Chapter 164.1: Traces of the Past, Venerable Ye Qiong Takes Action

Memories of the past surged forth. All the scattered fragments replayed themselves in Qi Yuan’s mind.

He stared at the young girl with a complex gaze. "You are the wooden hairpin?"

Shortly after emerging from Heaven’s End, he had carefully prepared a meeting gift for Jin Li. Yet he never saw her on the shores of Seventh Moon Lake. They were separated by the currents of time. In the end, the one standing beside him, sharing the falling snow, was Moon Maiden. Later, he ventured alone into Earth's End. Moon Maiden left the crescent moon mark upon his arm, while he left the hairpin with her, hoping she would pass it on to Jin Li.

The girl lifted her chin stubbornly. "I'm not some wooden hairpin! I'm Daddy's daughter!"

Qi Yuan looked at her, emotions surging in waves in his heart. Everything finally clicked.

He and Jin Li had only ever communicated through the Linglong Xi Jade. From there, Qi Yuan could sense that she was simply an ordinary girl. Then, he recalled the fragments he had heard in the Five Elements Forbidden Zone. The Great Sun faced a powerful, otherworldly foe and was ultimately defeated. Even after exhausting all means, it had only managed to injure that enemy's leg. Once, Jin Li had told him about her embarrassing childhood incident, when she fell flat during her coronation. Her leg had been injured long ago and never fully healed.

So, the powerful enemy who once fought the Great Sun was Jin Li's former self. But later on, why did she become the Moon Maiden, and then Jin Li again?

The girl seemed to notice the confusion in Qi Yuan's eyes. In a crisp voice, she said, "Daddy wants to know Mommy's origins?"

"...Yes."

Truthfully, Qi Yuan didn’t really want to acknowledge her as his daughter. After all, it was too random, and she hadn’t even dominated eternity yet, making all his previous bravado feel awkward. Then it occurred to him that having an extra daughter was better than inexplicably losing one. Eventually, he accepted that she was his daughter in a sense.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Mommy comes from the Upper World," the girl said, lifting her head to gaze at the star-filled sky.

Qi Yuan also gazed at the stars scattered among the Ancient Qichun Tree’s branches. He thought of Lord Moon God the Moon Token his master had left behind.

The girl said softly with her thin, cherry-colored lips, while her teeth looked like crushed jade, "Back then, Mommy had descended by decree of the Divine Moon Palace. Her mission was to destroy the master of this world, Great Sun. She defeated him with ease, only to fall victim to a Yin Spirit’s scheme from the Black Demon Abyss.

"For ages, the Black Demon Abyss has stood in opposition to the Divine Moon Palace, and surpasses it in strength. After killing her foe, Mommy fell into a cycle of reincarnation. The arrangements left behind by that Yin Spirit activated the scheme known as Eclipse. Once completed, Mommy would perish completely, unable to return to the Upper World.

"Later, having lost her memories of the past, Mommy became the Moon Maiden and met Daddy. Daddy ventured alone into Earth's End, exterminated the alien demons and the Great Sun. Daddy broke the Eclipse scheme and saved Mommy."

Qi Yuan fell silent. Only after a long while did he say, "Was she the one who saved me later on?"

Jin Li’s first reincarnation in this world was known as Moon Maiden, who left the mark on Qi Yuan’s arm. Though he defeated the alien demons, his injuries were unimaginably severe. It was the Moon Maiden who consumed her last remaining divine power to heal him. Thus, when Qi Yuan awakened once more, the Moon Maiden no longer existed in this world.

After slumbering for an unknown span of years, Jin Li reappeared, nearly reduced to a mortal. Stripped of divine power, she could no longer suppress the old wound the Great Sun had left upon her leg. Thus, she fell on the day of her coronation.

The girl looked at Qi Yuan, lifting her head. "Mommy said Daddy is very good-looking."

Qi Yuan asked involuntarily, "Where is she now?"

The girl’s starry eyes were full of smiles. "The war between the Divine Moon Palace and the Black Demon Abyss has reached a critical juncture. After Mommy recovered her cultivation, she ascended to the Upper World through a teleportation array. Mommy left me here because she believed Daddy had not died. One day, Mommy will surely meet Daddy again!"

As though seeing you.

They had never truly missed each other. They had clearly met, only at the wrong time, unable to recognize one another.

Qi Yuan raised his head, gazing at the vast sky and countless stars, his thoughts in turmoil.

Why are they all in the heavens?

He asked, "Can I go to the Upper World through a teleportation array?"

The girl’s gaze sharpened. "Only those at the Yin Spirit realm can ascend through the teleportation array."

Within the Moonlight Kingdom, there existed a teleportation array capable of sending people to other lower worlds under the Lord Moon God's authority. However, only Yin Spirits could ascend to the Upper World.

Qi Yuan sighed. "Yin Spirit is too far away..."

Although he could kill Yin Spirits, he was only at the Core Formation realm. Two major realms stood between him and the Yin Spirit realm.

