Dual cultivation makes you stronger, everyone else is a prodigy, and I'm the only one slacking

When the Moon Gazing Realm collapsed, all the cultivators withdrew from it like a tide.

Outside the Purple Bamboo Forest in Gutian Town.

As soon as Li Yunyu emerged from the secret realm, he was met by the Li clan members who had been waiting for a long time, as well as countless cultivators from all walks of life who lingered and did not leave.

In an instant, countless astonished and envious gazes fell upon him.

The constant chatter was all about his earth-shattering Purple Mansion Thunder Tribulation.

Li Yunyu remained completely unmoved, not even lifting his eyelids.

Just as I was about to leave, a clear and pleasant voice sounded from behind me.

"Brother Li!"

Li Yunyu stopped, glanced to the side, and caught sight of a young man in a moon-white robe walking slowly towards him.

It was none other than Shi Shangxu, the renowned and unparalleled genius of Dongchuan.

This person has always had an excellent reputation and is upright and reserved.

Li Yunyu had met him a few times, and perhaps it was the mutual appreciation between geniuses that made him unusually patient.

Shi Shangxu sighed softly, "The secret realm is dangerous, and the ways of heaven are unpredictable. Brother Li, please accept my condolences. If there is anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

Li Yunyu remained silent and nodded slightly.

A light drizzle dampened their hair.

The two brushed past each other and went their separate ways.

Upon returning to the Li family's main residence, Li Yunyu was greeted by the steward, Li Keqing, as soon as he entered.

They already knew the news that the young master had successfully broken through in the secret realm and had now entered the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

Unable to contain his joy, Li Keqing rushed forward.

When her gaze swept over Li Yunyu's back, her smile froze instantly.

He suddenly asked, bewildered, "Young Master? Where's Xiao Guai?"

Li Yunyu paused for a moment.

He didn't look at the housekeeper; his gaze was fixed on the distance. "She hasn't come back, and she never will."

Li Keqing's lips moved repeatedly, trying to comfort him, but he couldn't utter a single word.

That clever and quirky little girl... just like that, she died?

Why didn't he try to dissuade him from going to the secret realm for training when he only had a Qi Refining Level 2 cultivation?

The drizzle continued, and the world was shrouded in a damp, cold, and gray haze.

Li Yunyu did not linger and dragged himself toward Jixue Pavilion.

Looking at his lonely and desolate figure, Li Keqing finally let out a long sigh.

He turned around and hunched over as he returned to the main courtyard.

In the days that followed, Li Yunyu chose to go into seclusion.

Although he has just entered the Purple Mansion, he needs to solidify his foundation.

At the same time, Li Yunyu's status in the Li family rose to a higher level after breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm.

Even his biological father, Li Changchun, who had always been critical and cold towards him, now had to swallow his pride and try to befriend this newly promoted Grand Master of the Purple Mansion.

After a brief period of seclusion, Li Yunyu made a request.

"I'm going to the forbidden area of ​​my clan's territory for seclusion."

Upon hearing this, all the elders of the Li family in the council hall were taken aback.

That forbidden area was the place where one of the most amazing ancestors of the Li family, who reached the half-step Nascent Soul realm, passed away three hundred years ago. The area was filled with terrifying Golden Core Daoist energy.

Although the outer perimeter is a library, the inner part is sealed off by layers of ancient formations.

Legend has it that it contains a secret technique passed down from the ancestor.

For centuries, few have dared to venture into its depths, for a slight misstep could result in being strangled by the Daoist energy.

"Nonsense!" Clan Chief Li Qingcheng's face darkened.

Given Li Yunyu's current cultivation level, he shouldn't be killed by the Daoist aura, but what if he gets trapped inside and can't escape?

He advised, "The selection of disciples for the Dongbao Sect is about to begin. If you enter the forbidden area now and get trapped inside, when will you be able to get out?"

Li Yunyu leaned back casually in his chair and said indifferently, "Then I won't go."

"You're insane!"

The hall erupted in chaos.

That's the Dongbao Upper Sect! If you can get a spot, you can bring three relatives with you to the Upper Sect for cultivation.

What an incredible opportunity this was for the entire Li family.

For a time, countless elders tried their best to persuade him, but the young man remained unmoved.

"You wretched child, do you even care about your family?" a furious shout rang out.

Li Changchun, whose self-esteem was hurt, finally couldn't hold back his anger.

He strode forward and, in front of all the elders, slapped Li Yunyu hard across the face.

The crisp sound of a slap could be clearly heard in the hall.

All the elders gasped.

It should be noted that Li Yunyu is now at the Purple Mansion Realm, and his cultivation level has long surpassed that of Li Changchun.

Even if it were his own father, this action would be tantamount to courting death.

However, the expected outburst of anger did not occur.

Li Yunyu tilted his head slightly, his long, slender, white fingers casually tapping his cheek.

Even though his gray-white eyes were covered by white silk, a chilling aura still spread around him.

Li Yunyu's voice was cold and sharp, "Father, this is the last time you will be able to hit me in this lifetime."

He stood up, leaned slightly closer to Li Changchun, and said slowly, "Next time, I will make you, your precious youngest son, and your concubine all lie together in one place."

"You...you insolent and disobedient beast, I am your father!"

Li Changchun's face turned deathly pale, and he was trembling with rage.

