People talk about immortals, but who has ever seen ascend to the heavens? It's not that immortals are all illusory, but it's always been rare to find someone with a steadfast heart for the Dao.

It is the seventh year of the Daye era, and the Mid-Autumn Festival has arrived once again. A year has passed since Li Daoyi went into seclusion. In this year, many things have happened in the Sui Dynasty. First, the court issued national bonds, and the whole country was swept up in a frenzy under the leadership of the Song Clan, the Yuwen Clan, and the Dugu Clan. The first batch of 50 million national bonds was sold out in just half a month.

At this point, Yang Guang finally understood what it meant to "hide wealth among the people."

Secondly, he launched an attack on Goguryeo and Tuyuhun. Due to the unexpectedly smooth issuance of national bonds, Yang Guang was full of confidence and launched a two-pronged attack on Goguryeo, with 180,000 troops led by Prince Yang Lin, Momen, Yuwen Huaji, and Duke Li Yuan of Tang.

The 180,000-strong army led by Yang Guang, Song Que, and Dugu Feng attacked Tuyuhun in the Western Regions. Although fighting in two places was risky, it also proved the strength of the Sui Dynasty at that time. The battle ended in just three months, before the weather got completely cold. This does not even include the fact that most of the time was spent on the march.

In the early part of the seventh year of the Daye era, the two armies returned to the capital with countless supplies. The entire Sui Dynasty was in an uproar that day. The first thing Yang Guang did upon returning to the capital was to go to the Temple of Grain to report to his ancestors and to celebrate his achievements.

More than half a year has passed since then. The Sui Dynasty has entered a period of strong development. The interest on the first batch of national bonds has been paid, and people's trust in the court has increased. Countless people have extended the validity of their national bond notes and even hoped that the court would issue more national bonds. Those who did not buy them while watching are now filled with regret, with Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, being the most regretful.

Daxing Palace, located in the back mountain of the royal palace, is heavily guarded. Without the emperor's order, anyone who approaches will be killed on the spot.

However, at this moment, a child was happily playing in the back mountain riding a small black beast. The guards ignored him, because this child was Mengmeng, the most precious child in the whole world.

Two figures, one in red and one in white, were nearby; they were Dongfang and Xiaolongnu.

"Dao Yi said it would be at most half a year, but I didn't expect a year to have passed." Dongfang Bubai sighed softly.

“My brother said that there is no time in cultivation. It is common for some people to be in seclusion for decades or even hundreds of years,” Xiaolongnu said softly.

"Sigh, I know, I'm just afraid he'll do the same," Dongfang Bubai said worriedly.

"Probably not."

"Eeya?"

Suddenly, Mengmeng, who was playing in front of them, stopped and looked up at the sky.

At this moment, the two women also noticed something unusual, as five-colored rays of light suddenly appeared in the sky.

"boom…"

Immediately afterwards, a beam of light shot into the sky from where Li Daoyi was in seclusion, disappearing into the clouds and instantly scattering the white clouds in the sky.

"Dao Yi!" Dongfang Bubai exclaimed with delight.

This scene naturally shocked the entire capital city. People looked up at the sky, and some had already knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the sky.

The beam of light slowly disappeared, and a huge figure appeared in the sky, floating silently in the air like a god.

This person was none other than Li Daoyi, who had already broken through to the Nascent Soul stage. The huge figure in the air was his divine power of manifesting the laws of heaven and earth.

Li Daoyi floated quietly in the high sky, his eyes staring straight at the sky, his gaze seemingly piercing through the endless void to look at a distant place.

Then he closed his eyes, and his infant-like spirit suddenly left his body.

At this moment, his primordial spirit seemed to be constantly ascending upwards. He could sense that the scenery below was gradually shrinking. Slowly, he seemed to touch some kind of power, and the surrounding space became still. The stars, the sun and the moon, and the universe all stopped moving at this moment.

That inexplicable energy slowly merged into his primordial spirit. He didn't know how much time had passed—a year? Ten years? A hundred years? Or perhaps ten thousand years!

Finally, his primordial spirit returned to his body, and Li Daoyi opened his eyes. A trace of vicissitudes flashed in his eyes. It seemed that a long time had passed, but in fact it was just the process of him closing and opening his eyes.

"Time?" Li Daoyi murmured.

Just now, he actually comprehended one of the most difficult laws among all the laws of the heavens: time. Although it was only a superficial understanding, it was already extremely terrifying.

Li Daoyi began checking the system information.

"Congratulations on advancing to the Nascent Soul stage. Due to your disciple Yang Guo's breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, you have automatically advanced to a minor realm, and your cultivation has reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage."

"Congratulations, host, you have received a reward and have randomly comprehended a primary divine power law."

"Congratulations, host, on your comprehension of the rudimentary time-related divine power, the power of time."

"The power of time (supreme divine power) can strip the lifespan of the other party according to one's own cultivation level and give it to someone else. At the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, the maximum lifespan that can be stripped is two hundred and fifty years."

"Wow, that's awesome..." Li Daoyi gasped.

Depriving someone of 250 years of lifespan may not seem like much, but in the mortal realm, it's equivalent to a death sentence. Even if someone is a Grandmaster, unless they are like Yutian, they might still have a few years left.

