During battle, Li Qingyue exuded an overwhelming, formidable presence. Now that she had ceased fighting, she returned to her refined, radiant temperament. Her raven hair cascaded like a waterfall, her bright eyes and white teeth shone, and when she smiled faintly, it was like a celestial flower blossoming anew, flowing with brilliant showers of light, instantly evoking a sense of gentleness and warmth.
She had the elite disciples step forward to help treat the wounded. The spiritual light of consciousness of some core disciples had suffered heavy damage, and more than half of their bodies were drenched in blood.
It was mainly Jiang Shengyu, Su Jingshu, and Hu Tingwen who had fought stubbornly without yielding. Seeing the Eight Trigrams Furnace practically within arm's reach, they had unleashed their ultimate trump cards in a desperate gamble, only to be met by a ferocious counterattack that had blasted right through their bodies.
Qin Ming watched Li Qingyue from the distance. Who knew what year it would be when they met again?
Seeing her surrounded by elite disciples and too occupied to slip away, Qin Ming turned and walked in another direction.
"Everyone, we walk the same path; we're all our own people. Especially now that the contest for the near-immortal item has drawn to a close, there is no need for us to fight anymore," Qin Ming said with a smile, greeting some of the Outer Sages.
The group grew wary at once, looking at him with deep vigilance.
For they all knew he had a tremendous background, likely being a successor of the Six Imperial lineage.
Most importantly, he had turned out to be Li Qingyue's partner, and the Eight Trigrams Furnace was still held in his hand!
Moreover, when a small group among them realized who he was, their hair stood on end. They had crossed paths with him in the white bamboo forest and had joined forces to besiege him.
When Qin Ming released his heavenly light force externally, it was merely a thin layer, yet in that white bamboo forest, he had not only broken through their encirclement but blasted through their ranks, slaughtering many gold-armored guards.
Qin Ming continued, "This contest of the sects beyond the mundane world gave me deep food for thought. With every trick and method unleashed, win or lose, once everyone heals their wounds afterward, they're bound to make progress. We ought to exchange notes too."
The group backed away. Was this successor of the Six Imperial lineage coming to seek revenge?
Qin Ming waved his hand with a smile and said, "Don't misunderstand, everyone. I'm talking about exchanging secret manuals and arts—sharing what we have with one another."
These were all Outer Sages; their specialties in heavenly light force arts would certainly not be poor. He genuinely and sincerely wanted to exchange techniques with them.
Yet many were skeptical, and some even suspected he was extorting them. Qin Ming was utterly helpless; his sincerity was met with suspicion, and things progressed far from smoothly.
Even when someone did agree to exchange manuals with him, they were on edge. While chanting the mnemonics and demonstrating the forms, they were clouded by conflicting emotions, making it hard to convey the true essence of the secret texts.
Only after quite a while did Qin Ming manage to trade for a complete movement manual, the *Ascension Technique*. That Outer Sage sighed deeply, saying that a prominent figure had once emerged in his ancestry who possessed the *Crossing the River on a Reed Technique*, but sadly, it had been lost to history.
Qin Ming immediately perked up and asked where the man's ancestral home was, hoping to pay a visit in the future. He mused that if any ancient relics remained, he might be able to piece together the *Crossing the River on a Reed Technique*, which clearly surpassed the scope of ordinary arts.
Afterward, Qin Ming traded for another manual, *Tiger's Roar*. It did not sound extraordinary, but it could develop a unique force that vibrated one's body to strengthen the viscera.
"Sigh, whose ancestors weren't prominent at some point? Above my family's Tiger's Roar Art, there was once the *Five Thunders Viscera Refining Art*, and above that, supposedly an *Eight Views Divine Illumination Art*."
Qin Ming earnestly asked him to elaborate.
"The Eight Views Divine Illumination Art requires cultivating a visible yet intangible lamp within one's chest and abdomen, using it to illuminate the entire body, temper the viscera with fire, and even forge one's consciousness. As for its effects... I don't know either. It was lost long ago."
Qin Ming marveled inward; there truly were many wondrous arts in this world. Just hearing about them stirred yearning, and to master one would be thrilling indeed.
