Chapter 585: Sincere

The next morning, Li Pin set out for Mountain Qingyuan without informing anyone.

Shi Yiren, Shi Keqing, Fang Zhiqian, and the others sensed his departure. However, mindful of his earlier instructions and the very real threat posed by the Void Emperor, no one followed him.

Less than three minutes into his journey, a man in his thirties approached with a friendly smile. "Mr. Li, hello. I'm Ye Fusheng, from the military. If you need anything during your stay in Xiya, please let me know. We'll do everything we can to assist you."

It was clear that Xiya couldn't ignore the presence of a tier ten martial artist like Li Pin.

Li Pin didn't respond and continued walking toward Mountain Qingyuan. Seeing this, Ye Fusheng had no choice but to follow, though he was clearly uneasy.

As for stopping him... Bai Xuheng's fate served as a stark reminder to Ye Fusheng that he, a mere tier four martial artist, lacked the courage to stand in the way of a tier ten powerhouse.

***

At the foot of Mountain Qingyuan, Baili Qingfeng was already informed of Li Pin's arrival. He waited in his courtyard, flipping through a book.

When Li Pin appeared, Baili Qingfeng nodded and said, "Senior, if you've come to fight, I won't engage."

He added, "The world is beautiful. It's not all about fighting and killing. We should calm our hearts, appreciate the truth, kindness, and beauty around us, and learn to enjoy life."

Li Pin studied him. Instead of saying the key phrases, he asked, "Is something troubling you?"

Baili Qingfeng looked puzzled. "No, I'm fine."

Li Pin observed him closely. He then said, "You just don't realize it yet."

He paused and added, "Or perhaps, you don't know whether you should feel good or bad."

Baili Qingfeng looked at him, still wearing a confused expression, as if he didn't understand what Li Pin meant.

"What happened?" Li Pin asked.

"Nothing happened," Baili Qingfeng replied. He paused, then glanced at the book in his hand. "Could it be because my progress in refining this technique is slow?"

"No." Li Pin looked at him. "In fact, given your talent and comprehension, the reason your progress is so slow is precisely because something is weighing on your mind—something even you aren't aware of."

"But I truly feel fine," Baili Qingfeng insisted.

"You can't deceive your own heart," Li Pin said. "You've mastered the power of the inner spirit. Ask yourself if something is troubling you. Right now, there's a weight holding you back, making it difficult for your inner spirit to awaken fully."

He paused, then continued, "Or, there's only one way to activate it—redirect your focus. Find something to do, pour your energy into it, and use it to mask your current state."

"Senior, I—"

"I've already found the perfect target for you. It's me!" Li Pin gestured. "Come on! Let's have a real fight! Whatever's on your mind, fight it out—let your blood and sweat flow, let your will and spirit burn. When you're exhausted, sleep and forget everything. Of course, if that's not enough, we can keep going."

Baili Qingfeng seemed helpless. "So, Senior, after all that, you just want to spar with me? But I—"

Li Pin's tone turned sharp. "Are you fighting or not? If you don't, I'll slaughter your entire family."

Baili Qingfeng froze. "Senior, why do you like fighting so much? If you win, you're just bullying the weak—doesn't that weigh on your conscience? And if you lose, the pain is yours to bear. You might even lose your life. Why?"

Li Pin frowned.

Wasn't the key phrase supposed to trigger Baili Qingfeng? Why isn't it working?

He pressed further. "Enough nonsense. If you refuse to fight me today, not a single soul will be left alive on Mount Qingyuan—not even the chickens and dogs."

"Even the chickens and dogs?" Baili Qingfeng asked seriously. "Why kill such weak creatures, Senior? Are you planning to make soup? Would stir-frying them work too?"

Li Pin was confused.

The key phrase didn't work?

"Besides, if you're so eager to fight, why not take on the cavern dwellers? Or those bad guys? Oh, Bai Xianglong is really strong. Why don't you spar with him instead?" Baili Qingfeng suggested.

"Bai Xianglong?" Li Pin waved dismissively. "He's no master. Someone of his level doesn't even deserve to die by my hand."

He glanced toward another part of Mount Qingyuan. "In this world, aside from you, only Zhao Si piques my interest."

"Why do you feel such strong battle intent toward a student and a farmer? If you think Bai Xianglong isn't worthy, why not fight the cavern dwellers? There are plenty of powerful enemies among them. That way, you'd not only satisfy your thirst for battle but also help reduce their threat to our world. It's a win-win situation, so why not?"

