Chapter 389: The Millennial Peach Garden’s Ominous Awakening

Millennial Peach Garden!

When the scene revealed the entrance of the Millennial Peach Garden, no one’s heart could remain calm.

Even the Emperor, seated regally on his throne, felt his emotions surge; a tumultuous divine will swept through like a raging storm, pervading heaven and earth.

The Empress’s face turned an unearthly pale.

She sensed it deep within, as she held the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin – one of the Three Pure Divine Weapons.

Inside the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, just like the Seven-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, every peach had vanished!

Yet the Empress couldn’t fathom why.

For by watching the flowing water curtain traced out by the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin, it was clear that Li Che had only plucked three peaches!

Moreover, the last two peaches had been taken despite him being battered and bruised.

There should have been two left—

So why had not a single one remained?

As for why Li Che risked severe injury to pluck two extra peaches, the Empress deduced that Li Che must have sensed the rules of the Western Queen Mother Bizarre Temple all along.

The Millennial Peach Garden…

Not even the Empress had ever stepped foot in it.

Or rather, aside from the founding Great Jing Emperor, no member of the Great Realm Imperial House had ever entered.

Forget the Empress—even the current Emperor had never set foot in it—

Perhaps this was what ignited the Emperor’s wrathful drive.

“My Empress—” How could this man so easily enter the Millennial Peach Grove, while no one from our imperial house had ever managed it over the years?

The Emperor asked in a low, measured tone.

His face concealed any trace of emotion, the mingling of divine aura and blood energy masking his inner turmoil.

The Empress’s expression shifted slightly; the panic in her eyes faded as her dark brows arched, “Your Majesty— Li Bansheng did not enter effortlessly.”

“To gather three Nine-Thousand-Year peaches, he endured divine light that nearly killed him, persevering with sheer willpower—”

“That kind of near-death bravery is something none in the Great Realm Imperial House possess.”

The Empress’s voice was flat, even laced with a hint of derision.

Li Che’s method for opening the Millennial Peach Grove was neither sophisticated nor subtle—it was a crude deduction based on the rules he had experienced in peach gardens of higher ascension.

The Empress had also speculated once before.

Yet no one from the Great Realm Imperial House could replicate it—

What other recourse did the Empress have?

She could never sacrifice someone to the Millennial Peach Garden!

Turning to the Emperor, her tone softened, “Your Majesty, rest assured—”

“Although Li Bansheng entered the Millennial Peach Grove ahead of time, he may end up empty-handed—”

A thoughtful glimmer crossed the Emperor’s eyes before he said, “So you mean—”

The Empress nodded, “If peaches mature inside the Millennial Peach Grove, through Temple Spirit Resonance the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin would react.

By holding the Queen Mother Festival, we could receive the Western Queen Mother Temple Spirit’s gift – a bounty from the Millennial Peach Garden.”

“Our Peach Festival was meant to incite such Temple Spirit Resonance.”

“Yet this time, the resonance showed no reaction on the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin; look at that water curtain—it has already begun to dry up.”

“Inability to glimpse the scene within the Millennial Peach Garden indicates that the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin detected no ripening peaches.”

“Thus, Li Bansheng is doomed to return empty-handed.”

What is the point of entering a peach grove if there are no ripe peaches?

And what is the meaning of stepping into the Millennial Peach Grove if nothing bears fruit?

Unripe peaches, by the rules of the Western Queen Mother Bizarre Temple, are strictly forbidden to be plucked.

The Empress exhaled softly.

Uttering those words eased the tautness in her heart; the anxiety that had gripped her slowly dissipated.

Both the Seven-Thousand-Year and Nine-Thousand-Year peach groves had been completely emptied—

Though no one knew by whom.

But the Empress’s intuition told her it was closely tied to Li Che.

Now that Li Che had entered the Millennial Peach Grove, how could she possibly remain calm?

Fortunately, the peaches in the Millennial Peach Grove—

Had not yet ripened.

