Chapter 159: The Real Reason Nascent Soul Cultivators Don't Enter the Arena (6k)

Watching Gao Xuan's expression, Wu Sha chuckled, a tone of mockery and amusement in his smile.

He then spoke slowly: "You should know why. The current you seems harder to control."

Gao Xuan suppressed his anger and replied coldly: "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Qu Shen, who was supposed to tell you who the other mole in Taiqingmen is and help you eliminate Tong Min of Yuqing Peak, is dead. Shortly after receiving orders to withdraw, Gu Tao blew himself up."

As Wu Sha spoke, he watched Gao Xuan's expression closely and continued.

"The Yan Chuan Elder, who brought you the Four Flowers Summit Array Plate, also vanished without a trace—yet that plate appeared near Tianji Gate not long after. Don't tell me none of this has anything to do with you."

Wu Sha pressed forward with his questions.

After hearing this, Gao Xuan snorted: "Qu Shen, Gu Tao, Yan Chuan—all three were late Nascent Soul realm. Do you think I alone could kill them? You overestimate me."

Wu Sha remained unconvinced: "You couldn't kill them alone—but what if you teamed up with someone?"

"If you think that way, then I can't help it!" Gao Xuan's eyes still held a glint of coldness; he simply adopted an attitude of unwillingness to say more.

Wu Sha's expression turned deeply displeased: "Fine. You can't explain these three incidents, and I can't prove them conclusively—let's set them aside for now. How did you suddenly get appointed acting Sect Master of Taiqingmen before the Five Sects War?"

"I don't know!" Gao Xuan replied bluntly, his tone now tinged with impatience.

Wu Sha immediately challenged: "You don't know? You led the entire Taiqingmen force—you could've walked straight into our ambush, so why turn back halfway?"

Gao Xuan suddenly laughed: "You only come asking now, after all this time? Fine, I'll tell you why. First, how was I supposed to know you'd set an ambush ahead? Did you ever tell me the full plan?"

"Second, yes, I was acting Sect Master—but Cao Zhengyang and the others were watching me closely from behind. That fool Xuanjizi even devised two routes, yet they never trusted me for a second."

"On the day I met Yan Chuan, I told you in haste that I was suspected. You saw it yourself—I was trapped by Tong Min of Yuqing Peak, Ling Yuexiao of Baizhan Peak, and Ruan Mingxiu of Yunyin Peak. I couldn't break free."

"How was I to know Yan Chuan would be killed? The acting Sect Master role was just a test they set for me."

"I've only just now managed to dispel their suspicions—but what have you done? You sent someone to kill Luo Xue, kill Tan Qiang, and even cut off Nannan's finger to threaten me. You've made me feel utterly heartbroken."

As Gao Xuan spoke, his fury boiled over, his eyes filled with rage and hatred, and profound disappointment toward Wu Sha and his kind.

"You've crossed my line!" Gao Xuan's expression was resolute.

Gao Xuan's relentless accusations left Wu Sha momentarily speechless.

To be honest, they had always suspected Gao Xuan's involvement in the deaths of Qu Shen, Gu Tao, and Yan Chuan—but without concrete evidence, the matter had remained unresolved.

Today's visit was merely a test.

Seeing Gao Xuan's anger, Wu Sha burst into loud laughter.

"Cang Lang, you should understand better," Wu Sha explained with a grin. "The Palace has just lost three late Nascent Soul cultivators—anyone would find that hard to accept!"

Gao Xuan snorted.

Wu Sha continued: "Since Taiqingmen no longer suspects you, just keep lying low. If a mission arises, I'll contact you."

Gao Xuan replied: "Oh? Then why doesn't Xuanjizi come out and say something?"

As soon as he spoke, his gaze sharpened toward the side.

A figure suddenly appeared—it could only be Xuanjizi, the Tianji Gate Sect Master.

He stood there solemnly, radiating a powerful aura.

Xuanjizi looked at Gao Xuan and spoke slowly: "I never imagined you'd be from Cangyan Dao Palace. I did have one question: the day you told me, was the Four Flowers Summit Array Plate made by Tianji Gate? And how did you know?"

Gao Xuan said: "I overheard it from Cao Zhengyang. I told you only to test whether what he said was true—after all, no one ever told me the other ally was Tianji Gate."

Wu Sha stepped forward, his face grave: "The Array Plate matter was top secret. Yan Chuan personally carried it to deliver to you, and only a Nascent Soul cultivator could activate it. Yet Yan Chuan died suddenly, and the plate appeared at Tianji Gate within days—how do you explain that?"

Gao Xuan sneered: "I don't know, and I can't explain it. After all, I'm just a pawn—used when needed, discarded when not, left to guess everything."

For a moment, both men opened their mouths but found nothing to say.

