Chapter 267: Meeting

The public didn't know the details, only feeling fortunate this time, but the Great Xia superiors knew full well that this weather disaster had changed; the lack of casualties was likely inseparable from Longyuan Mountain.

But a few people also noticed that this strange weather in the Magic Capital resembled that of the capital suburbs years ago.

At that time, elongated shadows appeared in the capital suburbs, with many people claiming to have seen a dragon and hearing the cries of strange creatures.

This time, a black shadow appeared on the Magic Capital's Oriental Pearl Tower, but due to the terrible weather the public couldn't see it clearly, the thunder was too loud, and they noticed nothing else; however, judging from later phenomena, it didn't hinder their bold speculation.

Online, all kinds of theories abounded, but there was no solid evidence.

In a hospital ward in the Magic Capital, the young man slowly opened his eyes to see white walls and the air filled with the pungent smell of disinfectant.

The nurse, with concern, said, "You're awake? Anywhere feeling uncomfortable?"

The young man looked somewhat dazed and couldn't help asking, "What's going on with me?"

He clearly remembered that Ye Qin had chased after him, saying there was a way to save his mother, then saying some strange things, after which he saw a green light flash.

What happened next?

"It's strange—you weren't injured, yet you fell into an unexplained three‑day sleep, and the instruments couldn't find out why."

The nurse's voice interrupted his recollection; he instinctively widened his eyes and blurted, "I slept for three days?!"

Thinking of his mother's comfort, the young man's face turned deathly pale; without pondering what had happened, he hurriedly got out of bed.

The nurse quickly stopped him, saying, "Sir, you're still weak; you need to rest for a while."

The young man was anxious beyond measure: "Move aside—I don't need rest; I have to find my mother!"

His mother was critically ill; he ought to have been by her side, but he suddenly fell into a three‑day coma, during which he could scarcely imagine how her condition might have worsened.

Reflecting on this, the young man felt overwhelming regret; if his mother had truly suffered any mishap, he would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

When the young man rushed out of the ward, he froze in place, seeing down the hallway not far off a stooped, thin figure shuffling toward him.

Looking at that figure, it seemed to bear the weight of all life's burdens, bending its spine, its skin dark as night, its face etched with the marks of time and hardship.

The young man's eyes instantly reddened, his Adam's apple bobbing as if an invisible stone pressed on his chest, nearly making him unable to breathe.

He rubbed his eyes, almost thinking it was a hallucination; otherwise, how could his mother appear here?

After a moment, the young man choked out, "Mom?"

"Ah!"

Hearing that familiar voice, the young man finally confirmed that the person before him was no illusion; in an instant hot tears filled his eyes, blurring his vision.

He had come alone to the Magic Capital, drifting, enduring hunger and cold, suffering much, and even at the end stubbornly refusing to yield—such a man who could stand heaven and earth now showed a fragile side.

This is probably the power of familial love: no matter one's age, before one's parents one inevitably becomes like a child.

Complex emotions surged like a flood, overwhelming his thoughts; his nose tingled, his feelings collapsed utterly, and he burst into tears, running to the elderly woman and clutching her thin body.

"Mom, how are you here?"

"You're not supposed to be out of bed after being sick, are you?"

The young man's voice trembled; he had braced himself for the worst, yet he hadn't expected his mother to appear here in such spirited condition.

Though his mother had previously been gravely ill, and he had been unconscious for so long with no one to look after her, now her complexion was flushed and she looked full of vigor—truly not like someone who had been sick for a long time.

The young man held his mother tightly, feeling the warmth transmitted through his palms, and only then was he convinced that what lay before him was not a hallucination.

Overwhelmed, he sputtered, "What on earth is going on?"

The elderly woman gripped the young man's hand, her bright smile spreading across every wrinkle, and said, "Not long ago, wasn't there a sudden downpour that even caused a flood disaster? It's strange, but after the rain stopped I had a weird dream."

"In the dream there was a miraculous green shadow, saying it was your friend, then a green light flew into my body; when I woke up I found my body healed, feeling completely comfortable, and I could get out of bed right away...."

???

Hearing his mother's account, the young man's mind filled with questions.

"A flood disaster?"

"A miraculous green shadow?"

"An unexplained light?"

"During those days of his coma, what exactly happened?"

Seeing the touching scene of mother and son reunited, the doctors and nurses all smiled.

"Rest assured, your mother's illness is cured; it's strange, but after the rain ended a few days ago a bolt of lightning struck the hospital, and since then many patients' conditions have improved."

"Getting back to it, your mother's dream was indeed strange; we can't examine it further for now, but we ran a full check—her internal tumors have vanished, her recovery is excellent, practically a miracle."

The doctor chattered on, and a flicker of confusion crossed the young man's eyes; he felt as if he hadn't slept three days but three years, and upon waking sensed that the world had completely changed.

