Watching the Mountain

Senior Sister Yue’s Dust-Sealed Stone didn’t transform into any particular shape. It was a transparent Waning Moon Crystal, and she lay encased within it.

Xu Ran could even see every single strand of her hair inside.

Watching Senior Sister Yue lie quietly before him, Xu Ran felt a surge of emotion. He felt that she was unbelievably trusting.

To fall asleep beside him so defenselessly… she trusted him far too much.

Even though he’d never had any wicked thoughts about Senior Sister Yue, just watching such a beautiful, otherworldly woman sleep beside him was a great trial for his composure.

No matter his Cultivation Realm, he was, after all, a living person.

A person’s heart is always fickle, changing with time and circumstance.

‘Senior Sister Yue only knew the person I was before today. How could she be sure I’d remain true to myself throughout the long era of Dao Concealment?’

Yet she still hadn’t hesitated in the slightest and became Dust-covered right beside him.

She did it to become his “Enlightenment Stone.” This would allow him, after the Dao Concealment began and in an era when the Laws of Heaven and Earth no longer manifested, to still rely on her insights for his own cultivation and enlightenment.

Such trust weighed heavily on Xu Ran’s heart.

Xu Ran looked at the white-clad silhouette inside the Waning Moon Crystal, then silently took out an Identity Jade Talisman and gripped it tightly in his palm.

Among the thousand Identity Jade Talismans Senior Sister Yue had given him, some were for the Golden Core Stage and others for the Nascent Soul Stage. She had prepared them in advance, anticipating his future breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage.

But the Identity Jade Talisman in his hand was unique. It was purple-gold, and its material was extraordinary—neither jade, nor gold, nor wood. The information it displayed read:

“Hidden Mountain Daoist Monarch, the contemporary Shennong, founder of the Flying Immortal Stream, junior brother to Yue Qingyu, the 10,001st Sect Leader of the Profound Pure Sect. In the thousandth year of the Hidden Dao Era, he disappeared from the world under the guise of becoming Dust-covered. In truth, he entered the Sect’s Forbidden Land for secluded cultivation. During the Dao Concealment, with great perseverance, he secretly broke through to the Divinity Transformation Stage, and only then did he truly become Dust-covered.”

Xu Ran fell silent as he read the information.

The information on this Identity Jade Talisman wasn’t recorded in the Sect’s archives. Yue Qingyu had it specially made.

Xu Ran understood why Senior Sister Yue had created this Identity Jade Talisman. It contained her hopes for him—that he would break through to the Divinity Transformation Stage during the Dao Concealment.

Then, when the Dao Concealment faded in the future and a golden age of the Great Dao dawned, he could emerge as the Hidden Mountain Daoist Monarch.

Of course, even if he didn’t reach the Divinity Transformation Stage, he could still resume the identity of Hidden Mountain when he was unsealed in the future. He could act openly when the golden age of the Great Dao arrived. After all, in everyone else’s eyes, the person known as Hidden Mountain had become Dust-covered along with Li Daoyi and the others on the eve of the complete Dao Concealment.

But Senior Sister Yue’s hopes for him were even greater. The title of Hidden Mountain Daoist Monarch was the embodiment of her ambition for him.

Xu Ran looked at the Identity Jade Talisman in his hand, then at the white-clad silhouette lying quietly before him, his emotions churning.

‘A Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch?’

‘With the long years of the Dao Concealment ahead, it’s not like I won’t have a chance.’

‘Since Senior Sister Yue has such high hopes, I’ll have to give it my all.’

‘I’ll look forward to the day Senior Sister Yue and the others are unsealed. I hope I can greet them then as a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch.’

At this thought, a glint appeared in Xu Ran’s eyes. He took one last look at Senior Sister Yue inside the Waning Moon Crystal, then silently left the secret chamber and reinforced the Array.

Senior Sister Yue and Little Xiyue were sleeping inside the secret chamber. They were the two most important people to him in this world. He couldn’t let anything happen that might disturb their slumber.

*

*

*

After Senior Sister Yue became Dust-covered, Xu Ran’s martial nephew, Li Daoyi, took her place as Sect Leader. This handover had already been completed before she became Dust-covered.

Given the special circumstances, no grand succession ceremony was held.

Strictly speaking, Li Daoyi hadn’t truly inherited the title of Sect Leader. He had only taken over the Sect Leader’s duties, making him an acting Sect Leader.

The reason for this was that Li Daoyi’s role was only temporary. He too would become Dust-covered before the Dao Concealment was complete. When everyone was unsealed in the future, the title of Sect Leader would return to Yue Qingyu.

Due to this awkward arrangement, they skipped the succession ceremony entirely, settling the matter with a simple public announcement.

Though his position was somewhat awkward, Li Daoyi had no complaints. As far as he was concerned, now that he had taken on the duties, he would devote his full effort to them.

He had remained behind for the sole purpose of ensuring the Sect’s smooth transition into the Dao Concealment Era. He would have given it his all with or without the title of acting Sect Leader.

During this period, he even sought out Xu Ran to persuade him to become Dust-covered as soon as possible.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but ever since Senior Sister Yue became Dust-covered, the pace of the Heaven and Earth Dao Concealment had suddenly quickened. The rate at which Spiritual Qi was diminishing had also become much faster than before.

According to original estimates, this world should have completely entered the Dao Concealment around the thousandth year of the Hidden Dao Era.

But judging by the recent rate of Spiritual Qi decline, that time might be pushed forward to the six- or seven-hundredth year of the Hidden Dao Era, perhaps even earlier.

It was because of this anomaly that Li Daoyi worried something unexpected might happen. He urged Xu Ran to become Dust-covered as soon as possible to avoid any potential mishaps.

Xu Ran, of course, refused without a moment’s hesitation. If anything, he was the one who wanted to persuade Li Daoyi to become Dust-covered sooner.