After listening to Qingqing's explanation, the elders of the Eternal Life Pavilion all sighed, lamenting that her heart was too kind, and they advised her one after another.
"Qingqing, you're overthinking it. This matter has nothing to do with you. Back then when you picked up the Cloud-Water Sword, you didn't know it was the Five Elements Cloud-Water Sword forged by You Di, did you?"
"Moreover, as far as we know, you didn't expose You Di's identity at the time; it was You Di himself who admitted it. What does that have to do with you?"
Old Master Kaishan also advised: "Qingqing, you must not carry any psychological burden. This old man doesn't care whether you truly admire You Di or feel guilty towards him. Talking about this now is meaningless and won't help matters. This affair is simply not something our Eternal Life Pavilion can get involved in. What's more, we're not asking you to go out and testify against You Di, but to tell the truth of what happened. As long as your conscience is clear, don't dwell on the rest."
"But..." Qingqing still seemed very hesitant, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Old Master Kaishan spoke again: "No 'buts.' This old man has said that this matter has already caused a sensation across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds, and you are a key figure in it. Therefore, you simply cannot avoid it. You need not blame yourself, nor need you worry about You Di's safety. That is not something you should be concerned about."
"Who says it isn't?"
Lixin Xianzi added fuel to the fire from the side: "You Di has so many lovers; his safety is the last thing a little girl like you should worry about. Not to mention others, just take the Holy Maiden. Who in the Myriad Heavens and Worlds doesn't know of the Holy Maiden's infatuation with You Di? If You Di were truly in danger, the Holy Maiden would be there. With a single word from her, who among the Three Thousand Great Daos would dare not give her face? What are you worrying about for nothing?"
"You... I!"
Qingqing was utterly deflated by Lixin Xianzi's remark, feeling both angry and heartbroken, her self-esteem severely wounded.
"Let's go, Qingqing. Go out now and clarify the matter. Don't worry, your grand-master will back you up if anything happens."
Old Master Kaishan said: "Your master Fusheng and the Eternal Life Pavilion will all stand behind you. Don't be afraid."
"Alright... alright."
...
The Great Desolation.
Lingluo Heavenly Domain.
In front of the Plum Blossom Immortal Realm, a massive crowd had gathered, creating a lively scene.
No one knew exactly how many people were there. All one could see, looking around, were people everywhere—in the sky, on the ground, in all directions—densely packed, countless and innumerable.
These people had gathered for one purpose only: to wait for High Immortal Qingqing to come out and clarify matters—whether the Immortal Sword in her hand was truly You Di's Five Elements Cloud-Water Sword, and whether the legendary You Di had truly died and returned to life.
Originally, everyone had come for this purpose, but later the atmosphere gradually soured, turning into a confrontation among a group of proud sons of the Great Dao.
And the situation grew increasingly intense.
At first, it was only the proud sons of the Immortal Dao from other Heavenly Domains confronting those from the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. Later, as more and more proud sons from other Heavenly Domains appeared, the situation became chaotic, turning into groups of proud sons forming camps based on their Heavenly Domains, none willing to yield.
As more and more proud sons appeared one after another, the situation grew even more chaotic. The proud sons who appeared, whether in terms of identity and background, cultivation and strength, or fame and influence, were increasingly formidable.
One was the number one Immortal Prodigy of the Present Era from this Heavenly Domain.
Another was the number one Great Dao Prodigy of the Present Era from that Heavenly Domain.
Not only did proud sons from various major Heavenly Domains appear in succession, but proud sons of the Immortal Dao who had made extraordinary names for themselves in the Great Desolation during the Present Era also emerged one after another.
For example, four of the Ten Elegant Immortals of the Present Era had come.
Three of the Ten Mortal Immortals of the Present Era had also come.
Several of the Ten Monster Immortals of the Present Era had come as well.
These so-called Ten Elegant Immortals, Ten Mortal Immortals, Ten Monster Immortals, and so on, were all young people who had made names for themselves in the Great Desolation over the past ten thousand years of the Present Era, each with a more powerful background than the last.
Some were disciples of blessed lands and grotto-heavens, others were young masters of major Immortal Realm families, sons of Immortal Dynasties, sons of Immortal Mansions, sons of various worlds, and so on.
Without exception, these beings all possessed extraordinary fortunes, and their cultivation and strength were increasingly profound and unfathomable.
Among them, the most eye-catching were the famous Ten Upper Immortals, three of whom had come this time.
The reputation of the Ten Upper Immortals of the Present Era far surpassed that of those Ten Elegant Immortals, Mortal Immortals, and Monster Immortals.
The reason was simple.
Those Ten Elegant Immortals were all products of public adulation.
But the Ten Upper Immortals were not only products of public adulation; they were also the Ten Peerless Upper Immortals personally bestowed by the Nine Heavens.
In other words, the Ten Upper Immortals of the Present Era were recognized by the Nine Heavens.
Their identity, background, cultivation, and strength went without saying. For example, Qingqing was one of the Ten Upper Immortals, possessing both the formidable background of the Eternal Life Pavilion and being the disciple of the renowned Fusheng Dijun. It was said her strength was so great that even those old Spiritual Immortals who had cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years, or even those old Mysterious Immortals who had attained profound enlightenment, could not hope to match her.
The area before the gates of the Plum Blossom Immortal Realm was already chaotic and lively enough.
Almost all the Immortal Prodigies who had made famous and influential names for themselves in the Great Desolation during the Present Era had come.
However.
This spectacle was far from over.
The sensation caused by You Di's revival and return had shaken not only the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, but the entire Myriad Heavens and Worlds. Its impact was not limited to the Immortal Dao, but extended to the Three Thousand Great Daos.
Therefore.
Those who came this time were not only proud sons of the Immortal Dao, but also proud sons of the Three Thousand Great Daos. However, the Immortal Dao dominated the Great Desolation in the Present Era, so the proud sons of the Immortal Dao had greater fame and came in larger numbers. The radiance of proud sons from other Great Daos paled in comparison to those of the Immortal Dao, mainly because their numbers were too few. Amidst the sea of tens of thousands of Immortal Dao proud sons, they simply couldn't make much of a splash.
However.
The Monster Dao was an exception.
Although the number of Monster Dao proud sons who appeared this time was not as great as that of the Immortal Dao, quite a few had indeed come. Moreover, the fame of some of these Monster Dao proud sons even overshadowed that of the Immortal Dao proud sons.
The Immortal Dao had its Ten Peerless Upper Immortals.
The Monster Dao similarly had its Ten Peerless Upper Demons.
Each of the Immortal Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Immortals possessed extraordinary fortunes, and the same was true for the Monster Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Demons. Most importantly, the Monster Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Demons were all descendants of Demon Ancestors.
Some were descendants of the Kunpeng, others of the Firebird, still others of the Qilin or the Taotie—their bloodlines were each more powerful than the last.
The Immortal Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Immortals were bestowed by the Nine Heavens, representing light, while the Monster Dao's Ten Upper Demons were bestowed by the Nine Nethers, representing darkness.
The Immortal Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Immortals all had the powerful backing of blessed lands and grotto-heavens, and the Monster Dao's Ten Peerless Upper Demons similarly had the powerful backing of blessed lands and grotto-heavens.
It must be known that the thirty-six grotto-heavens and seventy-two blessed lands, passed down since ancient times, belonged neither to the Nine Heavens nor the Nine Nethers, nor to any of the Three Thousand Great Daos. They encompassed all things and belonged to the neutral faction.