Arriving outside, Hua Ci thanked Li Qingshan first. However, even when this small, dark old man expressed his thanks, he did not seem particularly enthusiastic, which made Li Qingshan feel like he was always rather cold.

  Hua Ci organised his words. “‘Ru Xin’ was not her original name.”


  “Really? Then her original name is…” Li Qingshan’s interest was piqued. He had always found this name rather special. He had never heard of someone with the surname “Ru” before.

  “Her original name is not important. I’ll be honest with you. I gave her the name ‘Ru Xin’. Together, they read as forgiveness.”


  rú xīn)

  “Forgiveness! Forgive who?”


  “Forgive herself. I originally thought she could already let go. I originally thought she could already let go and serve as a doctor in the Green province, but ever since the Exhibition Matches of the Nine Prefectures…”


  Hua Ci lamented, his face filled with worry.

  “Why have you suddenly told me this, senior?”


  “If she decides to go to the Mist province one day, you must stop her!”


  Hua Ci’s eyes shone, which gave Li Qingshan the feeling of an old man passing on his will so that someone could take care of his child. Li Qingshan thought, He isn’t as cold as he seems on the surface either.

  “If something happens to her, I obviously won’t just sit by. But, why forgive? Since she can’t find relief, I’ll just help her kill who she wants to kill!”


  Li Qingshan’s flat words were filled with confidence and resolve that resisted change.

  Hua Ci reevaluated Li Qingshan, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

  Li Qingshan wanted to ask about Ru Xin’s past, but Hua Ci refused to tell him. “You better get her to tell you herself!”


  ……


  Chu Tian woke up. He opened his eyes, only to discover he was in the same, pitch-black, underground room. He sat up on the jade bed and touched his face, which was wrapped in white bandages.

  “Did it work?”


  “It failed. Congratulations, your face has now been destroyed. You better not remove these bandages in the future, just in case you cause displeasure to anyone that sees you.” Ru Xin sat to the side.

  “You’re joking again, fellow.” Chu Tian could sense the changes on his face. The skin had completely merged together.

  Li Qingshan said curiously, “Take it off and show us how you look.”


  During the time Chu Tian spent unconscious, Hua Ci carried out the follow-up treatment, so the injuries on his face had already recovered. Removing the bandages, he revealed a pretty face. His eyes twinkled like stars, his nose stood tall, and his eyebrows were long and slender. Apart from being slightly pale, he was a standard handsome man.

  Coupled with the change in his bearing after recovering his memories, he bore absolutely no resemblance to Chu Tia anymore.

  “How shameless!” Li Qingshan grinned. He had actually made himself so handsome. Li Qingshan became even more sincerely convinced about Ru Xin’s face-lifts.

  Chu Tian picked up a mirror and took a look. He clasped his hands at Ru Xin first. “Thank you for your assistance, fellow.” Then he smiled at Li Qingshan. “This is what I looked like in my past life. It has nothing to do with handsomeness or ugliness. From today onwards, I am no longer Chu Tian!”


  ……


  On Cloudwisp island, the bamboo forest rustled. It had been lively for a time, but ever since the disaster of the Exhibition Matches of the Nine Prefectures, it recovered its cheerlessness, which left the school leader, Liu Chuanfeng, constantly lamenting. However, he was already fortunate enough to survive. All he could do was look forward to the upcoming entrance examination and accept some talented disciples.

  But it did not come without at least some benefit. The schools of Novels in the eight other prefectures sustained losses far more severe than them. A good few of them were even downright annihilated, destroying their legacy. There was no longer a single prefecture left that could fight over the control of the Cloudwisp association with them.

  As a result, Sun Fubai expanded the Cloudwisp association across the entire Ruyi commandery with ease, establishing branches in each prefecture. The foundation of the school of Novels immediately multiplied by over nine times over, and their cultivation speed reached a whole new level.

  Liu Chuanfeng was currently working on writing a new novel. Suddenly, he sensed a familiar aura approaching him, and he set aside his brush. Sure enough, a tall, large figure strode over.

  After facing the second heavenly tribulation, Li Qingshan’s Divine Talisman of Great Creation had completely evolved too, reaching a whole new realm. And, the power in the Divine Talisman of Great Creation constantly piled up, which he knew was probably due to Sun Fubai’s efforts. This feeling where he did not have to spend much time or effort cultivating and could constantly grow stronger was quite nice.

  The news of Li Qingshan’s emergence broke out and everyone visited Cloudwisp island to thank him, but they missed him altogether. Li Qingshan had already left the Clear River prefecture, flying to the commandery city of Ruyi. He arrived at the entrance of the great general’s estate and saw Han Anjun after letting the guards pass on the message. Han Anjun now possessed a much sterner aura. As he stood there alone, he gave off the bearing of an army.

  However, after seeing Li Qingshan, he mellowed significantly, thanking him first. If it were not for Li Qingshan, it was basically certain that Han Tieyi would have lost his life in the Asura Field. This was a great kindness he had shown to both him and the Han family.

  Li Qingshan smiled without minding it. “We’re all family, so do you have to be polite? Seeing how you’re safe and sound and have faced the second heavenly tribulation is truly delightful, father-in-law. I’ll need you to take good care of me in the future.”


  “Hmph, you’re studying under the Unraging monk, so why would you need my care?” Han Anjun said as he took out a brocade box from his hundred treasures pouch and passed it to Li Qingshan.

  Li Qingshan opened it and took a look, only to discover an Origin Spirit pill sitting inside. He passed it back to Han Anjun. “You better save it for Tieyi! I don’t need it. Just don’t say those unpleasant things in front of Qiongzhi again and make her unhappy.”


  Han Anjun did not keep insisting. He knew Li Qingshan had won a speechlessly tremendous pile of resources from prince Si Qing, and he also knew Li Qingshan had given Han Qiongzhi a five-year Virtue Accumulation pill for cultivation, which was worth no less than an Origin Spirit pill. If he truly wanted to pay him back in full, it would be impossible.

  “I’m her father. There are some things I must say. Whether she listens or not is up to her. I’m not going to keep gabbling endlessly,” Han Anjun said. Suddenly, he noticed that something was amiss. He stared at Li Qingshan, and his heart skipped a beat. He asked in some disbelief, “You’ve undergone the second heavenly tribulation?”


  Li Qingshan only used some regular methods to erase his aura and not the powers of the spirit turtle. It was obviously not an issue to fool Foundation Establishment cultivators, and Golden Core cultivators would miss it too if they did not check carefully. However, if they did study him carefully, they would notice what was wrong.

  “So you’ve noticed it, but please keep this secret for me. I can’t divulge it for now.”


  Even with Han Anjun’s unswerving willpower, he could not help but let out a long sigh. He had trained arduously for years, cultivating day and night. He faced countless dangerous trials in the Asura Field before finally taking this step, only to discover that this kid had already caught up in the blink of an eye. He was even showing signs of overtaking him. He could no longer be simply described as a “genius”.

  Li Qingshan left the great general’s estate, but he did not see Han Qiongzhi. As it turned out, she was currently in secluded cultivation, trying to refine and absorb all the effects of the Virtume Accumulation pill. It would take her quite some time.

  Before long, the entrance examination of the Clear River prefecture began again. Li Qingshan saw a familiar, handsome face among the disciples who partook in the tests this time. He shone brilliantly, even more dazzling than Chu Tian in the past.