She suddenly transmitted some information to Fifth Lingyu.

He was momentarily stunned.

“You have absorbed the divine essence of two generations of Dao bodies, and your aura is chaotic, already showing signs of backlash. Practicing this scripture will help you control the divine essence and produce a weakened version of Chaos Qi.”

Qin Ruqing was pleased by the words “weakened version of Chaos Qi.”

She cheerfully stepped forward and nudged Fifth Lingyu with her elbow. “So, does this mean you now have half a Azure Lutos Dao Physique? A synthetic youth version?”

“Haha! Then you’ll be forever suppressed by me.”

Fifth Lingyu was deeply speechless by this behavior, where one moment they were fighting for their lives and the next, she was casually joking around.

He intentionally stood a bit farther away, looking straight ahead and said coldly: “If I had chosen to remove the Xuanming heart, it would have been a real joke to someone like you.”

Fifth Lingyu could imagine that she would ruthlessly mock him in her heart.

The disdain he once felt was now absolute.

After mocking him, she would stride forward, abandoning all past grievances and forgetting all their confrontations.

She would no longer harbor any hatred towards him.

She would no longer see him as an enemy, let alone a rival.

Because he was now completely inferior and no longer worthy of any attention.

To this, Qin Ruqing only responded with a mock apology: “Sorry, I’m always watching for entertainment—so it seems you did notice my presence earlier.”

Fifth Lingyu’s reaction was to give Qin Ruqing a deep, assessing look.

“Tsk, just acting.”

She told Fifth Lingyu: “I still have some things to discuss with Dao Ancestor.”

Implying that she didn’t want him lingering here.

Although Fifth Lingyu and she didn’t get along, he was particularly calm at this moment.

After the fight and mutual mockery, his emotions, like stored water, had been fully released, leaving him unusually calm.

He asked the Dao Ancestor: “May I leave now?”

As he asked this question, his figure began to dissipate like light smoke.

Even though Qin Ruqing knew they could transport without distance, she still felt as if Fifth Lingyu had “left.”

“Will he continue the cycle of memories after leaving here?”

Dao Ancestor said: “That depends on him.”

Him? Qin Ruqing lost interest.

Outside the void, Fifth Lingyu, transformed into a lamp, looked at himself with a moment of surprise at not continuing his memories.

Words like “monster” were temporarily distant from him.

Endless anger also faded away.

At this moment, a thought oddly surfaced in his mind:

“You’re just naturally abnormal…”

With a hint of sarcasm, yet strangely serious.

The voice seemed both annoying and familiar.

Fifth Lingyu suddenly snorted, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes again.

Meanwhile, in the void, Dao Ancestor said to Qin Ruqing: “Your backup options have been removed.”

“The immortal world cannot rely on you alone, but the unique pressure that belongs solely to you will no longer have anyone to share it.”

“You cannot just be an ordinary genius. The world expects you to shoulder great righteousness and be a hero.”

“How will you choose?”

The Dao Ancestor could sense any thought from Qin Ruqing.

She pointed out Qin Ruqing’s hesitation and evasion that was never shown to others.

Qinglian was like a giant holding up a torch.

And Qin Ruqing was the chosen successor of fate.

Between them, there was the light and brilliance illuminated by the torch, which might or might not exist forever.

Dao Ancestor extended her hand, watching Qin Ruqing with kindness.

Yet Qin Ruqing, exhausted, came to a halt.

How will you choose?

Should you take up this baton of fate?

Should this weary run continue?

On the eastern sea, the small island remained heavily guarded.

Qin Ruqing and the other prodigies exploring the Sixth Domain were in a mysterious state.

Their physical bodies were present, but they seemed to be in a deep sleep.

Feng Qinxue observed for several hours and finally commented, “It doesn’t look like they have left their souls behind.”

When the soul leaves the body, the physical form becomes a mere shell, showing no reaction.

Yet Qin Ruqing and the others’ bodies still displayed signs of life.

Their eyelids occasionally twitched, brows furrowed, and their facial expressions revealed aspects of their inner state.

This was not something a soul departure could account for.

“I wonder if the children have entered the Sixth Domain smoothly and if they faced the same kind of rejection we encountered,” Fifth Sheng said, restless, with his hands behind his back.

