"Shi Yi, I allow you to interact with my Law Body, but you cannot disregard your teacher's words," the Willow Deity said softly.
Though the voice was soft, the action was firm.
Didn't you see?
Shi Yi could only reluctantly lift his head from her embrace, unable to continue feeling the warmth that belonged solely to him.
"Yes."
Shi Yi nodded obediently. With his ear held in her hand, how could he possibly defy her?
"Regarding your Ten Celestial Passages, Shi Yi, do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?" the Willow Deity continued to ask.
"Good news," Shi Yi replied without hesitation.
"The good news is that your Ten Celestial Passages are truly unprecedented and will never be surpassed. Earth, water, fire, wind, yin and yang, chaos, the power of the five elements, and even the universe are all contained within them," the Willow Deity sighed.
"Bad news?" Shi Yi asked with a hesitant tone.
For some reason.
He had a bad feeling in his heart, sensing that his bad luck for the day was not yet over.
"The bad news is, if no one helps you clear the mixed forces within these Celestial Passages, Shi Yi, you might never be able to advance to the next realm in your lifetime."
The Willow Deity spoke these words calmly, but Shi Yi's heart sank by more than half upon hearing them.
But immediately after.
"Teacher, you can't abandon your disciple! I'm your precious disciple!" Shi Yi directly hugged the Willow Deity's slender waist and buried his head in her chest again.
The Willow Deity did not scold him for this obvious act of taking advantage, nor did she have any intention of avoiding it. Since Shi Yi had acknowledged his identity as a disciple, he was now the person closest to her.
"Since you have acknowledged this master-disciple relationship, your teacher can help you. But Shi Yi, remember, I am your teacher. From now on, do not have so many improper desires. The strong are those with unwavering Dao hearts, who do not indulge in female beauty, and certainly do not cling to physical appearances."
The Willow Deity's hand, like a delicate willow branch, gently brushed the back of Shi Yi's head. When it touched the crimson feather on Shi Yi's head, it paused slightly.
The crimson feather given by the Little Red Bird seemed to have taken root on Shi Yi's head. No matter how Shi Yi tried to pull it out, he couldn't, as if it had taken root upon landing.
Although the Willow Deity had the ability to pull it out, she did not act. After all, not indulging in female beauty was easy to say, but it was by no means something that could be achieved in a short time.
She was not in a hurry.
She could wait.
When Shi Yi himself grew tired of female beauty, he would naturally not care about it so much. Whether it was a thousand years or ten thousand years, time was just a number to her.
"Teacher Willow, I understand," Shi Yi said with a helpless tone.
People always talked about those with unwavering Dao hearts not indulging in female beauty, living for battle, and dying for battle. But he felt that his Dao heart was women, and he had even broken his complacent mindset for this.
Previously, Shi Yi's plan was that Nine Celestial Passages would be enough to directly advance to the next realm. But in order not to be looked down upon by the Willow Deity, Shi Yi had forcefully pushed out the Ten Celestial Passages with sheer willpower.
Although this Ten Celestial Passages was different from the Ten Celestial Passages the Willow Deity had seen, the kind that would be completely useless without her help, it was essentially a genuine Ten Celestial Passages.
In short.
Shi Yi's current Ten Celestial Passages contained the power of yin and yang, the five elements, and the foundation of the universe and chaos. It was incredibly powerful, but at the same time, it had trapped him.
Celestial Passages are the foundation of cultivation. The deeper the foundation of the Celestial Passage, the higher the building naturally rises. However, the foundation Shi Yi built for himself was simply too deep.
He didn't understand chaos, didn't comprehend Yin and Yang Five Elements, and even less understood Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams. All of this was beyond his understanding, like a failing student who only memorized things by rote.
Shi Yi's understanding of the Dao was also only superficial. He didn't understand the true meaning of the Dao. Having read a few Daoist scriptures didn't mean he truly grasped the essence of Daoism.
