Early in the morning, the sleeping Ling’e was shaken awake vigorously.

Before she could fully regain her senses, she heard Junior Master Jiu exclaiming excitedly:

“Hahaha! This Junior Master has broken through the bottleneck on her own! Little Ling’e, remember to tell your Senior Brother. I’m going back into seclusion!”

“Oh… huh? You broke through just from sleeping?”

Lan Ling’e responded drowsily, opening her eyes to see Junior Master Jiu searching for her shoes all over the floor.

The Junior Master was in high spirits, having taken another firm step toward the Celestial Immortal realm. She rushed out of the thatched cottage, jumped onto her gourd, and hurriedly flew toward Breaking Heaven Peak.

“Remember to tell your Senior Brother that I’ll help him refine pills when I come out of seclusion—”

Lan Ling’e sat dazed at the edge of her bed for a while, yawned twice, and walked to her dressing table.

Thinking of the little incident this Junior Master had caused yesterday, Ling’e’s lips curved into a slight smile, followed by a soft sigh.

Life was truly carefree after becoming an immortal.

“Junior Sister.”

A voice transmission reached her ears, and Ling’e instinctively responded: “Here!”

Li Changshou continued transmitting: “I heard what Junior Master said. I’ll be in seclusion for about three months, and after that, I might need to go on a journey. Do you need any medicinal pills? This trip will probably take three to five years before I can return.”

Senior Brother…

Is he going out to face the Heavenly Tribulation?

Lan Ling’e first felt joy, then pouted unhappily.

The joy was naturally for her Senior Brother’s advancement, while the unhappiness came from knowing that Senior Brother would be gone for three to five years—she had never been separated from him for so long since coming to the mountain.

“I don’t need anything, Senior Brother. Just take care of yourself,” Lan Ling’e muttered softly.

A light chuckle came through the voice transmission, and Li Changshou added: “I’ll wake Master before I leave and ask him not to enter deep seclusion these few years. Remember not to wander around, and always keep my previous warnings in mind. Don’t be careless and let others take advantage of you.”

“I know, Senior Brother. You can tell me all this after you come out of seclusion.” Lan Ling’e’s eyes twinkled. “Could it be that you’re planning to slip away?”

In the pill-refining room, Li Changshou laughed but didn’t continue the voice transmission.

Looking down at the streak of green light appearing in his palm, he hadn’t expected to reach the ninth stage of the Return Dao realm much earlier than anticipated.

At this moment, his dao realm had an urge… like bamboo shoots after spring rain, constantly wanting to surge upward. Fortunately, he could still suppress it.

After breaking through to the ninth stage of Return Dao, he would likely face the Heavenly Tribulation directly.

The matter of crossing tribulation had to be put on the agenda.

Going out to face tribulation was a plan Li Changshou had made long ago. Firstly, he didn’t want to expose his cultivation level, and secondly, he didn’t want others to witness his Heavenly Tribulation.

Crossing tribulation was, after all, his matter, and the mountain-protecting formation would have no effect.

Finding a secluded, uninhabited place outside to cross tribulation had roughly the same safety coefficient as doing it within the sect.

However, successfully slipping out of the sect would require some effort.

Li Changshou sighed lightly:

“Good thing I have fish.”

…

The Dao of the Deliverance Sect had strict rules, but most were for disciples who hadn’t become immortals yet, restraining disciples’ words and actions, urging them to cultivate, and protecting their safety.

In the sect’s disciple register, Li Changshou was an excellent Return Void second-stage cultivator, with rather strict restrictions on going out.

This was also one of the reasons he had chosen the Training Assembly to seek herbs in the Northern Continent.

To go out and face the Heavenly Tribulation this time, Li Changshou had long prepared his reason for requesting leave at the Hundred Ordinary Hall—disciples were allowed one chance to return home to sweep their ancestors’ tombs.

Upon entering the immortal path, one should sever ties with the mortal world and completely cut off connections.

But hearts are made of flesh, and the dao heart still faces mortal tribulations.

Human ancestors advocated loyalty, righteousness, propriety, and filial piety to educate all people. Though cultivators have left the mortal world and cannot show filial piety to their parents in person, they should still sweep their tombs and pay respects.

The Dao of Deliverance Sect had learned from many major sects in the Central Divine Continent and handled this aspect quite well.

When new disciples from the mortal realm entered the sect, dedicated outer sect officials would check on the new disciples’ parents every ten years, providing them with gold and silver for living expenses, informing them of their children’s recent situation in the sect, and giving some medicine-removing pills and disaster-avoiding talismans, though they wouldn’t help increase their lifespan.

Life and death have their predetermined fate, and Heaven’s mandate has its limitations. The Dao of the Deliverance Sect was unwilling to be entangled in unnecessary karma.

