After the New Year.

In a small, hidden cave on the Penglai Sacred Mountain, an invisible wave of energy suddenly spread.

At the entrance of the cave, the grass grew rapidly, reaching half a person’s height in an instant.

Nearby, on a crooked tree branch, there was a bird’s nest with three hungry baby birds.

As the wave of energy passed, the nest collapsed, and the three baby birds, just transformed into fledglings, fell.

As they neared the ground, they seemed to realize they could fly and awkwardly flapped their wings, taking off clumsily.

The invisible wave of energy lasted only a moment and quickly subsided.

Inside the cave, in the place with the most intense spiritual energy, sat a girl in red.

She looked at her hands with a strange expression, as if they didn’t belong to her.

This disturbance was caused by Qin Ruqing.

She had been in seclusion for three years and had just managed to activate the Domain of All Things.

However, the domain lasted only a second before dissipating on its own.

“Why did it stop? It felt like I was doing everything right.”

Qin Ruqing furrowed her brows, remembering the fleeting pattern she saw on the inside of her forearm when the domain activated.

It resembled a mysterious totem or family crest, similar to but more complex than the Liuye family crest from the Fifth Family.

It almost seemed like intricate lily patterns intertwined to form a lotus shape, though calling it a lotus seemed forced.

This is why Qin Ruqing was puzzled, examining her hand.

The Domain of All Things had only appeared for a brief moment, establishing a connection with her before sealing itself on her forearm.

Now that the mysteriousness in the token had disappeared, the domain had dissipated, and the totem vanished as quickly as it had come, like melting ice and snow.

Yet, Qin Ruqing’s hand was precisely on the spot where the totem had been, confirming that the domain was inside her body, just waiting for her to summon it.

So, did the disappearance of the mysteriousness in the token mean the domain had transferred into her body?

Qin Ruqing speculated this in her mind and nodded in agreement.

This was actually better.

The remaining two celestial tokens were somewhat problematic, and if she had to rely on them for the domain, it might attract unwanted attention from the Fifth Family.

This situation was better.

Qin Ruqing shifted her gaze from her forearm to the surroundings of the cave.

Perhaps because she had used the domain, the grass and moss inside the cave had grown wildly, as if over-nourished.

Qin Ruqing’s eyes reflected a thoughtful expression.

It had been three years since she last went into such a long seclusion.

This was her first serious retreat, solely to study the rules.

The results had been substantial.

First, she had comprehended a small part of the rule power from the hungry ghost path celestial token.

Note that she used the term “comprehended” instead of “refined.”

This represented Qin Ruqing’s new understanding of the rules—she had discovered that the concept of “refining” rules didn’t exist.

The nature of rules was somewhat similar to the energy units of spiritual power but was entirely different from it. “Refining” rules was actually a process of understanding and digesting.

Thus, Qin Ruqing had spent three years comprehending half of the rule power from the token.

Though it might sound like a small amount, in reality, it was equivalent to the combined progress and gains of ten years of her previous cultivation.

The rule power she had comprehended and absorbed was stored within her body, like invisible knowledge, but would be used in critical moments.

Qin Ruqing summarized these critical moments and found that they mainly focused on two aspects for her current stage.

She needs to use certain specific rules, like the rules of the Fire Domain.

Qin Ruqing finally understands why the Golden Sea of the Five Colors Sea can reach such high temperatures and why its lethality is beyond imagination.

It’s because it integrates the power of rules, using them to fundamentally transform the flames.

She also uses the Domain of All Life. Thinking about this makes Qin Ruqing’s face look a bit grim.

When she activated the domain, the rules she had comprehended over the past three years were consumed at an astonishing rate that her spiritual sense could detect.

That domain only lasted for a second! One second! The energy consumption was terrifying!

Originally, Qin Ruqing thought that having the power of the rules of the entire Desolate City was more than enough, and she was quite pleased.

But now, it seems that if she used the domain recklessly, even the combined power of the rules from the entire Desolate City might not be enough to sustain her.

However, the benefits she gained were still enormous.

Qin Ruqing stood up and walked out of the cave, moving aside the blocking boulder.

She found that the grass at the cave entrance had grown as tall as a person and could completely cover the entrance without the boulder.

She brushed the grass aside, letting sunlight shine on her smooth, jade-like face.

She also seemed to have an insight: the Domain of All things appears to have an eternal vitality characteristic, and it’s an enhanced version of eternal vitality.

It not only affects herself but also the surrounding environment.

Thinking more deeply, could others within the domain also receive this endless vitality?

If so, the potential of this domain is unimaginable.

