Chapter 110: The Enigmatic Gao Xuan (6k)

Yan Xiao slowly took out a supreme spirit stone and gently placed it on the table.

“The ordeal at Lingyun Mansion made me realize many things—I was once numb and aimless, only thinking of playing and hoarding money, while ignoring the most fundamental matters.”

“I thought mastering a few divine arts was enough, but in truth, I’m vastly inferior—even the Fourth Brother has mastered difficult techniques like Silver Dragon Hand and Azure Thunder Sword Art. As his senior, how can I remain complacent and refuse to strive?”

“Now that I have the Nascent Soul Elixir, becoming a Nascent Soul cultivator is merely a matter of time. I humbly ask Master to craft a personalized cultivation method for me; I will work hard to perfect it, so next time I face a situation like Qian Dafu’s, I won’t be so helpless!”

At these words, Yan Xiao knelt down on both knees and begged earnestly.

If I had possessed more powerful cultivation techniques, the Fourth Brother wouldn’t be in this state.

In the end, it’s still my fault—I, as his senior, am too weak, even weaker than the Younger Brother.

Seeing Yan Xiao’s self-reproachful expression, Mo Xingjian let out a long sigh.

This time, he did not refuse; he simply took the supreme spirit stone from the table, perhaps it would ease his burden a little.

High-level techniques in the Scripture Vault require vast amounts of spirit stones and merit points to exchange for—it’s a means to motivate disciples to cultivate diligently. Even as a peak master, I cannot arbitrarily break this rule to give Yan Xiao special treatment.

“Leave it to your Master. By the way, don’t take the Nascent Soul Elixir for now—your mental state is unstable; you risk qi deviation!” Mo Xingjian warned.

Upon hearing this, Yan Xiao immediately bowed his head three times hard against the floor.

“Thank you, Master!”

…………

Shenyue Peak!

At this moment, Lu Yaoyao was carefully carving pieces of wood.

“Is this a beast?” Li Daoxuan’s voice suddenly sounded outside the window.

Lu Yaoyao turned and saw, besides Li Daoxuan, her Second Brother He Han—both heads peering curiously at her.

Lu Yaoyao nodded: “Mm-hmm.”

After receiving permission, the two entered curiously.

One of the carved pieces was already finished—it resembled a serpent beast, its face terrifyingly fierce.

Its body was enormous, like a winding mountain range sprawled across the earth, its scales bristling with flames.

The two examined it closely, then exchanged glances.

Despite their knowledge, they could not identify the beast.

“What is this?” Li Daoxuan asked curiously.

Lu Yaoyao said: “Chih Mang Beast.”

Both shook their heads—they had never heard of it.

Seeing her brothers’ expressions, Lu Yaoyao paused.

Of course they hadn’t seen it—this Chih Mang Beast was an Emperor-level beast, a Great Demon of the Severing Spirit Realm.

Her father had personally slain it with that broken sword; as a child, she had crouched atop that peak, watching him unleash divine power like a god. In that moment, no man in the world could compare to that weathered figure in her heart.

Besides the Chih Mang Beast, there were the Spirit Flame Spider Empress, Thunder Serpent Beast, Wei Lun Demon, Qing Luo Beast…

She intended to carve every Emperor-level beast she had witnessed, as a gift for the one now in despair.

She wanted him to know: the world is vast, full of wonders; the path ahead always holds infinite possibilities—even now, in the depths of despair, one must not lose hope or courage for the future.

Thinking of this, her gaze grew firmer; she continued to gather memories and carve…

The next day, Zhou Qing felt his abdomen no longer ached so severely—even the horrific scar had begun to fade.

He had a feeling that when everything returned to normal, the black dantian in his heart would activate—now he could clearly sense his blood qi gathering fiercely toward it, its pulse stronger than ever.

“Fourth Brother!” Yan Xiao’s voice rang from outside, then he pushed a wooden wheelchair inside.

Zhou Qing stared in surprise at the crude craftsmanship.

Yan Xiao beamed proudly: “Last night, I teamed up with Niu Guangmo and the others to make this. What do you think? Try it out!”

Without waiting, he eagerly helped Zhou Qing sit down.

“Very comfortable!” Zhou Qing praised.

Yan Xiao was ecstatic: “Of course! These two wheels—I carved them one by one with a small knife. I saw commoners who couldn’t walk use this thing, and since you’re still recovering and Jinyang Peak is huge, walking too much might harm your body.”

“Thank you, Third Brother!” Zhou Qing felt deeply moved: “Also thank Niu Guangmo and the others for me.”

Only those who truly care will think of every detail for you.

“No need to thank me—we’re family. I see you’re ready—shall we go now?” Yan Xiao said.

Zhou Qing nodded, then suddenly remembered something: “How’s Old Hen?”

