I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

A rainbow of sword light pierced the sky.

Li Bai stood atop the sword platform, which was about ten feet tall and formed from the Azure Lotus Sword, his figure as steady as a mountain. The oncoming gale was parted by the azure halo naturally emanating from the sword platform, turning into two gentle streams of air that glided past him, leaving only the unique chill and purity of the high altitude to fill his lungs.

fast!

too fast!

This speed was completely different from what he had seen through the window of an airplane in his previous life. The airplane was a cold, metallic shell that enveloped him, isolating him from the outside world. But now, he was truly "flying" between heaven and earth. The pulse emanating from the sword platform beneath his feet was the connection between the Azure Lotus Sword and his golden core bloodline; each sword's cry seemed like an extension of his heartbeat. The wind was no longer an obstacle, but a power he could control; the clouds were no longer distant scenery, but cotton wool within his reach.

He looked down.

As the last rays of the setting sun faded, the peaks of the Shu Mountains receded rapidly, transforming into a pale blue silhouette. Next came the hilly terrain, where winding rivers shimmered silver in the twilight, like ribbons carelessly scattered across the land. Further east, the terrain flattened out, revealing plains dotted with scattered villages, their chimneys casting wisps of smoke that traced pale white lines against the darkening sky.

Sight, touch, hearing, smell... all the senses were overwhelmed by an unprecedented experience.

What the eyes see is a rapidly changing, magnificent panorama of mountains and rivers; what the skin feels is the thin yet pure air at high altitudes, and the slight tremors caused by the friction of the still strong airflow even after the protective aura of the sword platform filters it; what the ears are filled with is the whistling wind, and the deep, continuous "humming" sound of the Azure Lotus Sword as it cuts through the air. This sound is not harsh, but rather carries a peculiar rhythm, as if resonating with some frequency between heaven and earth; what the nose smells is the different scents that vary with altitude and region—the freshness of the vegetation in the Shu Mountains, the richness of the fertile plains, the moisture of the river water...

So exhilarating!

An indescribable surge of pride and a sense of freedom welled up within Li Bai. He couldn't help but roar to the heavens!

"ah--!"

The clear, resonant whistle pierced through the clouds and shattered rocks, mingling with the sounds of swords and wind, echoing high above the sky. It seemed as if it wanted to release all the pent-up frustration of being assassinated in his past life, the helplessness of entering the Tang Dynasty, the hardships of his cultivation journey, and the deep-seated longing and worry for Yang Guifei through this long whistle.

As the whistling subsided, his mind became even clearer.

"This is sword riding..." Li Bai murmured to himself, his eyes shining brightly. "This is the true meaning of 'traveling to the North Sea in the morning and setting off for Cangwu in the evening'!"

With a slight thought, he attempted to control his flight. The Azure Lotus Sword, connected to his mind, reacted almost instantly to his idea. The sword platform tilted slightly, tracing a graceful arc, changing from a straight eastward trajectory to a slightly southeastward one. The speed also adjusted accordingly, slowing down from its initial extreme speed to maintain an altitude that allowed for both rapid travel and sufficient observation and adaptation.

After getting used to basic flight, Li Bai began to systematically familiarize himself with and test his various abilities at the Golden Core stage.

First, there is the divine consciousness.

He closed his eyes and focused all his attention on his sea of ​​consciousness. The Azure Lotus Sword Core, suspended above his dantian, was slowly rotating, radiating a warm yet powerful spiritual energy. With his will, an invisible and intangible divine sense, a thousand times more perceptive than the naked eye, spread outwards from him in all directions.

One hundred li, two hundred li, three hundred li...

The range of his divine sense was more than ten times larger than when he was in the Foundation Establishment stage! Moreover, it was more solid and clear. If the divine sense of the Foundation Establishment stage was like observing the world through frosted glass, then the divine sense of the Golden Core stage was like placing the entire world under a high-definition microscope, revealing every detail.

He "saw" a medium-sized city three hundred miles below. The gaps between the bricks in the city wall, the tired expressions on the faces of the soldiers guarding the city, the merchants hurrying along the streets, the patrons talking loudly in the taverns, even the "clucking" of a hen in a chicken coop in someone's backyard after laying an egg... He could clearly perceive every detail as long as his mind focused on it.

He could even "hear" the scattered conversations carried on the wind, and "smell" the complex aroma of food mixed with the smell of livestock manure wafting through the city.

