Very soon, Li Dong brought Violet Orchid to a detached villa with ease. He pressed the doorbell and the four-meter-tall probe on the iron gate pointed at the two of them.
"Brother, this doesn't seem to be home. Where are we going?”Violet Orchid, who sensed something strange, handed the writing board to her brother in confusion.
Li Dong stroked Violet Orchid's smooth black hair and said with a smile,""I'll take you to see a beautiful lady.”
"Sister-in-law?" Violet Orchid wrote two words on the writing board.
"Puff!" Li Dong, who felt like he had received a blow, smiled bitterly and said,""If only it was true, I could have worked less for decades. Unfortunately, a good king like me, how could I make such a fair, rich, and beautiful woman like me favor me?”
"Although Lan 'er can't see that big sister's appearance now, Lan' er feels that only the most beautiful girl in the world is worthy of big brother!”
"Haha, I'm very happy that you can say that. It's just that most of the girls who have rejected me have the same intention. Well, I know what kind of person I am.”Li Dong's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a cold expression.
At this moment, the iron door opened automatically. Li Dong pushed Violet Orchid in slowly. Although it was not his first time here, the high-profile luxury here still deeply shocked the poor young man.
It was a typical western-style aristocratic style. The front yard was a long and narrow forest path, and in the center was a fountain pool. The surrounding grass and flower beds were carefully taken care of by professionals every week. As for the backyard, it was an independent garden, which was the place for traditional western nobles to have afternoon tea parties.
The main door of the villa slowly opened, and a proud and aloof figure walked out leisurely. A head of silver-gray hair could be seen dancing in the wind, and a touch of light golden bangs brushed past her right eye. The woman's face was beautiful and cold, with a high nose bridge and blue pupils. She had a body appearance similar to that of a Westerner.
As for why they were similar, it was because her appearance had a bit of the beauty and tranquility of an Asian, unlike the fiery heat of a Westerner.
" Student Xu, long time no see…" Li Dong, who didn't know how to greet him, chose the most ordinary way.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
Xu Rong's cold tone was as refreshing as spring water in a mountain stream, especially the fragrance of tulip that wafted from her body. For a moment, Li Dong was actually a little obsessed.
At this moment, she elegantly made an inviting gesture and pointed to the room before continuing,"Come in and talk."
He followed Xu Rong into the bungalow. The interior of the bungalow was decorated in a pure European style. It was high-profile and luxurious, revealing the aristocratic aura of the upper class.
Li Dong sat down on the sofa that was so soft that it made people want to get up. He went straight to the point and said,
"Can you take care of my sister for a while? I have something to do and have to go on a long trip."
"Sure."
"Uh…"
Xu Rong agreed very straightforwardly. His eyes revealed a serious expression, causing Li Dong to say somewhat helplessly,"You're still the same. No matter what request I make, you always agree without thinking.”
" Other than dating me…" Li Dong muttered softly.
Xu Rong was speechless.
No one knew what she was thinking about with a cold expression. However, after many years of interacting with her, Li Dong knew very well that she had a cold exterior and a warm heart. Under her cold exterior, there was a kinder heart than anyone else.
"Alright, Lan 'er. You have to get along well with Sister Xu during this period of time. She's someone you can absolutely trust.”
"Yes, Violet Orchid will listen to Sister Xu obediently.”
Seeing Violet Orchid's obedient appearance, Li Dong felt slightly relieved.
Li Dong returned to his apartment alone and focused on cultivating. With the power of the pills in his body, he could reach the Foundation Establishment stage within a week. However, he did not do so because it would make his foundation unstable. If he did not even lay a good foundation in the early stages, even a three-hundred-meter-tall building would only be a dilapidated house.
It was not until the day before the Double Ninth Festival that Li Dong officially came out of seclusion. At this moment, the true essence in his body was even denser than that of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. This was the benefit of cultivation techniques and pills.
"It's a pity that this is a city, and I can't test my current power. It seems I'll have to make other plans in the Mountain and Sea Realm.”
Tomorrow was the day when the spatial door would open. Li Dong, who had never traveled far before, was going to the Otherworld this time. One could imagine the uneasiness in his heart.
……
……
Dragging her weak body along the streets, she endured the greedy gazes from time to time. Too many people were thinking about her young and beautiful self. No one in this city knew about her past, and she had never said that she, who looked innocent and gentle, had layers of shackles in her heart that prevented anyone from entering her heart. No one knew what she was like hidden in the deepest depths.
Every time she saw his fake smile in her own home, her tears would flow uncontrollably. When she came back to her senses, she could only rely on the cold wall. Although her eyes were filled with fatigue, adding a sickly beauty to her beautiful face, the unyielding and stubborn look in her eyes made it impossible for anyone to have any evil thoughts.
