Chapter 118: Hehe, Old Man, I

Lu Yaoyao’s brow furrowed tighter, mentally sifting through every clue she knew, like piecing together a complex puzzle, trying to deduce a plausible explanation.

“Assuming he truly has designs on the Flame Spirit Blood Pool, why did he send me a message? Why make me run back and forth outside? What role am I supposed to play in his scheme?”

Lu Yaoyao murmured to herself, yet her eyes grew brighter, as if she was about to grasp something.

“I left, he came in—but I couldn’t find him. Then there’s only one possibility!”

Lu Yaoyao suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, her mind clearing instantly. She whirled around, scanning the surroundings, a flicker of realization in her gaze, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

“The Tiger-Calling Stratagem!!!”

A thought exploded in her mind.

“In his meticulously crafted trap, I seem to have no real value. If my running back and forth was meant to draw away some hidden threat, that might Mianqiang explain it. But the truth is, I encountered no suspicious people or events.”

“Thus, only one reasonable explanation remains: the place where I live is the indispensable key to his entire plan.”

As if parting thick mist to reveal the hidden truth, Lu Yaoyao felt an unexpected surge of excitement.

She loved this kind of guessing game.

“But my residence doesn’t seem special at all, and it’s quite far from the Flame Spirit Blood Pool in the back mountain. Then what’s its purpose?”

Lu Yaoyao analyzed again, levitating on her sword, gazing toward the back mountain, then down at the courtyard below.

“Could it be a tunnel? Is there a tunnel leading to the Flame Spirit Blood Pool?”

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes flashed brightly—only this explanation made sense.

Otherwise, why go through the trouble of luring out this “tiger” for no reason?

She quickly landed, trembling with excitement, first meticulously inspecting the courtyard’s barrier—everything intact, no signs of damage.

“The fewer traces left, the more suspicious it is. That’s what happens when cleverness backfires. Hehe, Old Man, I’m coming!”

Lu Yaoyao opened the courtyard gate, her face flushed with excitement, carefully closing it behind her, and began playing hide-and-seek…

…………

Seeing the red dots on the array plate reduce to five, Zhou Qing was ecstatic.

He rushed out, staring at the pitch-black tunnel ahead, wondering when Second Uncle would return.

He roughly estimated the time—Lu Yaoyao should’ve returned by now, and she’d definitely be furious with him.

He’d give her the smallest piece of the seven Flame Spirit Blood Ointments as an apology.

After all, the bottom of the main pool definitely held better treasures.

“Big Brother, Big Brother, I can only hold out until halfway through the curfew at Shen Yue Peak—if I go longer, big trouble will come!” Zhou Qing muttered anxiously.

At that moment, he sensed something and quickly pulled out his identity token; a line of text appeared.

【Fourth, where’d you go? It’s dark already—are you leaving or not?】

It was a message from Third Senior Brother Yan Xiaohu.

He’d nearly forgotten—there was still someone outside waiting to assist him, and he couldn’t yet fly on a sword.

Zhou Qing quickly moved farther away, then infused spiritual power into the token to write back.

【Almost done, Third Senior Brother, just wait a bit longer—but stay far from the Mission Hall and other places, don’t let anyone see you.】

Soon, Yan Xiaohu replied again.

【Judging by your tone, knowing you as I do, you definitely didn’t do anything good. Whatever. Just watch your back. By the way, three hours ago, Sister Lu was searching everywhere for you.】

After reading the message, Zhou Qing tucked the identity token away.

If Second Uncle hadn’t shown up, he’d have already successfully taken the seven Flame Spirit Blood Ointments out.

In the end, he simply couldn’t resist the temptation—he was too greedy.

But such a precious thing was worth the risk.

…………

【Shen Yue Peak is about to enforce curfew. I saw the patrol team checking the register and using tokens to notify people. Based on my lip-reading skills, they’re reporting your whereabouts to each officer on the mountain—they’ll soon demand verification of your location.】

Zhou Qing sat on the ground, reading the token’s message, and sighed deeply.

“Forget it. Wait for next time. Even if he comes back, there are still five Supreme Elders soaking in the pool—unreliable Second Uncle!”

Zhou Qing muttered under his breath, then looked upward and used his daily “One Inspection.”

【Ordinary Soil: This soil holds no value—but no one knows that beneath it lies something astonishingly valuable. However, beware the forbidden seals—if triggered, the consequences will be dire.】

Zhou Qing helplessly shook his head—here was a mountain of gold right before him, yet he couldn’t touch it. It was maddening.

