MSBITRS Chapter 72 V2

If the son of a grand immortal sect’s leader was considered someone with a “mine at home,”

Then, Ao Yi, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, was someone who literally “had a home inside a mine.”

Spending these gifts to bring joy to his fellow “senior brothers” disciples meant nothing to him.

If needed, he could simply send a message back home, and by tomorrow, every Qi Refiner on Golden Ao Island would receive a generous present.

After leaving the market town, the group prepared to head back to Golden Ao Island.

However, after a moment of thought, Ao Yi hesitated before speaking up.

“Senior brothers, I have an inconvenient request.”

The five immortals immediately turned to look at him with concern.

“There is no such thing as an inconvenient request. If you ask, we will answer. Speak freely, Ao Yi.”

“We Qi Refiners of Golden Ao Island are like one family—bound as one, sharing both honor and disgrace!”

“Indeed! Not just Golden Ao Island, but the entire Jie Sect follows this principle. When one person is in trouble, aid comes from all directions!”

Ao Yi smiled internally but maintained a serious expression. He spoke in a low voice:

“In truth, I have long carried a matter in my heart that I have been unable to let go of.”

The two young female disciples beside him immediately turned to look at him, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.

One of them, a charming and playful girl with over ten small braids, was none other than Han Zhi, who had once watched Li Changshou’s tribulation.

Among the five Heavenly Immortals, one of them was Han Zhi’s master, the old Daoist Yuan Ze.

Ao Yi sighed.

“I recall that year, during the Eastern Sea **Demon Conference, when I was just ten years old. I was tasked with representing the Dragon Palace in a sparring match, but I was defeated by a disciple from Du Xian Sect—who was merely at the Returning Void Realm.”

“I have never been able to let go of that loss.

Now that I have passed my tribulation and become an immortal—though only at the Yuan Immortal Realm—I would like to seek out that person and challenge him to another Dao debate.”

“That’s it?”

Yuan Ze chuckled.

Ao Yi lowered his head, his face filled with embarrassment.

“That is the matter.”

“That’s easy to arrange.”

A middle-aged Daoist among them laughed, flicked his fingers, and directed their cloud to float toward Du Xian Sect’s mountain gate.

“Come, let’s visit Du Xian Sect.

I have some friendly relations with their Vice Sect Master, Daoist Zhong Yu.

Their sect follows the teachings of Ren Sect, while Golden Ao Island belongs to Jie Sect.

A friendly visit—why not?”

The others all agreed with this sentiment.

One of them asked with a smile, “Should we inform them in advance? It would be awkward if we caught them unprepared.”

Yuan Ze waved his hand dismissively.

“No need, no need. We’re not here to challenge them to a duel—just a simple Dao debate between young cultivators.”

At the back of the group, the two young girls who had been walking hand-in-hand exchanged glances.

One of them activated the bracelet-shaped magical artifact on her wrist, ensuring that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

She whispered, “Han Zhi, your master is at it again.”

Han Zhi pursed her lips in frustration.

“We should prepare ourselves.

Sigh, my master is practically a divine instrument of destiny…

Back when I was undergoing my tribulation, he confidently said, ‘Rest assured, your heavenly tribulation will certainly have only six lightning strikes.’

But what happened? Eight strikes fell! I was this close to perishing on the spot…

By all logic, based on my talent and accumulation, I should have only faced seven at most!”

The other girl covered her mouth and laughed.

“But you benefited from it—you advanced by a whole stage, didn’t you?”

“Speaking of that,” Han Zhi’s gaze became distant.

“Only after personally experiencing an eight-strike tribulation—one of the weaker-ranked eight-strike tribulations at that—did I truly understand how terrifying an ascension tribulation can be.

I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of person it must have been who survived a nine-strike tribulation at the South Sea that day.”

“Surely, they must have been a great figure from ancient times, reincarnated and cultivating anew.”

“Perhaps…”

The two girls chuckled softly before the conversation naturally shifted back to the dragon youth ahead of them.

With his refined, youthful appearance, it was easy to see why he was so popular among young women.

Half a day later, as Du Xian Sect’s smooth and shimmering protective formation came into view, the group from Golden Ao Island casually flew toward the mountain gate, laughing as they went.

And Ao Yi’s smile carried a hint of deeper intent.

—

“Hmm?”

In the forest below, Qi Yuan—who had been studying the Turtle Breath & Balanced Qi Technique—looked up toward the sky and saw the group from Golden Ao Island drifting past.

He sensed several Heavenly Immortal auras and couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Who were these experts suddenly heading toward Du Xian Sect?

“It has nothing to do with my Xiao Qiong Peak, anyway.”

Qi Yuan chuckled, glanced at the message talisman his disciple had given him, and decided this was likely just a group of powerful cultivators visiting old friends.

No need to bother Li Changshou about it.

Instead, he continued refining the concealment technique his disciple had created.

Before long, Qi Yuan had fully restrained his aura. Delighted, he cast a transformation spell—turning himself into a tree stump.

He carefully assessed his new form.

“Hmm… unexpectedly stable.”