Let's put it this way.
Without the Willow Deity, Shi Yi's Ten Celestial Passages would have been completely useless. For one or two years, no one would say anything, but after ten or twenty years, if he was still stuck in the Celestial Passage Realm...
But with the Willow Deity helping Shi Yi clear the Yin and Yang Five Elements energy within the Ten Celestial Passages and the foundation of the Universe and Cosmos, his potential could truly be said to be unimaginable.
It was also for this reason.
The Willow Deity took Shi Yi as a disciple. She believed that as long as Shi Yi grew up, surpassing her in the future was not an impossible feat.
As for the issue of an unstable Dao heart, it was far less important than innate potential. After all, a Dao heart could be shaped, but innate potential was difficult to change later on.
Several more days passed.
Just as Shi Yi was preparing to embark on his journey home, a treasure light appeared deep within the Great Wilderness. The Great Wilderness, which had finally been calm for a few days, suddenly became unpredictable and dangerous again.
At this time.
Far from Stone Village, far from the Vast Mountain Range, in a corner of the Great Wilderness's edge.
There was a fertile land, with vast plains, as well as beautiful peaks and rivers.
Here, Scaled Horses were like a sea tide, galloping across the grasslands in large herds. There were also Iron Cavalry with imposing auras reaching the sky, traversing the world, their armor gleaming, their killing intent soaring, currently engaged in military drills.
On the horizon, there were endless buildings, stretching continuously. This was a human tribe with a population of tens of millions, which had been prosperous on this land since ancient times.
This human tribe had experts like a forest, inheriting their legacy from ancient times to the present, never perishing. Each generation of the tribe would produce several prodigies, ensuring the tribe's strength and prosperity.
This was also the future envisioned by the older generation of Stone Village.
Because their next generation was destined to leave Stone Village and establish their own tribe.
As long as there was enough time, Stone Village might not be unable to become the next great tribe.
"Da da da"
Hooves pounded the ground like a sudden storm. In the central building area of this great tribe, there was a large golden tent. A fiery red Scaled Horse was galloping rapidly across the flat ground, heading towards the golden tent.
When it was less than a hundred meters away from the golden tent.
A man leaped from the back of the fiery red Scaled Horse.
After the man landed on the ground, he immediately knelt and spoke loudly, saying, "Patriarch, deep within the Great Wilderness, there is suspected to be an astonishing Mountain Treasure appearing!"
"Mountain Treasure?" An Old Man's voice came out.
"For some unknown reason, those two supreme beings in the sky suddenly stopped fighting," another Old Man said.
"They have already left the Great Wilderness. If they were still here, the Mountain Treasure would not have been our turn," ancient voices continued one after another.
"Patriarch, since those two supreme beings have left, should we go and take a look? Although our tribe's population is only tens of millions, which cannot compare to the ancient kingdoms with long histories outside, this is the Great Wilderness. Our tribe still has a chance to fish in troubled waters."
As he spoke.
Several powerful Old Men walked out from the golden tent.
"Don't take risks. In the Great Wilderness, there are far more powerful tribes than just us. It's better to take a few talented youngsters on a trip to see the world. Without my command, you are not to act!"
Another Old Man walked out from the golden tent. His palm was tall and burly, and golden lightning flashed in his eyes, looking extremely intimidating.
"Yes!" everyone replied in unison.
The Great Wilderness, another land.
Here was a huge lake, as blue as the sea, with beautiful scenery.
Islands dotted the center of the lake, scattered like stars, with waves surging.
Several children rode a Flood Dragon, sometimes diving into the calm lake, sometimes soaring into the blue sky. Clouds rolled, and the Flood Dragon's scales shimmered.
On one of the islands, in front of a magnificent palace.
A group of powerful individuals looked at them with doting eyes.
"Little rascals, stop messing around. Later, your uncles and elders will take you on a long journey to see the prodigies of the outside world and also to see the Mountain Treasure that is about to appear. See if we have a chance to obtain it."