He then wrote five large characters on the wall: 【Dangerous. Leaving first.】 and hurried back the way he came.

After finally climbing up through the tunnel, Zhou Qing carefully shifted the stone above him, cautiously poking his head out.

Seeing the candlelight glowing in the courtyard nearby, he finally relaxed, exhaling a long breath—just as he was about to sneak up, he felt something was off.

He stared closely—the grass before him seemed brighter than the surrounding area. A cold premonition surged in his chest.

As he stiffly turned his neck, he saw Lu Yaoyao sitting neatly beside him, even thoughtfully peeling an orange for him.

The golden text above her head glowed brightly.

Lu Yaoyao looked at Zhou Qing and smiled sweetly: “Senior Brother Zhou, you’re out? You must be thirsty. Here, eat an orange. You said you like oranges, and even more so, orange hair—I prepared this specially for you. There’s more over here.”

As she spoke, she pulled out another full tray of fresh oranges and eagerly offered them to Zhou Qing.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s face twitched—he desperately wanted to find a crack in the ground… but why bother? He might as well just jump straight down.

“What… what a coincidence… why are you eating oranges beside the outhouse?” Zhou Qing stammered, face burning red.

Lu Yaoyao burst into a chuckle, her eyes crinkling into crescents, looking adorable and mischievous.

Then, calmly, she pulled over a massive wooden mallet and swung it lightly in her hand.

“I’m playing mole-hammering, Senior Brother Zhou. Are there any moles down there? I’ve been waiting a long time!” Lu Yaoyao asked earnestly, eyes sparkling as she stared at him.

Zhou Qing’s face flushed again at her expression; he scrambled out frantically with all four limbs.

“How did you know I was down there?” Zhou Qing glanced around, whispering urgently.

Lu Yaoyao stood up, pointing proudly at her head: “I guessed!”

Zhou Qing didn’t believe her—but it didn’t matter anymore. His face instantly shifted to a cheerful grin, and without hesitation, he pulled out a piece of Flame Spirit Blood Ointment and handed it to her.

“Look, pretend you didn’t see anything, okay?” Zhou Qing smiled apologetically, his eyes pleading.

Seeing the potent spiritual ointment, Lu Yaoyao stared in disbelief—but soon, something occurred to her, and her pupils shrank sharply.

Wait—how did that ointment just appear? It felt like… like the aura of a storage bag.

Seeing Lu Yaoyao silent, Zhou Qing’s heart ached. He gritted his teeth and pulled out another piece.

“Sister Lu, we should stop while we’re ahead. There weren’t many ointments to begin with—I’ve already given you two. That’s my utmost sincerity. Just pretend you saw nothing, okay?”

Zhou Qing’s voice carried a tone of pleading.

When he got back, he’d tear up that damn almanac—today was definitely an inauspicious day to go out.

At this moment, Lu Yaoyao clearly saw what had just happened, staring at Zhou Qing in utter shock.

Seeing her reaction, Zhou Qing said: “Sister Lu, I’m actually looking out for you. Honestly, I’ve got a partner down there—if he finds out you discovered the tunnel, he might erase your memory—or worse, kill you…”

Lu Yaoyao suddenly grabbed Zhou Qing’s arm, excitedly asking: “Senior Brother Zhou, did you just use spiritual power? Your injury’s healed, right?”

【Heart Insight +9】

The text above her head instantly changed from 【So Strong】 to 【So Amazing】.

Zhou Qing froze, then smacked himself twice hard on the forehead in frustration.

What the hell is going on?

…………

Under the night sky, Yan Xiaohu watched Zhou Qing trudging behind him, face grim and silent, and finally couldn’t hold back: “What’s wrong? What happened… Ga …what… Ga …”

“Nothing. Just use voice transmission. Your shouting hurts my ears.” Zhou Qing sighed heavily.

Seeing Zhou Qing so troubled, Yan Xiaohu guessed his mission had gone badly.

Fine, he wouldn’t disturb him anymore.

As soon as he returned to the courtyard, a message arrived on his token.

【Senior Brother Zhou, have you returned?】

It was from Lu Yaoyao.

What could he do? He’d been caught red-handed, and worse—he’d accidentally revealed his secret.

Now he had no choice but to swallow his pride and agree to her several demands.

Adding her as a contact on the token was one of them.

But Zhou Qing didn’t reply immediately. He sat there, frowning, deeply conflicted.

Should he ask his Master to erase her memories of tonight?

For his Master, it would be easy—but it would severely damage her primordial spirit. If the technique wasn’t performed skillfully, she might even become an idiot.