Wu Sha quickly smiled again: "Cang Lang, don't overthink it. It's not that the Master doesn't trust you—sometimes, we learn things no earlier than you do, and we can't always notify you in time. Besides, it was the Master who helped you avenge your Chou."

"Precisely because the Master avenged me, and because I, a Nascent Soul cultivator, possessed the original Gao Xuan's body, have I silently held my ground until now. But now I've received Nannan's finger—how do you explain that?" Gao Xuan snapped.

Wu Sha hurriedly said: "Nannan's body is perfectly preserved—it wasn't hers. The Master did this only to test you. Your merits and hardships are all recorded by the Master."

Gao Xuan's eyes lit up instantly, his expression softening considerably.

"Then good. Since the misunderstanding is cleared, return quickly—don't draw suspicion!" Wu Sha said at once.

Gao Xuan bowed slightly, then left.

The moment he was gone, Wu Sha's smile vanished. He turned to Xuanjizi, his face serious: "Well?"

Xuanjizi closed his eyes. On the ground, a series of arrays appeared, then rapidly contracted, countless runes coalescing into a glowing orb.

Xuanjizi swallowed it whole. After a long silence, he opened his eyes, his expression filled with disbelief.

"Everything he said was true!"

Wu Sha was stunned: "So we were wrong about him?"

Immediately, Wu Sha turned and walked to a rock on the other side, retrieving a hidden image stone.

"I'll take it back to the Master. He'll analyze his eyes and other details."

Then the two left.

By the time the moon rose above the treetops, Gao Xuan—who had long since departed—appeared there again, eerily.

Looking around, he stood with his hands behind his back, expression calm, lost in thought.

When he returned to Jinyang Peak, Cao Zhengyang stepped out from the shadows beside him.

"Back already?"

"Mm."

"Go well?"

"I don't know."

"Actually, if you'd told us sooner..."

"Gao Xuan was killed by me. He didn't just kill Nannan—he had already defected to Cangyan Dao Palace..."

"My brother Gao Xuan never died," Cao Zhengyang suddenly interrupted.

Gao Xuan stared at him, then suddenly smiled: "Thank you, Brother."

…………

Three days later, Zhou Qing went to the Exchange Hall and exchanged all his accumulated points for the array materials he needed.

Upon returning to Xiao Ling Peak, he saw four figures waiting for him.

They were the four senior brothers and sisters he had retrieved in exchange for Sima Yaoji—he had heard they returned safely and had been thinking of them.

But he'd heard they were still recovering from injuries and hadn't had time to visit them—yet here they were, coming to find him.

"Brother Zhou, thank you for saving our lives!"

As Zhou Qing smiled and stepped forward to speak, all four knelt on one knee in gratitude.

"Senior brothers and sisters, what are you doing? Get up quickly—this is too much!" Zhou Qing's face changed; he rushed forward to help them up.

They looked at Zhou Qing, eyes filled with emotion, as if returning from another lifetime.

The last time they'd seen him, his Golden Core had been crushed, and Yan Xiaohu had carried him down from Mo Xingjian's place.

Now, only a few years later, Zhou Qing had not only restored his cultivation but also gained a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm, becoming famous throughout the Eastern Region.

Even they, who were meant to die, had returned alive.

They still remembered how they'd been hung on iron racks like livestock awaiting slaughter.

Watching the people before them being disemboweled, screaming in agony.

Terrified, helpless, powerless—even to self-destruct and end their suffering was impossible. The despair still haunted them.

Just as they had accepted their fate, preparing to become mindless puppets, someone suddenly burst in, shouting: "Stop! Spare them!"

And then—they had miraculously returned!

Later, they learned the full story: Zhou Qing had sacrificed his own safety to release Sima Yaoji, securing their freedom.

Seeing them safe and sound, Zhou Qing smiled from the heart: "Come on, since you're here, let's go inside for a drink. My treat—to celebrate your homecoming."

The four burst into laughter, shouting in unison: "Let's go!"

Their laughter carried the joy of survival after near-death.

In the afternoon, the four left. Zhou Qing rushed out after them, holding the eight Jipin spirit stones, calling out:

"What are you doing? Oh no, this is too much..."

Before he finished, he saw Yan Xiaohu staring at him with eyes gleaming green with greed.

Zhou Qing's face changed; he immediately returned to the courtyard and activated the formation barrier.

Six months later, Zhou Qing fully mastered the Jin Wu Burn the Sky Scripture. Its power was terrifying—alone, it could completely crush the Gravity Zone.

Moreover, the spiritual power required was halved compared to the minor accomplishment stage, leaving Zhou Qing astonished.

Another half-year passed, and he mastered the Suannishentong 's Thunderstorm Starfall Kill, which, combined with the Four Forms of Cang Lei Sword Art, perfectly countered yin and evil wandering souls.

