Chapter 1617: Reunion with Li Qingshan

"Everyone, stop."

The moment this voice sounded, the restless City Defense Team immediately halted.

A pure white jade pendant swayed gently at his waist. A green-robed opera singer stepped slowly across the road, the wide sleeves of his costume billowing in the wind, a few strands of loose black hair hanging down naturally, hiding three parts of the heroic spirit between his brows... As he walked over, everyone's gaze seemed to be drawn by some magic, completely locked onto him.

Even Chen Ling was completely stunned.

He certainly knew this green-robed opera singer... But he had never imagined that since their parting in the Red Dust, they would meet again in the Cangyun Domain.

Jinghong Pavilion opera singer, Li Qingshan.

Chen Ling recognized Li Qingshan, but Li Qingshan didn't seem to recognize him. Chen Ling was currently using a random face, and the costume he wore was long different from the bright red one he wore during the Red Dust period... Not to mention, he was sitting in a wheelchair.

"Mr. Li." Seeing Li Qingshan approach, the members of the City Defense Team immediately spoke respectfully.

"What are you doing?"

"Mr. Li, this man is beating children in the street."

"Did you see it?"

"Uh... no, we didn't." The City Defense Team paused for a moment. "But that's what the children said, and when we arrived, they were indeed on the ground..."

Li Qingshan didn't answer. He just walked calmly to the leading child and looked him in the eyes.

Li Qingshan’s gaze carried no aggression, yet it seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. The child dared to meet his gaze righteously at first, but after a while, he felt increasingly guilty, his eyes darting away.

"Children can lie, too." Li Qingshan said slowly.

"These children wanted to rob my bread! It was that gentleman who saved us!" Aqiang, standing to the side, wiped the sweat from his forehead and stepped forward to explain while carrying his mother.

Li Qingshan’s gaze followed Aqiang’s finger to the figure sitting in the wheelchair not far away.

...An opera costume?

Seeing the red-based, black-patterned costume, Li Qingshan was slightly taken aback, appearing somewhat dazed. He observed the unfamiliar face carefully, and after hesitating for a moment, he stepped forward.

Chen Ling sat quietly where he was, watching Li Qingshan approach, the corners of his mouth lifting involuntarily... It was the joy of reunion, and the tacit understanding between opera singers.

Chen Ling didn't hide the change in his expression.

And the moment Li Qingshan caught this hint of emotion, his footsteps faltered slightly.

His hands beneath his wide sleeves trembled slightly. He stopped in front of the wheelchair, the cold wind blowing the black hair at his temples... He looked at Chen Ling, and it was unknown how much time passed before he smiled bitterly:

"Brother Lin..."

"Why did you arrive so late?"

Li Qingshan had recognized him. Even though Chen Ling was using another face, even though there were almost no traces of his time in the Red Dust Domain left on him... but the eyes, they wouldn't lie.

"Due to some accidents, I was already several days late when I received the invitation." Chen Ling said apologetically.

"What happened to your legs?"

"I encountered some minor setbacks on the way here. It's nothing serious; I'll recover in a while."

Li Qingshan nodded slightly. He knew this wasn't the place to talk, so he turned and waved his hand at the City Defense Team:

"Alright, everything is fine here. You can all disperse."

"Then Mr. Li, what about these children?" The City Defense Team members had already grabbed the children. Those stubborn and mischievous figures struggled in their hands while cursing, showing no sign of the innocent appearance they had just moments ago.

"Take the leader back for education, and let the others go."

"Yes."

As the City Defense Team forcibly hauled away the cursing child, the other children were scared off and scattered. Seeing this, Chen Ling couldn't help but remind him:

"It's not just the leader's problem; the other children need education, too."

"I know." Li Qingshan nodded, his tone somewhat helpless. "But even the City Defense Team has no extra food... We can't lock up that many people."

"Has the situation in the Cangyun Domain become this severe?"

"Sigh... let's talk as we walk."

Li Qingshan moved to the back and pushed Chen Ling’s wheelchair, continuing along the street.

Meanwhile, Aqiang, carrying his mother, thanked them repeatedly from behind, calling them benefactors and taking out a piece of bread to give to Chen Ling, but was refused.

Seeing Chen Ling didn't want the gift, Aqiang stood there bowing repeatedly, and only left after Chen Ling and Li Qingshan had completely disappeared at the end of the street.

……

A green-robed opera singer pushed Chen Ling in his wheelchair, walking slowly along the deserted street.

"Are we going to Guyu Street now?"

"Mm."

"Did you leave that invitation, too?"

"Mm... I suppose so." Li Qingshan paused for a moment. "Actually, when the decisive battle against the Calamities happened a while ago, your contact point was already exposed... And since I have some contact with the higher-ups of the Cangyun Domain now, I found out about this and left the invitation at the door of your contact point."

Chen Ling looked at him with some surprise:

"Some contact with the higher-ups of the Cangyun Domain? What have you experienced since we last met?"

"After the war between the Red Dust Domain and the Wuji Domain ended, I went back to my hometown to take care of my grandmother, occasionally listening to operas and singing them myself... Before I knew it, my rank had gone up a bit." Li Qingshan sighed lightly. "About a few months later, my grandmother passed away... After I finished her funeral, I went out to travel, and encountered many strange things along the way..."

"Later, after some tempering and battles, by some stroke of luck, I obtained a Heaven-Reaching Star Position."

"What??"

Chen Ling was extremely surprised. "The last vacant Heaven-Reaching Star Position... it was you?"

Chen Ling remembered that there was indeed one vacancy left in the Heaven-Reaching Star Positions prepared by the human higher-ups... But he never expected that the "sixth person" to fill this vacancy would be Li Qingshan.

One had to know, how long had it been since Li Qingshan stepped onto the Opera God Path?

He had actually grown to the point where he could sit on equal footing with human geniuses like Li Shengmen, the Young Sect Master, and Pu Xiazhan??

No wonder Li Qingshan said he had some contact with the higher-ups of the Cangyun Domain... As holders of the Heaven-Reaching Star Positions, they represented the future of humanity and could possess privileges in any domain.

"This Divine Path is simpler than I expected." Li Qingshan smiled. "But even after obtaining the Heaven-Reaching Star Position, I don't feel like I'm anything special... After all, I've heard my five colleagues recount the story of you single-handedly crushing them many times."