"Have I surpassed ten million points yet?" Li Daoyi checked his points again. After a year of seclusion, his points were increasing every day. As long as his legend circulated in this world, his points would almost never stop, although the number would be small and the rate of increase would slow down. He now had eleven million points.

"Alas…"

The little guy, Mengmeng, suddenly cheered and leaped off the back of the little black dog, flying towards the huge figure in the sky.

Sensing Mengmeng, Li Daoyi withdrew his Heaven and Earth Transformation technique, and his body slowly shrank, soon returning to its original size.

At this moment, Mengmeng happily pounced on Li Daoyi.

"Taoist brother." The little guy hugged Li Daoyi's neck tightly, rubbing his little head against his chin, which was very cute.

"Sweetie, when did you wake up?" Li Daoyi asked, affectionately patting Mengmeng's head.

“I woke up about six months ago!” Mengmeng replied.

Li Daoyi lifted Mengmeng up and examined her carefully.

"Still the same as before, hasn't grown at all." Li Daoyi frowned.

Mengmeng still looked like a three-year-old girl, unchanged. Of course, he couldn't tell what her strength was now; the child remained mysterious.

"Hehehe... I'm still a long way from growing up, a long way from growing up," the little girl laughed.

"Well, it's fine if you don't grow up. As long as you're happy every day, that's all that matters."

"By the way, after sleeping for half a year, have you noticed any changes in yourself?" Li Daoyi asked.

“Hmm…” Mengmeng pondered, sucking on her finger.

"I think I've remembered something, but I can't quite explain it. Hehe, I've gained a new skill!" Mengmeng suddenly said boastfully.

"Oh? What kind of ability?" Li Daoyi was a little curious. Could it be that this child had also comprehended some kind of supernatural power like himself?

"Hehe...look."

"Slap slap..."

The little girl stretched out her chubby little hand and gave it a gentle pat.

Li Dao felt the scenery around him change, and when he came to his senses, he found himself on the ground, where Dongfang Bubai and Xiaolongnu were standing in front of him.

"Spatial teleportation," Li Daoyi exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes!” Mengmeng said, tilting her head up.

"This is truly a wonderful surprise," Li Daoyi exclaimed. He himself had comprehended the laws of time, while the little girl possessed spatial supernatural powers; how could he not be astonished?

"The Way of One".

"elder brother."

The two women walked over.

"Yes, I'm sorry to have worried you. I didn't expect it to take a whole year," Li Daoyi said.

"They're not slow!" After saying that, Li Dao looked into the distance and saw a group of people hurrying towards the back mountain. It was Yang Guang and his men.

"Hahaha, immortal, you've finally emerged from seclusion!" Yang Guang's voice rang out from afar, full of vigor, clearly showing that he was much more confident than before.

Soon, Yang Guang, Song Que, Shi Zhixuan, and surprisingly Zhu Yuyan and Wanwan also arrived. The group bowed and greeted Li Daoyi.

"Welcome the immortal as he emerges from seclusion."

"Mm." Li Daoyi nodded.

"How have you been lately? Tell me about it," Li Daoyi asked.

Yang Guang and the others quickly recounted the events of the past year.

"Hmm, not bad, but don't get arrogant."

"yes."

"Immortal, I have something to report," Zhu Yuyan said.

"What is it?"

"Cihang Jingzhai".

Zhu Yuyan said.

Li Daoyi narrowed his eyes slightly, and Song Que's expression immediately became somewhat unnatural.

“I almost forgot about them,” Li Daoyi said.

“Immortal, Cihang Jingzhai has not followed your instructions and has recently become very close to the Li family of Guanzhong.” Zhu Yuyan said, glancing at Yang Guang.

It should be noted that on the day of the Battle of Luoyang, Fan Qinghui angered Li Daoyi, who ordered him to give away all his wealth within three months and devote himself to Buddhist practice, forbidding him from entering the world.

"Please calm down, Your Majesty. I have already sent a letter to the Duke of Tang, asking him to stay away from these nuns," Yang Guang said hastily.

"The Li family has gone too far," Shi Zhixuan said coldly.

“Immortal, I am willing to personally go to Fan Qinghui and ask him to fulfill your request,” Song Que stepped forward and said, still somewhat reluctant.

“Song Que, you have disappointed me greatly. If this continues, you will never be able to comprehend the Ninth Strike.” Li Daoyi shook his head and sighed.

Song Que was completely stunned.

Just then, Mengmeng suddenly leaned close to Li Daoyi's ear and whispered something.

"Brother, let me tell you, people are coming down from upstairs."

"Up there?" Li Dao looked at Mengmeng, somewhat puzzled.

“Oh, that’s the place that old man went to that night. I saw it! Someone came down from that space,” Mengmeng said.

"The Immortal Sect." Li Daoyi realized. Mengmeng was referring to the world after Xiang Yutian's ascension.

"I understand now." Li Daoyi suddenly realized.

"No wonder Fan Qinghui is so bold; it seems she has a powerful backer."

"A powerful backer? What does the immortal mean by this? The Li clan is not a threat, is it?" Yang Guang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"The Li Clan? Hmph, they're not worthy. What I mean is, someone has descended from the Upper Realm, the world you know as the world after the shattered void. If I'm not mistaken, they've made contact with Cihang Jingzhai," Li Daoyi said coldly.

"What?!" Everyone present was immediately shocked.

The three grandmasters present exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with excitement. Someone had actually descended from the world after the void shattered.