Chapter 115: Entering the Game, Beating Heaven by Half a Move

Hearing this, Zhou Qing was stunned, then immediately looked around.

You shouldn’t say things like that—someone might misunderstand, and besides, when have I ever favored you?

What are you thinking about all day?

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zhou Qing hesitated before saying, “Uh, Lu Shimei, I actually have something I want to ask you—do you know where the Number One Flame Spirit Blood Pool is?”

Lu Yaoyao lives on Divine Yue Peak, not far from the back mountain, so she must know something about it.

Upon hearing Zhou Qing’s question, Lu Yaoyao turned around, curious: “Why are you asking about this?”

Zhou Qing said, “Nothing much—remember last year when we went together into the gravity zone? I got the reward of soaking in the Number Three Flame Spirit Blood Pool. Recently, Elder Duanmu Shu took pity on me and kindly took me to soak in the Number Two Blood Pool again, so I’m just curious where the Number One is.”

Hearing this, Lu Yaoyao’s face lit up with surprise—she hadn’t expected Zhou Qing had already soaked in the Number Two Blood Pool.

That must be greatly beneficial for his physical recovery.

“Actually, seven days ago, my master took me to soak in the Number One Blood Pool—I wondered why the Number Two looked so pale!”

As she spoke, Lu Yaoyao pulled out a sheet of paper and quickly sketched for Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing was astonished—no wonder she was backed by the Sect Master; this special treatment was truly enviable.

Soon, a three-dimensional mountain range appeared on the paper.

“There—the main pool is here, with several Supreme Elders living around it; this one below is Number One, and beside it are Number Two and Number Three!” Lu Yaoyao pointed at the paper.

Zhou Qing quickly looked, and immediately grew excited.

This old man was a genius—the tunnel he dug ran straight through all three blood pools, perfectly avoiding the main pool.

But he never imagined that right above the tunnel lay something even better: Flame Spirit Blood Paste.

“You… plan to sneak in?” Lu Yaoyao watched Zhou Qing’s gleaming eyes and suddenly whispered slyly.

Zhou Qing snapped back to reality, scratched the back of his head, and hurriedly said, “No way—there are Supreme Elders guarding it! How could I possibly sneak in? Besides, I’m just a cripple now—I can barely walk.”

But Lu Yaoyao propped her chin on one hand, a sly smile on her face, speaking slowly: “No, you do want to sneak in—because every time you lie, you scratch the back of your head.”

Zhou Qing’s hand froze mid-scratch, but seeing Lu Yaoyao’s eyes nearly curved into crescents, he coughed awkwardly and insisted, “Who says I scratch my head when I lie? My head just itched.”

Lu Yaoyao just smiled silently, then pulled out her identity token and grinned: “How about we add each other as friends? If you need anything, just reach out.”

Looking at her playful expression, Zhou Qing somehow felt as if she had seen right through him.

This was too strange!

He reached for his storage bag—then his heart skipped.

Damn, I almost got tricked.

I’m a cripple now—how can I add you as a friend? Or even send messages?

He looked again at Lu Yaoyao’s blinking eyes and swallowed hard.

Good thing I reacted fast—this girl is sharp as a razor.

Seeing Zhou Qing silent, Lu Yaoyao suddenly realized her mistake, her cheeks flushing red, even feeling guilty.

How could I have forgotten such an important thing?

“I’m sorry, Senior Brother Zhou—I didn’t mean to upset you. How about I leave this behind? It doesn’t require any spiritual power…”

As she spoke, Lu Yaoyao pulled out the paper crane.

Zhou Qing thought for a moment, then kept it. Seeing this, Lu Yaoyao beamed.

“If you need anything, just gently tug one of its paper wings—it’ll record what you want to say, then fly straight to me!”

Lu Yaoyao explained the paper crane to Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing nodded—he remembered she’d used it to send him voice messages before.

“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore—just find me if you need anything!”

With that, Lu Yaoyao skipped away happily.

Zhou Qing looked at the wooden carvings scattered across the table and smiled faintly.

“It seems her late brother doted on her deeply—so much so that she now trusts and relies on me so much. But I’m not your brother, after all.”

Zhou Qing sighed softly, first verified the paper crane to confirm no hidden mark from the Sect Master, then swiftly pulled out the tunnel map and compared it—nearly a perfect match.

“It’s too risky to go any other way—easily spotted. Only the latrine route works. But how do I avoid Lu Yaoyao? If her senior brothers find out I went there, they’ll watch me constantly!”

Zhou Qing scratched his head in frustration—it looked extremely difficult.

…………

The next day, Yan Xiaohu slipped in, looking worried: “Maybe we should just give up—I feel like he can see through all our schemes with ease. It’s unsettling.”

