Chapter 274: You Misunderstand—I

One month later, Mount Taiqingmen!

Jiangpo Army’s Jiang Pojun arrived again, piloting a flying vessel.

“Please announce my presence—I am Jiang Pojun, Right Deputy General of the Longxiang Army, here to seek Zhou Qing.”

Elder Wu Zhu recognized the young man and told him to wait a moment before leaving.

Meanwhile, in the quiet chamber, Zhou Qing held the Awakening Ancient Tea Tree in his arms, surrounded by a faint crimson glow.

Miniature spectral shadows of a Jin Wu and a Jin Peng hovered on either side, their faces filled with reverence.

In Zhou Qing’s spiritual sea, a colossal blood phoenix screamed skyward amid roaring blood flames.

At his chest, where there had once been only one entirely crimson feather, there were now two.

Inside lay a space woven with countless Dao inscriptions, its overwhelming power chilling to the soul.

“Finally, I’ve comprehended the second strand of Phoenix Dao inscription!” Zhou Qing slowly opened his eyes, brimming with excitement.

Second Uncle, since acquiring the Inscription-Level Divine Art “Nine Catastrophe Thunder Talisman Scripture,” which contains thirty-six Thunder Inscriptions, has only condensed thirteen so far.

Yet he has now condensed two strands—and with sufficient Jipin wood-element spirit stones, his progress could accelerate even further!

The next moment, he sensed something and withdrew his identity token; the message was from Yan Xiaohu.

After reading it, Zhou Qing’s face broke into a knowing smile.

“Since they’ve come, Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo must have conceded somewhat—but I wonder how much.”

Zhou Qing tucked away the token, stretched his stiff body after prolonged sitting, and stepped out the door.

I, Zhou Qing, am not one to suffer silent losses!

…

Outside the mountain gate, Lu Yaoyao frowned, hands on her hips, eyes blazing with anger.

Yan Xiaohu crossed his arms, posture ready for combat.

Shen Yunzhou stood with his hands behind his back, faint spiritual power swirling around him.

The three formed a triangular formation, firmly trapping Jiang Pojun in the center.

In contrast, Jiang Pojun nervously rubbed his hands, his face flushed and embarrassed as he frantically explained something.

In truth, even on this second visit, he had no idea what had transpired between Zhou Qing and the Prince.

He deeply trusted Zhou Qing’s character, yet he also held great respect for the Prince’s integrity.

Behind the mountain gate’s barrier, Sect Master Cao Zhengyang stood with his hands clasped behind his back, brows furrowed, radiating a chilling aura.

Mo Xingjian stood with arms crossed, eyes filled with vigilance and displeasure.

Both wore grim expressions, silently watching Jiang Pojun.

They knew that with Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo’s Cutting-Spirit realm power, he would not visit twice without cause.

Originally, they had repeatedly warned Zhou Qing to keep his distance from the imperial family.

The imperial family cares only for the vast, boundless territory of the Holy Martial Empire, the livelihoods of its hundreds of millions, and the intricate web of interests.

To maintain imperial stability, they weigh pros and cons on the court, strategize along the borders, and even sacrifice local interests for the greater good.

But sects are different—Mount Taiqingmen is but a small world, a place for disciples to cultivate in peace.

They pursue the Dao, the transcendent state beyond worldly things, valuing the continuity of their lineage and the growth of their disciples.

In their eyes, the sect’s dignity and legacy brook no violation—utterly distinct from the imperial family’s grand, world-spanning ambitions.

Though they did not know the full extent of the humiliation Zhou Qing had suffered in their absence,

Based on Lu Yaoyao and Yan Xiaohu’s rough accounts, it had clearly crossed Zhou Qing’s bottom line, even amounting to an insult.

At that moment, Zhou Qing arrived from Xiao Ling Peak and paused upon seeing them: “Master, Senior Uncle, what are you doing here?”

Cao Zhengyang’s gaze burned with concern as he looked at Zhou Qing: “I never expected Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo to be so stubborn—you clearly refused, yet they still sent someone.”

He paused, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes: “Don’t worry—we still have the Forbidden Cavern Heaven, and our First Ancestor still resides here. If needed, we’ll fight to the death!”

