Apart from Mr. You, who had become a Sage eight thousand years ago, no one understood better than Chen Yan what terrifying existence lay behind those pitch-black rifts hanging in the sky.

He had to mobilize every force that could be mobilized across the Chenping Continent, and even so, Chen Yan still felt that doing so would only be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

With only the six Immortal Ascension cultivators like Kong Yang and Gu Jing, whose dao resonance erosion was already quite severe and whose Dao Foundations had been damaged by forcibly breaking through the laws of heaven and earth, there was simply no hope whatsoever of contending against the terrifying existence behind the pitch-black rifts.

There had to be new hope.

"Realman Chen."

A familiar young woman's voice came from outside the hall, instantly throwing Chen Yan into a momentary daze. He raised his head and saw a face he had once known all too well, except that Chen Yan found no trace of a young woman's innocence or playfulness on that face.

There was only the aloofness of a cultivator and the vicissitudes of countless years.

"True Person Qiu."

Chen Yan straightened up slightly on the white jade throne, then spoke to the young woman standing before the hall, clad in the moonlight-white daoist robes of Heavenly Summit Mountain.

"The person you were looking for, I have brought her over."

Qiu Siruo said slowly.

"Mm, let her come in."

Chen Yan nodded.

Thereupon, Qiu Siruo made another bow in Chen Yan's direction, then departed from Du Cang Hall.

Chen Yan naturally would not search for any trace of Si Youyou on Qiu Siruo's person, because that would be an extremely foolish thing to do.

Just as Qiu Siruo herself had said, whether it was Qin Yue or Si Youyou, for her they were merely a dream. Once awakened, they were awakened, and none of it had anything to do with her.

Although Chen Yan could use those three words, "Instructor Lu," to tease True Person Caiyun, Kong Yang.

But if he used "Si Youyou" to tease Qiu Siruo, that could only be described as asking for trouble.

Chen Yan no longer knew how many times he had cycled through reincarnation, nor how many years he had lived.

All the pain and suffering he had experienced had tempered his soul into something incredibly hard, yet deep within his heart, there still remained a trace of softness.

It was also his humanity.

Chen Yan had always believed that humanity was important.

Because only by confirming that he still possessed some measure of humanity could he feel that he was still alive.

Even though he often thought that living was worse than dying.

After True Person Jingchen left, roughly a few breaths passed before a graceful and elegant figure slowly emerged from the entrance of Du Cang Hall. The woman, clad in the purple daoist robes of Star Heaven Sect, stepped lightly into the hall, then bowed toward Chen Yan:

"This junior pays respects to Realman Chen."

Chen Yan did not immediately respond. He merely lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the female cultivator standing within the hall, whose appearance had not changed in the slightest compared to when she was nineteen, even though more than twenty years had passed.

"Long time no see, Chief Disciple Qin... no, it should be Elder Qin now."

Chen Yan slowly rose from the white jade throne beneath him and walked down the steps.

"Realman, you jest."

Qin Qingyu still did not rise, continuing to maintain her bowing posture as she replied.

Yet from her voice, one could hear not a trace of timidity, as if standing alone before Realman Du Cang, Chen Yan, in Du Cang Hall was a matter she could handle with complete ease.

Even though the other party's spiritual sense and cultivation base exceeded hers by countless times, to the point where a single thought could easily take her life.

But Chen Yan admired Qin Qingyu's poised and composed demeanor.

At the very least, it was far more reassuring to look upon than the cautious, careful appearance of Star Heaven Sect's current great power at the middle stage of Dao Union, Supreme Pivot Elder Gu Jiancheng, whenever he met with Chen Yan.

If the Chenping Continent currently needed new hope, then the most suitable person was Elder Qin of Star Heaven Sect standing before Chen Yan right now.

Aptitude for Ascending to Immortality.

Ever since Su Hongzhen had fallen and the path of immortality on the Chenping Continent had been severed, in the several thousand years since, the cultivation world of the Chenping Continent had almost never again used the four words "aptitude for Ascending to Immortality" to describe a cultivator's talent.

But Qin Qingyu was the exception.

In the same generation as her, there were also exceptionally gifted young disciples like Chu Xiyao, Li Haowen, and others.

Yet if compared to Qin Qingyu, they were like fireflies against the bright moon.

Chen Yan's gaze settled on Qin Qingyu. With a casual sweep of his spiritual sense, he immediately learned what her current cultivation realm was.

"Late stage of Myriad Transformations Realm, eight thousand six hundred and eighty-five strands of innate true energy."

He nodded as he spoke slowly:

"I imagine Elder Qin will step into the Upper Three Realms within the next two years or so."

"Thank you for the compliment, Realman."

Qin Qingyu said nothing more, merely giving a proper, gentle nod.

She tacitly acknowledged what Chen Yan had said. Qin Qingyu knew very well that with her cultivation speed, she would inevitably step into the Unity Realm within at most two years.

"Then, what about Ascending to Immortality?"

Chen Yan asked directly without any preamble.

Hearing this question, Qin Qingyu suddenly froze for a moment. This was also the first time since she had stepped into Du Cang Hall today that a look of surprise appeared in her eyes:

"Qingyu is dull-witted. I do not quite understand what you mean, Realman."

"What I mean is, how long would it take for you to step into the Immortal Ascension Realm?"

Chen Yan said.

Qin Qingyu was somewhat caught off guard, because she had never considered this question before. She was currently only at the Myriad Transformations Realm, the Sixth Realm, a full four major realms away from Immortal Ascension.

Even though the revival of the immortal path had given Qin Qingyu great confidence that she would one day step into the Immortal Ascension Realm, she still needed to take it one step at a time.

Ascending to Immortality, those two words were still far too distant for her.

She recalled that the fastest speed from the Body Forging Realm to the Immortal Ascension Realm on the Chenping Continent was approximately eight thousand years ago, when Yan Yunhe, the first Ascended Steward of Kongshan Sect, had accomplished it in about two hundred years, leaving the world astounded.

If it were herself...

"Within three hundred years."

Qin Qingyu answered.

Too slow.

Chen Yan thought this to himself, but did not voice it aloud.

Then, he extended five fingers.

"Fifty years. I will give you fifty years. You must break through to the Immortal Ascension Realm within that time."

Chen Yan said this, ignoring Qin Qingyu's astonishment:

"Du Cang Mountain will provide you with the finest cultivation resources. If you encounter any difficulties on your cultivation path, you may seek guidance from Realman Lingxuan and True Person Jingchen at any time. But within fifty years, you must reach the Immortal Ascension Realm and stand at the same height as me."

Qin Qingyu fell into brief shock, but she was very intelligent. Otherwise, she could not have survived the Heavenly Summit Mountain Cataclysm back then.

She could roughly guess why Realman Du Cang wanted to unite the entire cultivation world of the Chenping Continent, and why he was so urgently pushing her toward Ascending to Immortality.

Especially when she thought of that pitch-black rift still hanging in the sky, which had appeared due to the shattering of the laws of heaven and earth.

"Qingyu understands."

Qin Qingyu said gravely.

Though the hope was as faint as a spark in the darkness, it had finally been lit.

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