I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

The azure sword light raced through the dark void of the secret realm, its speed increasing until it finally transformed into a thin line almost imperceptible. Ahead, the color of space began to change, faintly rippling like water. A familiar and comforting aura, unique to the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, composed of the spiritual energy of vegetation and ancient runes, wafted through the thin membrane of space. Li Bai's eyes narrowed. Without slowing down, the Azure Lotus Sword beneath his feet emitted a clear, resonant cry, its light surging even higher, like an arrow released from a bow, resolutely crashing into the very center of the spatial ripples!

There was no impact as I had expected.

The moment the sword light touched the ripples, it was like a drop of ink falling into clear water, quickly spreading and blurring. The scene before my eyes twisted and spun like a shattered mirror, then rapidly reformed. A deep hum reached my ears, as if I were inside a giant bronze bell, the sound pressing in from all directions, only to dissipate in an instant.

Suddenly, my vision brightened.

No longer was it the deep blue dome of the secret realm, but the familiar valley sky bathed in soft sunlight. Beneath their feet was no longer the void of the secret realm, but a solid, flat plaza paved with ancient bluish-gray stone slabs. The air was filled with the unique scent of the Xiling Divine Kingdom—a blend of the woody fragrance of thousand-year-old trees, the medicinal aroma of some unknown spiritual herb, and the faint, almost imperceptible, stonely scent emanating from the massive stone pillars surrounding the plaza, as if settled by the passage of time.

Li Bai landed steadily, the light of the Azure Lotus Sword receded, transforming into a three-foot-long blade, automatically returning to its sheath on his back. The movement was fluid and without the slightest hesitation.

He stood in the center of the square in front of the Xiling Divine Kingdom Temple.

The afternoon sun shone through the sparse clouds above the valley, casting its light on the plaza and making the stone slabs, carved with intricate patterns of birds, beasts, and clouds, appear warm and lustrous. Around the plaza, twelve enormous stone pillars, each ten feet tall and covered in ancient runes, stood silently, their surfaces shimmering with an extremely faint, almost imperceptible, spiritual light. In the distance, a cluster of temple buildings, built against the mountainside, cascaded down, their eaves and brackets casting dappled shadows in the sunlight, appearing both solemn and mysterious.

Everything was the same as before, yet something seemed different.

Li Bai's gaze swept across the square and immediately settled on the main gate of the temple.

Several people were already standing there.

The leader was none other than the High Priestess of the Western Mausoleum Kingdom, dressed in a plain white priest's robe, holding a bone staff with a pale blue crystal at the top, her face as serene as an ancient pool. Behind her stood three elders, two men and one woman, also dressed in priestly attire, but in slightly darker colors and with simpler patterns, all with white hair and beards and solemn expressions.

They had clearly been waiting there for some time.

When Li Bai's figure fully appeared on the plaza and his aura completely merged into the space, a barely concealed shock flashed in the High Priest's all-seeing eyes. The three elders behind her gasped in unison, their faces showing disbelief.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Li Bai could clearly feel several divine senses, some strong and some weak, but all carrying surprise and probing intent, sweeping across his body like invisible tentacles. The moment these divine senses touched his body, they were as if they had hit an invisible yet incredibly tough wall, or plunged into a bottomless icy pool, instantly repelled or swallowed up, unable to probe even a fraction of its depth.

The aura emanating from him was no longer that of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator when he left, nor the single-attribute pressure of a typical Golden Core cultivator—whether sharp, heavy, or fiery. It was a more restrained, more harmonious aura, yet subtly revealing a transcendent quality, as if refined and settled after being tempered by the mortal world. Within his aura lay the sharpness and purity of a sword, the elegance and freedom of poetry, and deeper still, a faint trace of the ancient and desolate charm bestowed upon him by the Bronze Divine Tree and the secret realm.

This aura is unlike any of the Golden Core Daoist charms recorded in the heritage of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom.

"You..." the high priest finally spoke, his voice still calm, but a very subtle fluctuation could be detected if one listened carefully, "You succeeded?"

She used a question, but the certainty in her eyes already gave the answer.