“She’s fine—Old Mo is taking care of her. He’s very curious about her; he studied her all night last night and says she’s probably a mutated Egg Chicken, worth nurturing properly!” Yan Xiao replied thoughtfully.

Zhou Qing was surprised, and couldn’t help but admire his Master’s insight.

After all, when he used [Daily Appraisal] before, it had already identified her as a mutated Egg Chicken.

Then Yan Xiao kindly draped a blanket over Zhou Qing. Seeing this, Zhou Qing couldn’t help but smile.

“What’s funny?” Yan Xiao asked, puzzled.

Zhou Qing said: “I feel like Chen Pingping.”

“Chen Pingping? Who’s that?” Yan Xiao asked curiously.

Zhou Qing shook his head: “Nothing.”

Then the two set off toward Jinyang Peak…

At noon, Jinyang Peak was bathed in scorching sunlight, golden radiance cascading over the mountain like a dazzling battle armor.

When they heard Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao from Xiaoling Peak had come to visit, no one believed it.

What? He’s not staying home to heal—why’s he wandering here now?

Upon hearing the news, Jinyang Peak’s core disciples Du Kui and Luo Xue rushed over immediately.

Seeing it was truly Zhou Qing, they were even more astonished.

After all, yesterday when they visited, he was still being carried on Yan Xiao’s back.

“Zhou Brother, why did you suddenly come here?” Du Kui and Luo Xue hurried forward, concerned.

Zhou Qing sincerely appreciated them—they had arrived first during the mission to find Qingyu Immortal Sect disciples and saved him and Lu Yaoyao.

Zhou Qing smiled: “My room felt stuffy, so I wanted to take a walk. I still remember the last time I came—you two brought me the Lightning-Calling Talismans.”

Du Kui’s expression turned complex.

Yes, truly, life is unpredictable.

Yan Xiao laughed: “Over the years, disciples from different peaks rarely visit each other. Since we’re idle now, I brought Zhou Brother to Jinyang Peak to see the scenery—would you two be willing to guide us?”

Both smiled.

“No problem at all—but Luo Sister has something to attend to. I’ll be your guide!” Du Kui said.

The two thanked him.

Luo Xue felt slightly embarrassed: “You two go ahead—I need to deliver today’s talisman patterns to the Exchange Hall on Shenyue Peak.”

“No worries, Sister, go ahead!” they bowed.

After Luo Xue left, Du Kui said: “Overall, each peak is similar—only names and environments differ. Besides the main peak, Jinyang Peak has seventy-nine smaller peaks, each housing varying numbers of True Disciples and Inner Disciples; Outer Disciples live at the mountain’s base…”

Then Yan Xiao slowly pushed the wheelchair while Du Kui walked ahead, proudly explaining.

Zhou Qing listened intently—it was a rare opportunity to learn.

The Jinyang Peak Master, Gao Xuan, had five core disciples. Besides Du Kui and Luo Xue, the other three were often away—either on trials or assigned missions.

Soon, Du Kui seemed to remember something and led Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao straight toward a certain peak. It was the season when Jinyang Peak’s unique Spirit Flame Flowers bloomed—vast seas of radiant blossoms filled the air with an intoxicating fragrance, uplifting the spirit.

Indeed, the endless flower fields were irresistibly soothing, possessing profound healing power.

“By the way—is that Master Gao’s pavilion?” Zhou Qing, seated in the wheelchair, pointed toward the main peak’s summit.

Du Kui nodded: “Yes—that’s where our Master cultivates and rests.”

Zhou Qing asked curiously: “I heard the Lightning-Calling Talismans were crafted by Master Gao—they’re extremely difficult to draw. Last time, he generously gave me ten for free. Now I feel a bit ashamed.”

Hearing this, Du Kui instinctively glanced at Yan Xiao.

That shameless fellow had almost conned him out of two Explosion Flame Talismans.

Meeting Du Kui’s gaze, Yan Xiao coughed lightly and immediately turned away, feigning interest in the flowers.

Zhou Qing said seriously: “Brother Du, I heard that during the Revival Array’s activation, Master Gao exerted himself fully to save me. Since I’m here now, I wish to thank him in person.”

Du Kui smiled: “No need to thank him—many Masters from other peaks helped that night. Don’t dwell on it.”

“I still want to thank Master Gao personally for saving my life!” Zhou Qing’s voice carried deep gratitude.

Du Kui sighed helplessly, then nodded, his gaze resting on Zhou Qing in the wheelchair, filled with emotion.

It seems we never truly understood Zhou Brother before—such a grateful soul, yet struck by such misfortune. What a pity.

Now, all the peak masters have learned the full story through Master Mo.

Zhou Brother merely accompanied Yan Xiao to Lingyun Mansion seeking the Nascent Soul Elixir, happened upon the Soul-Restoring Herb, and somehow acquired the funds to buy it.

