Chapter 398: Chapter 397: Mysterious National Teacher, Lonely Mountain Prohibition

Li Jing’s latest gambit.

He made one outrageous statement, and three people believed it.

Why mention three people?

Because Xia Qianqian was starting to come around.

Due to someone speaking such shocking words, she was so frightened she momentarily forgot that the speaker was a mere mortal.

A Guardian of Heavenly Saint Land.

God, this made her head spin.

She sat at the end of the banquet table, looking at Li Jing and not knowing how to react, she could only put on a shocked facade.

Undercutting Li Jing.

She definitely wouldn’t do that, she didn’t even dare contemplate it.

Li Jing noticed Xia Qianqian’s momentary lapse. He almost broke character but fortunately, lying with a straight face was his strong suit.

He dared to make this outrageous claim, primarily due to Xia Zhengyang and Eunuch Wang’s reactions to his prior performance, which confirmed that the Ninth Realm of Heavenly Saint Land was unknown.

He calmly turned to Xia Zhengyang and spoke.

"I hope Your Majesty could clarify this further."

Currently, Xia Zhengyang entirely believed Li Jing.

No.

To be precise.

In the circumstances at hand, he’d rather believe in its existence than dismiss it.

Throughout history, which emperor would not value his life?

This time, the opening of the passage to the Big World by Heavenly Saint Land, although Xia Zhengyang was not the one who caused it all, he did issue the command.

Li Jing, as the Guardian of Heavenly Saint Land, vaguely suspected him.

If he did not provide a satisfactory explanation, who knows what might happen...

Hesitant, Xia Zhengyang bowed.

"Elder, in our observation of the stellar movements, we noticed an occasional overlap between the Big World and Heavenly Saint Land. So we utilized this information to forcibly create a connection through the Covering Sky Array."

National priest?

Covering Sky Array?

Li Jing frowned.

The Secret Realm Passage was intentionally opened, this was already suspected on the other side of the present world.

His absurd claims were an attempt at confirmation.

Now things were clear.

The Secret Realm Passage wasn’t naturally opened.

But just when he thought he had the answers, he was introduced to a national priest and a Covering Sky Array that could open the Secret Realm Passage, which left him feeling uncertain.

The most perplexing part was that Xia Zhengyang’s story even more fanciful than his.

The national priest observing stellar movements, seizing a rare overlap in space between the Big World and Heavenly Saint Land, and then casting a spell to forcibly open the Secret Realm Passage?

Li Jing was no fool, how could he believe such a yarn?

But Xia Zhengyang spoke with such earnest sincerity, as if it were true.

After a moment’s silence, Li Jing spoke again.

"Your Majesty, where is this national priest you speak of located now? Can you summon them here?"

"About that..."

Xia Zhengyang made a troubled face and said,

"I’m afraid that’s impossible. The Covering Sky Array that the national priest cast was at a great cost. After successfully opening the passage she took leave to recharge herself and I don’t know her current whereabouts."

As he spoke, he hesitated for a while before adding,

"Actually, I forced the national priest to do this after I learnt that we could open the passage. We had both agreed beforehand that this would be the last thing she’d do for Da Xia. If things work out as expected, she probably won’t come back."

Hearing Xia Zhengyang’s words, Li Jing sank into silence.

Xia Zhengyang’s sincerity would suggest that this national priest does exist.

Yet, it was hard to tell if things were as simple as he made them out to be.

A simple fact.

Xia Zhengyang mentioned that his orders to the national priest were coerced.

But that demand was likely part of the national priest’s own scheme.

In plain words,

If the national priest did not want to open the passage, there would be no need to mention the option to Xia Zhengyang in the first place.

And once Emperor Xia Zhengyang knew there was a way to forcibly open the Secret Realm Passage, how could he ever refuse the chance to interact with the Big World?

While silently organizing his thoughts, Li Jing faintly had a feeling.

Behind the creation of the passage between Heavenly Saint Land and the Present World, there lurked a conspiracy.

Xia Zhengyang, The Da Xia Dynasty, even all of Heavenly Saint Land was all part of a grand facade.

With a soft sigh, Li Jing looked up.

"Since the initiator is missing and cannot give an explanation, I won’t delve further into this matter. Your Majesty, I believe that your urgent desire to change Da Xia by gaining benefits from the Big World People is logical. However, let me warn you beforehand, the Big World people may not be as simple as they seem. Be cautious when dealing with them."

Continuing, he said,

"Do not be tempted by insignificant gains and risk the survival of Da Xia. As a Guardian of Heavenly Saint Land, I do not have an obligation to protect Da Xia. If Heavenly Saint Land remains undisturbed, I won’t interfere."

