After returning to the Spirit Stream Sect, he had been worried that something went wrong in Li Qinghou’s secluded meditation. However, now that he could see that he truly had reached Core Formation, it filled him with incredible excitement, even more excitement than if he had just concocted a high-level medicinal pill.
“Xiaochun, the war is not as simple as you might imagine.” Li Qinghou sat down, and Bai Xiaochun sat down next to him. “In addition to everything I just mentioned, don’t forget about the reserve powers at the sect’s command. When it comes to having control over the Lower Reaches, and the glory that would come with it, there are many factors involved.
“The war between the Profound Stream Sect and the Pill Stream Sect is reaching a conclusion. The Pill Stream Sect has suffered major losses, and more than half of their disciples have already defected to the Profound Stream Sect. Although the Profound Stream Sect has also suffered significant losses, they’re already in the process of recovering. The Pill Stream Sect has retreated to their sect headquarters, and it won’t be long now before the two sects become one, and they’ll be even more powerful than before.
“At this point, the Profound Stream Sect has two problems. One, they have to completely defeat the Pill Stream Sect. Two, they have to reorganize their sect and smooth out any internal conflicts. At the moment, the Profound Stream Sect is at its weakest, and has no choice but to press the Pill Stream Sect hard to defeat it. As for the Blood Stream Sect, they have been delaying in the hopes that the Spirit Stream Sect will meet their demands and allow the sect to be sealed.”
Bai Xiaochun hesitated for a moment, trying to decide if he bring up a certain topic. “Do we really have to fight? Isn’t there some other way?”
“Don’t think too deeply into things,” Li Qinghou replied softly. “This war is really unavoidable. Any sect that aspires to get to the Middle Reaches will have to go to war eventually. If we don’t fight now, if we compromise, we will be bringing certain disaster down on ourselves in the future. We will wheeze and gasp our way to death over a thousand years. Does that really compare to going out in a blaze of glory in battle?!
“We can’t prevent the war from happening, and neither can the Blood Stream Sect. There is no other option. If we claim to have given up on the opportunity to better our own sect, people won’t believe us. Even oaths sworn between the sects will be worth little.
“The only way to end things without war would be for both sects to somehow come to trust each other in this moment of deadly crisis.
“However, it doesn’t seem likely that such a thing could occur.” Li Qinghou shook his head and looked over at Bai Xiaochun.
“Don’t think too much into it. Remember, you stay behind me when the time comes to fight. I fear that many people are going to die….” Li Qinghou sighed softly, then rose to his feet. Seeing that Bai Xiaochun seemed to be lost in thought, he reached down and clasped his shoulder.
“Come on, let’s go. I want to take you to see someone from the Senior generation. My own Master!”
Bai Xiaochun looked up in surprise. This was his first time hearing anything about Li Qinghou having a Master. From what he knew, the only person who could be a Master to Li Qinghou would have to at least be a prime elder, or perhaps even one of the five patriarchs.
After taking a moment to compose himself, he followed Li Qinghou off of Mount Daoseed. As they rose higher, Bai Xiaochun was surprised to find that Li Qinghou was actually flying up into the air behind Mount Daoseed.
There didn’t seem to be anything behind Mount Daoseed except the flowing waters of the Heavenspan River.
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Chapter
271: True Emptiness, the Most Wonderful Existence
Without looking back, Li Qinghou murmured, “Existence without existence is the most wonderful existence. Emptiness without emptiness is the true emptiness....”
Bai Xiaochun was shaken by the words. Clearly, they contained profound meaning, and yet, he had no idea what that meaning was. However, Li Qinghou only seemed more impressive because of it.
Before long, they were in the air behind Mount Daoseed. Even as they neared their apparent destination, Bai Xiaochun still didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. After a moment of thought, he opened his third eye. Li Qinghou sensed what he was doing, and looked back at him, eyes shining with praise. Then, he stopped in place, hovering there while he waited to see what would happen.
As Bai Xiaochun examined the area with the Heavenspan Dharma Eye, he saw nothing. Therefore, he decided he might as well unleash some of the power of his three spiritual seas. Pouring their power into his Heavenspan Dharma Eye, and adding in some of his Heaven-Dao aura, he once again looked around.
Pain stabbed into his third eye, but at the same time, his view of the world changed. Just barely, he could now see the vague image of a majestic mountain floating in the air behind Mount Daoseed.
“A mountain....” he blurted in shock. Unable to sustain the use of his Heavenspan Dharma Eye any longer, he closed it. Panting, he looked over at Li Qinghou, an expression of complete incredulity on his face.
Suddenly, an ancient voice spoke out of nowhere. “What you just saw is something that only the sect leader, the legacy echelon, and the prime elders know about. The Spirit Stream Sect's ninth mountain peak!”
Along with the voice, an old man emerged out of thin air. He had long white hair, and wore a flowing blue robe.
His face was ruddy, and on his forehead was a red, finger-nail sized birthmark. Despite his white hair, his face wasn’t very wrinkled, and his eyes shone with a piercing light. Clutched in his right hand was a four-colored jade pendant that glowed with dazzling light.
The air around him immediately began to ripple and distort, and the clouds in the sky began to churn. Shocking fluctuations flowed out from him, fluctuations which seemed to Bai Xiaochun to be like pressure from heaven. Even more shocking was the murderous aura which surrounded him, making him seem less like an old man and more like an ancient wild beast!
“Greetings, Master,” Li Qinghou said softly, clasping hands in formal greeting.
Despite having never seen the old man before, from his energy and murderous aura, Bai Xiaochun instantly guessed who he was. Taking a deep breath, he clasped hands and bowed. “Bai Xiaochun offers greetings, Patriarch!”
The old man looked Bai Xiaochun up and down, a smile on his face that, because of his murderous aura, seemed particularly ferocious.
“You’re not in the legacy echelon, and thus, have seen things you have no right to see. Admit to your crimes immediately, child!” The man’s murderous aura almost immediately seemed to wrap around Bai Xiaochun.
Bai Xiaochun shivered, and his face drained of blood. To him, it felt as if he were surrounded by death and destruction, leaving him scared witless.
“Master, you've frightened Xiaochun,” Li Qinghou said, sounding a bit embarrassed.
Bai Xiaochun really was frightened. The combination of the old man’s smile and his murderous aura caused all of the hair on Bai Xiaochun’s body to stand on end. He felt like he was in the grip of death, and it even felt as if his blood qi wanted to explode out of him to compare itself to the old man’s murderous aura.
The old man chuckled darkly, waving his hand so that a field of mist sprang up, surrounding him and ensuring that only a vague outline of his form was visible.
“Very well,” he said from within the mist. “But I’m going to remember this, child. If you make any mistakes in the future, punishment will be waiting for you!”