According to those around him, it seemed that many major events had occurred during his coma.

"By the way, my mother's medical expenses——"

The young man seemed to think of something, his face turning a bit embarrassed.

"Don't worry about that; a very pretty girl has already taken care of it all."

The young man caught the keyword in the doctor's words and blurted out, "Could it be Longling?"

The doctor was somewhat surprised, "Is it her? Though that young lady's surname is indeed Ye, she merely made a phone call before leaving, and the CEO of that big conglomerate personally came, mobilizing top doctors to treat your mother."

"Who knows who that young lady is—just a phone call and she could summon the CEO of that conglomerate, who treated her with utmost respect."

Originally the young man had only guessed, but now he could be certain: all this was Ye Qin's doing.

The doctor and nurse continued their discussion, but the young man's thoughts had drifted elsewhere, his mind faintly recalling fragmented memories.

The young man vaguely recalled that, when he was unconscious, Longling had come after him; in the torrential rain, his eyes appeared deep and mysterious, like verdant green mountains.

He also said a line—

"I'm going to undergo a tribulation!"

Those words exploded in the young man's mind like a boom; the hazy memories gradually cleared, and after Ye Qin said that, a huge mass of green light burst from his body!

After that, the young man had no recollection of what happened; now connecting it all, he couldn't help swallowing.

"Mom, wait for me here a moment!"

The words fell to the ground, he ignored the old woman's confusion and hurriedly ran outside.

"Son, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to check something," the youth said without turning his head.

He sprinted all the way to Ye Qin's rented house, panting, not daring to stop; seeing the familiar little house, just as he was about to knock, he found the door unlocked and it opened with a light push.

The room had no extra furnishings—just a bed and a table, nothing else, kept clean and tidy, with everything neatly stacked in the corner, showing the owner was very disciplined.

Ye Qin wasn't here; the fortune-telling tools he never left hand were lying quietly on the table.

Seeing this scene, the youth seemed to understand something, and suddenly felt a sense of loss.

Before, he had thought Ye Qin wasn't an ordinary person, often joking whether he was an immortal descended to the mortal world, and wouldn't be surprised if he ever ascended.

But now the person really disappeared, and his heart was filled with an indescribable feeling.

The youth looked at those fortune-telling items, his eyes slightly sore, it was a mix of emotions; he noticed there was also a book beside them, with an envelope on it bearing his name.

"Is this for me?"

The youth opened the envelope; inside was just a short note, only two sentences.

"The mortal world is vast, affinities arise and cease."

"Worldly affairs change; if fate allows, we meet again."

Those two short lines, the youth read them over and over, pondering their deep meaning; he gazed at the book beside him, his eyes lost in the void, his gaze grew resolute, and then he bowed deeply.

……

Events in the Demon Capital sparked huge debate online, and the theory that mysterious beings were undergoing tribulation kept popping up.

But these were baseless rumors; no one could capture clearer footage, the public was half‑believing, and only the high officials knew the true facts.

Online affairs changed in an instant, and people's attention quickly shifted to other things.

Thanks to everyone's efforts, the Demon Capital quickly returned to normal life—shops reopened after renovation, morning stalls appeared one after another, and the night market bustled again.

Lights, wine, cars and horses—everything was as before the rainstorm, except that the man who often told fortunes under the bridge had vanished.

Many came seeking him, including those who had previously asked Ye Qin for a reading, only to find the place already empty, not knowing where he had gone, and finally left disappointed.

The big shots who wanted to find Ye Qin for a reading exhausted every means to trace him, but Ye Qin seemed to have vanished from the human world, leaving no trace—so strange they had to give up.

His whereabouts became a mystery.

Under the bridge the fortune‑telling mat was gone, but the youth selling roasted sweet potatoes nearby remained, rain or shine, unmoved by thunder, as if waiting for something.

Whenever he had free time, he would take out a book, his expression unusually serious.

This book was Ye Qin's rudimentary cultivation method he left behind; it also fulfilled the bond with the youth—how much the youth could grasp depended on his own fortune.

At that time the youth didn't know this book was for cultivation; its sentences were complex, obscure, filled with deep meaning, making it seem extraordinary.

He occasionally looked up, recalling the days Ye Qin set up his stall, feeling a bit nostalgic.

As time passed, all the omens Ye Qin had seen came true one by one, drawing more and more people.

"He's actually gone—what a pity!"

"Does anyone know where the fortune‑teller went? I was just here a few days ago and he was still here."

"What a shame, this young master truly has skill—everything he said came true, he's practically divine!"

"I still wanted to ask the master for next lottery numbers."

Because the hype was too high, spreading almost miraculously, even radio reporters came to interview the fortune‑teller, only to learn upon arrival that he had disappeared.

The reporter slumped, also buying a roasted sweet potato on the side, "Boss, I'd like to ask you something—you used to set up a stall here, you should know this fortune‑teller, right."