Mo Xingjian elbowed Cao Zhengyang and rolled his eyes irritably: “I don’t want Old Four to suffer, but we can’t rush into a fatal confrontation yet—we must plan carefully.”

Cao Zhengyang snorted and fell silent.

Mo Xingjian turned to Zhou Qing, his tone gentler: “One can let fish leap freely in the sea and birds soar high in the sky—if things get unbearable, you can leave to train in the wild.”

“With your talent, find a secluded place to cultivate deeply—they’ll never find you. As for the sect, don’t worry—we’ll guard it.”

Seeing this, Zhou Qing realized they had misunderstood—but still felt warmth surge in his heart.

He smiled and said: “Master, Senior Uncle, don’t worry—it hasn’t come to that. I can handle it myself.”

With that, he gave them a reassuring glance and stepped out.

“Brother Zhou!” Seeing Zhou Qing emerge, Jiang Pojun bowed from afar, his tone hesitant.

Seeing Lu Yaoyao and the others about to speak, Zhou Qing shook his head slightly and stepped forward.

He gestured for Jiang Pojun to speak further ahead.

Only after they had distanced themselves from the crowd did Jiang Pojun look at Zhou Qing with slight embarrassment.

Then he said seriously: “The Prince says that though your nature holds grudges, he admires your straightforwardness—it’s far better than those hidden villains who strike suddenly with lethal blows.”

He paused, his expression turning solemn: “But ten Jipin wood-element spirit stones are too many to gather quickly. The Prince proposes five—would Brother Zhou accept that?”

As he spoke, he pulled out a storage pouch and offered it.

Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up, surprised.

He had expected Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo to offer at most two spirit stones—never imagined he’d concede half so readily.

“Probably Second Uncle’s influence is still at play,” Zhou Qing mused inwardly.

He assumed Jiang Pojun didn’t know Second Uncle had left—nor had Second Uncle appeared to confront him. Zhou Qing guessed he too had reservations.

This demand for compensation was likely Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo’s way of saving face—giving Zhou Qing an out while preserving their cooperative relationship.

Thinking this, Zhou Qing’s lips curled into a smile, and under Jiang Pojun’s anxious gaze, he took the storage pouch.

Jiang Pojun exhaled in relief: “Thank you, Brother Zhou!”

Zhou Qing felt slightly embarrassed: “You’ve gone back and forth twice—it must’ve been tiring.”

Even using a teleportation array, the journey from Mount Taiqingmen to Lingyun Prefecture takes a month, let alone the distant frontier.

Yet Jiang Pojun made the round trip in such a short time—clearly, the urgency far exceeded expectations.

“No problem—the Empire has dedicated teleportation routes, and I only delivered the message back!”

As if sensing Zhou Qing’s thoughts, Jiang Pojun quickly explained.

Zhou Qing nodded: “When do we depart?”

Jiang Pojun’s eyes brightened: “The sooner, the better!”

“Fine, give me some time to prepare—I’ll leave this afternoon,” Zhou Qing said.

Jiang Pojun bowed eagerly: “Thank you for your understanding, Brother Zhou!”

“There’s still time—come inside and talk,” Zhou Qing invited, stepping aside.

Jiang Pojun glanced at Lu Yaoyao and the others, their scowling faces, then at Cao Zhengyang and the others behind the barrier, their grim expressions, and flushed awkwardly.

“No, no—I still have matters to attend to on the flying vessel. I’ll wait for you there.”

After Zhou Qing insisted several times, he relented and turned back.

“I’m going with you!” Lu Yaoyao said the moment she saw Zhou Qing take the storage pouch—though she didn’t know its contents, she understood her father had agreed to help Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo.

Assisting a Cutting-Spirit cultivator isn’t easy—last time, Third Mom took them to the Peng Palace Secret Realm; the dangers were obvious.

Zhou Qing was about to shake his head when Lu Yaoyao added: “Third…Sister Shen witnessed us when she slew the Spider Emperor—the Dragon Emperor saw us too. If things turn critical, having me there lets us bluff a little.”

Zhou Qing considered it carefully—it was indeed a good idea—but still shook his head.

After all, he would be infiltrating the demon lands under the identity of the Peng Emperor—Lu Yaoyao accompanying him was inappropriate.

More critically, if Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo ever entertained malicious thoughts and attempted soul-searching on her?