His hysterical reaction was simply because he had planned it all along.

As long as Li Yunyu goes to Dongbao Shangzong, one of the three precious family member slots will surely be given to his youngest son, whom he cherishes dearly.

Now, Li Yunyu has utterly destroyed his hope.

The next moment, a terrifying pressure belonging to a Grandmaster of the Purple Mansion swept out from Li Yunyu's body.

In an instant, a gust of wind swept through the entire council hall, making it impossible for anyone to open their eyes.

The floor tiles beneath Li Yunyu's feet instantly cracked open with huge fissures.

In the face of absolute power, all the noise and accusations vanish instantly.

Li Yunyu arrived at the family's forbidden area as he had wished.

Even at the place where he passed away peacefully, a terrifying Daoist aura still lingers in the void.

He had once seen in the Li clan records that before his ancestor passed away, he left behind a supreme secret technique that was rumored to be able to communicate between life and death and forcibly demand the life force of living beings.

Perhaps he can find a way to condense a remnant soul within the tattered scroll.

Deep within the cave, there were numerous array formations.

Li Yunyu sat in the center of the stone platform, with a jade slip floating in front of him.

The jade tablet exuded an ancient aura and emitted an eerie fluctuation.

Li Yunyu forcibly reversed the stabilization of his body's Purple Mansion Origin and activated the ancient secret technique on this scroll.

A mouthful of primordial blood spurted from his mouth, instantly staining the stone platform in front of him red.

Forcibly using forbidden techniques that exceed one's own level comes at an extremely high price.

He tried the forbidden technique again and again, and his long hair, which was originally like silver silk, was gradually dyed blood red under the burning of the Daoist technique of Annihilation and his menstrual blood.

But Li Yunyu didn't care at all. He had cultivated to the Purple Mansion level, and his lifespan had reached a terrifying five hundred years.

He still has plenty of time on his long journey of cultivation.

As long as we can condense Xiao Guai's remnant soul and nurture it in the Land of Return to Nothingness,

After that, he only needs to wait for her to be reincarnated, for her to grow up, and then he can find her again in the mortal world.

However, a strange thing happened.

Li Yunyu used his own origin of annihilation as a starting point to try to capture the cause and effect of that wisp of ashes in the world.

But there was no feedback in the void, no remnant soul, no ashes, just a void.

They had done the most intimate thing, their bodies intertwined, their original souls imprinted on each other. Even if her physical body shattered and her main soul dissipated, the wisp of remnant energy attached to his soul would still remain.

Using this as a medium, and combining it with this forbidden technique, it should theoretically be possible to collect fragments of remnant souls.

But there's nothing there?

Li Yunyu tilted his head slightly, a hint of confusion and bewilderment flashing in his eyes.

But after a moment, he chuckled softly.

/

Soon after, the selection of disciples for the Dongbao Upper Sect officially began.

The elder of the Dongbao Sect, who had always favored Li Yunyu and had been secretly observing him, boarded the immortal ship with a look of regret and flew away from the Li family.

This brilliant and outstanding new master of the Purple Mansion actually gave up the election.

The news sent shockwaves through the entire electoral district of Sichuan.

Not long after, an unexpected visitor arrived.

It was Shi Shangxu who rushed over upon hearing the news. He stood in front of Li Yunyu, his eyes filled with complex emotions and confusion.

Especially when he saw the other person's head of blood-red hair, he couldn't help but tremble.

"Brother Li, is it really worth giving up the Upper Sect for a vague and unrealistic obsession?" Shi Shangxu sighed.

Li Yunyu chuckled softly but did not reply.

He simply pushed a written letter in front of Shi Shangxu and said, "Brother Shi, please pass this letter on to Feng Qiguang for me."

Shi Shangxu accepted it and solemnly promised, "I'll be passing by on my way, so I'll definitely take it to you."

Li Yunyu bowed slightly. "Thank you."

Shi Shangxu didn't bother them any further and turned to leave the Li family.

Under the eaves, Li Yunyu watched as the moon-white figure completely disappeared.

"Ha," a cold laugh escaped his lips.

In ancient times, there was a place called Guixu, where remnants of souls could gather.

This is what he wrote in that letter.

That silly bird will surely believe this letter without a doubt, won't it?

What is this "returning to the void"? What is this "gathering of souls"? But what if the person didn't die at all?

Now that he has forcibly reversed the secret technique, his inner essence has been almost depleted, and his shockingly discolored hair is the price he has paid.

They can use such secret methods to deceive the heavens and the sea.

There must be other secrets about Xiao Guai.

But now he needs time to stabilize the origin of his Purple Mansion.

Suddenly, he felt a metallic taste in his throat.

A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Li Yunyu raised his slender fingers and casually wiped away the blood from the corner of his lips.

Beneath the long curtain, his gray eyes were filled with obsession and unfathomable depth.

Who once said, "Born to be the young master's man, and will die to be the young master's ghost"?

You little liar, you're really naughty!

"From today onwards, I will not see any visitors. I need to go into seclusion to cultivate my skills."

"Yes."

~~~

Leonardo DiCaprio makes a temporary return to explain what he's doing; his real scenes with his co-stars are yet to come. This character's obsession can't be portrayed without considerable skill.

These two chapters are essentially his side stories.