I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 749 Family Banquet
Inside the North Spring Cave.

Gu Yuanqing lay on the bed, looking at Li Miaoxuan's portrait in the room, a smile playing on his lips.

In the room separated by a wall, Li Miaoxuan sat cross-legged, regulating her breathing and calming her mind.

For her, being able to return to this Qian Yuan Realm before undergoing tribulation was a kind of mental fulfillment.

By freeing oneself from mental burdens, one can reduce the chances for inner demons to take advantage during tribulations.

The next morning, the soft morning light shone on Beiquan Cave.

Gu Yuanqing sat on a chair in the courtyard, sipping tea and holding a book in his hand. The book was one he had found in the Hun Tian Cave in the Falling Star Plain.

Suddenly, a slight sound was heard. Turning around, one saw Li Miaoxuan, dressed in a plain white dress, pushing open the door and coming out.

At this moment, the veil on her face had been removed, and her beautiful face was like a flawless jade in the morning light. Her eyes, which were still slightly cold, had become less sharp and unapproachable than when she was in the Lingxu Sect, and more gentle.

Her gaze naturally fell on Gu Yuanqing, meeting his raised eyes.

A faint smile involuntarily appeared on both of their faces, as if it were a tacit understanding that had taken many years to form.

Gu Yuanqing put down his book and said, "Awake?"

"Hmm, what are you looking at?" Li Miaoxuan nodded slightly, took a few steps closer with light steps, her gaze sweeping over the tea and books on the stone table, her voice like a clear mountain spring.

“Just some random notes, recording local customs and traditions,” Gu Yuanqing replied casually, picking up the teapot, naturally pouring a cup of fresh tea, pushing it to the opposite side, and chuckling, “Perfect for waking up.”

Li Miaoxuan didn't stand on ceremony. She sat down opposite her, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. The aroma of the tea permeated her heart and soul, and wisps of spiritual energy transformed into true essence. It seemed that even her divine soul had grown a little.

She knew that the tea and water came from Beiquan Mountain. The more she learned about this place, the more incredible she felt that everything in the mountain was incredible. The once ordinary mountain had changed so much that it was even better than the blessed land of spiritual wonder.

Perhaps the only thing missing is the accumulated and refined foundation built up over countless years.

After a moment, Li Miaoxuan put down her teacup and said casually, "I will go to pay my respects to my father later."

"Okay!" Gu Yuanqing nodded gently and said, "I'll wait for you in the courtyard. When you're done, let's go for a walk in Daqian. It's changed a lot over the years."

Li Miaoxuan didn't say much, just nodded in response, stood up, turned around and calmly walked out of the courtyard.

Gu Yuanqing watched him leave before turning his gaze back to the book.

About an hour later, Gu Yuanqing suddenly raised his head, put down his book, and disappeared into the courtyard.

Li Miaoxuan was waiting on the edge of a cliff. Sensing Gu Yuanqing's arrival, her cool eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "Shall we go?"

Gu Yuanqing smiled and nodded.

The two took a step and were already outside the North Spring Cave.

Li Miaoxuan turned around and looked at Beiquan Cave again, only to see a mist, as if she were in another time and space.

Back then, she had also felt that this mountain was unusual, but she never imagined it would be so mystical.

Although she was only at the peak of Yin-Yang at this time, she could not be regarded as an ordinary Yin-Yang cultivator. In the cultivation world, she could be called a great cultivator. Even so, she could not see through it at all. It seemed that this was not formed by a magic array, but another cave heaven.

Standing in the sky and looking at the Qian Yuan Realm, one's mind is equally restless.

Before her eyes, the floating world was no longer the one she remembered, with its sparse spiritual energy, incomplete laws, and narrow territory.

In her memory, the Qian Yuan Realm was only a few hundred thousand miles in circumference, and the peak power that this realm could contain was the Dao Fire Realm. When she left back then, she didn't even dare to unleash her full power.

Although the mountains and rivers were beautiful at the time, they always gave people a sense of confinement.

Now, even with the strongest gaze, its boundaries are hard to see.

The sky is high and deep, the Dao is stable and perfect, and the spiritual energy is as abundant as that of the spirit world, as if the whole world is a sacred place for cultivation.

The outlines of the past can still be vaguely discerned in the surrounding area, but the mountains and rivers have become even more magnificent and majestic.

Ancient trees reach for the sky, exotic flowers bloom everywhere, and occasionally powerful magical birds and beasts soar across the sky, emitting clear and melodious cries.

Within a radius of a thousand miles around here, while the auras of Void Realm and Celestial Realm cultivators are not ubiquitous, they are by no means rare. Furthermore, cultivators at the Divine Platform Realm are countless.
Further away, the outline of a massive city can be vaguely seen, its grandeur ever-changing, where mortals live in peace and prosperity, and cultivators fly on their magical artifacts.

