Chapter 391

After his elder brother Song Qingshi left, Song Qingyu did not follow him. She suddenly crept up to Song Qingming, hesitated for a moment, and then, squinting her eyes, asked a question that took Song Qingming by surprise.

"Seventh Brother, have there been any messages from Sister-in-law these past few years? Have you ever thought about going out to look for her?"

Hearing Song Qingyu mention Huang Siyuan, Song Qingming was immediately stunned. It had been more than twenty years since she left Qinghefang without saying goodbye. Although Song Qingming had tried asking Shi Chun to help inquire about her whereabouts everywhere, he had gained nothing after all these years.

Looking at Song Qingyu, who was waiting somewhat urgently for his answer, Song Qingming's expression changed, and he sighed: "I have entrusted people to inquire, but there has never been any news of her. I suppose she must have already left the Wei State!"

"Since you have thought about looking for her, why have I never heard you mention it? You two have been separated for so long; if you don't go looking for her, Sister-in-law might even forget you." Song Qingyu smiled cautiously and probed again.

"Why do you keep bringing her up today for no reason? It's been so many years; if she wanted to come back, she would have come back long ago. In the vast cultivation world, I don't know where she is, or whether she is alive or dead. With no clues like this, looking for her would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. What meaning could it have?"

Seeing that Song Qingming was already starting to look displeased, Song Qingyu hurriedly put away her smile and said softly: "Then if you knew where Sister-in-law was, would you go look for her immediately?"

"Do you have news of her?"

Song Qingming stared tightly at Song Qingyu's eyes in surprise. Since carrying her up to Mount Funiu, he had watched this girl grow up over the years, so it was naturally easy to see that Song Qingyu must be hiding something right now.

Half an hour later, Song Qingyu walked out of the cave dwelling with a calm expression. After shaking her head, she summoned a blue flying sword and left Mount Funiu directly.

Song Qingming, still sitting in his cave dwelling, was also full of surprise at this moment. He had not expected that after searching for Huang Siyuan for many years with no results, Song Qingyu would happen to run into her by chance while traveling for a few years.

"She actually succeeded in Foundation Establishment. It seems this is Heaven's will." After murmuring this to himself, Song Qingming, sitting alone in his cave dwelling, suddenly had a dazed smile spread across his face.

——

Three days later, on Mount Taiyuan of the Huang family, Song Qingming arrived early according to the time agreed upon with the Huang family.

Hearing that Song Qingming had arrived, Huang Shengyue hurried out to welcome him. Huang Shengyue had been in closed-door cultivation within the clan all these years, and Huang Sipo had always been the one appearing in public for the Huang family. Song Qingming had not seen her for a very long time.

Compared to the bright and beautiful woman of the past, Huang Shengyue's appearance had begun to show signs of old age over these years. Her several attempts at closed-door cultivation to break through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment had also been very unsuccessful, and her cultivation base remained stuck at the peak of the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.

"Fellow Daoist Song, why have you come so early today? Ninth Brother went to Mount Wufeng and should be back soon. Please wait a moment here, fellow Daoist Song."

"How so? Is Fellow Daoist Shengxin also going together this time?"

Huang Shengxin, as the Clan Leader of the Huang family, had long since cultivated to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Over the years, he had wanted to attempt Core Formation, but had never been able to fulfill his wish. He was a cultivator of the same generation as Gao Jinhe, and his lifespan was not long, with at most ten years left. Logically speaking, a cultivator of his age would generally not be willing to travel far.

Seeing Song Qingming's puzzled expression, Huang Shengyue hurriedly explained: "This invitation from Mount Tuoyun was sent directly to Ninth Brother. Chen Chen Laozu Chen has given my Huang family such face; Ninth Brother is afraid that if he does not go personally, he will lose face for the old ancestor."

"Oh! I have rarely seen Fellow Daoist Shengxin in recent years, and I thought he was still in closed-door cultivation. It was my oversight; I am ashamed!"

After the two exchanged a few pleasantries, a silver light slowly appeared in the sky and landed directly on Mount Taiyuan. Huang Shengxin, now with a full head of white hair, jumped down from a silver flying boat.

Since the battle at Eagle Nest Ridge, Song Qingming had not seen Huang Shengxin for a long time, so he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

"Qingming greets Clan Leader Shengxin!"

Huang Shengxin bowed in return with a smile: "Fellow Daoist Song, I hope you are well. It has been a long time since I last saw you, my old friend. I did not expect your cultivation base to have increased so much, while we old fellows can only mark time."

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me. Although Qingming has made progress in cultivation over the years, I am only following in the footsteps of my seniors." Facing Huang Shengxin's praise, Song Qingming hurriedly replied with humility.

Since Gao Jinhe passed away a few years ago, there had long been rumors outside Qinghe County that Huang Shengxin could no longer engage in combat and was not far from the end of his life. Song Qingming had not seen Huang Shengxin appear in public for years, and had even thought it possible that his lifespan was truly running low.

Today, it seemed that although this old fellow had indeed aged quite a bit in appearance, his spirit was still well-maintained. He would likely be able to hold on for another twenty years or so, far from the bedridden state rumored.

After the three exchanged greetings, they quickly boarded the flying boat controlled by Huang Shengxin and sped off toward the northwest.

When they went to the Floating Yunshan Range to gather herbs with the Huang family years ago, Song Qingming remembered that this silver flying boat in Huang Shengxin's hands had been damaged by Qingluan. He did not expect it to have been completely repaired by now.

With the speed of the flying boat, the journey for the three to Mount Tuoyun was shortened significantly compared to the time Song Qingyu had estimated. In less than half a month, they had already arrived at their destination, Mount Tuoyun.

The peak of Mount Tuoyun towered into the clouds, much higher than Mount Guiyun. Everywhere on the mountain were cave dwellings of various styles opened up by cultivators, numbering nearly a thousand.

These cave dwellings varied greatly in style and size from top to bottom. The places at the top with the most concentrated spiritual energy were the cave dwellings of the Jin Dan Chen Chen Laozu and Foundation Establishment cultivators, which appeared relatively spacious. The further down one went, the more casual the cave dwellings became. By the foot of the mountain, they were like ant nests, densely covering the entire cliff face.

Although Mount Tuoyun was adjacent to the Floating Yunshan Range, in the hundreds of years that Chen Jinliang had occupied Mount Tuoyun, he had led his disciples and followers to clear out most of the nearby beasts. Very few beasts could be seen haunting the area around Mount Tuoyun.

This Jin Dan Chen Chen Laozu of rogue cultivator origin had always sympathized with cultivators of rogue origin. Rogue cultivators wandering near the Floating Yunshan Range, as long as they were not heinous villains, could enter Mount Tuoyun to rent cave dwellings and obtain the protection of the old ancestor. Moreover, compared to living in a large market like Guiyunfang, the spirit stones that rogue cultivators needed to pay annually to live on Mount Tuoyun were much less.

(End of chapter)