Chapter 931: Departure

The next day, as Li Luo headed to the departure point, he specifically went to Li Li Rouyun's residence to pick up Li Li Lingjing.

"Li Luo, I entrust Li Lingjing to you—within the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, danger lurks everywhere; you must look after her well," Li Li Rouyun said, a smile appearing on her cheeks as she gazed at the young men and women standing below the steps.

In truth, Li Luo was an outstanding boy in every respect; from Li Li Rouyun's perspective as an elder, she felt Li Li Lingjing and he were quite well-matched—but unfortunately, Li Li Rouyun knew Li Luo already had a fiancée: the girl named Jiang Jiang Qinge, whose brilliance was so dazzling it was astonishing that such a barren land as Outer Shenzhou could produce a phoenix flower in full bloom.

With a fiancée like Jiang Jiang Qinge, Li Li Rouyun felt even the famed Water Immortal Qin Yi, whose beauty stirred admiration from countless young prodigies across Tianyuan, might not make Li Luo spare her more than a glance.

Li Luo chuckled bitterly: "Auntie Yun, you've got it backward—I'm counting on Cousin Li Lingjing to protect me inside the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven."

Among the many prodigies entering the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, Two-Star Tian Zhu Jing was low-tier; only those like Li Li Lingjing and her peers at Six-Star Tian Zhu Jing or higher were true top contenders.

Li Li Lingjing extended her slender, pale hand and gently patted Li Luo's shoulder, her bright eyes curving with a smile: "Cousin Li Luo, don't worry—if anyone tries to harm you, I won't let them get away with it."

"Then I thank you, Cousin Li Lingjing," Li Luo said with a bow.

"No need for formalities," Li Li Lingjing murmured, covering her lips as she laughed softly—clearly, she looked forward to this journey into the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, for it was the first time since her ordeal that she would face so many young prodigies from Tianyuan Shenzhou.

Li Luo said no more; after bidding farewell to Li Li Rouyun, he led Li Li Lingjing to the rendezvous point.

When Li Luo and Li Li Lingjing arrived, they found Li Li Fengyi, Li Jintao, and others already there; Li Li Fengyi waved enthusiastically at him upon seeing him.

Li Li Fuling stood beside Li Li Fengyi, glancing once at Li Luo before her gaze fixed on the slender figure half a step behind him—the familiar face made her momentarily lost in thought.

After a moment, she came to herself and stared at Li Li Lingjing, speaking first: "Li Li Lingjing, it's been a long time."

Lu Ze, Li Zhu Xuan, and others nearby also looked at Li Li Lingjing with peculiar expressions, for they had heard of her: in the previous generation of Longya Domain, Li Li Lingjing had been renowned; even before joining the Twenty Banners, many said she had the potential to become this year's Dragon Chief, and many awaited her appearance—yet when the Twenty Banners selections were announced, Li Li Lingjing vanished without a trace; later rumors claimed she had been corrupted by an alien force, her foundation severely damaged and nearly impossible to heal, drawing widespread sighs.

Yet today, here they saw Li Li Lingjing again—and judging by her appearance, she seemed to have recovered from her past ordeal.

Facing Li Li Fuling's gaze, Li Li Lingjing's clear, beautiful face broke into a faint smile: "Li Li Fuling, you still remember me?"

Li Li Fuling said gravely: "How could I forget? Do you remember your promise to me? You swore you'd face me in the Twenty Banners and settle our rivalry—but you broke that promise."

Back then, both Li Li Fuling and Li Li Lingjing were among the brightest of Longya Pulse's younger generation; they had met and clashed, yet never determined a victor—so Li Li Fuling had challenged Li Li Lingjing to settle their rivalry within the Twenty Banners.

Li Li Lingjing said: "Oh? That's truly regrettable."

But her calm words carried no trace of regret—indeed, such a promise seemed laughable and trivial to her now, after all she had endured.

Seeing Li Li Lingjing's reaction, Li Li Fuling frowned slightly; the woman before her was utterly unlike the proud, unyielding noblewoman from Xiling she had known years ago.

Yet Li Li Lingjing clearly had no interest in revisiting those matters; she stood quietly beside Li Luo, speaking to no one else.

The atmosphere grew awkward—but fortunately, a ripple suddenly stirred the air ahead, and figures materialized out of thin air.

Leading them was Li Li Jingzhe, followed by Li Li Qingpeng, Li Li Jinpan, and other senior figures of the Longya Pulse.

"Hail the Pulse Chief!"

Everyone hurriedly bowed.

Li Li Jingzhe waved his hand, scanning the group: "You will soon enter the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven—it holds great opportunities; I hope each of you seizes them well."

"The Spirit Phase Cave Heaven will draw elite prodigies from across Tianyuan Shenzhou; the competition there far surpasses the Dragon Chief contest you've known—do not underestimate it."

At Li Li Jingzhe's warning, everyone nodded quickly.

Seeing their response, Li Li Jingzhe said no more; with a flick of his sleeve, streams of colored light shot forth, striking each person directly.