And then there's Fengtian City, five hundred miles away. The city walls and the palace inside seem to be the same as they were back then, but the people inside are completely different. Even the common people are now at least Yuanshi (scholars).

Is this still the Qian Yuan Realm?

Li Miaoxuan asked softly, almost instinctively.

Three hundred years have brought about earth-shattering changes to this land!

Gu Yuanqing stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over the world he had personally witnessed change in, or rather, the world he had single-handedly orchestrated. He said calmly, "This should not be the end. The current Qian Yuan Realm, within the Linglong Realm, has not yet reached its peak."

"The advancement of the Floating Realm to the Exquisite Realm has brought about such a huge change? The rules of this world are truly amazing!" Li Miaoxuan exclaimed.

Gu Yuanqing nodded: "Yes, although this world is not the Great Thousand World, it has its own universe. The power of the rules and artifacts surpasses the level of cultivators. I wonder what kind of great power created all these rules."

Li Miaoxuan remained silent for a moment. Last night, she learned that so many things had happened in the years since she left the Qian Yuan Realm. If it weren't for the man in front of her, this world would probably have already sunk into the endless demon realm.

Gu Yuanqing suddenly turned around and smiled, "You were born and raised in this world. If you have some free time, you might want to go and take a look at the ancient world. Putting everything else aside, the Boundless River is quite interesting."

Li Miaoxuan pointed to the far left: "Is that the teleportation array leading to other Linglong Realms?"

Gu Yuanqing nodded: "This formation is also formed by the rules of this world. I have observed it many times, but I have not been able to figure out its secrets. It should also be using the power of some kind of rule artifact."

The two walked along the horizon, talking as they looked at the scenery of this world.

The two gradually spoke less, with Gu Yuanqing simply staying quietly by his side.

Li Miaoxuan's gaze swept over the familiar yet unfamiliar landscape.

What was once just a barren hilly area has now become a giant city teeming with cultivators.

Seeing a dried-up riverbed from my memory, now transformed into a vast and vibrant lake;
The three-hundred-year gap was violently impacted by the magnificent and vibrant scene before my eyes.

She is no longer the girl who left the narrow floating world to seek the Dao in the vast world, but a great cultivator of Yin and Yang who has returned from the more expansive spirit world.

But she suddenly discovered that her homeland had grown into a world that would amaze any cultivator during the years she was absent.

An extremely complex and indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.

There was a sense of relief, awe, a feeling of being in another world, and a touch of regret for missing its most important stage of growth.

Gu Yuanqing accompanied her as they walked slowly through this homeland, which now resembled a corner of the spirit world.

The sunlight cast long shadows of the two people upon this land that has witnessed tremendous changes over time.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Lingxiao Mountain on Guixu Island once again.

Here, she had spent most of her years in the Qian Yuan Realm. The Lingxiao Mountain was now much larger than it had been back then, and the people she knew were no longer at the same level of cultivation. Her master at the Lingxu Sect had also gone from a Dao Embryo Realm cultivator to a cultivator who had undergone the Heavenly Tribulation.

"Would you like to meet him?" Gu Yuanqing asked.

Li Miaoxuan shook her head: "Never mind."

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "Then I will take you to the edge of this world for a look. This world is still in the process of transformation and growth. Seeing it may be helpful for you to overcome the great calamity of chaos."

Li Miaoxuan nodded.

The two figures then disappeared.

……

Most of the day later.

Just before nightfall.

The two returned to the North Spring Cave.

Inside a grand hall.

Inside the hall, a bright pearl hangs high, and soft light illuminates every corner of the hall.

Li Chengyi had been waiting there for some time, his expression revealing barely suppressed excitement and anticipation.

Behind him, Li Guanrong, Gu Siyuan, and other young descendants of his generation, all dressed appropriately, stood quietly, holding their breath.

Inside the main hall, an ornate jade table had already been set up, with delicacies and fine wines prepared, and maids waiting further away.

Finally, two figures approached side by side from a distance.

The waiting crowd immediately perked up.

Li Chengyi immediately stepped forward, took a deep breath, lifted his long robe, and knelt down without hesitation, loudly proclaiming, "Your son Chengyi welcomes Father and Mother!"

Behind him, all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, led by Li Guanrong and Gu Siyuan, knelt down in unison.

"Grandson (great-grandson) respectfully welcomes grandfather and grandmother (grandfather and great-grandmother)!"

Li Miaoxuan paused slightly in her steps.

Under the brilliant lights, children and grandchildren gathered, kneeling in welcome. This blood ties and respect that have spanned three hundred years were genuine and solemn.

