Preparing to Confess to Master

Upon hearing the words of his daughter, Qi Jianjun, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. The Upper Realm? "That Upper Realm?" "Yes, the Upper Realm where Mother is!" Qi Jianjun replied seriously. At that moment, the way Qi Yuan looked at Shen Wushen shifted once more. "Come, let us go to Seven Colors Peak." As for the Divine Infant Assembly, to hell with holding it. After all, Shen Wushen hailed from the Upper Realm. Jin Li... was still in the Upper Realm. Master... was also in the Upper Realm. Unfortunately, he could not leave the Canglan Realm, and thus naturally could not travel to the Upper Realm. With the Great Tribulation still unresolved, even if he stepped into the Yin God realm, he would not be able to take a teleportation array to reach the Upper Realm. Yet since Shen Wushen had descended from the Upper Realm, he could return there and deliver a message. Shen Wushen did not hesitate, immediately stating, "Brother Qi extends an invitation; how could I dare refuse?" And so, Qi Yuan and Shen Wushen transformed into two streaks of flowing light and vanished. *** Standing before the brand-new, single-story concrete house, Qi Yuan said nonchalantly, "Little Brother Shen, what do you think of my new cave abode?" Since Shen Wushen called him Brother Qi, calling Shen Wushen Little Brother Shen in return was hardly unreasonable, was it? Shen Wushen was slightly taken aback. Staring at the concrete house before him, the normally taciturn man said, "The Great Dao is simple." "You certainly know how to speak well." Qi Yuan smiled. "Come, let us go inside and talk in detail." "Very well." The two entered the concrete house and sat down on chairs. Qi Yuan looked at Shen Wushen with great anticipation. "I heard you came from the Upper Realm?" "Yes." Shen Wushen nodded. He figured Qi Jianjun had shared this news. "Can you travel back and forth between the two realms?" Qi Yuan asked earnestly. "It is difficult... very difficult, and requires paying an immense price," Shen Wushen answered. It was only by relying on a treasure left behind by his ancestors of the Shen clan, combined with activating his sect's supreme treasure, that he had managed to arrive in the Canglan Realm. As matters stood, he could only descend one more time. That was why he had intended to exchange divine arts for Qi Yuan's pointers. "As long as you can!" Qi Yuan felt delighted. Paying an immense price? With his own brilliant intellect, drafting a meticulous plan would easily resolve Shen Wushen's problem. He hastily inquired, "Do you know of the Moon Goddess Palace? Can you meet the Yue Nü... Jin Li?" He and Jin Li had never truly met in the present. Or rather, the one he had met was the Yue Nü, Jin Li's past self. "I know of the Moon Goddess Palace. Your daughter also entrusted me yesterday..." Shen Wushen recounted how he had met Qi Jianjun the day before and what she had asked of him. "However, Mount Futu is far too distant from the Moon Goddess Palace. I have only heard the name of the Yue Nü, but do not personally know this Jin Li. Mount Futu is so far away that delivering a single message might take as long as three years," Shen Wushen admitted honestly. "Three years?" Qi Yuan murmured. He recalled the Yue Nü by July Lake, and also remembered Jin Li, who in a future timeline had waited for him across thousands, tens of thousands of years. To Qi Yuan, very little time had passed. To Jin Li, however, it had been agonizingly long. "If I write a letter, could you deliver it to her?" Qi Yuan asked. Shen Wushen quickly shook his head. "Things from the Canglan Realm cannot be brought to the Upper Realm." The Canglan Realm was... extremely peculiar. "They cannot?" "Brother Qi can pass along a verbal message. Once I return to the Upper Realm, I will transcribe it into a letter and have it sent to the Moon Goddess Palace," Shen Wushen offered. "That pays far too little heed to personal privacy." Qi Yuan shook his head. "In that case, I will compose a technique and recite it to you. You... will send that technique to Yue Nü Jin Li. How about that?" Qi Yuan's train of thought was straightforward: compose a formidable Dao technique and weave what he wished to say into it. That way, when Jin Li received the technique, she would instantly understand his meaning. Just to convey a few words to Jin Li, Qi Yuan resolved to invent a powerful technique from scratch. "No problem," Shen Wushen replied. "I will give this technique to you in five days," Qi Yuan said. He needed time to create it. After all, he could hardly craft a technique that had no practical use. "Oh, right. Do you know of Ruan Yixi from the Moon Goddess Palace?" Qi Yuan remembered his master. Shen Wushen shook his head. "I do not." Qi Yuan furrowed his brow. Ruan Yixi certainly had ties to the Moon Goddess Palace. Whether she actually belonged to it, however, remained unknown. A thought struck him, and Qi Yuan gave a soft laugh. "Does the Upper Realm have newspapers?" "What are those?" Shen Wushen asked, puzzled. "Do you know Lingtian Pavilion? They have a service where you can spend spirit stones to publish information," Qi Yuan explained. Back when he annihilated the Black Mountain Sect, Qi Yuan had paid a hefty sum to have the news published. "I am aware of that. Such services exist in the Upper Realm as well, but... to ensure the people of the Moon Goddess Palace see the message, the price required is exorbitant," Shen Wushen said, lowering his voice. "To publish a notice confessing my love to Ruan Yixi of the Moon Goddess Palace, how much would it cost?" Qi Yuan was completely