Memory erasure afterward might go unnoticed—but the secret of that island would be exposed.

Learning that Zhou Qing could unlock the Six-Color Seal, Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo might develop other ambitions—leaving Zhou Qing with more trouble.

“I’m going too!” Yan Xiaohu chimed in.

Last time, he had helped repair the Four-Color Array—he knew the place and the people.

Zhou Qing looked at the two and flatly refused, then used a secret transmission technique to explain the risks in detail.

Only then did they learn that Prince Xuan Yuan Shuo had already searched Zhou Qing’s soul.

That old bastard truly has no honor.

Lu Yaoyao snorted coldly; though reluctant, she understood the danger and reluctantly nodded.

Yan Xiaohu broke into a cold sweat—if he’d gone along, wouldn’t the Prince have discovered the Four-Flower Crown Secret?

That would be helping backwards!

Better not—later, I’ll find Old Mo and have him lock my memories of this matter.

“I’ll go with you—I know nothing, so I have nothing to worry about.”

“Don’t refuse yet—I’m not from Mount Taiqingmen, so you can’t order me around, and my flying vessel is much faster than yours!”

At this moment, Shen Yunzhou spoke.

Zhou Qing thought for a moment and agreed.

He then entered the mountain gate and informed his Master and Sect Master.

“Don’t worry—he’ll need me for a long time, and with Second Uncle’s backing, he’ll protect me thoroughly!” Zhou Qing reassured them.

With that said, the two sighed deeply and reluctantly agreed.

Zhou Qing returned to his quarters, entrusted the old hen to Third Senior Brother, packed his belongings, and then left with Shen Yunzhou.

“Brother Shen, you’ve met him—he’s never been to the frontier; this trip will broaden his horizons!” Zhou Qing explained.

Jiang Pojun nodded and said, “No problem, both of you, board the airship!”

After Zhou Qing bid farewell to those seeing him off at the mountain gate, the airship set course directly for Lingyun Prefecture.

…

Twenty days later, as the group emerged from the central plaza of Haomiao Prefecture, Zhou Qing decided to pay a visit to Bai Yu’s Tai Xu Academy first.

After all, when he left last time, he had specifically asked Lin Daochen to use his connections to help locate his Second Sister.

He didn’t know how things stood now.

Faced with Zhou Qing’s decision, Jiang Pojun could only agree—it was on the way and wouldn’t take long.

Soon, Zhou Qing met Lin Daochen.

Lin Daochen looked apologetic and said, “The search area keeps shrinking, but so far, we haven’t found any ruins or secret realms capable of trapping two Nascent Soul cultivators.”

“Could they have discovered some unknown place? Could you think again about any details?”

Zhou Qing shook his head after hearing this, unable to suppress his worry.

Given his Second Sister’s cautious nature, she wouldn’t lightly venture into extremely dangerous places—she’d at least leave an escape route.

Could she have gone elsewhere?

Like seeking out her First Brother?

“Don’t worry,” Lin Daochen reassured him. “I’m still asking around about a few other places—if they see anything, they’ll notify me!”

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, bowed respectfully, and felt deep gratitude.

“Just now as I came in, I saw Jiang Pojun—are you heading to the border?” Lin Daochen asked.

Zhou Qing nodded and explained, “Senior Xuan has a small matter requiring my assistance.”

“Is it related to the four-color formation? Didn’t you already repair it last time?” Lin Daochen looked puzzled.

Without Zhou Qing, that formation repair would never have brought him his current reputation.

Yet this young man insisted on giving all the credit to him.

Zhou Qing smiled faintly and said, “It’s not about the formation—just some minor matters.”

Lin Daochen nodded slightly. “That’s good. If you ever truly need help in the future, don’t hesitate to ask. By the way, Lu Yuanzhi has returned.”

“When did she come back?” Zhou Qing’s face lit up—he’d had no word from her last time she and Lu Yaoyao had visited.

Lin Daochen said, “Half a month ago. She mentioned you to me, saying she planned to visit you soon…”

“Zhou Qing!” At that moment, a joyful shout rang out from outside.

Immediately, a familiar figure rushed in.

Years had passed, yet Lu Yuanzhi remained as radiant as ever, clad in a pale blue ice-patterned robe, her black hair flowing like a waterfall, loosely tied up.