Hu Yue `e quickly walked to her restaurant and immediately saw Li Dong pacing back and forth in front of the restaurant. Suddenly, she covered her mouth and laughed softly. She smoothed the hair in front of her eyes and smiled sweetly."Silly brother, you're here. Why don't you go in?”
Li Dong was slightly taken aback as he looked at Sister Yue'e who had revealed her naivety. He scratched his head in embarrassment and felt slightly guilty."Sister Yue'e, I have something very important to tell you. Please don't be angry after hearing it.”
Hu Yue `e saw his solemn expression and tilted her head in confusion. She said,""Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I have something very important to do and need to take a leave of absence for a period of time, about a month or two…"
Hearing Li Dong's words, Hu Yue `e was slightly stunned. She then smiled charmingly and said,""Ah, you're asking for leave? Sure, you've been working very hard, so you should rest well. Don't worry about the shop, just leave it to me.”
Looking at Sister Yue'e's confident expression, Li Dong's forehead was filled with black lines. He felt that she was completely unreliable.
"Sis, you're the person who helped me when I was in the most difficult time. You're my most important family member. I'll definitely come back as soon as possible.”Li Dong's eyes glistened with tears as he excitedly gave Sister Yue'e a hug.
Sister Yue'e's delicate body stiffened for a moment before she relaxed. She patted Li Dong's back gently and said,""Hehe, silly little brother, you're saying such silly things again. Then you have to promise big sister that you'll come back immediately after you're done.”
Li Dong took two steps back and cupped his fists at her. After grunting, he ran away. Hu Yue `e looked at his disappearing figure, and her eyes revealed a deep reluctance to part. After so many years, she had gradually gotten used to not showing her true feelings.
However, when she faced Li Dong, there were a few times when she almost couldn't maintain her smile.
In this era, she had seen too many people who were greedy for money and women. Many people came to her with evil intentions just to get close to her and satisfy their desires and sense of achievement.
However, Hu Yue `e knew that Li Dong was different. He had stayed here purely to repay her kindness, not for the meager salary, nor for her beauty. As for how he knew, there was no concrete evidence. It was only because of the smile that Li Dong had shown her without any pretentiousness…
Li Dong treated her as his family and relied on her. However, the funny thing was that she couldn't be like Li Dong because she couldn't trust anyone, whether it was her family or friends. After all, she only had this shop left…
Along the way, she had experienced too much. Although she was only 26 years old and clumsy, she could see the darkness of this world more clearly than many people. However, how long could her fake and clumsy smile last in front of Li Dong?
……
……
After dealing with all the trivial matters in his daily life, Li Dong left for the Azure Wood Immortal Realm the next day. However, he did not see the old master in the wooden house. There was only an unfamiliar middle-aged man with his back facing him. That man was dressed in a Daoist robe that was reminiscent of ink. Li Dong bowed and asked,"Sir, may I ask, have you seen the Headmaster?”
Li Dong's words and actions were still considered polite and appropriate. The middle-aged man turned around and saw his face. Li Dong was slightly stunned. This man had sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, a straight nose, sharp and deep eyes, and a small scar at the corner of his eye. If one did not look carefully, it would be difficult to notice. He was about 1.9 meters tall and his figure was well-proportioned and perfect. Just by standing there, he gave off an indescribable pressure, as if he was an unsheathed divine weapon.
Just as Li Dong was sizing him up, the middle-aged man said in a magnetic voice,""The Headmaster isn't here," he said."I'll pass on the message regarding the Mountain and Sea Realm. I'm the sect leader of the Daoist Human Sect. You can call me Celestial Master Wuyan.”
This extremely familiar voice made Li Dong's mind wander. In that instant, some incomplete and blurry fragments appeared in his mind. He could vaguely see a man and a woman in Daoist robes with hazy appearances. An extremely childish voice echoed in his ears." Master, I, Li Dong, have become a Daoist today. I will naturally follow the Heavenly Dao and save the world without regret…"
The sound and scene were like a fleeting glimpse of flowers, causing Li Dong to be unable to differentiate between reality and illusion.
"So it's Sect Master Han.”Li Dong bowed respectfully.
Seeing this, Han Que's eyes dimmed slightly, and his heart ached a little. However, he quickly recovered his expression and said indifferently,"Master... ahem, let me give you some basic information about the Otherworld. Your destination is the Ancient Barren Lands of the Mountain and Sea Realm. There are six extremely dangerous areas in the Ancient Barren Lands. They are the Eternal Sun Forest in the central region, the Coast of the Sea in the eastern region, the Ancient West Mountain Road in the western region, the Cloud Sky Stone Forest in the southern region, the Black Nether South Sea, and the Thunder Dragon Barren Marsh in the northern region.”