Baili Qingfeng spoke earnestly, but soon, he remembered something. "The cavern dwellers are teeming with powerful beings. They can certainly satisfy your desire to challenge strong opponents. But it's said there are True Gods among them. Senior Li, you must be careful when facing them."

True Gods... would I not know about them?

Li Pin thought.

Unfortunately, those so-called True Gods had no real mastery of power. They relied almost entirely on their realm to suppress others.

Anyone could do that.

At the rate he and Baili Qingfeng were advancing, it wouldn't be long before they could easily overpower these True Gods. Fighting such opponents, who lacked any real technique, offered little growth. How could it compare to facing the human form of the Void Emperor in his weaker years?

"A so-called Void Emperor, yet without a shred of pride befitting a supreme being. Facing a challenge, and he simply refuses to fight?" Li Pin waved his hand. "Boring."

"The title of Void Emperor is just national propaganda. My real identity is just a student... a student who's practiced a bit of martial arts," Baili Qingfeng retorted.

As he spoke, his expression grew somber. "Though now... I'm no longer a proper student. I talked to Shi Yiyi yesterday... I can't go to school anymore."

His voice carried a tinge of regret. "I thought that once I achieved the small goals I set for myself, I could finally live a peaceful life—attending school, taking exams, doing research.

"In my free time, I could practice martial arts, listen to music, and study philosophy. But now that I've reached those goals... I realized I can't even go to school anymore."

Li Pin had been considering forcing Baili Qingfeng into a fight, but he suddenly stopped.

Even though Baili Qingfeng had grasped the power of inner spirit, Li Pin, with his Clairvoyance, could still sense the subtle shifts in his emotions, even in this world and under these circumstances. This was why he had said earlier that something weighed on Baili Qingfeng's mind.

Now, hearing these words, Li Pin realized something.

This... might be the key—a key to understanding the human form of the Void Emperor. Perhaps even a key to unlocking the secrets of the Void Divine Treasure World.

At the very least, if he could help Baili Qingfeng resolve his inner conflict, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect a proper fight in return, would it?

"With your current status, is there any school you couldn't attend? If you wanted, you could have an entire school moved to your home and have every teacher personally teach you. That's just a matter of saying the word," Li Pin said.

"No... that's not necessary." Baili Qingfeng waved a hand. "I shouldn't trouble others or waste so many public resources just for my sake."

"But given your contributions to Xiaya and Xiya, this is what you deserve," Li Pin countered.

"It's not the same." Baili Qingfeng looked at Li Pin. "You might think what I've done is remarkable, but I know better. Much of it was for myself. Like killing the cavern dwellers—when they've already come knocking at our doorstep, anyone with the ability should have fought back. It's not special."

"True, but you didn't have to go so far, risking your life repeatedly," Li Pin stated, then found his statement a bit inappropriate.

Risk his life? Would the human form of the Void Emperor even face any danger?

"Someone had to step up. If I didn't take the risk, someone else would have. So, what difference does it make if it's them or me?" Baili Qingfeng explained earnestly. "At least I'm stronger, so the danger is less for me. If I do more, others can do less, and fewer lives are at risk."

While listening, Li Pin studied him intently.

He pushed his Clairvoyance to its limit, trying to see through Baili Qingfeng's true motivations. Yet... no matter how deeply he searched, he arrived at only one conclusion.

It was real. Every word Baili Qingfeng spoke came from the depths of his heart. He truly believed that because he was stronger, he should do more, so others could take on less risk.

Even with Li Pin's temperament, this revelation struck him deeply. After all, the Baili Qingfeng standing before him... was the Void Emperor.

"Are you really... the Void Emperor?!" Li Pin asked.

"No, I told you—that title was just propaganda for the Aurora Empire's stability. Those things about Eternal Life, Eternal Destruction, Eternal Emptiness, and Eternal Nothingness—I made them up. I just thought they sounded impressive, so I said them."

Baili Qingfeng looked at Li Pin and answered seriously, "If you've been wanting to fight me just because of those words, I sincerely apologize once more."

The statement sounded absurd, almost unbelievable...

The Void Emperor, denying his own identity?

Li Pin's Clairvoyance strained to uncover the truth, but the conclusion remained unchanged. Baili Qingfeng was sincere.

Li Pin looked into Baili Qingfeng's clear, unwavering eyes. He felt an inexplicable stir deep within. "How could this be..."

How could someone like this fall into the Void faction? How could he become the Transcendent being who reigned over countless powerhouses—the Void Emperor!?