Chapter 269: The Funeral

Upon seeing Du Du Yucheng's name, Song Song Qingming felt a surge of helplessness in his heart. Years ago, he had kindly warned Song Song Qingze not to associate too closely with this person, sensing that he was highly skilled at disguising himself and was not as simple as he appeared. He had not expected that his Third Brother would ultimately be unable to escape this fate.

For several months, no disciples had returned to the sect to report the matter, so Wang Wang Mengxiao and the others had already assumed that Du Du Yucheng had died there long ago. As for the fact that his body could not be found, it was likely that the fiend had devoured it directly. Since he was a Qi Refining disciple with low status and no background, no one in the Law Enforcement Hall was willing to spend time investigating the cause, and the matter was quickly brushed aside.

However, the Demon-Suppressing Tower in Black Stone Valley that sealed Facing Xiao Huang still drew great attention from the Profound Heaven Sect. With such a massive hidden danger lurking near their own territory, the people of the Profound Heaven Sect could hardly sleep soundly without investigating the matter thoroughly.

Under the personal inquiry of Grand Elder Li Li Mufeng, the Profound Heaven Sect soon uncovered Facing Xiao Huang's identity. Several hundred years ago, this fiend had been a major scourge near the Mount Mount Funiu range. Among the nearby sects, no fewer than six Golden Core cultivators had died at his hands. Relying on his profound cultivation and unique life-saving divine abilities, Facing Xiao Huang had repeatedly evaded the encirclement and suppression of righteous cultivators, making him an existence that even Nascent Soul ancestors found somewhat troublesome.

For the past few hundred years, all traces of this fiend had suddenly vanished, and almost everyone assumed Facing Xiao Huang had left the Mount Mount Funiu range for elsewhere. Never did they expect that this great fiend, whose name once struck terror into people's hearts, had been sealed in Black Stone Valley all along.

Fortunately, Facing Xiao Huang was now sealed within the Demon-Suppressing Tower. As long as no accidents occurred, it should be impossible for this fiend to break through to the Nascent Soul realm in this lifetime.

Demonic cultivators not only possessed strong survival capabilities but also possessed some special methods for extending their lifespan. However, most of these secret arts involved devouring the essence, blood, and spiritual energy of other cultivators, which damaged their own Daoist fortune; thus, their path of cultivation was often more arduous than that of ordinary righteous cultivators.

Just like when Facing Xiao Huang was breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm back then, he happened to be tracked down by a Nascent Soul expert. As a result, he was sealed in Black Stone Valley, wasting several hundred years in vain. Although a portion of his Primordial Spirit had escaped, his hope of forming a Nascent Soul was now extremely slim.

Normally, demonic cultivators above the Foundation Establishment stage generally had a lifespan forty to fifty percent longer than that of righteous cultivators. As a great fiend, Facing Xiao Huang was of the same generation as Li Li Mufeng. As long as his main body could not escape in the short term, even if the escaped portion of his Primordial Spirit could possess a low-tier cultivator to restart his cultivation, his remaining hundred-plus years of lifespan would not give him the opportunity to break through to the Nascent Soul realm again. The Profound Heaven Sect did not need to worry too much about this point; they only needed to keep a careful watch on the seal in Black Stone Valley.

After cremating Song Song Qingze's remains, Song Song Qingming discussed it with his Master and decided to bring Song Song Qingze's ashes back to Mount Mount Funiu for a proper burial. After all, he had few relatives left in the Profound Heaven Sect.

After tidying up some of his belongings at Song Song Qingze's cave dwelling, Song Song Qingming gave the spiritual items he had left behind to Song Song Xinyu, who was closest to him, and took only some of his clothing, intending to return to Qinghe County.

Before leaving, a grief-stricken Song Song Xinyu could not help but say to Song Song Qingming, "Seventh Uncle, why don't we bury Third Uncle here? As long as I am still here, there will surely be someone to come and pay respects to him every year."

"After your Third Uncle left home back then, he had some regrets. Since he could not fulfill his wishes while alive, let him return to his roots after death. You should focus on your cultivation and not be too distracted by these matters. Once you successfully reach Foundation Establishment, it will be a simple matter to return home to pay your respects to him."

It took over half a month for Song Song Qingming to return to Qinghe County.

Seeing Song Song Qingming holding a small porcelain jar, Sixth Uncle Song Song Changfeng immediately knew that it likely contained Song Song Qingze's ashes. Upon hearing the general circumstances of Song Song Qingze's death, Song Song Changfeng could not help but sigh with emotion.

Back then, Song Song Qingze had been single-mindedly seeking the Dao and had risked almost everything for Foundation Establishment, yet in the end, he met a tragic death away from home. By comparison, being able to live safely and steadily on Mount Mount Funiu until now could be considered quite fortunate.

The Great Dao is ruthless, and everyone has their own destiny. The path of cultivation is not something where effort guarantees absolute success; talent, background, opportunity, personality, and Daoist fortune—all these could determine a cultivator's lifelong path, yet they were often things one could not force.

Because of Song Song Qingze's departure from the Profound Heaven Sect back then, he had been the subject of much controversy within the Song family for years. Naturally, his funeral was not as grand as others. Under the simple presiding of Song Song Changfeng, he was quickly buried in the cemetery belonging to the Song family cultivators.

As the older generation of cultivators from the Gu generation exited the historical stage of the Song family, the cultivators of the Chang generation also gradually grew old. The eldest among them, the second uncle Song Song Changwu, is now over a hundred years old and has long since retired to enjoy his twilight years. A portion of them have already turned into mounds of yellow earth, standing within the Song family cemetery.

In Song Song Qingming's generation, the 'Qing' generation cultivators had all grown up and were now the backbone of the family. As the first of the 'Qing' generation to be buried in the cemetery, Song Song Qingze's grave could only stand lonely at the very bottom.

After the crowd of mourners slowly dispersed, Song Song Qingming stood before the tombstone he had carved himself to pay his respects, then slowly sat down to pour another cup of spiritual wine for Song Song Qingze. This was the first time he had carved a tombstone for a clansman, and he did not know who would carve his own tombstone in the future.

"Sigh! I had originally set my sights on this spot first. I didn't expect it to go to Third Brother first this time!"

"Heh heh, I say, Big Brother, don't think that just because you are a bit older than us, you can be buried here first. Perhaps I will go early in the future, and I'll still need you to help send me off." Just as Song Song Qingming was lamenting, Big Brother Song Song Qingshi and Fourth Brother Song Song Qingrui arrived there by appointment.

Back then, there was little age difference between them, and they had all attended the family school together, growing up together since childhood. Upon hearing the news of Song Song Qingze's death, even Fourth Brother Song Song Qingrui, who had always had some opinions about this Third Brother, set aside his prejudices this time and took the initiative to help arrange his funeral.

Seeing the two, Song Song Qingming turned and smiled, but did not pick up on their words, only silently pouring two more cups of wine for them.

"Old Seven, these years have truly been thanks to your blessing that my life has been so comfortable. It's just a pity that I have no ability now, unlike Big Brother who can still occasionally help you."

"You adding another cultivator to the family is not helping? Speaking of merit, on this point alone, I am far inferior to you. I have had five or six children so far, and not one of them can cultivate." Song Song Qingshi shook his head and sighed again.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 270 =====