A piece of news spread like a hurricane through the city of Qinghe County, and then quickly spread to various places.
The news was that the lord of Xueying Manor in Yishui City, Qinghe County, 'Dongbo Xueying,' had become a Transcendent Being!
Countless people were stunned.
Many people in Qinghe County cheered, and discussions in taverns and teahouses across the region were filled with pride for their hometown producing a Transcendent Being! No matter where in the Longshan Empire, stories about Transcendent Beings were always popular.
A Transcendent Being once disguised himself as an old beggar, and a spoiled young man from a powerful family bullied the old beggar, and then... the family was destroyed.
Another person, through a stroke of luck, met a Transcendent Being who hadn't revealed his identity, and from then on, rose to prominence, becoming a person of great importance.
In short!
In legends and stories, anything related to Transcendent Beings involved either various extraordinary encounters, powerful families, dark abyss demons, terrifying powerful magical beasts, or deities, etc.
"We have a Transcendent Being in Qinghe County too."
"I knew it, Dongbo Xueying was on par with Xiang Pangyun at the age of twenty-two. He was bound to become a Transcendent Being if he lived. Look, it's only been a few years? Even the Blackwind Abyss couldn't stop a Transcendent Being!"
"I heard that Dongbo Xueying was obsessed with spear practice from a young age, and his spear skills were profound. He had the strength of a Silver Moon Knight at the age of fifteen."
"You underestimate Dongbo Xueying. He killed Xiang Pangyun at the age of twenty-two! He probably had the strength of a titled knight at the age of fifteen!"
...
Many stories spread, becoming more and more exaggerated.
This was actually quite normal, as stories about Transcendent Beings were always filled with mystique.
*****
The very next morning.
A metal airship landed at the foot of Snowstone Mountain, and then a group of people walked up from the foot of the mountain.
"We are some titled knights and mages from Qinghe County, here to pay our respects to Lord Dongbo Xueying." Six figures stood at the castle gate, each a titled individual. The leader was the alluring beauty 'Siliang Hong' with her long red hair. Siliang Hong had a blood demon body, and her allure was extremely powerful, making the ordinary guards at the castle gate feel hot and impulsive.
But when they heard Siliang Hong's words, they were all surprised.
All titled individuals?
After a moment, Siliang Hong and the other five were allowed to enter.
"Lord, he is over there." A maid led the way.
Siliang Hong and the other five saw two people sitting under a pavilion in the distance. One was exceptionally handsome, a standout among men. The other, a young man in black, looked ordinary, but all six of them, who had achieved harmony with heaven and earth, could faintly sense theๆ ๅฝข็ๅ่ฟซๆ from this black-clothed youth, making their hearts race with fear.
"We pay our respects to the Guardian." Siliang Hong and the others bowed respectfully.
Dongbo Xueying turned his head and looked at them: "What is it?"
Siliang Hong, the leader, said respectfully, "We have received orders from the Water Source Daoist Temple. From now on, Qinghe County will be managed by the Guardian's family. We will all assist wholeheartedly. If the Dongbo family needs anything from us, just let us know!"
"Understood." Dongbo Xueying nodded.
"Guardian," Siliang Hong suddenly spoke softly, her voice resonating only in Dongbo Xueying's ear through the power of heaven and earth, "Our family has a girl named Kong Youyue. I heard she has a past with the Guardian. How would the Guardian like to handle this girl?"
Dongbo Xueying's growth path was well known to Siliang Hong!
In the past, she didn't care about Kong Youyue, but now she didn't dare to act rashly. She didn't dare to elevate her, nor did she dare to execute her.
"Youyue?" Dongbo Xueying thought of this young girl.
Youyue was a cunning woman who had once infuriated him. He was so angry because Kong Youyue had lived in Snowstone Castle for over six years, and he had watched her grow from a little girl. Though there was no love, there was a sense of friendship. But it turned out everything was a deception.
"Let it be." Dongbo Xueying said.
"Let it be?" Siliang Hong didn't dare to ask more, only pondering the meaning.
Soon, Siliang Hong and the others left.
Dongbo Xueying had nothing more to say to them. They came to show their allegiance! As for gifts, giving gifts to a Transcendent Being? It was a joke!
"Brother, the one leading them is Siliang Hong, who is hundreds of years old?" Qing Shi whispered, still quite nervous and excited.
"She has transformed into a blood demon body, giving her an eight-hundred-year lifespan." Dongbo Xueying then asked, "Qing Shi, I'll ask you again, do you really want to go to Changfeng Academy?"
"Yes." Qing Shi nodded, "Mages need guidance from a teacher. I want to go further on the path of mages. Actually, when you fell into the Blackwind Abyss last time, I deeply regretted not practicing diligently. I realized then that external forces are all illusions, and one's own strength is the foundation. I want to master more."
He never wanted to feel that sense of powerlessness again.
"Very well." Dongbo Xueying nodded, agreeing, "Father and Mother have just returned. Stay with them for a few months before going to Changfeng Academy. I will arrange for you to be taught by a Transcendent Mage at Changfeng Academy."
"Thank you, Brother." Qing Shi nodded, not being stubborn about finding a teacher on his own.
Having a Transcendent Being as a teacher was something he was very willing to do.
...
Dongbo Lie and his wife soon learned that their younger son was going to Changfeng Academy. They were quite reluctant, but they had often faced life and death in the past and were quite open-minded! They understood that going to Changfeng Academy would be very beneficial for their younger son. It wasn't immediate, but a few months later. They could also visit Qing Shi at Changfeng Academy.
Distance? With a metal airship, it wasn't a problem.
Dongbo Xueying left the many gold notes and other items left by Xiang Pangyun to his parents. The gold notes in Xiang Pangyun's storage treasure were piled up in a small mound. This bloodthirsty infiltrator of the magical beast race had repeatedly taken Bloodblade Tavern missions, earning a large amount of gold. Over the years, despite some expenses, he had left behind over eight million gold coins.
It was quite astonishing! Probably only the powerful Siliang family in all of Qinghe County could compare.
Days passed.
Dongbo Xueying spent time with his parents, as he would soon be heading to the Water Source Daoist Temple and then to the Emberworld. Once in the Emberworld, he might not return for several years or even over a decade.
This made Dongbo Lie and his wife quite reluctant.
They had just reunited, and their two sons were about to go their separate ways. They could at least visit their younger son at Changfeng Academy.
But Dongbo Xueying going to the Emberworld was something they couldn't do!
"Whoosh"
A metal airship landed at the foot of Snowstone Mountain, and a large group of people walked out. The leader was the silver-robed woman Mo Yang Qi! Behind her were a group of elders and other elites from the Mo Yang family, all extremely nervous.
They looked at the winding mountain path and the castle on the mountaintop, which was faintly visible.
Mo Yang Qi took a deep breath.
The others' hearts were racing.
"The moment that will decide the fate of our Mo Yang family has arrived." Mo Yang Qi tried to calm her nervousness and immediately ordered, "Let's go, follow me up the mountain."