light shattered everything in its path.
It seemed to shatter the very void, giving an overwhelming sense of unstoppable force.
Li Hengsheng was shocked; he even felt that a mere breath from the golden light could annihilate him in this world.
Another expert.
Who could it be?
The elder watched the golden light fall like a meteor crushing down, but his expression remained unchanged.
He simply raised a finger.
As the golden light was about to fall, the elder flicked his finger, sending the golden light flying away!
The terrifying force seemed to stir the heavens and earth.
The golden light reversed, turning out to be a golden scepter.
The next moment, a man appeared, catching the golden scepter in his hand.
Li Hengsheng looked closely and realized the newcomer was none other than Luo Xiaochuan, the head of Dao Mountain Ancient Land.
"Jiang Realm Master has nothing to do today and has come to Zhenguo Mansion, playing with our little disciples from Dao Mountain Ancient Land. You really have leisure time," Luo Xiaochuan said as he arrived next to Li Hengsheng.
"Leader?"
Li Hengsheng also looked puzzled. What day was it today?
Even Luo Xiaochuan had come.
And what did Luo Xiaochuan just call him?
Jiang Realm Master?
Realm Master?
Could this person be the Cangyuan Realm Master?
Li Hengsheng was shocked. The man standing at the pinnacle of the entire Cangyuan Realm was this elder?
This was a legendary figure!
"Are you the Cangyuan Realm Master?" Li Hengsheng asked in disbelief.
Jiang Tianyun glanced at Li Hengsheng and said with a smile, "Yes."
Li Hengsheng's heart stirred.
As a human of the Cangyuan Realm, who wouldn't admire the Cangyuan Realm Master?
Moreover, every fifty years, someone would challenge the Cangyuan Realm Master to replace the new Realm Master, but the current Cangyuan Realm Master, Jiang Tianyun, had been reigning for three consecutive terms, undefeated.
An invincible legend.
Such a person was right before his eyes.
"I am also here to pay respects to Jiang Realm Master," Luo Xiaochuan said, bowing with his fists, "I just tested the Realm Master just now, and I hope the Realm Master does not mind."
"Cough cough."
"No harm done."
Jiang Tianyun didn't care about the playful gesture just now. Although Luo Xiaochuan was also at the level of a terrestrial immortal, in Jiang Tianyun's eyes, Luo Xiaochuan had just stepped into the realm of terrestrial immortals and was far from his own strength.
There was no threat at all.
Just a junior.
"Another terrestrial immortal has been born among the human race, which is fortunate for our race," Jiang Tianyun said leisurely, "I remember the last time I came to Dao Mountain Ancient Land, it was your eighth ancestor who received me. Ah, in the blink of an eye, more than a hundred and thirty years have passed."
"Yes," Luo Xiaochuan said respectfully, "I also saw the Realm Master when I was young."
Jiang Tianyun looked at Luo Xiaochuan and then raised his eyebrows, "So it is, you were the little disciple following Wu Qifeng back then. If I remember correctly, you were at the Postnatal Realm when we first met. I didn't expect that when we meet again, we would be on equal footing."
"Realm Master, you jest," Luo Xiaochuan said with a chuckle, "I am still a junior after all. You have been renowned for many years, and I have just begun to explore this realm. I am still far behind you."
"Terrestrial immortal is both an endpoint and a starting point," Jiang Tianyun sighed, uttering a phrase that Li Hengsheng couldn't understand.
"Cough cough cough, Li Hengsheng, come here," Jiang Tianyun called to Li Hengsheng.
Li Hengsheng was about to step forward, but as soon as he took a step, Luo Xiaochuan stepped out to block him.
Standing in front of Li Hengsheng, he smiled at Jiang Tianyun and said, "Jiang Realm Master, Li Hengsheng is just a little disciple under my Dao Mountain Ancient Land. If you have anything to say, just tell me."
Li Hengsheng looked at Luo Xiaochuan blocking him and hesitated for a moment.
What was going on now?
He vaguely felt something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"Luo Xiaochuan, are you trying to stop me?" Jiang Tianyun asked calmly.
"Hehe, Jiang Realm Master, you misunderstand. I just meant to say that Hengsheng is still young. Now is not the time," Luo Xiaochuan said with a deep breath, "You've made a mistake once before, and it's best not to continue making mistakes. After all, there are eyes watching from above."
"Cough cough cough." Jiang Tianyun began to cough violently, covering his mouth with his sleeve, coughing for a while before saying, "Some paths, once taken, offer no chance to turn back. This is not for me to choose. Luo Xiaochuan, you should be clear that you can't stop me."
"Then this junior would like to see just how big the gap is with the Cangyuan Realm Master."
Luo Xiaochuan chuckled, tapping his Tianyan Staff lightly, and in an instant, golden light burst forth, spreading ripples in all directions.
The golden light transformed the entire world into something else.
Li Hengsheng was shocked by the scene before him. He couldn't sense the world anymore, and everything he saw with his eyes had changed.
Mountain disappeared.
Everything disappeared.
The surroundings were a vast white, like a strange world.
But Jiang Tianyun's gaze remained as calm as an ancient well, not caring about all these changes.