Afterwards, Qian Dafu grew greedy and teamed up with a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator named Ghost Daoist to ambush him, resulting in Zhou Qing’s Golden Core being destroyed.

Purely an undeserved disaster.

Yet no one expected Zhou Brother to have broken through to the Golden Core realm—it’s truly astonishing.

Everyone had been fixated on his “peeping tom” reputation and completely overlooked his cultivation.

As the three ascended the peak and were announced, they entered.

The hall’s interior was uniquely arranged—countless wooden shelves were filled with books, the air thickening with the scent of ancient ink and parchment.

At this moment, Gao Xuan sat reading a book. Seeing Zhou Qing wheeled in, he smiled warmly.

“You brat, you’ve only rested one day and you’re already running around? Youth is wonderful—you can still get away with mischief!” Gao Xuan teased.

Zhou Qing slowly rose and bowed with Yan Xiao: “Greetings, Master Gao!”

Gao Xuan gently raised his hand, and a soft force slowly guided him back into his seat.

“Don’t be so formal—Du Kui said you wanted to thank me? So what gift did you bring me?” Gao Xuan chuckled.

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu both felt awkward.

“You can come have a meal at Yushan Hall!” Zhou Qing said, embarrassed.

Gao Xuan suddenly burst into loud laughter: “I was just joking. If anyone deserves thanks, it’s others—not me. I’ll tell you secretly: right now, your Senior Brother Gao is under investigation.”

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu’s expressions changed instantly.

What does that mean?

Gao Xuan said: “You don’t understand? You’re suspected—of colluding with external sects, harming your own sect, things like that. This whole matter starts with how you discovered that cave.”

Hearing this, Du Kui’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at his master in disbelief.

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu both felt their hearts leap.

So Senior Brother Gao knew everything all along… this… this…

Gao Xuan placed the book he held onto a shelf, then bent down to retrieve another.

“Your Sect Master had been subtly testing me before. Then, when I went out with Sister Tong Min, your master was frantic. Shortly after, I happened to run into Master Gu Tao from the Mission Hall—he greeted me, and not long after he left, he exploded and died. It’s only natural they’d suspect me.”

“Also, that time when the Deputy Director of the Spirit Fields ambushed you halfway—I showed up just in time. Too timely. Too convenient.”

“When your master returned using the Mother-Son Scroll, so many people were stabilizing the space—but your Sect Master specifically barred me from helping. Afraid I, as a suspect, might do something sinister.”

Gao Xuan walked down holding the booklet, his face still wearing a kind smile, as if he were talking about someone else.

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu looked sheepish.

Du Kui suddenly dropped to his knees and said solemnly: “Master, you are not a suspect. I swear it on my life. They—they these people…”

Gao Xuan helped Du Kui up, gently stroking his head, and smiled: “That’s not certain. Rumors don’t arise from nothing. Maybe their suspicions are right.”

Du Kui shook his head vigorously, refusing to believe it.

At that moment, Zhou Qing realized that all his subtle schemes before this old fox were like showing off swordplay before Guan Yu.

Because you can never guess what they know, what they’re thinking, or what they’re really saying.

Truth and falsehood intertwined—pretending to joke and self-mock, yet revealing truths through playful words.

Seeing the awkward silence, Gao Xuan laughed again: “Look at you two—scared stiff! As core disciples, your mental resilience is terrible. How will you face life’s countless challenges and uncertainties?”

“The path of cultivation is long, and hardship and danger walk beside you. Whether it’s suspicion or truth—if you can’t endure even this, how will you stand when facing powerful enemies, complex situations, and deadly predicaments?”

The three bowed immediately: “We humbly accept Senior Brother’s (Master’s) teachings!”

“Enough. Zhou Qing, I have some good books here—why not pick a few to take back and read?”

Gao Xuan then pointed to the bookshelves behind him.

Zhou Qing thought for a moment, then nodded.

He was growing more and more unable to fathom Senior Brother Gao. Borrowing more books would give him an excuse to visit Jin Yang Peak often.

“Thank you, Senior Brother. Do you have any recommendations?” Zhou Qing asked humbly.

Gao Xuan smiled, snapped his fingers, then stepped forward quickly.

Yan Xiaohu pushed Zhou Qing over to the tightly packed, layered bookshelves, flipping through them with eager curiosity.

Zhou Qing glanced around and soon noticed, beside the desk holding brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, an object resembling a woman’s cosmetic jar for rouge and powder—out of place among everything else.

Everything else here didn’t look like personal belongings, and Senior Brother Gao wore no jade pendant or such. He couldn’t possibly be inspecting his clothes or shoes, could he?

After a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing’s gaze lingered on the cosmetic jar, then he activated his appraisal ability.

Immediately, information returned.

