Chapter 209: This, Is My Realm, Zhou Qing

With Old Weng’s guidance, Zhou Qing began to immerse himself more deeply in everyday life.

He wandered through every corner of Haomiao Prefecture, carefully observing people from all walks of life; due to his passive talent skill [Lowered Presence], he viewed them as if through an audience’s eyes.

Until three months later, while continuing to fish by the shore, his aura suddenly surged upward in stages.

As spiritual power continuously gathered, the energy around him quickly reached a critical threshold.

He did not use a single spirit stone—everything unfolded with perfect naturalness.

Then a muffled boom erupted from within Zhou Qing, like an ancient bell tolling, shaking the entire lake.

Zhou Qing slowly opened his eyes, stunned, murmuring to himself: “Nascent Soul peak!”

The next instant, his fishing rod jerked violently.

Zhou Qing’s face lit up with joy; he swiftly gripped the rod with both hands and pulled it up with all his strength.

At this moment, the breakthrough in his realm felt less satisfying than the simple joy of catching a fish.

Watching the struggling grass carp, Zhou Qing suddenly understood.

When you stubbornly pursue something, it slips away; but when you meet it with calmness, everything flows naturally.

The small joys of daily life—the ordinary, genuine moments—are also part of cultivation.

“Again!” After placing the grass carp in his basket, Zhou Qing cast his line once more.

…

The ninth month!

The dilapidated hut in South Alley!

As Zhou Qing took a deep breath and activated his second Awakening Scroll, his comprehension surged over a hundredfold, his mind spinning at high speed.

All the insights he had gathered during nine months of street life instantly merged into one coherent whole.

Those scattered thoughts, vague perceptions, under the catalytic force of this immense comprehension, exploded into endless connections—not just one to a hundred, but one to a thousand…

A faint golden glow surfaced across his skin, like flowing liquid metal, shifting and swirling endlessly.

The surrounding space was disturbed, beginning to warp and distort.

Even the tables, chairs, and stools in the room started to shatter and vanish, as fragile as bubbles.

“He actually pulled it off? This kind of realm is truly overwhelming!”

In a nearby general store, Old Weng, who had been napping on a bamboo chair, suddenly opened his eyes, filled with shock.

Just months ago, he was barely at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm—now he’s not only at its peak but has already formed the embryonic shape of his own realm? This level of comprehension is unprecedented!

Old Weng muttered softly, his heart brimming with awe.

Even mimicking another’s realm takes at least twenty to thirty years; the best ones require over a century.

Yet Zhou Qing achieved it in less than a year—and even slipped in a realm breakthrough along the way.

“I’m truly curious—what kind of realm did you awaken?” Old Weng murmured to himself, eyes alight with anticipation.

Three hours later, as the [Awakening Scroll] expired, the golden glow on Zhou Qing’s body faded, and he returned to normal.

Yet now, a unique aura clung to him—the faint manifestation of the realm’s embryonic shape that countless Nascent Soul experts longed for.

Zhou Qing slowly opened his eyes, a flash of insight and joy crossing his face; he smiled.

“Defy fate, defy destiny—countless barriers confine my path; embrace fate, follow destiny—only now do I realize I am myself.”

“One moment of awakening, heart returns to truth—why fear the chains of the past? All worldly bonds are empty; unbound, unattached, no self remains.”

Nine months of immersion taught him many things.

Others awaken realms by observing the world—mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, the myriad facets of street life.

They catch the fleeting resonance with heaven and earth in the flutter of birds’ wings, the sway of fish’s tails, the rise and fall of mortal destinies, then construct their own unique realm.

This was the method Second Uncle taught him.

But he had tried, he had felt—it was either flashy and hollow, or manipulating fate’s threads to control outcomes: seemingly powerful, yet fundamentally unstable.

Like a grand mansion built on sand, impressive to the eye, yet crumbling under true pressure.

If so, then he would become the surging tide crashing into that sandcastle.

He discarded all ornamentation and illusion, leaving only the purest, most direct force.

One force breaks all arts!

Though still incomplete, once perfected, any other realm before him would shatter like paper tigers.

What remained for them would be his fists—meat to meat.

“Using two Awakening Scrolls, I’ve already condensed it—this at least proves my direction is correct.”

Zhou Qing mused.

The realm he had awakened, once fully formed, would undoubtedly become the “antithesis” of all existing realms.

He was now like a blank master key just removed from the furnace—possessing extraordinary potential, yet still needing countless hammerings and polishings.

To open every lock in the world, the first prerequisite was to thoroughly understand every other realm.

After all, each realm was a unique lock, with its own patterns and structure.

He needed to explore, to penetrate, to use his own “omniversal” nature to break through others’ “infinite variations.”

When refined to the point of perfect completion, that would be the day he stepped into Soul Transformation.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing already had a plan.

