Chapter 125: Visiting Xu Cheng Ziyan

After arriving at Yangshan Market, Song Qingming made some inquiries and immediately found the Guest Reception Courtyard established by the Xiaoyao Sect within the market. He sent a message to Song Qingze on Mount Guyang, and several days had already passed since then.

"Third Brother, you are overthinking it. This is my first time here as well. I didn't expect Yangshan Market to be so prosperous; I've just been taking the opportunity to broaden my horizons these past few days." Upon seeing Song Qingze, Song Qingming happily stepped forward to greet him before bringing him into his own room.

The two had not seen each other for many years, so they inevitably exchanged pleasantries. After Song Qingze joined the Xiaoyao Sect, he had never returned to Mount Funiu, except for one trip when the Great Elder passed away. Having been of a rather cold and detached temperament since childhood, he was quite moved to see a clansman he hadn't met in years, and he asked Song Qingming many questions about matters back home.

"Qingming, you didn't travel thousands of miles to find me just to see how I'm doing, did you? Is there something else?" After chatting for a long time, Song Qingze finally remembered to ask about the purpose of Song Qingming's visit to Yangshan Market.

After gathering his thoughts, Song Qingming said, "Well, besides purchasing some spiritual items, I also wanted to ask Third Brother for help with something. When I was drifting through Guiyun Market years ago, I made a good friend from the Xiaoyao Sect. I am not familiar with the Xiaoyao Sect, so I wanted to ask you to help me inquire about this friend's news first to see if..."

Song Qingze pondered for a moment and said, "If it were a Qi Refining cultivator, you could just use spirit stones to send a secret letter at the Guest Reception Courtyard; you shouldn't need me to help you inquire. Could it be that this friend of yours has already reached Foundation Establishment?"

"When I first met her, we were both Qi Refining cultivators, but I later heard that she had already reached Foundation Establishment." Song Qingming nodded with a smile.

"Foundation Establishment seniors of the sect always register when they go out at the Hall of General Affairs. I can go there and ask; I'll know immediately if that senior is currently on the mountain. However, the Hall of General Affairs is several hundred miles away from Yangshan Market, so you will have to wait for me here for a few more days."

Seeing that this was not a difficult task, Song Qingze agreed on the spot. After Song Qingming told him the name of the cultivator he wanted to see, Song Qingze set off for the Xiaoyao Sect's Hall of General Affairs early the next morning.

After waiting for another three days in Yangshan Market, Song Qingming suddenly received a secret letter sent by Song Qingze from Mount Guyang. After reading the contents, he left Yangshan Market with a knowing smile.

In a cave dwelling with dense spiritual energy within the Mount Guyang range, a woman in red was tending to several spiritual herbs that were about to mature. Before long, a young girl of fifteen or sixteen walked in quickly.

The girl looked at the woman in red, who was focused on the spiritual herbs, and said respectfully, "Master, a Daoist friend named Song has come to visit."

"Let him in. You go prepare some tea and fruit and bring them over."

After saying this, the woman in red put down her tools, tidied her appearance slightly, and then returned to the stone table in the middle of the cave dwelling.

Before long, a man in black, guided by the young girl from earlier, walked into the cave dwelling.

"Junior Song Qingming greets Senior Xu."

Xu Cheng Ziyan hurriedly waved her hand and said, "Daoist friend Song, I didn't expect you to still have the heart to come to Mount Guyang to see me after so many years. It would be better to call me Captain Xu; that way, we won't be too distant!"

"Many thanks for your kindness, Senior. Then this junior will respectfully comply!"

Upon receiving the message from Song Qingze and learning that Xu Cheng Ziyan was willing to see him, Song Qingming was truly overjoyed and hurried over here.

What Song Qingming never expected was that Xu Cheng Ziyan, the former Captain of the Flying Cloud Guard who had taken care of him in the past, was not at all as aloof as the other Foundation Establishment cultivators he had met. This truly surprised him.

It had been ten years since they parted at Guiyun Market, and their statuses were now worlds apart, but after chatting for a few sentences, it felt as if they had returned to the perilous Mount Fuyun range of the past.

"This junior came to find Captain Xu this time not only to reminisce but also to ask for your advice on a matter. I hope the Captain will not blame me for being too abrupt." After chatting for a while, Song Qingming seized an opportunity and stated the main purpose of his trip.

"Speak freely!" Upon hearing Song Qingming's request for advice, Xu Cheng Ziyan did not show any surprise. After all, she was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator; often, even a few casual words from her could be of immense help to a Qi Refining cultivator.

Song Qingming took a deep breath to calm his mood. Over the next while, he recounted the incident he encountered in the mountains northwest of Pingyang County after his defeat at Jin Shan Market a year ago, telling Xu Cheng Ziyan everything exactly as it happened, including the storage bag and the jade box he obtained later, without deliberately concealing anything from her.

"Is what you say true? You have the storage bag of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the sect?"

After hearing what Song Qingming said, Xu Cheng Ziyan was initially somewhat incredulous. It was not until Song Qingming took out the storage bag and jade box bearing the Xiaoyao Sect's mark that Xu Cheng Ziyan examined them and confirmed he was not lying.

"It is indeed the storage bag of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from within the sect. However, I still want to ask clearly: are you sure everything you just told me is true? Once this item is handed over to the sect, you will certainly have to undergo the test of the Soul-Questioning Talisman. If it is discovered that you have lied, the consequences will be more than you can bear." After seeing these two items, Xu Cheng Ziyan's expression suddenly changed, and she asked Song Qingming solemnly.

Song Qingming sighed and said, "When I obtained these two items that day, I didn't even know the name of that senior. The reason I never dared to come to the Xiaoyao Sect was that I feared having no one familiar to help introduce me, and I wouldn't be able to explain the matter clearly on my own. If I had participated in harming that senior, how would I dare to come to Mount Guyang today and tell you everything?"

Xu Cheng Ziyan nodded slightly and said, "I still trust your character to some extent. However, this matter is still quite troublesome. How about this: you stay here with me for now. I will send these two items to the sect's Law Enforcement Hall first, and I will come back to inform you once there is news."

After giving Song Qingming some instructions, Xu Cheng Ziyan walked out of the cave dwelling with the storage bag and the jade box. Before leaving, she specifically activated a restriction outside the cave dwelling.

After Xu Cheng Ziyan left, Song Qingming sat alone in her cave dwelling, his heart unable to calm down. When he came to see Xu Cheng Ziyan, he hadn't been prepared to tell her everything. It was only after chatting with her and discovering that she was still as sincere toward him as she had been in the past that he finally decided to trust her.

As for the storage bag and jade box, both had been placed under restrictions by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which was truly too dangerous for Song Qingming now. The entire State of Wei was the territory of the Xiaoyao Sect; if he showed even a trace of suspicion to someone with ulterior motives, he feared the Xiaoyao Sect would receive the news before the next day. At that point, not only he, but all his Song clansmen would suffer an unprovoked disaster.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 126 =====