Two days later, Qin Li concluded his Epiphany, gracefully withdrew from the ocean of swordsmanship, and awoke with satisfaction.
His Dao of the Sword Realm had made significant progress, breaking through to a new level.
Although his Cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, Qin Li's current strength was several times greater than two days prior.
Standing up with a comfortable mood, Qin Li looked around, wanting to share his joy with Zhou Dage and Shuying, but only saw a barrier protecting him from disturbance.
Qin Li recognized this as Zhou Dage's handiwork, and his heart immediately felt warm; Zhou Dage's importance in his heart was now equivalent to his mother's.
Stepping out of the protective barrier, Qin Li released his Divine Sense and quickly found Zhou Dage's aura on a cliff.
His figure flickered like a sword to this cliff, and through the one-way barrier, Qin Li could not see the scene within.
But he could sense that Zhou Dage was inside, so Qin Li knocked on the outer shell of the one-way barrier and asked.
"Zhou Dage, Shuying, are you in there?"
Zhou Fan also sensed that Li Di had arrived; he controlled the one-way barrier, lifting part of the sound isolation so that Qin Li could hear the sound from within the barrier.
"Li Di, congratulations on your two-day Epiphany. You must have benefited greatly these past two days."
Qin Li heard Zhou Dage's voice and immediately beamed with joy, saying, "Yes, Zhou Dage, after these two days of comprehending the Dao, my Dao of the Sword has broken through to a new Realm."
"Great, yes, that's the pose." Zhou Fan patted, then continued to act with satisfaction.
"Hehe, Zhou Dage, actually, I'm not that great."
Qin Li thought Zhou Dage was praising him, scratched his head, and revealed a shy smile.
Then he heard two familiar yet unfamiliar voices from within the one-way barrier.
After listening for a while longer, unable to believe it, Qin Li asked somewhat stammering.
"Mother, Shuying, are you also in there?"
Nangong Wan and Ning Shuying ignored him, but Zhou Fan kindly replied.
"Li Di, didn't I tell you when we were on Yin Yang Peak?"
"Fairy Master, she doesn't do housework, and if I didn't go back for so long, she definitely wouldn't be able to stay still, so I asked your mother to come here to find me."
Qin Li felt as if struck by lightning; having gone through so much, he thought his psychological resilience was strong enough.
But upon realizing that his confidante and mother were currently together, happily making progress, Qin Li still found it somewhat unacceptable.
But even if he didn't accept it, what could he do?
Qin Li opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't find the words.
He silently sat cross-legged outside the one-way barrier, and following the crazy surging unusual emotions in his heart, he began to seriously Cultivate the "Qing Ni Jue."
...
Three days later, Ning Shuying really couldn't hold on any longer.
Although she was very strong-willed and didn't want to lose to others, the disparity in strength was evident, and Ning Shuying could only walk out of the barrier with an unwilling expression.
Qin Li, sitting outside, saw this and didn't know how to comfort Ning Shuying.
After a moment of silence, Qin Li had a flash of inspiration and said.
"Shuying, don't be disheartened. It's already amazing that you could last five days. If it were me, I probably couldn't even last a day."
Ning Shuying heard this, first looked at Qin Li with a strange expression. She looked at Qin Li's beautiful face and suddenly remembered the side effects of the "Qing Ni Jue" that Zhou Fan had told her about.
Thinking of what would happen in the future, the usually serious Great Constable Ning couldn't help but laugh.
Qin Li saw Ning Shuying laugh and thought his cold joke comforting method had worked, so he also laughed.
The two sat together in a harmonious atmosphere, diligently Cultivating with two completely different kinds of joy.
It was a full seven days later that Luan Feng Immortal Nangong Wan, like a victorious general, walked out of the barrier with Zhou Fan's arm linked in hers.
Casually dispelling the barrier, Zhou Fan immediately noticed that Qin Li's Cultivation had already increased to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
"Congratulations, Li Di, you just finished your Epiphany in the Dao of the Sword, and your Cultivation has soared so much again in such a short time. You truly live up to being the Qingfeng Great Hero."
Qingfeng Great Hero was a title Qin Li gave himself; when he performed heroic deeds, if someone asked for his name, Qin Li would raise the sword in his hand and say the sword's name was "Qingfeng," and he was naturally the Qingfeng Great Hero.
After not seeing him for many days, and being praised by Zhou Dage again, Qin Li was very happy, and the slight estrangement in his heart caused by Zhou Dage fighting two people at once vanished completely.
"I still have a long way to go to catch up to Zhou Dage. My Cultivation is increasing so quickly now, thanks to you, Zhou Dage."
Qin Li moved closer to Zhou Fan. He looked at his mother, who was nestled close to Zhou Dage's embrace, appearing like a small bird leaning on him, and proactively greeted her.
"Mother, why didn't you tell me you were coming down the mountain?"
Nangong Wan, after twelve days of 'nourishment,' was now radiant and exuded Immortal Qi. She glanced at Qin Li and said indifferently.
"I came to find my naughty disciple, not you, Xiao Li. Why would I tell you anything?"
Qin Li's expression froze. He could hear the distance in his mother's words. Clearly, when they were on the mountain, his mother had always been very good to him, treating him as the apple of her eye.
Why had it become like this now? Qin Li couldn't quite understand. He pouted, looking very wronged.
"Cough, Li Di, don't overthink it. Master is just in a state of pure heart and few desires right now, just saying the opposite of what she means."
"Actually, Master has missed you very much after not seeing you for so many days, but you are no longer a child, so Master won't express her care and love for you as directly as in the past."
Qin Li heard this and thought it made sense. He had traveled in the Fan Realm for so long and found that when children grew up and started their own families, parents and children would reduce their interactions, and the way they expressed affection was also different from childhood.
He turned his head to look at Zhou Dage, who was patiently explaining things to him, and Qin Li suddenly felt that Zhou Dage was very different from everyone else.
He could always sense his thoughts at the first moment and always cared for him at the right time.
Zhou Fan sensed Qin Li's blank stare at him, smiled at Li Di, and suggested that everyone go down the mountain to rest for a day before visiting the Xuanyuan Dynasty's next scenic spot.
Ning Shuying and Nangong Wan naturally happily agreed, and the group walked down the mountain.
After a few steps, Zhou Fan noticed that Qin Li hadn't seemed to follow. He looked back and saw Qin Li still standing there blankly.
He immediately told Qin Li not to zone out and to hurry up and follow.
Qin Li then seemed to awaken from a dream. He looked at Zhou Dage, who was extraordinarily handsome under the sunlight, and quickly lowered his head to catch up with the three.
Zhou Fan didn't think much of it. Seeing Qin Li catch up, he continued to chat happily with the two women as they descended the mountain.
Qin Li rubbed his face, feeling it a bit hot.
He used a bronze mirror spell to look at himself and realized that his face was actually red.
Zhou Dage's sunny and cheerful smile reappeared in his mind. Qin Li quickly dispelled the bronze mirror spell. He looked up at Zhou Dage's back, trying his best to cut off the chaotic thoughts in his heart.
