Chapter 738: The Divine Maiden Crosses Realms

When Li Yi and the others returned to Chishan City, the population had dwindled.

＿￠〇

Because Li Yi had driven out all the slaves and guard warriors within Chijin Mountain, and many warriors represented entire families, some even owning numerous slaves, attendants, and retainers in Chishan City.

Their departure naturally took a large number of people with them.

And because of this, many merchants also feared post-event retribution and chose to leave temporarily.

This caused the once bustling and prosperous Chishan City to become instantly desolate.

But for Li Yi, this was a good thing—the secrets within Chijin Mountain were too great; the fewer people lingering here, the better, and he felt his decision to expel them was correct.

Yet a city without order or governance cannot stand.

This place cannot be abandoned; since Li Yi had become its mountain lord, he would live, settle, and cultivate here in the future, and leaving it abandoned would bring great inconvenience.

So when Li Yi returned to Chishan City, he immediately sought out the merchant still in the city, Nü Heng.

When Nü Heng saw Li Yi again, her eyes showed reverence, for Li Yi was no longer the same—he was no longer an ordinary Divine Blood warrior, but a lord in his own right.

And moreover, the new lord of Chijin Mountain.

This shift in status made even her, a merchant lord from the Northern Wastes' Divine Blood lineage, pale in comparison.

"Should I now address you as Lord Dayi?" Nü Heng asked, her gaze lowered slightly, a hint of smile and respect in her eyes.

Li Yi said: "Nü Heng, you helped me. Now that I've taken Chijin Mountain, it's time to repay you. Would you be interested in managing this Chishan City for me? I believe the profits from running a city surpass those of traveling merchants."

Nü Heng was startled, then delighted: "Lord Dayi, you wish to entrust Chishan City to me?"

"I am a warrior—I must grow stronger and fight. Managing a city is not my strength. If you decline, I'll have to find someone else—perhaps Merchant Lord Xiu Xiang would be willing?" Li Yi said.

He believed the best person to manage this city was someone native to this world, to better navigate its rules.

"Xiu Xiang is still in Shenmu City; a round trip would waste too much time. Since Lord Dayi has spoken, I accept this task—I will strive to manage Chishan City well for you."

Nü Heng spoke quickly, not giving Li Yi a chance to retract.

"Then everything is in your hands, Nü Heng," Li Yi said.

"Lord, rest assured—I will restore Chishan City to its former prosperity," Nü Heng declared confidently; she had full faith in her abilities, having been a merchant lord herself, knowing precisely how to attract traders from all corners.

Li Yi nodded, saying no more; having chosen Nü Heng to manage the city, he would trust her.

He still trusted promises made in this world.

After settling this matter,

Li Yi returned once more to the governor's mansion.

It was not only deserted, but all valuable items had been moved into their personal storage magic artifacts; now the mansion was an empty shell, devoid of everything—but as a residence, it was still ideal.

"Tai Yi," Xuan Yuezi said, "I need you to open the Cross-Domain Gate once more. Xiang Xiangzi and I must return to the Incense World."

"Three Immortal Maidens are waiting for us to help them reshape their bodies and achieve full resurrection."

"With Chijin Gold, Water of Life, and Divine Blood now in hand, I believe the other three Immortal Maidens will recover soon."

"Fine, that's a minor matter," Li Yi said. "But if both Immortal Maidens depart, who will guard Chishan City?"

Xiang Xiangzi gave him a playful glare: "Tai Yi, it's time to return to the End-Era World and bring Yun Feizi and the others here. This world's spiritual energy is abundant—it will let them recover their strength quickly and surely help you guard Chijin Mountain."

Li Yi considered this, then nodded: "Makes sense. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Keeping all End-Era cultivators on Earth isn't wise—settling them here is beneficial."

Earth's situation is too complex; better to establish a foothold here first.

After all, the Wildlands and Earth are connected; no cross-domain travel is needed—just fly along the valley where the Divine Ones are buried to reach Earth.

Li Yi wasted no time—he immediately set up the cross-domain device, using the three rare artifacts as energy sources, and opened the gate linking to the Incense World.

The two Immortal Maidens, having urgent matters, did not linger and immediately crossed over.

After seeing off Xiang Xiangzi and Xuan Yuezi, Li Yi readjusted the cross-domain device, repositioned the coordinates, and reopened the gate connecting to the End-Era Cultivation World.

As the cross-domain gate opened,

Spiritual energy surged wildly into the End-Era Cultivation World; all things there had been starved for too long, and now the spiritual energy of the Wildlands was being greedily siphoned.

At the same time,

Outside the Bao Court in the End-Era Cultivation World, there lay a valley.

