Capítulo 106: Chapter 242: Ji Qingqing
In the northernmost reaches of the Sacred Secret Realm, on the Prisoner's Sky Island.
High above the depths of a vast and desolate ocean, three immense locks, each thousands of li long, bind the island that holds captive the heavens.
Ji Qingqing sat in front of a thatched cottage, a stone in her hand as she gently etched random patterns into the ground.
Her brows were furrowed slightly, as of late, she couldn't shake the feeling of restlessness that plagued her.
Her family had judged and imprisoned her on this island, but she wasn't too concerned for herself. After all, she had her uncle and aunt to look after her, and aside from being unable to cultivate, passing the days in boredom, she endured no other hardships.
Life here was tough, but having followed Li Tiangang in military campaigns and battles, she had endured many hardships and had long since adapted.
"I told him not to come until he reached the Unbroken Four Levels, he should have listened..."
"After all, he has always prioritized the family..."
"I wonder how Hao'er is doing. It's been fifteen years. He should be tall and strong by now. I wonder if he takes after me or his father. They say sons usually resemble their mothers..."
Ji Qingqing's thoughts rested on her husband and child, the two most difficult ties to sever in her heart.
Thinking of her son whom she hadn't seen in fifteen years, her heart warmed, but at the same time, she felt a pang of guilt and longing.
Her memories drifted back to the hundred-day banquet fifteen years ago, to the infant swaddled in silk, and to the imperial decree that arrived in haste.
If not for the invasion of demons from Yanbei, she would be living a joyful life with her husband and child.
"The offspring of generals endure hardship. It's my fault you were born into this suffering," Ji Qingqing murmured softly.
Unless something unexpected happened, she would remain here for a millennium before she could see her husband and child again.
She knew how difficult it was to break through the Four Levels, even for her husband, a proud genius of his generation with extraordinary talent. It still depended on opportunity and luck.
And by the average lifespan of the Divine General Manor, by the time she left this island, they might have already perished in battle.
"Hao'er started his martial path too late, and it's unlikely he'll achieve much. But with the glory and wealth of the Divine General Manor, perhaps he can live a safe and peaceful life for a hundred years..."
As Ji Qingqing's thoughts reached this point, she suddenly felt a little better. Although a hundred years was brief, it could still be a lifetime of calm happiness.
As she let her mind wander, she suddenly heard a woman's voice calling out from beyond the island, near the Abyssal Monument.
"Miss?"
Ji Qingqing snapped out of her reverie and saw a soul hovering in the air above the island. As soon as the soul noticed her, it quickly descended and disappeared.
Before long, a figure flew towards the mountain.
Ji Qingqing recognized the old woman who had arrived as her wet nurse, Ning Mama, and she couldn't help but be stunned, her face draining of color as she asked, "Ning Mama, why are you here? Don't tell me you..."
"Miss..."
Ning Mama had been a maidservant to Ji Qingqing's mother, and she had also nursed Ji Qingqing since she was a child. The two shared a deep bond.
Seeing Ji Qingqing with her hair disheveled and her body covered in dirt and grime, Ning Mama's eyes filled with shock and sorrow. "Life here is too harsh, Miss."
But Ji Qingqing was anxious as she asked, "Ning Mama, how did you end up here?"
"I received permission from the family head to come and visit you, and I also bring good news."
Thinking of the important matter at hand, Ning Mama quickly composed herself, holding Ji Qingqing's hand and saying, "Miss, you'll be able to leave soon. Your son has come to take you away!"
"Ah?"
Ji Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief, realizing that Ning Mama wasn't here because of some mistake or punishment. But as she heard the latter part of her sentence, she was taken aback, looking at her in astonishment. "Ning Mama, what did you say?"
"I said, your son has come to take you away!"
Seeing Ji Qingqing's shocked expression, Ning Mama smiled. These days, everyone in the Ji family had nothing but praise for that young man, and he was the son of their young miss.
"My... my son?"
Ji Qingqing wondered if she was hallucinating, no, perhaps even dreaming. The Ning Mama before her eyes might as well be an illusion.
She retracted her hand and pinched herself, feeling a sharp pain.
"Ning Mama, you... you're not joking with me, are you?" Ji Qingqing blurted out.
"Would I travel tens of thousands of miles just to joke with you, Miss? This is real," Ning Mama assured her.
"Your son, Ji Leping, escorted the heroic soul of the Cloud Song War God back to the family a few days ago. He then challenged many proud geniuses and defeated the strongest young genius of this generation, Ji Xuanshen. He has become a Dao Seed and has used his status to pardon your crimes!" Ning Mama beamed with pride.
"Soon, you and your son will be reunited!"
Hearing the joy in Ning Mama's voice, Ji Qingqing froze, especially when she heard the name "Leping." Her doubtful gaze suddenly trembled.
Her son was born noble, and the Emperor Yu himself had bestowed upon him the name Li Hao!
Leping, on the other hand, was merely a mother's wish, a gentle name chosen by her, a mere woman.
"Ning Mama, are you saying my son's name is Ji Leping?" Ji Qingqing asked, her voice trembling.
Only she and her husband knew that name.
She suddenly thought of a possibility. After she had left Yanbei, her husband might have wanted to commemorate her, so he let their son take her surname and even gave up the name bestowed by the Emperor.
It would take half a day for Ji Yunyue to cover this distance with her speed and movement techniques, but for Li Hao, it would mean a journey of fifteen long years.
