Infinite transcendence began with Covering the Sky.

Chapter 435 Return
The Kunlun Mountains have long been incredibly quiet, a place far removed from the hustle and bustle of the world, undisturbed by worldly affairs, like a tranquil fairyland.

Many peaks are covered with snow, and the cold wind blows through the mountains day and night. Countless waterfalls fall from the heights, splashing up continuous misty fog.

Numerous exotic flowers bloom on the mountainside and at the foot of the mountain, various kinds of Ganoderma lucidum grow, and cranes fly in the mist and clouds, creating a vibrant scene full of life.

"It's been years, where did he go?"

In this breathtaking setting, Duan De, his mind filled with questions, sat on a mountain ridge, counting on his fingers how many years Qi Zhe had been missing.

And this period of time is not too long. Even though he left the industry, Qi Zhe has only been gone for ten years, which is not enough to cause a huge wave in the world.

Ten years ago, when Qi Zhe left, the world shook violently, his mark disappeared from the world, causing all the paths of heaven and earth to roar and a great collapse to occur.

Many people were shocked that day. Numerous imperial weapons roared, and everyone realized that the imperial path had disappeared. Many inheritances also felt it.

But as everyone knows, Qi Zhe attained the Dao and became Emperor with an unprecedented speed of cultivation. From his rise to the present day, he has only been a little over five hundred years old.

He couldn't have died suddenly, nor could he have committed suicide out of despair. There must have been a reason for his collapse, and he couldn't have been beheaded. No one in the world could have killed him.

This is a mystery. Qi Zhe's departure was too sudden, without any warning. Even the three ancient emperors who occupied Kunlun did not notice it.

"He may have left to search for the path to immortality!"

In the end, they could only speculate that Qi Zhe had made a new breakthrough after more than two hundred years of seclusion, and his sudden disappearance on that day was perhaps due to the Immortal Path.

For the past ten years, the entire Kunlun region has been waiting for Qi Zhe's return, while the outside world has been waiting for news to come from Kunlun in an attempt to uncover the mystery.

After pondering for a long time, Duan De waved his hand, shaking his Taoist robe. His face was filled with melancholy, and his lips twitched slightly as he said:

"Ten years have passed, and we are separated by life and death. You left so gracefully, but you have trapped this poor Taoist priest."

Duan De was a restless person. After two hundred years of continuous digging in the Kunlun Mountains, he was tired of it and couldn't help but want to go out and wander around.

Qi Zhe's seal is not something that ordinary people can break. Unless the three ancient emperors who are in seclusion take action, he will have no chance of leaving Kunlun.

He did try to get the three ancient emperors to break the seal, but they, being ancient emperors themselves, completely ignored him and just pretended to be asleep.

"Ten years?"

Just then, a whisper suddenly echoed through the Kunlun Mountains, reaching Duan De's ears and startling him as he sat cross-legged.

"came back?"

At this moment, Duan De bared his teeth, an excited expression appearing on his round face. His body under his wide Taoist robe trembled as if a giant wave was surging.

"boom!"

The next moment, he soared into the sky, streaking towards a distant mountain peak with rainbow light, and instantly rushed into the continuous palace complex.

Duan De arrived and met Qi Zhe in a small courtyard. He stared at Qi Zhe, who was sitting cross-legged on the platform in the courtyard, and felt a surge of excitement.

"Where have you been? Even the road has collapsed!" Duan De exclaimed in dismay, his words becoming somewhat incoherent in his excitement, which made Qi Zhe's face darken.

But the next moment he realized there was an ambiguity and quickly said, "Don't misunderstand, I meant your Dao has collapsed, not that you're dead."

The more he explained, the worse it got. He clearly didn't mean that, but he left Qi Zhe speechless. His path had indeed collapsed, but he wasn't dead yet.

"Alright, I understand. No need to say more."

At this moment, Qi Zhe raised his hand to stop Duan De from speaking further, and the next moment he condensed his own Great Emperor Mark and spoke:

"Although it was a coincidence, I used it to retrieve the mark. Although the Dao engraved in this world has collapsed, it still lives on within me."