“They should be fine. Their states are all quite unified. If someone were rejected, we wouldn’t fail to notice,” Taichi Sect Master said, stroking his beard.

After five days, people began to wake up, with only a few moments between them.

Only one exception remained: Qin Ruqing. She had not awakened yet and was emitting strange fluctuations.

Fifth Lingyu glanced at Qin Ruqing’s back.

A multitude of images flashed through his mind, which then coalesced into complex emotions.

He was silent for a moment and was the first to stand up.

“Lingyu, how was the situation in the Sixth Domain? Did you see the Dao Ancestor?” Fifth Sheng’s eyes lit up when he saw him and quickly stepped forward to ask.

His voice wasn’t soft.

Fifth Lingyu frowned slightly, glanced at Qin Ruqing’s direction with a nonchalant expression, then walked away a bit before answered, “I saw her.”

Saw her!

Everyone’s emotions surged immediately, their spirits lifted.

Just as Fifth Sheng was about to ask more, he suddenly caught a very hard-to-ignore gaze.

Fifth Sheng looked towards the source of the gaze.

Tang Zifeng was sitting cross-legged behind Qin Ruqing.

At this moment, he met Fifth Sheng’s gaze, his expression calm and composed, saying, “Clan Leader, Qingqing hasn’t woken up yet.”

His words were succinct, but the message was clear: Don’t disturb Qingqing.

Fifth Sheng’s expression became a bit awkward.

Given his status as a Celestial-grade clan leader, he should have felt displeased to be corrected by a younger generation, but Fifth Sheng felt genuinely uncomfortable.

Now that Fifth Lingyu and the other young people had woken up, Qin Ruqing was still asleep, which highlighted her special situation.

But this special status was widely understood.

The Sixth Domain was closely related to the Dao Ancestor, and as the Dao Ancestor’s successor, Qin Ruqing’s special treatment was perfectly normal.

Everyone even hoped that Qin Ruqing would be “more special.”

The more special she was, the more it indicated the Dao Ancestor’s special instructions and entrustments, which increased the chances of the cultivation world overcoming the crisis.

Thus, Fifth Sheng’s agitation and loud questioning that disturbed Qin Ruqing seemed inappropriate.

Tang Zifeng’s not-too-loud reminder was not only for Fifth Sheng but also for the others caught up in their excitement.

They snapped out of their frenzy and remembered that the specific situation in the Sixth Domain was still uncertain.

They couldn’t celebrate too soon.

Feng Qinxue waved her hand, and others understood, following her to stand beside Fifth Lingyu.

Feng Qinxue then set up a barrier and looked at Fifth Lingyu, saying, “Speak.”

“What’s going on with the Dao Ancestor? What is the situation inside the Sixth Domain? Did you really see the Dao Ancestor?”

The crowd watched Fifth Lingyu with eager eyes, hoping for an ideal answer.

Unfortunately, Fifth Lingyu was not one to easily give in.

“You should ask her directly for the details. She is the genuine Dao Ancestor’s successor,” Fifth Lingyu said, without looking at Qin Ruqing but clearly referring to her, “As for what I discussed with the Dao Ancestor… I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I only asked the Dao Ancestor about matters concerning myself.”

In other words, he had no knowledge about issues concerning the cultivation world.

“Lingyu!” Fifth Sheng said in a low voice, this attitude seemed too casual and disrespectful.

But Lingyu had always been temperamental, and Fifth Sheng could only take a deep breath and ask indirectly:

“Since that’s the case, just briefly describe the situation in the Sixth Domain. What is it like? How is the Dao Ancestor now?”

Unfortunately, Fifth Lingyu only patiently replied with one sentence.

After that, he became like a wooden puppet, his expression detached.

It was clear he was zoning out.

When pressed further, he grew impatient, and his cold demeanor made others wary.

Of course, Fifth Lingyu didn’t completely zone out; he at least received the dissatisfaction and frustration from the people around him.

Feeling bored, he thought, “How does Qin Ruqing tolerate these people?”

She still had to hold virtual meetings with these people.

Doesn’t she find it annoying?

“Let me explain,” Feng Mingyue stepped up recently to help Fifth Lingyu out.

Before giving a detailed explanation, Feng Mingyue emphasized, “I did not see the Dao Ancestor in person, so I cannot answer questions about the Dao Ancestor.”