When disciples’ parents passed away, the sect would notify them and allow them to return home for three years to keep vigil at their parents’ tombs, thereafter completely severing ties with the mortal world…

Eighteen years ago, Li Changshou had received notice from the sect that his mortal parents had both passed away.

Under the sect’s care, his parents, who were originally ordinary nomads from a tribe in the Southern Continent, lived over a hundred years without illness or disaster.

Li Changshou actually didn’t have many impressions of his parents from this life, since he was brought up the mountain by his master early on. Moreover, his joining the sect had earned them a life free from worries about food and clothing, with few illnesses or disasters.

When he received the sect’s notice, Li Changshou had wanted to keep vigil immediately, but due to preparations for going out to face tribulation, he had temporarily put it off.

But there was still some trouble.

During the three years of keeping vigil, if outer sect officials passing through the disciple’s hometown had to check on the disciple’s situation…

For this point, Li Changshou was also prepared, having long ago become familiar with the ‘elders’ responsible for disciple affairs at the Hundred Ordinary Hall.

True friendship through fish.

These elders were different from the usual elders.

Most elders at the Hundred Ordinary Hall were old True Immortals within the sect, like Elder Ge, who handled internal and external miscellaneous matters.

The real Dao of Deliverance Sect elders all cultivated at various peaks, not concerning themselves with miscellaneous matters. One couldn’t obtain such a title without reaching the Celestial Immortal realm.

Three months later;

Li Changshou woke his master from seclusion, speaking of his intention to return home to keep vigil at the tomb, meaning to have his master look after his junior sister more.

Old Dao Qi Yuan naturally agreed, not thinking much of it, and even advised Li Changshou to let go of mortal attachments early and focus on the immortal path.

Lan Ling’e was somewhat reluctant, asking softly: “Could I… accompany Senior Brother to keep vigil…”

“Guess,” Li Changshou smiled with narrowed eyes, and Lan Ling’e immediately knew the answer, lowering her head in acknowledgment.

Among mountains, waters, and clouds, it was time for a reluctant farewell.

Li Changshou caught several spiritual fish from the lake, tucked them in his sleeve, and flew toward Breaking Heaven Peak on a cloud.

Lan Ling’e stood by the lake silently watching her Senior Brother’s back, mentally wishing him ‘safe passage through tribulation,’ and only returned to the thatched cottage to cultivate after half a day…

Arriving at the Hundred Ordinary Hall, Li Changshou familiarly found the elder he knew well, speaking of his wish to return home to sweep the tomb. Elder Wei, who was on duty today, gladly permitted.

“Changshou, I remember your home is in the northeastern region of the Southern Continent. It happens that a sect official is going to the Southern Continent tomorrow for business. Let him take you along.”

“About that,” Li Changshou took out several spiritual fish from his sleeve, “Elder, there’s something I’d like to trouble you with.”

“You little fellow,” Elder Wei immediately smiled broadly, taking the spiritual fish wrapped in water bubbles and taking out a porcelain jar to temporarily keep them.

Everyone has their preferences—some love drinking wine, others love delicacies, especially these difficult-to-cultivate, supremely delicious Mandarin fish.

Elder Wei smiled and said: “Tell me, what are you planning?”

“This disciple wants to take this opportunity to train in the Southern Continent for a few years,” Li Changshou said softly. “Could you… not have the sect officials check on my hometown, and also not have them escort me there…”

“Go ahead,” Elder Wei picked up the bamboo slip before him, “Just saved a piece of bamboo. You’re a good seedling for cultivation, with boundless prospects in the future. Remember, don’t cause trouble, don’t violate sect rules, and don’t be attached to mortal prosperity, letting worldly dust cloud your heart seeking the Way.”

Li Changshou repeatedly agreed, cupping his hands: “Many thanks for Elder’s help!”

“It’s nothing, go on, return early.”

Elder Wei waved his hand, giving Li Changshou a jade token for disciples going out, and advised him a few more times not to wander in places with many mortals, to avoid worldly turbidity confusing his dao foundation.

The elder’s concern for Li Changshou wasn’t false;

After all, over these years, Li Changshou had sent hundreds of spiritual fish in total…

It was common for sect disciples to use tomb-sweeping as an excuse to wander in the mortal world for a few years. If caught by sect officials, they would just face a scolding and a reduction in monthly allowance. Elder Wei was long used to this.

A few spiritual fish in exchange for the elder not recording his departure for tomb sweeping, naturally meaning no sect officials would go check on him.

In Elder Wei’s view, this was nothing more than a young disciple wanting to enjoy the mortal world, nothing serious;

But for Li Changshou, this was also a crucial and necessary… small step in his tribulation-crossing plan.

…

Leaving Breaking Heaven Peak, he flew south on a cloud, soon reaching the sect gate.

