Longevity: After Six Thousand Years, The Diary Was Exposed - Chapter 43 - Chapter 43 – Reality of The Black Silk

The weather was calm and serene.

The sky was a brilliant blue, exceptionally clear, making one feel refreshed and at peace.

On the mountainside of a towering peak, beneath an ancient pine tree—

A young man and woman sat across from each other.

In such weather, with such beautiful scenery, eating a steaming, spicy hot pot was truly one of life’s great pleasures.

Ye Xi sat cross-legged, entirely approachable, dipping a slice of meat into the boiling pot before taking a bite.

“Hiss—”

“So good, so satisfying!”

Qiao Xi covered her mouth with a laugh, though a trace of melancholy flickered in her eyes.

It was hard to imagine that this man before her was the personal disciple of the Immortal Emperor—Ye Xi, the Nicholas the Great, renowned throughout the world.

Yet, in her presence, he was so casual and laid-back, making one feel entirely at ease.

Relaxed and free of any pressure.

Ye Xi looked up and smiled, asking, “Why aren’t you eating anymore?”

Qiao Xi snapped out of her thoughts, pouted, and said, “Since meeting you, I’ve eaten more in these few days than I’ve eaten in years!”

Lowering her head, she caught sight of the snow-white curve of her chest and muttered softly, “I feel like I’ve gotten bigger… and heavier!”

Ye Xi burst into hearty laughter, then suddenly put on a serious expression and said, “How could that be? This is what we call a ‘plump beauty.’”

Qiao Xi’s face turned bright red, her chin nearly dropping to her chest.

After a long pause.

Once the hotpot meal was finished, Qiao Xi gathered her courage and softly asked, “Ye Xi, are you leaving?”

In truth, she had already known this would happen. Her fellow clan members had been urging her to return for days now.

But hearing that Qiao Xi was going to say goodbye to Nicholas the Great, they had allowed her a little more time.

After all, forming even the slightest connection with such a legendary figure would be an incredible fortune.

Ye Xi’s expression remained calm as he nodded lightly, saying, “Indeed. I have very important matters to attend to.”

Qiao Xi hesitated before asking, “Then… when will we meet again?”

“The next time we meet will be on a warm spring day, when flowers are in full bloom.”

Hearing this, Qiao Xi was overjoyed, and her entire body trembled as she exclaimed, “Really?”

She had thought that this farewell might mean they would never see each other again.

Unexpectedly, Ye Xi answered her in this way.

Ye Xi nodded once more.

Qiao Xi suddenly seemed like an excited sparrow, flying off toward the distance.

After parting ways—Ye Xi hesitated briefly, then took out a small notebook and quickly flipped through it.

“Hmm, the parting scene, found it!”

Ye Xi read for a moment, then said, “I’m glad I didn’t misspeak; my master used to say this when parting, it has a certain poetic charm!”

After another brief pause.

Ye Xi stood up to leave, and this time, a woman in red with a fierce mask appeared beside him.

…

Jade Pool Holy Land.

Within an ancient and grand hall.

Yuan Ruoyu stood with a stern expression, gazing at the elders and peak masters gathered before her.

Nearly all of the Holy Land’s top experts were present.

Dozens of them.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Yuan Ruoyu spoke gravely: “By now, you must all be aware of the secrets surrounding Cangwu Mountain!”

The Great Elder, Wei Yuan, who had accompanied the investigation team, naturally needed no explanation.

Many of the other elders were also aware of the truth, and they were all shocked.

The Jade Pool Holy Land, one of the most powerful forces in the world of cultivation, had been completely unaware of such secrets. The so-called heretics, and the evil eye technique, were especially foreign to them.

It was terrifying to consider how long these malevolent forces had been lurking in the cultivation world—or how many henchmen, like the An family, they had cultivated in the shadows.

The more one thought about it, the more spine-chilling it became.

The Holy Land had to take action!

At that moment, Yuan Ruoyu’s commanding voice echoed through the hall: “We must abandon any illusions and prepare for war at all costs. No one knows if we might be their next target!”

The Great Elder, Wei Yuan, responded solemnly, “Indeed!”

The other elders and peak masters echoed his sentiment.

On a larger scale, this was a matter of survival for the entire cultivation world.

