Chapter 203: Brother Zhou, do you think I can still come back?

Ancient texts record that for at least several hundred years after a Zhan Ling realm cultivator perishes, the surrounding area is shrouded in a thick aura of negative emotions.

That region remains perpetually without sunlight, as if cursed; all who approach fall into the same eerie visions Cao Zhengyang described.

Those with weak willpower are even consumed by the unyielding resentments of those once slain by the Zhan Ling realm cultivator, becoming mindless "gravekeepers."

Cao Zhengyang nodded solemnly and said slowly: "Likely so—otherwise, how could the Eastern Region have been shaken so violently?"

"A Zhan Ling realm," Gao Xuan murmured, his voice tinged with awe and confusion, "there are only a dozen or so in the entire Level Four cultivation nation. Who exactly perished there?"

Cao Zhengyang sighed deeply: "These past few years have truly been a time of turmoil, especially in our Eastern Region. Who knows what chaos lies ahead?"

He paused, then added: "I originally planned to ask Mo Xingjian to join me in investigating the situation, but since Zhou Qing has returned, let him enjoy the joy of reuniting with his master."

Gao Xuan instantly understood Cao Zhengyang's meaning and said: "Of course. Time waits for no one—let's go."

The two swiftly departed Taiqingmen, heading straight for Linggu Mountain…

After leaving Jinyang Peak, Zhou Qing felt unexpectedly at ease.

At least now, after this confrontation, he had a rough understanding of Gao Xuan's past—and the Sect Master seemed well aware.

With that, he was finally at peace.

"Nannan—" Zhou Qing whispered softly, filled with pity and reflection.

It seemed that if he could recover Nannan's body, he could finally heal his master's deepest wound.

It would be a small but sincere act of gratitude toward this elder who had endured so much.

Just as Zhou Qing prepared to return to Xiao Ling Peak, a familiar voice called out from behind.

He turned to see Du Kui flying toward him on his sword.

Zhou Qing smiled and asked: "Brother Du, is there something else?"

Du Kui landed, breathing slightly heavily, and said: "I just paid respects to Xue'er, and when I turned around, you were already gone. I was hoping to have a drink with you."

Zhou Qing's expression darkened instantly with guilt: "I completely forgot. If you and Sister Luo Xue hadn't arrived in time back then, Lu Yaoyao and I would have been dead. This was my oversight—I'm sorry."

Du Kui waved his hand and laughed cheerfully: "You've already repaid your debt. Why bring it up again?"

But Zhou Qing insisted on paying respects to Sister Luo Xue; Du Kui couldn't refuse, so he accompanied him back to the rear of Jinyang Peak.

The sea of flowers still bloomed brilliantly; a gentle breeze stirred them, creating waves of color.

Two graves stood quietly amid the flowers, spotlessly clean, with fresh flowers and fruit placed before them—clearly, Du Kui tended to them regularly.

Zhou Qing stepped forward and respectfully inserted three incense sticks.

"Sister, I've come to see you," Zhou Qing whispered, his expression complex.

Then he turned slowly to face the other grave beside it—Tan Qiang's.

Back then, Tan Qiang had carried a box all the way home, just as Elder Wu Zhu came out to greet him—he bled from all seven orifices and died instantly, his soul scattered.

To this day, no one knows what was inside that box.

Now, the Five Sects War has long ended, yet they remain forever asleep here.

Du Kui stared at the two graves in silence for a long while, then suddenly asked: "When are you leaving?"

Zhou Qing pulled his gaze away and said softly: "In a few days."

Du Kui nodded slightly and said: "Before you go, let me offer you a farewell drink on behalf of Luo Xue."

Zhou Qing looked at Du Kui, sighed softly, and replied: "Alright."

Then the two stood quietly, gazing at the two small graves, hearts heavy with sorrow.

Only when Zhou Qing received a message from Yan Xiao Hu did he finally turn to leave.

Du Kui watched the receding figure, his eyes suddenly flashing with cold light as he whispered: "Just one step remains, Zhou Qing—truly, I'm sorry."

