Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1592 - 842: Daoist Couple (2)

"It's been close to a hundred years since I last returned. My sister informed me that Father's marketplace went through certain troubles yet survived them. Throughout that period, Father would discreetly deliver us supplies occasionally!" Yin Shilan directed her gaze toward Inner Yang Mountain, opening up to Li Shiming.

Thoughts of her parents welled up tears in her eyes. Because of the sect's limitations, she was barred from departing the cave, and a full hundred years had passed without laying eyes on her parents.

Without the sect curbing her sister's travels, she might remain ignorant of her parents' circumstances.

"It's my fault for not setting things up right before I departed!" Li Shiming uttered, a hint of self-reproach in his voice.

"I don't hold it against you. I get how tough it was for you!" Yin Shilan softly grasped Li Shiming's arm and murmured tenderly.

She was well aware of the conditions under which Li Shiming had departed from the Beishu Continent.

At that time, Li Shiming had merely attained the Golden Core Stage, but he faced pursuit from every Nascent Soul Stage cultivator across the Beishu Continent. Simply getting away alive was a feat in itself; handling additional concerns amid the flight was utterly impractical.

Furthermore, Li Shiming had already done plenty for his family. The marketplace close to the Thousand Illusion Sect boasted all necessary links and a fully operational supply network.

Naturally, once Li Shiming was gone, the marketplace endured certain repercussions.

Yet Yin Shilan's father possessed real capabilities. Amid the strain, he scarcely kept it afloat, even sparing some extras to support his daughters.

The Flying Boat came down, settling beyond the marketplace's boundaries.

Li Shiming spotted Elder Yin and Aunt Ren positioned at the marketplace's gateway, alerted by prior word and awaiting the pair.

"Father! Mother!" Yin Shilan cried out gently at the sight of her parents, her tears finally spilling over.

After a century apart from her parents, she realized they had entered their later years.

Aunt Ren had consumed 'Youthful Elixir,' yet with her lifespan drawing near its close, the 'Youthful Elixir' failed to preserve her vibrant looks any longer.

Her features still resembled those of a woman in her thirties, giving her a fairly youthful vibe.

But Yin Shilan knew her mother was starting to decline swiftly; within thirty to forty years, as her lifespan concluded, her mother's visage would fully reflect old age.

"Lan'er, my dear Lan'er!" Aunt Ren pulled Yin Shilan into an embrace, whispering endearingly.

Though Elder Yin felt deep emotion too, he restrained it and turned his attention to Li Shiming.

A hundred years on, Li Shiming's looks remained unchanged from before, but his presence had evolved him from a brash young man into a figure of immense presence and command.

"Uncle Yin, Aunt Ren!" Li Shiming offered a respectful bow from his position behind them.

In this realm, few could compel him to bow; these two stood among the rare elders worthy of such gesture.

"Why address us as Uncle and Aunt? Do you intend not to wed Lan'er?" Aunt Ren, with Yin Shilan in her hold, playfully chided Li Shiming.

Even after a century, the reputation of Evil Elder Ren might fade upon return to the Beishu Continent, but Aunt Ren's spirited nature stayed mostly intact.

Yin Shilan displayed scant embarrassment, her soft gaze steadily watching Li Shiming.

Their connection had long deepened to a level of shared life-and-death trust, yet Li Shiming consistently prioritized her cultivation progress and avoided mentioning their union.

As a woman, she couldn't initiate the topic, and this visit to meet the parents served partly as a bid for their support.

"Li Shiming pays respects to Father and Mother-in-law!" Li Shiming bowed low without delay and declared.

He had certainly considered such things, but the peculiarities of the Cultivation World meant cultivators typically skipped formal rites for Daoist couples.

Situations like Yin Shilan's, with an entire cultivator family, were rare. Most entered the Cultivation World from mortal origins, effectively severing worldly bonds.

Had Aunt Ren not interjected, he and Yin Shilan would have proceeded in quiet mutual recognition as Daoist companions.

"Shiming, share tales of the other continents!" Elder Yin grinned, clasping Li Shiming's arm and guiding him inside the marketplace while chatting en route.

Aunt Ren clasped Yin Shilan's hand, advising her on navigating life as a Daoist couple.

Their exchange occurred via sound transmission, with faint blushes occasionally coloring Yin Shilan's cheeks.

"Father-in-law, this marketplace appears to thrive with business!" As they stepped into the marketplace, Li Shiming observed the throng of cultivators, a genuinely uncommon and lively scene.

"Such prosperity only started these last two years. The Beishu Sect proposed enlarging the marketplace, with conditions so generous it seemed like a giveaway. Without knowing you established the Beishu Sect, I'd suspect foul play!" Elder Yin remarked with a grin regarding the marketplace.

He regarded Li Shiming with eyes full of approval, evidently struck by how Li Shiming hadn't overlooked them.

Li Shiming sensed a touch of awkwardness; the marketplace by Inner Yang Mountain wasn't one he'd personally ordered built, yet absent his oversight, his influence guaranteed its solid handling.

His ties with Yin Shilan were no hidden fact in the Beishu Sect, just as the links among Yin Shilan, Elder Yin, and this marketplace were known to the cultivators.

Controlling the Beishu Continent, he naturally extended advantages to connected cultivators.

None in the marketplace identified him, unaware that this youthful cultivator was the mighty Li Shiming.

It was only as they neared the rear main building that a late-stage Golden Core cultivator clad in Beishu Sect robes approached with deference.

"You've labored much!" Li Shiming gestured dismissively, permitting him to stand, and commented.

This late-stage Golden Core cultivator wasn't there as a patron. Li Shiming had spotted him before, noting his alert surveillance of the area, clearly posted by the Beishu Sect.

"My lord, it's my privilege!" the late-stage Golden Core cultivator replied with evident thrill.

Even Elder Yin detected the intense devotion from this late-stage Golden Core cultivator, highlighting the shifts across the Beishu Continent.

Truthfully, even without Li Shiming's direct role, the Beishu Continent's present form wouldn't readily return to the old seven-sect days.

The modern Beishu Sect outshines the seven-sect era in terms of cultivation resources, techniques, and scriptures.

Beyond that, commerce with other continents supplies the Beishu Sect with a steady resource stream, exceeding what Li Shiming's Treasure Pavilion provided.

The Treasure Pavilion holds immense resources, true, but they would dwindle over time.

Trade paths to other continents grant the Beishu Sect an unending resource influx, allowing it to avoid limiting supplies for sect members.

Although the Beishu Sect is fairly new and lacks standout high-level cultivators, it has witnessed a surge in fresh Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.

This transformation unfolded over mere years, and within decades, a notable rise in Nascent Soul Stage cultivators is anticipated.

Every Beishu Sect cultivator recognizes the one to credit for their present existence.

Countless cultivators have delved into Li Shiming's legendary exploits anew, and even after a hundred years, these stories still awe many, fueling their adoration for Li Shiming to intense heights.

Elder Yin brimmed with profound pride, as this was his daughter's Daoist partner, whom he had seen mature from youth.

Who could have foreseen that the minor cultivator of the Sky Sea Sect would ascend to such heights in little over a century?

Rumors surrounding Li Shiming abounded now, so numerous that Elder Yin questioned the veracity of each.

He simply wished to cling to Li Shiming, seeking to unravel the truths amid the tales.

Inside the main building, the discussion largely consisted of Elder Yin's inquiries and Li Shiming's responses.

From Li Shiming's exit from the Beishu Continent onward, Elder Yin gained insights into his path of advancement in the Cultivation World.

Though Li Shiming omitted various confidential elements and perilous encounters, Elder Yin grasped the hardships he had endured.