Taiyi Dao Fruit

'Good, there's a feeling of life here.'

Jiang Li thought as he glanced around.

This room was clearly arranged with care, even having a Phoenix Seal added daily, indicating that the Princess lived here for a long time.

The Fire Lotus mark was fresh, meaning she hasn't been residing elsewhere recently, so important items shouldn't be moved away.

Thus, Jiang Li found the right place.

Light circulated at the center of his brow, the Heavenly Eye surveyed, and he distributed perception with Heavenly Dharma to enhance his sight. The already keen Heavenly Eye was further improved, allowing nothing, whether visible or invisible, to escape his observation.

The tables, chairs, bed, and floor were all pierced by his gaze. After just a week of observation, Jiang Li discovered a possible target.

Without hesitation, he walked to the dressing table, extended his palm, and pressed it against the Jade Mirror.

The Innate Qi injected inside, and the purest Primordial Qi activated the arrangement in the jade mirror, emitting a faint ripple. This jade mirror was, indeed, a storage magic tool. Jiang Li carefully sensed the inside of the magic tool, transforming the Innate Qi and adapting to the tool's restriction, attempting to open it.

But then, a faint crimson hue began to appear, and the temperature of the jade mirror rose rapidly.

"Hmm?"

Observing with his Heavenly Eye, Jiang Li discovered that the inside of this jade mirror was also arranged with a Phoenix Seal, more aggressive than the one on the door. Once the jade mirror was opened, the Phoenix Seal would automatically explode, creating a great commotion while triggering all fire energies within two hundred miles, including sunlight, due to the Qi Mechanism fluctuations.

Even if the Princess herself opened it, it would cause such commotion.

And since the Princess was in the Imperial City, if anything happened, she would be the first to notice the jade mirror being opened.

'Aggressive yet effective defense, but...'

Jiang Li's eyes dimmed, and his entire silhouette became increasingly blurry.

The Innate Qi injected into the jade mirror began to transform, turning instantly into a destructive force, just as the True Fire was about to erupt, it was extinguished, even tinting the jade mirror with a murky color.

From transforming the Innate Qi to the All Heaven Divine Sha, just the initial stage had already silenced the flame. Jiang Li withdrew his palm, revealing a book in his hand...

"A diary?"

Looking at the book in his hand, Jiang Li showed a puzzled expression, "Is there anyone seriously writing a diary nowadays?"

The Heavenly Eye penetrated the book's cover, revealing slightly exquisite but sharply written characters. Presumably, this should be the handwriting of Princess Ji Lingguang.

Jiang Li was genuinely surprised that the Princess would write a diary. Generally speaking, diary writers are sensitive and delicate, unlike the Princess.

But since he found it, he might as well take a look.

He reached out and opened the book, and a mix of words caught his eye. There were no dates marked, appearing to be casually jotted down.

[Looking back now, it's been twenty-three years since I met Manlou. Back then, I chased the Heavenly Charm True God of the Devil God Sect myself and met Manlou, who wanted to go to Daode Sect, thus starting a fateful relationship.]

[Events from twenty-three years ago remain vivid as if they happened yesterday. I've been very happy over the years, although a certain vile woman mocked me for being a cougar. But it's all harmless.]

[Manlou, from the Feng Clan, is clearly a Fourth Grade but always conceals his Realm to avoid too much attention. I usually punish him, and he accepts it, even receiving ridicule for being a kept man.]

'Isn't this clearly a kept man?'

Thinking about himself, Jiang Li silently labeled Feng Manlou as a kept man.

Regardless, even if Feng Manlou isn't a kept man, he must be; otherwise, he'd leave his brothers feeling lonely.

With such quirky thoughts, Jiang Li continued reading.

The Princess's diary writing seemed brief; otherwise, she wouldn't use terms like "twenty-three years ago." She married Feng Manlou twenty-one years ago. The diary is sparse, with mostly recollections, seemingly written on whims.