Taking out the jade token for leaving, saying he was returning home to sweep tombs, the immortal responsible for guarding the gate also advised Li Changshou to be careful outside. Li Changshou thanked him twice and flew out of the gate on his cloud.

The thousand li around the sect gate were actually all considered Dao of Deliverance Sect territory;

Several important spiritual veins and mines of the sect were distributed in the southern region.

Li Changshou flew two thousand li on his cloud, landed in a forest, observed from a hidden corner in the forest for two days to confirm no one from the sect was secretly following him, and then used earth escape to head south.

Along this path, he used earth escape when encountering mountains and water escape when meeting waters;

He encountered cultivators fighting, witnessed mountain spirits fighting among themselves, came across an uncle and sister-in-law seeking pleasure, and saw thousands of mortals fighting and killing each other.

Walking and watching, not stopping his pace;

Li Changshou was like a ghost that no one could discover, walking past one ten thousand li, then another ten thousand li…

Half a month later, in the northeastern part of the Southern Continent, not far from the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, on a grassland.

Following the information given by the sect, Li Changshou successfully found his parents’ tomb on a hillside;

The tomb was built very exquisitely, obviously having cost quite a bit of wealth, with the Dao of Deliverance Sect’s mark in the corner of the tombstone, and the inscription including the words ‘Erected by eldest son Changshou’.

Many weeds had grown in front of the tomb. Li Changshou took out a short knife and carefully cleared around the tomb.

Then he knelt before the tombstone, offered fruits and fish prepared along the way, burned two rolls of yellow paper, lit three sticks of pure incense, kowtowed four times resoundingly, his heart losing one attachment.

Afterward, he found an inconspicuous corner not far from his parents’ tomb in this world and sat cross-legged to cultivate within, counting as keeping vigil for his parents.

Seven days later, Li Changshou prepared to set out again, heading for his pre-selected location for crossing tribulation.

Where had he chosen?

It was in the East Sea but in the East Sea segment of the Southern Continent.

Because it was within mortal territory, few cultivators ventured there, mortal turbidity was mixed, and only a few small demons caused trouble;

Most of the human race’s fortune gathered in the mortal world of the Southern Continent. Fearing collision with human fortune, the Dragon Palace didn’t station many troops there either.

At the edge of the mortal world, in the vast sea, finding a hidden, inconspicuous small island was the best place for crossing tribulation!

Li Changshou took out a treasure pouch marked ‘Earth Twelve’ from the bracelet in his sleeve, and from it took out… a pile of eyebrow pencils and powder, as well as makeup materials he had researched and developed…

Then, this grown man, for the first time in two lifetimes, began carefully disguising himself.

There were several basic principles for disguising appearance and countenance. In Li Changshou’s view, using just eye-confusing techniques or shape-changing art was far from enough.

He would first use makeup and other physical methods to change his appearance, then stick on a specially made ultra-thin water-moistened silk mask, then use eye-confusing techniques to transform into an old Daoist, and finally cast shape-changing art…

This way, if a powerful person glanced at him and saw through two layers of magical disguise, they still wouldn’t see his true appearance.

Most cultivators traveling outside would use eye-confusing techniques, nothing strange about that.

After tidying up for half a day, Li Changshou transformed into a cold-faced old Daoist and quietly used earth escape to leave, heading toward the East Sea to seek a place for a secluded tribulation crossing.

Meanwhile…

At the junction of the South Sea and East Sea, on a fairy island wreathed in immortal light, shaped like a giant sea turtle.

In a treasure pool in a corner of the fairy island, the recently arrived [Island Pet], a small azure dragon tens of zhang long, was slowly observing the surroundings with its eyes just emerged from the water;

The dragon’s mouth was blowing strings of bubbles, those dragon’s eyes narrowing slightly.

‘Very good.’

It was time for the Great Luo Golden Immortal to lecture on the Dao again, and those immortals cultivating nearby had all gone to listen.

‘You probably wouldn’t imagine that when this prince was just six years old, he had already memorized the water routes of the four seas by heart.

From here heading toward the Southern Continent, following the Southern Continent’s coast eastward toward the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, using mortal turbidity to conceal tracks, then landing at the junction of the Southern and Eastern Continents, sneaking and hiding to rush toward the Eastern Victory Divine Continent.

If the Dao of Deliverance Sect doesn’t dare to accept disciples, this prince can also go to those Three Schools immortal sects in the Central Divine Continent!’

The azure dragon coldly smiled, his form slowly shrinking, soon becoming just three feet long, swimming toward a water crevice at the bottom.

And when he left the range of this fairy island, at the end of the fairy island, in the area that looked extremely like a golden sea turtle’s head, a pair of turtle eyes so large they were somewhat terrifying opened a slit…