# 1718
Chapter 1711: One Year Later
One year later.
"Elder, which direction is the Qilian Mountains?"
At the entrance of a village with curling炊烟, a figure wearing a bamboo hat stopped an old man and asked politely.
The old man wore coarse cloth clothing, a heavy shoulder pole bowing his shoulders, his whole body tanned dark. He curiously examined this unfamiliar youth before him.
"You young man, where did you come from?"
"I came from Chang'an."
"Chang'an?" The old man looked him over a few times. "The Qilian Mountains are near the Xiongnu border. What would a single person want to go there for?"
"Nothing in particular. I just want to take a look."
"That place is best left alone. Xiongnu scouts still appear there from time to time. Be careful or you'll lose your life!"
The youth smiled but said nothing.
"It's that way. Walk another twenty li and you'll see the mountains." In the end, the old man still pointed out the direction.
The youth thanked the old man, lowered the brim of his bamboo hat, and walked directly toward the Qilian Mountains.
The old man stared oddly at the youth's departing back, shook his head, and was about to return home when he suddenly froze.
"Weird... why doesn't this pole feel heavy?"
He carefully checked the baskets in front and behind—they were still there—but the pole on his shoulder had absolutely no weight at all, like a feather.
The old man muttered to himself, then shouldered the weightless pole and hurried home.
Without the pole's weight, he moved swiftly and arrived at his home five li away in no time. Only when he stepped through his doorway did the weight return, falling to the ground with a dull thud.
"Ha, that's really strange." The old man muttered to himself.
At the same time,
Several li away, Wu Quan slowly withdrew his index finger from his sleeve.
"'Dominion Emperor's' range has expanded considerably... but it's still far from the Marquis at his peak." He sighed softly and continued toward the Qilian Mountains.
The breeze lifted the veil of his bamboo hat, revealing a youthful face that had changed greatly from a year ago.
The youth's body had grown the fastest, changing year by year. Over this past year, Wu Quan had traveled through half of Greater Xia, his skin tanned from wind and sun, but his height had grown considerably—he was already almost as tall as Lin Qiye.
There was a new steadiness and weariness between his brows, his gaze profound and deep, making him seem nothing like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy.
Following the direction the old man had pointed, he soon saw the rolling Qilian Mountains. After pausing to appreciate the view for a moment, he set off again, walking directly into the mountains.
It was already spring, but the Qilian Mountains were still as cold as midwinter. Wu Quan wore thin clothing that had been soaked through by dew, yet he seemed entirely unaware of the cold as he trekked steadily up the winding mountain path.
Along the way, when thirsty he drank mountain dew, when hungry he picked wild fruits from the forest, and throughout the entire journey he used not a trace of spiritual power, relying purely on physical strength, like an agile wild man. If one looked closely, one could occasionally catch a glint of crimson flowing beneath his skin.
Finally, before the sun set, he reached the peak of one of the mountains.
In the twilight of sunset, two figures—one in green, one in blue—were already sitting on a great boulder. Seeing him climb up here, their lips curved slightly upward.
"You're finally here."
"Brother Qiye?!" Seeing that familiar face, Wu Quan first froze, then said with delight, "You knew I would come here?"
"Days ago I received a report from Gongyang Wan at the Bureau of Evil Suppression saying you left Langjuxu Mountain and headed east. You once said you wanted to follow the Marquis's footsteps. The places where the Marquis defeated the Xiongnu are few, so it was easy to guess you would come here."
His gaze swept carefully over Wu Quan, and a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.
"You actually broke through?"
Wu Quan smiled.
"When did you break through?"
"Just a few days ago, on Langjuxu Mountain." Wu Quan gazed at the rising clouds in the distance and said slowly, "This year I've been walking among the people of the mortal world, seeing much suffering, and my insights ran deep... A few days ago when I climbed to the place where the Marquis once performed the heaven-offering ceremony, I suddenly felt something resonate within me. I sat and gazed at the horizon for seven days... When I came back to my senses, I had broken through the 'heart gate.'"
Lin Qiye nodded. "No wonder..."
Wu Quan's past, though bumpy, had ultimately been narrow. From Cold Mountain Orphanage to the Purification Chamber, he had always been confined to that small corner, seeing only those few people. His state of mind naturally hadn't been broad enough... This year of历练 in the mortal world could be said to have directly opened his horizons and spirit, and with accumulated沉淀, he broke through his heart's "gate" at the place where the Marquis had once performed the Wolf Taming ceremony.
"It seems the Marquis's body-forging method has also made some progress." Lin Qiye gazed at the luster beneath Wu Quan's skin and nodded in approval.
"Brother Qiye, you came to find me... is it because the time has come?"
Wu Quan asked tentatively.
"That's right." Lin Qiye's expression was somewhat complicated. "Your lifespan is limited; we shouldn't delay any longer... Now that you've broken through the Human Apex, the causal connections of this era are all settled. Next, we should return to our own era."
Lin Qiye reached to his waist and swept his hand across it. The Eastern Emperor Bell grew against the wind, heavy as it landed on the Qilian Mountain peak. Mysterious runes flowed across the bronze bell's surface, emanating an ancient and grand aura.
Wu Quan stared at the ancient bell before him, his fists clenched tight, anticipation flickering in his eyes.
"So we can finally go back..."
"The Eastern Emperor Bell will suppress your time, so you won't sense the passage of time... When the Eastern Emperor Bell rings again, you will automatically be unsealed. At that time, this grand chess game will truly begin."
Wu Quan nodded. He walked to the front of the Eastern Emperor Bell, then turned back to look at Lin Qiye.
"Brother Qiye, I'll see you in two thousand years."
"Alright."
Lin Qiye smiled gently, raised his palm, and the heavy Eastern Emperor Bell body emanated a ray of light that directly enveloped Wu Quan. When the light faded, his form had already vanished.
As Lin Qiye stepped out, the mountain beneath the Eastern Emperor Bell shuddered violently. A crack instantly split open, receiving the bell's body within it. Massive stone blocks rolled across the ground, and in a moment the crack was completely buried.
As the漫天 dust gradually settled, the Eastern Emperor Bell was nowhere to be seen on Qilian Mountain.
"Two thousand years... sigh." Lin Qiye looked around. Above the sea of clouds, a setting sun gradually sank into darkness, disappearing without a trace.
"Who knows what this place will look like two thousand years from now."
Lin Qiye shook his head, reached out, and took Jialan's hand.
"Let's go."
"Mm." A flush appeared on Jialan's cheeks, but she didn't resist.
The two figures—one in green, one in blue—gradually faded into the dimness.