The vast expanse of blood mist dispersed, and everyone's divine sense was entirely restricted. Zhang Xiaofan merged into the blood mist, and in no time, all signs of life disappeared from him. Li Qing and the others quickly cast spells to scatter the pervasive blood mist, but Zhang Xiaofan's figure was nowhere to be seen.

In truth, if the battle had continued, they were barely able to hold on—who had spared whom was truly difficult to say.

Those present involuntarily exchanged glances. How could Zhang Xiaofan be so formidable now?

A few of the uninjured leaders, after calming down the disciples, reconvened in Qingyun Hall. For a moment, the atmosphere was heavy: the Qingyun Sect Leader had perished, the sect's treasured Immortal Artifact, the God Slaying Spear, was lost, and of the other Six Vein peak masters, three were gravely injured—including one of the strongest, the Fatty Daoist.

Not to mention anything else, if Zhang Xiaofan recovered from his injuries and attacked again, the entire Qingyun Sect would face annihilation.

It wasn't Dragon Head Peak's elder Daoist Cang Song who spoke this time, but the Qingyi Daoist instead.

"Our Qingyun Sect has suffered such a calamity that we can barely hold ourselves together. If the three young heroes are willing, I could lead you to the Thousand Illusion Cave. Afterward, the Qingyun Sect will seal its gates for a thousand years. What do you think?"

Before the three could respond, Cang Song rose to his feet in opposition. "Senior Brother, the Thousand Illusion Cave is the place where the sect's ancestor comprehended the Dao. Only the Sect Leader may enter—it is not to be opened to outsiders!"

The Qingyi Daoist shook his head.

"The God Slaying Spear has already been taken. Now, we no longer need to risk our lives guarding it. That demon was born of our Qingyun Sect. If we do not contribute, wouldn't Qingyun's century-long reputation be utterly ruined?"

Cang Song was left speechless.

Yang Yuhuan was visibly intrigued by the Thousand Illusion Cave. The battle against the Blood Demon had dealt a huge blow to her pride, and she was eager to improve her strength. But Li Qing, at this moment, extinguished her hopes with a cold dose of reality.

"Senior, we have come here to investigate the Blood Demon. How could your sect's forbidden ground be opened to outsiders like us?"

The Qingyi Daoist turned to Li Qing and suddenly asked, "Are you of the Li Royal Family's bloodline?"

Li Qing, perplexed, nodded.

"Then there's no problem."

Just as Li Qing was about to inquire further, Yang Yuhuan tugged at his sleeve, and in the end, he chose not to defy his goddess's wishes. The Qingyi Daoist, no longer keeping them in suspense, explained as they walked: "The world knows that our sect's founding ancestor gained enlightenment in a certain cave dwelling. But what they don't know is that this cave dwelling was originally the place where Emperor Ziwei retired to cultivate on Emei Mountain in his early years. Later, when the Great Emperor left, our sect's ancestor stumbled upon it by chance. Since you are of the Li family's bloodline, there's no reason you cannot enter."

Hearing this, the three of them couldn't help but recall the legendary tale of the first Prince Consort of the Great Tang. Li Qing hadn't expected that, even while traveling far from home, he'd encounter traces of his ancestor's legacy. At this moment, Zhang Xiaofan's face suddenly flashed in his mind, filling him with doubt. Could Zhang Xiaofan be a descendant of a hidden illegitimate child from his ancestor?

But the family records clearly stated that Li Nezha ascended with two wives, leaving no descendants in the Mortal World!

The Qingyi Daoist led the three to the Thousand Illusion Cave, where he stopped and said, "The sect's rules stipulate that only the Qingyun Sect Leader may enter the cave. You folks can go in. I'll stay here and guard the entrance. Whatever opportunities lie within depend on your own fortunes."

The Thousand Illusion Cave was formed by the Dao Qi emanating from Nezha during his cultivation. To these Immortal novices, it was undoubtedly a rare opportunity.

Elsewhere, on Lishan, Nezha sensed what was happening. Looking at the Primordial model taking shape before him, he waved it away and muttered, "Class dismissed."

He hurriedly left and eagerly grabbed the Heavenly Patrol Mirror to start watching the "live broadcast."

The Daoist Ancestor had once forbidden directly interfering with the Mortal World—but not indirectly. Among the three, the one Nezha found most displeasing was Li Qing and his obsequious nature.