As for his cultivation, it advanced steadily—but breaking into Nascent Soul Late Stage remained uncertain, perhaps years away.

After all, the Nascent Soul realm grants a thousand years of life, yet countless prodigies had been eliminated within that span.

Especially the final barrier—the realm of artistic conception—had blocked countless cultivators, forcing them to sit and wither in helpless longing.

As for Jipin spirit stones, Zhou Qing had no shortage: he still had four residual fire-type Jipin stones, eight ordinary Jipin stones, and a large supply of superior-grade spirit stones.

Even the old hen had improved her diet—now she ate powdered medium-grade spirit stones.

As for array arts, he hadn't been idle this year. Through constant practice and study, he successfully condensed eighteen spirit seals—just two more, and he'd be a true Level One Array Master.

Of course, this "array master" wasn't the same as the common one—it meant one who could set up a single-color barrier or seal and had truly mastered the craft.

"I wonder how Second Uncle is doing now?" Zhou Qing wondered.

Though he'd taken a shortcut using the legacy of Xuan Qingzi, don't forget—Second Uncle was a true genius.

As for Yan Xiaohu, having taken Lei Luo as his junior, the two frequently traveled between sects via the sect's teleportation arrays—they shared common interests now.

…………

"Master—"

Today, Mo Xingjian came, and Zhou Qing bowed in greeting.

Mo Xingjian nodded and said, "Since Sima Yaoji returned, there has been no word of her, as if she vanished completely. Someone like her, a demon, can only end up in one of two ways."

"One, she breaks through in desperation, comprehends her realm, and reaches the half-step to Soul Transformation; the other, she is blinded by hatred, lying in wait like a venomous snake, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment."

"Either way, she now hates you with every fiber of her being. I'm glad you've stayed calm and didn't leave for a whole year."

Mo Xingjian looked at Zhou Qing, his eyes revealing a hint of approval.

Zhou Qing smiled at this, feeling surprisingly at ease.

It's just possession, after all. Now that I'm bound to her, I'm not afraid.

After all, she isn't the only one growing.

"Master, I have a question: the Five Sects have been fighting for years—why haven't the Soul Transformation experts stepped in? Even if they have puppets, our Three Sects aren't weaklings—we could crush them easily!"

Zhou Qing voiced the confusion he'd carried for a long time; seeing familiar faces disappear one by one still weighed on him.

Especially Du Kui—after he brought back Luo Xue and Sima Yaoji's corpses, I thought he'd find peace and recover, but a year later, he's still as broken as ever.

"Is it because of the three paintings the Seventh Imperial Prince sent?" Zhou Qing asked.

Mo Xingjian sighed heavily, his expression grave.

"It's not just the Seventh Imperial Prince. It's also what Fu Kui said last time. This war can't end too soon—otherwise, we might clash with factions from other regions. Right now, this stalemate is actually best."

Zhou Qing didn't fully understand.

But Mo Xingjian pulled out three messages and handed them over: "These were gathered by your Sect Master's uncle."

Zhou Qing took them and widened his eyes in shock.

"The Northern Region of Xingyao Prefecture is engulfed in civil war among the Nine Major Sects!"

"The Western Region of Haomiao Prefecture has been at war for a year, crushed by Hunyuan Sect; six months later, for unknown reasons, the Southwest Regions erupted into war, with millions deployed—sixteen Soul Transformation experts have already perished."

"The Southern Region of Lingfeng Prefecture is at war between the Eight Major Sects and ancient clans."

Zhou Qing frowned as he read the three messages.

The Shengwu Empire has eight provinces and seventy-two prefectures; these three prefectures—including Lingyun Prefecture—are all under Longyuan Province's jurisdiction.

Mo Xingjian said, "Besides these three, rumors say tensions are rising everywhere else, just like at the start of our Five Sects war—open conflict is only a matter of time."

Zhou Qing paused, then asked, "So the hand in the painting really came from the Imperial Capital?"

Mo Xingjian nodded. "Likely. So until we understand what that person truly wants, we must keep this chaos going."

Zhou Qing fell into thought.

Mo Xingjian said, "When Soul Transformation experts enter the fray, it means the conflict has escalated completely—and it accelerates the war's end. We might not even get a breath before we're dragged into war with other regions, like Haomiao Prefecture."

"Besides, Qingyu Immortal Sect lost several Soul Transformation experts. The high-ranking rebels in Jin Leizong are still imprisoned. Our Three Sects have very few Soul Transformation experts ourselves. Though Tianji Gate is weaker, we know nothing for certain about Cangyan Dao Palace."

"How many Soul Transformation experts they have, how many puppet armies capable of fighting three at once—we don't know a thing. We can't push through, so we're stuck in stalemate, waiting for a turning point."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing began to understand his master's concerns.