Then he knelt slowly, gently touching Luo Xue's tombstone, his voice soft: "Sister, you won't hate me, will you? But this is Heaven's gift to me—why else would he return at precisely this moment?"

…

Upon returning to Xiao Ling Peak, he discovered He Han, Shi Zhen, and Sister Pei Yan had already arrived—and with them were Lei Luo of Jin Leizong and Yuan Ya of Qingyu Immortal Sect.

"I heard you two were back, and everyone came looking for you!" Yan Xiao Hu hurried over from beneath the lush tree by the gate, wiping his hands as he walked.

Zhou Qing bowed politely to each person, a long-absent smile on his face: "Brothers and sisters, long time no see—come inside and talk."

He opened the courtyard gate, and the group entered one by one.

He Han wanted to know why Lu Yaoyao hadn't returned—had something happened?

Zhou Qing had to use telepathy; though he trusted Lei Luo and Yuan Ya, the fewer who knew about Senior Brother Li Daoxuan's enlightenment, the better.

Upon hearing this, He Han's eyes lit up instantly, his face filled with surprise and joy—he finally felt at ease.

As for Sister Shi Zhen, she had already met him at the Mission Hall that morning, but mentioned it to Pei Yan afterward.

Upon learning Zhou Qing had returned, Pei Yan insisted on coming over.

After all, if Zhou Qing hadn't uncovered Sima Yaoji's disguise back then, she would have been possessed—she wouldn't be herself today.

She had never forgotten this life-saving debt.

So she dragged Shi Zhen along, determined to treat Zhou Qing to a meal as thanks.

Zhou Qing couldn't refuse such heartfelt generosity, so he nodded in agreement.

"What about me?" Yan Xiao Hu stared pleadingly at Pei Yan, unable to hold back any longer.

Pei Yan laughed teasingly: "Go away, go away—everyone here today owes me this favor!"

Everyone chuckled at that.

Lei Luo had come purely to hang out with Yan Xiao Hu.

After all, the two had once teamed up to dig up someone's ancestral graves, then disguised themselves to infiltrate Cangyan Dao Palace, urinating and leaving messages on the square's stone pillars—those wild, thrilling memories had bound them tightly together.

Of course, Zhou Qing had slain five of Cangyan Dao Palace's top young geniuses—he was Lei Luo's idol; he simply had to pay a visit.

"Where's your brother?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked.

Lei Lie, the eldest disciple of Jin Leizong's Sect Master Lei Wuji, once ranked third on the Most Wanted List, had long since awakened a certain realm of understanding and was likely only one step away from Soul Transformation.

Lei Luo shrugged helplessly: "After the Five Sects War, he left. Probably to focus on refining his own realm—I don't know where exactly."

Zhou Qing listened, then nodded thoughtfully.

At that moment, Sister Yuan Ya spoke up, her voice clear yet steady: "My sect's Senior Sister Zhu He left too—they likely left together."

Zhu He, ranked fourth on the Most Wanted List, the eldest disciple of Qingyu Immortal Sect's Sect Master, was a Nascent Soul peak cultivator who had already glimpsed the form of a certain realm.

Zhou Qing looked at Yuan Ya, his gaze lingering on the still-horrifying scar on her face, his heart aching slightly.

"In a few years, they'll both be Nascent Soul cultivators among the younger generation!" Zhou Qing remarked with deep emotion.

But speaking of them, he couldn't help recalling what the Sect Master had once told him.

When Sister Luo Xue was brutally killed at Linggu Mountain, Lei Lie of Jin Leizong and Zhu He of Qingyu Immortal Sect had been watching from the shadows.

With their half-Soul Transformation power, they could have easily subdued Sima Yaoji and saved Sister Luo Xue.

Yet they stood by and watched the tragedy unfold, then slipped away silently.

Perhaps it was an order from their sects—on the level of sect rivalry, their actions seemed logical.

But Zhou Qing's heart still ached—he was disappointed and furious at this cold calculus of interests.