The girl stared intently at him. "What is Daddy's current cultivation?"

"I'm very weak. I am just a humble Core Formation cultivator."

"Core Formation?" The girl was surprised. "Then it's definitely not an ordinary Core Formation."

Qi Yuan looked at this daughter he had never met before. "What is your name?"

The girl's starry eyes curved into a smile as she continued to stare at him. "Qi Jianjun."

***

Inside an inn, Lord Great Wisdom yawned. Jiang Ya sat nearby, carefully studying newly acquired cultivation manuals. Xu Tongchen was earnestly poring over a newly obtained Suona Music Manual, practicing techniques.

Suddenly, the inn door flew open and a cold gust of wind blew in with flakes of snow. One large figure and one small figure entered the inn.

Lord Great Wisdom glanced at Qi Yuan, wisdom gleaming in his eyes.

Jiang Ya, however, stared at the little girl, sensing a threatening aura.

A Yin Spirit? But that shouldn't be possible! How could a Yin Spirit be born on the Moonwatch Continent? Isn't the Heavenly Dao here incomplete? Moreover, she is holding the Blood-Clothed Sword God's hand... What is going on?

Zhao Ci’s eyes widened at the sight of the girl. Confusion flashing across his face, which soon turned into reverence.

He hurried forward. "Greetings, High Priestess!"

Six or seven members of the suona troupe followed, bowing to Qi Jianjun.

In truth, they were all deeply puzzled. Though the high priestess was small in stature, her temperament was cold and aloof, rarely interacting with others. She was always dignified and imposing. Since when had she become so lively and adorable, like a child frolicking in an elder's embrace?

Qi Jianjun's eyes rolled mischievously, pride written on her face. "Daddy, see? Your daughter is very powerful."

Qi Yuan didn't feel like responding. After all these years, she still hasn't become invincible. Did that really count as powerful?

Meanwhile, Jiang Ya's eyes widened. She could barely accept that the Blood-Clothed Sword God had a Yin Spirit Dao companion. Now, after less than half an hour outside, he had gained a Yin Spirit daughter?! What had the world come to?

Jiang Ya asked, her voice trembling, "She's your daughter? Senior, how do you even have a Yin Spirit daughter?"

Lord Great Wisdom said calmly, "If Senior has a Yin Spirit wife, then having a Yin Spirit daughter makes absolute sense."

At that moment, Qi Jianjun pinched Qi Yuan's hand lightly. "Daddy, did you go and find me another stepmother again? Tell me. Should I inform Mommy about this when I ascend to the Upper World?"

The moment these words fell, Jiang Ya's mind completely broke.

The High Priestess' mother isn't that Step Two Heaven-Treading Yin Spirit? It’s another Yin Spirit from the Upper World? He is merely a Violet Palace cultivator, yet he had two Yin Spirit Dao companions and a Yin Spirit daughter?

The feeling was indescribably strange.

Lord Great Wisdom's eyes shone with brilliance. "Blood-Clothed Sword God, you are truly marvelous! I only proposed a plan, to find more Yin Spirit Dao companions and become invincible. I never expected Senior to have already begun executing it!"

Qi Yuan coughed. "

Ahem...

"

Lord Great Wisdom sighed again, "The only pity is that time is too short for you, Blood-Clothed Sword God."

After all, the Moluo Clan's threat was imminent. Where would the Blood-Clothed Sword God find time to look for more wives?

Xu Tongchen, Jiang Ya, and the others also recovered from their shock. Their faces were clouded with worry.

The Moluo Clan had two Step Two Heaven-Treading Yin Spirits and two Step One Heaven-Treading Yin Spirits.

With the death of Venerable Mohui, revenge was inevitable. Their situation was still extremely precarious.

Qi Jianjun's voice rang as clear as a bell. "There is a teleportation array in the Moonlight Kingdom. If we cannot win, we can use it to leave for another world,"

The Moluo Clan belonged to the Black Demon Abyss lineage, who had a feud with the Divine Moon Palace. Moonlight Kingdom, surrounded by Black Demon Abyss lineages, was a glaring anomaly.

Qi Yuan said, "Since I'm here, I won't leave. I'll deal with the Moluo Clan personally."

In just a few more days, he would fully regain control of the Heavenly Dao.

Jiang Ya blurted out, "Does Senior still have other Yin Spirit companions?"

By now, she had also been led astray. She truly couldn't see how the Blood-Clothed Sword God could break this deadlock. The only solution seemed to be summoning more Dao companions.

She gazed at Qi Yuan expectantly. Following the Blood-Clothed Sword God to Moonlight Kingdom had truly broadened her horizons.

Lord Great Wisdom shook his head. "Senior said he will personally act, so he won't be calling for help. As a late-stage Violet Palace, he's indeed powerful, but not enough to resolve this situation. There's only one way to kill the Yin Spirits by yourself!"

"How?"