Don’t understand.

Honestly at this point, one should just let it be and let things develop naturally.

But...

No way!

Both the Sect Leader and Su Xing have a strong curiosity.

It’s precisely because of this that they can lead their disciples to explore new things. Now that they see such a miraculous object, how could they not be curious?

And how could they not want to get to the bottom of it?

"Why? How did you create this?" The master directly asked Li Ye.

"I don’t know either."

Li Ye shrugged: "Though it’s your talented disciple who cast the spell to create it, I don’t know how I did it."

Su Xing: "..."

He cast the spell to create it, yet he doesn’t know how.

If Li Ye’s junior disciple weren’t here, he would have wanted to educate his disciple.

Why do you still look so proud?

"Haha."

Ying Zhao chuckled: "I didn’t even know my divine techniques could achieve this, it’s quite rare. However, since they’re born of my spiritual qi, I won’t let them suffer.

Take good care of them.

When I’m free, I’ll come find you.

To see how these little ones are living."

Li Ye nodded: "Of course, you can come anytime. I’ll definitely roll out the red carpet—I’ve heard of a mundane way of sleep called ’foot to foot slumber,’ and if you’re willing it’s not... Ah!"

He suddenly felt a light pat on his shoulder.

He turned his head in grievance.

Only to see his master with a smile saying that’s about enough.

Foot to foot slumber.

For cultivators who need personal space, this is an unimaginable experience, let alone with an Ancient Mountain God.

Su Xing thought it sounded almost too wonderful.

"Hahaha!" Ying Zhao laughed heartily, "Su Xing brother, this child of yours is rather interesting. I’m not unfamiliar with foot to foot slumber. Next time I descend the mountain, I’ll come find you!"

Now it’s Li Ye who was speechless and choked.

He was just joking, who knew this Ancient Mountain God was so amiable.

If it truly was foot to foot slumber, he’d be the first to refuse.

"Hehe... um."

Just as he was searching for an excuse, Ying Zhao waved his hand, and an invisible force moved away the surrounding gold and jade.

Revealing a staircase leading downward.

On that staircase, extremely bright yet mysteriously deep starlight flickered gently. Though it didn’t leave the bounds of the staircase, it seemed to overflow into the entire world, with only it left in one’s vision.

"Please, follow me."

"My master wishes to meet you."

Suddenly, Ying Zhao’s expression grew very serious, and he extended his hand in invitation.

Master?

Wouldn’t the master of this Ancient Mountain God be... Emperor Jun?

Li Ye instinctively looked at his master.

He remembered that Su Xing’s "star" had a significant connection with Emperor Jun.

"What exactly is the Upper Realm like?" Li Ye asked.

If we follow what he knows of the "Great Wilderness," wasn’t Emperor Jun already gone? But from what he understands now, it seems the Upper Realm’s situation isn’t quite right.

"The Upper Realm." Su Xing pursed his lips: "Let’s go, walk slowly, I’ll tell you."

He handed his son to the Sect Leader.

"Senior Brother, take care of him for a while."

"I’ll be right back with Ye’Er."

Clearly, he didn’t intend to bring the child nor the Sect Leader, but the Sect Leader seemed to have expected this and nodded:

"Alright."

"It’s time to talk to your disciple about the Upper Realm too."

"It will greatly benefit his future."

Jiang Qingqiu didn’t fuss when his father set him down, and obediently said:

"Father, Senior Brother, I’ll wait here for your return."

Li Ye bent down and patted his head, smiling helplessly: "You say that as if we’re heading into great danger. Even the Demon Emperor wouldn’t make things difficult for a mere junior like me."

Honestly, he had respect but no fear for Emperor Jun.

He was a legitimate human race and Taoism disciple.

Unlike the demon race’s fear of Emperor Jun.

If anything, he’s just a bit excited, after all, meeting a legendary figure from myths.

Ying Zhao raised his eyebrows.

But said nothing.

"Let’s go."

"When we return, tell your junior about the sights."

Su Xing pulled Li Ye along, leading him down the staircase.

Very miraculous.

At the moment of descent.

The staircase suddenly flipped, changing from downward to upward.

The endlessly stretching jade steps led to the starlight at the top, beyond sight.

Li Ye, keenly attuned to spatial awareness, could sense this place had already detached from Jianmu’s spatial structure—meaning: this place was no longer the Tao Furnace Realm.

Because if it were the Tao Furnace Realm, even in some hidden land, Li Ye could sense the presence of Jianmu. Not sensing it now indicates it’s no longer the Tao Furnace Realm.

But he wasn’t afraid.

Not just because the surrounding starlight was as bright as day, gentle enough for one to want to immerse in it, but also because his master was right beside him.

Even now, though he’s in the late-stage Nascent Soul, he still felt a great sense of security beside his master.

"The Upper Realm originally experienced several great calamities."

"The creation of the heavens, fierce beasts, dragons and the Han dynasty, Dao and demons... cataclysms can be endless, and during these endless cataclysms, several Saints refined an ultimate treasure from the chaos.

They used it to separate the river of Cosmic Light.

Thus dividing numerous different Cosmic Domains.

In those domains, the demon race’s Celestial Court still flourished endlessly, dragons, phoenixes, and qilins continued to dominate the realms as main characters, the Witch Race walked the earth, practicing the Path of Power...

Potentially snuffed possibilities grew healthily in these domains, forming the endless heavens and earth of the Upper Realm."

Hiss.

Wait, this sensation.

It seems...

"Yes, actually the Xiangshui Tree Technique from our Ancestor Master comes from the time he saw a corner of the Purple Cloud Divine Wood when Proving Tao, discovering the essence of the Upper Realm, and then researching it out."

"I see."

Li Ye felt he should be very surprised.

But actually, he wasn’t that surprised. He had fantasized enough about the Upper Realm. Hearing it now doesn’t reveal the truth, but just the current state, making him think: Oh, it’s really powerful.

After all, it far exceeded his imagination.

Not to mention, just the "Nine Songs" he hasn’t fully mastered.

Yet here he was, still wishing to know more.

Hmm.

Better practice more before speaking further.

"Then if I ascend to the Upper Realm, what would I face?" Li Ye continued to ask.

"It’s simple."

"Just focus on your own cultivation."

"The Upper Realm is vast and endless; you don’t need to do anything special, your cultivation is insignificant there."

"With your senior brothers and sisters holding the fort above, you only need to study hard, and obtain the jade passes to different Cosmic Domains."

Su Xing patted his disciple’s head:

"Not to mention, you at least need passes to places like Wa Palace and Upper Qing Heaven."

"But that’s a matter for the future."

As he spoke, the seemingly endless staircase had already reached its end.

A figure stood waiting for them ahead.