Big Xiong could sense that the young man seemed to have intentions towards Ye Yunsheng, but seeing his demeanor, he just watched it like a show.
"Just a little Dou King, what's there to show off? Doesn't even spare a glance for your Grandpa Xiong. Tsk tsk, honestly, doesn't even know his own worth. He's worlds apart from my brother Zhao Li."
Seeing Lin Feng take his orders and leave, Ye Yunsheng no longer paid attention to him. She turned her head and continued looking at Big Xiong.
For a moment, she seemed unsure how to start, and her words became cautious.
"Brother Xiong, since he entrusted you to look after this place, I assume you know some things. I wonder if he's been well all these years? Could you tell me about it?"
Big Xiong saw the woman who had been so domineering and whose mere presence had made it hard for him to breathe suddenly become like a little girl. He was completely bewildered by Ye Yunsheng's sudden change.
But Big Xiong had always been carefree and didn't dwell on it. However, Ye Yunsheng's residual power was still present, so he didn't dare to talk carelessly. He answered whatever Ye Yunsheng asked.
He told Ye Yunsheng about Zhao Li's years of cultivation in the mountains, but with Big Xiong's eloquence, it naturally wasn't a captivating story. Yet, Ye Yunsheng listened with extreme focus to his incredibly plain account.
However, when talking about the two years since Zhao Li left, Big Xiong became quite emotional—the storybooks Zhao Li had left him had been flipped through countless times, and now he was incredibly bored.
"Brother Xiong, could I take a look at the storybooks you mentioned?"
Ye Yunsheng asked cautiously.
Although she didn't know what kind of things could make Big Xiong sigh so much, she also wanted to see what magic Zhao Li had left behind.
Big Xiong became hesitant. He didn't think anyone could resist the temptation of those picture books. If Ye Yunsheng read them and didn't return them, he wouldn't dare ask for them back.
Big Xiong thought for a moment and still took out a few relatively less exciting storybooks that he had already read many times and gave them to Ye Yunsheng.
Ye Yunsheng took them and eagerly started flipping through them. Once she started, she became engrossed. After finishing one book, Ye Yunsheng suppressed the urge to continue reading the others. She also had her own thoughts about some of the stories in the books.
"So, he really did these things..."
Seeing the fearsome-looking girl lost in thought, Big Xiong felt a little happy. He shook his head, giving himself a thumbs-up for his cleverness.
"Good thing old Xiong here is incredibly smart and wise, and kept a trick up his sleeve. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have a single one left."
Ye Yunsheng came back to her senses and asked Big Xiong a few more things about Zhao Li. She looked at the storybooks in her hand, hesitated for a moment, and then, as if thinking of something, smiled brightly.
"His stories, I'll have him tell them to me personally in the future."
Having made her decision, Ye Yunsheng returned the storybooks to Big Xiong, which made Big Xiong look at her with a greatly changed expression.
Big Xiong looked at Ye Yunsheng as if she were a formidable person. If only Big Xiong knew what Ye Yunsheng was thinking, perhaps his gaze wouldn't have been just this strange.
The two chatted for a long time, with Ye Yunsheng asking and Big Xiong answering, but it was all about Zhao Li.
After a long while, Ye Yunsheng bent down, bowed to Big Xiong, and bid farewell.
"Brother Xiong, thank you. I have other matters to attend to on this trip, so I'll be leaving now. I was abrupt and impulsive earlier, please accept this."
Leaving some Pills for Big Xiong, her figure faded, and she was gone, no one knew where.
Big Xiong was stunned by Ye Yunsheng's sudden bow, his body frozen. He hadn't forgotten Ye Yunsheng's suspected Dou Venerate strength.
Seeing that the person had left, Big Xiong cursed himself inwardly. Only then did he reach out and take the Pills, putting them away without even looking. Zhao Li had given him countless top-grade Pills over the years, so ordinary things couldn't catch his, Xiong's, eye anymore.
Looking at the still prostrate beasts, Big Xiong's mood became unhappy again.