When it comes to putting on a good show, Li Jing was indeed a master performer.

This monologue of his made Xia Zhengyang believe even more in his identity as the Guardian of Heavenly Saint Land.

Not for Da Xia.

But for the grand scheme of Heavenly Saint Land.

Isn’t that what a true guardian of the world should do?

Seeing that Li Jing had no intention of denying his selfish decision of opening the Secret Realm Passage, Xia Zhengyang felt a sense of relief and respectfully replied.

"I will remember your advice, Elder."

"Hmm."

Li Jing nodded, then stood up.

"I am grateful for the banquet tonight, but I must take my leave now."

?

Xia Yuxi, sitting beside him, raised a question mark.

Upon knowing Li Jing’s identity as the Heavenly Saint Guardian, she was contemplating how she could cozy up to him.

He was leaving so soon, before she even had a chance to set her plan into motion.

On the other side.

When the Empress Xiao Xi heard about Li Jing’s departure, she felt anxious and couldn’t help but speak.

"We prepared this banquet tonight just for you. Since you’re here, why not stay a little longer...."

Before she could finish, Xia Zhengyang huffed coldly.

"Silence!"

At his cold huff, Xiao Xi shuddered.

Then, she realized that she might have overstepped.

Li Jing was the guardian of Heavenly Saint Land and with the channel linking the two realms already opened, he must have a lot on his plate. She shouldn’t have pressured him.

Xia Zhengyang warned Xiao Xi and quickly apologetically looked at Li Jing.

"Senior, please forgive my wife for her rudeness."

"No worries."

Li Jing waved his hand, and then looked at Xia Qianqian who had witnessed it all, and uttered a word.

"Let’s go."

Upon hearing this, how could Xia Qianqian delay?

She quickly rose, curtseyed to Xia Zhengyang and Xiao Xi.

"Father, Mother, I will take my leave now."

"Go ahead."

Xia Zhengyang said lovingly.

On the other hand, Xiao Xi was unhappy.

Xia Yuxi, who was left by Li Jing, looked even more upset.

She couldn’t understand.

Was she in any way inferior to Xia Qianqian?

Why did this waste get favor from the Heavenly Saint Guardian?

Xia Yuxi noticed Xia Zhengyang, who never bothered to even look at Xia Qianqian directly, now was watching her leaving figure without blinking. She knew.

After today, Xia Qianqian’s status would experience a drastic change.

However, the only consolation was.

That she was a waste, incapable of cultivation.

...

Once they left the imperial palace, it wasn’t long before Li Jing and Xia Qianqian boarded the carriage they had arrived in.

They both remained quiet the whole way.

Until they were leaving the imperial city and approached her palace, Xia Qianqian carefully looked at Li Jing, who had been lost in thought since getting into the carriage, and spoke.

"Senior, thank you for tonight."

Li Jing looked at her.

"Why are you thanking me? As far as I know, I did nothing for you."

"..."

Xia Qianqian.

Indeed, he didn’t do anything for her.

But his performance tonight brought her immense benefits.

Her gratitude was sincere, but Li Jing’s response left her not knowing what to say.

Just when she was finding it awkward, Li Jing asked.

"Regarding the national teacher your father mentioned, do you know anything about her?"

Glad for the change in topic, Xia Qianqian took the chance to reply.

"I don’t know much about the national teacher. I just know she is a splendid and talented woman. At the age of fifty, she is already a strong one in the Convergence Realm, and she is knowledgeable in astronomy and geography."

Then she continued.

"The National teacher is named Shi Miaoying and she’s quite mysterious. She usually lives on the top of a mountain outside the city. There are very profound array formations everywhere at the peak, even those in the Ascending Immortal realm can’t approach. Apart from my father, hardly anyone can see her. Only during special religious ceremonies does she appear. I myself have only seen her a few times."

Li Jing nodded quietly after listening to her explanation and didn’t ask anything more.

Of course, there was no point in asking more.

For now, the information he has obtained is already enough.

As for the rest,

honestly, Li Jing couldn’t care less.

After all, when Jiang Yini enters, he will leave the Eastern Continent. These issues will be handed over to the special envoy from Longyu and the God Kingdom to worry about. His priority was to travel around and find opportunities to advance his level.

...

After fifteen minutes,

Li Jing and Xia Qianqian arrived back at her palace.

As soon as they entered the door, she hesitated and asked.

"Senior, are you planning to leave?"

"Yes."

Li Jing responded and then said.

"We should part ways now. I’ve already taught you the cultivation technique. It’s up to you to use it properly."

