The Name of Eternals

Chapter 241: Ji Qingqing

In the northernmost part of the Sacred Land, on Prison Island.

In the vast depths of the Desolate Sea, above a bottomless abyss, three chains, each thousands of miles long, connect to and imprison Prison Island.

Ji Qingqing sat in front of the grass hut, holding a stone, gently carving chaotic patterns on the ground.

Her brows furrowed slightly. Recently, she felt inexplicably uneasy.

The family had judged and imprisoned her on this island, but she wasn't worried about herself. After all, she had the support of her uncles and aunts. Apart from being unable to cultivate and having to endure boredom, there wasn't much discomfort.

Life here was harsh, but she had endured many hardships while following Li Tiangang in the army. She had long since adapted.

"I told him back then not to come unless he reached the Four Establishments Realm. He should listen..."

"After all, he always put the family first..."

"I wonder how Hao'er is. Fifteen years have passed. He should be quite tall and well-fed by now. I wonder if he looks like me or his father. They say sons resemble their mothers..."

Ji Qingqing's thoughts drifted to her husband and child, the two dearest parts of her heart.

Thinking of the son she hadn't seen in fifteen years warmed her heart but also brought sharp pangs of guilt and longing.

Her memories floated back to fifteen years ago, to the hundred-day banquet, the rosy-cheeked child in swaddling clothes, and the imperial decree that arrived swiftly.

If not for the demon invasion in the northern frontier, she would now be enjoying family happiness with her husband and child.

"Children of military families endure hardships. I made you suffer by bringing you into this world..." Ji Qingqing murmured softly.

Barring any unforeseen events, she would stay here for a thousand years before seeing her husband and child again.

She knew how difficult it was to break into the Four Establishments Realm. Even though her husband was a prodigy with extraordinary talent, it still depended on fate and luck.

Given the average lifespan of those in the Divine General's Mansion, by the time she left Prison Island, they might have already passed away, likely dying on the battlefield.

"Hao'er started cultivating too late to achieve much. Perhaps with the riches of the Divine General's Mansion, he can live a safe and peaceful life for a hundred years..."

Thinking of this, Ji Qingqing felt slightly better. Though a century was short, it could be a peaceful and happy period.

While she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a woman's voice calling from the Desolate Sea's monument outside the island.

"Miss?"

Ji Qingqing snapped back to reality, seeing a divine spirit hovering above the island. When she noticed the spirit, it descended quickly and disappeared.

Moments later, a figure flew up the mountain.

Ji Qingqing saw that it was her wet nurse, an old woman who had taken care of her since she was a child. She was stunned and exclaimed, "Ning Ma, why are you here? Were you also..."

"Miss..."

The old woman, who had served as her mother's maid and her wet nurse, had deep feelings for Ji Qingqing.

Seeing Ji Qingqing covered in dirt, her hair unkempt, Ning Ma's eyes filled with shock and sorrow. "This place is too harsh, Miss."

But Ji Qingqing was anxious. "Ning Ma, why are you here?"

"I received the family head's permission to visit you and bring good news."

Ning Ma quickly gathered herself, taking Ji Qingqing's hands. "Miss, you will soon leave here. Your son has come to take you away!"

"What?"

Ji Qingqing, relieved that Ning Ma hadn't been sent here as a prisoner, was stunned by her words, looking at her in disbelief. "Ning Ma, what did you say?"

"I said, your son has come to take you away!"

Seeing Ji Qingqing's shocked expression, Ning Ma smiled. Everyone in the Ji family spoke highly of the boy, and he was the son of her beloved Miss.

"My... my son?"

Ji Qingqing thought she must be hallucinating. She pinched herself and felt the pain.

"Ning Ma, are you joking with me?" Ji Qingqing asked, unable to believe it.

"I wouldn't travel tens of thousands of miles just to joke with you. This is real."

Ning Ma smiled. "Your son, Ji Leping, recently escorted the war god Ji Yunge's spirit back to the family, challenged many prodigies, and defeated the strongest among the young generation, Ji Xuanshen. He became the Dao Seed and used his status to pardon you!"

"Soon, you will be reunited with your son!"

Hearing her happy words, Ji Qingqing was dumbfounded, especially when she heard the name "Leping." Her confused eyes seemed to tremble.

Her son, born with an imperial name, was Li Hao!

But Leping was just a name she gave him as a mother, a tender expression of her love.

"Ning Ma, you said my son's name is Ji Leping?"

Ji Qingqing asked, her voice trembling.

Only she and her husband knew that name.

She suddenly thought that her husband, to honor her, might have changed their son's surname to hers and even given up the imperial name.

Though unlikely, the man who once broke the rules to marry her against the entire Li family might have done it.

He had defied his parents and uncles for her, even willing to forsake his family's status.

Now, it wasn't impossible.

"Isn't he your son? Didn't you give him that name?"

Seeing Ji Qingqing's shocked expression, Ning Ma was puzzled.

Ji Qingqing trembled, tears welling up in her eyes.

She didn't speak, but her thoughts surged, her fingers digging into her palm.

Quickly, she asked, "Wait, you said my son became the Dao Seed?"

"Yes, your son came to the Ji family alone, at such a young age, and shocked everyone. He defeated prodigies, even Ji Xuanshen, who was born with holy bones, and he did it all at the Three Immortals Realm. It's legendary, unprecedented."

Ning Ma's smile grew as she talked about Li Hao.

Ji Qingqing was full of disbelief. "My son, he's that powerful?"

She couldn't imagine the infant she held fifteen years ago now defeating the Ji family prodigies.

In the northern frontier, she had heard that the child couldn't practice martial arts initially, only opening his meridians later. He missed the best training period, making it hard to match the talents of the Great Yu Dynasty, let alone the Ji family prodigies.