"But similarly, Cangyan Dao Palace and Tianji Gate are also wary of us—they dare not end this war too soon. Besides, bad situations often carry hidden opportunities."

As Mo Xingjian spoke, he looked at Zhou Qing with clear admiration.

Since this child achieved the Four Flowers at the Crown, what he lacked was a thorough trial—and this Five Sects war is precisely the perfect arena.

In fact, the results are already clear.

His cultivation base, his temperament, and his reputation have all soared.

In a short time, he has smoothly broken through to the mid-stage of Nascent Soul.

His temperament is even more remarkable—steadier, more meticulous in thought, revealing the qualities of a true powerhouse with every decision he makes.

As for his reputation, he has risen from obscurity to a figure everyone now fears and reveres.

"I've come with another piece of good news!" Mo Xingjian said quickly, his face glowing with uncontainable joy.

Zhou Qing immediately turned to his master.

Mo Xingjian beamed, glanced around as if fearing eavesdroppers, then leaned close to Zhou Qing's ear and whispered, "Your eldest brother—he's reached Soul Transformation!"

"Really? That's amazing!" Zhou Qing burst into ecstatic cheers.

When his eldest brother left, he'd said he'd reach Soul Transformation in four or five years. With the Five Sects war beginning, it gave him the perfect chance to break through—constant battles, and he now tops the Most Wanted List.

Now, he's achieved it far sooner.

"Where is he?" Zhou Qing asked eagerly.

Soul Transformation—that's true refinement by fire. His eldest brother has now become the undisputed top young talent of Taiqingmen.

Mo Xingjian said, "He went to the Imperial Capital."

"The Imperial Capital?" Zhou Qing blinked, confused.

Mo Xingjian sighed. "Yes. According to his message, since Soul Transformation experts can't fight, he'd just be idle if he returned. So he decided to go there, observe, and find out what's really going on."

"But he just broke through—isn't that too dangerous?" Zhou Qing worried.

Mo Xingjian chuckled bitterly. "Danger? With your eldest brother's stubborn, charge-ahead nature, does he fear danger? I think he's thrilled."

Zhou Qing thought about it—yeah, that sounded right.

"He first went to Lingyun Prefecture, used their large teleportation array to reach Longyuan Province, then kept traveling. Don't worry—the Imperial Capital has at least the Seventh Imperial Prince and other acquaintances. Nothing will happen!" Mo Xingjian reassured him.

Zhou Qing nodded, silently wishing his eldest brother a safe journey.

But then he remembered something and asked quickly, "What about my second sister? Isn't she close too?"

At this, Mo Xingjian's face darkened. "Second girl vanished after breaking up with Bai He. No one knows where she went. During your year-long cultivation, Bai He secretly came three times asking if she'd returned."

Zhou Qing grew concerned. "Could my second sister be in danger?"

Mo Xingjian shook his head slightly. "Not likely. Your second sister is cautious and carries many life-saving items—even a Soul Transformation expert couldn't easily kill her. Don't worry."

Hearing this, Zhou Qing felt slightly relieved.

Soon, he sensed something and pulled out his identity token—a message from Lu Yaoyao.

【Brother Zhou, are you free today? My eldest brother's back. Let's meet at Yushantang!】

Zhou Qing stared at the message, surprised.

Li Daoxuan had returned.

The last time he left to seek his own realm, Zhou Qing had been using Flame Spirit Blood Paste to push through to Nascent Soul.

Now, it had been years since they last met.

Mo Xingjian also saw the message on the token. "Cultivation requires balance—don't stay sealed away forever. Sometimes, sit with others, chat, it's good. Go!"

Zhou Qing nodded, quickly prepared, and headed straight for Yushantang.

When they met again, Zhou Qing sensed Li Daoxuan had aged significantly, his aura far more subdued.

Like a sword sheathed, ordinary to the eye—but when drawn, its power would be terrifying.

Yet he still lacked that aura of true realm.

In contrast, his eldest brother had already stepped into Soul Transformation—and left this game entirely, moving to a grander stage.

"Younger Brother Zhou, I heard you've not only restored your cultivation but also reached Nascent Soul—congratulations!"

Seeing Zhou Qing arrive as promised, Li Daoxuan smiled warmly and invited him to sit.

His title, once "Poor Soul," had long since changed to "A Bit Brave, But a Flirt."

Zhou Qing was speechless—how did "flirt" come back again?

Still, he smiled and replied, "Lucky, just lucky!"

Inside the private room, besides Li Daoxuan, there was He Han. The other three from Shenyue Peak were still on missions.

Lu Yaoyao happily poured wine for everyone.

Double Moon Tickets! End of the month again—please vote!

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(End of Chapter)