Chapter 243: Li Bin, You Truly Have the Audacity! (6k)

Seeing Zhou Qing fall, Li Bin reacted swiftly, using his body technique to catch him securely.

“You’ve done well. After this, you need not return to Taiqingmen!” the old woman said, looking at Li Bin with satisfaction.

Li Bin gazed at the unconscious Zhou Qing in his arms, then at the four old women, hesitated a moment, then spoke.

“Though I originally joined Taiqingmen as a spy, after so many years together, I’ve come to regard it as my second home.”

“Grand Ancestor, we agreed—you wouldn’t harm his life, only ask him for a favor.”

The four old women frowned slightly at this.

One of them spoke: “Don’t forget, it was the Qingyu Immortal Sect that saved your entire family’s lives.”

Li Bin lowered his head. “I won’t forget that debt—but—”

“No ‘but.’ Rest assured, we truly only ask this child for a favor—it’s a tremendous opportunity for him,” one old woman interrupted.

Seeing this, Li Bin said no more.

This place was no place to linger. Under the deep night, the five departed silently.

…

Zhou Qing didn’t know how long he’d slept; his head felt heavy, throbbing in waves.

Only after great effort did he slowly open his eyes.

As he gradually regained awareness, he remembered everything and immediately tried to sit up—but his body hadn’t recovered, and searing pain made him grunt.

“Damn sleep curse—”

Zhou Qing cursed bitterly; he’d truly been caught off guard.

Only after rapidly circulating spiritual energy did he feel slightly better.

Then, gritting his teeth against the pain, he surveyed his surroundings.

The room was elegantly arranged, with several distant, evocative landscape scrolls hanging on the walls. Nearby, a table held brush, ink, paper, and an incense burner emitting a slender wisp of smoke.

At that moment, the door opened.

A woman carrying three long swords stepped inside.

In her hands, she carried a wooden tray with several delicate breakfast dishes, a bowl of spiritual porridge, and a small plate of vividly colored side dishes.

“Zhu He!”

Seeing her, Zhou Qing frowned.

It seemed he was now in the Qingyu Immortal Sect.

Zhu He placed the tray on the table, then turned to leave.

Zhou Qing was about to angrily demand answers when Zhu He’s expression changed drastically; she swiftly scanned the room, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She immediately pulled out a message jade slip: “Supreme Elder, it’s bad—Zhou Qing is gone!”

Without waiting for a reply, she spun and dashed out the door.

“Where is he? I ask you—where is he?” Zhu He’s furious shouts echoed outside soon after.

Immediately, rapid footsteps arrived as six figures in black martial attire rushed in.

Seeing the empty bed, their faces turned pale with panic.

“We… we really don’t know. No one entered this room, and we didn’t see him leave,” one stammered.

Hearing this, Zhu He trembled with rage, glaring at them, her chest heaving.

“Find him! All of you, go out and search! If you delay Master’s great matter, none of you will survive!”

“And don’t you dare spread word of this—if news leaks, you’ll all commit suicide to atone!”

With that, she whipped her sleeve and stormed out.

The six late Nascent Soul cultivators were left standing dumbfounded, exchanging glances before hastily chasing after her.

Zhou Qing, who had been sitting on the bed ready to rage, blinked.

“The talent skill [Reduce Presence] is really a bit insane sometimes!”

Zhou Qing grinned, leapt off the bed, shook his head, accelerated his spiritual energy flow, and once the dizziness faded, he dashed out.

Before those old bastards arrived, he had to escape quickly and contact his sect.

Outside the room, he saw only a few scattered pavilions; the surroundings were eerily silent—clearly, few ever came here.

He recalled that last time he’d visited, Qingyu Immortal Sect had been divided into inner and outer sects.

But before he could slip down, he spotted a figure hurrying toward him.

It was none other than Sister Yuan Ya.

Yuan Ya also saw Zhou Qing and halted.

Well, looks like he wasn’t ignored.