After much thought, he decided against it. The girl seemed simple-minded—she only thought he’d healed his injury, never once suspecting the Heavenly Dao Qi.

Besides, from her reaction earlier, she’d genuinely been happy for him—and solemnly swore she’d never reveal the secret.

After waiting a while longer, Zhou Qing slowly picked up the token and replied: 【Just got back.】

Lu Yaoyao’s reply came instantly—evidently, she was bursting to tell him: 【You wanted to know how I figured it out? Earlier I didn’t have time to explain, but now I can tell you…】

Since the identity token could only carry limited text per message, Zhou Qing could only helplessly rest his chin on his hand, staring blankly as the words rapidly scrolled and changed.

He could already picture her on the other end, wildly gesticulating, excitedly recounting everything.

She really was incredibly clever.

And he hadn’t expected her to turn her own courtyard upside down, then dig up the ground outside to a depth of three feet.

After finding the entrance, she didn’t descend—instead, she held back her curiosity and waited outside.

She did this partly because she feared Li Daoxuan or others might come looking for her; if they did, she could stay outside and watch for trouble, acting as his lookout.

On the other hand, she was also a little nervous, afraid that if she rushed down without thinking, she might only cause trouble.

Some things, she felt, were better left unknown.

This actually moved Zhou Qing.

Now he could only take a gamble!

“It’s good to know. Once I’ve simulated enough in the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace, if any opportunity arises, I’ll surely need to borrow her path.”

After quickly weighing his options, Zhou Qing made his decision, waiting until Lu Yaoyao had finished pouring out everything she wanted to say before sending her a large thumbs-up, calm and unhurried.

Soon after, Lu Yaoyao sent another message: “Also, thank you, Senior Brother Zhou, for the hush money. After Master took me to soak in the No. 1 Flame Spirit Blood Pool last time, I smoothly broke through to Foundation Establishment peak. With these two fine items now, perhaps I can even try to touch the threshold of the Golden Core realm.”

Seeing the message, Zhou Qing felt a sharp pang of pain.

“Where’s the almanac? Where’s the almanac? You damn thing, come out here!”

Zhou Qing couldn’t help roaring, then rummaged through drawers and cabinets, found it, and in a fit of rage tore it to shreds, venting his fury.

…………

Because Third Senior Brother was occupied, the next morning Niu Guangmo took him to Shen Yue Peak.

Lu Yaoyao had already been waiting there.

Seeing Zhou Qing, she hurried over, delighted.

Then the two began climbing the mountain.

“Where’s your eldest senior brother?”

“Don’t worry—I already warned them I’d be closing off for cultivation and not to disturb me.”

“Good. This matter is critical; you must not tell anyone.”

“Oh, you’re so nagging! Am I the type to gossip everywhere? I swear, I’ll never tell anyone in this lifetime.”

“Then why is your master here?”

They stopped walking, staring at Cao Zhengyang standing there. Zhou Qing immediately looked questioningly at Lu Yaoyao.

Lu Yaoyao was equally stunned, then gave Zhou Qing a slight shake of the head.

Seeing this, the two could only step forward respectfully and bow in greeting.

Cao Zhengyang’s gaze settled on Zhou Qing, nodded slightly, and said gently, “Zhou Qing, your spirit looks quite restored.”

Zhou Qing quickly replied, “Thank you, Senior Uncle, for your concern. One must always look forward; dwelling in the past serves no purpose.”

Hearing this, Cao Zhengyang looked at Zhou Qing with surprise—he hadn’t expected such insight from the boy.

“Good, good. No wonder you look so radiant now,” Cao Zhengyang chuckled in praise.

Then he turned his gaze to Lu Yaoyao, silently sighing, his thoughts returning to when Zhou Qing had been brought back drenched in blood, and this girl had collapsed in heartbroken despair.

He too had once been young; he understood these young hearts’ feelings all too well.

Especially since he’d heard that lately, she’d abandoned cultivation entirely, spending every day locked in her room carving wooden figurines, finally presenting them to Zhou Qing as gifts.

She’d also been running to Xiao Ling Peak frequently.

He’d assumed that now that Zhou Qing had become an ordinary person, she’d let go—after all, their worlds were no longer the same, and the gap would only widen.

Yet she hadn’t let go; if anything, she came even more often. Such devotion was truly remarkable.

Your hundred years are but a single cultivation closure; his hundred years are his entire lifetime.

He’d heard yesterday that Zhou Qing returned home very late; today, Lu Yaoyao came personally to meet him and even brought him to his residence.