Xia Qianqian wanted to speak but hesitated, ultimately nodding.

Li Jing had no intention of continuing the conversation.

Both parties were originally in a mutually beneficial relationship, and it’s better not to interact too much when they both have harvested what they want.

After bidding farewell to Xia Qianqian, Li Jing came to the compartment where Liu Sisi was located.

He pushed the door open.

Looking up, he saw Liu Sisi sitting at the head of the bed with a smile on her face, and Ya’er was behind her, helping her braid her hair.

Seeing this scene as he entered, Li Jing slightly halted in his steps.

On the other side, Liu Sisi noticed his return and spoke out in surprise.

"Have you finished everything?"

"Yes, I have gathered a lot of useful information on this trip, enough to fulfill my task."

Li Jing smiled lightly.

Just as he was about to say something else, Ya’er timidly looked at him.

"Father."

???

Li Jing.

Before he could react, Liu Sisi burst into giggles.

"The child is calling you, why aren’t you responding?"

"..."

Li Jing.

This call of ’Father’ caught him off guard.

Seeing Liu Sisi’s happy and Jay-like laughter, he immediately knew that his wife was playing tricks on him again.

With a helpless smile and a shake of his head, Li Jing approached and hesitated before rubbing Ya’er’s little head.

Upon Head Pat.

Under subconscious instinct, Ya’er wanted to pull back, but in the end, she bit her lip and remained still.

Looking at the little girl, who was apparently somewhat frightened but also vaguely appeared to want to get along with him, Li Jing chuckled and withdrew his hand, then turned to Liu Sisi.

"We should leave now."

"Leave now? Sister Yini hasn’t come yet, has she?"

Liu Sisi tilted her head and handed over the Smoke Eye clasped on the side of her head.

"There’s a lot of trouble in the Imperial City, and Xia Qianqian will have even more things to worry about. We’re going to wait for her at the entrance to the secret realm."

Li Jing took the Smoke Eye and, after a moment’s thought, said,

"Tonight, you and Ya’er might need to suffer a little, staying in my Little Universe. I have some other matters to validate, and it will be more convenient for me to act alone."

Liu Sisi was always well-behaved and sensible.

Nodding her head, she didn’t ask what Li Jing was going to do, but picked up Ya’er and stood up.

Seeing this, Li Jing stretched out his hand and sent the two of them into the Little Universe.

Then, he changed into a set of clothes, put on the Smoke Eye to hide his face and conceal his aura, activated the Silent Shadow and quietly left Xia Qianqian’s palace.

...

For the people of Xia Imperial City, tonight was destined to be sleepless.

An hour earlier, a terrifying cloud of darkness descended and shrouded the entire imperial city, like an unshakeable nightmare imprinted deeply in everyone’s mind.

The streets and alleys were all talking about this event.

All sorts of guesses were emerging endlessly.

But no one knew what exactly had happened.

After leaving Xia Qianqian’s palace, Li Jing didn’t linger much in the Imperial City and directly left the city to the outskirts.

It wasn’t hard to find Shi Miaoying’s residence before she disappeared.

There was only one solitary peak around the Xia Imperial City.

The solitary peak wasn’t too far from where the entrance to the secret realm opened.

Coming somewhere near the solitary peak, Li Jing hovered in the air.

According to Xia Qianqian, the solitary peak has an extremely powerful array restriction, which even an eighth realm cultivator finds it hard to approach.

Xia Qianqian would certainly not deceive her.

After pondering slightly, Li Jing raised his hand to activate the Sky Eye.

According to Xia Qianqian’s words.

Shi Miaoying was in her fifties this year, with a cultivation level of convergence of the seventh realm.

To set aside the array she had set up and forcibly opened a conduit between the Heavenly Saint Land and the Big World.

The Seventh Realm’s array could block the Eighth Realm, and its attainment must be terrifying.

To take a look at her residence, being careful was always right.

The Vertical Eye opened on the eyebrows, and the Smoke Eye’s cover did not affect the Sky Eye’s line of sight.

Looking up at the solitary mountain under the night sky, which appeared to be extremely tranquil, Li Jing quickly grasped some clues through the special characteristics of the Sky Eye capturing subtle differences in spiritual qi.

There were indeed obscure array restrictions around the solitary mountain.

In the whole solitary mountain body, there were seven places where the spiritual qi accumulated highly and arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper within the mountain.

What concerned Li Jing the most, was the point at the top of the mountain.

Under the observation of the Sky Eye.

The concentration of spiritual qi at that point on the mountain top was the highest among the seven points, so high, that it showed a vortex shape.