Qi Zhe didn't answer where he had gone. After a brief explanation, he slowly stood up and began to gaze at the world around him. The scenery of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths remained unchanged; the Milky Way was vast, magnificent, and dazzling. The Kunlun Mountains, with their extraordinary scenery, were also unchanged.

"Heavenly Emperor, you've returned."

At this moment, the three ancient emperors also noticed Qi Zhe's return. The consciousness of the Wanlong Ancient Emperor manifested out of thin air and stood in the courtyard, staring at Qi Zhe in surprise.

Blood Phoenix Ancient Emperor and Golden Ancient Emperor also appeared, manifesting their wills at this moment, and together with Ten Thousand Dragons Emperor, they watched Qi Zhe in the courtyard.

Qi Zhe nodded upon hearing this, and then said, "I went out for a walk and had a very rewarding hike."

Qi Zhe didn't say where he went, nor did he need to tell anyone. The three ancient emperors, upon hearing this, wisely refrained from asking further, knowing that there might be a great mystery involved.

The more this was the case, the more astonished the three ancient emperors became, because Qi Zhe had sat in meditation for two hundred years, allowing the imperial path to dissipate, moving back and forth silently without leaving a trace.

Even an emperor couldn't detect Qi Zhe's actions; such skill was truly astonishing, and everyone, regardless of whether they were allies, had to be wary of him.

The three ancient emperors then chose to leave, as nothing major had happened in the world and they needed to continue their hibernation.

After the three ancient emperors left, Duan De said that he wanted Qi Zhe to open the Kunlun seal, as he wanted to go out for a stroll. He missed Beidou and wanted to visit an old friend.

"Flowers bloom a hundred times, yet none of them are for the past. This humble Taoist does not wish to see all my friends disperse; I wish to take advantage of the time I still have to remember their faces in my heart."

Duan De felt somewhat melancholy. He had gained a lot during this period and recalled many memories from the past, which inevitably brought him some sorrow.

Qi Zhe was puzzled by this and couldn't help but ask, "Are you being sincere?"

His expression was somewhat surprised and doubtful. In his eyes, Duan De had always been unreliable, and Wuliang would never fall into such sorrow.

Qi Zhe's suspicious gaze infuriated Duan De, whose round face flushed with anger. He exclaimed urgently, "Of course it's true! You doubt my character, don't you!"

"hehe.!"

Qi Zhe smiled dismissively at this. He believed that Duan De might have felt sad and distressed when recalling the past, but he absolutely did not believe that Duan De had any character. That word had nothing to do with Duan De.

"Yes, I'll travel with you in a few days."

However, Qi Zhe did not refuse. He also wanted to go out for a walk, but it would only be a few days later. He noticed that someone had woken up.

Upon hearing this, Duan De left. As he departed, he saw Yao Xi, who had already arrived outside the courtyard. He nodded slightly and strode away.

"Take care, Master Duan."

Yao Xi nodded and walked into the courtyard. Turning her head, she saw Qi Zhe standing not far away, staring at her.

"You're so beautiful," Qi Zhe said, a smile in his eyes. He didn't mean anything by it; he just thought Yao Xi was very beautiful.

"This isn't like you."

Yao Xi was radiant and beautiful, like a fairy flower in full bloom. The brows that had been furrowed for ten years finally relaxed after hearing Qi Zhe's praise.

Qi Zhe has always been a reserved person, rarely praising others easily, and is usually quite direct, which is unlike him.

"Ha!" Upon hearing this, Qi Zhe suddenly laughed and put his arm around Yao Xi's waist, saying, "You're not like yourself anymore. How could the once radiant you be so often filled with sorrow?"

The two stood very close, and though they spoke no words, a thousand unspoken messages were conveyed. At this moment, Yao Xi was moved, tears welling in her eyes, and she whispered:
"You have your own path to walk. I know I can't help you. I can only hope you have a safe journey and come back alive."

Upon hearing this, Qi Zhe nodded and said with a relaxed smile, "Don't worry."

(End of this chapter)