An unripe peach… surely it couldn’t be plucked, right?

The Emperor’s mood softened upon hearing this.

“It appears to be a case of Temple Spirit Resonance—”

“Ascending to the Millennial Peach Garden…”

“This guy—” truly stealing the show; this Peach Festival’s style belongs to him, no doubt.”

The Emperor said no more, aware that his earlier outburst was unseemly.

He calmly stated before sweeping his sleeve away and sitting down again, his eyes deep and unreadable as a still well.

His gaze drifted over to the main banquet area of Qianyuan Divine Sect.

Lü Taibai, as if sensing his gaze, turned his head; his silver hair flying as he smiled politely, proud yet unassuming.

“Qianyuan—”

The Emperor murmured.

At Jade Plaza,

All eyes were drawn because after Li Che’s ascension from the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard, Goldmane – expelled yet bewildered – had seen the scene of Li Che, grievously injured, opening the Millennial Peach Garden.

A trace of admiration shone in his eyes.

“Truly worthy of my Goldmane’s master!”

Goldmane was sincerely impressed; after all, facing that fearsome piercing power—no ordinary man could endure it.

Li Che was merely a cultivator of divine nature, not famed for his mortal prowess, yet he withstood an inhuman assault like no other.

Such indomitable will stirred respect and awe in Goldmane.

Meanwhile, at the edge of Jade Plaza,

XiXi puckered her lips, her eyes fixed longingly on the Tianhe water curtain; the sight of it sent a shiver through her as if water had trailed from her eyes.

She cared little whether her father had opened the Millennial Peach Garden; all she felt was deep heartache seeing him relentlessly pierced by that terrible force!

Finally, Li Che faced the immense portal he had opened—a portal not conjured by the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit’s illusion.

In truth, at the final moment of the portal’s opening, Li Che dispelled the illusion created by the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit.

His jet-black hair whipping about, his body marked with feigned injuries and barely clinging to life, he raised his head to defiantly confront the towering portal that nearly shattered the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Orchard.

The portal radiated a fearsome pressure—

A pressure as terrifying as when Lü Taibai tore open his brow and unleashed the Tao Calamity Sword’s might.

A pressure at the level of a half-step Divine Tribulation!

A grave expression overtook Li Che’s face.

BOOOOM!!!

The sound, like that of evening drums and morning bells, thundered relentlessly in Li Che’s ears, causing his whole body to tremble as if his flesh and blood were about to fall away.

Frosty grass burst open on the ground, flung about in a chaotic dance.

They transformed into a dense, potent celestial aura that, like floating clouds, buoyed Li Che’s body, carrying him into the portal.

The portal seemed to be veiled by a thin, watery membrane; as he passed through, ripples cascaded outward, shaking even space itself.

Li Che felt his spirit jolt as an omnipresent pressure crushed in on him!

In an instant, the surrounding scene underwent a drastic transformation as heaven and earth spun wildly.

Then Li Che realized he had entered a brand-new realm,

The true heart of the Peach Garden.

In this core area, divine presence and spiritual energy were denser than ever, and the air shimmered with innumerable tangible strands of celestial aura.

Clad in a dark robe with his jet-black hair whipping like lightning, Li Che found himself momentarily dumbfounded.

For in his mind, the Millennial Peach Tree should outshine even the Nine-Thousand-Year Peach Trees, each soaring to heights of at least a thousand feet.

Yet to his astonishment, in the Millennial Peach Grove—

The entire grove, when observed, consisted of trees barely reaching twenty to thirty feet, their heights shockingly normal, devoid of any mythic grandeur.

How could the Millennial Peach Trees have shrunk?

Has it reverted to its primitive state?!

That thought surged in Li Che’s mind.

He slowly strode through the grove, the soft ground and frost-bitten grass pricking at his feet as if slicing them apart.

If it weren’t for Li Che’s formidable physique, he wouldn’t even manage to tread these grounds.