"Ning Ma, you said he came alone?"

Ji Qingqing asked, worried.

Ning Ma nodded. "Yes."

Ji Qingqing's face changed. Her husband didn't come? Did something happen, or was there another reason?

Her heart filled with unease.

Seeing her anxiety, Ning Ma smiled. "Miss, your son will be here soon. Why don't you freshen up? He might be upset seeing you like this."

Ji Qingqing looked at her dirty hands. She had been conserving her energy, but now she didn't need to.

She used her strength to shake off the dirt and dust, revealing her fair skin. Her hair became clean and smooth.

"That child must have had a hard time coming all the way here…"

Thinking of Ning Ma's words about her son's struggles, Ji Qingqing's heart ached. She bit her lip, went into the grass hut, and soon emerged in a light green dress, looking like a fairy from a painting.

Seeing her transformed appearance, Ning Ma smiled. "Miss, you're as beautiful as ever, and you look like young master Leping."

"Does he look like me?" Ji Qingqing murmured, eyes filled with anticipation. She recalled her pregnancy and holding the infant.

Fifteen years.

She thought they'd be separated forever, but now they could reunite.

Her heart filled with excitement and nervousness.

Would the child still recognize her after she had failed as a mother?

...

In the northernmost part of the secret realm, several hundred thousand miles from the holy mountain, beyond Li Hao's imagination.

The entire Ji family sacred land was as vast as seven or eight provinces of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Li Hao and Ji Yunyu traveled through the air. The further they went from the holy mountain, the more desolate the ground became. Deserts and lush forests alternated, with various natural landscapes but no human habitation.

The journey would take Ji Yunyu half a day, but it would take Li Hao fifteen years.

"This secret realm was left by our ancestor. Outside it, the Ji family has a maze formation. Approaching our territory without guidance, even a demon king would get lost and couldn't attack."

Ji Yunyu chatted with Li Hao along the way, explaining that the secret realm was what set the ancient saint clan apart from other tribes.

Other tribes lived in the Great Wilderness, relying on protective formations. But once found by demons, no formation could hold forever.

The secret realm was different, with many mysteries. Attacking it required great effort, easily resisting a million demons.

Even the Dao Realm would struggle to tear it open.

Only a saint could easily break it, like the one who gave Li Hao his mark.

After traveling hundreds of thousands of miles, they finally reached the Desolate Sea.

A boundless sea, with no end in sight.

At a specific location stood a steep lone peak, highly conspicuous by the Desolate Sea.

There, a guarding elder, to whom Ji Yunyu explained their purpose and presented the family head's token, lent them a divine artifact boat named the Nine Desolate Boat.

They sailed across the Desolate Sea, heading for a solitary cliff on the other side, where the antidote, the Twin Flower, grew.

"There aren't any monsters in this sea, are there?" Li Hao asked, looking at the occasionally rippling sea.

Ji Yunyu smiled. "Of course not. Even divine weapons would rot here. It's said this sea was formed by the blood of a demon saint slain by our ancestor."

"The blood of a demon saint?"

Li Hao was stunned, looking at the vast sea. How big was that demon saint?

"Is it true?"

"Maybe the story exaggerated it. The sea is thousands of miles wide, and a hundred-foot demon king would already be huge."

Ji Yunyu explained.

The Twin Flower was on a cliff on the west side of the sea, guarded by a tamed demon king. It had to be used within half a day, or it would wither.

Presenting the family head's token, the demon king recognized it and readily handed over a bright red Twin Flower.

With the flower, they quickly turned back to Prison Island.

...

Meanwhile, as Li Hao and Ji Yunyu sought the Twin Flower, Ji Yunqing and Li Tiangang were flying swiftly.

Ji Yunqing borrowed another divine artifact boat, and they sailed to Prison Island.

After crossing the Desolate Sea, they saw Prison Island, suspended by three chains from the abyss.

"If not for these chains, the island would rise to the sky, where the holy fire would burn everyone alive."

Ji Yunqing explained.

Li Tiangang's eyes widened. The Ji family's prison was so elaborate. Was this the power of a saint?

The chains stretched from the abyss, anchored to three peaks in the sea.

"They should have found the Twin Flower by now."

Ji Yunqing said. "Let's go up."

He jumped onto a peak, followed by Li Tiangang. Collecting the boat, they climbed the chain bridge to Prison Island.

The chains, thousands of miles long, spanned the sky, magnificent.

Li Tiangang looked up at the huge island, his eyes filled with excitement.

Soon, he would see his family.

He hurried along, following closely.

Meanwhile, Li Hao and Ji Yunyu, having obtained the Twin Flower, were heading towards the island.

"Wait here. I'll fetch Qingqing."

Ji Yunyu said, not wanting Li Hao to risk the dangerous prison.

Li Hao shook his head. "I'm here. Let's go together."

Seeing his insistence, Ji Yunyu sighed, binding them with a chain.

"Be careful. The abyss's laws suppress even the Dao Realm. Falling means death."

She warned.

Li Hao nodded, and they climbed the chain, moving quickly.

Feeling a suppressive force as they crossed the abyss, Li Hao realized his energy was being pressed down, even his Heaven and Earth Meridians disappearing.

No wonder the abyss couldn't be crossed.

He glanced down, feeling a bit more serious. Recalling the examination at Tan Palace, crossing the iron chain, he felt more cautious.

The chain swayed lightly, the high wind occasionally howling, but they climbed steadily, unaffected.

On the island, Ji Qingqing and Ning Ma stood by the abyss monument, waiting.

Using her divine soul, Ning Ma suddenly exclaimed,

"I see them!"

On the distant chain, two small figures were climbing.