Zhou Qing held the book in his arms: “But we still have to return these to him—and I need to know what he’s really after.”

“You can’t sniff out what he wants with your nose, can you?” Yan Xiaohu’s worry didn’t fade.

Zhou Qing was about to reply when he saw a figure descending from the sky.

Seeing their master, both were delighted.

“Master, are you recovered?” Zhou Qing asked quickly.

Mo Xingjian now looked radiant, his aura steadier than ever.

Looking at them, he said cheerfully: “The Soul-Breath Immortal Herb you brought back was of exceptional quality—my soul wounds are fully healed. Thank you both, truly.”

Hearing this, both grinned broadly.

Then Mo Xingjian glanced at the book in Zhou Qing’s arms and frowned: “Are you going to Golden Sun Peak again?”

Zhou Qing nodded: “To see if I can find any more clues.”

Mo Xingjian hesitated, then said slowly: “About your earlier mention of the Soul-Eating Golden Silkworm—I spoke with your Sect Master. He doesn’t believe you. Logically, it makes no sense—he even told me not to bring it up again.”

Zhou Qing fell silent, then asked: “So the Sect Master doesn’t believe Gu Tao’s death is connected to Senior Brother Gao Xian?”

“It seems so. Gu Tao’s death had too many inconsistencies—investigations dragged on for ages with no leads. You can’t suspect a peak master just because of one remark.” Mo Xingjian analyzed.

“More importantly, the Sect Master already knows what Gao Xian said during your last visit to Golden Sun Peak.” Mo Xingjian added.

Yan Xiaohu couldn’t help interjecting: “So the Sect Master feels guilty?”

Mo Xingjian gave a slight nod.

“Then we’re done for—I thought he was having a change of heart, making a move to confess. Now I see—it’s not weakness, it’s a retreat to advance. Brilliant move!”

Yan Xiaohu’s eyes showed a hint of admiration, though tinged with concern.

Zhou Qing stayed silent.

But he still wanted to meet Senior Brother Gao Xian again.

The more he acted this way, the more Zhou Qing worried. Taiqingmen was already under threat from two factions—if internal strife erupted now, it would be fatal.

“Then, Master, I’ll head to Golden Sun Peak now!” Zhou Qing said.

Mo Xingjian didn’t stop him—after all, the boy’s cultivation had recovered, and the Void Illusion Manifestation concealed his true state; no ordinary person could detect anything.

Besides, he was grown now, with his own judgment. Too much interference would only rob him of independent thinking and crisis response.

“Stay safe—contact me anytime,” Mo Xingjian warned.

Zhou Qing acknowledged, then had Yan Xiaohu lead him straight to Golden Sun Peak.

…………

“Senior Brother isn’t here?” Zhou Qing asked, surprised, facing Du Kui.

Du Kui nodded: “He went to Divine Yue Peak. But my master instructed that whenever you come, you may freely browse or borrow any book in the collection.”

Zhou Qing felt grateful—if he wasn’t here, his actions would be easier. But he still had to be careful—those image stones might be hidden anywhere.

If he was caught sneaking around and they reviewed the footage later, he’d be finished.

He walked again, familiar with the path, straight to the main hall and then toward the bookshelves.

To make full use of Old Four’s nose, Yan Xiaohu chatted casually with Du Kui, distracting him.

Zhou Qing returned the books and scanned the surroundings constantly.

The insect jars on the desk and the rattle under the tea table were gone; everything else was ordinary.

Nothing stood out.

He circled the shelves once and found nothing unusual.

“Too meticulous. Last time’s discovery was pure luck—maybe he was just admiring them and casually left them there when he saw me coming!” Zhou Qing thought silently.

With no other option, he picked up two random books and prepared to leave.

“By the way, Senior Brother Zhou—my master said you can take this book home to read!”

Du Kui suddenly remembered something, rushed to the desk, picked up a book, and handed it to Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing took it, puzzled, flipped through it—it was a collection of random anecdotes.

Du Kui nodded: “Yes, my master said if you return or borrow books without seeking him out, it means you’ve chosen neither path. He approves, but feels regret.”

“Still, he respects your choice. Since you’ve chosen to let go, you might as well read this book in peace—it’s also a test.”

Zhou Qing frowned: “A test of what?”

“I don’t know. I’d like to know what those two paths are,” Du Kui asked curiously.

Zhou Qing didn’t answer, but Yan Xiaohu stepped in, surprised: “Didn’t Senior Brother Gao tell you? One path is to have Luo Xue marry Old Four; the other is to have Luo Xue become a son-in-law at Little Spirit Peak.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! If you keep joking like that, I’ll make you regret it!” Du Kui grew angry.

Yan Xiaohu laughed it off, but muttered under his breath: “You’re clearly in love with Senior Sister Luo Xue—after all, you two grew up together. It’s only natural.”