Yet he could only shake his head. As the Outer Sage had explained, his family had moved countless times since his great-grandfather's generation, changing cities repeatedly, until no one even knew where the family roots lay anymore.
Li Qingyue walked over gracefully. Seeing Qin Ming exchanging heavenly light force arts with others, she smiled gently and said, "Once we return, I'll find a manual for you. It should be extraordinarily precious."
Qin Ming handed her the Eight Trigrams Furnace, then stepped aside with her to converse in low voices.
"Now that you have the near-immortal item, none of the old fellows will break the rules and confiscate it, will they?"
"They won't!" Li Qingyue shook her head.
"That's good, then." Qin Ming pulled the furnace lid from his robes, along with a large handful of multicolored, translucent "exotic metals." All of them were accompanied by wondrous phenomena—some swirling with hazy purple mist, others densely covered with mystical patterns that calmed the mind.
Then, he handed her the metallic paper that flowed with auspicious radiance, of which only a single corner remained.
Li Qingyue looked surprised; all these items possessed extraordinary origins.
She did not decline, taking them all.
For those senior predecessors had long entered before; all possessed pure yang spiritual light of consciousness and certainly knew what lay at the bottom of the pit.
Now, for both her and Qin Ming, the best choice was to bring every item out and not keep anything hidden.
"This scrap of paper... what a pity," Li Qingyue sighed softly.
Qin Ming said nothing. He intended to wait until this storm fully blew over before finding an opportunity to pass the two mysterious scriptures on to her.
Telling her now might carry unpredictable risks.
He was deeply wary of the methods of people beyond the mundane world, such as possession. If someone probed Li Qingyue's spiritual light of consciousness, he would inevitably be exposed.
Those overbearing senior figures were all unfathomable, like ghosts and gods. Qin Ming had no desire to face them; he could not afford to take risks right now. For now, he could only console her, saying, "Perhaps it can be completed in the future. Things recorded on a page of true transmission aren't so easily lost."
"Hopefully," Li Qingyue nodded.
Before departing, she sat quietly in the colossal pit for a long time, tempering her spiritual light of consciousness with heavenly light.
"The seniors had us compete here, likely intending for us to cultivate using this place as well."
In the end, the large group made their way back along the path they had come.
Gritting his teeth, Li Qingxu propped himself up with his spiritual light of consciousness and stood on his own.
"I'll carry you back," Zeng Yuan stepped forward.
"No need!" Li Qingxu refused with a shake of his head, then swiftly sped off.
Yet not long after, he returned. Cautious by nature, he feared someone might stalk him in secret and strike down his heavily wounded self on the road.
Zeng Yuan and Zheng Maoze supported each other. The two were truly brothers in misfortune; both had touched the near-immortal item and briefly possessed it, but had also been severely injured because of it.
"Junior Sister, earlier when we besieged you... sigh, I am truly sorry." Tang Xumi grimaced, enduring the pain as he tried to explain to Li Qingyue, but in the end, he did not say more.
He greatly admired Li Qingyue and had hoped to draw closer to her. Now, there would likely never be another chance, leaving him feeling deeply bereft.
Li Qingyue said, "Everyone employed their methods for the near-immortal item. There is nothing to hold onto. Once we leave this place, everything remains as before; we are still fellow disciples."
In truth, she knew that when she was besieged, Tang Xumi had left an opening for her at the final moment so she could break out and flee, though she had chosen to severely wound Ren Yiping on the other side and fight her way out instead.
Along the way, Qin Ming dug up the Overlord Lance.
"I'll carry it for you." Li Qingyue took it from him, doing so to prevent sore losers from Li Qingxu's branch from making trouble.
"Wang Caiwei might have recognized me," Qin Ming secretly informed her along the way.
Li Qingyue paused in her steps and uttered two simple words: "It's fine."
"The outcome is decided; they're coming out!" Outside the Luofu Immortal Mountain ruins, many people were waiting.
They already knew that numerous unexpected turns had occurred during this contest. The near-immortal item had changed hands multiple times, and Tang Xumi had seized it twice, only to lose it each time with regret.
In fact, those who truly knew the insider details were well aware that Li Qingxu had nearly succeeded. With the boy from the Yinyang Daoist Temple cooperating, coupled with his ability to covertly aid Tang Xumi and then have Lu Zhen turn on him—amounting to the combined efforts of three people—Li Qingxu only needed to grasp the Eight Trigrams Furnace once to flee at extreme speed with his mystical escape technique.