His divine sense continued to extend, sweeping across the plains and over the hills. He "saw" the endless stream of carriages and horses on the official road, the mountains of goods and busy postmen in the post stations, and the canal boats shuttling back and forth on the river. A scene of bustling prosperity.

However, beneath this bustling scene, Li Bai's divine sense also detected some unusual details.

Near a fork in the road leading to an important official road to the north, a large number of ragged laborers gathered, carrying huge stones and timbers under the whipping of their overseer. Some large-scale construction project seemed to be underway. The laborers looked haggard, moved slowly, and the air was thick with the stench of sweat, dust, and a faint, almost imperceptible air of despair.

In another military town near the border, the post station was unusually busy, with messenger horses constantly passing in and out to deliver documents. The density and vigilance of the garrison patrols were also far beyond what was usual. There was a faint smell of rust and blood in the air, the accumulated scent of military life over the years.

Further away, some villages appeared quite desolate, with crops growing poorly in the fields. Occasionally, one could see elderly and young migrants, their faces pale and sickly, trudging along the edge of the official road, a stark contrast to the wealthy merchants and officials on the main road, their carriages and horses gleaming with fine clothes and sumptuous meals.

"Behind the vermilion gates, meat and wine go to waste; on the road, frozen corpses lie..." Li Bai silently recited Du Fu's future verses, his heart growing heavy. Beneath the splendid robes of a prosperous era, lice had already begun to breed. Bureaucratic corruption, land annexation, hidden dangers in border towns, and the overexertion of the people's strength... These factors, which he had read about in his previous life's history books and which led to the Tang Dynasty's decline, were now vividly and concretely presented to his divine sense.

He was no longer a bystander in history, but someone who was involved and felt the emotions firsthand.

A complex mix of emotions churned within him. There was the sympathy a modern person felt for the suffering of the ancient people and the anxiety about the course of history, as well as the sense of responsibility and urgency that a Golden Core cultivator possessed the power to change things. And mixed in with it was a deep concern for Yang Guifei's fate—in such a torrent of history, the fate of an individual, especially that of a beautiful woman, was often as fragile as a candle flame in a storm.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his distracting thoughts. Now was not the time for sentimentality; he needed to become more familiar with his own power.

Next, we will try out some practical minor supernatural abilities recorded in the "Red Dust Sword Manual" that can only be used after reaching the Golden Core stage.

The first type is "Sword Qi Remains in Form".

With a thought, Li Bai channeled the spiritual energy of his golden core along a specific path, and simultaneously pointed his fingers like a sword towards the empty sea of ​​clouds to his side.

laugh!

A condensed, almost tangible, cyan sword aura shot out from his fingertip. Instead of shooting into the distance, it suddenly stopped about ten feet in front of him. The sword aura shimmered and quickly outlined and filled in the form, transforming in the blink of an eye into a "human form" that was exactly the same as Li Bai's original body, down to the smallest detail of the fluttering of his clothes!

This lingering sword energy was not an illusion; it exuded the same aura as Li Bai's true form, and could even simulate faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, making it incredibly lifelike. It hovered quietly above the sea of ​​clouds, swaying slightly with the air currents.

Li Bai attempted to control it. Following his will, the illusory form performed a few simple movements—raising its hand, turning around, and taking a step. The movements were somewhat stiff, less agile than his original body, and the distance was limited; beyond fifty zhang, the sensation became blurred, and beyond a hundred zhang, it completely dissipated. However, it was already quite remarkable enough for confusing enemies, creating decoys, or leaving "proof of presence" in certain situations.

"Maintaining this form will continuously consume about one percent of my spiritual power, and the consumption will increase with the distance," Li Bai silently estimated. "It might be useful in a critical moment."

He dispersed, leaving only his physical form; the azure sword energy disintegrated and merged into the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The second type is "Concealing one's breath and transforming into the mortal realm".

This technique is not merely about concealing one's aura; rather, it involves maximally suppressing, compressing, and simulating the immense spiritual power, sharp sword intent, and even life magnetic field of a Golden Core cultivator, making them indistinguishable from ordinary mortals in their surroundings. At a high level of cultivation, it can even evade the conventional detection of cultivators with higher levels of cultivation.