After the Five Sects War, Yuan Ya had become very quiet.

Had the three sects' teleportation arrays not been shut down, she would have come sooner—not for any other reason, but because Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao Hu had saved her life, and she would never forget that debt.

After some casual conversation, they all followed Pei Yan's enthusiastic lead to Yushan Hall for a meal.

At any time, they all hoped to preserve the purity of their old friendship.

…

Three days later, a shockingly astonishing rumor began spreading across the Eastern Region, then rapidly reached the other three regions.

Then it spread to Lingyun Prefecture, Haomiao Prefecture, Qingming Prefecture, Jiuque Prefecture, Xinghan Prefecture, and eventually the entire Longyuan Commandery.

An unknown Zhan Ling realm cultivator had perished at Linggu Mountain.

Instantly, the entire Shengwu Empire—eight commanderies and seventy-two prefectures—were shaken.

A Zhan Ling realm cultivator was the pinnacle of a Level Four cultivation nation, a supreme power atop the cultivation pyramid.

Their strength was unfathomable, capable of overturning clouds and reversing rain with a single thought—yet someone had slain them?

It was simply unbelievable.

Soon, countless people poured out from every corner, driven by Jiaoxing, flooding toward Linggu Mountain like a tide.

Some came out of pure curiosity, wanting to witness firsthand whether the legends were true—that a thousand li around was shrouded in eerie emotions.

And such a rare spectacle might even reveal hidden secrets of cultivation.

Others were driven by greed, hoping to scavenge in the chaos—if they found even one magic treasure, secret manual, or storage pouch left behind by the Zhan Ling cultivator, they'd strike it rich.

Even wilder rumors claimed such a great being wouldn't perish easily—perhaps a fragment of their soul still lingered somewhere.

If your ancestors' grave smoked, maybe you'd find an old man inside your storage pouch who'd help you reach the peak of life.

Suddenly, Lingyun Prefecture's Eastern Region became the center of attention, bustling with activity, all manner of factions and individuals converging.

Rumors said people from other commanderies were on their way, and Lingyun's teleportation arrays operated day and night without pause.

Flashes of light appeared constantly as new arrivals stepped out, rushing nonstop toward Linggu Mountain.

Soon after, the sole Prince of the Shengwu Empire, Xuan Yuan Shuo, appeared and told everyone the deceased was Feng Xuan Yi, the Peng Emperor of Taiyao Mountain.

Not a human cultivator—so there was no need to panic or fear.

Many secretly exhaled in relief.

After all, the Shengwu Empire was a Level Four cultivation nation only three thousand years old, with extremely few Zhan Ling realm cultivators.

Surrounding Level Four nations watched hungrily, always coveting the Empire's resources and territory.

Years ago, during the "Four Flowers Gathering at the Summit" incident, the imperial capital had explicitly declared it a scheme by other cultivation nations to divert trouble eastward.

If another human Zhan Ling realm cultivator perished now, the Shengwu Empire's strength would suffer devastating losses—with unimaginable consequences.

Yet the crowd's curiosity did not fade—it grew even stronger, as everyone speculated whether it was Xuan Yuan Shuo who had sent the assassin.

After all, this prince had long borne the heavy responsibility of guarding the border, deterring the demonic clans of the major demon mountains.

Of all those present in the Eastern Region when the Peng King fell, he alone was there—making him the prime suspect.

But faced with the crowd's suspicions, Xuan Yuan Shuo remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

His silence, however, was taken by the crowd as tacit admission.

At this moment, his prestige soared like the midday sun.

Many even planned to head to the border after this affair concluded, hoping to join his ranks and follow him.

Taiqingmen!

Zhou Qing had never expected Xuan Yuan Shuo would take the blame for him—yet this worked out well; if the Taiyao Mountain faction sought revenge, they would direct their fury at this prince.

Moreover, it was indeed he who had severely wounded the Wind Elder—this was entirely justified.