He hadn’t expected to walk the path of his senior brother and second sister so soon.

Rising, he looked around at the house where he had lived for nine months, a wave of gratitude rising in his heart.

After a respectful bow, he set off toward Old Weng’s general store.

“Oh? Made some money lately? New clothes—looks like good quality!” Old Weng greeted him with a grin as he entered.

Zhou Qing smiled faintly, then took from his storage ring a high-grade spirit stone and two pills, placing them gently on the table.

“Old Weng, I’m leaving. Keep these two pills—they may extend your life a little. This is spirit stone, needed by cultivators; carry it on your person, it will strengthen your body. Never show it to outsiders—it could cost you your life!”

Zhou Qing’s tone was serious as he warned.

Old Weng stared at the items on the table, eyes flickering with surprise, then chuckled: “Where’d you get these? Must’ve cost a fortune.”

Zhou Qing said: “Not expensive—picked them up while fishing. Take care—I’ll visit again when I have time!”

With that, he bowed deeply to Old Weng, then turned and left.

Watching Zhou Qing’s retreating figure, Old Weng wore a knowing smile.

“I’ve taken on this karmic debt—since it’s karma, I must repay it.”

Saying this, he slowly closed his eyes, leaned back on the bamboo chair, and began humming an unknown tune.

Clearly, he was in high spirits.

…

By his calculations, Second Uncle wouldn’t come to pick him up for another three months.

To spare him a pointless trip, Zhou Qing decided to return to the academy first, inform Second Uncle of his recent progress and next plans—perhaps even refine them further.

A few days later, upon returning to the academy, Zhou Qing was surprised to find the student population had noticeably recovered since his departure.

“Did you finish the investigation in the Eastern Region?” Zhou Qing asked, puzzled.

Soon after, upon hearing Yan Xiao Hu had returned, he rushed over, clutching his old hen.

“Hey, you bastard! So long without word—I was really starting to…”

Before he could finish, Yan Xiao Hu froze mid-step, his smile instantly hardening.

Zhou Qing stood quietly before him, radiating an indescribable aura that pressed upon Yan Xiao Hu with unprecedented weight.

It felt like facing Elder Wu Zhu, the gatekeeper—his pupils shrank sharply, his heart surging with shock.

“Don’t tell me… you’ve reached Soul Transformation?” Yan Xiao Hu swallowed hard, his voice trembling.

Zhou Qing chuckled softly: “Third Senior Brother, don’t tease me.”

Hearing this, Yan Xiao Hu exhaled in relief—then Zhou Qing added calmly: “He just reached the Nascent Soul peak and barely grasped the embryonic shape of a realm. Nothing special.”

Yan Xiao Hu: “...”

[Heart Insight +9]

Instantly, the prominent note above Yan Xiao Hu’s head—[Little Brother Who Isn’t Human]—changed to [Little Brother Who’s Nuts].

“Are you kidding me?” After a long pause, Yan Xiao Hu finally recovered, still utterly incredulous.

It’s been nine months—I haven’t even broken through to Nascent Soul mid-stage yet.

Is the difference between Earth Vein Foundation Establishment and Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment really this vast?

“Zhou Senior Brother!” At that moment, a clear voice called out.

Lu Yaoyao dashed over like a joyful fawn.

Behind her followed the solemn Li Daoxuan.

But when Li Daoxuan sensed the utterly different, overwhelming aura radiating from Zhou Qing, his steps halted abruptly; his mouth fell open in shock.

[Heart Insight +9]

The note above his head—[Slightly Courageous Lothario]—instantly changed to [Slightly Over-the-Top Lothario].

Lu Yaoyao paid no attention to this; she happily approached Zhou Qing, deliberately activating her spiritual power to reveal her Nascent Soul mid-stage aura.

“Senior Brother Zhou, where have you been all this time?” she asked, though her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Zhou Qing, of course, sensed her hidden intent; seeing her breakthrough to Nascent Soul mid-stage, he felt deeply pleased.

“Congratulations! I brought you treats I picked up on my way back!” Zhou Qing said, smiling as he took eight exquisite food boxes from his storage ring.

Each box held pastries meticulously purchased according to the recipe book she had once given him; the aroma filled the air.

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes crinkled into happy slits as she beamed: “Thank you, Senior Brother Zhou!”

……

Inside the cave dwelling!

The scent of tea curled gently as Zhou Qing poured tea for everyone one by one.

His expression calm, he spoke slowly, recounting every detail of his months in Haomiao Mansion.

Everyone had assumed Second Uncle had taken him elsewhere, never imagining he’d been right under their noses.

Zhou Qing detailed everything precisely because he hoped they’d draw lessons from his experience—especially Lu Yaoyao and Yan Xiao Hu.

After all, one day they’d walk this same path.

