After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 135

After merging the fourth fragment, Ye Li found a secluded cave on a fragmented star at the periphery of the Dead Silent Star Abyss and began a retreat that lasted several months. This retreat was not only to consolidate her cultivation but also to fully integrate the insights gained in the Star Abyss with her own accumulated knowledge.

Inside the cave, Ye Li sat cross-legged, surrounded by layers of formations that isolated the interior from the outside. The Profound Ice Sword floated before her, its blade circulating with three distinct forces: the extreme cold sword energy was ice-blue, the cycle of reincarnation golden light was pale gold, and the newly comprehended Dead Silence Force was a deep gray.

“Dead Silence… Reincarnation…” Ye Li murmured, gently touching the sword with her fingertip. The three forces slowly began to merge, an extremely difficult process where a slight mistake could trigger a power backlash. But Ye Li’s control over power had reached the microscopic level, and her mind was completely immersed in the deduction of the sword path.

As time passed, the three forces finally found a point of balance. The ice-blue, pale gold, and deep gray forces danced harmoniously on the sword blade like three swimming dragons. A sharp gleam flashed in Ye Li’s eyes, and she swung the sword, thrusting forward.

There was no earth-shattering sound, but where the sword tip passed, the space seemed to be drained of all vitality, exhibiting an aura of universal decay. Even time seemed to slow down under the influence of this one strike.

“I shall call this strike the Six Paths Reincarnation Sword—Asura of Dead Silence.” Ye Li named her newly created sword technique. This strike not only contained the freezing power of extreme cold and the intent of reincarnation but also added the ultimate true meaning of dead silence, making its power far more terrifying than any of her previous moves.

Next, she began to perfect the Cosmic Trace-Eradication Steps. The profound understanding of space and time she gained within the fragmented star river allowed her to form a new perspective on this movement technique.

She was no longer satisfied with simple spatial traversal; she began trying to integrate temporal changes into it. After countless deductions and practical trials, she finally achieved a breakthrough.

With a thought, her figure vanished from the spot, appearing a hundred yards away the next moment. This was not simple teleportation but a clever avoidance of the passage of time during the movement. To an outsider, she would appear to have never moved, yet she had concretely changed her location.

“Coming and going without a trace, spacetime without a mark.” Ye Li nodded with satisfaction. The current Cosmic Trace-Eradication Steps truly deserved the title of “Trace-Eradication.”

During her seclusion, she also found time to refine several magic treasures. Using materials collected in the Dead Silent Star Abyss, she refined a Dead Silence Banner, capable of releasing the Dead Silence Force to corrode enemies. She also used the crystal core of a Void Ray to refine a Void Seal, which could perform a spatial leap at a critical moment.

When Ye Li concluded her retreat and stepped out of the cave, her aura had undergone a transformative change. Her original black hair had completely turned silver-white, but this did not make her look old; instead, it lent her an ethereal, transcendent quality. Her eyes were deeper, seemingly containing the mysteries of the universe.

Feeling the surging power within her, Ye Li knew it was time to return. She needed to learn about the current situation in the Spirit Realm through the Shadow Pavilion and prepare for the search for the remaining fragments of the Reincarnation Mirror.

Using a specialized communication jade slip, she contacted Lin Feng, who was far away in the Central State. Lin Feng’s excited voice came through the slip: “Pavilion Master! You’ve finally come out of seclusion!”

“You’ve worked hard these past years,” Ye Li said gently. “Make arrangements. I want to meet all of you at the Hidden Mist Manor.”

“Yes! I will prepare immediately!”

The Hidden Mist Manor is located in the Mist Mountains at the border between the Central State and the Western Regions. The area is perpetually shrouded in mist and is strategically perilous, making it one of the Shadow Pavilion’s most important secret strongholds. On the surface, the manor appears to be an ordinary cultivation family estate, but in reality, it is the core hub of the Shadow Pavilion.

When Ye Li steered her Flowing Light Boat to the Hidden Mist Manor, Lin Feng had already led a group of core members of the Shadow Pavilion to wait in the plaza outside the manor. Seeing Ye Li step down from the star boat, everyone was stunned by her transformation.

Her silver-white long hair fluttered gently in the wind, and her black robe accentuated her snow-white skin. What was most alarming was the profound and unfathomable aura emanating from her, as if she were integrated with the entire world.

“Welcome back, Pavilion Master!” Led by Lin Feng, everyone bowed in unison, their voices filled with excitement and reverence.

Ye Li’s gaze swept over the crowd, and she nodded slightly: “Thank you all for your hard work these years.”

Escorted by everyone, she walked into the main hall of the manor. The hall was already prepared, with detailed maps of various parts of the Spirit Realm hanging on the walls, marked with the locations of the Shadow Pavilion’s various strongholds.

After taking her seat, Lin Feng began to give a detailed report on the development of the Shadow Pavilion over the years.

“Pavilion Master, since you last left, the size of the Shadow Pavilion has expanded by more than threefold,” Lin Feng said, pointing at the map on the wall. “We now have branches in all seven major regions of the Spirit Realm, with core members reaching five hundred and peripheral members exceeding ten thousand.”

He highlighted several important strongholds: “The ‘Tidewatch Pavilion’ in the Eastern Continent has developed into the largest local intelligence trading center; we have personnel serving as deacons within the ‘Vajra Temple’ in the Western Regions; and we have spies within the ‘Ten Thousand Demon Valley’ in the Southern Wilderness.”

Ye Li listened carefully, nodding occasionally. Lin Feng’s talent was indeed outstanding; he had managed the Shadow Pavilion with exceptional efficiency.