【Today's posts are being refreshed…】

【A new post has been saved to the Odd Post Archive—please check promptly.】

Hearing the alert, Zhou Qing's eyes lit up, and he immediately turned to his interface.

【Antidote Post: Can be used on oneself or others; under normal circumstances, it neutralizes nearly all poisons in the world, lasting three breaths.】

Good news: after a month, a new post had finally refreshed.

Bad news: for the first time, a duplicate post appeared—and only one copy.

Still, having something was better than nothing; after all, the talent skill 【Random Post】 was all about spontaneity.

Besides, it was thanks to this post that he had survived the Wind Elder's poison pill.

Zhou Qing carefully tucked it away.

After studying the Inscription-Level Divine Art 【Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain】 for a while longer, a knock came at the door.

Opening it, his master Mo Xingjian entered with Yan Xiao Hu.

After stepping inside, Mo Xingjian waved his hand, and an invisible soundproofing barrier instantly formed, sealing the room off from the outside.

"The events at Linggu Mountain happened over a month ago, yet people keep streaming in. If there's nothing more for you, return to the academy quickly."

Mo Xingjian's eyes were filled with worry.

The Eastern Region had become a chaotic mix of all kinds of people, drawing more and more.

Moreover, it was Zhou Qing who had killed that demon emperor—if someone used special methods to uncover the truth, the consequences would be unthinkable.

At least by staying near Second Uncle, he'd be safer.

Zhou Qing listened, hesitating.

This affair had started because of him—he wanted to stay and observe further, in case something went wrong, so he could at least lend a hand.

Mo Xingjian seemed to read his thoughts, and said solemnly: "A Spirit Severing cultivator has fallen. For centuries to come, this land will draw seekers of opportunity—we can't possibly join them all."

"Didn't Second Uncle say he'd take you to comprehend your realm once you returned? Listen to your master—go back to the academy."

Zhou Qing understood his master's intentions. After a moment of thought, he nodded reluctantly.

"Alright, Master. I'll pack up and leave in three days," Zhou Qing said.

But Mo Xingjian shook his head. "Leave tomorrow. The sooner you depart, the sooner I can rest easy."

Zhou Qing glanced at his third senior, who gave a slight nod, and could only agree reluctantly.

…

Since he was leaving, Zhou Qing went to find Du Kui, as agreed.

The scenery behind Jinyang Peak remained as beautiful as ever—flowers bloomed wildly across the hills, and a gentle breeze carried waves of floral fragrance.

"On Xue'er's behalf, I wish you a safe journey!" Du Kui raised his wine bowl.

Zhou Qing smiled. "Thank you, Senior Brother. And may you break through to Soul Transformation soon. Luo Sister, thank you!"

Zhou Qing raised his bowl and drained it in one gulp.

The two leaned against the tombstone, drinking wine and speaking openly.

Du Kui's tolerance seemed weaker than before; after a few cups, he was already drunk.

His gaze grew hazy as he stared into the distance, mumbling about his past moments with Luo Xue.

From their shy, innocent first meeting to the mutual encouragement and companionship during cultivation, every memory stood vividly clear.

Those ordinary yet precious moments had now become the softest part of his heart.

Watching Du Kui weep, Zhou Qing listened quietly, offering comfort with a gentle pat on his shoulder.

Soon, Du Kui stood unsteadily, his steps unbalanced.

He opened his arms as if to embrace the entire back mountain, inhaled deeply the fragrant air, then suddenly asked: "Taiqingmen is my home, Zhou Junior Brother—do you think I can come back?"

Zhou Qing smiled, rising quickly. "Are you going to leave like Lei Lie and the others, to seek out your realm?"

"Taiqingmen is my home too. No matter how far we wander, we can always return—because here, a group of lovely old folks are waiting for us."

Zhou Qing looked with deep gratitude at the layered mountains before him—every blade of grass, every tree, every senior, carried his profound affection.

For in his heart, Taiqingmen was not just a place to cultivate—it was his spiritual home.

Du Kui froze for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed heartily.

