Chapter 2618 - The Qiongqi Mountain Lord, a White Deer, and a Warning

The mountains and rivers were boundlessly vast. Clouds hung overhead.

They strolled through the sky, parting the sea of clouds and the mountain mists. From this high up, the lakes were like bowls and the trees were like flecks of green.

Su Yi and Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran chatted for a while. Most of the conversation centered around breaking into Eternity.

By now, Su Yi had a clear sense of the perils of Eternal Tribulations.

“To tell the truth, I know full well that if I run into something like those ‘mice welcoming a bride’ during my next attempt, I’ll likely fail again,” Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran said softly. “If you run into anything similar, you must be careful. Better to retreat than to make contact with those inauspicious Phantoms.”

Su Yi nodded.

“But I have a strong premonition that with your abilities and foundations, you’ll have no need to fear failing to reach the River of Destiny,” said Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran, her voice soft and clear. She sighed. “It’s just a pity that I won’t be able to see your magnificent performance in the Battle for Order for myself.”

Su Yi laughed. “I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

He’d only just said this when misty golden light rippled around Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran’s beautiful figure. She stopped in place, then gazed into the dome of heaven.

A massive spacetime rift suddenly tore open like a chasm. Its depths extended endlessly across time and space.

There was no end in sight, but they could just dimly discern a section of the River of Destiny!

Su Yi’s brow furrowed.

What’s going on? Don’t tell me that this is my chance to prove my Dao and achieve Eternity?

But he quickly realized that that wasn’t the case, as an old man astride a white deer was approaching from the far end of the rift.

The deer was enormous and swift, its whole body scattering a snowy rain of Dao Light. A sword hung from one horn, a cloth bag from the other.

As the white deer moved, space and time parted like water, letting it traverse time and space with ease.

An old man in an apricot-yellow feather coat sat on its back. He was gray-haired, with smooth, youthful features, and when his eyes moved, they flashed like lightning. He was ferocious and majestic.

Even from a distance, he was like an unsurpassed sovereign. The mere sight of him was enough to put someone under intense pressure.

He was terrifying!

That was Su Yi’s first impression of him. The old man on the white deer was far scarier than Lu Shi and the others’ avatars of will. No, the avatars weren’t even remotely comparable to him!

Su Yi immediately concluded,

That’s got to be an Eternal’s true body, not just an avatar or clone!

Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran sighed and clasped her fist in greeting. “Uncle Qiongqi.”

The old man in the feather coat stopped beyond the spacetime barrier and hopped off the deer’s back. Then, he smiled and returned the greeting. “Young Mistress Ling Ran, I’ve come to escort you to the River of Destiny.”

‘Qiongqi?’

Su Yi instantly realized who the old man was.

That’s got to be the Qiongqi Mountain Lord, the one Wang Zhiwu was so afraid of. The Adjudicator of Life! A mysterious, ancient expert of the River of Destiny!

“I understand,” said Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran. “Let me say goodbye to my friend first.”

“Of course.” The old man in the feather coat smiled and inclined his head.

Only then did he turn to look at Su Yi.

Su Yi felt as if twin lightning bolts were sweeping across his skin, causing stinging pain. Even his heart and soul were under terrifying, invisible pressure.

But the old man in the feather coat quickly looked away, and that terrifying pressure instantly vanished.

“Fellow Daoist, it’s time for me to go. I have no means of expressing my appreciation, so please, accept this unremarkable little trinket.” Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran took out a crystalline jujube pit. “This is the pit of a fruit of the Fire Jujube Tree. I personally carved it and placed a spell on it. It’s nothing rare or special, but it can protect you. It works much like a Substitution Talisman.”

“Thank you.” Su Yi didn’t refuse.

“If we’re fated to cross paths on the River of Destiny, I hope I finally get the chance to spar with you, Fellow Daoist,” Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran said with a smile.

Su Yi couldn’t help but smile back and incline his head. “Take care.”

With that, Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran turned, rose into the air, and shot into the firmament.

The old man in the feather coat raised his hand and summoned a glittering glowing rope. It extended continuously, effortlessly piercing that endless expanse of time and space to shoot toward Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran.

She stretched out her hand and grabbed it. Soon, both she and the glittering golden rope had appeared beside the old man in the feather coat.

“Please have a seat, Young Mistress.” The old man in the feather coat indicated to the white deer.

Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran didn’t refuse. She somersaulted into the air and landed on the extraordinarily swift white deer’s back.

“Let’s go, Uncle Qiongqi.”

