Gou can devour and become a saint in the cultivation world.

Chapter 439 The Changes in the State of Qi

Emperor Qi's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

He could clearly sense the unfathomable, abyssal power fluctuations within Chen Yi's body. Its strength was absolutely no less than his own, and even gave him a more solid and pure feeling.

With such cultivation, the other party's attitude was not considered rude.

He was just wondering, who exactly was Chen Yi, the guest elder of Miaoyin Mountain back then?

The name sounds familiar, as if it's been buried in some corner of my memory.

Fragments of memories from over a hundred years ago began to surface and piece together in my mind.

Miaoyin Mountain — Guest Elder — Chen Yi —

He was immediately startled.

Is that you?

That little guy?!

A series of images flashed through Emperor Qi's mind in an instant.

Back when the secret realm of Ruhai Lake opened, he, as the ruler of a country, with the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator, personally visited Ruhai Lake and scanned the entire city with his divine sense to guard against villains.

It was at that time that he remembered a junior cultivator, a newly established Foundation Establishment cultivator, who had secretly opened up a secret room deep underground in his own cave.

Even more outrageous, there was a newly dug passage beneath the secret chamber, winding and twisting, connecting to the wilderness outside the city of Haihu.

His rabbit-like timidity and caution, and his tendency to leave himself more than one way out, amused the Qi Emperor at the time, and left him with a vague impression.

Next, we will discuss the boy's performance in the secret realm of Lake Entrance.

Among the dazzling talents of the sects, he was inconspicuous, always hiding at the back of the group, like a shadow.

But it was precisely this shadow that, through twists and turns and overcoming dangers, actually made it to the end, and may even have gained a sliver of opportunity in the inheritance of souls.

After the secret realm, the rumors about this boy became less pleasant.

He started living off his wife.

He spends his days following behind Qin Chengcheng, the newly appointed young sect leader of Miaoyin Sect, hiding in the gates of Miaoyin Mountain and never venturing out, seemingly content to be a gigolo.

Decades later, he actually managed to become a Core Formation cultivator, and even formed a high-grade Golden Core, which caused quite a stir throughout the Qi Kingdom.

The last memory of this person was that he was chased all the way by the demonic cultivators of the Monster Mountain Range, like a stray dog, and fled to Zhongzhou in a miserable state, after which he was never heard from again.

In Qi Huang's mind, such a person with shallow foundation and cowardly nature, even if he were to escape to the dragon's den and tiger's lair of Zhongzhou by chance, would only be crushed to pieces by countless geniuses, and eventually die silently in some unknown corner.

But unexpectedly—

A century later, this person returned, now a powerful figure in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Looking at the composed and calm young man before him, Emperor Qi felt an overwhelming surge of emotions within him.

That cowardly guy? That gigolo who climbed the social ladder by relying on women? That fugitive who was chased and ran for his life?

Now, stand here, on equal footing with yourself!

The muscles on Emperor Qi's face twitched a few times before he managed to suppress the extreme shock and absurdity, forcing out a smile that was more like a grimace.

His voice carried an undeniable dryness and complexity.

"So it was Fellow Daoist Chen who returned after achieving success in his cultivation."

He took a deep breath, quickly adjusted his mindset, and his voice became enthusiastic and loud.

"This is a fortunate event for the State of Qi!"

"Our state of Qi will naturally welcome you with the utmost respect."

Regardless of how insignificant this person was before he rose to prominence, he is now a powerful figure in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

Such a person, if he could be won over, would be a great help to the royal family.

However, if someone harbors malicious intentions, the entire Qi royal family must be careful, as they may even face annihilation.

Therefore, after exchanging pleasantries, it's essential to ask for clarification.

Emperor Qi's eyes flickered, and the deliberately cultivated enthusiasm quickly faded, replaced by the scrutiny and sharpness befitting an emperor. He stared intently at Chen Yi and asked.

"I wonder what important matter brings Fellow Daoist Chen back this time?"

Chen Yi had intended to say that he had come to take Qin Chengcheng away, but as the words reached his lips, each one seemed to weigh a ton. Just as he was about to speak, a sharp warning suddenly came from his spiritual connection with heaven and earth.

He "saw" an invisible thread of cause and effect, which trembled violently because of the words he hadn't spoken, as if the moment the words left his mouth, a boulder would be thrown into a calm lake, stirring up unpredictable, towering ripples.

The premonition of this backlash was so clear that he had to swallow back the words that were about to come out.

With a thought racing through his mind, his expression remained unchanged, and he smoothly changed the subject.

"Nothing important, just that I've been away from my hometown for too long, and now I'm back to see my old friends and descendants."

Emperor Qi's gaze was deep as he carefully examined Chen Yi, seemingly trying to discern the truth or falsehood of his words from his calm face.

After a long silence, he finally nodded, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Visiting relatives and friends is a good thing, it's only natural.

He paused, then added with a hint of "goodwill".

"However, fellow Daoist, you may not know this, but the Qi Kingdom is no longer as peaceful as it once was. Evil spirits and demons roam freely within its borders, the demonic path is flourishing, and cultivators often disappear without a trace."

To avoid disturbing your cultivation or causing you to offend any unruly beings, I can send a Core Formation cultivator from the palace to guide you. This would be a small favor.”

These words sounded grand and dignified, but Chen Yi was certainly aware of the underlying meaning.

Sending someone to guide them was a pretense; their real purpose was to send someone to monitor them.

This was to find out his background and also to prevent him from going to places the royal family didn't want him to go.

Chen Yi understood, but shook his head and directly refused this "kind offer".

"No need. I already have a plan in mind since I came back this time."

I'll first return to the Miaoyin Sect's mountain gate for a visit, then take a stroll around Ruhai Lake to settle some old lingering thoughts. If there are no other major matters, I'll leave on my own and won't trouble you for too long.

He openly shared his itinerary, seemingly without any concealment.

However, upon hearing this, the Emperor Qi's expression changed almost imperceptibly.

His fingers, which were resting on the armrest of the dragon throne, twitched slightly, and a complex and wary look appeared in his eyes.

He remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, and after much deliberation, he finally made up his mind and spoke in a deep voice.

"To be honest, fellow Daoist, I'm afraid those two places you mentioned are no longer safe to visit."

Emperor Qi sighed, his tone heavy.

"The Qi Kingdom is now ravaged by demonic energy, a far cry from what it was a hundred years ago. Many sects' strongholds have been breached and occupied by evil spirits, turning them into demonic dens."

"The secret realm of the Lake of the Sea that you mentioned was occupied by a group of demons who crossed over from another realm more than a hundred years ago. The demonic energy there was soaring into the sky, forming a deadly place."

Now, that place has become the stronghold of those evil spirits in the Qi Kingdom, and no righteous cultivator within a radius of thousands of miles can set foot there.

"As for the sect you were in before, Myriad Sound Peak—"

Emperor Qi paused here and glanced at Chen Yi.

"It has also been overrun by demons, the mountain gate has been destroyed, and the spiritual veins have been defiled. The current Miaoyin Peak no longer exists."

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