Volume Two: The Bandit Life, Chapter Forty-One: The True Name is Li Yang

"Haha, my friends, what do you think of my Xueyang Mansion?" Li Yang asked with a chuckle, sitting in the center.

"Think of it?" Qin Si and Qin Shuang exchanged a glance and smiled bitterly. "To be honest, the Xueyang Mansion is the finest estate our brothers have ever seen. The entire structure is a complete high-grade Heavenly Divine Artifact, and the thousands of sculptures within are also high-grade Heavenly Divine Artifacts. We haven't just never seen this; we've never even heard of it."

For Qin Si and Qin Shuang, thousands of high-grade Heavenly Divine Artifacts were not particularly shocking, but the sculptures in Xueyang Mansion were purely decorative, serving no other function at all.

At the mention of the sculptures, Li Yang fell silent for a moment. "Usually, I only carve her likeness to express my longing. Come, let's drink." He took out a small bottle, poured three bowls of wine, and without waiting for the two brothers, picked up his own bowl and downed it in one gulp.

Qin Si and Qin Shuang did not stand on ceremony; they picked up their bowls and drank them clean.

"This wine is spicy and packs a punch." Qin Si actually found the fiery sensation in his throat quite refreshing.

"Haha, this is called Erguotou, a specialty of Earth," Li Yang laughed heartily and filled Qin Si's bowl again.

"Earth?" Qin Si and Qin Shuang were both taken aback. "We have both been to Earth, but we have never heard of this wine called Erguotou."

"Oh? Perhaps. It has been several epochs; the cultures of technological humanity rise and fall—who knows how many civilizations have existed," Li Yang said with a hint of melancholy.

"Perhaps there happens to be a technological planet called Earth in the Hongmeng Universe as well," Qin Shuang whispered to Qin Si via telepathy.

"Actually, my name is Li Yang," Li Yang said, holding his bowl level and smiling at the two.

Qin Si and his brother also raised their bowls, saying, "Brother Li Yang, in truth, we are the ones climbing the social ladder by associating with you. In terms of age and cultivation, we are both inferior to you."

"Haha, those who succeed in cultivation span countless years; age is no measure. As for strength, to comprehend time stillness in less than an epoch—it won't be difficult for you to eventually comprehend time reversal and achieve the status of a Heavenly Venerate. As for you, the elder brother, I find you even harder to fathom. Although you are only an Upper Heavenly Deity, from my observations, an ordinary God King could certainly not defeat you."

Qin Si was stunned. Although Li Yang had previously mentioned that he was no simple Upper Heavenly Deity, he had not expected Li Yang to have such keen insight.

"Brother Li has sharp eyes," Qin Shuang said, finishing his drink. "It is true that my cultivation has been less than an epoch, and although my brother is currently an Upper Heavenly Deity, he truly does not fear God Kings. May I ask how Brother Li discerned this?"

"Haha!" Li Yang laughed. "Actually, I don't know. I can simply sense it."

"Brother Li Yang," Qin Si said, addressing him more directly, "you live alone in the North Sea, have no ties to any faction, and do not recruit subordinates. What exactly..."

Li Yang's expression tightened, and he sighed. "I have never desired overwhelming power, nor do I wish to become a Heavenly Venerate. I only hope to return and see her again. To be by her side is all the satisfaction I need."

"The woman you sculpt?" Qin Shuang asked, leaning forward.

"That's right, her name is Jiang Xue!" Li Yang said, drinking his wine sullenly.

"The same surname as Mother!" Qin Si and Qin Shuang thought simultaneously as they looked at each other.

"God Kings can break through spatial barriers to return to the lower realms, can they not?" Qin Si asked casually. Not knowing the difference between the Hongmeng Universe and the Linmeng Universe, it was most appropriate for Qin Si, as an Upper Heavenly Deity, to pose the question.

"Haha, do I not know that?" Li Yang gave a bitter smile. "Several epochs ago, when I first arrived in the God Realm, I visited almost every parallel space in the lower realms, but I could not find the place from which I came."

"A sub-universe?" The thought appeared in the minds of Qin Si and Qin Shuang almost simultaneously.

"Later, I met a Heavenly Venerate and learned that there are other universes parallel to this vast one, but even a Heavenly Venerate cannot travel to those universes," Li Yang said helplessly. He continued, "Later, that Heavenly Venerate told me that six hundred epochs ago, eight Hongmeng Spirit Rulers descended upon the God Realm. By collecting all eight, one could traverse the cosmic space."

"In these six hundred epochs, has anyone ever collected all eight?" Qin Shuang asked.

"Yes, many have. But only one has truly used the eight Primordial Spirit Rulers to cross universes, and that was just two epochs ago." Li Yang looked up, his eyes filled with longing. "His name is Lin Meng. Shortly after obtaining the eight rulers, he vanished. All the God Kings and Heavenly Venerates speculate whether Lin Meng went to a higher cosmic plane."

