How come the celestial technique I stole is so powerful?!

"Polite! Be polite, Senior Li!" Lin Xiaosu stepped forward a few steps, coming to stand in front of him, "If you lose your temper, I will definitely retort, and when it comes to talking back, you absolutely can't outdo me. At that time, you'll be so angry that your seven orifices emit smoke and your primordial spirit gets dislocated, yet you still can't make a move, and that would really mess up your state of mind."

"You..." Li Qianzong raised his hand high!

Bang!

A slap landed on his own forehead.

"Senior, want a drink?" Lin Xiaosu raised his hand and offered a bottle.

Li Qianzong snatched it, and the small top half of the bottle disappeared in an instant as he flipped his hand and poured the entire bottle into his big mouth.

Lin Xiaosu made a sour expression.

He clearly saw the glass shards entering his mouth as well, and he just drank it, swallowed it…

The empty bottle rubbed gently into glass powder in Li Qianzong's hand, and his head slowly bowed: "I am calm now, let me ask you a question."

"Please, Senior!" Lin Xiaosu replied with utmost decorum.

"When on earth are you going to die?"

Saintess Qian Ling, who was originally watching the show with great curiosity, was suddenly shocked by these words.

What does that mean?

You old man, you drank your wine and proclaimed calmness, and then you pull this trick?

"Soon, very soon!" Lin Xiaosu said, "I'm going to enter the Ancient Wilderness. With your extremely wise insight, you can surely tell I won't live for many years!"

"You want to enter the Ancient Wilderness?" Li Qianzong frowned.

"Look, I'm already dressed for it!" Lin Xiaosu tugged at his clothes.

Li Qianzong slowly nodded: "Not bad! Not bad! If you enter the Ancient Wilderness, you'll die quickly indeed! Good news, good news!"

"Now that Senior is in a better mood, how about answering a question from this junior?" Lin Xiaosu asked.

"Go ahead!"

"How is she doing?" Lin Xiaosu pointed towards Dawa in the Abyss.

Li Qianzong looked down where he was pointing, and suddenly there was a gleam in his eyes: "She is my direct disciple, and her talent will become a legend in the Ancient Wilderness!"

Lin Xiaosu and Saintess Qian Ling were both astonished.

"Disciple?" That was Lin Xiaosu's surprise.

"Legend?" That was Saintess Qian Ling's surprise.

Li Qianzong laughed heartily: "At this moment she is just observing heaven, yet she has already understood the rules of life and death. Among all the Heavenly Pride under heaven, who else can master the rules before reaching the Enlightenment Realm? Next, she might even create an unprecedented miracle, solidifying a Rule Tao Seed before reaching Enlightenment!"

Saintess Qian Ling's face changed dramatically: "She could form a Rule Tao Seed?"

"Yes, that's her extraordinary nature!" Li Qianzong laughed to the sky, "Bai Xuanhuang, you bastard, I indeed can't beat you, but have the guts to wait a century and see whose disciples are stronger!"

His laughter was flamboyant.

Lin Xiaosu and Saintess Qian Ling exchanged glances.

"Senior, farewell!" Lin Xiaosu bowed slightly.

The two stepped onto the mountain path ahead.

"Kid!" came Li Qianzong's voice from behind: "Let me give you some advice!"

Lin Xiaosu was overjoyed, suddenly turning around.

This old guy, who wholeheartedly wishes him an early death, took the initiative to remind him, that's a good thing.

"Walk honestly through Zuo Zhi Lake, and absolutely don't go to Qingqiu." Li Qianzong said, "The Heavenly Foxes of Qingqiu have very deep roots, and they are particularly fond of pretty boys like you. If you enter Qingqiu, you'll be drained by those unsatisfied seductive fox clan within three days!"

It was Saintess Qian Ling's turn to clutch her cheeks, teeth aching.

"Congratulations, Senior, for mastering the 'play hard to get' strategy from the Great Xia Military Strategy! Congratulations!" Lin Xiaosu bowed, taking Saintess Qian Ling's hand, and suddenly leapt into the air.

Ahead, the scenery changed dramatically.

A lake lay, serene.

On either side of the lake were galleries like misty rain art.

The crowds flowed like a weaving loom.

High pavilions and splendid halls, all available.

In the distance, countless cities, in the sky, magic artifacts traversed boldly.

This paradise-like scene clearly exceeded Lin Xiaosu's expectations.

He muttered to himself: "Having such an immortal realm, one should be content and happy. I'm puzzled, with such a paradise, just how bored must you be to covet my world's affairs with such longing?"

Saintess Qian Ling's eyes were also alight.

After so many years, finally, returning to the homeland.

Inside the blood coffin, one slept for a million years, yet the scenes of the Ancient Wilderness remain unchanged.

Her gaze slowly lifted: "What's going on between you and that old man? He seems to truly hate you, but he doesn't lay a hand on you."

"Because of a contract!" Lin Xiaosu said, "I rescued him from an underground trap formation and signed a Heavenly Dao contract with him. He must prevent the Ancient Wilderness from entering that world and cannot harm any person in that world."

"If you die, the contract is nullified, so he sincerely hopes you'll die?"

"Yes, but he can't kill me himself. Look at him, how frustrated he is." Lin Xiaosu's lips curled into a smile.

"You... always dreaming up all sorts of ideas!" Saintess Qian Ling laughed: "That last thing you said, what does 'play hard to get' mean?"

"He advised me to walk the path of Zuo Zhi Lake honestly, never to enter Qingqiu, but then he told me that Qingqiu is profoundly established and is particularly fond of individuals like me. Of course, he knew that once I knew of Qingqiu's existence, I couldn't pass it up. So, on the surface, he advises me not to go, but he knows I will inevitably go! That's a classic play hard to get."

