Chapter 1401: Yunai Immortal Mountain, Elder Yun

When the man before her turned his head, He Qing stared blankly. Beneath that disheveled mess of hair and beard lay a striking face; the profound age in his eyes seemed to have weathered countless years.

But who was this man?

Why had he appeared before her at this moment?

Before Aqing could recover her wits, a thunderous shout rang out!

"Who dares disrupt the grand competition!!!"

In an instant, cultivators surged forward from all directions.

Chen Changsheng rose, gripping his sword, and swept his gaze across his surroundings. Yin-Yang Qi clung to the blade, transforming into a ray of sword light that scattered outward.

"Boom!!"

The sword qi roared, shaking everyone to their core.

Countless cultivators staggered back. The sword qi whipped up a massive gale, overturning the throngs of people along both banks.

"Yin-Yang Qi?"

"A Sword Immortal?!"

Up on the distant cliffside viewing platforms, the elders of the various Immortal Sects all stiffened slightly.

"Who is this person?"

"A disciple of Sword Mountain?"

"He isn't!!"

A voice rang out, and the crowd immediately looked over.

They saw an elder of Lingyue Immortal Island speak up: "In this world, only two people understand Yin-Yang Qi. One is Xiao Dongxu of Xuanjiu Immortal Mountain, which shares its lineage with Tianji Mountain. The other is the very man who left behind that yin-yang fortuitous encounter, Chen Changsheng."

That distant name echoed in the crowd's ears once again.

Coming back to their senses, they recalled an event from many years ago.

"Chen Changsheng? The Chen Changsheng who commanded the Desolate Sea Water Demons?"

"Didn't he die in the Underworld Tribulation?"

"He's still alive?"

Chen Changsheng had vanished from the Cultivation World for many years. For a long time, countless cultivators assumed he had perished in that battle for the Yellow Springs.

But now, this man had suddenly appeared!

And he had appeared before their very eyes in such a destitute state.

Up on the viewing platforms, the various Immortal Sect elders exchanged glances.

"What do we do now?"

"This Chen Changsheng seems to have quite a few ties to Tianji Mountain."

"Let's wait and see what he intends to do. Besides, looking at him, he doesn't seem to be here to cause trouble. It looks like he's only trying to save someone."

"This Chen Changsheng has always been close to our Mysterious Gate. Now that he has appeared, we should try to win him over. Not to mention, he possesses the might of a Sword Immortal. Our Mysterious Gate lacks people like him."

"There is reason in those words..."

"And if he refuses?"

"Let's wait and see. Unless absolutely necessary, it is best not to make an enemy of this man. After all, he is a Dao cultivator who once seized the Yellow Springs right out from under the Heavenly Dao..."

"Mhm..."

The crowd fell silent, also feeling that this was the best approach.

With a sweep of someone's sleeve, the Mysterious Gate cultivators who had been about to swarm forward all halted their steps, though their eyes remained fixed on Chen Changsheng.

Seeing that the surroundings had calmed, Chen Changsheng sheathed the Listening Rain Sword and said, "This Chen only wishes to take one person away. I have no intention of causing trouble, so I ask that you clear a path."

Several elders exchanged glances.

Then they saw Chen Changsheng suddenly look up and glance in their direction.

Before they could react, Chen Changsheng grabbed He Qing's hand, turned around, and prepared to leave.

He Qing froze for a moment. She only felt that this person was incredibly rude, not even asking if she was willing to go.

"Who are you? Why do you want me to go with you?"

But the man in front of her didn't say a word.

He Qing pursed her lips and looked back at her fellow sect members and elders on the shore.

Among the group from Qingyuan Mountain, the elder looked up, intending to intervene. But when he saw the sword qi of the immortal sword surging, he forcefully checked his steps.

Chen Changsheng ignored the Mysterious Gate cultivators blocking him. Under the watchful eyes of thousands of cultivators, he led He Qing away, and not a single person dared to forcefully stop them.

Doubt filled the eyes of the immortal mountain elders on the viewing platforms.

"Which Immortal Sect is that young woman from?"

"Elder Yun, she seems to be someone under the jurisdiction of your Yunai Immortal Mountain, right?"

The crowd's gazes shifted to Elder Yun, who was also the person who had just revealed Chen Changsheng's identity.

Yun Li swept his gaze across the crowd and nodded. "This girl is named He Qing. She is a cultivator from Qingyu Mountain, a region under the jurisdiction of my immortal mountain."

His eyes followed the departing figure.

He didn't care about this He Qing; his gaze remained entirely fixed on Chen Changsheng.

He couldn't quite understand why Mister Chen had ended up in this state. Back then, Mister Chen had been gentle and refined. How had he become like this now, looking just like a beggar?

Just what had happened?

Yun Li snapped back to reality and said, "I'm going to take a look!"

He rose and stepped onto a cloud, ignoring the elders of the other immortal mountains as he headed straight in the direction Chen Changsheng had gone.

After leaving Tianming Pool, Chen Changsheng brought He Qing to a wide, empty clearing.

Panic written on her face, He Qing asked, "Why did you save me?"

"Say something! Why do you keep quiet?"

"Just who are you?"

"Hey, say something!"

Chen Changsheng let go of her hand. He Qing paused and rubbed her wrist, finally taking a proper look at the man in ragged clothes before her.

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment and asked, "What is your name?"

He Qing hesitated, thinking for a moment before replying, "He Qing."

"Qing..."

Chen Changsheng dazedly returned to his senses and said, "Fate really works like this."

"What fate?" He Qing asked in confusion.

"We know each other."

"I don't know you."

"A very long time ago."

"I didn't know you a long time ago either. I've never seen you before."

"In your... past life..."

Hearing this, He Qing froze for a moment, but then shook her head. "What past life? I have no idea what you're talking about. Who would believe such deceitful words?"

Looking at this face that was so familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar, Chen Changsheng lowered his head.

"You have merely forgotten."

He Qing furrowed her brows, feeling that the man in front of her was just spouting nonsense.

"But there is one thing you should remember."

Chen Changsheng looked at her and said, "The 'Rebirth Scripture'."

He Qing suddenly stiffened, a clear trace of panic flashing through her eyes. "What... what 'Rebirth Scripture'? I don't know what you're talking about."

"It is the only thing you took with you from the Underworld."

"I don't know anything about a 'Rebirth Scripture'!"

He Qing didn't want to stay a moment longer. She couldn't understand how this person knew about this. She hadn't even told her mother about the 'Rebirth Scripture'.

Right at that moment, they saw a person arriving on a cloud.

"Mister Chen!"

He Qing froze for a moment and looked up.

Seeing the newcomer, she hurriedly bowed in respect and called out, "Greetings, Elder."

Yun Li glanced at her and reached out to help her up, saying, "No need for such formalities."

He then turned to Chen Changsheng and cupped his hands. "I wonder if Mister still remembers this Yun?"

Chen Changsheng reached up to brush aside the hair blocking his vision and looked closely.

A figure surfaced from his memories.

"You are..."

Chen Changsheng paused for a moment before saying, "You are Yun Li. Yun Li of the Qingyuan Cloud Manor."

Yun Li gave a warm smile and said respectfully, "It is indeed this junior!"