Li Bai stepped forward a few steps and stopped about three zhang away from the High Priest. He clasped his hands and bowed, performing a standard junior cultivator's salute: "Junior Li Bai, fortunately, has not failed in his mission and has successfully passed the Golden Core Tribulation in the secret realm."

His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the empty square, carrying a calm and certainty that came from having survived a calamity.

"Good! Good! Good!" The High Priest said "good" three times in a row, and a genuine smile finally appeared on her face. That smile diluted the mystery and majesty that had always shrouded her, making her look more like a gratified elder. "In such a short time, you have actually crossed the chasm, achieved the Golden Core, and even forged such a unique and extraordinary foundation of your cultivation... Li Bai, your talent and opportunities far exceed my expectations."

The three elders behind her also suppressed their astonishment, their gazes towards Li Bai now filled with solemnity and recognition, even tinged with a hint of awe. A Golden Core cultivator, wherever they were, was already a powerful figure. Moreover, the Golden Core aura emanating from this young man gave them a sense of unfathomable depth.

"It's all thanks to the wonders of this secret realm, and the guidance I received from you, senior." Li Bai was humble and did not become arrogant despite his sudden increase in strength.

The High Priestess nodded slightly, quite pleased with Li Bai's character. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, as if confirming something, then she sighed softly: "Do you know how much time has passed in the outside world since you left?"

Li Bai's heart stirred. He did indeed feel that the flow of time in the secret realm was different from that in the outside world. Although the process of undergoing tribulation, consolidating his cultivation, and receiving information fragments on the Bronze Divine Tree platform felt long, he had no precise concept of how much outside time had passed.

Please enlighten me, senior.

"Nearly a year," the high priest slowly uttered three words.

Li Bai's pupils contracted slightly.

Nearly a year!

He left the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom and entered the secret realm to seek a breakthrough opportunity. He felt that only a month or two or three months had passed, but he did not expect that nearly a year had passed in the outside world! The difference in the flow of time was even greater than he had expected.

"The secret realm is an ancient relic, containing fragments of the laws of spacetime. Its flow rate is different from that of the outside world, which is normal." The high priest seemed to see his surprise and explained, "For you, it may just be a period of seclusion, but for this world and for the mortal world, a year is enough for many things to happen."

Her tone became serious.

"First, there's the imperial court." The high priest's gaze was directed towards the entrance of the valley, as if he could see through the mountain walls to the outside world. "Shortly after you entered the secret realm, rumors of frequent 'strange phenomena' in the Shu region have intensified under the instigation of certain individuals. The imperial court, or rather, certain powerful figures with a great interest in 'immortality,' 'secret realms,' and 'ancient secrets,' have never ceased their search for this area."

"Initially, it was just local officials cooperating with some low-level cultivators and sorcerers to investigate. Although the area was wide, the effort was limited. However, as time went on, the inability to find a definite entrance only aroused greater interest and... suspicion in some people." The high priest's voice deepened. "In the past six months, the search has suddenly intensified. I sensed through secret methods that at least three imperial officials with cultivation levels no lower than the early Golden Core stage had secretly arrived near Mount Shu. They used certain secret treasures to detect earth veins and search for spatial fluctuations. The precision of their search has almost locked onto the outer edge of this valley."

A gaunt male elder with a goatee interjected, "Not only that. Half a month ago, the concealment array on the outer edge of the valley was subjected to an extremely subtle probing attack. Although the array was not broken, the nature of that power... was definitely not that of an ordinary cultivator or a high-ranking official. I suspect that someone in the imperial court, someone of truly high rank and power, who might even be able to mobilize certain 'national treasures,' has begun to pay attention to this matter."

Another female elder spoke with concern: "The imperial court's fear of uncontrollable forces has been constant since ancient times. The Xiling Divine Kingdom has remained secluded for a thousand years, relying on the formations left by its ancestors and this special region to ensure its safety. To be targeted like this now is no good omen. Young friend Li Bai, your aura is even more deeply connected to this world since you returned from the secret realm. I'm afraid... you have become one of the most crucial 'clues' for them in their search for the entrance to the secret realm."