Yet the once distant, icy aura she carried had now softened into something approachable.

Before Zhou Qing could react, Lu Yuanzhi, still unsteady on her feet, charged straight toward him.

Zhou Qing felt a strong force surge forward—he was pulled tightly into Lu Yuanzhi’s embrace.

Beside them, Lin Daochen’s eyes widened in shock.

Zhou Qing froze instantly, his mind going blank.

“Thank you,” Lu Yuanzhi said after a moment, releasing him, her eyes red, glistening with tears. “Thank you so much!”

Then, suddenly, she grabbed Zhou Qing’s hand and urged urgently, “Come with me—I can’t wait a second longer.”

Without another word, she pulled him firmly toward the exit, completely ignoring Lin Daochen.

Lin Daochen stared blankly at the scene, only regaining his composure after a long while.

What the hell just happened?

Why am I so confused?

“Lu Shi, wait a moment—explain properly! Your actions like this will cause misunderstandings!”

Zhou Qing quickly called out, then turned to Lin Daochen, who had just stepped out to watch.

Lu Yuanzhi suddenly realized and apologized profusely, turning to Lin Daochen, who leaned against the courtyard gate: “Lin Shi, what you think is not true—please don’t misunderstand.”

Lin Daochen gave a knowing smile and waved his hand. “I saw nothing. Go ahead, don’t worry.”

Zhou Qing: “...”

“Zhou Qing, that thing really worked—Big Sister has already fallen into deep sleep. Come see for yourself,” Lu Yuanzhi whispered urgently.

After all, Zhou Qing had specifically warned her not to let Lin Daochen know about the Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower, to avoid implicating him.

Only then did Zhou Qing understand—he was curious too. The two headed toward the academy’s secret realm.

“You found the Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower?” Zhou Qing exclaimed.

Lu Yuanzhi nodded. “Yes. There are many misty swamps in Qingming Prefecture, but finding even one Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower was like searching for a needle in an ocean.”

“Fortunately, hard work pays off—or perhaps heaven took pity on my sister, and I finally found one.”

Hearing this, Zhou Qing’s eyes sparkled with joy.

Since ancient times, breaking through the Severing Spirit realm has been nine deaths and one life—failures either become living corpses or lose their souls entirely.

The lucky few suffer no harm, as if they’d merely taken a tonic.

Like the two Supreme Elders of Taiqingmen—but such cases are exceedingly rare. Generally, no one dares attempt it unless at their absolute last resort.

Soon, they arrived at the academy’s secret realm, passed through the four-color formation, and once again saw Lu Yuanjiu.

She remained in her massive eight-tailed fox form, but her condition had improved greatly since their last meeting.

The wounds that had repeatedly torn open and healed were now mostly gone.

Lu Yuanjiu lay peacefully asleep, eyes closed, occasionally emitting contented snores.

Lu Yuanzhi’s eyes reddened, her voice trembling slightly as she whispered: “I haven’t seen Big Sister sleep so peacefully in years. Zhou Qing, thank you—truly.”

Zhou Qing, watching the scene, felt deeply comforted.

His innate skill [Daily Appraisal] could only appraise objects, not people—but it had a loophole.

Like the eight-tailed Lu Yuanjiu: she was a beast, and in her beast form, she could be appraised directly, like a hen sitting on eggs.

But Lu Yuanzhi, in her human form, could not be appraised.

To ensure absolute certainty, Zhou Qing focused and performed another appraisal.

[Eight-Tailed Fox: This is a fox clan member who failed twice to break through the Severing Spirit realm. Fortunately, she has ingested the Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower. Combined with her robust physique and years of unyielding perseverance, she will fully recover within half a year.]

Seeing the appraisal result, Zhou Qing finally relaxed completely.

After all, the materials Lu Yuanjiu had gifted him back then had been indispensable to his success in reviving the Awakening Ancient Tea Tree.

“The Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower isn’t suitable for everyone—I hope you understand, Lu Shi!” Zhou Qing whispered seriously.

Lu Yuanzhi nodded vigorously. She had already been warned of the risks years ago—otherwise, she wouldn’t have kept it hidden from Lin Shi all this time.

