"How could you treat your own sister like this? Have you forgotten that one of the reasons Qing Lan likes you is because you're nice to your sister?"
"No, girls all like boys who bully others," Yang Qinglan said.
"Nonsense, I'm a girl too, and I only like kind-hearted boys who can make people laugh, not hooligans who love to fight and use violence!"
"You only like your brother anyway, 'Twins' on..."
"Ah—stop talking, stop talking! I can't hear, I can't hear!" Li Qianxia covered her ears, tightly closed her eyes, and shook her head desperately—her thumb was totally fine.
When she returned to "Honey Pot World" in the evening, Li Qianxia didn't dare to practice cultivation alone, so she snuggled up to Li Changzhou and Yang Qinglan.
The two had no choice but to practice cultivation seriously.
It wasn't exactly a picture of perfect harmony, but the cultivation results surprisingly didn't drop. Perhaps having their sister by their side was more stimulating? They couldn't understand the perverse logic of the Yin Yang Double Snakes.
For sleeping at night, the three of them were together, more precisely, in one room, three beds.
Li Qianxia slept in the middle, Li Changzhou slept in the bed closest to the door, acting as the Gate God—according to Li Qianxia herself.
After bringing Little Radish into the quilt, Li Qianxia finally felt at ease.
"Ghosts are really amazing, so powerful, even S-rank tools can't stop them," sighed Li Changzhou.
"What's a ghost?" Little Radish asked in her clear childlike voice.
"Ghosts are the most terrifying things in the world. For you, Little Radish, they are birds that fly in the sky and eat meat,"
Little Radish drew a deep breath, "Will ghosts come?"
"Yes!" Li Qianxia nodded very seriously.
"Ghosts are so scary!"
"Right? Hey, wait!"
"..."
"That's right," her brother changed the subject, "Qing Lan, remember to give Guo Xue a thousand Money bonus and Ye Jinan five hundred this month."
"Why?" His sister-in-law pretended as if she hadn't heard a thing.
"They call me boss," reminisced Li Changzhou.
In the darkness, Yang Qinglan pursed her lips slightly, a mix of amusement and disdain.
The four of them lay in bed and talked for a while, Li Qianxia picked up Little Radish, and they each went to sleep.
The next day, Li Changzhou replaced a butterfly's F-ranked Skill called "Where is the Delicious Nectar" with "Quick Channel", and built a Transmission Array between Naples and the Moon.
For the next half a month, aside from going out for matters related to the Moon, Li Changzhou, Yang Qinglan, and Li Qianxia all cultivated together in preparation for the next game.
During the half-month of collective cultivation, they reached the limit with Visualization and were just one step away from entering the Fifth Layer.
Turquoise Pool came to Qing Lan Bookstore twice, and Li Changzhou didn't see her once, since Li Qianxia handled it.
January 1st.
"Bro, the Moon Base construction is almost complete, Beia said she would take us for a visit."
"Let's talk about it after we come back from the instance, then we can celebrate together. This time in the instance, we'll make a big push to advance to Immortal," he replied.
"No problem!"
"Can I not go?" Little Radish asked.
Li Changzhou stuffed her into his pocket in one go.
After sending Beia Triss and the others from the Cangqiong World back to the Cangqiong World—since they could only remain on the Moon or Earth if Li Changzhou died—the three of them entered the subway.
◇
Hearing the grand chanting.
"Primordial peace, announcing to all spirits. True officials of mountains and rivers, equivalent to the spirits of the land."
"Left altars and right sacrifices, undisturbed by the unworthy. Dedicated to the righteous path, clear inside and out."
"Each in their rightful position, protecting the altar court. By command of the Supreme, hunting down evil spirits."
"Protector Divine Kings, guarding..."
Li Changzhou opened his eyes and saw Daoists sitting all around, with a huge altar in front.
The Golden Boys and Jade Girls were lined up in two rows, surrounded by fragrant flowers on all sides, with huge incense candles burning in the center, above which the Divine Statues of The Three Pure Ones were enshrined.
There were also lively green lions and white elephants, so lifelike they seemed like they could pounce at any moment.
In the mist of incense and enveloping clouds, Words formed.
[Time: 18th year of the Jiajing reign (1539), the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month]
[Location: Capital, Chongyu Altar]
[Background: In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the last Immortal on Earth, Liu Bowen, slayed the dragon, severing the path to becoming an Immortal thereafter, with the remnants of the Dragon Vein hidden within the Zhu Clan. From Zhu Yuanzhang to Zhu Houcong, through eleven Emperors, the strength of the Dragon Vein was nearly spent. Those in the world with the wish to become immortals gathered in the Capital, vying for the Dragon Vein.]
[Character: Heir to the Eastern Prince (Fake); Divine Sect Emperor (True)]
[Main Quest: Tribulation Immortal]
[Quest Content: Seize the Dragon Vein, undergo the Tribulation to become Immortal]
[Note: After Jiajing, there were five more Emperors in the Ming Dynasty, the remaining power of the Dragon Vein can only satisfy five people becoming Immortals]
[Hint: Player 'Ability' has all been transformed into 'Mana']
And some fragmented memories.
The real descendant of the Eastern Prince had already been killed by the Divine Sect Emperor;
The Daoist on the altar was the True One of Dragon and Tiger Mountain, Shao Yuanjie, who with the power of the Dragon Vein could be invincible in the world for a short time.
The dignified man praying next to the Daoist was the Jiajing Emperor.
The Divine Sect had many people present, aside from him, the Emperor (also known as the Demon Emperor), there was the Heavenly Empress (with the equally beautiful title of Demon Empress), and the five major Heavenly Monarchs (Demon Lords), and countless disciples.
The memories also mentioned that the Divine Sect Empress was accompanying the Emperor, right by his side.
Li Changzhou looked over.
Turquoise Pool, whom he hadn't seen for a fortnight, lifted her sleeve, shyly not letting him look.
"...what a mess I've made."
"What did you say?" Suddenly, the True One on the altar turned around, his eyes blazing with divine light.
In the presence of hundreds of Daoists, thousands of eunuchs and palace maids, tens of thousands of the Imperial Guard, as well as the Jiajing Emperor, everyone turned to look at Li Changzhou.