Chapter 36: Returning to Reality

Host: Wei Ziqing.

Identity: Anywhere Door Apprentice User.

Worlds Traversed: 1.

Martial Realm: Postnatal Realm.

Talent: Innate Saint Physique.

Return Countdown: 7 hours 31 minutes!

Inside the Ancient Tomb, on a bed of cold ice, Wei Ziqing sat cross-legged. He looked silently at the template before him, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes.

It was time to go back!

Less than 8 hours remained until the time of return!

Since he went to Xiangyang a year ago and brought the Divine Condor back to the Ancient Tomb, he had lived in seclusion here with Little Dragon Maiden, ignoring the chaos of the Jianghu.

He had used this time to train the fifth level of the Innate Skill to perfection. He was now only half a step away from breaking through to Xiantian.

During this period, he had also studied the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra, the Jade Maiden Swordplay, and many other martial skills of the Ancient Tomb Sect with Little Dragon Maiden. His martial progress had been incredibly rapid!

“I should go find her; I will be leaving soon!”

Wei Ziqing sighed softly. He stopped cultivating, stood up from the cold jade bed, and walked out of the Ancient Tomb.

After he and Little Dragon Maiden returned to the Ancient Tomb, Li Mochou moved out. She built a thatched cottage at the foot of the mountain, and Little Dragon Maiden often visited her to catch up.

As he reached the foot of the mountain, he saw a spirited giant condor playing in the distance. When the condor saw Wei Ziqing arriving, it let out a series of coos. Bringing a gust of wind, it quickly flew to Wei Ziqing’s side, appearing quite happy.

“Haha, Brother Condor…”

Wei Ziqing smiled. To him, this condor was like both a teacher and a friend. Without it, he definitely would not have achieved what he had today.

Coo coo…

The condor tilted its head. It felt that Wei Ziqing was a bit strange today and seemed to be in a low mood. However, it was ultimately a magical beast and could not speak. It let out another cooing sound but did not take it to heart.

“You have come…”

While Wei Ziqing and the Divine Condor were chatting and playing, a cold voice drifted over. Following the sound, he saw Li Mochou wearing a light blue flowing dress, her expression very calm.

Li Mochou looked at Wei Ziqing, feeling an indescribable sense of gratitude in her heart. If it were not for this boy, she feared she would still be drowning in her resentment toward Lu Zhanyuan.

These two years on Mount Zhongnan had been the most relaxed and carefree days she had experienced in decades!

“Senior Sister…”

Wei Ziqing nodded. Like Little Dragon Maiden, Wei Ziqing also called Li Mochou “Senior Sister.” After all, his relationship with Little Dragon Maiden was already like that of a husband and wife.

Although they had not held a wedding ceremony, it was widely accepted. Li Mochou did not feel awkward being called Senior Sister by Wei Ziqing.

“Are you leaving?”

Li Mochou had learned from Little Dragon Maiden that Wei Ziqing would leave the Ancient Tomb for a few years. As for where he was going, she did not ask, nor did she want to. Calculating the time now, it seemed it was indeed time for him to depart!

“Yes, the time is almost up, so I must go!” Wei Ziqing murmured with his head lowered. Then he looked up at Li Mochou. “Senior Sister, while I am away, please take care of Long’er. You know she is simple-minded and does not understand the dangers of the Jianghu, you…”

“I know!” Li Mochou interrupted him before he could finish. “Although I do not know why you are leaving, if you truly love her, you should take her with you!”

“I…”

Wei Ziqing opened his mouth but fell silent. How could he not want to take her? It was just that he did not have enough Points at the moment. He needed to traverse at least three more planes; otherwise, how could he bear to leave her behind?

Seeing the silent Wei Ziqing, Li Mochou sighed softly and said, “Alright, go. Junior Sister is not in her room; she is at the back mountain. She said that if you arrived, you would know where to find her!”

“The back mountain?”

Wei Ziqing nodded. He said nothing more, patted the Divine Condor on the head, and the man and the bird headed toward the back mountain.

Three years had passed, but Mount Zhongnan had not changed.

Walking on the familiar path, Wei Ziqing headed toward the place where he had first practiced his sword. In the distance, he saw Little Dragon Maiden in a white dress, sitting there with her knees curled up.

She was so beautiful that Wei Ziqing felt an urge not to break the silence.

He walked quietly to Little Dragon Maiden’s side and sat down. He reached out and held her. Little Dragon Maiden looked up at him once, then quietly leaned into his embrace. Neither of them spoke.

Their separation was imminent. Even though Wei Ziqing knew that when he saw Little Dragon Maiden again, not much time would have passed in this world, his heart still felt a faint pain.

“Husband, do you still remember that we first met here?” Little Dragon Maiden leaned in Wei Ziqing’s arms, her tone full of tenderness.

“Yes, back then I felt you were an Immortal. I did not even dare to speak to you and could only watch from afar, fearing I would disturb you!”

“True, you did not dare disturb me, but your first move left a very deep impression, especially that book of the Great Dao Song with its distorted handwriting!”

Little Dragon Maiden took out the book of the Great Dao Song from her chest. The handwriting was distorted, looking like tadpole symbols. She smiled and said, “Long’er has never seen such special handwriting. It is truly something that has never been seen before or since.”

Uh!

The corner of Wei Ziqing’s mouth twitched slightly with a hint of embarrassment. Because he had not known how to write with a brush back then, the writing was indeed very ugly. Looking at it now, even he could barely stand to see it.

However, when he saw that Little Dragon Maiden actually carried the book with her, his face filled with emotion. He hugged her tighter, as if he wanted to melt her into his own body.

Feeling Wei Ziqing’s strength, Little Dragon Maiden also fell silent. She just hugged him quietly, and the two stopped talking.

She knew.

He was leaving!

But because of this, neither of them mentioned it. At this moment, they only hoped that time would pass more slowly.

Time slowly flowed until the setting sun gradually descended.

Finally, when the Return Countdown reached 0, dark clouds suddenly surged in the sky above the back mountain of Mount Zhongnan. An old, worn-out door appeared in the Void and slowly descended, landing right in front of Wei Ziqing.

When the door appeared, both Wei Ziqing and Little Dragon Maiden shuddered. After a long while, they slowly stood up and looked at the door.

“Go now, and come back soon!” Little Dragon Maiden said softly. Parting was painful. She had many things to say, but in the end, it turned into one sentence: Come back soon!

“Mm!”

Wei Ziqing nodded and said nothing more. He only looked deeply at Little Dragon Maiden. He knew that instead of lingering here in sorrow, it was better to return quickly. Only then could he bring Little Dragon Maiden back sooner.

Wei Ziqing left. With a heart full of reluctance but determined, he opened the Anywhere Door and stepped into the pitch-black passage.

What he did not see was that the moment the door closed, the white figure on the back mountain threw herself onto the Divine Condor, her face already covered in tears. The Divine Condor continued to coo incessantly…