Chapter 1349: Old Acquaintance

The journey to Huangtian has come to an end.

Xu Qing left the Huangtian world.

He took with him that mysterious light, and also the key to opening the primordial mother star.

Left behind were the sleeping Chen Erniu, Seventh Uncle, and an empty grave.

The empty grave was personally constructed by Seventh Uncle, without using any divine arts or techniques, and Xu Qing did not assist.

Xu Qing watched from the side as his master shaped the grave, and also watched as he inscribed a line of characters on the tombstone.

The Tomb of Master Lingfanzi.

Lingfanzi was the Daoist title of that ancient immortal from the Holy Land in former times.

Seventh Uncle, here, built a grave for his deceased master.

And he knelt before the grave, the sorrow in his expression seeming to seep into his soul.

……

As for the Huangtian Divine Clan, with the karmic ties of their Divine Emperor erased, and with the source light that was offered absorbed into Xu Qing's body, they also lost their source……

Under the suppression of Zhou Zhengli and others, some perished.

The remainder, Xu Qing did not completely exterminate, but instead allowed them to remain in Huangtian, around the eldest senior brother.

Chen Erniu, whose body had fused with the Huangtian Divine Emperor's divine form, though still asleep, was for the surviving Huangtian Divine Clan their new sovereign.

"The eldest senior brother's slumber still requires some time before he can awaken……"

Before departing, before that empty grave, under the watch of Zhou Zhengli and others, Xu Qing gazed toward the distant, sleeping Chen Erniu.

In his eyes, rosy light flickered—this was the overflow of that light he had absorbed into his body.

That light, within his body, could not be fully absorbed.

He likewise needed some time.

Thus, Xu Qing already had the thought of entering seclusion in his heart.

Seventh Uncle also gazed at Chen Erniu, only his gaze still held that grave.

After a long while, he spoke softly.

"Are you planning to return and then enter seclusion?"

Xu Qing nodded.

"Now, the hidden dangers openly present on Eastern Wanggu have mostly been cleared. In the coming time…… I, as a disciple, wish to visit an old acquaintance, then prepare for seclusion, absorbing the light offered by the Huangtian Divine Clan."

"At the same time, I must repeatedly explore the secrets contained within this light."

"Furthermore…… the existence of the Upper Wasteland, and the scrutiny of divine beings from the outside world—with my current cultivation, I am still insufficient."

Upon hearing this, Seventh Uncle raised his hand and patted Xu Qing's shoulder, his expression carrying a hint of sorrow.

"My master's cultivation in this life, hindered by his Daoist resolve, has reached its limit. What I can do is, during your period of seclusion, guard Eastern Wanggu in your stead."

"So, go attend to your affairs. During this time, I remain here, thinking of the outside world."

Xu Qing gazed at his master, feeling the thoughts in his master's heart, and understood that the conclusion of Huangtian had stirred his master's emotions; now he wished to be alone.

Thus, he said no more, after one bow, his body transformed into a long rainbow, soaring straight toward the heavens.

Zhou Zhengli and the others bowed to Seventh Uncle, then followed behind Xu Qing.

Soon, the figures of their group grew ever more distant on the celestial canopy, until they vanished at the entrance leading to Eastern Wanggu.

With their departure, the entire Huangtian world fell into silence.

Seventh Uncle withdrew his gaze from the sky, walked to the grave, sat there, raised his hand, and took out a wine pot.

He drank a large mouthful, letting the heavenly wind blow, lifting his long hair, and murmured softly.

"Master……"

Back then, his master departed, saying before leaving that he would return.

Thus, Seventh Uncle guarded Eastern Wanggu, and cultivated a special Daoist resolve, extending his life through the law of reincarnation—once, twice, again and again—reincarnating, transmigrating, guarding.

In the end, he awaited his master.

But…… what came was not his master.

All his thoughts, in the wind, gradually became ripples in the river of memory.

……

Time flowed on.

Xu Qing had left Huangtian for already one month.

During this month, he went to the human race's imperial capital.

Within that imperial capital, he witnessed, under the leadership of the Empress, the rise of the human race, the momentum of unification already like a rolling boulder, unstoppable.

Simultaneously, as the Grand Tutor of the human race, he also witnessed the ceremony in which Xiang Xiang Ningyan was invested as Crown Prince.

And the past scenes with Xiang Xiang Ningyan, amidst the myriad auspicious signs of splendid colors, surfaced in Xu Qing's mind, his gaze also unconsciously falling upon Xiang Xiang Ningyan's abdomen.

He remembered that there was a vine there.

Back then, the eldest senior brother had used Xiang Xiang Ningyan as a weapon—whether as a shield or thrown to strike someone, it seemed quite effective.

Thinking of these, Xu Qing's mouth corner revealed a hint of a smile.

And Xiang Xiang Ningyan, kneeling there, his heart surged with endless waves; even after digesting these events over time, he still, upon seeing Xu Qing, felt as if in a dream, a dazed sensation.

