Li Qiye enjoyed the sea and smiled while basking in the breeze. This was very pleasurable for him.

Wolong Xuan sat next to him and carefully examined this man. They hadn't seen each other for a long time after parting at the Buddhist Funeral Plateau. In the present, Li Qiye has deterred the entire Mortal Emperor World. His notorious reputation still remained despite going silent for a long time.

After so long, this man didn’t seem to change at all. He looked quite ordinary and unadorned like a primordial state. He was still as nonchalant as ever as if he would never change regardless of how much time had passed; it wouldn’t leave any mark on his body.

But then again, she found that he had indeed changed but she couldn’t pinpoint the exact details. She felt that he was even more simple than before, that he couldn’t get any simpler and common. Alas, such characteristics gave a feeling of being extraordinary.

He was a common pebble that was the same millions of years ago and would still be the same millions of years after. It would still be like this for billions of years into the future.

So many things have happened under the polishing of time. People came and went but Li Qiye wouldn’t change.

It was this common aura that made Wolong Xuan think of an old saying, “if heavens and earth are ruthless, they treat the myriad creatures as straw dogs!” [1]

The common man ahead was just like the heaven and earth. Under his ordinary state, everything else in the world was merely straw dogs.

“Beauty, got a good look yet?” Li Qiye finally withdrew his gaze from the sea and smiled: “I know that I’m crazily handsome but don’t be so infatuated with me.”

Wolong Xuan gave the egotistic fella the side-glance that was quite intoxicating in appearance.

“Brother Li, you haven’t changed at all.” Her voice was tinged with emotion: “But we have. No matter how brilliant we are, we still can’t withstand the grinding of time.”

“You have changed indeed.” Li Qiye smiled: “You became even more powerful and wise. This is the treasure given to you by time.”

Wolong Xuan smiled after hearing his sweet praise: “You suddenly appeared in my Grand Sea after being gone for so long, I’m actually very surprised and flattered if you actually came to dote on me.”

“That does sound nice. Maybe I should really dote on you then.” Li Qiye teased while caressing her beautiful face. [2]

She let him touch her face while staring softly at him with her sparkling eyes: “You have been silent recently so many have been asking about you.”

“No need to investigate. Yes, I was not in Mortal Emperor since I took a trip to Heaven Spirit to end some things.” Li Qiye chuckled in response.

“I didn’t try anything, you’re the one telling me.” She blinked wittily.

Li Qiye withdrew his hand and leisurely sat on the throne: “You really changed this time. Not just an increase in cultivation or becoming more insightful. The most important growth is your mentality since you have let go of your baggage. I can feel your comfortable aura sitting next to you. It shows that you don’t have any repression in your mind.”

She relaxed after hearing this and stretched. This amorous scene was too much to take in. She would only show this lazy appearance to him.

This natural and comfortable demeanor ended with her leaning on his shoulder: “About that, I need to thank you.”

“That’s too much. I did give you some pointers about your bloodline but no need to be so serious.” Li Qiye smiled and shook his head.

Wolong Xuan smiled faintly: “I’m not talking about this. It’s just that with your existence, my burden is gone. After seeing you in action, I knew right away that I won’t have the chance to become Immortal Emperor. All geniuses in this world are mere worms before your thirteen palaces, can’t reach the apex. I know that I won’t be able to keep up with you. In the past, I was ambitious. Though there were many exceptional talents, I still thought that I could fight regardless of the final outcome and participate in the Heaven’s Will competition.”

She sighed at this point: “But with you, the outcome is already determined. No one will be able to surpass you so I gave up. No matter how peerless I might be, I won't be a match for you. Because of this, cultivation is my own business now. I don’t need to compete with anyone and will only walk on my own path while striving for personal improvement. I enjoy this process so there is no more burden in my heart. After realizing this, I became different.” She closed her eyes while leaning on his shoulder with a peaceful smile.

“It’s a good thing to let go.” Li Qiye said with emotions: “You’ll be open-minded and find everything else easy to accept. Life will pass by easily but unfortunately, I can’t see that so I have to force myself to go forward until the day I die regardless of the obstacles!”

“Logic will be gone if someone like you gives up.” She opened her eyes and shook her head: “You are different from us. We are frogs under the well while you are a dragon on the horizon. If you give up and can’t go any further, the world will become bleak. Someone like you should open a new golden age. It doesn’t matter if this is your mission or responsibility, you just need to continue forward because you are qualified and blessed with this power. If not you, who will embark on this path?” She gently stared at him.

Li Qiye looked at the sea after hearing this. In the end, all he could do was smile: “Mortals have the happiness of a mortal while immortals have their own pain. So many people want to become immortals but can they find happiness after success? Can one really live an everlasting life of happiness?”

“Who knows?” She smiled charmingly: “I’m not qualified to become one, all I will be is an ordinary cultivator.”

“If you’re ordinary, what about the rest of the world?” He gently combed her hair with his fingers.

“I’m ordinary compared to you.” She has abandoned her imperial prestige at this moment.

Li Qiye only smiled without responding.

“When you were gone, the Soaring Immortal Sect wanted to hear about you the most.” She revealed.

“Soaring Immortal.” Li Qiye didn’t find this surprising at all. Though he banished their pathway back then, they indeed had the strength to come back to the Mortal Emperor World after so long.

“They won’t let this go.” She said softly.

“It makes sense. If they could let this go, it would be too wise of them.” Li Qiye said with amusement.

This was completely understandable. Just think about the prestige of the sect? It had five Immortal Emperors. They had enough resources to look down on the nine worlds and frightening means. Moreover, they had countless experts and numerous Godkings.

The sect was a crownless king that has never experienced such indignation before. So many disciples were massacred on top of being banished. They wouldn’t be Soaring Immortal if they could swallow this anger.

“Not just the sect but even its successor has arrived. I heard this person claims to be invincible with a grand completion Soaring Immortal Physique?”

“Grand completion?” Li Qiye wasn’t afraid at all: “Not bad. I’m sure the world will tremble after I slaughter a grand completion user. I’ll be waiting for Soaring Immortal to come and find me.”

She wasn’t surprised by his tone either. This man ahead challenged the Buddhist Funeral Plateau and expelled the Soaring Immortal Sect. He was the only person in history with thirteen palaces. Even a grand completion Immortal Physique couldn’t scare him.

“You will have many opportunities. Their entrance is actually here at the Grand Sea.” She said.

“Here? They are talking to the Heaven Suppression City?” His eyes became serious.

“You are as wise as the sea, Brother Li.” She nodded: “I heard a heaven-defying character from the sect has come into being. Rumor has it that when this person came to Heaven Suppression, even their invincible ancestor, Gu Zun, personally greeted him!”

“It might be an alliance but no one knows if it this true or not. Nevertheless, the Grand Sea and even the entire world is worried about it.” She said with emotion.

An alliance between the Soaring Immortal Sect and Heaven Suppression City would indeed shock the entire nine worlds!

1. From Laozi, straw dogs were used as ceremonial offerings instead of real dogs as civilization advanced. The meaning is that the heavens treat everything the same; all are equal. No nobility, wretchedness, caste, distinction of good and bad, righteous and evil. I’m honestly not sure how the phrase fits into this context of Li Qiye being simple to a primordial state. I’m guessing common = equal? The next line goes into it a little bit.

2. This is just a polite phrase/joke or a humble expression. “Overwhelmed by favor from superior.” I modified the lines to make it smoother.