Legend of the Great Sage

he 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 kiṁnara 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…”