Li Bai frowned slightly. He had anticipated the court would intensify its search efforts, potentially even attracting the attention of higher authorities, but he hadn't expected it to happen so quickly and with such force. Nearly a year was enough time for many changes to occur. While his current Golden Core cultivation gave him the means to protect himself and even resist, the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom was firmly established there. If he were exposed, attracting a large-scale military campaign or attacks from higher-level forces, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He said in a deep voice, "It was my oversight that brought trouble to the divine kingdom."

The high priest waved her hand: "The cause and effect were predetermined, it is not your fault. The divine kingdom has survived to this day for a reason. I tell you this so that you will be aware of the situation and be more cautious after returning to the mortal world. The power of the imperial court is deeply entrenched and cannot be directly confronted by one person or one sword. Especially..." She paused, her gaze turning eastward, towards Chang'an.

"In the direction of Chang'an, the celestial phenomena and fortune seem to have undergone unusual changes in recent months." The High Priest's voice carried a hint of uncertainty, the first time Li Bai had seen such an expression on her face. "Although I am not proficient in astrological divination, relying on the traditions of the Divine Kingdom and the unique characteristics of this region, I occasionally have a vague sense of the shifting fortunes of the world. Several months ago, the celestial fortunes representing the imperial harem, especially those related to the rank of 'Imperial Consort,' suddenly became... bright and turbulent, with a faint trace of 'calamity' and... 'anomalies' that shouldn't have appeared."

"A calamity? An anomaly?" Li Bai's heart tightened suddenly. Yang Yuhuan! She really had already...

"Indeed." The High Priest looked at Li Bai with a complex expression. "That shift in fortune subtly coincides with the name of the woman you mentioned that day. I don't know the specifics of what happened, but I'm certain that she's at the center of the vortex, and her destiny is undergoing a violent and unpredictable shift. That 'calamity' isn't necessarily a death sentence, but it's extremely dangerous; that 'anomaly'... is a variable I've never sensed in the fortune of the royal harem before, as if some power or entity that shouldn't belong to that position or that era has intervened in her fate."

A brief silence fell over the square. Only the low, mournful sound of the wind whistling through the cracks in the stone pillars and the faint chirping of birds from the distant mountains and forests could be heard.

Li Bai stood rooted to the spot, the sunlight bathing him, yet he felt little warmth. Nearly a year had passed… Yang Yuhuan, fifteen years old at the time, should now be sixteen. According to history, she should have already been selected for the Prince of Shou's residence, or… the time for her to be noticed by Emperor Xuanzong and made a Consort was drawing ever closer. Was this the "calamity" and "anomaly" the High Priest spoke of? Or was it that his appearance, the butterfly effect brought about by his "transmigration" and "sword immortal" status, had already caused an unknown change in her fate?

Could that "anomaly" be an effect left behind by myself? Or is it caused by someone else, or by some other force?

A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind, bringing a chilling pain and a deeper anxiety. The joy of achieving the Golden Core was instantly overshadowed by intense worry and a sense of urgency. He had to get to Chang'an as soon as possible! He had to find out exactly what had happened to Yu Huan!

The high priestess took in Li Bai's reaction and sighed inwardly. Love, indeed, was the most difficult bond to sever. She stepped forward, her bone staff tapping lightly on the stone floor with a soft "thud." The sound was gentle, yet it seemed to strike a chord in Li Bai's heart, bringing him back to his senses.

"Li Bai." The high priest's voice became more solemn than ever before, even carrying a hint of solemn admonition, "You have achieved the Golden Core, bear the inheritance of an ancient sword immortal, and the Azure Lotus Sword has recognized you as its master. Your strength is enough to make you stand out among the vast majority of cultivators in this world. With your current power, if you want to do anything in this world, the obstacles will be much smaller."