That’s why he’d had to come himself—some things needed to be spoken out, even if it was cruel.

After a brief hesitation, Cao Zhengyang looked at Lu Yaoyao and spoke slowly: “Yaoyao, even before you began cultivation, your foundation was exceptionally solid. Now you’ve achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment—your future is boundless. You can’t waste yourself like this; don’t squander your master’s hard work and hopes.”

As he spoke these heartfelt words, Cao Zhengyang subtly glanced toward Zhou Qing.

Last time this boy went to Lingyun Mansion, Lu Yaoyao broke through from Foundation Establishment early stage to late stage in one go during her closure—he’d even thrown a celebration.

At that time, the sect leaders of each peak had likely already guessed something, and some had even informed their own disciples.

So the fact of Lu Yaoyao’s Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was no secret within Taiqingmen’s core disciples.

Now, hearing Lu Yaoyao had achieved Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, Zhou Qing was stunned.

This girl was impressive—she’d hidden it even deeper than he had.

But he understood Cao Zhengyang’s words well, and quickly said, “Yes, Junior Sister Lu, though I’ve always treated you like a younger sister, you mustn’t waste such excellent conditions. You must work hard from now on.”

Cao Zhengyang looked at Zhou Qing, smiling.

Perfect!

Lu Yaoyao nodded obediently, showing she understood.

“Don’t worry, Master—I’ll attempt Golden Core breakthrough soon!” Lu Yaoyao’s tone was resolute, as if breaking into Golden Core was no great challenge.

Cao Zhengyang was speechless.

Do you think Golden Core is that easy to break through? When I broke through, I had to beg and plead with several senior uncles for ages, and only after great effort did they let you stay in the No. 1 Flame Spirit Blood Pool for one day, allowing you to reach Foundation Establishment peak.

But Golden Core is a barrier—not as simple as Foundation Establishment.

But since he’d said it, he couldn’t say more.

“Then work hard. I have some matters to attend to—I’m leaving now!” Cao Zhengyang said, then departed.

Zhou Qing silently exhaled in relief.

Previously, Li Daoxuan and the others had always intervened, trying every means to keep him and Lu Yaoyao apart—but now even the Sect Master’s senior uncle had stepped in himself.

It seemed that after this matter passed, they really did need to keep some distance—otherwise, who knew what more trouble might arise?

“Congratulations! I didn’t know you were Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment!” Zhou Qing said with a sincere smile, offering his congratulations to Lu Yaoyao.

Lu Yaoyao looked uneasy, her face flushed with embarrassment, afraid Zhou Qing might think too much of it.

“It was Master who gave me the Star Spirit—the twenty-sixth-ranked Heavenly Dao Qi. I never expected him to have something so rare,” Lu Yaoyao hurriedly explained.

Zhou Qing smiled—he hadn’t realized the ranking was so high.

It really was better to shelter under a big tree. Lu Yaoyao being accepted as a disciple by the Sect Master’s senior uncle was truly her fortune.

“It’s fine. As Senior Uncle said, don’t waste his expectations—work hard and cultivate steadily from now on!” Zhou Qing advised.

Hearing Zhou Qing’s words, Lu Yaoyao was delighted.

“Alright, I’ll listen to you, Senior Brother. With the two things you gave me—”

“Shh!”

Zhou Qing quickly signaled silence. Lu Yaoyao immediately understood and clapped her hand over her mouth.

“It’s still early—why not play a game of Go?” Zhou Qing suggested.

Lu Yaoyao paused, then quickly understood.

Perhaps Master hadn’t truly left—he might be hiding somewhere nearby, secretly watching them.

She immediately agreed, then hurried inside the residence and soon returned with a Go board.

Then the two sat under a large tree outside the residence, found a cool, comfortable spot, laid out the board, and began playing.

Time passed slowly as the pieces were placed and lifted; before they knew it, they’d played Five-in-a-Row until noon.

There was no choice—Zhou Qing wasn’t good at Go, so he’d chosen the simpler Five-in-a-Row.

Besides, throughout the entire game, Cao Zhengyang never suddenly appeared to scold them for playing incorrectly.

In the end, Zhou Qing even quietly released a sliver of his spiritual sense, carefully probing the surroundings—and only after confirming no third person was present did he finally relax.

He must have been overly cautious. After all, Senior Uncle was the Sect Master himself—his status and position surely made him too proud to sneak around spying on others.

“I’m going to the toilet!” Zhou Qing stood up, stretching his numb legs, and called out to Lu Yaoyao.

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(End of Chapter)