" These places are full of ferocious beasts, and the deeper you go, the more dangerous it is. Since the Shang Dynasty, Cultivators have only explored some of the peripheral areas and rarely ventured deep into the core area. Even some powerful Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators can be counted on one's fingers to make it back alive.”
Then, he handed over a paper map.""This is the most detailed map we have so far.”
After a cursory glance, Li Dong realized that other than the rough area division and route, most of the places were blank and unknown areas.
"Who edited this lousy map? Road signs, geomorphological features, vegetation distribution, biological community…There was not a single one. There was not even a scale. He must have failed his middle school geography exam, right?”Li Dong held the map like it was a rag, his face revealing an undisguised look of disdain.
"Cultivators aren't professional cartographers, after all, and professionals in these fields don't have the ability to go to the Mountain and Sea Realm.”
"Then how do I get to the Mountain and Sea Realm? " I heard from the teacher that he seems to be working with the government…" Li Dong raised a crucial question.
Han Que nodded and replied," That's right. Since the first year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, all public otherworld exploration activities have been led by the government. The ecological environment department, geological department, water resources department, archeological organization, paleological research organization, and more than 20 other departments are responsible for planning. The military is responsible for maintaining the space-time teleportation array left behind from ancient times.”
Sweat! Was it really okay for a government that believed in science to control this thing? "Is there any other way to enter the Mountain and Sea Realm?”
Working with the government meant that he would be restricted by the government. However, Li Dong had to find all the ingredients for the prescription within 44 days. He did not have the time or energy to complete other missions.
"There are naturally other methods, but in terms of safety and stability, the first choice is the spatial teleportation formation.”At this point, Han Que grabbed Li Dong's wrist and continued,""There are a total of five teleportation formations left behind from ancient times in the Celestial Empire, and the largest of them is the Four Symbols Heaven Ascension Formation in Mount Helan.”
Without waiting for Li Dong's reply, Han Que took a step forward. The two of them immediately turned into a stream of light and disappeared from the Green Wood Immortal Realm.
……
……
He could hear the whistling of the wind, but he could not feel any strong wind. When Li Dong opened his eyes, he realized that he was already ten thousand meters in the air. The surrounding scenery was retreating at high speed, and under his feet was a beautiful longsword that was filled with spirituality.
There was no fear at all, just like when he was on flat ground. Moreover, for some reason, the circulation of the Nine Heavens Emperor's Daughter Art was smoother than before, and the true essence in his body was rising rapidly, showing signs of breaking through.
In the blink of an eye, he returned to the ground. Li Dong looked at the unfamiliar environment around him and couldn't help but sigh at the magic of the sword control technique.
"The legendary sword control technique?" For Li Dong, who had just entered the cultivation realm, nothing was more attractive to him than sword kinesis flight.
"Let's go. I'll take you to see someone.”Han Que was still pulling his wrist as they walked forward.
The mountain path was rugged and narrow, and the surrounding forest was hidden. It was a place where no one could see the slightest trace of human habitation. After walking out of the mountain pass, a dense forest could be seen. The winding mountain range stretched for hundreds of miles on both sides, forming a huge valley.
"Where are we?" Li Dong looked around curiously. This was the first time he had seen such a magnificent and beautiful canyon.
"This is the central region of the Helan Mountain Range. The teleportation formation is here.”Han Que pulled Li Dong's hand and continued walking forward. Suddenly, Li Dong noticed something strange in the grass several hundred meters away. It seemed to tremble and he quickly approached the two of them.
Li Dong glanced at Han Que and saw that his expression was normal, so he decided not to care. He saw four men in ghillie suits suddenly jump out and block the two of them.
"The Bureau Chief has invited you. Please follow us.”The leading soldier made a gesture of invitation.
Han Que didn't answer, but merely nodded his head lightly.
They walked deeper into the forest, but they did not find any traces of human activity. If it were not for the soldiers leading the way and Li Dong's sensitive five senses, he would not have noticed the military facilities hidden in the forest.
Under the lead of the four soldiers, they quickly arrived at a military tent covered in leaves. This was the headquarters of the field army, and the person who received Li Dong and Han Que was a major general with a golden flower on his shoulder. He saluted Han Que and said,"Daoist Priest Wuyan, we've been waiting for you.”
Han Que gave a faint " hmm " before dragging the still somewhat dull Li Dong into the command room. The command room was about 200 square meters in size, while the holographic projection sandbox in the middle occupied nearly 100 square meters. There were also many other electronic devices that he had never seen or heard of before surrounding the sandbox like stars surrounding the moon.
The commanding personnel in field uniforms were busy with their work. Even if two strangers suddenly walked in, they did not attract their attention at all.
The old man who was sitting in the commander's seat with his back facing the two of them slowly turned around and greeted them with a smile,"Mr. Han, I haven't seen you for ten years, but you still look the same.”