unabashed about being a two-timer. Just a moment ago he was trying to reach Jin Li, and now he was already thinking about his master-wife Ruan Yixi. "A divine art—and one that has not yet... been recorded in archives," Shen Wushen answered deadpan. The divine arts he offered Qi Yuan were mostly those already cataloged, possessing relatively modest value. Hearing this, Qi Yuan knitted his brows. "That is somewhat troublesome." He had no divine arts. Moreover, the Canglan Realm likely possessed none either. Pondering for a moment, he asked Shen Wushen, "How do you normally earn money?" Shen Wushen had just said descending to the lower realm cost him dearly. That meant Shen Wushen must have avenues to make money; otherwise, he could never have scraped together the resources to come down. "By completing sect missions," Shen Wushen answered. "Are there missions like modifying cultivation methods, perfecting pill formulas, or patching up incomplete techniques that need restoration?" Qi Yuan asked. "There are." Though confused, Shen Wushen answered truthfully. "How about this: you accept all such missions and bring them down to me. I will complete them for you. Then you cash them in and help me trade for divine arts and Heaven-grade arts," Qi Yuan suggested excitedly. Indeed, he was young, and young people had sharp minds. In an instant, he had devised a method to fleece the Upper Realm. This way, he would undoubtedly secure a steady stream of Upper Realm cultivation arts. He had already discovered that he could use Upper Realm techniques as material to invent his *Qi Yuan Scripture*. "This..." Shen Wushen hesitated. What Qi Yuan proposed sounded far too absurd. Among the tasks Qi Yuan described, all the easy ones had long since been claimed. Those that remained were exceptionally difficult. For instance, one mission concerned the true incantation of a divine art called the *Primordial Art*, which comprised seventy-two words in total, three of which were missing. For a mission like that, how could someone who had never seen the *Primordial Art* fill in the blanks? Even a Yang God expert could not accomplish it. Besides, a Yang God would never waste so much energy on such an endeavor. "You don't believe me?" Qi Yuan looked at Shen Wushen and continued, "Have you taken any missions like that? Show me one, and I will demonstrate right now how to solve it." Seeing Qi Yuan's confident demeanor, Shen Wushen lapsed into silence for a moment. Yet recalling Qi Yuan's terrifying prowess, he ultimately chose to trust him. "Once I return this time, I will accept the missions and bring them to you," Shen Wushen agreed. Qi Yuan smiled upon hearing this. "Since you are so cooperative, I will offer you a pointer or two in advance." Previously, their arrangement had been that whenever Shen Wushen produced a new divine art, Qi Yuan would provide some guidance to bolster Shen Wushen's strength. "Thank you, Brother Qi!" Shen Wushen felt deeply grateful inside. Before he had even delivered any new divine arts, Qi Yuan was already willing to guide him; this demonstrated immense trust. "Tell me, what is the greatest issue you face during cultivation?" Qi Yuan asked casually. Offering pointers was the easiest task. Modifying a divine art to boost its might took quite a bit of time. That was why he offered pointers instead—to give Shen Wushen a taste of the sweetness first. Shen Wushen's expression turned grave. "When I was in the Origin Core stage, forging my foundation, I grew overly eager for quick success, which led to certain complications. Consequently, the spiritual energy inside my body is considerably less than that of other cultivators. When Brother Qi fought me, you barely used any spiritual energy at all to defeat me. Could you teach me that method of utilizing spiritual energy?" Qi Yuan extended his perception to examine the spiritual energy inside Shen Wushen's body. He could not help clicking his tongue. "The spiritual energy inside you is eighty or ninety times that of True Monarch Kumu, and you call that lacking?" Of course, compared to him, it truly was meager. After all, Qi Yuan's spiritual energy could drive a Stellar Golden Core. "Resolving this issue is simple enough; I have one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight solutions right here," Qi Yuan stated casually. Shen Wushen froze. He had consulted his own master regarding this flaw. Even his master had no effective remedy. And now... one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight solutions? Was he joking? "The simplest method is to revert your Divine Infant back into a Golden Core, thereby repairing the original injury. That way, the problem ceases to exist. Furthermore... it will be equivalent to forming your Divine Infant a second time, and the spiritual energy in your body will at least double," Qi Yuan said earnestly. Shen Wushen was utterly dumbfounded. Had anyone else told him this, he would have dismissed it as sheer nonsense. Yet this was Qi Yuan—a peerless genius who had effortlessly crushed him with the power of the Divine Infant stage, surpassing even the Saint Child of Mount Futu. He found himself caught between belief and doubt. Yet when he remembered that Qi Yuan possessed more than one Divine Infant, the idea of turning a Divine Infant into a Golden Core suddenly seemed somewhat plausible. "Does Daoist Brother possess a method to turn a Divine Infant into a Golden Core?" Shen Wushen looked at Qi Yuan with yearning eyes. He assumed Qi Yuan had obtained some ancient heritage, which was why he could condense multiple Divine Infants and possessed such a technique. "I