“I should have gone to Taiqingmen to thank you long ago, but I was too worried about Big Sister, so I delayed.”

“Just now, I went out and ran into Jiang Pojun—that’s how I learned you’d come to the academy,” Lu Yuanzhi said gratefully.

Zhou Qing waved his hand with a smile. “No need to thank me. Just keep an eye on Elder Jiuxian’s condition—unless something unexpected happens, she’ll recover within half a year.”

“Half a year? Really?” Lu Yuanzhi’s eyes instantly brightened.

Zhou Qing affirmed: “Yes, no mistake.”

“That’s wonderful,” Lu Yuanzhi exclaimed, then turned, as if remembering something, and looked at Zhou Qing with serious expression: “I’m about to break through to Severing Spirit.”

Zhou Qing stared, eyes wide with disbelief.

Lu Yuanzhi took a deep breath and explained slowly: “The Moon-Worshiping Scripture we sisters cultivate is ancestral. Our spiritual power naturally harmonizes.”

“Over the years, I’ve periodically infused my spiritual power into Big Sister’s body to ease the pain from her backlash during breakthrough attempts.”

“But once I break through to Severing Spirit, my spiritual power’s nature will change drastically—it can no longer harmonize as before.”

“So I’ve suppressed my breakthrough for years. Now, with my inner turmoil resolved, I feel it clearly—I’ll reach that realm within five years.”

Hearing this, Zhou Qing grew even more excited.

This was the first time he’d witnessed someone break through from Nascent Soul peak to Severing Spirit.

“Do you not need auxiliary items like Nine You Lotus Seeds? I mean, the complete formula?” Zhou Qing asked quickly.

Lu Yuanzhi shook her head, her expression grave: “No. That formula is just like Foundation Establishment Pills or Nascent Soul Pills.”

“They can push you over the threshold—but they severely damage your foundation for future cultivation.”

“The more pills you take, the more your Dao foundation becomes like a dusty mirror—appearing clear, but with ingrained grime that’s nearly impossible to remove. Further advancement becomes impossibly hard.”

Zhou Qing nodded deeply in agreement.

In the cultivation world, many relied on pills to break through—but countless others became permanently stuck, unable to advance further.

Yet for those at Nascent Soul peak nearing the end of their lifespan, terrified of death, they’d risk damaging their foundation just to gamble on Severing Spirit.

All for the long life and supreme power it granted.

After all, as long as one lived, infinite possibilities remained.

“Congratulations, Lu Shi! Heartfelt congratulations!” Zhou Qing smiled broadly and bowed deeply.

Lu Yuanzhi smiled warmly. “There’s another piece of good news—would you like to hear it?”

“What?” Zhou Qing asked curiously.

“After ingesting the Nine-Leaf Soul-Condensing Flower, Big Sister excitedly said she felt—if she recovers, she might have a chance to attempt Severing Spirit again.”

Lu Yuanzhi’s voice brimmed with barely contained excitement.

“For others, surviving two failed Severing Spirit attempts is a nightmare they’d never dare touch again. But for Big Sister, it might be a rebirth—she already has two experiences.”

Zhou Qing, upon hearing this, was overwhelmed with joy.

Truly, surviving great disaster brings great fortune.

“Congratulations again—you’ve both finally seen light after darkness!” Zhou Qing offered his heartfelt congratulations.

"Yes, after bitterness comes sweetness, but the early days were truly hard."

Lu Yuanzhi sighed with emotion, then grew serious. "By the way, now that I’ve seen you, I won’t go to Taiqingmen looking for you anymore."

"I’ll stay with my elder sister for half a year until she fully recovers. Then, my sister and I will enter seclusion here for five years, aiming to break through to Cut-Soul."

Zhou Qing looked around and nodded. "This is indeed a good place for seclusion. Besides, the dean himself is at the Cut-Soul realm—no one would dare to offend."

"The dean has been away for a long time and hasn’t returned. No one knows where he went."

Lu Yuanzhi paused, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. "But there’s one more thing—I may need your permission."

"What is it?" Zhou Qing asked, puzzled.

Lu Yuanzhi said earnestly, "If my sister and I both succeed in reaching Cut-Soul, we wish to spend the rest of our lives at Taiqingmen. Is that acceptable?"

(End of Chapter)