Then Yan Xiaohu led Zhou Qing back to Little Spirit Peak.

Back home, Zhou Qing didn’t rush to read—he immediately verified the book. The result: just an ordinary, amusing anthology.

“Let me see what he’s up to?” Yan Xiaohu reached for the book, but Zhou Qing stopped him.

Yan Xiaohu sighed: “Fine, fine—it’s your test. You’re smart now, quick-witted, don’t need your third brother anymore. I’m leaving, I’m leaving!”

Yan Xiaohu grabbed his hen and stormed off, grumbling.

Zhou Qing opened his mouth, then let out a bitter smile—he was mainly worried that Third Senior Brother might fumble around and accidentally destroy any clues that might be hidden inside.

After gazing at this nearly pristine book for a moment, he took it into the sunlight and carefully examined the corners of its pages.

At once, his eyes brightened.

It turned out that the corners of several pages toward the back of the book had slightly curled.

Anyone who reads often knows that when someone lingers too long on a page, repeated flipping and pressure gradually cause fine wrinkles to form—especially at the corners, which are most prone to curling.

When he was young and in school, though he felt he’d learned nothing academically, for some reason, every book he ever used ended up twisted like a braided rope, all wrinkled and crumpled.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing carefully flipped open those pages and studied them closely.

After a long while, he furrowed his brow and fixed his gaze on the story before him.

He had a feeling that Gao Xian’s test for him might lie right here.

The story recounted how Qingwei Sect, a small orthodox sect, had a sect master named Dong Ting who bore a son.

His spouse had been killed by the demonic sect years ago, so after his son reached Foundation Establishment, he secretly set out alone to avenge his father.

Several days later, the son returned, gravely wounded, carrying his enemy’s severed head—but he was on the verge of death, unaware of what poison he had been struck with, his entire body saturated with toxicity.

His mother, Dong Ting, was heartbroken, but fortunately, a passing black-clothed man examined the wound and told her that if she could administer a Chilin Pill in time, there might still be a sliver of hope.

But the Chilin Pill was extraordinarily rare; it was said only a Nascent Soul cultivator could forge it using their Nascent Flame—yet Qingwei Sect was a minor sect, its strongest member merely Dong Ting, a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator.

They had never even seen a Golden Core expert, let alone a Nascent Soul powerhouse.

The price of a single Chilin Pill was astronomical; even if you sold a hundred Qingwei Sects bundled together, you still couldn’t afford it.

Then, the black-clothed man offered the grieving mother a suggestion…

A few days later, someone saw a small orthodox sect master, carrying her gravely wounded, unconscious son on her back, kneeling on the ground and repeatedly banging her forehead against the earth in one direction.

Blood oozing from her brow left a shocking trail on the ground.

Soon, the secret behind this incident spread like wings, racing through the cultivation world.

It turned out someone had told the poor mother that if she carried her son without using any spiritual power, kneeling and bowing her head all the way to the Blood Demon Palace, the palace’s lord might reward her with a Chilin Pill.

As soon as this news broke, it caused an uproar.

Countless sects, upon hearing it, flew into a rage, believing the Blood Demon Palace’s act was a blatant insult to the orthodox path.

This wasn’t merely an affront to Qingwei Sect—it was a trampling of the entire orthodox community’s dignity.

If this precedent were set, other demonic sects would surely imitate it, and the orthodox path’s status would plummet—how could anyone possibly respect them?

After some investigation, people gradually understood the full story.

It turned out her son had avenged his father by infiltrating enemy territory alone—an act that was entirely righteous and demonstrated supreme filial piety and courage, worthy of everyone’s admiration.

In less than ten days, a powerful sect’s Nascent Soul expert arrived personally before the mother, carrying a Chilin Pill.

He told her: “We orthodox cultivators are one family—we cannot let the demonic sects look down on us.”

The story ended with the mother’s son being saved, and the powerful sect receiving countless praises; every year, many young cultivators flocked to join it, proud to be accepted—truly a win-win.

Meanwhile, the Blood Demon Palace was met with even greater contempt, its name drowned in a flood of curses.

But no one knew that the black-clothed man who had given the mother the idea was none other than the Blood Demon Palace’s lord himself.

“I have a plan that can save your son.”

“Master, please speak!”

“Use one person as bait to draw the entire world into the game.”

“Me?”

“I!”

“I fear you shall bear a lifetime of slander!”

“No matter—I demonic cultivators are already despised; one more bit of hatred won’t hurt.”

Zhou Qing fell silent. Demonic cultivators truly acted on impulse.

He might have the power to produce a Chilin Pill—but why should he give one to a stranger, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?

“He’s gambling—on human goodness, on human evil. He’s truly stepping into the game himself, winning half a move against heaven!” Zhou Qing sighed.