will in just a moment. Wait a bit, and I'll make one up for you." Shen Wushen was speechless. Make one up right on the spot? Right in front of his face... make one up? After a moment's hesitation, he opted for silence, watching Qi Yuan intently. Qi Yuan closed his eyes. Countless streams of information swirled through his mind. Roughly the time it took for an incense stick to burn passed. Qi Yuan opened his eyes again. "This technique is fairly simple, not very high in rank, so it came together quickly. It's done." Shen Wushen looked at Qi Yuan apprehensively. "How about... you make it up for a little longer?" A technique concocted in the span of a single incense stick was something he felt rather hesitant to practice. After all, this involved transforming a Divine Infant into a Golden Core. He had never even heard of such a method before. "If you bring me more divine arts, I will spend more time making it up for you. Who knows, in the future, you might even be able to slay a Yin God while remaining in the Divine Infant realm!" A smile played at the corners of Qi Yuan's brows, his eyes gleaming with an unfathomable depth. This technique still had immense room for enhancement. For example, an infinite cycle of shattering the core to form an infant, then condensing the infant back into a core. It was just that each additional iteration would demand far more of Qi Yuan's time and mental effort. As he spoke, Qi Yuan recorded the technique into a jade slip. "This method is called the *Core-Infant Art*. Take it." Shen Wushen accepted the jade slip. His divine sense surged inside at once, browsing through the *Core-Infant Art* with curious intent. A single glance left him mesmerized, his eyes blazing with fanaticism. "To think such a method could exist... Why is there such a line of thought? How did I never consider this before!" Shen Wushen shook with excitement, looking like a tiger starved for fifty years that had suddenly caught sight of fresh meat. He now believed it entirely: this *Core-Infant Art* was genuine, not fabricated drivel. This technique could truly rectify his flaw. Once he mastered it, not only would his shortage of spiritual energy be resolved, but his entire strength would nearly... double! "Stop losing your mind in my place. Hurry on back; I still have business to attend to." Qi Yuan issued an eviction order to the overexcited Shen Wushen. He still needed to carefully compose a technique for Jin Li and conceal the letter he wanted to write within it. That technique naturally could not be handled as casually as the one given to Shen Wushen. "Thank you, Daoist Brother, for the grace of imparting the Dao." Jolted back to reality, Shen Wushen bowed respectfully to Qi Yuan before turning into a streak of light and taking his leave without ceremony. In his departure, he even forgot to call for Shen Zhifeng. Inside the concrete house, Qi Yuan was left all alone. He raised his head to gaze at the sun and moon hanging in the heavens. He murmured, "With the Great Tribulation present, I still cannot ascend to the Upper Realm for now." Generally speaking, reaching the Yin God realm allowed one to ascend to the Upper Realm. In certain worlds, Purple Mansion cultivators could also reach the Upper Realm through special channels. Yet in the Canglan Realm, because of the Great Tribulation, Yin Gods could not ascend, nor could their Origin Spirits leave their physical forms to venture into the Great Void and roam the myriad heavens. Unable to ascend to the Upper Realm, Qi Yuan naturally could not see Jin Li. "In the past, I did not see you..." Qi Yuan murmured. He already had an outline in mind for that technique. The previous time, the second phrase he had entrusted to the garment demon of the Robe and Crown Forbidden Ground had been *Ru Jian Qing*—"As If Seeing You." This time, the technique he would create would be called *Seeing You*. Back during his Qi Refining days, facing the barrier of time and space, Qi Yuan had felt helpless and bewildered, even imagining that meeting Jin Li might take thousands, tens of thousands of years, with no guarantee they would ever meet at all. Yet now, he was no longer that Qi Refining cultivator residing in a thatched hut; he was a Divine Infant True Monarch living in a concrete house! The gulf of time and space was no longer an insurmountable chasm to him, but something within arm's reach. Looking up at the stars in the night sky, he murmured softly, "Not much longer." *** The Upper Realm. Mount Futu. Shen Wushen's figure materialized inside his cave abode. A sharp radiance erupted from his eyes. The aura radiating from him was now more than twice as formidable as before. Facing a Saint Child of the same cultivation realm, he would dare challenge him now! He might even emerge victorious. Such was the advancement granted to him by the *Core-Infant Art*. Yet remembering something, Shen Wushen's brow knitted tightly. "Even so, before Qi Yuan, I am still far too weak." Originally, having grown stronger, he had brimmed with confidence when challenging Qi Yuan. Yet that encounter had resulted in a crushing defeat. What was more, the more his strength grew, the more he felt as though the gap between him and Qi Yuan was only widening. It was a terrifying sensation. He stepped out of his cave abode. Immediately, a young maiden hurried over, her face respectful. "Young Master, have you concluded your secluded cultivation?" "Yes." Shen Wushen nodded. Leaving his cave abode, he transformed into a streak of light and sped outside the sect. He was going to send a letter to Qi Yuan. Or rather, send him a cultivation method.