"This secret realm was left behind by our Ji family's ancestor. Outside the secret realm, there is an intricate maze set up by our clan. Without a guide, even a Demon King would get lost and be unable to force their way in." Ji Yunyue chatted with Li Hao during their journey, explaining the differences between the ancient sacred tribes and other clans, which lay primarily in the existence of this secret realm.
Other tribes lived in the open expanse of the Great Wilderness, relying solely on protective arrays for safety. However, once their habitats were discovered by demons and monsters, even the strongest arrays would eventually fall.
The secret realm, on the other hand, was filled with mysteries and complexities. Attempting to breach it would require tremendous effort, but it could easily withstand the onslaught of millions of demons. Even for those in the Realm of the Heard, shattering this realm would be no easy task.
Only those in the Saint Realm could effortlessly break through, just like the Saint who had bestowed Li Hao with his mark.
Finally, after traversing tens of thousands of miles, the two of them arrived at the edge of the desolate sea.
The boundless sea stretched as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight.
At a specific location stood a steep solitary peak, towering over the edge of the desolate sea, an extremely conspicuous landmark.
"The blood of a demon saint?" Li Hao was astonished. As he gazed upon the endless waves stretching for thousands of li, he wondered about the immense size of the demon saint whose blood could fill such a vast expanse.
"Is that really true?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Perhaps the tale has been exaggerated over time," Ji Yunyue conceded. "After all, this sea spans tens of thousands of li, and even a demon king would be considered formidable if its body reached a hundred zhang in length."
The journey to obtain the Twinborn Flower took them to the western shore of the desolate sea, where a captive demon king, tamed by the Ji family, guarded the precious flower. Once plucked, the Twinborn Flower would wither and lose its efficacy within half a day if not consumed, so time was of the essence.
Upon presenting the family head's token, the demon king promptly plucked a vibrant red Twinborn Flower and handed it over to them.
Without delay, Li Hao and Ji Yunyue turned the boat around and hastened back toward the central island floating above the desolate sea—Prisoner's Sky Island.
...
Meanwhile, as Li Hao and Ji Yunyue sought the Twinborn Flower, Ji Yunqing accompanied Li Tiangang as they rushed toward the same destination.
Ji Yunqing conveyed their purpose to the elder guarding the solitary peak and borrowed another small boat forged from nine-cast divine weapons. Together, they crossed the desolate sea, their eyes fixed on the distant Prisoner's Sky Island.
After traversing the vast sea that stretched for tens of thousands of li, the towering island, suspended high in the air, came into view.
Three massive chains, each extending from a different direction in the abyss below, bound the island, securing it in place.
"If not for these Abyssal Heaven Chains, the island would be subject to the Saint Ancestor's laws, causing it to rise endlessly until it reached the realm's sky," Ji Yunqing explained, her eyes fixed on the distant island. "There, the scorching sun's holy fire would incinerate anyone on the island, a cruel fate."
Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed as he took in the exquisite craftsmanship that seemed to defy the very heavens themselves. Was this the power of a Saint?
The other ends of the Abyssal Heaven Chains plunged into the desolate sea, anchoring themselves to three sharp peaks that resembled giant rivets. The thick chains were taut, stretching downward and disappearing into the circular abyss. Moss covered the chains, a testament to their age.
"They should have found the Twinborn Flower by now and made their way up here," Ji Yunqing said, her gaze unwavering. "Let's go up."
With a swift movement, she leaped onto one of the sharp peaks. After Li Tiangang joined her, she put away the boat and took the lead, stepping onto the iron bridge formed by the massive chain. Their destination: Prisoner's Sky Island.
The chain stretched for thousands of li, an awe-inspiring sight as it spanned the sky.
Hearing Ji Yunqing's words, Li Tiangang raised his eyes to the massive island overhead, his gaze filled with anticipation.
Could he finally be about to reunite with his wife and child?
His heart raced as he quickly followed her, matching her pace. Just as they began their ascent, Li Hao and Ji Yunyue, having obtained the Twinborn Flower, rushed toward them from the other end of the chain.
"Wait here while I bring Qingqing down," Ji Yunyue instructed Li Hao, unwilling to let him venture into the perilous forbidden land.
But Li Hao shook his head. "Now that we're here, let's go together."
Seeing Li Hao's determination, Ji Yunyue sighed in resignation. She raised her hand and summoned a chain-like whip, wrapping it around both herself and Li Hao.
"Then let's go, but be careful. The rules here are unique, and even those in the Dao Realm cannot fly. If you fall into the Abyss of Desolation below, you will perish," she cautioned.
Li Hao nodded, and the two began their ascent, one after the other, climbing swiftly upward along the steep chain.
With their exceptional agility, the steep chain was like a tilted ladder to the sky. They leaped and climbed with ease, covering a significant distance in a short time.
As they climbed higher, Li Hao felt a peculiar force envelop his body, suppressing the energy within him and even severing his connection to the pulse of the world. He frowned, recalling the second trial at the Tan Palace Institute, where he had to cross the thousand-foot-high iron cable to temper his courage.
Compared to him and Ji Yunyue, the courage of those in the Tongling Realm was negligible. Although they remained cautious, their expressions were not ones of fear.
The chain swayed gently in the high winds that howled through the air, but Li Hao and Ji Yunyue climbed with unwavering stability, unaffected by the gusts.
On Prisoner's Sky Island above, Ji Qingqing and Ning Mama emerged from the mountains and waited by the Abyssal Monument. From time to time, they would send out their divine souls to scan the area.
Suddenly, Ning Mama's face lit up with joy as she exclaimed, "I see them!"
On the thick chain, thousands of li away, two tiny figures could be seen climbing and leaping.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder