Ten Thousand Years in Seclusion
Chapter 22:Stopped at Mount Qinglu

Chapter 22: Chapter 22:Stopped at Mount Qinglu

Qi Tian strolled out of Listening Wind Teahouse.

His divine sense swept behind him.

The father and daughter followed quietly three zhang behind him.

He walked without any particular destination, hoping only to find somewhere quiet.

After passing through several streets and alleyways, he suddenly came to a stop.

He looked up.

Yuelai Inn.

Without realizing it, he had circled back here once again.

The corner of his mouth lifted faintly.

Then he stepped toward the inn.

When the father and daughter reached the entrance and looked up at the signboard, their faces instantly turned deathly pale.

The color drained from the girl’s lips. She instinctively clutched her father’s sleeve, her knuckles turning white.

Qi Tian crossed the threshold. Seeing the two of them still standing frozen in the middle of the street, he frowned slightly.

"Come in."

"What are you waiting for?"

Behind the counter, the steward was working his abacus.

The moment he looked up, he froze.

Clack!

The beads slid all the way to the bottom.

"S-Senior..."

The steward’s lips twitched.

"Y-You’re back?"

Qi Tian walked up to the counter.

"What? Am I not welcome?"

"Welcome! Of course you’re welcome!"

The steward nearly sprang out from behind the counter.

"Senior’s return brings great honor to our humble inn!"

"A room."

"Senior... the Spirit Gathering Array hasn’t been repaired yet..." the steward said cautiously, stealing glances at Qi Tian’s expression.

"An ordinary room will do."

Only then did the steward notice the father and daughter still standing by the entrance.

His gaze shifted between the three of them, a strange look crossing his face.

"Two rooms, then?"

"One."

The steward did not dare ask another question.

"Right away! A first-class room. Five hundred gold coins for the night."

Qi Tian took out a spirit stone from his storage pouch and gently placed it on the counter.

"No need for change. And have some food and wine sent up."

The steward’s eyes lit up.

"Of course! I’ll have it arranged immediately! First-Class Room Number One. Upstairs, then left."

Qi Tian turned and tilted his head slightly toward the father and daughter.

"Upstairs."

The girl’s legs were still trembling so badly that she could barely move.

The old storyteller took a deep breath to steady himself, reached out to support his daughter, and slowly followed behind Qi Tian, one step at a time, up the stairs.

The door opened.

Inside was a spacious and brightly lit room, furnished with refined and elegant decor. At the center stood a large square table made of carved pear wood, accompanied by four matching high-backed chairs.

Qi Tian walked over and took the seat of honor.

He looked at the two of them.

"Come sit."

The old storyteller and his daughter exchanged a glance.

Uneasiness filled their hearts, but they could only slowly approach and carefully sit down by the table.

Their bodies remained slightly leaned forward, touching only the edge of the chairs, never daring to fully relax.

The old storyteller steadied himself before finally gathering the courage to bow slightly and ask:

"May I ask, Young Master Qi... why have you summoned my daughter and me here?"

Qi Tian did not answer immediately.

He simply looked at the two of them calmly and asked:

"What are your names?"

The old storyteller quickly lowered his posture.

"This old man is surnamed An, given name Gensheng. My daughter only bears the single character Yuan."

Qi Tian gave a slight nod.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

"I heard that... the two of you came from elsewhere?"

An Gensheng quickly bowed and replied:

"To answer your question, Young Master, my daughter and I came from the Xiliang Kingdom. We have wandered from place to place along the way. Counting from where we began, we have already passed through six vassal kingdoms within the Eastern Domain."

Qi Tian raised his brows slightly.

"The Eastern Domain? Vassal kingdoms? Tell me more."

An Gensheng was inwardly puzzled.

This person possessed such profound cultivation. How could he not even know about the current affairs of the world?

Yet he dared not ask.

He immediately answered respectfully:

"Yes, Young Master. Today, the vast Eastern Domain is entirely under the rule of the Xuanqing Empire. Beneath it lie twelve vassal kingdoms, each paying tribute year after year and pledging allegiance generation after generation..."

Qi Tian listened quietly, but waves had already begun surging within his heart.

Ten thousand years ago, aside from the central Sacred Domain, the entire Tianyan Continent had been unified under the Great Yan Dynasty.

When had the four great Domains of East, South, West, and North ever existed?

Not to mention... empires and vassal kingdoms?

Just as he was listening, someone gently knocked on the door.

The inn attendant entered carrying a food box and placed the dishes and wine on the table one by one.

Qi Tian raised a hand.

"Eat while you talk. There is no need to be so formal."

An Gensheng repeatedly said he would not dare.

His hands trembled slightly, and in the end, he still did not dare to pick up his chopsticks.

Instead, he carefully poured himself a cup of wine, took a small sip to moisten his throat, and continued.

Beside him, An Yuan timidly reached out with her chopsticks and quickly picked up a small piece of meat.

She immediately withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and sat upright, no longer daring to move.

Qi Tian noticed everything, but said nothing.

He simply raised his cup, picked up food, and ate calmly while listening to An Gensheng describe the changes in the world after ten thousand years.

After finishing his meal and wine, Qi Tian finally understood.

Only then did he realize—

The place where he now stood had once been nothing more than a remote and desolate frontier at the eastern edge of the Great Yan Dynasty ten thousand years ago, a land with barely any human presence.

Yet now, it had become the easternmost territory of the Eastern Domain, belonging to the weakest of the twelve vassal kingdoms—the Qingchuan Kingdom.

Only the central Sacred Domain remained unchanged.

The Seven Great Sects still stood firm, not a single one having fallen.

As expected, the foundations of the supreme sects that had endured for countless ages were not something that could be easily destroyed, even after the passing of ten thousand years and the changing of the world.

Qi Tian then asked about Zhenyuan City and the surrounding geography.

However, An Gensheng could only hesitate and give vague answers.

The father and daughter had only just arrived here and were naturally unfamiliar with the area.

Seeing that there was nothing more to ask, Qi Tian took out ten spirit stones and handed them over.

"Take these. Leave Zhenyuan City immediately. Do not return."

An Gensheng and his daughter expressed their gratitude again and again.

After accepting the spirit stones, they bowed deeply and departed.

By then, it was already Si Shi, with the morning sun climbing high into the sky.

Having spent the entire morning here, Qi Tian rose and decided to set out for Mount Qinglu.

Just as he stepped out of Yuelai Inn, a middle-aged cultivator hurried inside.

He wore a dark blue cultivator robe, with cloud patterns embroidered along the cuffs and collar. A jade token hung from his waist, its edges inlaid with black, giving him an air of understated dignity.

Qi Tian swept his divine sense over him.

Mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

He paid no attention.

Turning at the corner of the street, he continued directly toward Mount Qinglu.

Inside the inn, the steward hurried forward to greet him.

"Elder Li, you’re finally here."

Elder Li gave a slight nod and continued walking upstairs without stopping.

His voice carried a hint of exhaustion.

"Today is the day we open the mountain gate and accept disciples. There are too many matters to handle. I came here first to check the condition of the damaged Spirit Gathering Array. I must return shortly."

——

The Qingming Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, vast and boundless.

Ancient trees towered throughout the mountains, their branches thick with foliage that blotted out the sky and sun. Strange flowers and rare herbs grew everywhere, while tangled vines covered the land, the dense primordial vegetation so thick that not even a patch of earth could be seen.

Deep within the mountains, the forests were dark and gloomy. Miasma gathered constantly, and countless savage beasts roamed the wilderness, their ferocious roars echoing one after another.

Even ordinary cultivators who ventured inside often never returned.

Qi Tian moved swiftly through the forest.

When he had left seclusion, he had traveled all the way from Mount Qingya. At that time, he dared not use his true essence, restraining himself with every step, and it had taken him a full three days.

Now, with his true essence circulating, each step carried him several zhang forward. In less than an hour, he crossed countless mountains and forests before finally stopping.

He raised his head.

He had finally reached Mount Qinglu.

Then he suddenly froze.

Looking upward, he saw the entire mountain covered by a faint glow of spiritual energy, shimmering like mist yet solid as a barrier.

Qi Tian raised his hand and reached forward.

Before his fingertip could even touch the mountain rocks, a soft yet resilient force gently pushed him back.

His brows furrowed.

He immediately gathered power into his finger and pointed forward again.

"Buzz—"

The spiritual glow trembled slightly, ripples spreading outward.

Yet the ward remained completely unmoved,

continuing to prevent him from entering.

Unwilling to believe it, Qi Tian stepped forward and attempted to force his way in.

He tried again and again, but the ward remained as unyielding as before, refusing to allow even a single step beyond it.

Qi Tian stood frozen in place.

He was completely stunned.

This...

What exactly was going on?