The people of the Cui clan wore unsightly expressions. They knew full well that with Cui Chonghe's spiritual light of consciousness possessing a body inside, he likely would have taken the lead had there been no surprises, yet he was discovered both times.
Evidently, when Cui Chonghe was besieged by the six core disciples the second time, Li Qingyue had secretly leaked the news through someone trustworthy, tipping off Tang Xumi and the others.
"Indeed, it is Li Qingyue who secured the near-immortal item. She cleanly and brilliantly defeated all competitors. Such a result is thoroughly deserved!" an elderly senior said with a nod and a smile.
This was a major figure—someone bold enough to slam the table before Li Qingxu's master. With him stepping forward to praise her, who dared voice dissent?
At once, outside the ruins, many chimed in with praises, declaring that Li Qingyue had the aptitude to approach immortality and that resources should be directed toward grooming her with priority.
Where some were joyful and excited, others were naturally disappointed and resentful. Many disciples had participated this time, backed by lineages from the outer realm as well as thousand-year clans.
"Is Li Ye really Li Qingyue's cousin? He seized the Overlord Lance and killed so many people..." someone remarked in discontent.
"Shut your mouth! When my family's Qingyue was besieged by people from multiple clans, our Li clan said nothing. If you're looking for trouble, you are welcome to visit the secluded Li clan..." Only now did someone from the clan behind Li Qingyue step forward. It was actually a large secluded clan; though not as populous or vast as the thousand-year clans, they were all genuine experts!
Clearly, at such a crucial juncture, no one truly wanted to stir up trouble, and those who had intended to muddy the waters shut their mouths immediately.
At this moment, Li Qingyue became the focal point. All eyes were on her. She had no choice but to salute several seniors, responding modestly and with propriety.
Then, a crowd of youths stepped forward, clustering around her like stars orbiting the moon.
Without question, the impact of this contest for the near-immortal item was immense. People from ancient lineages and powerful houses across the pure lands of the outer realm had all arrived.
For in a certain sense, whoever obtained the near-immortal item would inevitably rise with speed, destined to become a paramount figure in the outer realm in the future.
Now, heirs to certain lineages and renowned prodigies from the outer realm had all appeared on the scene.
"Isn't that Senior Brother Pei? Gifted beyond measure, not yet twenty-five years old, and already able to discuss the Dao with seniors—he is an immortal seed of our pure lands!"
"Senior Brother Pei is as handsome and elegant as jade, scholarly and refined, exuding such an ethereal aura! He has never sought a Dao companion; standing there, he makes quite the match with Junior Sister Li!" a young woman could not help but exclaim in admiration.
"Look, Senior Brother Zhuo is here too! Not only does he possess astonishing talent, but he has opened the divine eye between his brows, capable of discerning immortal charm. His future achievements are beyond imagination! His divine eye is in no way inferior to the spiritual pupil Junior Sister Li has cultivated—the two complement each other splendidly."
Qin Ming slowly backed away, as there truly was no place for him to stand, and he was gradually pushed out. At Li Qingyue's side were celebrated luminaries of the outer realm, the lowest among them at the Yellow Court realm.
Some were destined to become masters of entire paths in the pure lands of the outer realm, having already distinguished themselves, their status exceptionally illustrious.
The focus of all eyes, Li Qingyue conversed with them with a smile. It was obvious that some had been deliberately arranged to come by their clans and lineages; having only recently stepped onto the immortal path, Li Qingyue was at the ideal stage to approach, befriend, or perhaps pursue something more.
Meng Xinghai came up beside Qin Ming and said, "You helped her immensely. Why did you back away?"
Qin Ming shook his head and said, "A gold-armored guard like me looks entirely out of place there. Qingyue is surrounded by heroes and geniuses—either descendants of sect masters or peerless prodigies. Even the followers behind them are jade-armored guards, or even... divine-armored guards."
He could only let out a quiet sigh. Even wanting to say goodbye before leaving, he couldn't get close without being blocked. With such a disparity in status, the distance between them seemed to have widened in an instant.
Chapter 123