A subtle stirring in his spirit alerted him: the Tianhe water curtain at Jade Plaza was beginning to wither.

In other words—

The scene within the Millennial Peach Grove could no longer be glimpsed by the Tianhe Ruyi Hairpin.

For Li Che, that was good news.

It meant he could act in the grove without fear.

Yet for him, whose every move was shrouded by the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit’s veil and the ever-present Cosmic Chessboard, the impact was minimal.

Still, to be cautious, Li Che maintained the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit’s effect while keeping the Cosmic Chessboard as a shield, clutching the Feilei Chess Piece—ready to vanish at any sign of trouble.

Even when engaging fate, every offensive move felt like treading on thin ice.

After all, he had a family to protect.

The rich aroma of peaches stirred a deep desire within Li Che, drawing him along the scent.

It wasn’t long before he discovered the source of the fragrance.

“This is—unripe?”

A hint of disappointment flitted across Li Che’s eyes.

He looked up at the peach dangling from the tree; with the tree not very tall, he could clearly see the small fruit.

It was indeed a small peach, unplump and its surface tinged with green.

Though the heady peach aroma was overwhelmingly rich—

Unripe is unripe.

Li Che furrowed his brow.

“An unripe peach—”

Regret flashed in his eyes.

This was a true Millennial Dragon Blood Peach, superior in quality to the Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach!

The Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach was one of the supreme celestial treasures among the four realms—

Thus this Millennial Peach should be a Three Pure lower-tier celestial marvel!

Alas—it was unripe!

If plucked now, it would be a terrible shame.

It would be utterly unforgivable to harm the peach tree.

A maelstrom of conflicted thoughts swirled within Li Che.

Then, as if struck by an idea, his spirit stirred.

Blood and flesh seemed to tear apart at his brow.

The Star Plucking Gaze manifested with a dazzling burst of golden light!

【Celestial Treasure (Three Pure Lower Tier): Millennial True Dragon Blood Peach (Unripe)】

【Nurturing: Absorb the light of the Kunlun Mirror, using true dragon blood as the source, nurtured by a thousand years of wind and rain, infused with the Kunlun Mirror’s divine radiance to hasten ripening】

“Hmm?!”

Li Che’s eyes lit up instantly!

Could he use the Kunlun Mirror’s divine radiance to hasten ripening?!

He knew well that the Kunlun Mirror’s divine light was none other than the fearsomely hot Kunlun Death Light!

Just when Li Che was about to give up on the peach, a twist of fate occurred.

“Star Plucking Gaze, analyze infinity and peer into the void to return to truth—” Though not a killing move, its assistance in crucial times defied mere combat power!

Who said support skills couldn’t carry the day?

Sometimes, assistance is absolutely vital!

“How do I channel the Kunlun divine radiance to ripen the peach?”

Li Che’s mind was awash with worry.

The Star Plucking Gaze had offered a method but did not reveal how to summon the Kunlun radiance.

Strolling closer to the peach tree,

Suddenly, tendrils of celestial aura began to swirl in the air.

Then the frost-covered grass on the ground shattered, the soft soil splitting open, and from the earth emerged seven figures resembling Temple Spirit Divine Eagles.

Seven distinct divine auras intermingled and spread through heaven and earth.

Li Che’s gaze swept over them in surprise.

They were seven exquisitely beautiful, uniquely poised, seductive divine eagle statues carrying fruit baskets with smiles full of warmth!

Each one looked strikingly lifelike, as if they might spring to life at any moment—graceful and enchanting.

Even Li Che couldn’t help but marvel at the natural clarity in their features.

But—

Inside Li Che’s chest, the Pure Heart Dao Fruit began to throb violently as he laid eyes on the seven divine eagle statues, its beat echoing like thunder.

“Help me…”

A faint, buzzing voice emerged.

Li Che listened intently; his eyes widened in both surprise and delight.

The Cosmic Chessboard suddenly expanded, instantly directing him toward the source of the cry.