Li Luo watched a golden light land before him, reached out, and caught it—it dissolved into his palm, forming a golden medal inscribed with a mysterious fu yin.

"This is… a Golden Fu Yin?" Li Luo's heart stirred—he recalled Li Li Jingzhe's earlier words: to enter the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, one needed this "Fu Yin" as proof, and it came in three grades: gold, silver, and copper; gold was the highest, granting access to core zones for greater opportunities.

"By tradition, only the top five from the Dragon Chief contest earned a Golden Fu Yin—but since Li Luo claimed the Dragon Chief title, all four Great Banner Chiefs of the Longya Pulse will receive a Golden Fu Yin."

Li Li Fengyi beamed as her own golden light descended, then grinned at Li Luo: "Little brother, I'm benefiting from your glory again."

Among the Longya Pulse's four Great Banners, neither she nor Deng Deng Fengxian had placed in the top five—so securing a Golden Fu Yin was entirely thanks to Li Luo's performance.

Deng Deng Fengxian also caught her golden light, stared at the fu yin in her hand, then gave Li Luo a silent nod.

Li Luo merely waved it off with a smile, then glanced around—he noticed that besides the four Great Banner Chiefs, Li Li Fuling, Lu Ze, and Li Zhu Xuan, former Great Banner Chiefs from last year, also held Golden Fu Yins; yet accompanying them were several Longya Guards, who received only Silver Fu Yins.

Li Li Lingjing, due to her special circumstances, also received a Golden Fu Yin.

"The Golden Fu Yins in your hands are prized treasures within the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven—don't think they're easy to come by or cheap just because I've distributed so many. This is only possible because of our Li Li Tianwang lineage's status; you must understand that in other factions, prodigies may endure brutal competition just to earn a single Golden Fu Yin."

"Some mid- and small-sized factions even go to war with each other just to secure more Golden Fu Yins."

"Moreover, many cultivators without affiliations—some who barely stumbled upon fortune—may have obtained a Copper or Silver Fu Yin; once inside the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, they'll likely target your Golden Fu Yins, for lone cultivators are fierce, ruthless, and decisive—if true opportunity lies before them, even your Li Li Tianwang lineage status may not deter them."

"In short: within the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven, seize opportunity by your own strength," Li Li Jingzhe said coolly.

Hearing this, everyone immediately grew solemn and carefully tucked away their fu yins.

Seeing their reaction, Li Li Jingzhe said no more.

At that moment, Li Li Qingpeng and Li Li Jinpan stepped forward, and a dragon-shaped flying vessel pierced through the clouds, slowly descending toward the mountain peak.

"Let's depart," Li Li Qingpeng said cheerfully. "I and my younger brother will lead you to the outer reaches of the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven."

Everyone nodded; behind each of them, energy dragon wings emerged, flapping as they soared into the sky and boarded the dragon-shaped vessel.

Li Li Qingpeng and Li Li Jinpan bowed to Li Li Jingzhe, then flew upward.

The vessel roared, slicing through the clouds, swiftly vanishing into the distance.

Li Li Jingzhe stood atop the peak, arms crossed, watching the vessel fade into the horizon.

He grew momentarily lost in thought, as if recalling something, then smiled faintly.

"Tai Zhu Xuan, I feel your son's journey this time will make him as renowned across Tianyuan as you once were."

The Qin Li Tianwang lineage.

A crimson great hall stood atop the peak.

On the pavilion's viewing platform, a breathtakingly beautiful figure stood like a celestial immortal—her exquisite, jade-like face dimmed even the sunlight; her beautiful eyes resembled a clear, bottomless mirror lake, shimmering with grace.

It was the Water Immortal, Qin Yi.

Footsteps approached behind her; she turned her head slightly and nodded: "Mother."

The woman behind her was Qin Qin Lian, the Fire Lotus Hall's mistress.

Qin Qin Lian stepped beside Qin Yi and said slowly: "This time, Li Luo will surely participate in the Spirit Phase Cave Heaven."

"I heard he claimed the Dragon Chief title of the Li Li Tianwang lineage this generation," Qin Yi said, her eyes flickering slightly.

Hearing those words, a chill rose on Qin Qin Lian's cheeks as she said, "This generation of Li Li Tianwang's line really is a bunch of trash. That Li Luo wasted so many years in Outer Shenzhou, yet less than a year after returning, he has already suppressed all those so-called prodigies of the five branches. I fear Li Li Tianwang's line is getting worse with each generation; it probably won't last much longer."

Qin Yi said nothing, because she knew that as soon as Li Luo was mentioned, Qin Qin Lian would find it unbearable.

Qin Qin Lian turned her head, staring at Qin Yi's breathtakingly beautiful face, and said, "If you happen to encounter that Li Luo in the Spiritual Resonance Grotto-Heaven this time, I have a task for you."

"What task?"

Qin Qin Lian narrowed her eyes, a deep, icy glint flashing through them.

"Bring me back a piece of Li Luo's flesh and blood."