【Useless Cultivation Insect Jar: This was once a container for nurturing the Soul-Eating Golden Silkworm. Unfortunately, that silkworm—carefully raised for three hundred years with blood essence—quietly killed Gu Tao and then died completely. This jar is now worthless.】

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s pupils shrank sharply, his eyes filled with shock, his heart pounding violently.

Master Gu Tao of the Mission Hall was truly killed by Senior Brother Gao.

How is this possible!!!

After all, Master had found in Gu Tao’s storage pouch a wealth of secrets and resources about our Taiqingmen, confirming Gu Tao was a spy for Cangyan Dao Palace.

And incredibly, the very day after Gao Xuan greeted Gu Tao, Master witnessed Gu Tao explode uncontrollably and die.

Had he misjudged?

No, no—this wasn’t so simple.

Suppose this Gao Xuan isn’t from Cangyan Dao Palace—then how did he know Gu Tao, who had hidden for years, would betray the sect and flee at that exact moment?

And not just flee—he vanished forever. And Gao Xuan just happened to be waiting right at the sect gate, killing him with a three-hundred-year-old Soul-Eating Golden Silkworm to prevent greater damage.

But if he is from Cangyan Dao Palace, why kill Gu Tao? They’re on the same side—this makes no sense.

Or perhaps he’s from another sect—like Jin Leizong?

When Zhou Qing once cultivated the Cang Lei Sword Art, Senior Brother Gao had told him Jin Leizong had a newly built Thunder Pool, and the Elder guarding it owed him a favor—if he wanted to go, Gao could arrange it.

At the time, his sword embryo had already formed, so he declined.

But that made even less sense—no one in our own sect had uncovered Gu Tao’s true identity. How could outsiders find out?

Even if they did, they’d want both sides to destroy each other—why would they help clean up? And why sacrifice such a rare insect?

At this moment, Zhou Qing felt his mind in chaos—he felt both awe and curiosity toward Gao Xuan.

What was his true identity?

“Take these five books back and read them carefully. They cover the general affairs of our entire Level-Four Spiritual Nation, including neighboring imperial dynasties. Expand your horizons. Remember—the world is vast. Don’t let your current circumstances make you bitter or lose faith in the future.”

Gao Xuan walked over, holding five books, smiling.

Zhou Qing quickly took them, filled with gratitude.

“It’s getting late—why not try the food from our Jin Yang Peak’s Fire Kitchen?” Gao Xuan asked, glancing at the sky.

Both declined immediately, bowed repeatedly in thanks, and took their leave.

Only after leaving Jin Yang Peak did Yan Xiaohu wipe the sweat from his brow: “I suddenly feel Senior Brother Gao Xuan is terrifying. Are you sure you didn’t hallucinate in that cave?”

Zhou Qing stayed silent, mentally sorting through every clue he had.

He desperately needed an answer!

When he returned to Xiao Ling Peak, it was already deep night. After midnight, he randomly picked a book, appraised it, confirmed it was normal, then fell asleep.

At dawn, he washed up, found his physical condition better than yesterday, and joyfully began reading the books.

The content was complex but remarkably comprehensive, giving Zhou Qing a brand-new understanding of the Shengwu Empire and countless sects like Taiqingmen scattered across the land.

He read until noon, utterly absorbed, until Yan Xiaohu knocked on the door with food, pulling him back to reality.

“Senior Brother Zhou!”

Before Zhou Qing could speak, Lu Yaoyao suddenly jumped out from behind Yan Xiaohu, grinning mischievously.

Zhou Qing was stunned.

Yan Xiaohu hefted the food box and sighed: “I ran into her at Yushan Hall getting meals.”

Zhou Qing smiled and shook his head, inviting them in.

“Yushan Hall’s meals are expensive, Third Brother—you don’t need to bring them every day,” Zhou Qing said.

Xiao Ling Peak is so far from Shen Yue Peak. Making this round trip daily—how long could anyone endure it?

Yan Xiaohu replied: “You’re still weak—you need to eat more spirit-infused food to recover faster. Besides, you can’t yet practice Grain Grain Bigu…”

As soon as Yan Xiaohu spoke those words unconsciously, his face changed—he wanted to slap himself. He quickly corrected: “What I mean is—we’ve got plenty of money now. Even if we eat every meal, every day, it won’t cost much. Don’t worry—I’ll fatten you up good.”

Zhou Qing could only smile warmly.

Lu Yaoyao, watching the books on the table and Zhou Qing’s improved mood, finally felt her heart ease.

“Senior Brother Zhou, I brought you something special this time!”

As she spoke, Lu Yaoyao pulled out several wooden carvings.

Yan Xiaohu picked one up curiously: “Are these beast spirits? They look so fierce. Where’d you get them?”

Zhou Qing also picked one up in surprise—the carving was exquisite, lifelike, yet he didn’t recognize any of the beasts depicted.

Thank you to [A Running Horse] for the 500 donation—thank you for your support!

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(End of Chapter)