It was—the seven divine eagle statues of the celestial maidens.

That cry—

It emanated from those celestial maidens.

Boom, boom, boom—

The sound resounded by his ears, like claps of thunder, each beat echoing relentlessly.

And that plea for help carried a mysterious, almost bewitching power; in a hazy vision, Li Che saw the celestial maidens shedding tears in sorrow.

Their soft, weeping voices echoed around him.

Li Che’s expression turned blank as his entire body, as if losing control, began to steadily move toward the statue emitting the cry.

Rustle, rustle—

The seven celestial eagle statues began to shift and slowly move, gradually encircling Li Che in their midst.

Buzz, buzz—

In the next moment, the stunning eyes of all seven celestial maidens suddenly burst with resplendent, jet-black light!

A thick, inky blackness roiled above, as if the divine aura itself had been tainted.

The surging dark energy hovered above the statues and over Li Che’s head.

In an instant, the confusion in Li Che’s eyes vanished, replaced by clarity, desire, and greed!

He abruptly lifted his head to see a small triangular flag, about the size of a palm, suspended in midair.

That tiny flag radiated an intense, dark aura, as if it were corrupting the divine essence of the seven celestial maidens—

The seven celestial maidens, as if meticulously sculpted by a master, transformed from ethereal beauties into fearsome, demonic seductresses,

Their appearances now akin to fiends crawling from the depths of hell.

A powerful surge of divine intent forced the seven maidens to close in on Li Che, as if to smother him, devour his flesh, soul, and divine nature!

“Oh, so it’s you tricking me!”

“You’ve really reeled me in this time!”

Li Che tilted his head back, fixing his gaze on the tiny triangular flag with a mix of greed and excitement.

Facing the seven advancing celestial maidens, Li Che’s body suddenly enlarged, his blood and energy surging as his muscles and bones resonated; seven Qimen Divine Seeds detonated, unleashing the spiritual energy of the entire peach grove in a frenzied rush toward him.

A simple stretch of his body sent the seven celestial maidens flying, an invisible shockwave rippling through the air.

“Ah—!”

“!!!”

A shriek pierced out, as though a scream had shattered the silence.

That little floating triangular flag suddenly let out a piercing shriek.

“Impossible!”

“How could you escape the ‘Gathering of Celestials’ sound?” That is the pure, unblemished sound of the heavens, capable of summoning all the immortals!

The shriek rang out from the small flag.

Wrapped in turbulent, billowing dark energy, the tiny flag flailed as if trying to break free.

But Li Che would not let it escape.

From the moment he stepped into the peach grove, he had been irresistibly drawn to it; even his beloved Pure Heart Dao Fruit was nearly maddened by desire for that flag.

As Li Che, the owner of his most cherished Dao Fruit, he would never let this little flag slip away.

The so-called Gathering of Celestials sound possessed a mesmerizing charm, but—

With his Seven-Channel Exquisitely Delicate Heart, no seduction or allure could sway him!

Under the vigilant protection of his heart’s clarity, all such temptations were mere illusions!

BOOOOM!!!

Energy surged in his blood pool, expanding as Li Che’s five fingers rapidly clutched the fleeing flag.

The Prison Thunder Network enveloped it, sealing it off tightly.

The tiny flag desperately flitted about, trying to break free, but against the all-encompassing Prison Thunder Network, it had no escape.

The seven celestial maidens, thrown off by the impact, soared upward, their divine auras intertwining and converging.

The divine eagles seemed to come to life anew.

Their forms grew towering and formidable—Li Che, like a mountain, his golden eyes ablaze with fire.

A stirring in his spirit.

The Cosmic Chessboard descended in a net-like cascade, capturing all seven celestial maidens; Mo City’s portal thundered open like a dark abyss, swallowing and subduing them in an instant.

Wind and waves roared as only the roar of the Prison Thunder Network remained.

The terrifying aura emanating from Li Che rivaled that of the highest peak of mortal terror, causing the very fabric of space to ripple.