"Tch, they're all mediocre. Last time they said he was some amazing genius, but wasn't he defeated by us? If he hadn't fled into a fire cave in a panic, we would have captured him to be our mount."
Another stretch of mountains and rivers, equally far away.
This great tribal clan.
Their population also numbered in the tens of millions, with giant cities one after another.
The giant cities were grand and extremely solemn. The city walls were built with Adamantine Rock, like a black mountain range stretching across the horizon, giving a powerful sense of oppression.
Inside the giant city.
There was a constant flow of traffic and people, extremely prosperous.
In the very center of the giant city, there was also a palace.
The palace was magnificent, like a celestial palace descended upon the human world, tall and majestic. Inside, it was resplendent with gold and jade, with carved beams and painted pillars, speaking of endless luxury and wealth.
"The Mountain Treasure is appearing. At this critical time, the two strongest beings have instead left the Great Wilderness?"
Inside the magnificent and resplendent palace, a majestic voice filled with doubt slowly came from the high throne.
His true appearance could not be seen. He was like a purple sun, where the light was extremely bright, engulfing his entire being.
This was his vitality naturally overflowing, like a great furnace, or like a dazzling purple-lighted deity, making people dare not approach and only look up from afar.
Above the main hall, one person knelt.
"Patriarch, I also can't understand it, but even if they have both left the Great Wilderness, in this Great Wilderness, there are still two strongest beings, the Heaven Swallowing Sparrow and the Qiongqi."
Behind this person, seven Celestial Passages circled, absorbing the energy of Heaven and Earth from the outside world, and a powerful aura emanated from his body.
Never underestimate seven Celestial Passages.
Not everyone is Shi Yi.
Six Celestial Passages are enough to break through to the next realm. Eight Celestial Passages are the limit for humans. Nine Celestial Passages are the Celestial Passage Realm that Ancient Descendants and Pure-Blooded Ferocious Beasts have the potential to reach.
As for the Ten Celestial Passages,
For the Eight Regions of the Lower Realm, especially the large tribes and clans in the Great Wilderness, the Ten Celestial Passages were a realm they dared not even dream of. They didn't believe anyone could achieve it.
"The four great ferocious beasts of the Great Wilderness: Vermillion Bird, Zhu Yan, Qiongqi, and Heaven Swallowing Sparrow. Among them, the Vermillion Bird and Zhu Yan are closely connected to the Stone Country and Fire Country outside the Great Wilderness, while Qiongqi and Heaven Swallowing Sparrow are solitary. Could it be that this Mountain Treasure holds some fatal danger?"
A majestic voice came from the throne. The purple sun trembled, radiating terrifying aura, causing the entire hall to shake.
At the same time.
Deep within the Great Wilderness.
"The Mountain Treasure has appeared, yet they ran away. What does this mean?"
This was a ferocious bird with a body tens of thousands of miles long. It utterly detested humans and had once bathed the large tribes and clans in the Great Wilderness in blood, devouring tens of millions of humans.
Also deep within the Great Wilderness.
"Both Zhu Yan and Vermillion Bird ran away. Could there be a trick?"
This was a ferocious beast with a tiger's body, ox horns, and a pair of wings on its back. Its size was comparable to a mountain, and its eerie green eyes were like lakes. Its tone revealed a hint of vigilance.
And at this moment.
Great Wilderness, Stone Village.
"Shi Yi, opportunity is right before you. Do you dare to seize it?" The Willow Deity looked at Shi Yi.
"Teacher, can I say no? Opportunities are very dangerous," Shi Yi retorted.
"Are you scared?"
The Willow Deity's tone was calm. Over the years, she had come to understand Shi Yi's temperament and knew exactly what words to use to make this person, who disliked competing,
Actively compete!
Actively seize!
"Teacher Liu, you wouldn't just watch your disciple get into trouble, would you?"
"No!"
....