Chapter 77: Dual Cultivation, Advancement, Emperor Father

At that time, before the encirclement had formed, the Xuan Envoy received a message.

"Young Master." the Xuan Envoy called softly.

Pei Jianshu neither responded nor moved, still holding his original stance.

A cold breeze blew over his pure white robes, producing a faint rustling sound.

Even without a blood feud, she would not be willing.

"What?" the Xuan Envoy wasn't quite sure he had heard that faint mutter.

Pei Jianshu's expression was indifferent: "What is it?"

Shen Qingmo was surrounded by disciples of the three great sects, who seemed to have a secret technique capable of cutting off the Shen clan's bloodline perception.

"Oh?" Pei Jianshu's eyes flickered slightly.

Shen Qingmo is strong, but they came prepared; he might not be a match. Should we help?

No need.

"Huh?" the Xuan Envoy didn't understand. "You don't want to get close to Young Master Shen?"

"She has too many older brothers." Pei Jianshu said calmly. "With so many people around her, that's why she can't see me."

"Huh?" the Xuan Envoy stared, bewildered. "Is that really what you mean? No way!"

"Before, at the Azure Jade Sect, aside from me, she had no other men in her eyes."

"No! Young Master, I don't think it's like that," the Xuan Envoy tried to explain, but he couldn't find the words.

Pei Jianshu didn't want to listen either; he walked over to the variegated tiger at an unhurried pace, skillfully skinning it and pulling out the tiger bone.

Just as he was extracting the bone, he suddenly realized—

Shen Qingli was the one who had her phoenix bones pulled out in this very way.

Each bone pulled out came with flesh and blood clinging to it.

She was still having her bones ripped out while alive.

"Crack!"

The tiger bone in Pei Jianshu's hand snapped sharply when he squeezed it.

Why did he once think that, for her, it wasn't a big deal?

Seeing him easily crush the eighth-grade demon beast's tiger bone, the Xuan Envoy hurriedly said, "Young Master, let me take care of it."

"No need, you'll ruin it; it's all meant for her."

The Xuan Envoy was speechless—who exactly is ruining things now!

But compared to that, the Xuan Envoy was more concerned about another issue.

"Who are you sending it to?"

"A Li."

Besides her, he would prepare no betrothal gifts for anyone else.

Although she doesn't admit it, those betrothal gifts are surely taken by her.

"A Li, you're truly mischievous."

Yet the hardships she has endured are indeed far too many.

Let her be mischievous, as long as she's happy.

"Then she's useless after all! She's not even a demoness of the Demon Sect."

But Pei Jianshu knows she is, she is useful, and she has already fallen into demonhood.

Just as she crawled into the house covered in blood, seeing neither him nor anyone else.

He simply couldn't see how she could practice immortal-demon dual cultivation.

Actually, not only does she cultivate immortal-demon dual cultivation, Shen Qingli also cultivates the dark meridian.

Under the guardianship of Jiu Li, with them—one person and one beast—as the center, within a hundred-li radius there is not a single living thing!

The range is not large, so it has attracted no one's attention, neither disturbing nor exposing their trail.

Thus, no one in the Azure Cloud Realm can any longer find Shen Qingli's whereabouts; and at this moment, her entire body is traced with the "dark flower pattern."

From the soles of her feet to her limbs, torso, and face! It seems evil yet holy, her whole body exuding a hidden, deathly stillness and an unfathomable depth that is lofty beyond reach.

It's as if she stands there; looking at her is like gazing at the vast, boundless universe—dark and empty, making one feel mysterious, and even more, afraid.

That is an instinctive fear of the unknown, yet it also powerfully invites imagination, compelling one to want to explore this mystery.

But Jiu Li feels no fear.

Nor does it indulge in fantasy.

Nor does it seek to investigate.

It simply feels it likes her! Likes her!

So Pei Jianshu actually guessed wrong; it is not because it thinks Shen Qingli can take it out of the Ten Directions Forest that it approaches and clings to her, but because it is actually an innate dark beast! Not a spirit beast, not a demon beast, it is a dark beast.