Gathering his energy, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit roared mightily as countless forces converged.

Li Che swept his Star Plucking Gaze over the scene.

【Mythic Weapon (Four Supreme): Gathering Celestial Yellow Flag (Incomplete)】

【Description: The Eight Celestial Flags – as vast as the universe, commanding the heavens and summoning all immortals】

Li Che smirked.

His eyes widened in amazement.

“Gathering Celestial Flag?!”

An incomplete Mythic Weapon!

The Gathering Celestial Eight Flags—now only one remains!? How can one flag command all the immortals?!

Splendid!

Isn’t that impressive?!

A trace of regret crossed Li Che’s eyes: “Gathering eight flags is easier said than done—”

Yet, unexpectedly acquiring a Mythic Weapon, Li Che couldn’t help but feel satisfied.

“Let go of me!”

The Gathering Celestial Flag trembled, black energy converging until it formed an aged, furious face that roared continuously.

However, Li Che merely glanced at it, flicked his finger, and a sword pellet burst forth, obliterating the face on the spot.

Deep within his chest, the Pure Heart Dao Fruit pounded; in that instant, Li Che suppressed the Gathering Celestial Flag within the Cosmic Chessboard.

“Ah—what?! What is this?! A Dao Fruit?! How do you have a Dao Fruit?!”

Li Che’s eyes shifted, shock evident in his heart.

This Gathering Celestial Flag seemed to possess knowledge of Dao Fruits?!

But after that one shout, the Gathering Celestial Flag fell silent as if completely self-sealed.

Meanwhile, the projection of his Seven-Channel Exquisitely Delicate Heart appeared onto the Cosmic Chessboard.

Inside his chest, the Pure Heart Dao Fruit pounded.

Then—

White tendrils shot out from the Seven-Channel Exquisitely Delicate Heart, lashing wildly and entwining with the Gathering Celestial Yellow Flag.

—-

Immediately, dense dark energy rose over the Gathering Celestial Yellow Flag, as if ravenous tendrils were drawing it into the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Gurgle, gurgle—————

Bumps appeared on the tendrils before being absorbed into the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Li Che silently observed this spectacle.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that his Pure Heart Dao Fruit wasn’t exactly what a proper Dao Fruit should be.

Yet considering the dark energy surging from the Gathering Celestial Flag and the power controlling the seven celestial maidens, Li Che believed that his Pure Heart was indeed engaged in slaying demons!

Putting aside the current chaotic tendril display… it was still legitimate!

A slight change in his eyes.

【Dao Fruit: Pure Heart (LV6 40%)】

His breath quickened instantly.

In just a short while, the maturity of the Pure Heart Dao Fruit had surged by 10%, growing visibly by the naked eye!

And this Gathering Celestial Flag—

Is it really that beneficial?!

Li Che was dumbfounded.

Most importantly—

There remained seven more Gathering Celestial Flags!

If all seven are absorbed by his Pure Heart Dao Fruit…

Imagine the leaps in rank his Pure Heart could achieve!

Li Che couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

This venture into the Millennial Peach Grove had turned out well—even though the peaches were unripe, obtaining this Gathering Celestial Yellow Flag made the journey worthwhile!

“Gathering Celestial Eight Flags, Qiankun Haori Kunlun Mirror—” This is one of the two Three Pure Divine Weapons that the Great Realm Imperial House had long sought in this Three Pure level Western Queen Mother Bizarre Temple—

Li Che’s eyes sparkled, his mood soaring.

What the Great Realm Imperial House never found, he, Li Che, had collected entirely!

Li Che sat cross-legged, unhurried.

For he sensed that the divinity of the Western Queen Mother Temple Spirit still lingered; he only needed to communicate with it to depart.

Strictly speaking, he could remain in this Millennial Peach Grove indefinitely.

Sitting cross-legged, Li Che flicked a Feilei Chess Piece, which promptly shot forth and embedded beneath a peach tree.

