Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, more than a decade had slipped away. During this period, the Star-Sea Continent enjoyed unprecedented peace and development.
Aside from his own cultivation and handling critical policies, Qi Ping spent most of his time helping Elder Zhou condense a stronger Carefree Dao Seed. He spent those final years accompanying the old man, drinking wine and chatting about mundane things.
The time spent with Elder Zhou was the most relaxed Qi Ping had ever felt.
As he had expected, after ten years, Elder Zhou's life reached its natural end.
Along with Elder Zhou, the Old Mountain Primal also reached the end of its lifespan. It was already ancient, and having become Elder Zhou's closest friend, it chose not to use spirit herbs to extend its life once it knew the old man's time was up. It simply let its life fade away.
The man and the beast passed away almost at the same time.
Perhaps it was because their wishes were fulfilled, or perhaps it was because they had each other, but the two old drunkards died with smiles on their faces, showing no fear of death.
After their passing, Qi Ping erected a tombstone for them in the courtyard. This had been Elder Zhou's request. To him, auspicious burial sites didn't matter; being buried at home was the best return. The Old Mountain Primal was even more casual. It had no home of its own; it simply wanted to be where Elder Zhou was. Its only request was that Qi Ping ensure its body wouldn't be dug up and eaten by something.
Standing before the graves now was Qi Ping, dressed in black, his aura alone enough to pressure the heavens. Beside him stood Sister Nan in white, her aura as a Queen Bee becoming increasingly pronounced.
Perhaps influenced by Elder Zhou's open-mindedness, or perhaps because he knew Elder Zhou hadn't truly "died," Qi Ping did not show excessive grief.
Over the past decade, he had done everything possible to help the old man condense a perfect Carefree Dao Seed. How much influence Elder Zhou would maintain after his eventual awakening would depend on the old man's own ability.
However, Qi Ping had faith in him. The old man might have seemed lazy and unreliable, but his Dao-heart was stronger than most, and he understood life better than anyone.
Sister Nan, however, stood before the grave with red, tearful eyes. Unlike Qi Ping, who had many friends and a grand foundation, Elder Zhou was her only close friend besides Qi Ping. She had known the old man even longer than she had known Qi Ping; it was Elder Zhou who had introduced the young, fledgling Qi Ping to her.
Losing such a friend was an immense blow to her.
"Sister Nan, there's no need to be so sad. In a way, Elder Zhou hasn't died," Qi Ping comforted her.
"What? He's not dead?" Sister Nan snapped her head toward him, her grief replaced by shock. She had watched him die with her own eyes. How could he not be dead?
"Correct," Qi Ping nodded firmly.
"What do you mean?"
"Through my deductions, I discovered that Elder Zhou is the reincarnated body of a great figure. This life was merely one cycle of his reincarnation to comprehend the Dao. The 'Elder Zhou' we knew has simply taken the results of this life's cultivation into his next rebirth. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to interfere with his Dao-result. Only if this life was significant enough will Elder Zhou's personality remain dominant once that figure fully merges their memories."
Qi Ping chose not to hide the truth any longer. He didn't want Sister Nan to suffer, and the need for secrecy had passed with the old man's death. Even if the personality changed after the merger, it was still a hope to cling to.
Sister Nan stood frozen as she processed the information. A great figure's reincarnation! Who would have thought that lazy old man was such a person?
After a long silence, she asked, "When he awakens his memories, will he still be Elder Zhou? Or will he become someone else?"
She didn't know much about the cycles of reincarnation, but she could imagine that merging countless lifetimes of memories would have an unimaginable impact.
"In the path of reincarnation for enlightenment, the most important life becomes the primary personality. Every life is a real experience, and the more significant the experience, the greater its influence. Elder Zhou's Dao-result in this life is extraordinary. If we cultivate diligently, we will see him again one day!"
Hearing this, Sister Nan nodded with joy.
"As long as he's not dead. Who knows, when we meet again, he might even be ahead of us!"
"Old man, I'll come back to visit you often!"
Qi Ping poured three jars of wine for the old man and then sealed the entire mountain peak. Where Elder Zhou was, that was his true home, even if the man was gone.
He couldn't be certain what the attitude of that entity would be once the memories awakened.
"One thing is certain, though: Elder Zhou's memories will never disappear. Even if they don't form the primary personality, their influence will be massive."
"And if I become strong enough in the future, I can forcibly revive Elder Zhou's memories myself!"
That would be much easier than resurrecting a dead soul.
With that thought, Qi Ping felt at peace. Now, he only needed to focus on accumulating strength and researching the essence of power in this world. He would use all the resources of the Star-Sea Continent to forge a force that could shatter any fate or manipulation.
On another note, the siblings Chang Qing and Chang E, who had also been taken in by Elder Zhou, came to pay their respects. The sincere Chang E cried her eyes out for her "Grandfather Zhou," while Chang Qing suppressed his tears with gritted teeth.
In the final days of the old man's life, the siblings had frequently visited to help with chores on the mountain. Now that he was gone, the bees on the peak were left in their care.
The two had only recently discovered Qi Ping's true identity, and the revelation had left them stunned.
No wonder Elder Zhou had said they only earned the right to know Qi Ping's identity once they reached the Golden Core stage. At the time, they thought he was exaggerating. To them, a Golden Core cultivator was already a legendary figure!
They had tried to guess Qi Ping's status, imagining him to be a high-ranking official, but they never imagined that the peaceful man was the Eternal Emperor who stood at the absolute peak of the Star-Sea Continent!
When the truth hit them, their shock was beyond words. They also never expected that the kind, lazy old man would be the master of such a legend!
Now that they were Golden Core cultivators, they finally understood that the requirement wasn't an exaggeration. Even as "great" Golden Core experts, they were still like ants before Qi Ping.
However, their rapid advancement to the Golden Core stage was due to their rare talent, specialized knowledge, and the abundance of resources Qi Ping provided as a reward for their work with the spirit trees.
The Star-Sea Continent shouldn't have had so few Golden Core cultivators in the past; it was just that no previous power had researched the cultivation realms as thoroughly as the Qingyuan Academy and the Star-Sea Academy.
Compared to current conditions, Qi Ping's own early cultivation was like a "budget version."
Thus, it was no surprise the siblings had advanced so quickly. They were a microcosm of the prosperity of the Star-Sea Nine Domains.
If one were to describe the current state of the Domains, it would be a golden age of geniuses and dragons. The new generation was full of fighting spirit, eager to prove themselves in the upcoming crisis and earn a name for themselves. Their greatest ambition was to become core disciples of the Star-Sea Academy. Every core disciple was a genius capable of defining an era.
And so, several more years passed.
One day, while immersed in his research of the Laws, Qi Ping suddenly sensed a terrifying power. It was pressing toward the Star-Sea Continent at a staggering speed!