After a while longer of chatting, the conversation gradually turned to Second Uncle.

Zhou Qing learned that since sending him off, Second Uncle had not returned at all, and no one knew where he’d gone.

“Could he have gone to the Cave Heaven alone?” Zhou Qing muttered inwardly.

He wondered whether Second Uncle could now open the first coffin without relying on the [Great Strength Amplification Array].

But if Second Uncle had truly returned to Taiqingmen, even if he opened it, he’d never find anything.

After all, countless wandering souls drifted within, shrouded in thick mist—finding one person was as impossible as climbing to heaven.

Li Daoxuan gazed at Zhou Qing with a complex expression, deeply moved.

Among Taiqingmen’s younger generation, the most outstanding had always been himself and Gui Ao.

Gui Ao had entered Soul Transformation years ago and enjoyed unparalleled glory.

Then Luo Lingling followed close behind—he’d assumed he’d be next, but Zhou Qing had surged ahead, possibly even surpassing him in reaching that realm.

This was true genius.

How had no one noticed before?

“So what kind of realm have you perceived?” Yan Xiao Hu asked, cradling the old hen, eyes brimming with curiosity.

But the moment he spoke, he snapped back to his senses, face filled with regret.

Whether it was the unique amplification method of the Nascent Soul realm or the realm insight of Soul Transformation, these were absolute secrets to any cultivator.

At critical moments, they were life-or-death trump cards.

Once known to outsiders, enemies could devise targeted countermeasures.

Li Daoxuan and Lu Yaoyao’s curiosity was also stirred by Yan Xiao Hu’s question; both fixed their gazes on Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing merely smiled faintly and said calmly: “It’s still just a rough outline. I’ll tell you once it’s nearly perfected.”

Hearing this, Yan Xiao Hu secretly exhaled in relief.

As for Li Daoxuan, he was close too—according to his own words, he’d likely perceive his own realm within half a year.

And Lu Yaoyao was undoubtedly favored.

Master Lu treated her with utmost care, nurturing her as if she were his direct disciple.

Half a year ago, he went out of his way to petition the Dean, enduring great effort to secure the academy’s highest-level secret realm access.

Since then, Lu Yaoyao had trained relentlessly in the secret realm daily, her cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds.

Hearing this, Zhou Qing genuinely rejoiced for the girl.

It seemed this trip to the academy had been worth it.

With this, the four of them left only Yan Xiao Hu—unloved and uncared for, he’d been tricked into the Enforcement Hall twice since arriving.

As all three turned their gazes toward Yan Xiao Hu, he straightened his back instantly.

“What’s with those looks? Feeling sorry for me? Drop it. Haven’t you heard of late-blooming talent? Maybe my fortune hasn’t arrived yet.”

Yan Xiao Hu said stubbornly.

Everyone couldn’t help but smile at each other—no mockery, only deep anticipation.

“Third Brother, you’ll follow me from now on!” Zhou Qing said after a moment’s thought, looking seriously at Yan Xiao Hu.

He was now at Nascent Soul peak, having mastered numerous high-level divine techniques; alone, the combat boost from Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown allowed him to utterly crush peers and even fight beyond his realm.

Add to that his nascent, domineering realm, and he could stand against even a Soul Transformation beginner—with a strong chance of killing him.

He could truly be called the strongest under Soul Transformation.

So now he planned to challenge all eligible opponents across the four regions of Haomiao Mansion, using these battles to observe diverse realms and continuously refine his own.

Until he broke through to Soul Transformation!

If Third Brother followed him, perhaps he’d find his own breakthrough opportunity amid such intense training.

Otherwise, he worried their influence might pressure Third Brother into rushing his breakthrough, causing some accident.

Hearing Zhou Qing’s suggestion, Yan Xiao Hu naturally agreed.

After all, Lu Yaoyao had once followed Fourth Brother and broken two realms—his only wish was steady progress to Nascent Soul mid-stage.

“Zhou Brother, are you leaving?” Lu Yaoyao’s face, once bright with smiles, instantly filled with anxiety upon hearing his words.

Seeing her expression, Zhou Qing patiently explained: “Yes, I’ll just wander around Haomiao Mansion’s vicinity—might even come back occasionally.”

“Don’t follow me this time. Master Lu went to great lengths for you—don’t waste her hard work.”

Lu Yaoyao bit her lip, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but quickly rallied, nodding firmly: “Zhou Brother, I understand. Don’t worry—I’ll train hard!”

Her father was now at a critical moment in Soul Transformation; her duty now was to strengthen her own cultivation, not burden him.

Li Daoxuan listened quietly, his face wearing a faint smile, yet his heart churned like a spilled spice jar.

Lu Yaoyao was from his Shen Yue Peak—yet she ignored his words as Big Brother, but obeyed Zhou Qing’s single sentence as if it were an imperial decree.

