Li Tian's gaze lingered on his two wives, Lin Hua and Chen Lian. Even across the distance, caught in the throes of grief, their beauty and grace were undeniable. An undeniable allure, a faint temptation he hadn't felt in centuries, tugged at him.
But stronger than that fleeting thought was the wave of palpable sorrow rolling off them. Their pained expressions, the way they clung to each other…
"They truly thought I was dying," he realized. The depth of their distress, the agony of anticipating his imminent end, was clear. A surprising surge of warmth spread through his chest in response to their genuine concern. It was… unexpectedly pleasant.
He sighed internally. Part of him wanted to savor this feeling, perhaps even play out the dramatic reveal of his recovery. But seeing their raw anguish made that impossible. He couldn't prolong their suffering.
It was time to dispel the misunderstanding.
He drew a slow breath, centering himself. He wouldn't just flare his old power; he needed something more convincing, something that explained the earlier emptiness they'd sensed.
He reached inward, not for the familiar Cosmic Energy of the Ascension realm, but for something far more profound, an essence born from truly transcending mortal limitations.
Celestial Qi.
This was the energy of Immortals, a higher frequency of power, fundamentally different from the Cosmic Qi manipulated by cultivators up to the peak Ascension Realm. It was naturally elusive, almost invisible to senses calibrated for lower forms of energy. This quality was the key – the reason the Ancestors sensed nothing, and the core of the partial truth he would offer.
With focused intent, Li Tian guided the nascent, incredibly potent Celestial Qi to flow through every meridian, every cell of his being.
Instantly, his body erupted in a radiant, multi-hued glow. Rainbow lights pulsed outwards, bathing the clearing in an ethereal luminescence that forced many to shield their eyes.
The light coalesced, then rapidly receded, drawing back into his form.
When the glow faded completely, the figure standing there was unrecognizable from the frail old man of moments before.
Youth. Vitality. Power.
He stood tall and robust, his frame radiating strength. His features were sharp, exquisitely handsome, possessing a charisma that commanded attention, yet retaining an otherworldly beauty untouched by time.
His obsidian-black hair, no longer dull and lifeless, flowed like a silken waterfall in an unfelt breeze, shimmering with an inner luster.
But the most striking change was his eyes. Deep as the abyss, they seemed to hold the vastness of the night sky, gleaming with ancient wisdom and a terrifying depth that drew observers in, hinting at universes witnessed within.
The dying old man was gone. In his place stood Li Tian, rejuvenated, powerful, radiating an aura far surpassing what they remembered.
Silence.
Absolute, stunned silence gripped the entire assembly.
From the revered Ancestors to the youngest, wide-eyed outer disciples who had gathered at the periphery, everyone stood frozen, grappling with the impossible transformation.
Clan Patriarch Li Heng, usually the picture of authority, took an involuntary step back, his eyes stretched wide in disbelief.
Great Clan Elder Li Ming, whose memory spanned epochs, found his jaw hanging slack for a split second before snapping it shut, his brow furrowed in utter confusion. Impossible!
Lin Hua and Chen Lian gasped, tears freezing on their lashes.
The handsome, youthful husband they vaguely remembered from centuries ago was back, but infused with an aura of power and mystery that was entirely new. Hands flew to cover their mouths, stifling cries of shock and overwhelming relief.
Esteemed Elders Li Sheng and Li Mirong exchanged bewildered glances, slowly shaking their heads as if questioning their own sanity.
Li Xiaojun, the stalwart Senior Guardian, unconsciously lowered his bow, his grip slackening in sheer astonishment.
The younger core members – Li Cheng, Li Mei, Disciple Li Ming – simply gaped, their minds completely unable to process the radical shift they had just witnessed.
But the most profound shock registered on the faces of the four Ancestors hovering closest to Li Tian.
Ancestor Li Fang, the eldest, was utterly speechless, his mouth opening and closing slightly without sound.
Ancestor Li Xian stared, his sharp, discerning gaze locked onto Li Tian, disbelief warring with the undeniable reality before him. He, who had rebuilt the clan from near extinction, felt the foundations of his vast knowledge tremble.
Ancestor Li Yu and Ancestor Li Yanling were locked in a frantic, silent exchange via divine sense, their expressions mirroring the same stupefaction. How? How could their senses, which pierced the veil of existence, have been so wrong?
Moments ago, they had scanned Li Tian with unwavering certainty. They had found nothing. An empty vessel. Depleted. Finished.
Yet here he stood, vibrant, his eyes gleaming like reborn stars, pulsing with an energy they still couldn't properly perceive, yet could undeniably feel the pressure of. It was a living contradiction to their senses, their experience, their fundamental understanding of cultivation.
Li Tian stood calmly amidst the silent chaos, the faint traces of rainbow light lingering around him like an afterimage. His abyss-like gaze held a new glint – perhaps amusement, perhaps a silent challenge to the limits of their knowledge. The Celestial Qi humming within him felt potent, connected to forces beyond their current comprehension.
Finally, Ancestor Li Xian broke the suffocating silence. His voice was tight, strained with the effort of reconciling the irreconcilable.
"Li Tian!" he demanded, his gaze sharp and piercing. "Explain! Moments ago… your body was an empty vessel! We sensed nothing! Yet now…" He gestured vaguely at Li Tian's vibrant form. "You appear restored, powerful even! But my senses… our senses… still detect no Cosmic Qi! It is as if you remain crippled, yet clearly are not! What is this sorcery?"
Li Tian met the intense gazes of the four Ancestors, his expression calm, almost serene.
"Ancestors," he replied, his voice resonant and clear, carrying easily through the clearing. "Your senses did not deceive you regarding the absence of Cosmic Qi."
He paused, letting the confirmation sink in before delivering the crucial half-truth.
"The energy I now wield is Celestial Qi. It is a higher essence, born from stepping beyond the mortal coil and touching the threshold of Immortality. It operates on a fundamentally different level than Cosmic Energy."
He looked directly at them, his gaze profound. "That is why your senses, attuned to the energies below the Immortal realms, cannot perceive it within me."
The words hung in the air. Celestial Qi. The energy wielded by Half-Immortals and true Immortals.
The four Ancestors exchanged glances. Understanding dawned, mingled with awe. They knew of Celestial Qi, of course. If Li Tian had somehow, impossibly, reached the Half-Immortal realm… then yes, his energy would transform into Celestial Qi, rendering it undetectable to their Ascension realm senses.
Their earlier assumption of failure seemed wrong, but this new explanation fit within the known framework of cultivation, albeit at a level they hadn't dared to hope for. The mystery wasn't solved, but it was contained within a concept they understood. Li Tian hadn't failed; he had succeeded beyond their wildest imaginations, reaching the legendary Half-Immortal stage.
Their shock began to morph into stunned, overwhelming awe.