But to Zhou Qing’s surprise, Yuan Ya’s expression was complex; she glanced toward the northwest, then immediately pretended not to see him and hurried away.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s heart tightened—he understood at once, filled with gratitude.

Without delay, he rushed toward the northwest.

Sure enough, he soon saw the inner sect’s barrier.

He might have once been clueless, but now, as a Level-Two Array Master, though he couldn’t dismantle it, he could certainly open a temporary gap large enough for one person to pass through.

As thousands of spirit seals glowed around him while he strained to break the seal, a faint sigh suddenly echoed.

Zhou Qing’s heart froze; every hair on his body stood on end.

He whirled around to see Immortal Xuan You, her head displaying [Potential Threat], watching him silently.

“A thousand spirit seals, a Level-Two Array Master—from when you began studying arrays at Baiyu Taixu Academy until now, how long has it been? Such talent is terrifying.”

Immortal Xuan You spoke softly, yet her voice carried an invisible pressure.

Zhou Qing slowly retracted his spirit seals, watching her with caution. “Immortal Xuan, what exactly do you want? Aren’t you afraid of sparking a war between our sects?”

Immortal Xuan You shook her head slightly, a flicker of worry in her eyes. “Of course I’m afraid. After all, the strongest in the Eastern Region are Taiqingmen and Cangyan Dao Palace—if war breaks out, Qingyu Immortal Sect won’t last long.”

“Then why?” Zhou Qing demanded.

Immortal Xuan You’s face grew sorrowful. “Because I’m about to die.”

Zhou Qing’s expression changed; seeing her pale complexion and the faint aura of decay, he understood.

But wait—she should still have years left. She’s even younger than Sect Master Bai Yu. How could she be dying so soon?

Shiiii!

Four figures arrived swiftly—the four old women.

One, furious, opened her mouth, but another stopped her. All four turned to Immortal Xuan You.

Immortal Xuan You calmed herself, fixing Zhou Qing with a piercing gaze. “Are you San Hua Ju Ding?”

From their meticulous planning—willing to expose a Director—to now revealing her impending death, Zhou Qing had already anticipated her next question.

So now, his face showed no shock, only resignation and a bitter smile.

“I’m not San Hua Ju Ding. I’m Si Hua Ju Ding—manifested by Heaven a few years ago.”

Of course, no one believed his defiant words.

Immortal Xuan You shook her head slightly. “Once, an old friend told me Taiqingmen held a man who could save my life. For years, I’ve searched for him.”

“I thought it was your senior brother, Gui Ao—but after years of investigation, I found it wasn’t him. Instead, it was you… someone I never noticed.”

Immortal Xuan You paused, her gaze sweeping over Zhou Qing, filled with complexity.

“From your performance in the Five Sects War, to your array studies at Baiyu Taixu Academy, to your five consecutive battles against deputy generals on the border.”

“Your advancement speed and combat power are simply terrifying. All signs point to you being that man.”

Zhou Qing finally understood—and was stunned they’d investigated him so thoroughly.

Immortal Xuan You was convinced he was the San Hua Ju Ding who could save her life—and planned to forcibly practice dual-cultivation with him.

How could he allow that? Even if Second Uncle was right about the benefits, he hadn’t even cultivated the Inscription-level Divine Art [Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain] yet.

And the prerequisite for that Divine Art was maintaining his virginity.

When Second Uncle had first seen it, he’d been furious—and Zhou Qing had joked with him about where he’d lost his chastity.

Now was he about to lose it so soon?

No, no, absolutely not!

The Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree had already sprouted—how could he throw away all his progress now?

“Immortal Xuan, I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re ill, seek a healer. Why drag me into this?” Zhou Qing forced down his anger.

Before Immortal Xuan You could respond, one old woman stepped forward, her gaze sharp as a hawk’s, fixed on Zhou Qing.

She spoke coldly: “During your unconsciousness these past days, all four of us attempted soul-searching on you.”