"Second Uncle really has many stories," Qin Shuang whispered to Qin Si with a smile.

"The items you retrieved after killing that God King just now—they were the Hongmeng Spirit Rulers, weren't they?" Qin Si asked.

Li Yang laughed, and suddenly two rulers that appeared identical materialized in his hand. "That's right. I have obtained two so far. What I find very strange is that these rulers have no offensive or defensive capabilities; they simply contain an unusually abundant amount of Hongmeng spiritual energy."

"There are different patterns carved onto these rulers." The observant Qin Shuang immediately noticed the difference between the two.

"Correct, the patterns are different, but I have yet to figure out what purpose they serve," Li Yang said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Perhaps only by collecting all eight can one uncover the secret," Qin Si sighed. "But Brother Li Yang, have you considered that having your own faction would make it easier to obtain the rest?"

Li Yang smiled slightly. "How could I not have considered it? It is just that the Thunder Punishment City in the Northwest does not agree."

"Pfft, Thunder Punishment City again," Qin Si said with a dismissive pout.

Li Yang was startled. "Do you two also have a grudge against Thunder Punishment City?"

Realizing he had let something slip, Qin Si quickly laughed to cover it up. "No, not at all. It's just that since we were young, we've felt that the people of Thunder Punishment City are arrogant, believing that because they control the Heavenly Punishment, they can do whatever they want. It's unbearable."

"Haha, that is not entirely true. Thunder Punishment City is very strict with its members. As long as you do not touch their interests, they rarely make things difficult for others," Li Yang laughed, failing to notice that Qin Si's description of the city's conduct was far removed from his own experience.

Qin Si was stunned for a moment, then wiped away a cold sweat, realizing he had almost blown his cover. He messaged Qin Shuang, "To think that even within the same Thunder Punishment City, the perception is so different."

Qin Shuang just chuckled silently.

"Then how did you come to have a feud with them, Brother Li Yang? Did you infringe upon their interests?" Qin Si asked, puzzled.

Li Yang merely waved his hand, and flashes of multicolored lightning erupted throughout the Xueyang Mansion. "I, too, can wield Heavenly Punishment. And my lightning, in terms of power and control, is on par with the Northwest Sage Emperor's, even with his Lightning Source Spirit Pearl."

"This... this is too terrifying," Qin Shuang said, giving a thumbs-up. "I truly admire you for not being hunted down by Thunder Punishment City."

"Haha, who says I wasn't? It's just that those they sent to hunt me were all killed by me. That is why the Northwest Sage Emperor had to negotiate with me."

Shock. Absolute shock. Qin Si and Qin Shuang both knew that even with their father's immense power, he hadn't been able to force that old man Zhou Huo to sit down and negotiate, which spoke volumes about Li Yang's strength.

Li Yang continued, "At the time, we agreed on three terms: first, I cannot join any of the other twenty-six major factions; second, I cannot establish my own new faction; third, I cannot use lightning punishment as my primary method of attack, only for self-defense. In return, when I collect seven of the rulers, Thunder Punishment City will gift me their ruler without charge. A Heavenly Venerate from their side personally swore an oath to that effect."

For a God King to force a Heavenly Venerate to personally swear an oath was indeed rare.

Qin Si's eyes lit up. He said mysteriously to Li Yang, "Brother Li Yang, I have an idea."

Li Yang was taken aback. "Oh? What idea?"

"Of course, this is just a suggestion. If Brother Li Yang is unwilling, we shall drop it and never mention it again," Qin Si said solemnly. "Our brothers are not particularly talented, but we recently established the Zixuan Alliance. In a few hundred years, we conquered Tiehua City and unified the sixty-plus bandit factions there. We now have over a hundred God Kings."

Qin Si looked at Qin Shuang and continued, "I am the Alliance Master, and my brother Qin Shuang is the Deputy Alliance Master. If Brother Li Yang were willing to serve as a Deputy Alliance Master of the Zixuan Alliance, it would not violate your agreement. Furthermore, the Zixuan Alliance would do everything in its power to help you find the remaining Primordial Spirit Rulers."

"Zixuan Alliance?" Li Yang fell into deep thought. "You are right. In this way, I am neither joining another major faction nor establishing my own. However..."

Li Yang hesitated. "I fear I might bring trouble upon you. If I join the Zixuan Alliance, I am afraid there will be no end to the trouble in the future."

"Haha, isn't it just a fight?" Qin Shuang laughed. "Please rest assured, Brother Li. Our brothers have never feared a fight. Moreover," Qin Shuang paused, "we have felt a kinship with you from the moment we met, so we will no longer hide it: we have a Heavenly Venerate behind us."