The Founder of Qi Cultivation, Reincarnates?

In the West Wing of the Imperial Palace where the Emperor’s concubines stayed, in a courtyard, Lady Ying was standing in front of Tai saying her goodbyes.

Li Ling was there as well, along with an older-looking Little Snow that was at least a head and a half taller than the almost thirteen Li Ling, the same height as Tai.

“Are you sure you want to attend this Chosen Tournament?”

Lady Ying asked Tai with a worried voice.

Tai nodded with assurance and said confidently.

“Aunty, I’m sure! And I already had uncle go out of his way to make me a Chosen, if I don’t go then I would have bothered him for nothing. Plus…”

Tai paused here for a brief moment while sadness flashed past his eyes. He then softly continued.

“Plus I’ve already searched the entire continent along with the Zhi Clan and our Faction members, I don’t think Master is here. If I go to the Star Bound Continent to participate in the Chosen Tournament, maybe I’ll find him there. The others are going for that reason as well, so I’ll accompany them.”

Hearing the mention of her brother, Li Ling mirrored the sadness Tai was hiding. But because Li Ling was a girl that wore her emotions on her sleeves, she couldn’t and didn't hide them as Tai did.

It was Little Snow that had to comfort her before she nodded her head to indicate she was fine. It’s been half a year, so she had come to terms with Li Shen's disappearance. But she never stopped hoping Li Shen would come through the entrance of the courtyard to surprise her like he always would.

Lady Ying smiled and patted Tai’s shoulder while saying.

“My son is lucky to have friends like you. How have the others been?”

Tai upon hearing this thought about the current situation of the group and he sighed.

“Everyone’s doing their own thing. Brother Mu Fan went back to his Clan, and brother Yang Su is still in his village. Brother Mu Fan always visits the Academy, but if I don’t visit brother Yang Su often I’d only ever see him when he comes to the Palace to train in the area of the Heavenly Calamity and sometimes in the Academy.”

“Are Fang Chen and Jun doing fine?”

Tai nodded.

“After they were healed by the Clan’s life Spring, they’ve been cultivating in the Academy. Sister Lihua and brother Yin would always check on them so they're doing fine.”

Lady Ying smiled and said.

“Alright, I won’t keep you any longer. Tell them to come visit more often, since they're my son’s friends they’re always welcome to the Palace.”

Tai nodded and he watched Lady Ying’s back as she walked into the building.

Maybe Tai was imagining it, but it seem like her back was being weighed down by a heavy burden. Tai knew the person grieving the most about Li Shen’s disappearance was his mother.

To suddenly hear your son was missing with a major possibility of him dying, would have shocked anyone. In fact, for the first time in a long while she had immediately left the Palace to search for Li Shen's whereabouts.

Only after searching for nearly three months straight that Li Shu was able to convince her to return and have the Zhi Clan do the searching. Even for a Soul Transformation Realm cultivator, the Maple Continent was really big and it would take several dozen years to search it in its entirety.

After Lady Ying left, Li Ling suddenly yelled with a smile.

“Big brother Tai, I hope you beat everyone and win the tournament!”
“B-Big b-brother?”

Caught off-guard, Tai stuttered and he blushed upon hearing Li Ling call him big brother. That was the first time she ever addressed him like that.

“W-Why are you calling me big brother all of a sudden?”

Li Ling grinned and then released a chuckle at Tai’s reaction.

“Since you’ve gotten so tall, I don’t get the feeling we’re the same age anymore. So it's only natural I’ll call you big brother.”

Li Ling smiled sweetly as she said that.

Meanwhile, Tai scratched the side of his cheek with his index finger. He and Little Snow were actually a lot older than Li Ling thought. However, because they were God Beasts, despite both he and Little Snow being over a hundred years old, they were no different than an adolescent child in human years.

As for why they had grown so much in the last few months, that was because of the Illusory Void fruits Tai got from the dimension. He didn’t forget to give Little Snow her share.

Li Ling suddenly looked at Little Snow too and said.

“Big sister Xue as well. Ling’er sees both of you as older siblings now. But…”

Li Ling suddenly looked down at Little Snow's chest, a hint of jealousy was heard in her voice as she said.

“Ling’er is wondering how you’re able to grow so fast. No fair.”

