When Bei Changqing stood up, an Earth Immortal nearby hurriedly helped Young Master Long to his feet. Young Master Long's face was ashen, the corner of his mouth twitching as he stared at Bei Changqing, his eyes filled with terror, not daring to say another word.
"The matter of the Northwest ends here. Your mission is complete; you may return to the Immortal Court to report. As for what happened here, simply report the truth."
With a wave of Bei Changqing's hand, a turbid radiance shimmered, and the heads scattered on the ground vanished into thin smoke in an instant. "Of course, if you wish to linger for a few days and wander about, that's also permissible. However, I advise you to stay away from the Great Northwest."
Gazing at the night sky, the smile on Bei Changqing's lips grew even more pronounced. "Because soon, this world will undergo earth-shattering changes. Especially the Great Northwest... it will become very chaotic...
Very chaotic."
No one understood what Bei Changqing meant, at least, none of the Earth Immortals present could comprehend it.
And Young Master Long, at this moment, had no mood to ponder Bei Changqing's words. He snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Once he departed, the twenty-four Earth Immortals responsible for his safety, along with dozens of Immortal Court nobles, also followed. Lord Xun, Steward Bai, and the others dared not say anything more, rising to leave as well.
"Youngsters these days are truly becoming more and more ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth," Bei Changqing murmured softly. "Thinking that with a bit of minor fortune, they can do as they please... truly courting death..." He continued, "I've had enough of looking after these little ones along the way. But who told me I owe the Cloud-Soaring Long Family a favor?"
Beside him, an old man inquired respectfully, "Young Lady, regarding the matter of the Chixiao...
Are you truly planning to let it end like this?"
"What else?"
Bei Changqing shrugged, smiling. "The Immortal Court asked us to probe the Chixiao, and we did probe them. Also, how many times have I said it? Call me Young Lord, not Young Lady. Why do you always forget?"
"This...
Very well, Young Lord."
The old man said helplessly, "After all, so many Immortal Court nobles died this time. If the Immortal Court investigates..."
"I didn't kill them; what does it have to do with me?"
Bei Changqing replied with a playful smile. "I only owe the Cloud-Soaring Long Family a favor, so I'm only responsible for his life and death. As for the others, I couldn't care less."
"But you promised them to probe the Chixiao..."
"I only promised to probe. I never guaranteed we'd probe out any specific result."
"Young... oh no!
Young Master, our identities are somewhat special after all. Since you've chosen to use the Immortal Court's Purple-Gold Cloud Noble as a cover, you can't just put on a show. Otherwise, over time, people will grow suspicious."
As the old man spoke, Bei Changqing grew somewhat impatient. "Alright, I understand."
"Young Master, there's one more matter you need to be mindful of."
"Heavens!
What else is there?"
"It's regarding that Young Lord Chiyan, Gu Qingfeng."
The old man spoke with grave seriousness. "This old one cannot see through that man, nor understand him. If possible, Young Master, you should avoid clashing with him if you can."
Hearing this, Bei Changqing's interest was immediately piqued. Looking at the old man, he also asked seriously, "Old Luo, do you really think I'm not his match?"
"Unclear."
"What do you mean, unclear?
Old Luo, that doesn't sound like you."
"Young Lady, this old one just said, I cannot comprehend that man's existence in the slightest. For someone like that, it's best we do not provoke him."
"Call me Young Lord."
"Very well, Young Lord."
"Since we can't understand him, wouldn't testing him out clarify things?"
"Some people can be tested; others cannot."
"I say, Old Luo, when did your courage shrink so much? This Young Lady...
No! This Young Lord refuses to believe we can't even test him a little. What? Could testing him out get me killed?"
"Young Lady, we agreed beforehand. If you insist on acting recklessly, this old one will have no choice but to take you back."
"Fine, fine, fine, I was wrong. If you say don't test, then we won't test."
"There's one more matter."
"Heavens! What else?"
"Young Lady, if you wish to seek your Karma, you must listen to this old one finish speaking."
"Alright, alright, alright! Speak, I'm listening."
"Before long, the heavens will undergo a strange transformation, and the Heavenly Destiny will appear accordingly."
"I know about that."
Bei Changqing seemed to realize something. "Old Luo, are you saying the Heavenly Destiny will appear in the Great Northwest?"
"What the Heavenly Destiny of the Current Era is, no one knows. Where it will appear, likewise, no one knows. If the Heavenly Destiny does not appear in the Great Northwest, that's one thing. But once it appears in the Great Northwest, Young Lady, you must remember, absolutely do not contend for it."
"Why?
Although this Young Lady has little interest in the Heavenly Destiny, if it appears right before me, wouldn't it be a pity not to contend for it?"
"Young Lady, you should know that Canyang Mountain guards a Life Vein, correct?"
"That's stating the obvious. This Young Lady not only knows Canyang Mountain guards a Life Vein, but also that it guards the legendary, mysterious Life Vein from the Wu Dao Age. Why else did we come here? Precisely because of this Young Lady's Karma tied to the Wu Dao Age."
Hearing Bei Changqing's nonchalant tone, Old Luo felt deeply helpless inside.
Any Karma, once it involves the Wu Dao Age, is cursed Karma. Behind the curse lies a Karma black hole that makes even the Three Thousand Great Daos pale at the mention. If not for seeking the Young Lady's Karma this time, they would never touch anything related to the Wu Dao Age.
"Everything from the Wu Dao legend has been cursed, including the Life Vein guarded by Canyang Mountain."
"I know."
Bei Changqing didn't seem to find anything amiss. "But what does that have to do with the Heavenly Destiny?"
"The Heavenly Destiny of the Current Era itself has no relation to the Life Vein of the Wu Dao Age. But if the Current Era's Heavenly Destiny appears upon the Life Vein of the Wu Dao Age, then the relation becomes significant."
"Then, Old Luo, let me ask you, how can you be so certain that if the Heavenly Destiny appears in the Great Northwest, it must be related to the Wu Dao Age's Life Vein?"
"I don't know, and I cannot be certain. Precisely because of that, this old one says, if the Heavenly Destiny appears in the Great Northwest, Young Lady, do not contend for it. Because we don't know whether that Heavenly Destiny is actually related to the Wu Dao Age or not."
Old Luo advised earnestly, "Young Lady, your Karma being tied to the Wu Dao Age is terrifying enough. If you become entangled with other things from the Wu Dao Age... the consequences would be simply unimaginable."
"Really, at home I'm nagged endlessly by my parents, and now out here I have to listen to you nag. I truly don't understand why every one of you is so afraid of the Wu Dao Age. It's just a cursed, mysteriously vanished era. It's been so long; even if it was terrifying, how terrifying could it still be?"
"Sigh..." Old Luo let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright, alright, I understand. Anything else?"
Old Luo nodded and continued, "This Northwest land is a place where dragons and tigers lie hidden. Young Lady, you must not act recklessly. Once you make a move, your identity will inevitably be exposed."
"Dragons and tigers lie hidden? How so?"
"It's complex. Many people of the Great Dao are lying dormant here."
"People of the Great Dao? What are they lying dormant here for?"
"Probably for the Wu Dao Age Life Vein at Canyang Mountain, or perhaps for other matters. Regardless of why they are lying dormant here, as long as we don't act, it will be difficult for them to discover our identities."
"So what if they do discover us?"
"Young Lady, the Current Era has only just begun for a mere hundred years, and now the Heavenly Destiny descends. The situation between heaven and earth can be said to be extremely chaotic. Our Kunlun does not wish to get involved for the time being."