As his laughter faded, he regained his composure, gazing at the sunset's glow, murmuring: "You're right. I'll come back."

Soon, Du Kui turned to Zhou Qing, his tone serious: "Zhou Junior Brother, the academy is full of complicated people—there are countless like Qian Dafu. Don't trust anyone easily—not even your own senior brothers. Take me, for instance—I might betray you someday for some reason."

Zhou Qing nodded seriously. "Understood. Human hearts are hard to fathom—I'm always on guard."

Du Kui smiled faintly, then looked at Zhou Qing's wine bowl. "Drink less wine in the future. Your uncles and aunts? Tea suits them better."

Before Zhou Qing could react, Du Kui suddenly reached out, snatched the wine bowl from his hand, and hurled it away without hesitation.

Zhou Qing stared, stunned.

The next day, Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao Hu bade farewell to the Sect Master, Mo Xingjian, and Elder Wu Zhu, who waved to them at the mountain gate. They turned, tapped their feet lightly, and mounted their swords, soaring into the sky.

Leaving home again—somehow, it was hard to let go.

…

As they raced onward, nearly every conversation they heard revolved around Linggu Mountain, and countless streaks of light streamed toward a single direction.

Especially upon hearing that a shape-shifting demon from Taiyao Mountain had infiltrated, Yan Xiao Hu's face darkened instantly. He glanced at Zhou Qing, worry etched on his features.

Zhou Qing merely smiled, giving him a reassuring look, then accelerated toward Lingyun Prefecture.

Soon, a month passed—they had only covered half the distance.

That day, as Zhou Qing was flying on his sword, a sudden wave of nausea struck him. Before he could react, the spiritual power flowing smoothly through his meridians abruptly stalled.

Then, a violent gale slammed into him, and he plummeted straight toward the ground.

"Fourth Brother—"

Seeing this, Yan Xiao Hu's face turned ashen. Without hesitation, he summoned his flying knife and dove downward at top speed.

Just as Zhou Qing was about to hit the earth, he caught him firmly.

Zhou Qing's body was ice-cold, trembling uncontrollably, as if he'd just crawled from an icy tomb.

His limbs felt leaden, especially his skin, which was visibly turning black and emitting a nauseating stench of decay.

"What's going on? Didn't the poison from that feathered beast get neutralized?" Yan Xiao Hu cried in horror, his voice trembling.

Zhou Qing felt dizzy and his consciousness was fading. His first thought was the poison pill the Wind Elder had forced upon them.

But that shouldn't be possible—the 【Antidote Post】 had already drawn it out.

If the poison hadn't been neutralized, why was Third Senior Brother unharmed?

As he wrestled with confusion, the four-colored flower in his spiritual sea finally stirred, slowly floating upward and emitting a gentle radiance.

His awareness began to clear slightly.

At that moment, the air around them seemed to freeze, growing heavy and oppressive.

Shiiii! Shiiii! Shiiii!

Sharp whistling sounds erupted as beams of light shot violently upward from the ground, moving too fast to follow.

They crisscrossed swiftly through the air, converging in an instant into an invisible cage that tightly enclosed Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao Hu.

"Formation!" Zhou Qing gritted his teeth, fighting the agony in his body, trying to rise—but his legs felt like they were filled with lead. He stumbled, nearly falling.

Seeing this, Yan Xiao Hu acted instantly. He snapped his right hand upward, and a great blade materialized in his grip, gleaming with cold light. He immediately shielded Zhou Qing behind him.

His entire body tensed, eyes scanning every direction.

"What's happening? Did someone set this trap for us on purpose?" Yan Xiao Hu whispered, baffled.

No sooner had he spoken than an old man's figure appeared like a ghost, slowly materializing from above.

His hands were clasped behind his back, his gaze icy and disdainful as he looked down upon them.

The aura he radiated was vast and overwhelming, instilling dread.

Waves of terrifying pressure crashed over them, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

Both their hearts sank instantly—this was a true Soul Transformation cultivator!

(End of Chapter)