At least she’d stay—if she left, this opportunity would be wasted.

After a little more casual chat, they parted ways.

Zhou Qing thought it over, then decided to return to the Cave Heaven—had Second Uncle truly come back?

Making up his mind, he waved his hand; a soundproofing barrier instantly enveloped him. He activated the Divine Ruins Tiangong token and stepped inside.

Upon entering, he saw his own scene and was about to step forward when Number Six followed closely behind.

“Number One!” Seeing Zhou Qing move, Number Six hurriedly called out.

Zhou Qing looked at her and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

How does it feel like you’re always watching me?

“You’re here too,” Zhou Qing greeted.

Number Six beamed excitedly: “I crafted a puppet and split off a thread of my spiritual sense to monitor the token. As soon as I saw you log in, I rushed in.”

Zhou Qing was stunned.

“Do you need help?” he asked, puzzled.

Number Six hurriedly replied, her blue sphere deepening visibly—she was clearly agitated.

“No, no, no! I just wanted to thank you immediately—for the [Great Yin Soul Refining Array] you gave me. Using it, I trapped the Shroud and obtained the [Ice Glass Spirit Sparrow Herb].”

“Following your advice, I found a master to refine it into [Ice Glass Spirit-Enhancing Pills]. The effect is excellent—I’m already in seclusion.”

Zhou Qing nodded.

“Good. And what about that scroll?” Zhou Qing’s spirit stirred curiously.

Number Six shook her head, looking regretful: “No chance to get it. And I felt it was extremely dangerous.”

Wasn’t it dangerous? That was a Rune-level divine technique—I used the [Copy Paste] to obtain it, yet I still haven’t even begun to understand it.

“Thank you so much!” Number Six sincerely thanked him again.

At this moment, Number One was like a god to her.

Hearing Number Six’s excited words, Zhou Qing suddenly, inexplicably, asked: “By the way, do you like lotus seed cakes, steamed sponge cake with sugar syrup, or wine-glutinous rice balls?”

“Wh-what?” Number Six froze.

Zhou Qing laughed heartily: “Just teasing you. Focus on your seclusion—strive to break through soon. I’ve got things to do.”

Saying this, Zhou Qing strode into his own restricted zone.

Watching the aerial scene turn completely red, Number Six stood frozen, murmuring: “Lotus seed cakes? Steamed sponge cake with sugar syrup? Wine-glutinous rice balls? How did she know I like these? Who exactly is he?”

At this moment, her heart was filled with shock and confusion.

……

After breaking through to Nascent Soul peak, the sense of being watched in the gravity zone intensified again.

Zhou Qing felt that if he succeeded in Soul Transformation, the hidden thing would launch a fatal attack.

“What exactly are you?” Zhou Qing wondered curiously.

The next instant, countless wandering souls howled and surged forth; Zhou Qing immediately prepared for battle.

“Thunderstorm Starfall Slash!”

Instantly, a thunder dragon roared forth, blue lightning arcs spreading across the entire corridor.

After a while, drenched in sweat, he emerged, rested briefly, then arrived at the corridor.

Everything remained the same.

Skillfully placing three dead crows on his shoulders, he crossed the Blood River and immediately activated the [Great Strength Amplification Array].

With a grating, teeth-chilling sound, the first coffin lid slowly opened—until the hated corpse-wax crow appeared, Zhou Qing had barely managed to crack open a finger-width gap.

Compared to before, this was a tremendous improvement.

After being decapitated again and dissolving into light, Zhou Qing sighed.

“To fully open it, I must fully achieve Soul Transformation—but if I do, the hidden thing in the gravity zone probably won’t let me enter easily!”

Zhou Qing irritably scratched his head.

……

Early the next morning, before Lu Yaoyao arrived, the two had already left, carrying the old hen.

Their first stop was the Zhenbao Pavilion, the Wanshang Auction House’s branch in Haomiao Prefecture; after slaying the Nascent Soul cultivator Lin Linjin, Zhou Qing’s storage bag was filled with a variety of miscellaneous items.

This time, he planned to sell these items at the Zhenbao Pavilion in exchange for practical cultivation resources.

He also intended to ask him about a few things.

As the two stepped through the Zhenbao Pavilion’s gates, a deafening clamor rushed toward them.

Clerks behind the counters hurried back and forth, while all manner of rare treasures glowed enticingly on display racks.

“Oh my, you two have finally arrived! I went to the academy looking for you last time and heard you’d returned to the Eastern Region!”

A delighted voice suddenly rang out as Zhang Wanbao’s rotund figure rushed out from the inner chamber.

His face beamed with excitement; the chicken leg he’d been holding was carelessly tossed aside, and in three strides he reached Zhou Qing and Yan Xiaohu.

(End of Chapter)