Only three seconds? He's already the Lord of All Realms, so it doesn't matter.

Gathering my thoughts, I realized that the journey hadn't even begun yet, and it was hard to say whether the odds were really against me.

Instead of wasting time and energy, it's better to take action. After all, I have plenty of methods. As long as I don't encounter a celestial being, why should I hesitate?

Following the old man's instructions, he infused a wisp of spiritual power into the Holy Visit Token. The token trembled slightly, and the fine golden lines on its back suddenly shone brightly, transforming into a phantom light path visible only to him, pointing directly to the north.

He took out a travel talisman and detonated it. The talisman ignited with flames, and Ye Xuan leaped out of the main peak, passed through the mountain gate, and stepped into the vast sea of ​​clouds outside.

The wind howled, and the mountains and rivers beneath our feet rushed past.

He looked back and saw the nine peaks of the Holy Sect gradually disappearing into the clouds and mist, with only a golden light remaining on the top of the main peak.

"Jinluan Temple..."

Ye Xuan turned his gaze back to the distant, vast mountains, where low-hanging clouds and faint flashes of lightning illuminated the sky.

Two hours later, he had completely left the wilderness and was now far away from the Holy Sect.

Looking down, the wasteland where the Holy Sect was located had long been left behind, replaced by a continuous, undulating blue mountain range.

According to the directions indicated by the imperial edict, Jinluan Temple is located on the northern border, thousands of miles away.

"At the speed of the travel talisman, we should arrive before nightfall."

Ye Xuan withdrew his gaze and focused his attention on his surroundings.

"The old man said that the Golden Phoenix Temple was in decline, and the abbot was only at the Nascent Soul stage..."

He pondered for a moment. Nascent Soul cultivators were nothing special in the Longevity Realm, but the Golden Phoenix Temple had survived to this day, so it must have something to rely on. It must be the "ancient Golden Phoenix remains" that the old man mentioned.

"Are you asking me to steal someone else's heritage? But I'm a person of principle."

Ye Xuan smiled and shook his head, no longer thinking about it, and focused on continuing his journey.

After traveling for another two hours, they saw a wide canyon stretching across the land, surrounded by mountains.

The canyon is flanked by towering cliffs and jagged rocks. Mist hangs heavy in the valley, and strange, flowing light can be faintly seen moving through it.

Ye Xuan stopped at the edge of the canyon, his expression not relaxed.

The old man was right; the connection between this canyon and the Short-Lived Realm was indeed weak. But as soon as his senses entered the valley, he felt a tearing sensation, as if two completely different rules were colliding there.

"Short-lived world".

Ye Xuan closed his eyes and sensed the power passing through the chaotic rules. The familiar aura of heaven and earth reappeared, and only then did he feel like a fish returning to the sea.

Aside from the Holy Sect having a specific method to glimpse the Short-Lived Realm, no one of the Long-Lived Realms, whether immortal or ordinary cultivator, can glimpse the lower realms.

He naturally didn't need to be as cautious and vigilant as he had been during his time at the Holy Sect, constantly on guard against the ubiquitous formations.

Following his memory, Ye Xuan used his senses to return to Shuitian Village, and the scene by the lake quickly appeared in his mind—

The towering willow tree by the lake stands quietly, its drooping branches swaying gently in the evening breeze. The white flower at the top of its crown gleams with a warm, bluish-white luster, appearing more lustrous and full than ever before.

The lake reflects the sky and clouds, and occasionally a few birds fly by, creating ripples.

Perceiving the willow tree from all sides, one can clearly feel the surging vitality within its trunk, as well as the long-lost spiritual energy channels that subtly resonate with one's own dantian.

The soil where the willow tree took root was filled with spiritual energy, several times more concentrated than the surrounding area, clearly showing the initial success of the offerings made by the worshippers over the past few months.

Ye Xuan's gaze shifted to the lakeside village.

Most of the original low-lying mud houses have been renovated, with blue tiles and white walls arranged in a neat and orderly manner. The village roads are smooth, and the rice paddies ripple in the fields, showing signs of prosperity.