Zhou Qing’s face turned ashen; a chilling killing intent surged from him like a tangible force.

He glared at the four, fists clenched unconsciously, spiritual energy surging violently within him, roaring like thunder.

Seeing his fury, the old woman raised an eyebrow but pressed on.

“We found nothing. Every bit of spiritual energy that entered your mind sea was instantly devoured. What secrets are hidden in your mind sea?”

“Hidden? My father!” Zhou Qing could no longer suppress his rage—he cursed outright.

He finally understood: they’d kidnapped him, attempted soul-searching during his vulnerability, and now their sect’s leader confessed she was dying.

Clearly, they had no intention of letting him leave alive.

And setting that aside, his cultivation speed over the years had far surpassed all peer prodigies.

If Immortal Xuan You truly died, and Taiqingmen refused the marriage alliance with Zhu He, Qingyu Immortal Sect would never tolerate his rise.

After all this humiliation, why should he treat them with courtesy?

Hearing Zhou Qing’s curse, the four old women flew into a rage, their eyes brimming with killing intent.

"Impudent!"

An old woman suddenly stepped forward, her aura surging violently like a tidal wave crashing down upon Zhou Qing.

The immense pressure made Zhou Qing feel as if he carried an invisible mountain, forcing his body to sink downward, bending his waist in submission.

"Your mother's—"

Zhou Qing instantly transformed into the second form of his Golden Peng true body, his entire frame blazing with golden light, resembling a golden war god as he resisted the pressure with all his might.

You really think all these years I trained in the gravity zone for nothing?

I must escape quickly!

When the others saw Zhou Qing’s bizarre appearance, their expressions changed instantly.

"Did you inherit the legacy of that old Peng King from Canglan Mountain?" the old woman asked, her face filled with shock, voice laced with disbelief.

Zhou Qing, bearing the pressure, curled his lips into a mocking smile and roared: "Old hag, kneel down and call me Grandpa—I might teach you a move or two if I'm in a good mood!"

Another old woman snorted, unleashing her own aura pressure.

This pressure surged like a vicious hurricane, howling sharply as it battered Zhou Qing’s body.

Zhou Qing clenched his teeth, beads of sweat covering his forehead, his body trembling slightly yet holding firm, all while scanning his surroundings.

Thank goodness my storage pouch is still here—if not, everything I’ve hoarded over the years would be gone.

And as for soul-searching me? Pure fantasy!

When I removed the blood curse left by the Peng Emperor in my mind sea, my Second Uncle, a Cutting Spirit cultivator, entered to check on me out of concern for my safety.

All were erased by those four-colored flowers—what are you compared to them!

Suddenly, Zhou Qing’s eyes sharpened; his Broken Wound instantly shot out, striking rightward with pinpoint accuracy, killing a stealthy Sleep Bug.

"Trying the same trick a second time?" Zhou Qing mocked loudly.

【Heart Mirror Points +9】

The next instant, a notification tone suddenly rang in Zhou Qing’s mind.

Xuan You Xianzi, who had been watching Zhou Qing closely, saw her original annotation 【Potential Threat】 instantly change to 【Extreme Threat—Must Be Controlled】.

Seeing this change, Zhou Qing’s eyes flashed with cold light.

At that moment, he seemed to understand something—and burst into laughter.

It seems the two Supreme Elders of Qingyu Immortal Sect who tried to refine the Nine You Lotus Seeds have failed—alive but worse than dead, or perhaps already dead.

After all, no one can reach that level relying solely on this thing—but no one else knows that; they’ve all been misled by the old Emperor.

As for Xuan You Xianzi, she must have encountered something in the Linggu Skull Mountain’s secret realm, causing her lifespan to plummet, nearing her end.

Seeing Taiqingmen rising like the midday sun, with young talents like Gui Ao, Luo Lingling, myself, and Li Daoxuan preparing to break through in seclusion—

That’s why they’ve been forced to gamble everything.