"Bureau Chief Qian, let me introduce you. This child is the candidate recommended by my Taoist school, Li Dong.”
Han Que pushed Li Dong to the front, and instantly, countless gazes in the command room gathered on this youth. He had a wheat-colored face, and his facial features were rather decent, but he was also an ordinary person. He had a standard physique that was neither fat nor thin, neither tall nor short, and he had the temperament of a refined scholar. He had a face that was harmless to humans and animals, and he was simply a weak scholar who did not have the strength to even bind a chicken.
Just the first impression made many of the officers present look down on him. The old man in the head seat laughed heartily and said,"Since it's someone recommended by Mr. Han, there's naturally no problem. When do you plan to set off, little brother?”
"Anytime." Li Dong replied expressionlessly.
"I wonder if Mr. Han has mentioned the matter entrusted by the country to you, little brother?”Chief Qian asked again.
" Yes, Sect Leader Han did tell me about it, but I don't intend to accept the commission. I have more important things to do…" Before Han Que could reply, Li Dong directly rejected him.
Not only did the officers present frown, even Director Qian frowned. Some of the officers even showed anger on their faces.
Li Dong knew what they were thinking. He also knew that his actions were very selfish, but was it really wrong to be selfish for the sake of his family's lives?
"I'm very sorry, but it concerns the lives of my family, so I have no choice but to do it privately.”Li Dong cupped his hands and bowed.
"Child, you're being too serious. There's no need to apologize.”Elder Qian smiled and said," You didn't do anything that harmed the country's interests, so it's understandable that you prioritize your family. After all, this is human nature. It's the country's fault for letting a child like you go on a long journey for the country.”
Upon hearing Chief Qian's words, Li Dong immediately waved his hand in a panic and said nervously,""Chief, you're being too serious. The country has already treated us commoners very well. If it weren't for the party ruling the country today, most of the commoners might only be poor farmers for the rest of their lives, exploited by the landlords for generations.”
Originally, he was worried about what to do if the country's leaders were unreasonable, but he did not expect Director Qian to be so open-minded. However, it made sense. China was different from other democratic countries. It did not mean that you could be the head of a country just because most people chose you. China believed in the imperial examination system and ruled the country by elites. It was impossible to stay in the position of leader for a long time just based on background and connections. This was because to reach that level of society, you had the same background and connections as others. Only when one's luck, talent, and moral character surpassed the other party could one reach the top. In other words, the person in this position was definitely the top.
" However, although I can't complete other missions, I can still do things like geological exploration and drawing maps. After all, the first thing I have to do when I get there is to draw a map, and I can't count on this inferior map…" Li Dong's face turned slightly red as he spoke.
"Oh? You know how to draw a map?" Bureau Chief Qian's eyes lit up. An accurate map in an unfamiliar world was too important, especially in a dangerous place like the Otherworld. If there was an extremely accurate map, even ordinary people could avoid many dangers.
" Yes, I've studied painting before, and I know a thing or two about geography. Perhaps I can't compare to the experts and professors in the relevant fields, but my cartographic skills are definitely better than the person who drew this map.”Li Dong said confidently. After all, he was a nameless little painter who had been serializing for a few years on Friends of Manke, and his talent and knowledge in geography had been passed down from his mother. It could be said that he was not arrogant, but rather overly humble.
Bureau Chief Qian thought for a while and nodded.""Alright, then please follow me. I'll take you to the location of the teleportation array.”
After leaving the headquarters, Bureau Chief Qian got into a military vehicle. The major general at the door was in charge of driving while Li Dong and Han Que sat in the back.
At this moment, Han Que suddenly said via Secret Voice-sending,""Qian Yu, one of the three heroes of Dragon Pool, codenamed Dragon King. He is currently the director of the Central Special Intelligence Department's Concealed Frontline Bureau, acting as the commander-in-chief!”
F * ck! Founding fathers! A national hero! The way Li Dong looked at Bureau Chief Qian instantly changed. It was a longing and worship for heroes. He was a maverick youth and was different from most of his peers. Li Dong did not like to chase after stars, nor did he watch Korean or American dramas. He also had a dispensable attitude towards games and 2D. However, he liked to study history and geography, and he liked to watch ancient and modern war movies because he liked heroes and worshipped them!
However, the hero that Li Dong yearned for was not the romantic individual heroism that was popular in foreign countries. Instead, he yearned for a great hero who had the feelings of home and country and took the world as his own responsibility.
The four of them didn't say anything along the way. Only Han Que would occasionally tell Li Dong some things through the Heavenly Sound Transmission Secret Technique.
The military vehicle shuttled through the forest for half an hour, bypassing a stone mountain and following the stream next to the stone mountain to the source of the upstream...
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。