Li Bai activated his magic technique. The awe-inspiring aura naturally emanating from his body, befitting a Golden Core Sword Immortal, rapidly subsided, the azure light faded, and his sword intent concealed. He seemed to transform from a gleaming gem into a plain, unadorned stone. Even the spiritual light of the Azure Lotus Sword beneath his feet dimmed, and his flight speed decreased significantly, as if he were gliding using some kind of skillful technique.

He lowered his altitude, descending from a great height of ten thousand feet to about a thousand feet above the ground, and slowly flew over a medium-sized town.

Below, in the town, there were also a few faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, probably from rogue cultivators in the Qi Refining stage or those who had just established their foundation, or perhaps disciples stationed by some small sects. Li Bai held his breath and focused his mind, pushing the "Concealing Breath and Transforming into Mortal" technique to its current maximum limit.

He swept across the town like an invisible ghost. The owners of the spiritual energy fluctuations below remained oblivious, continuing with their own affairs. Even a roosting bird nearly collided with him, only flapping its wings in panic and turning away at the last moment.

"Works!" Li Bai was overjoyed. This meant that when he entered a place like Chang'an, a place teeming with hidden talents, as long as he was careful, he had a very high chance of avoiding the regular surveillance of high-level cultivators by the imperial court or certain forces. Of course, if he encountered an opponent of the same Golden Core stage or even higher who was skilled in detection techniques, or if he triggered certain large-scale early warning formations, then that would be a different story.

Having mastered these two minor supernatural abilities, Li Bai attempted even more refined manipulation of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. He was no longer content with merely absorbing spiritual energy to replenish himself, but instead tried to guide, gather, and shape it. With a thought, the clouds within a hundred feet around him slowly gathered and rotated, forming a miniature cloud vortex; the water vapor from a stream below was drawn upwards, condensing at his fingertips into a crystal-clear water ball, changing shape as his five fingers moved.

This sense of control over the subtle details of heaven and earth gave him a deeper understanding of "power." The Golden Core stage is not only the accumulation of spiritual power, but also the beginning of his initial contact with "the Dao" and "rules."

Time slipped away quietly amidst the flight and adaptation. The sun sank completely below the horizon, twilight descended, and the last rays of sunset were swallowed by the deep blue night sky. Stars began to appear one by one, first a few scattered here and there, then like pearls scattered across the velvet-like night. A crescent moon, like a hook, hung obliquely in the sky, casting its cool, frosty glow.

Li Bai flew on his sword for nearly two hours, covering thousands of miles. Even with his Golden Core stage cultivation, continuous high-speed sword flight was quite taxing. He felt that nearly 30% of the spiritual energy in his dantian had been depleted, and his long-term, large-scale scanning with his divine sense had also brought some fatigue.

"It's time to take a break."

He chose a remote, secluded mountain ridge far from the official road, slowly descending and landing on a sheltered rocky platform. With his feet firmly on the ground, the Azure Lotus Sword transformed into an ordinary three-foot-long blade, returning to the scabbard on his back—a gift from the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, seemingly made of ordinary leather, but actually containing a universe within, perfectly capable of concealing the Azure Lotus Sword's sword energy and spiritual light.

The mountain wind whistled through the crevices of the rocks, carrying the chill of the night. Dark mountain shadows surrounded them, and the distant howls of unknown wild beasts added to the desolation. The air was thick with the scents of earth, decaying leaves, and night dew.

Li Bai sat cross-legged, took out a "Rejuvenation Pill" prepared by the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom to help quickly restore spiritual power, and swallowed it, silently circulating his energy to regulate his breathing. The golden pill slowly rotated, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and with the help of the medicine, quickly replenished what he had consumed.

About half an hour later, his spiritual power had recovered to about 70-80%, and his spirit was full again. He did not get up immediately, but instead spread his divine sense again, not to rush on his way and investigate, but as a habit, to scan the surrounding area within a hundred miles to understand the environment.

Within a hundred li radius, most of the land is mountainous wilderness, except for a sizable town about eighty li to the southeast. At this moment, the town is bustling with activity as the lanterns are lit and the night market begins to open. As one's divine sense sweeps across the town, the clamor of taverns and teahouses, the music from brothels and theaters, the cries of vendors, the crying of children playing... all sorts of sounds and smells of the marketplace come rushing in.