Saintess Qian Ling's eyes widened: "You're really going?"

Lin Xiaosu looked far across to the shimmering clouds opposite Zuo Zhi Lake, nodding.

Saintess Qian Ling took a deep breath: "He wasn't wrong. Qingqiu is deep-rooted, but it's also a den of demons for human men. You shouldn't dare enter Qingqiu!"

These were words of wisdom.

Qingqiu Fox Clan, the world's unique race.

Skilled in the ways of charm, the land of the fox clan is a dreamland for men.

But, do you think they're benign?

Heavenly Foxes, they draw upon the cosmos, absorbing the essence of humanity for their own use.

The moment human men succumb to their allure, they are, essentially, spent; either their bodies fail, or their minds crumble. Thus, major sects strictly prohibit any association with the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

Saintess Qian Ling, in fact, could cite countless examples from her lineage who stumbled upon the path blocked by the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

"Under normal circumstances, which genuine cultivator would seek to enter Qingqiu?" Lin Xiaosu said: "But Qian Ling, look at this path. If Qingqiu supports me and seals Zuo Zhi Lake, wouldn't it symbolize the expansion of Daxia's influence? In terms of defense and counterattack, there are countless benefits and no drawbacks at all."

Saintess Qian Ling glanced around, speechless.

Yes, this was strategic vision.

The Tashan Defense Line currently had only one effective defender, Li Qianzong.

The external Kun Cang Thirteen Sects, with negligible strength, were almost dismissed.

"Is this your strategy, to draw in some sects and form your own power structure?"

"This is the sorrow of ants; they can only accumulate bit by bit."

"Actually, you could be a tycoon." Saintess Qian Ling said: "It's the approach I suggested, enter Cangyuan! As long as you catch the eye of a giant from Cangyuan, your entry into Qingqiu will be quite different."

"Worldly matters aren't as simple as you think. Experience from every era tells us that any form of society arises from compromises among various sides; blindly hoping for others' favor is most unreliable. Even if I have the intention to follow this path, I must hold some chips in my hand; otherwise, Cangyuan... won't even see me, and even if they did, they wouldn't respect me. Can someone without fundamental respect have a voice?"

"So, Qingqiu is also your bargaining chip!" Saintess Qian Ling said.

"Exactly!"

"What do you intend to do?"

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "To tread the world clad in splendid attire and ride horses—this is the stance of a swordsman. But I am a scholar, a cultured person in that world, so I go to Qingqiu in Qingqiu's favored demeanor!"

Saintess Qian Ling cast a sidelong glance: "You wish to walk the Jianghu as a swordsman, though you wish you could! Your Sword Dao was impressive once in that world, but here, it's nothing at all..."

"So then, one must know oneself!" Lin Xiaosu's figure surged, then paused: "What about you? Are you going to cross the lake now and return to the forest of your kin?"

"No hurry!" Saintess Qian Ling smiled lightly: "I'll accompany you to Qingqiu, so when you're exhausted and leaning against walls to walk, I can still bring you back and make some ginseng soup for your replenishment..."

Lin Xiaosu gritted his teeth: "I must show you who leans against walls!"

The two leapt down from the mountaintop.

In that world, if someone jumped from a building, it would draw attention and screams.

But this world is different; countless people flew in the sky, and their descent from the mountain alarmed no one.

Landing on the street paved with blue stones, gazing at both sides rich in historical essence, weaving through the bustling crowds, they approached Zuo Zhi Lake.

Zuo Zhi Lake, named after Zuo Zhi.

Zuo Zhi, a very peculiar race; two-eared Zuo Zhi are beast-like, three-eared Zuo Zhi are half-human, half-beast, and four-eared Zuo Zhi can transform into human form.

Two-eared Zuo Zhi, self-assured.

Four-eared Zuo Zhi, truly intelligent.

Six-eared Zuo Zhi, anomalies between heaven and earth, known as Heavenly Dao holding the center with my left hold.

This lake is teeming with four-eared Zuo Zhi.

Assuming human forms, rowing boats, selling wine, running stores, opening pawnshops, opening escort bureaus...

Thus the name Zuo Zhi Lake.

Lin Xiaosu's Heavenly Tao Primordial Spirit initiated, sensing the aura of Zuo Zhi closely. Zuo Zhi who assume human form are not merely human; almost all possess Subdivine Skill.

Just of varying levels.

In a black pavilion ahead, he sensed an external force of a secondary deity.

That pavilion bears two ancient characters: Heart Pavilion.

"Don't explore that pavilion." Saintess Qian Ling transmitted her voice via spiritual sense: "Heart Pavilion, built by the Mental Path, excels in Subdivine Secret Technique. A careless mistake can allow them to probe into your Sea of Consciousness, and if provoked, Subdivine Skill can kill you invisibly."

She did not know Lin Xiaosu possessed Subdivine Secret Technique, let alone that he had opened the "Heavenly Human Lock" and entered the Sub-divine Realm.

Just as her voice faded, Lin Xiaosu suddenly felt familiar Sub-god Power.

At this moment, he was still ten yards from the Heart Pavilion.

His Sub-divine Realm instantly shut.

His Primordial Spirit activated, shielding his brain.

This Sub-god Power did not exclusively target him, but routinely swept the street, then subsided.

Lin Xiaosu's Heavenly Tao Wisdom Eye pierced through the third-floor curtains, spotting an ancient man inside. Though appearing ordinary, his eyes were as deep as the sea.

The elderly man fixated on the pier ahead, where many were landing, becoming his new probing targets...