This dazed feeling lasted throughout the entire ceremony.

With the conclusion of the ceremony, Xu Qing departed.

He went to the Great Domain of Sacrificing to the Moon.

He arrived at the apothecary shop of former days, saw the Mingnan Shizi, saw the Third Grandmother, saw the Ninth Grandfather……

And he also saw Xiang Linger.

At the moment of meeting, the already grown, graceful and elegant Xiang Linger had tears streaming down her face as she threw herself into Xu Qing's embrace.

Holding Xiang Linger, Xu Qing's smile carried gentleness.

As always.

But time did not allow Xu Qing to linger longer at the Moon Sacrifice; after several days, amidst Xiang Linger's reluctance, Xu Qing departed.

Before leaving, he infused the ancient spirit race's fortune, stripped from the Ancient Spirit Emperor, into Xiang Linger's bloodline, purifying her blood and granting her the fortune of her clan.

Thereafter, he set out on the journey to Nanhuangzhou.

Along the way, on the Boundless Sea, Xu Qing appeared at the island where Yan Yan resided, completely severing the lingering divine sense left on her from years past.

Thus, Yan Yan's emotions truly returned to normal.

Throughout the entire process, Yan Yan gazed at Xu Qing with a complex expression, repeatedly wanting to speak but stopping herself; in the end……she still chose silence.

Within Nanhuangzhou, Xu Qing also saw many old acquaintances.

He saw the two other disciples of Master Bai, Tingyu and Chen Feiyuan.

And he gave them the seed entrusted to him by Master Bai.

"Master has not passed away; if you wish to seek him, plant this seed, and when the flower blooms, you may reach him guided by its fragrance."

He also saw Zhao Zhongheng.

Time has changed, but Zhao Zhongheng has not; he remains obsessed with Ding Xue, and over these years, this has seemingly become his heart of the Dao.

As for Ding Xue……everything remains as before.

Only, due to Xu Qing's height, she can no longer reach him, so she can only eternally bury the emotions of those years deep within her heart.

There is also the little mute; his spiritual aptitude is the highest Xu Qing has ever seen among people.

His cultivation has reached the great completion of Golden Core.

Xu Qing recalled his past and bestowed upon him the opportunity for Nascent Soul.

There is also Zhang San, this investor who takes pride in having bet on Erniu and then on Xu Qing for a lifetime; after catching up with Xu Qing, he went from initial tension to some relaxation, and shared his aspirations with Xu Qing.

He plans to wander freely across Eastern Wanggu in the days to come.

"I will spread my business throughout the Eastern Wanggu continent!"

Zhang San declared proudly.

Xu Qing smiled and blessed him; in the morning rain curtain, he watched Zhang San raise his sail in the rain, then lifted his gaze toward the azure heavens.

In the azure heavens, the Flame Phoenix circled, transmitting a proud divine sense toward Xu Qing.

On its back, the Second Senior Sister waved at Xu Qing.

They intend to leave Nanhuangzhou for a time, heading to other great domains.

As for behind them, a small bird clung to the Flame Phoenix's tail, its wings constantly fluttering.

Watching that young bird, Xu Qing smiled.

Long after, amidst the pattering rain, Xu Qing stood at the harbor and turned his head.

Beneath the eave behind him stood a woman in a green long dress, holding an oil-paper umbrella, gazing at him.

"Long time no see, Qiuqiu."

Xu Qing whispered.

The woman beneath the eave was indeed the little girl from the scavenger camp of years past; she walked slowly forward in silence, standing before Xu Qing, gazing into his eyes.

Xu Qing raised his hand, took out a piece of candy from within time and space, and placed it before Qiuqiu.

Qiuqiu's gaze fell upon the candy; after a long while, she gently took it, holding it in her palm.

Finally, she glanced at Xu Qing once, then turned and silently departed.

Until she had walked a hundred zhang away, as her figure was about to vanish in the rain curtain, her voice echoed through the rain into Xu Qing's ears.

"Little kid brother."

"If back then at the scavenger camp, my brother had not taken me away, and I had instead gone with you to the Seven Blood Eyes, then what would our future have been……"

Xu Qing said nothing.

Qiuqiu waited a moment, placed the candy in her hand into her mouth, and her figure dissipated into the rain curtain.

Watching Qiuqiu's departure, Xu Qing strolled through the Seven Blood Eyes, walking down street after street, past shop after shop, observing the gradually increasing crowds.

Inside were mortals and cultivators.

His memories, too, accompanied him along the way; at each familiar place, it seemed he saw his own past self.

His heart gradually grew tranquil within these recollections.

Until finally, he arrived at the 176th harbor of years past, took out the earliest spirit vessel from within time, and stepped inside.

Within the spirit vessel, sitting cross-legged, amidst the flowing river water and the vessel's rocking, he closed his eyes.

Begin……seclusion.