Chapter 563 – Elder Ping’an Sails West, the Ancient Hall Reveals the Human Seed Fruit - Part 1

The Evernight and bitter snow kept spreading eastward, swallowing village after village in its icy grip.

Farmers led their livestock and families into exile, trudging eastward in search of survival.

Grain prices soared again, but there wasn’t enough to go around. The consequences were simple and cruel—roads littered with the bones of the starved, beggars swarming the streets, and desperate families selling off wives and children just to stay alive.

But in the Central Capital, it was a different world. Music and laughter filled the air, and new restaurants popped up in the bustling markets, their doors draped with firecrackers, crowds cheering and shouting praise.

As for the Eastern Sea, everyone there wore beaming smiles, hearts full of joy, proclaiming,

“Never before has there been such a glorious era of cultivation!”

This was the age-old irony.

“While the common folk boil in suffering, the lords and nobles fan themselves in comfort.”

In the blink of an eye, another five years had passed.

There were no major upheavals in those five years, just an endless stream of small events.

Li Yuan came and went from the Myriad Lineages Academy. Quietly, he also harvested the ancestral seal seeds of the new disciples, pulling them back from the edge of madness. His own seed count more than doubled, jumping from 19,000 to 58,000.

His combat power rose from 37k~720k to 38k~807k.

Clearly, the explosive growth in ancestral seal seeds had reached a critical point. Any further increase brought only minor gains. His progress with the heavenly seal, however, remained utterly stagnant.

Meanwhile, ever since the Human Emperor learned that the Eastern Sea’s Immortal Domain had begun taking in new people, he discreetly started sending over fourth and fifth rank powerhouses from the Ministry of Martial Arts, off the record, of course. Their names were nowhere to be found in official files; no one could trace them, even if they tried.

On the other hand, the Immortal Domain had launched a massive expansion, recruiting more disciples, drawing heavily from the Central Plains.

Their biennial flying ship missions to pick up new people had become routine.

This year marked the third such pickup since the schedule was finalized.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Winter.

Ping’an stood at the prow of a flying ship, his dark robe embroidered with greenwood patterns rustling softly. White streaks lined his temples, and sparse stubble shadowed his chin. His eyes were deep, his features sharp and resolute.

He had spent 34 years in the Eastern Sea, and in that time, too much had changed.

The cry-baby was long gone. The flamboyant youth in fine clothes, charging around on horseback with reckless charm, that naive fool...he was gone too.

The flying ship drifted silently over the sea, hidden within a pocket of space thanks to the arrays carved into its hull.

Ping’an’s dark robe hung quietly, its folds unmoving. Outside, the wind howled fiercely, but it passed straight through the ship, undisturbed by its presence, silent, invisible, and undetectable.

A disciple walked up beside him and said respectfully, “Elder Li, we’re just 50 kilometers from Moon River Beach. At our current speed, we’ll be there in moments. But...we’re nearly half a month early this year. Should we wait?”

“We’ll wait.” Ping’an replied calmly. Then, after a pause, he added, “But I’ll go ashore first. You just dock on time.”

The disciple bowed deeply. “Yes, Elder.”

Just after the disciple left, a graceful woman with a calm, composed air stepped out from the rear cabin and walked over to Ping’an’s side. She bowed her head slightly and said, “Father, the Central Plains are still under the Human Emperor’s rule. He may have allowed the Eastern Sea to come pick up people, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make a move. Setting foot on shore is still a risk.

“You’re the only elder among the outsiders. Whether it’s the Arcane Supreme Sect or the Five Spirits Institute, you hold the highest position. You’re seen as the de facto leader of the outsider faction now. You mustn’t put yourself in danger.”

This woman was none other than Ping’an’s daughter, Li Wan’er.

Over a decade ago, the outsider faction landed en masse in the Immortal Domain.

Then five years back, tensions finally boiled over into open conflict between the locals and outsiders. It was in that storm that Ping’an, who had always kept a low profile, burst forth like thunder, turning what should’ve been a one-sided slaughter into a stunning deadlock.

That night, he stood alone before an army of fourth rank cultivators.

Clone after clone split from him, again and again, without end.

In the end, ten Ping’ans stood shoulder to shoulder. Ten fully-formed third ranks, like a wall of mountains blocking the path of not just the fourth rank fighters, but the elders and hall masters lurking behind them, hesitant to act.

No one dared step forward.

Who in their right mind would fight ten third ranks at once?

But soon, someone tried to poke holes in the miracle. They whispered that these were just ordinary third rank manifestations. After all, in the third rank, one's entire body became a domain of power. A single domain could unleash explosive force. Ten clones? Just smoke and mirrors, right?

Someone finally stepped forward to test the waters.

And that’s when Ping’an showed them what true power looked like.

Ten Ping’ans, ten blooming ancient tree gardens.