Her gaze slowly swept over her son, Li Chengyi, who was kneeling at the front, then over the faces of her grandchildren, and finally landed on her younger great-grandchildren.

Even someone as aloof as her couldn't help but feel a ripple in her heart at this moment, a feeling that lingered for a long time.

When she left, she never imagined that when she returned one day, she would see such a scene!

Gu Yuanqing stood half a step to her side, his expression calm and his gaze gentle as he watched the scene unfold before him, without uttering a word.

Li Miaoxuan took a soft breath, suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, stepped forward, raised her arm slightly, and said in a gentler voice than usual: "Get up, everyone. We are family, there is no need for such a grand ceremony."

"Thank you, Mother (Grandmother/Great-Grandmother)!"

Everyone then stood up in response, still bowing slightly and maintaining a respectful posture.

With a smile on his face, Li Chengyi stepped aside to lead the way: "Father, Mother, the dinner is ready, please take your seats."

Gu Yuanqing nodded slightly, exchanged a glance with Li Miaoxuan, and walked towards the main seat.

Li Miaoxuan followed closely behind, her gaze sweeping over her children and grandchildren standing respectfully on both sides. Looking at these faces that were connected to her by blood yet unfamiliar to her, she felt the complex atmosphere of family warmth and estrangement coexisting. She then sat down peacefully with Gu Yuanqing in the main seat.

Outside the hall, the stars and moon shone brightly, while inside, the lights were warm and inviting. A family banquet, three hundred years overdue, finally began in this Northern Spring Grotto.

……

The next day.

Li Miaoxuan and Gu Yuanqing stood together above Qianyuan Island, their clothes fluttering slightly in the sea breeze. Below them stretched the vast, boundless blue sea, its waves meeting the sky in the far distance.

The mountain-carrying tortoise is still asleep.

She didn't ask Gu Yuanqing how she had achieved this, just as Gu Yuanqing never asked her how she had reached this point in the Lingxu Sect in just three hundred years.

There are boundaries and tacit understandings among practitioners. Some fundamental secrets are best left unsaid and unasked, as a sign of respect.

Gu Yuanqing's willingness to reveal the things that allow passage through all realms to her is the greatest sign of his trust in her!

In the past two days, the two of them have not exchanged any sweet words or made any promises, but they have unknowingly formed a trust and tacit understanding with each other.

"Would you like to take a look at Qingping Cave?" Gu Yuanqing turned his head and asked with a smile.

Li Miaoxuan shook her head slightly, withdrawing her gaze from the vast seascape in the distance: "Let's leave that for later. It's time to return to the Lingxu Sect."

Gu Yuanqing's smile deepened upon hearing this: "I thought you weren't in a hurry. I originally planned to take you to see the Ancient Realm and the Land of Divine Ruins. These places are completely different from the cultivation world and have their own unique charm."

Li Miaoxuan glanced at him lightly: "After all, I still have to undergo tribulation. If I leave for too long, it will inevitably bring changes. I don't want too many troublesome things before undergoing tribulation."

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said, "You can go back and go into seclusion again. The people of Lingxu Sect will not dare to disturb your meditation. But once you leave, I'm afraid your master will come looking for me."

"With your abilities, if you were to arrive in a dignified manner, even the Sect Master of my Lingxu Sect would have to personally greet you and treat you as an honored guest." Li Miaoxuan's tone was calm, yet tinged with a hint of teasing: "Why bother with such trivial matters at a time like this?"

Gu Yuanqing said, "Wasn't it because I was afraid of disturbing your peaceful cultivation in the Lingxu Sect and causing you trouble?"

"So, you only revealed a little bit of your presence at the foot of the mountain, waiting for me to come to you? Ha, men!" Li Miaoxuan glanced at Gu Yuanqing again.

Gu Yuanqing subconsciously touched his nose: "I walked step by step from here into the Lingxu Sect."

Li Miaoxuan nodded seriously and said, "Yes, it took nearly ten years, but for some people, it might be something that can be done in the blink of an eye."

Gu Yuanqing chuckled, shaking his head with a hint of helplessness. The truth once again told him that one should never try to reason with a woman, especially when one is in the wrong, even if she is a master of Yin-Yang cultivation!
Seeing his expression, the faint smile on Li Miaoxuan's lips deepened slightly, then quickly vanished, as if she had returned to her usual aloofness.

"Let's go, take me back to my sect."

Gu Yuanqing smiled and extended his hand.

Li Miaoxuan naturally raised her hand and gently placed her fingertips on Gu Yuanqing's palm.

Gu Yuanqing closed his fingers and held that cool and slender hand tightly.

Then the two figures suddenly vanished from their spot...

　Thank you Qiuyueheng and Zhengshuai for the donations!
　　Thank you for your votes!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)