As long as Xuan You Xianzi lives, I believe my disappearance won’t be suspected by Taiqingmen.

As Zhou Qing laughed wildly, a figure suddenly shot toward them from afar.

"Master! Supreme Elder!"

Li Bin, seeing Zhou Qing’s flushed face, hurried forward to bow.

"You said you only wanted him to help with a task—so why are you treating him so harshly now?"

Li Bin’s voice carried a hint of displeasure.

One old woman snorted, her face darkening. "We did intend to ask for his help—but you saw it yourself. He refuses the wine and takes the punishment. Such insolence—how can we be polite?"

"Let me handle him. I’ll persuade him," Li Bin suggested.

The old woman frowned impatiently. "Li Bin, you’re already mid-Soul Transformation, lived over a thousand years—how can you still be so naive?"

"Think about it—once Zhou Qing returns to Taiqingmen, what consequences will Qingyu Immortal Sect face?"

"Moreover—"

Several Supreme Elders stared at Zhou Qing with burning eyes, their greed unmistakable.

Remember, during that incident in the Canglan Mountain abyss, several Cutting Spirit cultivators showed up.

Whether or not this ability of his truly stems from the old Peng King’s legacy, they all sensed its extraordinary nature.

If Qingyu Immortal Sect could claim this technique, our sect’s strength would leap to a new level.

Seeing the Supreme Elders had made up their minds, Li Bin gritted his teeth and turned to Xuan You Xianzi, summoning courage to say: "Master, I’ve already sent word to Taiqingmen—Zhou Qing is visiting Qingyu Immortal Sect..."

Before he finished speaking, a sharp spiritual force shot out.

With a thud, Li Bin’s body flew backward like a severed kite, crashing hard into the ground, kicking up dust.

Blood gushed from his mouth as he convulsed in agony.

The one who struck was one of the old women—her eyes cold, showing no mercy.

"Li Bin, how dare you!" the woman roared. "You’ve betrayed the sect!"

Li Bin, enduring the pain, lifted his head and struggled to speak: "Supreme Elders, you know how many secret tasks I’ve done for the sect over the years."

"For half my life, I did many things against my conscience to repay a debt..."

Puch—

Before he could finish, a bolt of lightning, as thick as an arm, erupted without warning and pierced straight through his forehead.

Instantly, it drilled through his skull, spraying blood mist and fragments of bone.

This happened too suddenly—Li Bin’s eyes still held a flicker of disbelief and resentment.

But soon, the light in his eyes faded rapidly; his body collapsed like rotten mud, falling face-first.

A semi-transparent Primordial Spirit struggled to emerge—

An old woman appeared beside him in an instant.

Her fingers curled into a claw, lightning swirling around her, slamming down hard onto the Primordial Spirit.

Instantly, the spirit inside emitted piercing, horrifying screams.

As the old woman increased her power, the lightning blazed brighter, blinding all who watched.

Moments later, the screams ceased—and silence fell.

"He didn’t notify Taiqingmen," the old woman said, brushing her hands clean.

The others showed a flicker of regret.

Li Bin brought Zhou Qing out of Taiqingmen—he must have left traces: Xiao Ling Peak, the Five Bamboo Elder guarding the gate, etc.

If Li Bin had truly warned Taiqingmen, we could have denied everything.

After all, in our plan, Li Bin was always meant to be a disposable pawn.

Now, killing him with lightning makes it look like Jin Leizong’s work—but anyone with sense would see through it. Would Taiqingmen really be fooled?

But that’s exactly what we want—the illusion that "what you think is what you think."

"Whatever, his soul lamp has already gone out—Taiqingmen will surely notice; just leave him somewhere hidden yet slightly conspicuous, so they’ll find him at once!"

"Fine. His soul lamp is already extinguished—Taiqingmen will sense it. Just dump his body somewhere hidden yet noticeable enough for them to find quickly," said one old woman, expressionless.