"Hurry up and scram, don't make a fool of yourselves here."
The beasts scattered, startling countless birds in the forest.
Seeing the nameless mountain valley return to peace, Big Xiong looked towards the direction of the Central Plains, suddenly filled with emotion. Then, he chuckled foolishly, shaking his head and slowly walking towards the depths of the mountain range.
"Brother Zhao Li, are you well? You wouldn't believe how fierce your beloved is. I'm afraid you're in for some suffering."
On the other side, Zhao Li had left the Jia Ma Empire. He was still comprehending Space Rules, applying them in practice while traveling. He had no idea what was happening in the Myriad Beast Mountain Range of the Great Qian Empire.
After leaving the Jia Ma Empire, Zhao Li traveled south. At his speed, he had already covered thousands of miles.
"Even at my current speed, it will take at least half a year to reach the Central Plains. If there are other things along the way and I get delayed, I'm afraid it will take even longer. It seems I still need to find a city with a Spatial Wormhole. Perhaps I can even gain some insights from it."
Zhao Li had rarely entered cities along the way, crossing mountains and rivers. He finally encountered a city. After much inquiry, Zhao Li found a map. Comparing it, he made a rough estimate and sighed inwardly.
Having made his decision, Zhao Li took the opportunity to ask the old man selling the map about the nearest city with a Spatial Wormhole. Being unfamiliar with the area, he didn't know how long it would take to find one on his own.
"Elder, do you know where there's a city with a Spatial Wormhole?"
The old man didn't even lift his head, continuing to draw the map. His incredibly flat voice came through.
"Three thousand li to the southeast, there is a Sky Pillar Mountain Range. Within it lies a Sky's Edge City. That is the only city within a ten-thousand-li radius that has established a Spatial Channel."
He had seen many young people like Zhao Li over the years. Without asking, he knew they must be thinking of venturing into the Central Plains.
"Sky's Edge City, you say? Thank you for telling me, Elder."
Zhao Li was also a little surprised to hear the familiar name. He murmured to himself, then cupped his hands and thanked the old man, preparing to leave. He also felt some emotion in his heart.
The difference between the Central Continent and the corners of the continent was indeed too great. The established Spatial Channels were pitifully few. Zhao Li had left the Jia Ma Empire for over a month, yet he still had to go to Sky's Edge City to find a Spatial Channel.
Hearing this, the old man looked up at Zhao Li. That spirited figure reminded him of his younger self, full of vigor, wanting to venture out. But in the end, he could only flee back to his hometown in embarrassment, opening a small shop in that place where strong cultivators and geniuses gathered.
Seeing that Zhao Li was quite polite, he inexplicably said a few more words.
"It's good for young people to be energetic and full of spirit, wanting to venture outside, but they should have some self-awareness, lest they flee back in embarrassment like this old man."
Zhao Li was somewhat taken aback to hear this, and stopped in his tracks. He hadn't expected that even after being reborn in another world, there would be advice to think twice before 'drifting north'. Then he smiled, and his hearty voice came through as he strode quickly outwards.
"Thank you for the reminder, Elder. While I'm young, I want to go and see."
The old man remained silent, watching Zhao Li's retreating back. He had once been just like that. Shaking his head, he continued drawing the map in his hands, murmuring to himself, though it was unclear who he was speaking to.
...
For Zhao Li, a distance of over three thousand li could be covered quickly.
Zhao Li stood in the air, looking down at the entire Sky Pillar Mountain Range from high above. Sky's Edge City was situated right in the middle of the mountain range, like a heart. The roads extending in all directions were like blood vessels, stretching out from Sky's Edge City, connecting the entire mountain range and weaving it into a complete mountain city.
Seeing the constant flow of people and carriages on the main roads, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
"As expected of a major city with a Spatial Wormhole, to possess such means to build such a prosperous city within a mountain range."
Zhao Li didn't delay and walked towards Sky's Edge City. With a few strides, he landed inside the city.
After asking someone for directions to the Spatial Wormhole, Zhao Li hurried towards the city center.
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