“A moment, please.” The old man turned and gazed at Su Yi from across endless time and space. “I can tell that you’re quite concerned with this friend of yours. In that case, this old man ought to do a little something, too.”

With that, he took a jade box out of his sleeve and tossed it. A moment later, it appeared in front of Su Yi.

“That jade box contains an Eternal medicine grown on the River of Destiny. It’s called Thousand Autumns Powder. Take it before you attempt to break into Eternity, and it’ll increase your odds of success.”

Su Yi was stunned, and his brow silently furrowed. He could tell that, although the Qiongqi Mountain Lord was being outwardly polite, he spoke with an air of lofty superiority. When he gave him a gift, he acted like it was an act of charity.

“I cannot accept unearned rewards. Please, take it back.” Su Yi shook his head slightly.

The old man in the feather coat raised an eyebrow in surprise.

What other expert of the God Domain wouldn’t be tempted by Eternal medicine?

Furthermore, anyone at all perceptive would realize that I’m from the River of Destiny. Most other experts of the God Domain would be quivering in their boots just looking at me.

But that young man in blue is different. He isn’t just calm; he refused the grand stroke of fortune I offered him without hesitation!

“Please, take it. It’s nothing major, merely a token of my good will,” the old man said with a smile.

At the same time, his voice transmitted directly into Su Yi’s ears. “You and the young mistress will henceforth part ways. I hope that you can accept that, and that you’ll know your place. Please don’t entertain any untoward thoughts.”

Su Yi was stunned. The old man in the feather coat was smiling, but the depths of his gaze contained a hint of imposing majesty.

Before Su Yi could respond, the old man continued, “Of course, it’s entirely possible that I’ve misunderstood. In that case, please don’t take offense. It’s just a little warning, so please, don’t take it to heart or let it affect your mood.

“Since you’re Young Mistress Ling Ran’s friend, I’m sure you’re no ordinary person. I’m sure you’ve realized how extraordinary her background is. No amount of one-sided feelings can fill such a gap.”

He spoke with the utmost politeness, and in a roundabout way. He was obviously trying not to hurt Su Yi’s pride.

But how could Su Yi fail to realize what the old-timer was getting at?

From the moment he first gave me that gift, he’s been trying to put me in my place and disabuse me of any unrealistic notions I might have about Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran!

The old man’s voice resounded through Su Yi’s ears once more. “Of course, if you manage to make it to the River of Destiny, this old man wouldn’t mind lending you a hand. I’ll assure you a glorious future!

“Remember this: I am the Qiongqi Mountain Lord. If you really make it to the River of Destiny, you’ll naturally learn the weight of that title, and... the enormity of the gap between you and Young Mistress Ling Ran.

“I don’t say this out of disdain. I’m simply stating a reality. It’s only because she sees you as a friend that I’m taking the time to warn you. Were you anyone else...”

He smiled and left the rest unsaid, but his meaning was readily apparent.

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. He wasn’t just not angry. On the contrary, he found it quite interesting. It had been a long time since he’d received such a “well-intentioned warning.”

“Very well. I’ll accept this gift,” said Su Yi. “When I come to the River of Destiny, you’d best not forget your promise to assure my future prospects.”

He spoke with a calm smile, but this response left the old man in the feather coat stunned. His smile quickly faded.

And here I thought he’d be too proud to accept my charity. What a disappointing response.

Ultimately, he’s just ordinary riffraff!

He didn’t just accept my treasure. He’s even hoping to use me to ensure his prospects on the River of Destiny!

The old man in the feather coat’s gaze was much colder as he transmitted, “Rest assured that this old man always keeps his promises. I’ll do as I said...

if

you’re capable of reaching the River of Destiny.”

In other words, “If you can’t even make it to the River of Destiny, forget about it!”

Su Yi smiled and said no more.

Suddenly, Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran asked, “What are you two talking about?”

The old man in the feather coat. “Nothing. Let’s go, Young Mistress.”

With that, he led the white deer deeper into the endless spacetime. When they arrived at the far end, Sovereign Venerate Ling Ran couldn’t help but look back.

With all that endless time and space between them, she could no longer see any trace of Su Yi. Nonetheless, she waved. “Take care.”

She had no way of knowing whether Su Yi saw or heard her.

The Qiongqi Mountain Lord couldn’t help but frown.

Boom!

The seemingly endless waters of the River of Destiny churned. Chaos qi rose from the water’s surface, interspersed with mottled spacetime power.

The old man in the feather coat looked more solemn than ever before.

Bringing someone to the River of Destiny was nowhere near as simple as it seemed. This last step in particular was perilous. A single misstep could lead to certain doom!