Li Yi and his group of four arrived at Mount Kunlun. Qichen, along with Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, were already waiting at the mountain entrance.
The moment Li Yi and his companions appeared, Qichen rushed forward and embraced Tongtian, exclaiming with joy, "Master, you're finally back! I missed you."
Li Yi chuckled, "What? You only miss your master and not your two martial uncles?"
Qichen smiled sheepishly, "I do, of course I do, I miss you both terribly. When Master and my two martial uncles weren't home, we didn't know what to do when we encountered problems in our cultivation. Fortunately, Master and martial uncles are back!"
At this moment, Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao stepped forward, bowing respectfully, "Welcome back, three masters and Young Master Chen!"
Yin Jiao noticed Duobao and asked Li Yi, "Master, who is this?"
Li Yi chuckled, "This is the disciple newly accepted by my third brother. His name is Duobao!"
Upon hearing Li Yi's words, Qichen noticed Duobao for the first time and said happily, "I have a martial brother!"
Tongtian introduced Duobao, "This is your senior martial brother Qichen. Those two are the attendants of your first martial uncle, named Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao."
After Tongtian finished his introduction, Duobao bowed, "Greetings, Senior Martial Brother!"
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao also bowed, "Greetings, Young Master Bao!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
Li Yi heard Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao call Duobao "Young Master Bao" and was reminded of Jia Baoyu in "Dream of the Red Chamber" being called "Second Master Bao."
Comparing Duobao, a true tough guy, with Jia Baoyu, a complete pretender, Li Yi couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Hearing Li Yi's laughter, everyone else cast him strange glances.
Yuanshi and Tongtian asked, "Elder Brother, why are you laughing?"
Li Yi saw Yuanshi ask and knew they wouldn't understand who Jia Baoyu was. He couldn't explain, so he coughed and said, "Today, Duobao joins our big family. I am happy, so I couldn't help but laugh."
Yuanshi, hearing Li Yi's explanation, looked at Duobao with even more admiration, thinking to himself, "I didn't expect Duobao to hold such a high position in Elder Brother's heart!"
Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao also thought, "We didn't expect Master to value this 'Young Master Bao' so highly. It seems we must not offend him in the future, lest Master blame us!"
Qichen also didn't expect his first martial uncle to value this junior martial brother so much.
Li Yi, completely unaware that his brief laughter had significantly elevated Duobao's status in everyone's eyes.
Seeing that Duobao had met Qichen, Jin Jiao, and Yin Jiao, Li Yi spoke, "Alright, since everyone has met, let's head back to the mountain. Standing around at the mountain entrance is unbecoming."
Yuanshi added, "Elder Brother is right. Let's go back to the mountain!"
As everyone turned to head back, a voice suddenly boomed through heaven and earth, "Heavenly Dao above, the myriad races of the Great Desolation are now engaged in incessant warfare and chaos. We, the Dragon Clan, wish to unite all scaled creatures. We pray to the heavens, that our Dragon Clan be the sovereign of the scaled creatures of the Great Desolation today, using the supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Ancestral Dragon Seal to suppress the Dragon Clan's destiny and protect all scaled creatures under heaven!"
As soon as the Ancestral Dragon finished speaking, merit descended from heaven. Three-tenths went to the Ancestral Dragon, two-tenths entered the Ancestral Dragon Seal, and the remaining five-tenths scattered among the Dragon Clan. All members of the Dragon Clan received merit.
The Ancestral Dragon received three-tenths of the merit, and his cultivation immediately surged, breaking through the peak of Hunyuan Golden Immortal and entering the Quasi-Saint realm.
As the merit golden clouds dispersed, Yuan Feng's voice echoed through heaven and earth, "Heavenly Dao above, I am Yuan Feng, the ancestor of the Phoenixes. I observe the chaos in the Great Desolation, with the myriad flying bird races attacking each other. We, the Phoenix Clan, wish to unite all flying bird races! We pray to the heavens, that our Phoenix Clan be the sovereign of the flying birds of the Great Desolation today, using the supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Ancestral Phoenix Seal to suppress the Phoenix Clan's destiny and protect all flying birds under heaven!"
As soon as Yuan Feng finished speaking, merit descended from heaven. Three-tenths went to Yuan Feng, two-tenths entered the Ancestral Phoenix Seal, and the remaining five-tenths scattered among the Phoenix Clan. All members of the Phoenix Clan received merit.
Yuan Feng received three-tenths of the merit, and her cultivation also soared, reaching the Quasi-Saint realm.
Another voice sounded through heaven and earth, "Heavenly Dao above, I am Qilin's ancestor, Qi Yi. Currently, the myriad beast races of the Great Desolation are each for themselves, in utter chaos. We, the Qilin Clan, wish to unite all the beasts of the Great Desolation. We pray to the heavens, that our Qilin Clan be the sovereign of the beasts of the Great Desolation today, using the supreme-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure Ancestral Lin Seal to suppress the Qilin Clan's destiny and protect all beasts under heaven!"