The dates appear to be discontinuous, suggesting a sporadic writing pattern.

[Two and a half years ago, the Emperor fell severely ill, and Gongsun Qi from the Dinghu Sect came to the Divine Capital to treat him. Since then, Manlou has seldom stayed in the Imperial City.]

······

[Absurd! He recognized a sworn brother, who is the disciple of that woman Gongsun Yuanxi, causing me to be mocked by her and punished with two hours of fire lotus kneeling.]

[Gongsun Yuanxi, I won't forget this grudge.]

······

[Jiang Li indeed is extraordinary, swiftly advancing. Manlou is excessively close to him, it seems there's a secret involved.]

······

[He's not only a member of the Great Venerable's clan, but he's actually an avatar of the Great Venerable himself!]

Jiang Li paid closer attention.

[The Great Venerable divided his past using Cosmic Light Divine Ability, creating eight avatars, one of whom is him. Back then, during the Feng Clan's downfall, the Ji Family and Jiang Family both contributed, while the Great Venerable is now the Feng Clan's leader...]

Following this were ink splatters, even marks from being scorched dotted the pages.

Then, some pages were torn out. Jiang Li counted and found about ten missing pages.

Yet, there were still records below.

[Yesterday's events like yesterday's death; today's events like today's birth. Do you think one's self from decades ago is the same as the current self?]

[Back then, I contemplated carving out a career, even becoming the first female Emperor since the Great Zhou's founding. But later, my ambition faded, even marrying a man of unknown origin, inciting criticism among the Royal Family. The only enduring thought these decades has been to utterly defeat Tianxuan one day.]

[Then, is the mentality of forty-year-old Feng Manlou the same as two hundred forty-year-old Feng Manlou?]

[Forty-year-old Feng Manlou is the Prince Consort, two hundred forty-year-old Feng Manlou...]

[He is the Great Venerable!]

Jiang Li's focus sharpened on those final four words.

People change, just like one's past and present self differ in mentality and thoughts. The current self and the recently awakened self differ too, at least the previous self had dreams of becoming First Grade, returning to Earth Star, perhaps even a First Grade Heavenly Venerate returning to the city. But the current self no longer cares for that.

Having gone through a Yellow Millet Dream's Jiazi years, Jiang Li long looked past the past, claiming yesterday's events died with yesterday isn't an exaggeration.

Feng Manlou is similar.

Forty-year-old Feng Manlou might love his wife, but two hundred forty-year-old might transcend emotions, uninfluenced by feelings. The person remains unchanged, but for the Princess, it might not be the case.

It's undeniable that the diary contains a wealth of information, at least enlightening Jiang Li about how the eldest brother divides his avatars, and also the number of avatars.

Currently known Cosmic Light Avatars are the Dragon King's Son-in-law Feng Manlou and Elder Yun, implying that there are six unknown Cosmic Light Avatars. Considering Feng Manlou's and Elder Yun's positions, these six avatars might similarly permeate various influences.

'They really can stir things up.'

Thinking this, Jiang Li turned the page.

A hard object appeared in his sight, a patch of blue-black scale, about half a page in size, tucked in the book yet hardly noticeable. Jiang Li previously detected nothing.

It seemed nonexistent, the previous Heavenly Eye Perspective completely missing it.

And below the scale...

[Manlou might be shameless, but he won't peek at my diaries.]

[So, who are you?]

Forceful strokes penned those brief sentences, occupying most of the page, making Jiang Li's eyes slowly widen.

'This scale deceived my perception!'

'This diary is deliberately placed for someone to see.'

'Is the Princess testing Feng Manlou's Mental State?'

'Those who write diaries truly aren't serious.'

Thoughts flashed, Jiang Li inwardly cursed.

'Damn, I've become a substitute.'

The diary was bait, aimed not at Jiang Li, yet he bit it.

Fishing for ages, only for him to be caught one day and hooked.