Not only that.

As the starting point for the Big Dipper’s formation, it was constantly spurting out an item containing high concentrations of spiritual qi of unknown properties, flowing within the mountain, linking the whole formation into a line.

It was clear.

The starting point at the mountain top was the Array Eye.

Upon discovering the Array Eye, Li Jing narrowed his eyes slightly and pulled out a spirit weapon, flinging it out.

The spirit weapon left his hand.

When it was about to touch the solitary peak, it disappeared as if it had melted into the surface of the water.

Under the observation of the Sky Eye.

The Spirit Soldier, forged by the compression of high-density Spiritual Power, still existed, but it was as if it had lost its way, continuously traveling around the solitary mountain in an irregular manner, weakening in the process.

In the end, it naturally collapsed over time.

Li Jing observed everything with his Heavenly Eye, his eyebrows slightly raised.

He had never touched nor planned to touch the path of the Array.

Becoming an Array Master was not achievable with just basic cultivation skills.

It required talent, and more importantly, an investment of time.

He had no interest in researching these aspects.

However, with the Great Perfection of the Sky Eye Technique and the understanding of the Seventh Realm, he could perceive many things.

The array restrictions enveloping the solitary peak were very advanced.

Its essence was a maze, but it also involved space.

After confirming this, Li Jing was convinced that Xia Zhengyang had not lied.

The opening of the Secret Realm Passage was indeed Shi Miaoying’s doing.

Truly speaking, after realizing this, Li Jing even admired Shi Miaoying a little.

Space Array, God knows how many Array Masters in the present world, with hair almost gone, are trying to study it.

Their ultimate goal is to actively open a passage to the Secret Realm from the present world.

Before this, they also had the idea of mastering the power related to space for the benefit of human society.

The Boundary Stone, which can temporarily create a subspace, is one of the results of their continuous research.

But that’s it.

For many years, the Present World People’s research on space has not advanced a bit.

Without thinking too much, Li Jing drew out a pen and paper, copied down the exact positions of each node of the Big Dipper formation he had observed with his Heavenly Eye. He also marked the different levels of Spiritual Qi blockage at the seven points.

This copying, of course, was not equivalent to copying an Array Map.

Li Jing had no idea what Shi Miaoying’s arrangement was all about, so he couldn’t draw it in detail.

However, bringing back the copied array situation to the present world might give some inspiration to Array Masters in the present world.

This would be a merit!

Why not copy it if possible?

Having sketched the array, Li Jing moved like a shocking thunder to approach the solitary mountain.

Just like the previous Spirit Soldier, when he was about to really approach the solitary mountain, he was affected by Shi Miaoying’s array restrictions.

It wasn’t quite lost.

But no matter how hard he tried, he could only circle around the solitary mountain and couldn’t really get on top of it. However, he had no problem getting out.

Once again hovering in the air, Li Jing frowned.

To go up the mountain, he had to break Shi Miaoying’s array restrictions.

The question was, how to break this array?

He could see the Array Eye.

But if he couldn’t approach it, it was all in vain.

While he was still wondering what to do, Linglong’s childish voice rang in his ear.

"Master, I can break this array."

?

Li Jing slowly typed out a question mark, took out the Linglong with a wave of his hand.

"You also have this ’skill’ of breaking the array?"

Linglong was held in his hand, her big eyes blinking twice.

"Breaking the array this kind of ’skill’, I certainly... do not have."

"..."

Li Jing.

Why did this girl suddenly seem so cheeky?

Feeling the mood of her master, Linglong gave a sheepish smile, speaking in a leisurely manner.

"Master, you see the mountain is not very high, I can completely cover it. I’m in charge inside the Linglong Tower, I can teleport to any place, I can help Master pick the Array Eye."

Li Jing blinked after hearing this.

This method...

Seemed feasible?

Looking at Linglong in his hand, who covered her little butt with one hand, Li Jing suddenly felt that she was not so cheeky anymore.

Looking around hesitantly, Li Jing said.

"Let’s do it your way. Just try to keep it quiet so as not to attract unnecessary attention."

"Okay!"

Agreeing obediently, Linglong transformed into a streak of golden light, manifested the Pagoda body, and rendered it transparent, then swelled to a huge size of two thousand feet, covering the entire solitary peak within the tower.

Next.

She teleported to the Array Eye in a flash, and then exclaimed.

"Master!"

?

Li Jing.

"There is a stone here, it spouts water."

Linglong spoke.

A stone?

That can spout water?

Li Jing was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

A Spring Eye?

A Spirit Spring Eye?