As soon as Shi Qilin finished speaking, merit descended from heaven. Three-tenths went to Qi Yi, two-tenths entered the Ancestral Lin Seal, and the remaining five-tenths scattered among the Qilin Clan. All members of the Qilin Clan received merit.
With the help of the Heavenly Dao merit, Qi Yi's cultivation also reached the Quasi-Saint realm!
The members of the three clans all received merit, and their cultivation surged. The strength of the three clans far surpassed that of other races.
On Mount Kunlun, as Qi Yi's voice faded, a mass of merit golden clouds suddenly appeared above Qichen, descending a vast amount of Heavenly Dao merit.
Li Yi looked at Qichen, enveloped in Heavenly Dao merit, with a complex expression in his eyes.
After a short while, the merit golden clouds dispersed. Qichen looked at Tongtian with a bewildered expression and asked, "Master, what is going on?"
Before Tongtian could speak, Li Yi said, "Chen'er, do not worry. You are the young master of the Qilin Clan, so this Heavenly Dao merit naturally belongs to you!"
After speaking, Li Yi acted, sealing the merit within Qichen's body.
Li Yi continued, "I have sealed this merit within you. Do not concern yourself with it. Remember, absolutely do not refine it!"
Seeing Li Yi's serious expression, Qichen obediently said, "Yes, First Martial Uncle!"
After Qichen agreed, Li Yi said to him, "Alright, take Duobao to Shangqing Palace!"
After Qichen and Duobao left, Li Yi said to Yuanshi and Tongtian, "Second Brother and Third Brother, come with me to Taiqing Palace."
He then instructed Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao, "You two go to the medicinal fields, pick some spiritual fruits, wash them, and bring them to Taiqing Palace."
Li Yi spoke and then headed towards Taiqing Palace without looking back.
Yuanshi and Tongtian noticed that Li Yi's expression had been grim since hearing the Heavenly Dao vows made by the Ancestral Dragon, Yuan Feng, and Qi Yi.
As they were about to inquire, they saw Li Yi heading towards Taiqing Palace without looking back.
Yuanshi and Tongtian had no choice but to suppress their doubts and wait to ask Li Yi when they reached Taiqing Palace.
As the three of them arrived at Taiqing Palace, and Yuanshi had just taken his seat, Tongtian impatiently asked Li Yi, "Elder Brother, did you summon us for a reason?"
Li Yi nodded and said, "There is indeed a matter, but let us wait until Daoist Brother Qi Yi arrives."
Yuanshi became even more perplexed, thinking, "Why is Qi Yi coming to Mount Kunlun? Could it be to see Chen'er? How does Elder Brother know?"
Tongtian wanted to ask more, but Li Yi had already closed his eyes to rest, so Tongtian felt it inappropriate to press further.
After Jin Jiao and Yin Jiao delivered the spiritual fruits, Li Yi gave them some leaves from the Enlightenment Tea Tree and asked them to brew tea and bring it over.
Qi Yi's cultivation had greatly increased after making the Heavenly Dao vow, but the sense of unease in his heart had intensified.
Recalling Li Yi's words, he decided to head to Mount Kunlun to seek clarification from Li Yi, and also to see Qichen.
Upon arriving at Mount Kunlun, Qi Yi announced from afar, "Qi Yi comes to visit the three Daoist friends."
Li Yi's voice echoed from the sky, "Daoist friend, please enter Taiqing Palace!"
After receiving the response, Qi Yi immediately headed towards Taiqing Palace.
Qichen had just settled Duobao in Shangqing Peak when he heard Qi Yi's voice, and exclaimed excitedly, "Father is here!"
Hearing Li Yi's voice as well, he immediately headed towards Taiqing Palace.
When Qi Yi arrived at Taiqing Palace, Li Yi congratulated him, "Congratulations, Daoist friend, on your great cultivation advancement."
Hearing Li Yi say this, Yuanshi also realized that they could no longer see through Qi Yi's cultivation.
When Qi Yi was at Qilin Palace, his cultivation was higher than theirs, but at least they could tell what realm he was in. Now, they could not see through him at all.
After Qi Yi sat down, Li Yi suddenly asked, "Daoist friend, are you here to visit Chen'er?"
Qi Yi shook his head and said, "Not entirely. I have something to ask Daoist Tai Shang."
Li Yi retorted, "Then, Daoist friend, would you be willing to tell us who taught you to make the Heavenly Dao vow?"
Qi Yi was stunned for a moment, but then said, "Daoist Hongjun taught me. Not only me, but Ancestral Dragon and Yuan Feng were also taught by him."
At this moment, Yuanshi suddenly asked, "Elder Brother, what is it? Is something wrong?"
Qi Yi also said, "Since I made this Heavenly Dao vow, the unease in my heart has grown stronger, which is why I came to visit the three Daoist friends."
Li Yi sighed and was about to speak when Qichen's voice suddenly came from outside, "Father! Father!"
Qichen rushed in from outside and ran into Qi Yi's embrace.