But no one in the world can tell the difference between a dark beast and a demon beast; it itself doesn't really know, it only knows that it likes Shen Qingli.

Beast nature is sometimes just that simple.

Liking, and that's that.

There are no overly complicated thoughts or schemes, completely unlike the fickle human heart.

Slowly…

Seated in meditation, Shen Qingli has gathered the power of the dark meridian into her dantian, then flowed it into the immortal and demon meridians, passed through the immortal-demon transformation heart method, returned to the dantian, and merged with the dark meridian's power.

In this process, her cultivation naturally advances to the next stage of the Mysterious King—the Mysterious Sect, an existence of grand master level.

This also means her path of cultivation is utterly distinct from others, forming her own school! No, she has completely entered under the Grand Unity Gate.

The Mysterious Sect.

If a wandering cultivator reaches the Profound Ancestor stage, it means this person can establish a sect and pass on their own cultivation methods and secrets to others. Because as long as one can cultivate to this realm, it means there are no major problems with the core principles of their cultivation method.

If a cultivator under a major power reaches the Profound Ancestor stage, it means this person has thoroughly become a backbone of the power, basically grasping the essence of the cultivation methods practiced by various powers, or the awakened bloodline has been thoroughly stabilized and will not encounter major setbacks.

So, this is a watershed.

Shen Qingli had always known, but—

She never expected that, as soon as she entered this realm, she would come before the Supreme Unity God Sovereign!

He remained huge, his aura wild and unbridled, his gaze wanton!

He looked at her, without the gentleness of an elder toward a junior.

But he was very close! Very close!

Although in my previous life I stood before his statue and was also close, back then I was facing a statue—no matter how close, it is still different from now.

That was a statue; this is a real person!

Shen Qingli instinctively looked around, but she saw nothing; it seemed as if, between heaven and earth, within time and space, only she and he existed.

"Don't look, this is a transmission sensation." He said, his voice distant and faint.

Shen Qingli then realized it was similar to the bloodline sensation of the Longwater Shen clan.

But this sensation is obviously far stronger than the Shen clan's bloodline sensation!

In any case, she cannot rely on this sensation to directly "see" other members of the Shen family.

"Disciple Shen Qingli, greets Master."

Shen Qingli bowed solemnly, performing the great ceremony of apprenticing to a master.

After a while, the Supreme Unity God Sovereign made no further sound.

Shen Qingli also did not move; in her heart, no matter how long she bowed, she felt no loss.

The Immortal Demon Transformation, space, the Supreme Unity Inheritance—for her, they are the grace of rebirth, the foundation to stand upon, and unoppressed confidence.

"Rise."

"Thank you, Master."

Shen Qingli rose to her feet, and a futon had already appeared before her.

"Sit."

"Thank you, Master."

After Shen Qingli finished bowing her thanks, she then sat down.

But as soon as she settled into cross-legged sitting, her head was rubbed.

"The Nine Li Dark Beast bears a divine prohibition; it cannot be taken out of the Ten Directions Forest, or it will die."

Shen Qingli's heart jolted! She wanted to raise her head, but it felt as if a thousand pounds weighed down on her head, making it impossible to lift.

"Don't move recklessly."

"Oh."

"Aren't you worried about it?"

"I can choose not to take it with me."

"In its battle state, within Sheng Long Tian, it is invincible."

Shen Qingli was greatly surprised! Nine Li? Invincible? Stronger than the Longwater Shen clan's forefather from five generations ago?

"Yes."

As if knowing Shen Qingli's thoughts, the Supreme Unity God Sovereign's voice replied faintly.

"I will transmit to you the solution to the divine prohibition."

"Thank you, Master!"

"I must live up to this title of 'Master.' Furthermore, the battle state of the Nine Li Dark Beast is extremely difficult to control; you need to use your hidden meridian to resonate with it in order to awaken it."

"Does the battle state harm it?" Shen Qingli asked hurriedly.

"There are both benefits and drawbacks."

Shen Qingli understood.

But she still had a very important question!

"Are you A Jin's father?"