Then Li Che settled his mind, letting his divine nature surge as he sensed his Pure Heart Dao Fruit refining the Gathering Celestial Flag.

Time passed slowly, minute by minute.

The winds, the swaying frost grass, and the rustling peach leaves all contributed to the rhythm.

Celestial energy poured in from every direction, as if Li Che had become a bottomless pit absorbing everything in his path.

Almost an entire day later, Li Che opened his eyes.

“The energy from the two Seven-Thousand-Year peaches has been completely refined.”

His pupils shimmered with a golden gleam.

【Dragon Elephant Furnace: Pure Martial Purity (92%)】

A shift in his spirit.

The Pure Martial blood pool at the top of his head expanded.

Amid the rushing sound of water, his blood pool surged to an astounding eighteen hundred feet!

The energy from the two peaches had been fully assimilated into his Pure Martial body without a trace of waste!

An eighteen-hundred-foot blood pool—if Li Che so wished, he could now challenge the Martial Saint and seek the mountain path.

But Li Che was not content with just that.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—the Cosmic Chessboard.

The Pure Heart Dao Fruit had fully absorbed the dark energy from the Gathering Celestial Flag; the once turbulent, dark aura of the Gathering Celestial Yellow Flag now lay pristine, with celestial aura swirling calmly—

Quietly suspended within the Cosmic Chessboard.

It had even merged with Li Che’s inner intent, becoming a divine weapon refined by him!

Li Che’s eyes brightened.

Yet his focus remained on the maturity of his Dao Fruit.

【Dao Fruit: Pure Heart (LV6 80%)】

Incredibly—it had surged so much?!

Li Che’s heart trembled!

From a mere 30% maturity, it leapt straight to 80%—a 50% increase!

Mind you, this was a Level 6 Dao Fruit!

Had Li Che followed the slow path of absorbing divine crystals, it would have taken years!

But one Gathering Celestial Flag had catapulted its growth!

No wonder the Pure Heart Dao Fruit was ecstatic and couldn’t help but dance with joy.

There still remained seven more Gathering Celestial Flags…

Li Che licked his lips like a hard-working laborer when he sees a fat paycheck, his heart brimming with fierce determination!

Exhaling deeply, he sat in the Peach Grove, each breath steadying his spirit.

His jet-black hair streamed as his dark robe fluttered.

Inside the Mud Pellet scene, his divine nature boiled; Li Che no longer toyed with his divine aura.

With two fingers pressed together, he tore through the air.

Within Qiankun Space, two Nine-Thousand-Year peaches drifted into view:

one [Dragon Blood Peach] and one [Black Phoenix Spirit Peach]!

Apart from the three Nine-Thousand-Year peaches sacrificed to open the Millennial Peach Garden, these two remained.

Li Che set aside the Black Phoenix Spirit Peach and picked up the Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach,

snapping it open with a crisp bite.

Its flesh was tender, juice splattered everywhere, and a rich aroma exploded inside his mouth!

The impact was like a shockwave, surging along the walls of his mouth.

Li Che’s eyes widened as his jet-black hair bristled, as if defying gravity!

Inside his chest, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit roared as if dragons and elephants cried out in unison!

The fruit’s flesh descended into his stomach, and in an instant, it was like metal sodium reacting violently with water!

A surge of energy flooded his body, coursing through every limb and fiber!

Driving his Pure Martial blood pool into a frenzy that roared like thunder!

Finally, melding within his life force, it burst open the primordial essence and concentrated in his blood pool.

In an instant, the scope of his blood pool expanded dramatically.

It grew and grew…

Until it spanned two thousand feet!

And its expansion rate only accelerated further!

“Ah, this feels amazing!”

“So satisfying!”

Li Che’s eyes shone brilliantly.

He methodically devoured the peach, bite by bite.

His entire body resounded with the explosive crackle of his bones!

In that moment when the martial path underwent a transformative upheaval thanks to the Nine-Thousand-Year Dragon Blood Peach, Li Che’s longing for the Millennial Peach that hung on the tree only intensified.