And for a Holy Land, it was a matter of life and death!

Following this—Yuan Ruoyu issued a series of decrees, including a thorough investigation to ensure no spies were hidden within their ranks.

As well as the sect protection formation, there must be elders guarding it at all times.

An hour later, the elders and peak masters left the hall to carry out Yuan Ruoyu’s orders.

Only Great Elder Wei Yuan remained behind.

He bowed and asked, “Holy Lord, why have you kept me behind? What are your instructions?”

Yuan Ruoyu hesitated, her expression briefly showing a hint of awkwardness.

But given the circumstances, she had no choice but to speak plainly to help the Great Elder out of his blind alley.

She asked, “Great Elder, have you made any progress in your research on black silk?”

Wei Yuan’s shoulders slumped, and he replied dejectedly, “Nothing at all!”

“The Immortal Emperor is truly unfathomable. Just studying a single mention of black silk in his diary nearly drove me mad…”

Yuan Ruoyu couldn’t help but smile wryly, silently grateful she had intervened.

Otherwise, if this continued, he really might succumb to madness.

The Great Elder was, after all, one of their top experts. It would be a waste for him to remain stuck on this.

After a moment of silence, Yuan Ruoyu took out a black stocking awkwardly, and sighed. “Great Elder, there’s no need to dwell on this any longer.”

“What’s referred to as ‘black silk’ is simply this—black hosiery, a type of decorative garment worn on the legs.”

Wei Yuan was stunned, shaking his head in disbelief. “Impossible! That’s absolutely impossible!”

“The object of the Emperor’s obsession…how could it be…”

Before he could finish, Yuan Ruoyu interrupted, “This is what Ye Xi personally told me, and this stocking was a gift from the Immortal Emperor himself through Ye Xi.”

“There’s no doubt about it. Great Elder, it’s time to face reality.”

At this point, Yuan Ruoyu no longer cared if others noticed her relationship with the Immortal Emperor.

Eventually, the truth would come out anyway.

Moreover, by making their connection public, Yuan Ruoyu could openly do more for Lin Feng.

It would deter petty schemers while giving Lin Feng’s allies a rallying point.

Though Ye Xi had stepped into the spotlight, it wasn’t enough.

Moments later—

The Great Elder left the hall in a daze, muttering to himself, “How could this be?”

“Black silk are just… decorative black hosiery?”

“And there’s also the red silk, the purple silk, and the ribboned silk…”

After walking for a while, he ruffled his hair and looked to the sky, lamenting: “Immortal Emperor, you’ve misled me!”

“You’ve ruined me!”

…

The Liyue Immortal Dynasty.

In the Immortal Hall, the atmosphere was tense.

This grand court assembly had summoned all civil and military officials, as well as regional governors and commanders.

Atop the imperial throne sat Empress Ye Qingsong, her expression icy as her sharp gaze swept over the court, silencing all.

Everyone knew that the revelations about Cangwu Mountain were of grave significance.

This resolute empress would not sit idly by.

“Proclaim my decree: the entire dynasty is to enter a state of war readiness!”

“In addition…”

“Make public all the secrets of Cangwu Mountain. Let the world know of the Heretics and their pawns. Let them have nowhere to hide!”

Prime Minister Gongsun Mu stepped forward and respectfully accepted the order.

After a pause, Ye Qingsong’s icy voice resounded again:

“Furthermore, the Xuanbird Guards and Xuanshadow Guards are to focus all efforts on tracking down any traces of Heretics and their pawns.”

“If discovered, execute them without mercy!”

General Zhao Shanhe responded firmly, “Your Majesty, your will shall be done!”

Not only the Jade Pool Holy Land and the Liyue Immortal Dynasty but nearly all sects and forces in the cultivation world issued similar orders.

The entire cultivation world, though filled with unease, began uniting against the common enemy.

In this atmosphere…

The Immortal Emperor, who had uncovered and exposed these secrets, became the hope of all.

Everyone eagerly wondered—what would the Emperor do next?

At this moment, the Tianji Pavilion’s communication array lit up, projecting a shimmering screen.

Cultivators across the world focused their attention, eagerly awaiting the next entry in the Emperor’s diary.