Chapter 1552 - Thus Have I Heard

Chapter 1552 - Thus Have I Heard

“Heh, haha, hahaha, hahahaha!”

Li Qingshan laughed freely, which echoed over the ocean. The waves rose once more in an endless fashion.

With a rumble of thunder, a streak of light shot through the horizon.

The laughter continued to echo, and the waves continued to surge, but he was gone.

The sun set, and the moon rose. The stars twinkled.

Beyond the sky, a star was suddenly extinguished. The star on the horizon became much brighter.

The space-devouring beast had never stopped devouring, and the World of the Five Continents constantly expanded, gradually going from an insignificant, dim star to a bright one.

Perhaps no one else understood the significance behind this. After all, there were countless stars in the sky. The births and deaths of worlds were all a part of the natural phenomenon.

On the tallest peak of the mountain range, Rāhu Xiaoming looked up alone as if he had returned to many years ago, back when he wielded a slingshot and shot down the stars.

However, he was no longer that person anymore, yet his eyes were filled with reminiscence. That was where he had been incinerated by his karma, as well as the place where he was reborn. It could even be described as his home.

In the past, there was not much of a difference between the stars in his eyes. He did not need any reason to destroy them either. It was all a game.

And now… the game began again.

His targets this time were a few stars that were different.

The Ketú… the deva… the gods and buddhas…

The asura only accepted the strong as their opponents, only laying their hands on those that were exceptional.

Before that, he had to gain the right to stand amongst them first.

The rumbling of thunder rang out from the distant horizon. The red sky gazed at him quietly.

In the palace that originally belonged to Nidaum, ki?nara princess Qin was awoken by the sound of thunder in the distance. She looked around. The curtains draped low. He was already gone.

Her entire body felt soft and powerless. She curled up her slender, white legs and felt a slight pain, which made her furrow her brows. Gazing at the smear of scarlet red on the bed, she let out a sigh.

Her sigh was enough to both break the hearts of people and enchant them, such that they would be willing to do anything to remove that frown from her face.

“Since I’ve exposed myself and he’s taken me, he’ll probably view me as his. I’ll never be able to return to the Heaven realm now.”

Even Battle God Nidaum did not have the courage to claim her without good reason, as once he did, he would no longer be able to bring himself to kill her. By beauties of disaster, it had always been about harming both others and themselves.

“Why does a beauty sigh?” Li Qingshan suddenly appeared by the bed, lifting the curtains and studying her.

Princess Qin lowered her head and covered her chest with her arms, curling up quietly, but it only made her even more charming.

Li Qingshan licked his lips. “Put on your clothes. I’m taking you back to the Heaven realm.”

Princess Qin raised her head in surprise. “You’re sending me back?”

“Am I supposed to be lying to you?”

Normally, perhaps Li Qingshan would hesitate for a little longer and have her “thank” him properly a few more times, but he had just faced the sixth heavenly tribulation, so he was in high spirits, ready to do something big. He was completely unconcerned with those beauties of disaster and the absolute beauty of the Heaven realm.

Princess Qin eased up inside, but she also developed some bitterness, so she simply lowered her arms, stood up, and put on her clothes elegantly, without any attempt to hide anything. She glanced at him deeply with her limpid eyes. “You’re even more heartless than Nidaum.”

Li Qingshan just happened to be thinking about how he would carry out a massacre and do as he pleased. He was lost in his fantasies/ “What?”

“Nothing.”

“What a strange woman.”

Li Qingshan shrugged and brought his arm around her waist, vanishing from the palace.

Over the vast ocean, princess Qin immediately said, “This isn’t the Heaven realm.”

“This is the Human realm.”

It was possible to directly reach the Heaven realm from the Asura realm, but that was a heavily-guarded region riddled with passes. If he handled it badly, he would face attacks from both sides.

Li Qingshan was not afraid of that, but there was no reason for him to break through them by force. Obviously, being stowaway was still the best.

The World of the Five Continents was devouring other worlds, which needed the Heaven Climbing Vine. Fortunately, he had made preparations beforehand, specially collecting a fresh shoot for Ruan Yaozhu to nurture for him.