This time, having caught the opportunity, Nezha was determined to teach him a proper lesson!

Pointing through the mirror from a distance, the initially chaotic Dao Qi within the Thousand Illusion Cave began rapidly organizing itself into a formation. Just as the group of three from Chang'an stepped into the cave, they felt the world around them blur and found themselves transported to an entirely different realm.

Jing An, coming from the Buddhist Sect, was unaffected by desires such as greed, anger, ignorance, or love and separation. However, his inherent rage—stemming from the Fierce Beast deep within him—remained his sole vulnerability. Nezha's Illusion Techniques engulfed him in a monster-slaying frenzy, allowing Nezha to calculate his abilities for upcoming preparations for the Journey to the West.

Next was Nezha's primary target, Li Qing. When Li Qing regained consciousness, he found himself seated inside a carriage. A young boy was lazily reciting scriptures in front of him, and a young girl was diligently copying them down.

Startled, Li Qing tried communicating with the two, but they seemed entirely unaware of his presence.

They continued their journey, enjoying the scenery while reciting scriptures. From the conversations of the guards, Li Qing learned that their destination was Chaoge.

Although Li Qing was a concubine-born son, his royal education was not lacking. Soon, through the girl's conversation, he confirmed the identities of the young boy and girl before him: the female Emperor of the Great Tang and the Li family's ancestor, the Third Young Master—now the Central Ziwei Emperor, Li Nezha.

"Young Master Li, what shall we call this scripture?"

The twelve- or thirteen-year-old youth lazily replied, "Let's call it the Qi Nourishing Technique."

...

Following this, Li Qing felt that the time within his surroundings blurred rapidly. Yet the story of his "ancestor" and the female Emperor unfolded clearly before him: how they teased the Great King Yin Shou at the time, and how their relationship deepened over time.

The tale only ended when Nezha led the group out of the Chaoge illusion. While many details were deliberately obscured, Li Qing grasped the essence of those events.

As he reflected on this, the supposedly slumbering "ancestor" suddenly looked directly at him. Li Qing was stunned, swayed his head left and right in disbelief, and realized Nezha was indeed staring at him. He immediately prostrated himself and declared, "The forty-eighth generation descendant of the Li family greets Ancestor Nezha!"

Nezha, hearing Li Qing's address, felt a wave of nostalgia. To think that the youthful version of himself had become someone else's revered ancestor.

"Rise. The Old Li family's genealogy shouldn't even list me."

Li Qing had occasionally heard such stories as well and was momentarily unsure what this seemingly younger and more handsome ancestor meant. He could only answer honestly: "Uh… in the ancestral shrine, a separate entry has been made for you. Currently, it includes only you, the Female Emperor, and the Regent King."

Nezha, unconcerned with such trivial matters, knew that for someone blessed with longevity, these things were fleeting. With even a quarter of the Hongmeng Purple Qi, the entire Li family might perish before he aged beyond adolescence.

"This was my early experience with Daji. What are your thoughts? Speak honestly; there's no need for flattery."

Li Qing, who initially wanted to offer praises, felt Nezha's piercing gaze and blurted out the truth: "Envy."

This was Li Qing's most genuine thought. His early childhood experiences had left an indelible mark on him. Even now, as one of the most outstanding disciples of his generation, he was riddled with insecurity when it came to love—and especially when facing Yang Yuhuan.

Nezha could see through this instantly. To some extent, he could empathize; after all, in his previous life, he hadn't had a girlfriend even at twenty-seven or twenty-eight—how could his heart not harbor similar insecurities?

Now, as someone exceptional, he naturally attracted remarkable women. Li Qing had improved, but he wasn't remarkable enough—not enough to attract the girl he had once idolized, Yang Yuhuan.

Nezha couldn't save a sycophant, but he could plant a seed in his heart. If he were a man of resolve, that seed would naturally grow when the time came.

Lies do not harm, but the truth is a sharp blade. Nezha had no need to deceive Li Qing; he only needed to reveal the truth. With a gesture, a luminous screen appeared before them, displaying the figure of Yang Yuhuan.

...

Yang Yuhuan's encounter within the Thousand Illusion Cave was distinct from the others. After passing several trials, she reunited with Li Qing and Jing An. However, as they ventured deeper to investigate the God Slaying Spear, they once again encountered the Blood Demon, Zhang Xiaofan.

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