"Cough."
"You're still too naive." Jiang Tianyun's voice weakened, and without even moving, just by raising his eyes, the light that burst forth made the whole world tremble!
Just the aura of a terrestrial immortal made Luo Xiaochuan's face tense.
The rings on his Tianyan Staff began to clatter.
The whole world seemed on the verge of collapse.
"Jiang Tianyun is indeed very strong," Luo Xiaochuan said in disbelief.
He knew he was no match for Jiang Tianyun, who was almost universally recognized as the first in the Cangyuan Realm, undefeated.
And he had just stepped into the realm of terrestrial immortals. The gap between him and Jiang Tianyun was too great.
The difference was even greater than Luo Xiaochuan had imagined.
Both were terrestrial immortals, but facing Jiang Tianyun, he felt as ridiculous as a three-year-old child who learned a set of boxing techniques and wanted to challenge an adult.
"Is destiny truly inescapable?" Luo Xiaochuan murmured.
At that moment, Luo Xiaochuan withdrew his Tianyan Staff.
The vast white world around them disappeared without a trace.
Mountain was still mountain, unchanged.
Li Hengsheng felt as if he had just experienced a dream, completely unclear about what had just happened.
Jiang Tianyun was also surprised.
"Since the junior cannot stop Jiang Realm Master, then please do as you wish," Luo Xiaochuan said, shaking his head helplessly.
Jiang Tianyun didn't waste words, now turning his gaze to Li Hengsheng.
Li Hengsheng felt immobilized under Jiang Tianyun's stare, as if bound by the Five Absolute Seals.
But Li Hengsheng was clear that it wasn't the Five Absolute Seals, but the pressure of a powerful being that made him unable to resist.
And the next moment, Li Hengsheng appeared in front of Jiang Tianyun.
Li Hengsheng was somewhat afraid.
What exactly did the Cangyuan Realm Master want to do?
At this moment, he saw a complex emotion in Jiang Tianyun's eyes.
This complexity was beyond Li Hengsheng's understanding.
But Li Hengsheng could feel that it was not a good thing.
He wanted to ask Jiang Tianyun what he wanted to do, but he couldn't say a word.
And Luo Xiaochuan seemed to have given up on saving him.
At this moment, the first person Li Hengsheng thought of was the Qinglian Sword Sovereign.
Could the Qinglian Sword Sovereign save him?
It was useless.
What could the Qinglian Sword Sovereign do even if he came?
This was Jiang Tianyun, the top expert of the Cangyuan Realm. Even the Qinglian Sword Sovereign wouldn't be his match.
Jiang Tianyun sighed lightly, then slowly raised his hand.
His hand was somewhat aged, and he placed it on Li Hengsheng's forehead, then slowly closed his eyes.
Li Hengsheng felt like someone waiting for fate's judgment.
But just after two breaths, Jiang Tianyun's eyes suddenly opened wide.
For the first time, Li Hengsheng saw a look of shock on Jiang Tianyun's face.
Yes, shock!
It was an expression of utter disbelief.
"How can this be!"
Jiang Tianyun casually threw Li Hengsheng aside, and Li Hengsheng finally felt control return to his body.
He sat on the ground, looking at Jiang Tianyun in horror.
"Impossible!"
"It can't be."
"How can it not be there."
"How can it not be on him."
Jiang Tianyun paced back and forth as if he had gone mad.
Luo Xiaochuan, as if he had expected this, came over to help Li Hengsheng up, then said with a chuckle, "Jiang Realm Master, if there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
Without waiting for Jiang Tianyun's response, Luo Xiaochuan took Li Hengsheng and left mountain in one step.
Leaving only Jiang Tianyun muttering to himself on the mountain peak.
"How can it not be there."
"If it's not on him, where could it be?"
"Yue Hanjun!"
"Where did you hide the thing!"
"Cough cough cough cough cough!"
At this moment, Jiang Tianyun's coughing became more severe, even coughing up blood.
But Jiang Tianyun didn't care and also stepped out, leaving Zhenguo Mansion.
Like a collapsed faith, Jiang Tianyun was now rushing towards the Endless Prison. The thing was not on Li Hengsheng.
Yue Hanjun had deceived him!
After sending Li Hengsheng back to the Inspector's Mansion, Luo Xiaochuan also left.
And Luo Xiaochuan immediately went to Changqing Mansion.
"Has he left?"
Li Changqing saw Luo Xiaochuan coming and had already prepared tea.
"He didn't find the thing, so naturally he left," Luo Xiaochuan sat down, "That's why I just told you not to worry, and you didn't need to come over. If he really wanted to find the thing, even if you and I joined forces, we wouldn't be his match. Since the thing isn't on Li Hengsheng, he left."
"You didn't explain to me what exactly he was looking for, and why it would be on my son," Li Changqing said with a frown.
"I'm not very clear about why it would be on Li Hengsheng," Luo Xiaochuan shook his head, "When I first met Li Hengsheng, I calculated that he was a child with great fortune, so I took him under my wing to observe carefully. But after Li Hengsheng's rebirth, that great fortune disappeared without a trace."