Flying over the ocean, they arrived in the Hundred Herbs garden that Li Qingshan had not visited in a very long time. Li Fengyuan remained beneath the golden-leaved bodhi tree, meditating away. Even with Li Qingshan’s arrival, he seemed to sense nothing.

However, Ruan Yaozhu was very delighted by his arrival. She invited him into her dwelling. “First senior brother, who’s this?”

“Just like you, some kind of princess.”

“Qin.” Princess Qin fumed. How could some princess of a no-name country in the Human realm compare to the ki?nara princess of the Heaven realm? From their bloodline to their status, they were worlds apart.

“So it’s princess Qin.” Ruan Yaozhu looked back and forth between them, guessing at their relationship.

“Don’t worry about her.” Li Qingshan gestured a few circles near his ear with his index finger, expressing that there was something wrong with the woman’s head.

“I saw that!” Princess Qin said angrily. She had never been one to get emotional so easily, but this man was far too good at angering her.

Li Qingshan ignored her. He patted Ruan Yaozhu on the shoulder. “You don’t have to call me first senior brother. I won’t be the first senior brother very soon.”

“You’re stepping down?”

Ruan Yaozhu was surprised, but she also found it to make perfect sense. With his current cultivation, he could no longer be held down by the position of the first senior brother of the Myriad sect.

The Myriad sect was only a diving board to him, and they were only chance acquaintances. She just never expected the farewell to come so quickly.

However, her heart tightened slightly. “Where are you off to? Are you going to the Desireless Heavenly Palace beyond the Nine Heavens, where senior sister Chao is?”

To most Human Immortals, the best path after the sixth heavenly tribulation was to venture beyond the Nine Heavens and somehow earn themselves a post as a divine general. That would save them from worrying about the kings of hell coming for their lives.

Of course, there were others with certain social connections. People who were invited into the heavens the moment they completed the tribulation like Chao Tianjiao were a minority. It was just because she walked the path of zhenwu, which was why she received special attention from the Zhenwu Emperor.

Someone who had no connections at all like Li Qingshan could probably only hope that the lord of the māra would take on a junior like thim. However, the lord of the māra had sent a māra of death instead, almost killing him in the process, so he could only give up on that thought.

Now, the best option available to him was obviously to ask Chao Tianjiao to put in a good word for him in front of the Zhenwu Emperor and check if there were any openings among the Divine Generals of the Six Jia for him to fill in.

However, he had not come so far on such a rocky road to serve as somebody’s errand boy.

“Hmph, why would I want to be with that mad woman?”

He would be making his way up, fighting his way up, heading beyond the Nine Heavens properly, not haggling his way up or climbing his way up.

“Aren’t you cultivation partners?”

“Who the hell would want that mad woman as a cultivation partner?” Li Qingshan denied that bluntly.

Princess Qin said coldly, “Do normal women even exist in your eyes?”

“Of course. There’s one right in front of me. Not only is she normal, but she’s even a fine woman too!”

Li Qingshan smiled gently towards Ruan Yaozhu. During the years he spent in the Human realm, she had helped him tremendously without ever asking for him to pay her back.

This “princess of White Deer” did not have an enchanting voice or a gorgeous appearance, even seeming extremely clueless some of the time, but she was extremely adorable to him.

“Thank you for that, senior brother.” Ruan Yaozhu reddened, turning redder and redder, such that she was absolutely charming. She said very softly, “Then where are you going?”

“I’ll be setting off on a distant journey.”

Li Qingshan’s eyes shone brightly as if his gaze had already pierced all obstacles, arriving in the distant future, in an unknown, new world.

Ruan Yaozhu originally wanted to ask him when he would return, or whether he would be returning at all. She suddenly understood something and said in relief, “Good luck.”

“If you have any wishes, tell me. I’m very strong right now!”

Li Qingshan raised his right arm and flexed his muscles.

Ruan Yaozhu smiled. “I’ll tell you the next time you come!”

Li Qingshan was surprised. “Alright then!”

Under Ruan Yaozhu’s watch, Li Qingshan left the Hundred Herbs garden with princess Qin and the Heaven Climbing Vine.

Suddenly, Li Fengyuan opened his eyes under the bodhi tree. They were filled with infinite brilliance as if he could peer through everything. He nodded gently and brought his palms together. “Thus have I heard…”