The most eye-catching feature is a newly built temple at the east end of the village, with upturned eaves and corners. The plaque above the door reads "Xianzun Temple," and wisps of incense smoke rise and blend into the twilight.

In the square in front of the temple, dozens of villagers, men, women, and children, are gathered together, all sitting cross-legged and facing the direction of the temple.

As the willow tree grew stronger, its spiritual energy spread throughout the village, so there was no need for everyone to cultivate by the lake.

At this moment, everyone's breathing rhythm was synchronized, and there was a faint flow of spiritual energy around them, indicating that they were practicing the "Health Preservation Exercise".

Ye Xuan noticed that the villagers looked completely different from how they looked a few months ago. Their faces were rosy and their eyes were bright, showing no signs of weakness or fatigue.

He recalled that all the people he had seen in Shuitian Village had sprouted and taken root in their bodies, and had already transcended the mortal realm and entered the Qi Refining stage.

Ye Xuan spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

Chen Hong sat in the center of the front row, his eyes closed and his mind focused. The flow of spiritual energy around his body was most obvious, and he had already faintly touched the threshold of the third level of Qi Refining.

Beside him sat Li Laosi, and the two brothers Chen Qinghe and Chen Xunjiang. The older brother remained focused, while the younger brother was somewhat restless, occasionally sneaking glances around.

Chen Qinghe is progressing rapidly and has already vaguely reached the sixth level of Qi Refining...

To Ye Xuan's surprise, he saw Li Chong at the edge of the crowd.

The former king had shed his magnificent robes and was now dressed in plain gray cloth, looking no different from an ordinary villager.

His starting point was higher than everyone else in Shuitian Village. Facing the approaching deadline, he seemed a little anxious, but his expression no longer showed the arrogance and resentment of the past; instead, it revealed a kind of calm.

But after yet another failed attempt, his true colors were revealed: "Why is it so difficult?!"

He complained a couple of times, but Li Chong had been a king for several years, so his mindset quickly calmed down, and he continued to focus on his cultivation.

……

"In just half a month, the short-lived world has achieved this much."

Ye Xuan sighed inwardly. Before withdrawing his senses, he drew a wisp of magical power from the willow tree and infused it into Chen Qinghe and Li Chong to strengthen them.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly sensed a strange movement coming from the direction of the willow tree.

The willows by the lake swayed gently without any wind, their drooping branches waving softly towards the temple.

At the same time, all the villagers who were cultivating were startled, and their bodies and minds reacted immediately, as if echoing the strange movements of the willow tree.

The faint spiritual energy was flowing back to Ye Xuan through the willow tree.

However, for him, who is now close to the completion of the Golden Core stage, the feedback from these short-lived species is insignificant.

Chen Hong was the first to open his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

He naturally noticed the abnormality just now. After thinking for a moment, he stood up and bowed deeply in the direction of the willow tree. Although the other villagers did not understand why, they also followed suit and bowed.

"The Immortal Lord still exists, protecting the prosperity of my Shuitian Village."

Chen Hong's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly, and a look of piety appeared on everyone's faces, making the incense in the temple seem to burn even brighter...

Ye Xuan withdrew his senses and his consciousness returned to the sky above the canyon.

His recent revisit to Shuitian Village had given him glimpses of the new China, but he didn't have much time to reminisce.

The light of the travel talisman flickered uncertainly in the twilight, and stars were already appearing on the distant horizon.

One last glance at the chaotic landscape deep within the canyon, "Do not linger..."

Without further hesitation, Ye Xuan activated his spiritual power, and the flames of his travel talisman blazed brightly as he transformed into a streak of light and sped northward.

As night fell completely, a golden glimmer of light appeared in the distant mountain silhouettes.

As the distance closes and the structure becomes clearer, it is revealed to be a Taoist temple built atop a solitary peak.

The temple is not large, with green tiles and red walls, and old copper bells hanging from the eaves, swaying in the night wind and constantly making crisp sounds.

Above the summit, a phantom golden halo floats, shaped like a divine bird spreading its wings, casting a warm glow that envelops the entire mountain peak.