But what did this have to do with him?

“If this story truly is the test, what is he trying to tell me? And why me?”

Zhou Qing pondered endlessly, then picked up a brush and wrote on paper: 【Dead Man】, 【Scapegoat】, 【Sacrificial Lamb】, 【Child Who Missed His Chance】, 【Little Actor】.

These were, to date, all his thoughts about himself.

“Perhaps ‘Dead Man,’ ‘Scapegoat,’ and ‘Sacrificial Lamb’ are merely what he assumes I’ll face—his belief that I, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, cannot possibly escape the consecutive assassinations by Cangyan Dao Palace—rather than his true opinion of me.”

Then Zhou Qing wrote: Deputy Director of the Spirit Field Office, and the five Nascent Soul cultivators from Qingmu City who had followed him.

“Actually, during that incident with the Deputy Director—if he hadn’t appeared in time, Third Senior Brother and I would have been in grave danger. But why did he intervene? Just like when he killed the Task Hall’s chief, Gu Tao?”

Zhou Qing couldn’t understand.

As for “Child Who Missed His Chance,” it came from that time he happened to meet him while heading to the Exchange Hall to deliver Thunder-Calling Talismans—he asked if Zhou Qing needed more, and he could secretly slip him a few extra.

At the time, Zhou Qing had already made slight progress in the Canglei Sword Art, so he declined—and that’s how this thought formed.

“From this, it’s clear he genuinely wanted to give me Thunder-Calling Talismans.”

The note “Little Actor” came from when he recognized a relic of the Seventh Imperial Prince—his reaction changed, likely assuming the item had been identified by Master Mo Xingjian, who then let him take the spotlight to earn favor.

After all, everyone had always thought of him as a peeping tom—now, he’d turned the tide and brought honor to Taiqingmen.

“Yet even now, after all this, his impression of me hasn’t changed at all—his composure is unshakable. Yet he spent a full month searching for a way for me to resume cultivation. Why?”

Zhou Qing kept scribbling on the paper, trying to find a pattern.

“He knows I discovered that cave. In fact, with his power, he could have destroyed it—or Cangyan Dao Palace could have cleaned up the traces. But the cave remains, even preserving the lingering traces of the combat techniques left behind during their clash.”

“Yet he’s been hiding here for years, and no one ever went to that cave to investigate. Besides, the Sect Master previously tested him, and he calmly admitted he’d once fought and killed a former enemy inside that very cave.”

“That enemy—was he the real Gao Xian Senior Brother?” Zhou Qing suddenly sensed something and hastily wrote down the clue.

In truth, he had always spoken the truth—but no one ever believed him.

For instance, back on Jinyang Peak, when he said the sect suspected and investigated him, Du Kui swore he didn’t believe it—but Zhou Qing had smiled and said, “Who knows?”

And recently, when he came to Xiao Ling Peak to explain two methods of resuming cultivation—especially his final words.

Some things still require you to fight for yourself—how can you know you’re incapable unless you try?

Add this story to the mix—what is he hinting at?

“He’s a father. He has a daughter, Nannan, who should be dead. He’s from Cangyan Dao Palace—but he killed two of its Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation moles. Is he, like the Blood Demon Palace lord in the story, stepping into the game himself?”

Zhou Qing muttered to himself, then smiled.

“Suddenly, it’s become interesting!”

Then he turned to the other stories, searching for related clues.

………

“Number One, you’ve been busy lately!” As Zhou Qing entered again, Number Six Blue Ball greeted him.

Zhou Qing replied: “Yes, a bit busy. How about you?”

Zhou Qing still held a certain fondness for this man who had introduced him to the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace.

Far better than Number Four Green Ball, who had immediately tried to trick him for his name and address upon his arrival.

Number Six Blue Ball said: “Same as always—I can’t break through. How about we try together? After all, Numbers Four and Five have both entered my restricted zone—maybe you can help me think of a way.”

Out of caution, Zhou Qing still shook his head and refused.

Who knew if this Number Six was male or female, old or young—maybe even a Severing Spirit expert from a Level Five cultivation country, or stronger.

Not to mention his own cultivation level—if he accidentally revealed a word or a technique, they could easily track him down.

Then, not only would his token be lost, but the entire Taiqingmen might be quietly erased overnight.

“No, I’ve got my own troubles too. We’ll talk later!” Zhou Qing said, then stepped into the scene.

Number Six smiled: “Alright, good luck.”

Then, gazing at the other two scenes filled with green and blue, he took a deep breath and stepped into them again…

PS: Mid-month already—three lines begging for lunar tickets. Can we reach a thousand by month-end and try the draw? We’re still halfway there—please help, esteemed readers.

(End of Chapter)