The one who acted nodded, bent down, and hoisted Li Bin’s corpse onto her shoulder. In a few leaps, she vanished from sight.

Zhou Qing stood frozen, watching it all, a deep sorrow rising in his heart.

For Qingyu Immortal Sect, Li Bin had infiltrated Taiqingmen for years—so well, not even his own sect suspected a thing.

He worked tirelessly, yet ended up as a discarded pawn.

Then, Zhou Qing’s eyes turned bloodshot, fixed on the group—especially Xuan You Xianzi.

Indeed, none of the Five Sects’ leaders are simple.

"Since we can’t verify if you’re Three Flowers Gathered at the Crown, we’ll have to treat you like a dying horse—try anything."

Xuan You Xianzi met Zhou Qing’s gaze calmly, as if the bloody scene had never happened.

"We don’t want war with Taiqingmen. Just cooperate, and we’ll erase your memories. We’ll still be allies."

As she spoke, she flicked her finger—a simple jade slip floated into the air, drifting slowly toward Zhou Qing.

"Read this dual-cultivation scripture soon. If time permits, I hope we begin tonight. Don’t worry—you won’t lose out. I’m still a virgin."

Her tone was flat, as if discussing the weather.

Zhou Qing, enduring the pressure from two Supreme Elders, smirked coldly: "Erase my memories? How? Can your spiritual sense enter my mind sea?"

If true dual-cultivation succeeds, it confirms he’s Three Flowers Gathered at the Crown—would Qingyu Immortal Sect allow a future Cutting Spirit cultivator, stronger than all Five Sects of the East, to rise?

Even now, my rapidly growing cultivation base already terrifies them—how could they ever let me go?

Plainly put—this matter can no longer be resolved peacefully.

"Master, I have a secret technique that will make him cooperate willingly. This place is too crowded—let’s take him inside first!" said one old woman, eyes narrowing with malice as she stepped forward.

Xuan You Xianzi frowned slightly, gazed at Zhou Qing for a moment, then nodded gently.

Just as one old woman prepared to act, Zhou Qing suddenly roared: "I agree!"

The three old women froze, then smiled.

"You should’ve been sensible sooner. Don’t worry—the Master possesses the Void Cicada Body. If you dual-cultivate with her—"

"I agreed," Zhou Qing interrupted. "But he just misunderstood you!"

Before the sentence ended, a clear voice drifted down from the sky.

Everyone looked up—only then did they notice a white-robed figure standing in midair, arms crossed behind his back.

Xuan You Xianzi and the three Supreme Elders’ expressions changed instantly.

Who is this man?

When did he sneak into the Inner Sect?

How did we not sense him at all?

Li—

Taking advantage of the four being distracted, Zhou Qing suddenly transformed into a massive Jin Peng, letting out a deafening cry toward the sky.

His eyes were sharp, his bearing majestic, and a powerful, wild aura radiated from his entire body.

His wings blotted out the sun and moon; with a sudden clap, powerful air currents erupted outward from him, instantly dispersing the oppressive pressure.

He himself used this force to surge with all his might toward the barrier.

“Stop him! Don’t let him escape!” Seeing this, Xuan You Immortal Lady furrowed her brows, her beautiful eyes filled with fury, and she immediately moved to intercept.

But the white-robed man merely lifted his hand slightly, and an invisible barrier instantly blocked all their attacks.

Zhou Qing seized this opening, spinning upward through the air, then plunged downward with sudden force.

His massive wings, wrapped in the weight of ten thousand juns, unleashed a piercing shriek as they slammed hard against the barrier.

“Boom!”

A deafening crash, as if heaven cracked and earth shattered, shook the entire Inner Sect.

The entire barrier cracked open under the force, a massive fissure appearing, its light flickering, trembling on the verge of collapse.

Zhou Qing did not hesitate—he became a golden streak of light and shot out through the fissure in the barrier.

(End of Chapter)