The sky was blanketed with a sea of roots and vines, floral tendrils spiraling and weaving like a living wall of green. Exotic flowers, rare herbs, and lush foliage entwined into a vast emerald fortress. Hidden within were ten figures, each a beast of its own, monstrous and still.

Those who came to test him turned tail in an instant.

Even the other third rank elders stood on the sidelines. If they stepped in now, there’d be no turning back. The conflict would erupt beyond control. But more than that, they could sense it. These weren’t just clones borrowing borrowed strength. These were ten independent third ranks. That alone was enough to shock the entire Immortal Domain.

After that night, Ping’an was given his own abode, was officially named an elder, and quietly became the undisputed leader of the outsider faction.

No one knew, though, how he writhed in agony afterward, body shaking in the dark, feeling as if it were being torn apart by five horses. A mere mortal couldn’t have endured it.

Past the third rank, cloning became nearly impossible. On a good day, one might manage a single clone that could wield domain force. Two was pushing it. Three was the limit.

That night, he summoned ten.

But the rewards of that reckless gamble were clear.

Now, he even had the qualifications to lead the mission to retrieve people from the ancestral lands.

Back in familiar territory, he couldn’t help but want to walk around and take it in for himself.

So he gave his daughter a faint smile and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

Wan’er knew her father well. She gave a small nod and said nothing more.

Just then, another figure in silver robes leapt lightly down from the upper deck of the flying ship’s observation tower, landing with effortless grace.

A cheerful voice rang out.

“Ping’an, I’m coming with you!”

Wan’er turned and smiled at the silver-robed woman. “With you keeping an eye on my father, I feel much better.”

The newcomer was indeed Yao Jue. She stood tall and confident, her chin slightly lifted, a mischievous glint playing at the corners of her lips.

Pretty and clever, with just the right touch of impish charm, there was something about her that made it hard to dislike her.

“Don’t worry.” She thumped her chest and said with a grin. Then she turned her head and glanced up toward the higher deck.

Behind the railing, a slender silhouette stood quietly. Even from a distance, her beauty was striking, elegant and otherworldly like a sculpture carved from frost and jade. It was Cui Huayin.

A beautiful woman always attracted trouble, especially one like Cui Huayin.

Already stunning to begin with, this Yin Consort became downright devastating after reaching the fourth rank and being nourished by the spiritual energy of the Immortal Domain. Her beauty could topple kingdoms and sow chaos without even trying.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

But hers wasn’t the delicate, ethereal sort of beauty, nor was it sweet or girlish. No, Cui Huayin was like a ripe peach, lush and dripping with temptation, practically humming with forbidden allure.

To any man who laid eyes on her, she was irresistible, a vision that dried the mouth and stirred the blood like a mirage of juicy fruit to a dying traveler lost in a desert.

Just looking at her, one would immediately think of desire. Possession. Lust. Even her toes seemed to exude a sinful magnetism that made one want to worship, or defile, her.

But that alone wasn’t what made her dangerous. The contradiction was the real poison. She had the body of temptation, but the heart of refusal.

It was like locking that luscious peach inside a crystal case, visible but untouchable.

Ever since she reached the fourth rank two years ago, she had worn a veil in public. Even so, she had become one of the few women in the Eastern Sea’s Immortal Domain to possess a title known far and wide.

Cui Huayin was called the Untouchable Goddess. Her charms could pull anyone in, and those who yearned after her would be driven to madness.

Her name stirred up endless filth and fantasy. Rumors, as vile as they were absurd, began to circulate through the Immortal Domain.

“If you want the outsider faction to kneel, first make the Untouchable Goddess kneel between your legs.”

“Want to be the strongest of your generation? Make the Untouchable Goddess yours.”

These rumors weren’t born in a vacuum. They had everything to do with Ping’an. If he hadn’t stood tall that night and forced the tide to turn, maybe the rumors wouldn’t have gone so far. But if he hadn’t stood tall, he’d still be a nobody. No elder’s robes, no private dwelling, nothing.

Kneel and endure, or stand and fight. For Ping’an, it had never been a difficult choice.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Even though the Human Emperor allowed emissaries from the Immortal Domain to operate, surveillance was still in place. Beyond the shoreline of Moon River Beach, several military encampments had been quietly set up.

Naturally, Li Yuan’s eyes were everywhere.

And of course, a sparrow and a little crow were perched somewhere nearby on the branches of some ordinary tree.

The ordinary birds seemed vulnerable. But nearby, hidden away, was a Tree’er watching quietly.

Because of the heavy influence of the meat field and the Human Emperor’s strict oversight, Sheng'er still only had five third rank Heaven Soul avatars, four Tree’ers and a single Glacier’er.

Ping’an and Yao Jue didn’t land at Moon River Beach like the others. Instead, they flew off to another location altogether.

But the very next day, Yao Jue tiptoed her way back to Moon River Beach. She wandered around the shoreline for a bit, then quietly left again.

Not long after she departed, a little sparrow and a small crow flitted along behind her.

