“Bihu Mountain, forty years ago, the Lu Family Ancestor, Lu Changsheng, seized it from the Yu Family and established the Blue Lake Mountain Lu Family, where his family…”

Qin Yi focused on the jade slip in her hand, which contained information about Bihu Mountain.

When she saw only a brief mention about the Lu Family’s eldest son, Lu Ping’an, she asked aloud, “Senior Brother, is there any detailed information about Bihu Mountain’s Lu Ping’an?”

“Bihu Mountain, Lu Ping’an? Junior Sister, wait a moment.”

Moments later, a disciple from Tianwang Tower handed her a jade slip containing the information.

The content inside about Lu Ping’an was sparse, covering only his physical appearance, identity, and current combat strength.

As for his personal history, there were only two items: defeating the Tao Family Patriarch and the Sima Family Patriarch.

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When Qin Yi saw the tall, robust, and stalwart-looking young man detailed in the jade slip, her expression froze momentarily, and she lightly pressed her lips together.

Years ago, after parting ways with Lu Ping’an, she began her journey toward the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Now that she thought about it, she truly was like an untamed calf unafraid of tigers in those days.

At the Fourth Level of Qi Refinement, she dared to travel alone from the Qingyun Region to the Heavenly Sword Sect to seek apprenticeship.

If not for the stack of talismans and three bottles of elixirs Lu Ping’an had given her upon parting, she probably would have perished halfway there.

Even so, it was sheer luck that she encountered an elder from the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Otherwise, joining the Heavenly Sword Sect was nearly impossible.

“Not only did he succeed in embarking on the path of cultivation, but he has also grown to such an extent.”

“It seems he must have some kind of latent spiritual root, or even a spiritual body. It was just that his spiritual root was dormant back then, which prevented him from cultivating.”

Looking at the depiction of Lu Ping’an in the jade slip, Qin Yi murmured softly, her heart both relieved and at peace.

After their parting that year, a sense of emptiness lingered in her heart, and she felt an urge to find Lu Ping’an.

But since they had parted, they had no way of contacting each other.

Moreover, in her youth, she was also determined to find a way for him to cultivate despite being a mortal.

Yet, when she arrived at the Heavenly Sword Sect and gradually gained understanding of cultivation, she finally understood the weight behind the words “the divide between immortals and mortals.”

In the world of cultivation, there indeed exist heavenly and earthly treasures capable of granting mortals spiritual roots.

However, such treasures are exceedingly rare.

Even Nascent Soul Immortals and True Lords may not be in possession of them!

Still, she did not give up.

After breaking through to Foundation Establishment, she journeyed out of the sect, battling demons and slaying evildoers while seeking news regarding such matters.

But twenty years passed with no significant leads.

Who would have thought, upon returning to the sect, she would hear news of Lu Ping’an starting his cultivation journey and advancing to such a level.

An overwhelming sense of relief and joy filled her heart, making her feel as though her very soul was unburdened.

“So, back then, the one who entered the Purple Shadow Secret Realm was him!”

At this point, Qin Yi’s willow-like brows arched slightly as she recalled her encounter with ‘An Ping’ in the Purple Shadow Secret Realm.

At the time, her intuition told her that the person was indeed Lu Ping’an.

However, the other party denied it, and the notion of a mortal engaging in cultivation at the time seemed too preposterous for her to fully believe.

Now, seeing that Lu Ping’an had set out on the path of cultivation and had likely achieved quasi-third-tier body refining, her suspicions were finally confirmed.

“Why didn’t he acknowledge me…?”

Qin Yi’s brows furrowed slightly, her hand gripping the jade slip with strength.

“I see. He must have disguised his identity to enter the Purple Shadow Secret Realm, which implies he didn’t want to reveal himself.”

“Furthermore, judging by appearances, he has been concealing his strength all along.”

Qin Yi’s thoughts turned to the details about Lu Ping’an’s life and background.

She surmised that Lu Ping’an’s latent talent likely awakened later, prompting his family to keep him hidden and low-profile.

After all, in family factions, such situations were not uncommon.

A top-tier genius emerging from a small family force was often kept secret until their growth, to prevent other families from neutralizing the threat.

“But why hasn’t he written a single letter to me since?”

Biting her lip lightly, Qin Yi fell silent.

If ‘An Ping’ was indeed Lu Ping’an, then despite her having clearly informed him that she was at the Heavenly Sword Sect, why hadn’t she received even a single letter?

She didn’t dwell further on the matter and decided to head to Bihu Mountain to meet Lu Ping’an and get to the bottom of it!

After so many years, the regrets of her youth had carved themselves into her very being.

The memories after their parting—guilt, longing, and bittersweet affection—had fermented for decades, turning those early years into a vivid yet distant dream, now an unwavering obsession.

After completing her formal registration at the Record Hall, Qin Yi suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned toward the Letter Tower. She took out her identity jade token and asked, “Excuse me, are there any letters for me?”

A qi refinement apprentice verified her token, then retrieved a bundle from a corner and responded, “Martial Aunt, please check if any of these letters are yours?”

Qin Yi glanced at the senders’ names on the letters, her gaze freezing slightly as she saw the stack of more than ten letters. Her expression faltered for a moment.

Her once stoic face showed a faint smile, followed by a bitter one, as she took the letters and left the Letter Tower.

She quickly returned to her dust-covered cave mansion. Without even using the Cleansing Technique, she eagerly opened the letters with anticipation and read the contents.

“???”

But as she read what was written inside, she froze completely, her face filled with utter bewilderment and disbelief.

…

Misty Rain Market.

“Lu Changsheng, Mountain Lord of Bihu, has fallen within the Tianyuan Secret Realm.”

“Am I now a widow even before entering his home?”

A woman of around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, dressed in a light blue gown with a delicate face, heard the news and revealed a somewhat peculiar expression.

Previously, when the Sima family sent people to Misty Rain Market to demand accountability, she made a decisive decision to seek assistance from Bihu Mountain and agreed to their vassalage request, on the condition that the Mountain Lord of Bihu marry her as a concubine.

But unexpectedly, before she could even officially join his household, this Lu Mountain Lord allegedly perished in the Tianyuan Secret Realm.

“Elder sister, since that Lu Ancestor has died in the Tianyuan Secret Realm, the Sima Family may use this opportunity to provoke and probe Bihu Mountain.”

“Moreover, by allying with Bihu Mountain, we might become targets of the Sima Family’s suppression. I will head to Bihu Mountain.”