“Three years have passed, and the Void Realm will soon open. It’s time to leave.” Without any hesitation, Qin Ruqing stepped forward.

Back at the waterfall courtyard, the time and space seemed frozen, just as when she left.

Qin Ruqing now hesitated only about one thing: whether to leave immediately and join her third sister, Xiao Tang and the Qirong or to follow the Fifth Family’s team.

There’s a crucial issue here.

The Fifth Family wants to use her to unlock the seal inside the Void Realm’s Immortal Tomb, otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed her to act freely in the Four Prisons.

But she doesn’t know how to play this “key” role.

In other words, she doesn’t know how to unlock the tomb’s seal, whether she needs to master specific techniques or use her own body…

Qin Ruqing pondered for a moment, first taking out a jade slip to report her safety in a small group.

Then she shook a brass bell to report her whereabouts to someone.

“Director, I’m out of seclusion.”

Of course, Fifth Lingyu knew about her seclusion—after all, she didn’t run away directly because he was watching her.

To dispel his doubts, it was necessary to inform him of such a significant event like a three-year seclusion to show her integrity.

After waiting for a while, there was no response from the brass bell.

Clearly, the person was very busy and couldn’t respond to her.

That’s fine.

Qin Ruqing stood up briskly, planning to go directly to the Ten Thousand Scrolls Pavilion.

This time, Qin Ruqing wasn’t going to browse through books.

She had already gone through most of the books below the fourth floor of the Wan Juan Pavilion.

Instead, she was looking for the Young Clan Leader of the Fifth Family, Fifth Youlin.

Discussing the matter of the Immortal Tomb seal with the clan leader would seem too formal, and the Fifth Clan Leader might not have time to deal with someone like her.

Talking to Fifth Lingyu would be appropriate, but he was busy.

So, Qin Ruqing decided to approach the Young Clan Leader of the Fifth Family.

It was both prestigious and appropriate, as their ranks were similar, and it was less formal but still respectable.

Qin Ruqing went to the fourth floor of the Wan Juan Pavilion but didn’t find the Young Clan Leader there.

She thought for a moment and then went directly to the ground floor.

She found an old woman in front of the celestial charts.

She bowed respectfully and stood quietly.

The old woman, who seemed to blend the feeling of life and death, slowly opened her eyes.

“It’s you,” she said calmly.

Qin Ruqing had been in Penglai for some time and was a regular at the Wan Juan Pavilion, so the old woman recognized her.

Looking down, the old woman saw that Qin Ruqing was full of vitality.

She was indeed very suited for the Inheritance, but unfortunately, she wasn’t from the Fifth Family.

With a sigh, the old woman asked, “What is it you need?”

Qin Ruqing lowered her head and said, “I need to find the Young Clan Leader. He wasn’t on the fourth floor, and I can’t reach him with the copper bell.”

The old woman sensed for a moment and then said, “He is on the sixth floor, training in the Starfall power.”

Without waiting for Qin Ruqing to speak, she waved her hand, drawing a golden light, and said, “He is now on the fourth floor. You may go.”

Noting that Qin Ruqing bowed calmly again, the old woman became curious and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Did this girl really think of her as just the keeper of the Fifth Family’s library?

She even had the courage to ask her to find someone.

Qin Ruqing straightened her back and said respectfully, “I may not recognize your esteemed identity, but I know your gaze encompasses many volumes and landscapes, yet it does not involve my faults.

Therefore, I believe that if there is something, there is no need to be reserved; it is better to speak openly. Otherwise, it might waste your time.”

The old woman smiled slightly.

It was either flattery or boldness, but it dispelled her last doubts about Qin Ruqing.

In the past three years, the senior from the Hungry Ghost Path had not reappeared.

She and two other elders had searched in vain.

Although they suspected Qin Ruqing, her weak strength and the straightforward nature of the Fifth Family’s actions made it clear she couldn’t do much, so they did not search for her again.

However, there was still a lingering shadow.

Seeing Qin Ruqing’s actions now, knowing her Fifth Family background was not simple yet still speaking so directly, the old woman finally dispelled her last doubts.

She closed her eyes and waved her hand towards Qin Ruqing, signaling her to leave.

Qin Ruqing left with a feeling of relief and returned to the fourth floor.

Fifth Youlin was indeed there.

He turned slowly as she approached.

“You’ve come out of seclusion?”

Qin Ruqing’s eyes flashed as she smiled and nodded, “I apologize for disturbing the Young Clan Leader’s training. I have a matter to discuss.” She didn’t intend to beat around the bush.

She looked directly at Fifth Youlin and said firmly, “It concerns the Immortal Tomb seal.”