Yao Jue felt their presence immediately. A surge of delight and anticipation bloomed in her chest.

She reached out and just as expected, the sparrow landed on her left shoulder, the crow on her right.

The sparrow didn’t speak.

The crow cawed, “Auntie Yao, you're back!”

Yao Jue was very familiar with Sheng'er and was one of the few women around Li Yuan who knew almost everything. Her knowledge was on par with Xue Ning and Xie Wei.

And many decades ago, when Sheng'er was just a little girl learning how to paint, it had been Yao Jue who taught her.

So now, just from the tone of that caw, Yao Jue instantly understood who was behind it. She chuckled, “Where’s your father?”

The crow raised a wing and gestured toward the sparrow.

The sparrow said nothing, just gave a small nod.

“I knew it. No matter how much the Central Plains have changed, you’d be in the right place, watching everything unfold.” Yao Jue exhaled, her eyes lighting up with joy. “As long as I go to the right place, I knew you’d find me.”

The sparrow nodded again.

Overcome with joy, Yao Jue scooped the sparrow into her arms and pressed it to her chest.

The poor bird was immediately squished, suffocating beneath the soft, perilous waves.

Thankfully, the crow jumped in with a timely squawk. “Auntie Yao, that’s just a regular sparrow! Papa says the more ordinary something looks, the less suspicious it is.”

Startled, Yao Jue quickly let go and fluffed the sparrow’s little crest, apologizing, “I’m sorry! I got too excited.”

The sparrow, of course, said nothing.

Then Yao Jue began recounting everything that had happened in the Eastern Sea, including why she’d come, how she got here, all the twists and turns along the way.

Afterward, she grinned, flashing her pearly teeth, leaned in close to the sparrow’s ear, and whispered, “The spiritual energy in the Immortal Domain is really something. I’ve already reached fourth rank!”

The sparrow nodded again.

The little crow clapped its wings together. “Auntie Yao, you’re amazing!”

Yao Jue grinned slyly. “Oh, I’m sure you two are even more impressive.”

The crow’s expression was vivid, almost theatrical. “Not really! If you’d come back a decade earlier, I’d be at 41 third ranks. But as it stands...eh, just a measly five third ranks.”

“Huh...?” Yao Jue’s jaw dropped.

She’d already been incredibly cautious with her words, but somehow, she still walked straight into that one. And she wasn’t even sure

what

she’d walked into. What did Sheng’er mean by just five third ranks?

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Far off, in a remote mountain valley near the Central Capital, a youth was leaning against a Tree’er, sipping wine. Before him stretched snowy peaks and surging clouds.

Though this was near the capital, the deep valleys here lacked meat fields, so almost no one came by. It was like one of those scenic spots right next to a famous tourist trap that nobody ever visited.

Sheng'er had set up shop here, partly to sneak some Yang energy for herself, partly to handle a few tasks for her father.

The Tree’er beside him now asked, “Papa, what should we do? Should we let the cry-baby know you’re still alive?”

Li Yuan thought for a moment, then nodded. “It’s probably too late to meet this year. Ask him to come ashore half a month earlier, two years from now. Tell him I want his Sixth and Seventh Mother to go with him to the Eastern Sea.”

The Tree’er paused, surprised. “The Empress Dowager and Aunt Yu? But the Eastern Sea isn’t exactly peaceful.”

“Their future paths in cultivation lie in the Eastern Sea. If they want a longer, deeper road, they’ll have to go eventually. Ping’an’s grown up. He’s now an elder of the Arcane Wood Hall in the Arcane Supreme Sect, and the de facto leader of the outsider faction. That puts my mind at ease,” Li Yuan explained.

“Besides, your Aunt Wei is sharp and shrewd. No one’s going to take advantage of her. And Sheng'er, have one of your tree avatars shapeshift into a crow and follow Ping’an back. Help him inspect his abode. There’s abundant spiritual energy in that cave. Who knows? It might be your own chance for fortune.

“At the same time, you can get a clearer view of the Eastern Sea’s situation. Decide for yourself whether it’s safe enough for your Sixth and Seventh Mother to go.”

“I got it, Papa. At worst, at worst, you’ll be down one daughter. You still have five more.”

The Tree’er held up her fingers and started counting them off for Li Yuan. Clearly, she was already preparing to send one of her sisters as a daredevil scout, because truth be told, the Eastern Sea wasn’t as stable as it looked.

“The Eastern Sea used to block ghost items from spying. But that was only because of the Dragon Vein on that land. This time, the Dragon Vein is gone...and Ping’an is leading the group,” Li Yuan gazed into the distance and murmured.

He continued, “If you go, and you can still stay linked to your original body, then I’ll be able to monitor the Immortal Domain in real time.”

The Tree'er chimed in cheerfully, “Well then, why not send two of us, Papa? That way, Auntie Yao’s courtyard will have a locust tree on the left and another on the right.”

She broke into giggles at her own joke.

“Too conspicuous,” Li Yuan just said.