It was unsure if Li Ling meant height or something else entirely, but from her intense stares, it might be the latter.

“I wonder as well…”

Tai suddenly muttered offhandedly, but he wasn’t being subtle with his gaze at all. Little Snow couldn’t help but shot a glare at him.

In response, Tai turn his head to the side and coughed awkwardly.

It was at that moment that both Tai and Little Snow suddenly turned their heads to the entrance of the courtyard. At the same time, a well-dressed youth slowly entered through the entrance.

“Princess Li Ling, I finally found you! I went to your courtyard but Lady Sua said you weren’t there. I should have known you would be here instead.”

The youth called out to Li Ling when he saw her.

Li Ling in response turn and said.

“Tang Long, what took you so long? And didn’t I say to just call me Ling’er?”

The smile she was wearing as she talked to Tai and Little Snow completely disappeared all of a sudden, and her expression became stern.

“Uh...I-”

Tang Long wasn’t able to finish his words as Li Ling suddenly walked up to him and pulled on his arm.

“Let’s go, I need your help training my martial arts again. You will help me right?”

“I-”

“Okay, let’s go!”

Once again Tang Long wasn’t able to finish his words as he was dragged off towards the training grounds. But he didn't forget to pay a greeting to Little Snow and Tai before he was dragged away.

The two as if used to seeing this only nodded in response.

While walking to the training grounds, a red hue suddenly crept up Tang Long's neck and ears. He soon managed to say.

“Princess Li Ling, in regards to proper noble etiquette, I don't think it's appropriate for us to be holding hands so casually. I-”

“Huh? Why does that matter? Aren’t we going to get married in the future? And how many times did I say you don’t have to be so formal, just call me Ling’er!”

“Ah, but Princess Li Ling, I-”

“Ugh!”

Li Ling suddenly groaned in exasperation when she heard Tang Long speak.

“Just don’t say anything and follow me!”

Tang Long went to say something again, but he immediately closed his mouth when he saw Li Ling glaring at him.

A bitter smile soon crept its way onto Tang Long's face. He had long realized he couldn’t match Li Ling’s wavelength.

She was too energetic at times.

The reason why Tang Long insisted on being so formal with her was because of Li Shen.

After receiving his warning back then Tang Long had become really self-conscious of how he behaved towards Li Ling, resulting in him being extremely reserved and formal.

Though at times, Tang Long would think about how he didn’t need to worry about such things now that Li Shen was supposedly dead, but he would immediately shake his head to get rid of those thoughts.

Tang Long had a feeling if he ever did something to make Li Ling cry again, Li Shen might just come back from the dead to strangle him. If not that, then his ghost would undoubtedly come to haunt him in his dreams.

And didn’t Li Ling say he wasn’t actually dead but was just missing? He wasn’t going to take any chances.

As Tang Long was having these thoughts, Li Ling had already dragged him to the training grounds and placed a wooden sword in his hand. Without saying anything, she already made a move with her wooden sword.

Tang Long instinctively used his wooden sword to parry her, but upon feeling the strength of her attack, he was immediately knocked out of his thoughts completely.

Looking at Li Ling in shock, he asked in dumbfoundment.

“You’ve entered the 8th stage of the Qi Condensation Realm already?”

Li Ling nodded with a big grin on her face. Finally getting to show off.

Seeing her confirmation, the shock in Tang Long’s heart grew stronger.

It wasn’t like his talents were lacking.

After the hatred he was feeling in his heart for that person name Yang Su had calmed down, and he had come to terms with his inferiority, Tang Long felt a heavy pressure in his heart disappear. After this, his cultivation speed started to increase way beyond what he thought he was capable of.

Tang Long had already condensed his Qi Sea and was about to enter the Foundation Construction Realm. His talents weren’t comparable to true geniuses, but he was fine with that.

However, Li Ling started cultivating not too long ago, but she was already at the 8th stage of the Qi Condensation Realm. That was extremely fast.

‘I guess this is to be expected, wasn't she tested to have a Sky-grade innate talent with a Heaven-grade Foundation? But wait, if this continues, wouldn’t she eventually surpass me?’

"Ugh."

Tang Long groaned and became slightly uncomfortable with that possibility looming over his head. Even a bit frightened.