Flowers bloomed everywhere, birds sang, the air fragrant, houses neat and orderly—a true paradise beyond the world.

Behind the valley stood three great mountains, their blossoms like lotuses, atop which rose majestic palaces; on the central palace hung a plaque: "Tai Yi Hall."

This was the foothold Li Yi had established in the End-Era Cultivation World.

The residents were once cultivation experts of the Three Flowers Realm, but now their realms had collapsed, reducing them to ordinary people; yet Li Yi had taught them a new method: Martial Dao.

Though insufficient to restore their former power, it preserved their blood and qi, kept them strong and robust, preventing them from becoming utterly powerless.

As the cross-domain gate opened, this valley once again endured the storm of spiritual energy.

But this was no longer the first time.

Sensing the surge of spiritual energy, every cultivator in the city simultaneously dropped what they were doing and frantically absorbed the precious energy; with spiritual energy, they could extend their lives, avoiding old age and death.

"Tai Yi has opened the cross-domain gate again—this time he'll surely bring more people across. Hurry to Tai Yi Hall!"

All realized this, and while absorbing the energy, they hurried toward Tai Yi Hall.

Within moments, thirty to forty cultivators gathered from all directions.

Simultaneously, a white-and-blue thunder fighter jet flew in from above the valley and hovered before Tai Yi Hall; as the cabin opened, Yun Feizi, the Divine Maiden of the Tian Dao Sect, slowly stepped down.

Her figure was exquisite, her beauty extraordinary, radiating noble grace like a celestial lotus—admire from afar, never dare to desecrate.

Though Yun Feizi had lost all her magic power, she had used the thunder fighter jet Li Yi left behind to effectively manage this small city and even recruited several other End-Era cultivators from the Bao Court.

Moreover, during this time, she had collected many precious Dao artifacts.

For Yun Feizi knew well: the End-Era World held no hope of reviving Dao artifacts—but beyond the domain, they could still wield tremendous value.

"Last time, Xiang Xiangzi, Liu Guzi, the Bald Daoist, Feiyunzi, and Qian Daozhang—five people crossed over. Who will be the lucky ones this time?" Yun Feizi thought inwardly.

Her heart burned with the desire to cross over.

Having been a mortal for so long, her realm collapsed, she longed daily to reach a new world and restore her former Three Flowers Realm cultivation.

Yet when the crowd arrived before Tai Yi Hall,

Li Yi was already waiting in the open ground outside the hall.

But when these former Three Flowers Realm cultivators saw Li Yi again, they all widened their eyes in shock.

Before them, Li Yi was wreathed in five-colored energy; every gesture seemed to echo with the roars of dragons and tigers, and merely standing still, silver lightning flickered faintly around him.

Without doubt,

Tai Yi had reached perfect Five Qi completion and had mastered the Tian Dao Sect's Dragon-Taming and Tiger-Subduing Art—he now possessed the power of dragon and tiger.

But how was this possible?

How could one with only Five Qi completion manifest dragon-tiger power? Wasn't that reserved for Three Flowers Realm experts?

No one knew how many dragons and tigers Tai Yi had summoned.

"Tai Yi's strength must now rival that of a One Flower Realm expert," Yun Feizi, the Tian Dao Sect's Divine Maiden, murmured, suppressing her shock.

How could his combat power have reached Three Flowers Realm so quickly?

His growth defied logic—even constant dual-cultivation with Xiang Xiangzi and Xuan Yuezi couldn't explain this speed.

Li Yi's current strength could indeed suppress many Three Flowers Realm cultivators; he did not rush to close the cross-domain gate, instead letting the spiritual wind of the Wildlands blow longer over this place.

Letting the cultivators in this small city enjoy more of this spiritual energy.

"This humble Daoist greets Tai Yi."

"Tai Yi, you've finally come across—this old Daoist has waited long enough."

"Tai Yi has come—hope has arrived."

These cultivators were deeply moved, for Li Yi's two previous cross-domain trips had already benefited eight cultivators; now many hoped to be among the third group of lucky ones.

And this time, they believed Li Yi would bring even more people across.

At least more than last time.

In truth, Li Yi thought the same.

This time, he wanted to bring more experts—Chijin Mountain was vast enough to hold them, and he could control them, unlike the previous two cross-domain missions.

"Elders, brief words: I've opened the cross-domain gate to invite twenty of you to leave this place and journey to the Wildlands to continue your path," Li Yi said. "Once you cross, returning will be difficult—please consider carefully before deciding."

Yun Feizi's beautiful eyes fixed on Li Yi: "Tai Yi, please take me across. The other Immortal Maidens have already followed you. As Divine Maiden of the Tian Dao Sect, I cannot delay any longer."

"And in return, I pledge to serve you faithfully."