“In terms of commerce, the ‘Li Xuan Merchant Guild’ has now ranked among the top ten merchant guilds in the Spirit Realm,” Lin Feng continued his report. “Our specialized products, such as the ‘Ice Heart Pill’ and the ‘Profound Water Talisman,’ are in high demand in the market. Last year, the Guild’s total revenue reached thirty million high-grade spirit stones.”

What made Ye Li even more satisfied was the Shadow Pavilion’s achievements in talent development. Lin Feng specifically introduced several rising stars: “Qing Feng from the Pill Refining Hall can now refine Tier 5 spirit pills; Ming Yue from the Talisman Hall won first prize at the Talisman Master Assembly with her original ‘Profound Ice Talisman’; and Yin Sha from the Intelligence Hall successfully infiltrated the middle ranks of the Heavenly Machine Tower.”

Next, Lin Feng began to report on the latest situation in the Spirit Realm, his expression becoming serious.

“Pavilion Master, the Spirit Realm has been quite restless these past few years,” he took out a secret report. “First, the abnormal opening of various ancient secret realms. Three months ago, the ‘Burial God Mountain’ suddenly opened, and major forces sent people to explore it. Two months ago, the ‘Reincarnation Sea’ showed unusual activity; it is rumored that ancient inheritances have appeared.”

Ye Li contemplated: “It seems a great change is coming to the world.”

“What is more worrying is the activity of the ‘Dark Eye’ organization,” Lin Feng projected several images. “According to the intelligence we have gathered, they have appeared in at least seven ancient ruins and seem to be searching for something. Moreover…”

He paused, lowering his voice: “We suspect they are colluding with some hidden forces. The recent border conflicts between the Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom and the Southern Wilderness Demon Territory likely have their shadow behind them.”

Ye Li looked at the figures of the black-robed individuals in the images, a cold light flashing in her eyes. These persistent remnants were indeed still active in the dark.

“Most importantly,” Lin Feng’s tone became even more solemn, “rumors about the ‘World Eater’ have begun to circulate among the top-tier forces. Although there is no concrete evidence yet, multiple ancient aristocratic families are secretly preparing, seemingly in response to some great calamity.”

After hearing the report, Ye Li remained silent for a moment, then looked at Lin Feng: “Your cultivation has also greatly improved.”

Lin Feng respectfully replied: “Thanks to the Pavilion Master’s blessing, I have broken through to the early stage of the Divine Ability Realm.”

Ye Li nodded with satisfaction, then stood up and walked to the center of the hall. Her gaze swept over every core member present, her voice clear and firm:

“Everyone, it is time for the Shadow Pavilion to step out of the shadows.”

This statement surprised everyone. The Shadow Pavilion had always adhered to a strategy of secret development. Now, to suddenly step into the open, this change was too significant.

Ye Li continued: “The current Shadow Pavilion already possesses considerable strength; continuing to hide in the dark will restrict our development. Moreover, in the face of the impending changes, we need a larger stage and more resources.”

She walked to the map and pointed at several key locations: “In the Eastern Continent, we must control at least three major trade routes; in the Western Regions, we must establish our own influence within the Buddhist Kingdom; and in the Southern Wilderness, we must establish cooperative relations with the demon race.”

“Pavilion Master, won’t this be too risky?” one elder asked worriedly.

Ye Li smiled slightly: “Risk and opportunity coexist. Furthermore…” A powerful aura suddenly radiated from her body. “The current Shadow Pavilion has the strength for this.”

Sensing the profound and unfathomable cultivation emanating from Ye Li, everyone was shocked.

“Pavilion Master, your cultivation…” Lin Feng couldn’t help but ask.

“Late stage of the Divine Ability Realm,” Ye Li calmly replied. “Only one step away from the Grand Perfection.”

A collective gasp echoed in the hall. Late stage of the Divine Ability Realm! This was already the pinnacle of cultivation in the Spirit Realm; many grand sect masters were at this level or below.

With such strength as a backing, everyone gained confidence in Ye Li’s plan.

“Our goal is not just to collect intelligence,” Ye Li’s voice resonated in the hall. “We must become a force capable of influencing the entire Spirit Realm’s structure. To cope with the potential ‘World Eater’ catastrophe, and also… to protect everything we wish to protect.”

Her gaze became profound, as if it pierced through time and space, seeing the figure in seclusion within the Nine Heavens Palace.

“We follow the Pavilion Master’s command!” everyone bowed excitedly. With a clear direction and a powerful leader, the Shadow Pavilion was bound to usher in a new era of glory.

In the following days, Ye Li personally formulated the Shadow Pavilion’s development plan. She divided the Shadow Pavilion into two lines: the overt line, centered on the Li Xuan Merchant Guild, to vigorously develop commerce and accumulate resources; and the covert line, to continue strengthening the intelligence network, focusing on monitoring the Dark Eye organization and developments related to the World Eater.

She also personally guided the cultivation of the core members, imparting some of her cultivation insights to them. Her understanding of the path of spacetime, in particular, benefited everyone immensely.

A month later, when Ye Li left the Hidden Mist Manor again, the Shadow Pavilion, the colossal organization hidden in the shadows of the Spirit Realm, had quietly begun its transformation. And in the near future, it was destined to shock the entire Spirit Realm with a brand-new appearance.

Standing on the Flowing Light Boat, Ye Li looked back at the gradually receding Hidden Mist Manor, her eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve. The road ahead was long, but she was ready. No matter how many hardships and obstacles lay before her, she would forge ahead courageously.

Because at the end of that road, there was someone waiting for her.