The youth nodded.

The reporter's eyes lit up, he regained his spirit, "Then tell me, what kind of person is this fortune‑teller, and why are his predictions flawless?"

Hearing that, the youth tossed a few sweet potatoes into the stove, head still down, replying, "Maybe he really is an immortal descended to save all beings."

The reporter smiled, obviously not taking his words to heart.

The Demon Capital returned to its former calm; after learning Ye Qin had left, those people stopped coming, traffic flowed under the bridge, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes.

At this moment the Greater Xia superiors gathered in the meeting room—besides the Southeast Area Chief, there were also the Northeast, Southwest, and Yellow Sea Area Chiefs, etc.

"What's going on over in the West? They're claiming we destroyed their satellites."

"Who knows? If I had to say, they deserve it—who knows what's wrong with their broken satellite? Clearly they're at fault, yet they still want to smear us, not even a chance."

In the meeting room, everyone's gaze was stern.

"Alright, let's set this aside for now—they have no proof linking this to us, but as for the Demon Capital—"

The speaker paused, then declared firmly, "I dare say this matter is absolutely related to Longyuan Mountain!"

"The unidentified creature at the Oriental Pearl Tower has spread online; it likely also comes from Longyuan Mountain, and based on our current information and speculation, that dark shadow could be the master of these monsters."

"These things keep happening; we don't know what will occur next, but we must quickly establish contact with Longyuan Mountain and talk."

Others hearing this frowned, their expressions growing grave: "Although that's the case, how do we make contact? Longyuan Mountain's stance is vague, and those great demons say they must wait for the master's orders."

"The delegation we sent has stayed there for months with no progress; since the monsters ignore us, there's nothing we can do but keep waiting."

Nowadays, besides waiting, there is no better way.

Just as the Greater Xia High Officials anxiously awaited news, Ye Qin also returned to Longyuan Mountain.

Green mountains stretched on, clouds swirled around like they floated in mid‑air, appearing utterly mysterious; occasionally a mountain wind blew, raising pine waves, the leaves rustling, imparting a sense of tranquil ages.

Although he had only been away a few months, upon returning to this homeland Ye Qin felt as if he had undergone several lifetimes of rebirth—probably the aftereffects of his trials in the mortal world.

As soon as he stepped into the green mountains, the great demons sensed his aura and rushed out to greet him.

All that could be heard was a earth‑shaking tiger roar; a brown‑yellow shadow swept in like a whirlwind, and the Northeast Tiger's deep voice boomed, "Master, you've finally returned—big fellow was worried sick!"

"That's right, the big fellow almost charged to the Demon Capital to help you."

"Congratulations, Master, your cultivation has made a great leap forward."

Only wolves, leopards, foxes, and weasels—monsters all—surrounded Ye Qin, chattering anxiously about recent worries.

Seeing Ye Qin safe and sound, the stone that had been weighing on their hearts finally could drop.

Northeast Tiger crossed his arms and said, 'I told you guys, you demons are worrying for nothing. What kind of person is the Master? It's just a minor heavenly tribulation; he easily passed it, not scared at all.'

The fox gave a teasing look and said, 'I don't know who it is, always leaning there gazing toward the Demon Capital, afraid something might happen to the Master.'

Northeast Tiger gave an unnatural cough a few times, then glared at the fox several times, quickly changing the subject:

'Master, Monkey King, Golden Eagle, and Great Turtle know you passed the tribulation safely; they originally wanted to rush back to congratulate you, but they're tied up with matters.'

Ye Qin shook his head and said, 'It's fine; it's enough that they have that intention.'

Although he restrained his aura, the power that unintentionally leaked out still left the surrounding great demons terrified.

If Ye Qin's former cultivation level was like a towering mountain they could only look up to, it has now become an unfathomable ocean—just one more glance makes their souls tremble.

'Master, what are you planning to do next?'

Ye Qin pondered for a moment and said, 'I've just broken through; my cultivation is still a bit unstable, so I plan to retreat into seclusion for a while to consolidate it.'

Northeast Tiger and the others nodded and said, 'That's natural. Master, I have something to report: the Great Xia authorities wish for you to come forward and hold talks.'

Previously Ye Qin had been in seclusion, so Northeast Tiger didn't dare disturb him; after leaving seclusion he faced the threat of the heavenly tribulation, preparing to go to the Demon Capital to undergo it, and the demons also didn't want Ye Qin disturbed by mundane affairs, lest he lose focus, so they never brought it up.

Now that Ye Qin has successfully passed the tribulation and returned, they finally brought it up.

'Those seeking the talks have come several times with sincere attitudes, but I've refused them all, saying the Master is busy.'

The authorities sending a negotiation team was expected by Ye Qin; after all, he had repeatedly caused such a commotion, so the authorities had long known.

Ye Qin's gaze fell into the distance, 'It's about time.' (End of chapter)