Li Bai intended to withdraw his divine sense and continue on his journey. However, just as his divine sense swept over a rather grand restaurant in the town center, a particularly loud voice of laughter caught his attention.

It was a private room by the window, where several well-dressed men, who looked like businessmen or minor officials, were drinking and making merry, the atmosphere lively. One of them had a very loud voice, and with a slightly drunken and boastful tone, he was talking loudly and eloquently.

"...Speaking of recent events, aside from those restless barbarians in the north, it has to be these few happy occasions for our royal family!" the loud voice said. "Last year, His Majesty appointed a new Crown Prince, and this spring, he arranged a new Princess Consort for His Highness Prince Shou. Tsk tsk, that's quite remarkable!"

Another person at the table chimed in, their voice tinged with curiosity: "Oh? Princess Shou? Which noble family's daughter is she? Didn't we hear a few years ago that Princess Shou's health wasn't very good?"

"Hey! That's all old news!" A loud voice slammed on the table. "This one is a fresh-faced beauty! I heard her surname is Yang, but I don't know exactly which family she comes from. But she's only sixteen, and her beauty is like that of a celestial being! She's truly... even the most beautiful women can't describe her! I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her carriage from afar outside the Prince of Shou's residence once, and that fleeting glimpse almost stole my soul!"

"Hahaha, Brother Zhang, you're just bragging! What can you see through the carriage curtain?" someone chimed in.

"Don't you believe me!" the man surnamed Zhang exclaimed anxiously. "I didn't see her face clearly, but her figure, her bearing... and most importantly, I heard even the Emperor praised her! He said this woman is 'naturally beautiful, fit to serve in the imperial harem'! Just think, how beautiful must a woman be to be praised by the Emperor as 'fit to serve in the imperial harem'? His Highness Prince Shou has truly acquired a great treasure this time!"

"Suitable for the inner palace?" Someone gasped. "That's... a bit..."

"Watch your words! Watch your words!" someone immediately interrupted. "How dare we presume to discuss matters of the royal family? Let's drink!"

A knowing laugh and the clinking of glasses filled the private room, and the conversation quickly turned to other trivial matters.

However, Li Bai, who was sitting cross-legged on the high mountain cliff, suddenly stiffened.

Like a cold bolt of lightning, it struck straight down from the Baihui acupoint on the top of his head, instantly piercing through his limbs and bones!

Her surname is Yang... she is sixteen years old... her appearance is like that of a celestial being... the emperor praised her as "suitable to serve in the imperial harem"...

Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing his heart!

Prince Shou has taken a new concubine... Prince Shou... Li Mao!

Yang Yuhuan!

Historical records indicate that Yang Yuhuan was initially the wife of Prince Shou. In the 28th year of the Kaiyuan era, she was ordered to become a Daoist nun, taking the name "Taizhen". In the fourth year of the Tianbao era, she was made a Noble Consort by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji.

Could it be... could it be that even though I rushed here, I was still a step too late?

Is the wheel of history in the dark really so stubborn that even if I, an "anomaly," appeared and possessed the power of a Golden Core Sword Immortal, I still couldn't change its original trajectory?

Yang Yuhuan ended up becoming the Princess Consort of Prince Shou.

So what's next? Will she soon catch the eye of her emperor father-in-law, be forced to become a nun, and then... be taken into the harem?

An indescribable chill, suffocation, and a mixture of rage and panic surged violently within his chest like volcanic lava! His hands, gripping his knees, trembled slightly, knuckles white from the force. The aura he had been suppressing leaked out uncontrollably, and the rock platform beneath him cracked open with a "crack," revealing several fine fissures.

Do not!

impossible!

He suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils seemingly burning with two clusters of blue flames, their light terrifying in the pitch-black night. He stood up abruptly, the force of his movement scattering the surrounding gravel and withered leaves in all directions.

He stared intently at the dimly lit town to the southeast, as if trying to see through the eighty miles to the face of everyone in the private room of the restaurant and hear every word they spoke.

Is it a rumor? Or is it true?

If it's true... if Yu Huan really has become the Princess Consort of Prince Shou...

Li Bai felt a metallic sweetness rise to his throat, which he forced down. His heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He believed that by possessing power and the ability to see the future, he could salvage everything.

But reality dealt him such a heavy blow.

The night wind grew colder, blowing against him, but it couldn't dispel the growing gloom and chill in his heart that threatened to engulf him.