Master Xuanjing carried Qin Moyu to a staircase that stretched upwards and ended up submerged in the vast clouds, and they climbed the stairs one by one.
Qin Moyu didn't know what Master Xuanjing was planning, but since Master Xuanjing was climbing the ranks step by step, he would obediently follow suit.
At first, there was nothing special about walking up the steps, but as Qin Moyu went higher, the fog became thicker and thicker until finally she could only see about ten meters ahead and behind. The path ahead and behind the steps turned into a white blur, and she could not see the future or go back to the past, which made her feel inexplicably terrified.
As time went by, Qin Moyu walked slower and slower, not because of physical exhaustion, but because of psychological pressure.
At the beginning, they could enjoy the scenery and have fun without speaking, but the journey became increasingly monotonous and desolate. Xuanjing Zhenren remained silent, and Qin Moyu often had the illusion that he was the only person there.
The concept of time was blurred in the white mist, and every second felt like an eternity.
Master Xuanjing produced another wine gourd from somewhere and began drinking as he walked. After taking a couple of steps, he noticed Qin Moyu had stopped and turned around to mock him, "What? You can't even walk a few steps? What's the point of cultivating the Great Dao then? Go home already."
Qin Moyu shook his head, looked around, and finally plopped down on the steps.
Master Xuanjing only wanted to provoke Qin Moyu, not to defeat him. Seeing his unconventional behavior, he felt uneasy and quickly walked to the same step as Qin Moyu. Although he wanted to show concern, he still said stubbornly, "Hmph, I knew you little cultivators had no patience. Fine, if you really don't like it here, I'll take you away right away."
Qin Moyu propped her head up with one hand, tilting her head to gaze at the white mist: "It's not that I don't like it."
"You're stubborn as a mule." Master Xuanjing said irritably, completely disregarding his image as a superior, and sat down next to Qin Moyu.
Master Xuanjing took a sip of wine and said, "Do you know why I brought you here?"
“I know, in order to let me feel the ruthlessness of the Great Dao, I have been alone from beginning to end.” Qin Moyu shrugged and sighed helplessly, “My master loves to say these things to me.”
He paused and continued, "There's also the saying 'the great path is endless,' and that we must strive forward and break through limits to discover a glimpse of the secrets of heaven. I think what he said makes a lot of sense."
Qin Moyu recalled the old Taoist's spirited appearance when he said those words. Despite his low cultivation level, he had an extraordinary arrogance and goals, and his words were full of ambition and determination.
"Then why are you still sitting here, giving up on yourself?" Master Xuanjing was confused.
"It's not that I'm giving up on myself, I'm just suddenly feeling a bit sentimental." Qin Moyu stretched, then suddenly stood up, revealing a big smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief, like a child who had just gotten away with stealing a treat.
"It's been so boring walking here. If we stop and sit down, you'll start talking to me, won't you?"
"The road ahead is long, it's good to relieve some boredom before continuing."
After saying that, Qin Moyu dashed off, reaching a high point in the blink of an eye, leaving the still-unresponsive Xuanjing Zhenren behind. His earlier slowing down was all an act. Looking down at Xuanjing Zhenren, he waved, "Senior, please take your time. I'm off now—hahahahaha—"
Qin Moyu's laughter echoed through the mountains and forests, carefree and unrestrained.
"That brat is going to retaliate for not talking to me on the way"—when Master Xuanjing realized this, he was both annoyed and amused, and his worries disappeared.
As Qin Moyu walked upwards, humming a song. He dared to joke with Master Xuanjing because of that jade pendant, guessing that his master and Master Xuanjing must have a pretty good relationship. After all, how could the old Taoist give away such an ugly jade pendant if they didn't have a good relationship? Plus, the environment was indeed oppressive, and he needed this joke to relieve the pressure.
"You dare to mess with me? You're really bold." Xuanjing Zhenren appeared beside Qin Moyu without warning.
Qin Moyu wasn't surprised by this, she just raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying, "I'm super brave, okay!"
Unfortunately, Master Xuanjing didn't understand Qin Moyu's joke. He just snorted and said, "I'm not going to argue with you. Since you're so bored, I'll reluctantly tell you a story. Do you want to listen?"
"Of course, I would be honored to hear you tell my story, senior." Qin Moyu gave an exaggerated bow, which pleased Master Xuanjing.
"You know the titles they give me, right?"
"I know, I know. He's the number one person below the Tribulation stage, which is practically the number one person in the world."
"Bullshit." Master Xuanjing rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Everyone knows that after the Four Continents War, there are only four Tribulation Transcending stage experts left. Although they all live in seclusion, as long as I haven't broken through to the Tribulation Transcending stage, I can't be the number one person in the world."
"Don't they all live in seclusion? What's wrong with that?"
“Hidden in seclusion… Hmph… Who knows!” Master Xuanjing muttered a few words, but Qin Moyu didn’t hear them clearly.
Master Xuanjing didn't want to elaborate on these matters, so he didn't continue. Instead, he changed the subject: "Have you ever heard of the Path to Heaven?"
The Road to Heaven?
Qin Moyu shook her head: "I've never even heard of it."
"Legend has it that long, long ago, the four continents were teeming with extraordinary talents. Cultivation levels like mine were as numerous as hairs on a cow, and those at the Tribulation Transcending stage were even more plentiful. Only half-immortals could be considered truly renowned figures. Everyone cultivated desperately for just one thing—"
"To ascend to this realm through the Heavenly Path and achieve true freedom and unrestraint," Master Xuanjing said, his tone tinged with envy.
Perhaps not only back then, but nowadays most cultivators also cultivate in order to reach the peak and be free from all constraints.
Qin Moyu was thinking that if she could ascend to heaven, she might be able to go back to the modern world for a while. She couldn't help but ask expectantly, "Where is the path to heaven? Are people still ascending now?"
"The path to heaven is in the extreme cold, but no one has ascended to heaven since." Master Xuanjing sighed softly.
"Why? Since everyone knows the Path to Heaven is there, isn't it enough to ascend simply by passing through it?" Qin Moyu asked, puzzled. Hearing about the Extreme Cold Land unexpectedly made his heart pound again, as if he were one step closer to the mystery of his origins.
"I don't know." Master Xuanjing answered honestly. He listened to the sloshing sound in the wine pot, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips.
"The land of extreme cold has become a forbidden zone since the war between the four continents, and no one can enter it anymore."
"How is that possible?! Wasn't the Four Continents War held in the forest where the four continents meet?" Qin Moyu remembered that the old Taoist priest had said that after the Four Continents War, that forest was razed to the ground, leaving only yellow sand and broken bones, as well as a dangerous place where the flames of Yu Huo drifted.
"It is true that the Four Continents War took place there, but the nine Transcending Tribulation experts gathered in the extreme cold region, and in the end only three survived."
"No one knows what happened, just as no one knows why the Four Continents War turned from a chaotic battle into a major war, and why it was so brutal."
"It's as if an invisible hand is controlling everything, and we are just its pawns."
Chapter 19. Turning Point... Does Mo Yu like me?