She abruptly changed the subject, her gaze sharp as she looked directly into Li Bai's eyes: "But I must remind you. Power is always a double-edged sword. It can be like a knife, protecting those you wish to protect and cutting through thorns in the path; it can also harm others and yourself. A slight misstep can lead to rivers of blood and entanglements of karma; it is also more likely to bring disaster—'possessing a treasure is a crime,' 'the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind.' You possess the secrets of a hidden realm and the inheritance of ancient times, which has already attracted the covetousness of others. Now that you have achieved the Golden Core, your brilliance is beginning to show, making you an even greater thorn in the side of certain beings."

"And the most dangerous thing is the karma of the mortal world." The high priest's voice seemed to carry a power that went straight to the heart. "Your connection with that woman from Chang'an is both fate and calamity. This thread of karma has crossed time and space, intertwined across two lifetimes, its weight immeasurable, its power unfathomable. If you try to forcibly sever or change the predetermined torrent of fate with the sword in your hand, you will inevitably suffer unimaginable backlash and karma. The general trend of the world, the common people, personal love, the dynasty's fortune... these things are intertwined, forming a net that is a thousand times more resilient and complex than you can imagine."

She tilted her head slightly, gazing at the distant sky, as if recalling something, or perhaps speaking of an age-old truth: "Golden Core Sword Immortals are among the top combatants in this world. But you must remember, power is like a blade; it can protect, but it can also harm, and it easily invites disaster. The karma of the mortal world is most entangled. Your connection with that woman, and the ancient secrets you bear, destined you for a difficult road ahead."

Finally, her gaze returned to Li Bai, her tone deep and earnest: "I hope you will hold your sword while guarding your heart, and never lose your true self. No matter how sharp the sword, it is ultimately an external object; if the heart is clouded, the path will be ruined. No matter what difficult choices you encounter on the road ahead, no matter what temptations and tribulations you face, never forget the path you comprehended and the heart you guarded when you achieved the Golden Elixir today."

These words, each carrying immense weight, struck Li Bai's heart like a morning bell and evening drum.

He seemed to see himself again during his inner demon tribulation, wielding the Azure Lotus Sword and wanting to stain the imperial city with blood; he saw the madness that could lead him to disregard all consequences and only seek to reclaim what he loved; he also saw the arrogance, arbitrariness, and indifference to life that might arise from the expansion of power.

The high priest's admonition was timely and profound.

Li Bai took a deep breath, the crisp air of the valley filling his lungs and gradually calming his restless mind. He took a step back, straightened his robes, and with a solemn expression, bowed deeply to the high priest once more, this time deeper and for a longer time.

"Your teachings, senior, are invaluable. I will remember them well." His voice was steady and firm. "Strength is for use, not for reliance; the sword may cut injustice, but it must know its limits. I have already stepped into the mortal world of cause and effect, and I will not run away from it, but I must be extremely cautious, uphold my principles, and live up to the sword in my hand, as well as the people and the Way in my heart."

This bow is an expression of gratitude, a promise, and a reaffirmation of one's own Daoist convictions.

The high priestess looked at his respectful and resolute posture, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes. She could sense that Li Bai had taken his words to heart and truly understood their weight. This young man's character was indeed extraordinary.

"It's good that you understand." The High Priest nodded slightly. "Now that you've emerged from seclusion, you must have made your plans. The divine kingdom is wonderful, but it's not a place for you to stay for long. The outside world is in turmoil, and the matter of Chang'an... should be addressed sooner rather than later."

Li Bai straightened up, his eyes clear: "This junior was just about to take his leave. The matter in Chang'an does indeed require my swift departure. However..." He glanced around the valley, his eyes filled with apology, "Because of my matter, the Divine Kingdom may be targeted by the imperial court, and this junior finds it difficult to remain at ease."

"You need not worry too much about this matter," the High Priest said calmly. "The divine kingdom has existed for thousands of years and has its own ways of dealing with it. After you leave, the formation will be completely sealed for a period of time, hiding even deeper. It is you who, upon returning to the mortal world, will truly face turbulent waves. Go, do what you must do. I only hope that you... will be careful in everything you do."

The setting sun cast long shadows of the people in the square. A breeze blew from the valley entrance, carrying the scents of the distant world.

Li Bai knew that the time for farewell had come.