Chapter 917: True Dao Sect

Meanwhile, inside the main hall of the Grand Dao Sect, Li Qing's expression changed dramatically as he watched the Longevity Fruit instantly fade from solid to ethereal, on the verge of disappearing.

He instinctively reached out to grab and hold onto it.

For the past ten years, he had used the terrifying abilities of the Inverse Ethics Scripture to continuously corrupt female cultivators of the Grand Dao Sect for his own use.

He had also secretly cultivated female disciples with exceptional talent.

Ultimately, female cultivators came to occupy eight out of ten seats on the Grand Dao Sect's elder council.

Within the sect, male disciples were significantly outnumbered and outclassed by female disciples in both quantity and quality.

Although the sect's elders eventually noticed that something was amiss, the situation had become too deeply entrenched. If they were to truly eradicate Li Qing's faction, the Grand Dao Sect would suffer far more than just a severe weakening; it could very likely perish from internal conflict.

Considering the bigger picture, after several discussions between the two sides, a compromise was finally reached.

Li Qing's past misdeeds would be forgiven, and his future actions would not be excessively interfered with. However, he had to ensure that the overall proportion of male cultivators in the Grand Dao Sect was maintained, and that the purity of newly admitted female disciples was preserved.

In exchange, a portion of the Longevity Fruits would be allocated to Li Qing's faction.

The Longevity Fruit grows on the Ruomu tree.

It is managed jointly by the Ten Sects, and one fruit can help one attain longevity.

Today was the long-awaited moment for Li Qing to finally receive his share of the Longevity Fruit.

Yet, at this critical juncture, it inexplicably vanished right before his eyes!

How could Li Qing, who had toiled and meticulously planned for this for a full decade, accept this!

"No!" Li Qing could no longer maintain his composure and let out an enraged roar. "Why aren't you helping me!"

Despite his impotent fury, he could not prevent the Longevity Fruit from dissipating.

Li Qing instinctively turned his head, addressing his companions in the great hall.

It was this glance that sent shivers down Li Qing's spine.

Because in the hall, over a dozen female cultivators who had achieved the Dao Integration Realm, including his master Huo Jingtong, were all staring at him in unison.

And...

Their gazes were utterly unlike their usual affectionate expressions. They were so alien, so eerie.

It was as if, in an instant, their souls had all been replaced.

As the Grand Dao Sect's tremors grew more violent, Li Qing felt the gaze of every single cultivator throughout the sect converging on him.

"This..." Even with Li Qing's audacious nature, he couldn't help but swallow and take a step back.

Silence descended upon the great hall.

Without a sound, a figure suddenly appeared before Li Qing.

It was Zhao Ruoxi, who had been in seclusion for ten years and was long unseen!

Looking at the familiar yet strange beauty before him, Li Qing felt a mix of shock and uncertainty.

He was now at the peak of the Dao Integration Realm, just one step away from the Longevity Realm.

Yet, in front of his former senior sister Zhao, his spiritual senses were frantically screaming a warning.

"What's going on?"

A sudden dizzy spell hit Li Qing, and he felt as if he had forgotten something incredibly important.

The experiences of the past decade flashed through his mind in an instant.

Then, like a receding tide, they became hazy and indistinct, as if it had all been a dream.

"Very good." Senior Sister Zhao praised him, her first words as she stared at Li Qing. "I had only intended to give you a small punishment for your previous disrespectful words."

"But I never expected that, under such circumstances, you could achieve this much in just ten years."

"Among all those who have encountered me over the years, you are the first."

"It's a novel experience." Senior Sister Zhao said flatly, her face revealing no emotion.

It was then that Li Qing realized the expressions on the faces of the other female cultivators in the hall were exactly the same as Senior Sister Zhao's!

"Ugh..." Li Qing suddenly felt an intense pain in his head and pressed his hand against it.

The surrounding scenery of the Grand Dao Sect shook more violently.

Finally, it could no longer hold together and began to crack and crumble.

Amidst the shattering light and shadows, Li Qing discovered that the faces of everyone else had now all transformed into Senior Sister Zhao's appearance!

The scene abruptly went dark.

When Li Qing regained consciousness, his long-suppressed memories finally flooded his mind.

"Senior Sister Zhao's illusion is truly formidable..."

"Even with precautions, I was completely trapped and unable to extricate myself."

Li Qing frowned slightly, his spiritual sense sweeping over his lower body.

"Thankfully, it was just a fleeting dream."

Recalling the various ecstatic scenes from the decade within the illusion, and then remembering that the female protagonists were all manifestations of the One Heart Celestial Venerable, Li Qing couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

However, being a man of extraordinary resolve, he quickly sobered up.

He refocused his attention on the world-shaking Inverse Ethics Scripture.

Only...

No matter how hard he tried to recall it, the memories of the cultivation method remained elusive, like flowers in a mirror or the moon in water.

Li Qing's heart was instantly filled with regret.

"Such a divine skill, yet it cannot be brought out. I wonder if this cultivation method truly exists in reality, or if it was just fabricated by the One Heart Celestial Venerable within the illusion?"

His mind teeming with thoughts, it took a while for him to compose himself.

He looked around, the scenery strikingly familiar.

It was exactly identical to the Grand Dao Sect in the illusion.

And he was currently standing at the sect's entrance.

Looking at the familiar stone path leading up the mountain, Li Qing hesitated, reluctant to take a single step.

"Weren't you quite capable just now? Why are you so timid now?"

Just then, a derisive voice came from higher up the mountain path.

Li Qing looked up and saw that the speaker was a young male cultivator, holding a broom and wearing the robes of an outer disciple of the Grand Dao Sect.

He leaned on his broom, looking down at Li Qing.

Li Qing knew that this person was also one of the many bodies of the One Heart Celestial Venerable and did not dare to be disrespectful.

He clasped his hands and bowed respectfully.

Then, he slowly ascended the stone steps.

"You know the way; just keep going up. I have to clean, so I won't accompany you," the young outer disciple said casually, walking down the stone steps and brushing past Li Qing without lifting his head.

He then meticulously began sweeping the stone steps Li Qing had just walked on.

"Although they are all the same person, each body seems to maintain its original or a specific identity..."

"What do you call this, role-playing?" Li Qing narrowed his eyes and continued deeper into the Grand Dao Sect.

Unlike the eerie, deathly silence of the illusion's final moments when everyone's face transformed into Senior Sister Zhao's, this Grand Dao Sect was vibrant with life.

Along the way, Li Qing encountered many cultivators.

They merely glanced at Li Qing before resuming their tasks.

They chatted, argued, and sparred with each other.

Li Qing even saw several pairs of Dao companions intimately whispering to one another.

It was bustling with activity, as if the Grand Dao Sect of old had never perished.

But the more he witnessed this, the higher Li Qing's vigilance grew towards the One Heart Celestial Venerable.

"It seems that after thousands of years, Senior Sister Zhao has indeed made progress."