“It must be ripened now!”

With clenched teeth, Li Che raised his hand and pressed it against his brow.

Suddenly, his Heaven and Earth Soul burst forth!

It soared gracefully to the peach tree bearing the unripe peach.

He wasn’t sure how to channel the Kunlun Mirror’s Death Light—

But that no longer mattered.

Within his Cosmic Chessboard, he captured a Kunlun Death Light as vast as a half-moon—

Though reluctant at first,

Li Che spent what little energy he had to seize it, without any sentimental loss.

If it could trigger the ripening of the Millennial Peach, Li Che would undoubtedly benefit!

Ambitious in his martial pursuits—

The boundless sea of qi within him!

The pinnacle of Martial Saint energy!

If conditions were unfavorable, Li Che would let it be, but now, with hope and opportunity within reach, he wouldn’t hold back.

His Heaven and Earth Soul settled upon the peach tree, as his Cosmic Chessboard expanded under his will—

In the next moment,

With two fingers pressed together,

Like a sword immortal guiding a flying sword, the half-moon-sized Kunlun Death Light burst forth from the Cosmic Chessboard like rippling water—

Then,

The brilliance around the peach tree dimmed in an instant, as if all light had been suppressed.

Only Li Che’s summoned Kunlun radiance remained,

Gentle as moonlight, as fine as silk.

It cascaded down onto the green peach hanging from the tree!

Please bestow your monthly ticket and summary for December.

Please grant your monthly ticket and summary for December.

It was three in the morning again; though Old Li was used to it, originally planning to write a summary, he decided to focus on the chapter first.

This month, the target was fifty hundred thousand words, and with the updates, the total has reached 479,128 words – not counting this new chapter of over seven thousand words, as it passed midnight and is counted in December.

That means November’s total, roughly speaking, was just under 490,000 words—only missing ten thousand to reach 500,000. If only this month had thirty-one days!

Old Li’s limits have been reached; writing 15,000-16,000 words every day keeps him on edge – starting from the moment he wakes until about three in the morning. Sometimes finishing a bit earlier, but never by much—

And such days have lasted for six months, countless days and nights lamenting how exhausting writing is…

But there’s no choice; Old Li dares not stop. He wants to earn enough for milk powder and also let everyone enjoy the story, treading on thin ice along the way.

After six months, the book has reached 2.5 million words. Clearly, with so many words, its recommendations might be declining, and Old Li feels oddly unappreciated—

But defying misfortune, next month Old Li will continue to explode in updates!

Writing this book demands natural talent; after all these years, Old Li can clearly feel his own limitations, so he compensates with hard work.

Everyone says there’s too much filler, but Old Li has been working on trimming each chapter, cutting redundancies, though his habit of elaborate battle descriptions persists. He hopes everyone will understand if he tries to make fights more concise.

This month’s chapters belong to the Divine Capital arc, and with the Peach Festival concluded, the Divine Capital arc too is over. In the next arc, XiXi’s growth will accelerate—

and Xiao Li’s strength will also see rapid enhancements. Having drafted some outlines, there’s much to look forward to.

In the quiet of the night, he couldn’t help but spill his thoughts; writing is a lonely endeavor, with little sharing. Sometimes, loneliness creeps in—thank you all for your understanding.

Last month’s update was 490,000 words; this month, Old Li plans to take it easy—a goal of 450,000 words!

The book has reached 2.5 million words, with many thrilling moments already written. As the writing difficulty surges, Old Li strives to script the remaining plot with quality!

He hopes to complete the stories of Xiao Li and XiXi entirely, with everyone by his side.

Thank you all for your continual monthly tickets, recommendations, and support!

The new monthly ticket system seems to be unfriendly to those who update frequently; Old Li is at a loss too—

In December, Old Li will keep pushing on!

For December, please cast your monthly tickets generously!

Old Li thanks you all!

Good night.