"So I wasn't worried that Jiang Tianyun would do anything to him."
Luo Xiaochuan said with a smile, "Perhaps that thing was placed on Li Hengsheng by Yue Hanjun."
"Yue Hanjun again."
Li Changqing became more and more curious about Yue Hanjun.
"I don't know what it is," Luo Xiaochuan sighed, "I only know that Jiang Tianyun has been elected as the Cangyuan Realm Master consecutively, refusing to give up his position and Tianhai City, probably for that thing. And now his battle with Li Xuanxi is imminent. Given his current physical condition, that thing might be his last straw."
"Also, I know a secret, are you interested?" Luo Xiaochuan looked at Li Changqing.
"Tell me," Li Changqing nodded.
"If the information is correct, Li Hengsheng should be Jiang Tianyun's grandson."
"Li Hengsheng's mother is Jiang Qianrou, Jiang Tianyun's daughter," Luo Xiaochuan said, leaving Li Changqing stunned on the spot.
"What nonsense?"
Li Changqing couldn't believe the information.
That meant Jiang Qianrou was his wife?
Was she Li Hengsheng's mother?
Luo Xiaochuan couldn't calculate Li Changqing's fate and knew he wasn't Li Hengsheng's real father, so he wasn't surprised by Li Changqing's reaction.
"If I'm not mistaken, the person who fathered Li Hengsheng with Jiang Qianrou should be Yue Hanjun," Luo Xiaochuan said, taking a sip of tea.
"Nonsense."
Li Changqing didn't believe it, "If Hengsheng is Yue Hanjun's son, then who am I?"
"Who knows who you are?" Luo Xiaochuan shrugged.
Who Li Changqing really was, Luo Xiaochuan didn't know.
He wasn't interested in finding out, his focus was on Jiang Tianyun.
The battle between Jiang Tianyun and Li Xuanxi in a month was the focus.
In Luo Xiaochuan's view, although Li Xuanxi was now awakening his previous cultivation in the body of Lu Qiaoqiao, he was probably able to exert seventy to eighty percent of his strength, which was quite good. But Jiang Tianyun's physical condition was even worse.
Terrestrial immortals are not true immortals.
They also have a lifespan.
Jiang Tianyun was almost three hundred years old.
He was already nearing his limit and was tormented by illness like ordinary people. So in his view, if Jiang Tianyun really fought Li Xuanxi at this time, Jiang Tianyun's chances of winning were not high.
But Jiang Tianyun had been in the Cangyuan Realm for so many years, with a profound foundation that was terrifying. If Li Xuanxi wanted to win, relying solely on the Heavenly Maiden Sword was obviously not enough.
However, Luo Xiaochuan had oversimplified one thing. Even if Jiang Tianyun was no longer in his prime, he had specifically come to test it today, and the gap between him and Jiang Tianyun was still too great.
Whether it was Jiang Tianyun or Li Xuanxi, he was probably not their match.
He wanted to be the Cangyuan Realm Master, but it seemed unlikely.
But Li Changqing didn't have so many thoughts about this.
However, he was more concerned about what Luo Xiaochuan had just said about Li Hengsheng.
Li Hengsheng's father was Yue Hanjun?
Nonsense, he was Li Hengsheng's real father.
At least this body should be Li Hengsheng's real father, the blood relation was obvious.
Li Changqing was more eager to learn about Yue Hanjun.
***
Three days later.
Baitu had arrived in Tianhai City and entered the Cangyuan Pavilion.
The scrutiny in Cangyuan Pavilion was strict, with thorough vetting of Zhao Heizi's identity, checking whether any marks had been planted on him.
But no matter how they checked, Zhao Heizi appeared completely normal.
So they allowed Zhao Heizi into the Cangyuan Pavilion to sort through intelligence.
After arriving at the Cangyuan Pavilion, Baitu's eyes were opened wide; he hadn't expected the intelligence department within to be so vast. Moreover, the speed and timeliness of intelligence transmission every day were incredibly fast, a far cry from the minor operations of the Changqing Trading Company.
However, Baitu didn't forget his mission, which was to find information on Yue Hanjun.
"Zhao Heizi."
At that moment, a voice called out: "Someone has purchased information on the Yunhuang Black Soul Grass, hurry to the intelligence vault and fetch it."
"Yes."
Baitu responded.
This was also part of his job.
When he reached the intelligence vault, there were thousands of huge shelves categorized with all sorts of information, countless in number.
The information was also graded.
Heaven, Earth, Mystery, Ordinary.
The highest level was the heavenly-grade information.
Generally, to purchase information of this level, it wasn't just a matter of money.
It required very rare treasures to exchange for it.
As Baitu was looking for information on the Black Soul Grass, he caught sight of a shelf in the distance.
There were many top-secret files on individuals of heavenly grade.
What caught his eye, in particular, was a name in the corner.
Yue Hanjun.
The information was right in front of him!
Many people were searching for information around him, but when Baitu saw that no one was paying attention to him, he reached out to grab the information on Yue Hanjun.
"Zhao Heizi, hurry up, the information on Black Soul Grass isn't over there," someone behind him urged.
Proofreader & Editor: Lotas