CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 1: MISSING HER

Five years have passed since the fall of the Old Heavenly Path, the demonic invasion, and the birth of the New Heavenly Path. In these five years, significant changes have occurred on the Xuantian Continent.

Firstly, concerning the issue of spiritual energy, during the decline of the Old Heavenly Path, the spiritual energy on the Xuantian Continent was not abundant and was even somewhat scarce, which made it relatively rare for people to cultivate to the sixth level peak. However, since the emergence of the New Heavenly Path, the spiritual energy in the world has undergone a monumental change, increasing to five times its previous amount, and in these five years, many have cultivated to the sixth level peak.

Secondly, concerning the matter of ascension, due to the weakening of the Heavenly Path, the Xuantian Continent had a reduced connection with the Upper Realm. Combined with the scarcity of spiritual energy, no one had ascended for hundreds of years. However, since the birth of the New Heavenly Path, those who had reached the sixth level peak but were unable to progress further have all sensed the call of the Upper Realm and ascended one after another, causing a surge of ascension fever across the Xuantian Continent!

In short, the current Xuantian Continent is completely different from what it was five years ago.

The original major powers have also undergone changes, with the Zhuo Family and Yun Family clearly ahead of the other families. It is said that this rapid development is because they were favored by people from the Upper Realm, and both Zhuo Zhen Song and Zhuo Tingqiu have ascended. Currently, the Zhuo Family is headed by one of Zhuo Tingqiu’s uncles, who has advanced to the sixth level peak due to the abundant spiritual energy, but because his aptitude is too dull, he will never be able to ascend and so was chosen as the Family Head.

The Yun Family’s Yun Ran’s father and brother have also ascended, and the position of the Family Head was passed to one of her cousins, who has talent in this area and is well-regarded by the elders of the Yun Family.

Both Nalan Xin and Nalan Jin from the Nalan Family have ascended, and Qiu Yuyan from the Qiu Family has also ascended. Qiu Yu Fei has reached the sixth level peak, and ascension is just a matter of time.

Hua Shiyu, who had been chosen as the Crown Prince, abandoned the title himself, as he too reached the sixth level peak and ascended to the Upper Realm.

Others who had interacted with Gu Qingqing and the others have also ascended.

...

This is a white, hazy space.

In the center of it, a young girl was floating in mid-air, seemingly asleep.

She was extremely beautiful, dressed in a white brocade robe embroidered with golden patterns, exuding nobility and mystery.

Suddenly, her butterfly-like eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her eyes slowly opened, revealing black pupils that seemed to contain the sea of stars, making one drown in them at a glance.

A mysterious and powerful aura emanated from her body, sweeping through the entire space, causing the cloud-like things around to roll wildly. After she sat up, everything calmed down again.

As she looked around the familiar yet strange space, it took Gu Qingqing a while to realize where she was.

Ever since becoming the New Heavenly Path of the Xuantian Continent, she had been given a crucial mission, helping the Xuantian Continent resolve the troubles of the demonic invasion. Afterwards, she hastily explained a few things to Si Lin and the others before falling into slumber, absorbing the knowledge and abilities passed on by the Old Heavenly Path.

This slumber lasted for five years!

She blinked her eyes and snapped her fingers, and suddenly, a person identical to her appeared beside her.

This was a doppelgänger she created using the methods from the inheritance. Unlike the previous Heavenly Path, which was integrated into the laws of the Xuantian Continent, she, having accepted the Heavenly Path’s inheritance, is still essentially a human. She can exercise the powers of the Heavenly Path using the laws of the Xuantian Continent, but it doesn’t affect her ability to continue cultivating and walking around outside!

The purpose of this doppelgänger is to stay here in her place, watching over the Xuantian Continent and exercising the powers of the Heavenly Path!

After giving orders to the doppelgänger, she saw it return to the air, sitting cross-legged with a giant water mirror appearing in front of it, monitoring everything on the Xuantian Continent.

Watching the doppelgänger perform these tasks felt quite magical to her. She watched for a while, confirmed there were no issues with the doppelgänger, then her figure flashed, and she disappeared from that space.

...

At Spirit Hidden Mountain, ever since participating in the demon-slaying battle of the Xuantian Continent five years ago and receiving a message from Gu Qingqing, Si Lin and the others returned to Spirit Hidden Mountain and informed Wen Guiyun of the matter, who was quite surprised that Gu Qingqing would be selected as the Heavenly Path of the Xuantian Continent.

Subsequently, Si Lin went into seclusion, and after half a year, he successfully broke through to the ninth level, maintaining his position as the head senior brother.

The second person to break through, surprisingly, was not Mu Chen, who had received an immortal inheritance, but rather Yue Zhao. He too was inspired when watching the Heavenly Path restore items on the Xuantian Continent to normal and returned to Spirit Hidden Mountain, where he played the zither on the second peak for seven days, then went into seclusion, and after half a year, broke through to the ninth level, much to the discontent of Mu Chen and the others.

Two years after returning to Spirit Hidden Mountain, Nan Hua broke through to the ninth level.

Three months after Nan Hua’s breakthrough, Mu Chen also advanced to the ninth level.

The only one left was Rong Ye, who, in the fourth year after returning to Spirit Hidden Mountain, just six months ago, also broke through to the ninth level.

Thus, except for Gu Qingqing, all five of them had reached the ninth level!

"It’s been five years, why hasn’t Geng Geng come to find us yet?" Rong Ye boredly twirled the cup in his hand, suddenly grumbling discontentedly.

Every month, the five of them would gather at Si Lin’s first peak to drink together, also to wait for Gu Qingqing to return. Since it was almost the end of the month, they gathered once more. Thinking of Gu Qingqing, all of their hands paused mid-raise.

"Since Geng Geng said she would come to find us, we just need to patiently wait," Yue Zhao said, putting down his cup, the smile on his lips fading slightly.

"That’s right. Since Geng Geng is accepting the Heavenly Path’s inheritance, it will obviously take some time. Only five years have passed. Even if it takes longer, we can wait." Mu Chen picked up a wine jug, poured some wine into his mouth, and put the jug heavily on the table, speaking righteously.

Si Lin didn’t say anything, but glanced at Rong Ye, poured himself another drink, and downed it in one go.

"Five years gone, Geng Geng should have grown quite a bit. I wonder if her appearance is like what we saw that time." Nan Hua’s eyes were already a bit hazy, a trace of amazement flashing through them at the memory of Gu Qingqing’s appearance before.

"Who knows," Rong Ye said, relaxing the hand propping up his chin and lying on the table, "I do know Geng Geng will surely return, I just... miss her, is all." His final words were soft, tinged with an unnoticeable sadness and grievance.

Hearing this, the others fell silent, and the atmosphere became somewhat stagnant.

Everyone filled their glasses with wine, seemingly hoping that getting drunk would prevent them from missing Gu Qingqing.

"Geng Geng, Geng Geng, Geng Geng..." Rong Ye grasped the wine bottle, looked into the air, and softly called out Gu Qingqing’s name.

"Hehe, let me guess, who’s calling me? Fifth Senior Brother, is that you?" Suddenly, a crisp voice sounded in their ears.