After 100 years of fruitless searching for the "Oldest Breath," Li Yuan decided to return to the physical world. He combined his Understanding of Body and Existence to project a consciousness body that could interact, speak, and feel, even though it was invulnerable to physical harm. By stabilizing his form with Wrapping, he began to "eat meaning" from worldly experiences to nourish his understandings. A traveling elder offered a crucial insight: the "Oldest Breath" might need to be "remembered," not "searched for." This inspired a new plan: to live and interact with the world to find it again.
Living as Li Qingshan in the Qinlu Empire
Li Yuan adopted the identity of "Li Qingshan" to live a normal life. He discovered that the war he had stopped 380 years ago had united Qin and Lu into the Qinlu Empire. He witnessed his legacy thriving: his teachings had become the foundation of Mirror Academy, and his home village of Ziran had become a "pilgrimage site" with a grand "Li Yuan Memorial Complex" and the magnificent Root of the Soul Library.
He rented a house in the city of Hexin, feeling a new sense of "belonging," and began working at the library, calling it "the cultivation of humanity." It was there, through an interaction with an old grandmother, that he developed the Understanding of Memory (his 14th Ganjing understanding). He began to participate in community life, even dancing and laughing, which deepened his Understanding of Existence.
The Plague and a Visit to Mirror Academy
When a plague arrived, Li Yuan became an "invisible leader," helping his community. He experienced the death of a patient, which deepened his Understanding of Memory even further. Four months later, he received an invitation to be a Guest Lecturer at Mirror Academy. With the community's support, he accepted the offer, determined to maintain his identity as Li Qingshan.
At the Academy, he saw his legacy embodied by Master Shui, a man who had been a child in his class years ago. Li Yuan taught the importance of sharing wisdom without claiming its source. He ended his visit early to avoid revealing his identity and left behind a blank book, teaching that "True understanding is written with life, not with ink."
The Final Years as Li Qingshan
Li Yuan returned to Hexin and realized his true "home" was where he could be his most authentic self. He integrated his identity as the legendary Li Yuan with the ordinary Li Qingshan, achieving "true spiritual completion." He spent his final 30 years in Hexin, adopting 8 children, founding the "School of Harmony," and building a community support network.
As time passed, he prepared for his "death" by slowly aging his consciousness body. After 29 years, his health began to intentionally decline. On April 15th, in his thirtieth year in Hexin, Li Qingshan passed away peacefully. Before he died, he formed the Understanding of Home (his 15th Ganjing understanding), which spread a sense of comfort and belonging. After his death, he released his consciousness body and returned to being a pure soul.
Phase as a Pure Soul (Post-Li Qingshan)
As a pure soul, Li Yuan continued his journey. He realized that the "Oldest Breath" was "perfect harmony" and his own "true self." After meditating for thousands of years, he finally touched the "Oldest Breath" and formed a 16th understanding. This understanding transformed all his other understandings into a "single understanding."
He then released his sixteen understandings globally for five seconds, causing the world to respond with harmony. After this, he entered a state of "total silence" for 4,000 years.
Upon emerging, he realized 10,000 years had passed since his birth. He discovered that millions of souls (human, animal, plant) were trapped in a "spiritual limbo" due to his global resonance 4,000 years ago. Feeling responsible, he committed to gathering them. He meditated for 100 years and developed a "Soul Understanding Resonance" method to collect the millions of souls en masse, creating an "eternal home" for them in his Zhenjing.
A New Phase in Millbrook
After 11,000 years, Li Yuan formed a new consciousness body and returned to a world that felt "young." He arrived in the village of Millbrook and adopted the role of a guardian, helping to mediate conflicts and teach children. He formed deep bonds with the community, especially with Marcus Brennan and his family. He even saved Anna from an illness, an act that felt more fulfilling than any spiritual achievement.
When the village was threatened by Baron Harwick and the Drakemoor forces, Li Yuan refused to surrender. In the midst of battle, he felt a new vibration that triggered the emergence of two new Ganjing understandings: the Understanding of Emotion and the Understanding of Rage (his 17th Ganjing). The passive effect of these understandings forced his enemy, General Ravencrest, to confront his emotional truth, causing the Drakemoor forces to retreat.
The Journey as a Nomad and Tragedy at Sea
Realizing that his Ganjing effects were too strong and endangered the village, Li Yuan decided to lead his community on a journey to find a new home. For 10 months, they became true nomads, mastering survival skills and interacting with other traveling groups. They headed to Seren's Bay Port to find a route to another land.
At the port, they joined the ship "The Unity," led by Captain Korven, which was on a colonial expedition. Li Yuan felt a deep unease. After 26 days of sailing, a terrible storm hit. The ship was destroyed, and many people died. In his desperation, Li Yuan sacrificed his Understanding of Soul to save the dying from oblivion, giving them life as long as he exists. This act caused him to lose his physical form and return to being a pure soul, his consciousness fragmented by regret.