The mountains are sealed, ancient and silent, shrouded year-round in ethereal mist.
The village within the mist is less than a hundred miles in circumference.
Yet, it emanates ancient and terrifying auras.
More than fifty years ago, Ye Qingyun separated from the Ancient Ye Family and, in an accident, inadvertently stumbled into this place. He has since remained here, isolated from the world, diligently Cultivating.
No one in the village has ever left, as if completely cut off from the outside world.
There are nine Seniors in the village, all mysterious and of unknown origin, yet each possesses world-shaking cultivation.
Some wield Divine Abilities, some command Formations, some forge Dao artifacts, and some specialize in nurturing the Divine Soul.
They appear to be ordinary old farmers, village women, and old crones, but their every move subtly hints at the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.
After many years of living together, Ye Qingyun formed an indissoluble bond with them, and they, in turn, unreservedly imparted various secret techniques to Ye Qingyun.
Most astonishingly, under these conditions, Ye Qingyun was able to enter the fifth stage of the True King Realm.
His Divine Soul was condensed like a galaxy pouring down, and his Physical Body was as transparent as if forged from divine metal.
At the village entrance, the Old Village Chief leaned against an old Sophora japonica tree, quietly gazing at the distant mountains, his white hair fluttering in the wind, his robes rustling.
Seeing Ye Qingyun arrive, he slowly smiled and said, “Qingyun, you have Cultivated your heart here for so many years; it is time for you to go out and experience the world.”
Ye Qingyun was startled.
Everyone in the village treated him exceptionally well, imparting all their lifelong knowledge to him without reservation, treating him like their own child.
This was something he had never experienced in the Ancient Ye Family.
This kindness made him unforgettable.
The Old Village Chief seemed to have noticed the reluctance in Ye Qingyun’s eyes. Beside him, an old man with white hair and a kind face appeared at some unknown time.
He was also one of the unfathomable, peerless powerhouses of Wangchen Village.
“Qingyun, you should also know that your Grandfather Mo once mentioned wanting to arrange a marriage for you.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyun nodded slightly.
He had indeed heard about this matter, but he had always thought it was just the elders' goodwill and hadn't taken it seriously.
However, now it seemed to be true.
The elderly man surnamed Mo, who occasionally visited the village, also appeared before them at the right time. With a gentle smile on his face, he looked at Ye Qingyun and said, “Young Qingyun, that little girl is the Young Miss of the Fan Family from the Ancient Immortal Domain. She is a renowned noble lady, famous far and wide. Both her talent and appearance are top-notch.”
“You are no longer a child, it is time to go and meet her.”
The Old Village Chief also said indifferently, “Indeed, it’s good to meet. If both parties like each other, then the marriage can be settled. If not, then it can be called off.”
“It just so happens that your cultivation has reached the True King Realm, so you can take this opportunity to go out and temper yourself.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted far away, as if looking through the mountain forest at the head of the village to see the vast world beyond the boundless world.
“Speaking of which, this mountain village is too desolate. If outsiders didn’t know the truth, they would surely think this was the ancestral land of some great sect, or the secluded Holy Land of some imperial family…”
“What a pity…”
Grandfather Mo also nodded, saying calmly, “Stepping into the Mortal World and experiencing the myriad states of human existence is also the most crucial part of Cultivating the Dao.”
Ye Qingyun nodded silently.
Although he had stayed here for fifty years, he had never forgotten the way of interacting with people in the Ancient Ye Family.
His parents died young, and he was ostracized by the direct descendants. His travels through various Dao domains were also full of hardships, and it could be said that he had suffered all the hardships of the human world.
But he did not resent anyone because of this, nor did he harbor any hatred in his heart.
Cultivating the Dao and the several elders who treated him as their own son were Ye Qingyun's entire life.
But now, truly having to leave, a hint of melancholy and reluctance couldn't help but arise in Ye Qingyun's heart... Ye Qingyun and the elderly man surnamed Mo followed the Old Village Chief into the ancestral hall.
An old crone with an ugly face squatted at the entrance of a bamboo hut, lazily basking in the sun.
Ye Qingyun saw her and smiled warmly, “Granny Yun, I’ve caught another Red Barbarian Ox. Let’s make some good dishes tonight and invite the grandfathers for a few drinks.”
Upon hearing this, Granny Yun bared her yellow teeth and smiled, “You little rascal, you are truly filial.”
Her eyes were pitch black and unfathomably deep, as if hiding endless ghostly shadows. Her aura was terrifying to the extreme, and she was clearly a Supreme Realm powerhouse!
As her words fell, a muffled grunt suddenly came from the side.
A burly, bare-chested man stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes like an eagle’s, his entire body’s blood Qi surging like a vast river. Above his head, a crimson Divine Sea subtly condensed, its power terrifying!
Another peerless powerhouse at the ninth stage of Quasi-Emperor!
“Filial, my foot.” The strong man snorted, his tone unfriendly, “He’s just coveting your braised Dragon tendon.”
Ye Qingyun laughed heartily, not at all annoyed. Instead, he said playfully, “Uncle Blood Butcher, you’re wronging me there. I really do want to show my respect to you old folks.”
Before long, several more figures appeared in the ancestral hall, all warmly greeting Ye Qingyun, their words filled with intimacy and care.
There weren't many people in Wangchen Village; besides Ye Qingyun, there were only nine others. But the aura on each of them was incredibly terrifying, and they were all rare, peerless powerhouses!
The weakest among them were all Supreme Realm powerhouses!
Everyone gathered together and enjoyed a wonderful meal and drinks.
Granny Yun looked at Ye Qingyun and smiled kindly, “It’s good… This time you enter the world is also a path to temper your Dao. The future Golden Age will surely have a place for you. What we old bones can teach you is ultimately limited; the storms of the world are the true Dao field.”
Ye Qingyun’s expression subtly shifted, and his lips moved, as if he still wanted to say something. But before the words could leave his mouth, he was interrupted by the Old Village Chief’s aged yet authoritative voice.
“Alright, stop being so sentimental.” The Old Village Chief’s eyes were as deep as an abyss, his tone gentle but brooking no argument, “Go to the mountains and fetch a few buckets of wine. Tonight, let us old bones have a good drink.”
Ye Qingyun was startled, the melancholy in his heart gently dispelled by that single sentence.
He finally nodded, a hint of uncontainable emotion in his eyes, then bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Watching Ye Qingyun's departing back, Granny Yun showed a hint of a relieved smile: “Qingyun’s cultivation has become more refined over the years. I think even the Prodigies and evildoers cultivated by those immortal Dao lineages are probably not as good as Qingyun!”
The Old Village Chief’s expression remained unchanged, his face calm as he gazed into the distance, and he said indifferently, “He has been taught in turns by us old immortals since he was young. Whether it’s Divine Abilities and Dao methods, or Formations and Alchemy, all were personally taught by us. Plus, we would occasionally catch some Yao Beast meat to nourish his Qi and body. Could he still be inferior to those Prodigies? Then wouldn’t we old folks have lived all these years in vain?”
Upon hearing this, Granny Yun merely smiled faintly, but the look in her eyes gradually became serious.
She was silent for a moment, then suddenly lowered her voice and said, “That woman… her most recent move directly annihilated an entire Dao Domain. Her cultivation might have already entered that Realm!”
“How many years has it been…”
Upon hearing this, the Old Village Chief’s expression remained as before, but a hint of helplessness appeared in his deep, turbid eyes. He whispered, “Back then, she forced us to a point where there was no escape, no way out. How many brothers died at her hands? Now we can only hide in this isolated place, barely surviving…”
“Truly, the Heavenly Dao is unjust…”