Chapter 600: The Problematic Jade Pendant

Le Zizhen opened his mouth, wanting to comfort Xuanqing Daozhang, but seeing Xuanqing Daozhang's appearance, he knew no comfort was needed; the words at his lips swallowed back, and he changed his tone, saying:

"Uncle, we're leaving; you must take good care of yourself!"

He actually wanted to say that his mother was waiting below for his uncle's arrival.

But such words were better left unsaid, lest they affect his uncle.

Moreover, their family's Xiao Zhuang still needed Xuanqing Daozhang's care, and they could not tempt Xuanqing Daozhang into seeking self‑destruction by going below to meet his mother.

As the saying goes: "The future is long!"

His mother and his uncle will eventually have a chance to meet!

"I will!"

Xuanqing Daozhang let out a slight sigh.

Just as Le Zizhen was about to lead his father through Guimen Guan, Zhu Xiao Xiao suddenly stepped forward, a jade pendant shrouded in yin energy appearing in her palm; she tossed it casually to Xuanqing Daozhang, and without waiting for him to ask, explained:

"Uncle, from now on our Xiao Zhuang will rely on you for care. I have nothing precious on me except this Yin Yue Sect jade pendant, which can effectively ward off ghosts and evil techniques. I give it to your disciple as a meeting gift; please do not reject it!"

"Give it to my disciple?"

Xuanqing Daozhang stared at the jade pendant in his hand, his face full of surprise; with his keen eyes, he could not possibly miss that it was a treasure, though its grade was unknown. Since it came from Zhu Xiao Xiao, and given Wenjun's status in the Yin Yue Sect, whether it was Zhu Xiao Xiao or Le Zizhen, they likely possessed many fine items. Seeing Zhu Xiao Xiao nod, he frowned and said:

"Won't you prepare some treasures for Xiao Zhuang?"

"I have already prepared a great amount of treasures for our Xiao Zhuang within the Underworld!"

Zhu Xiao Xiao glanced, then fainted to the ground; Le Zhuang, still unconscious, showed only a look of tender affection and said:

"But they can't really be used in the mortal world, so these treasures I can only hand to Xiao Zhuang after this child lives a hundred years. This jade pendant, Uncle, you must give it to your disciple, not to our Xiao Zhuang!"

Hearing this, Xuanqing Daozhang felt a murmur in his heart, glanced at Zhu Xiao Xiao, then at the jade pendant, his brows slightly furrowed, and in an unkind tone said:

"Niece‑in‑law, tell me honestly, is there something wrong with this jade pendant?"

He only now recalled that just earlier, Zhu Xiao Xiao had once beguiled Le Zizhen, making him take Wang Ping'an to Yincao Difu; now she uttered those words, and he suspected that Zhu Xiao Xiao was harboring ill intent.

Of course.

He knew.

Zhu Xiao Xiao would not harm his family's Ping'an!

Though it was his first meeting with Zhu Xiao Xiao, their identities were clear; both were relatives. It isn't that relatives cannot harm each other, but he trusted Le Wenmao, and even more trusted Wenjun. If Zhu Xiao Xiao were that kind of malicious person, Wenjun would not let her go.

At the very least, she would not be allowed to stay with Le Zizhen!

Perhaps they would find a chance to have Zhu Xiao Xiao reincarnate, maybe through connections, sending her to a wealthy family, but she would no longer stay with Le Zizhen.

"Uncle, what do you mean by that?"

Zhu Xiao Xiao complained, "Could it be that in your eyes I'm that kind of malicious person?" Though she said so, she was startled inside; her uncle was truly sensitive, and a single extra word had been noticed by him.

Indeed, too many words lead to mistakes!

The jade pendant she gave to Wang Ping'an naturally had a problem.

But it was not a bad thing; for Wang Ping'an it was a tremendous boon.

Inside it contained the Yin Yue Sect's cultivation method; with Wang Ping'an's innate Yin‑dominant body, even practicing the sect's methods in the mortal world could advance a thousand miles a day.

The progress, however, could not match that in the netherworld.

But.

If one does not have an innate Yin‑dominant body, daring to force the Yin Yue Sect's methods in the mortal world would bring endless disaster.

Hence she instructed that Xuanqing Daozhang must not give this jade pendant to anyone else but Wang Ping'an, fearing that his good intentions might backfire.

Otherwise, her Xiao Zhuang could not linger in the mortal world, and before fulfilling the Le family's duty of continuing the lineage, he would depart early to the netherworld to reunite with them.

Xuanqing Daozhang looked at Zhu Xiao Xiao's plaintive expression, seemingly sincere, yet suspicion did not leave his heart; after all, women are performers, and if one does not trust one's own hunches, it is easy to be fooled and even led to lose one's life, he said:

"Niece‑in‑law, I was mistaken. Rest assured, I will give this gift to our Ping'an, not to your Xiao Zhuang!"

This novel you…

Zhu Xiao Xiao was not foolish; she could certainly hear the meaning in Xuanqing Daozhang's words, and rather than being relieved, her suspicion grew, though she said little and added:

"Uncle, it's getting late, we should go."

Xuanqing Daozhang nodded, watched Le Zizhen and the other two disappear into Guimen Guan, the gate gradually closing its massive doors, then vanishing into the air, let out a slight sigh, regretfully saying:

"Still too greedy—being able to obtain Wenjun's news is the best news under heaven, yet how can I hope to get my master's news?

I just don't know what oddity this jade pendant, given to me by my niece‑in‑law, holds for Ping'an!"

Having learned Zuo Wenjun's news from Le Zizhen's mouth, his heart swelled with excitement, yet also a unrealistic hope—that his master could, like Zuo Wenjun, develop in the Underworld without reincarnating.

Unfortunately.

That possibility is not even one percent, not even one ten‑thousandth.

Wenjun's rise to become a Yin Yue Sect saint in the Underworld without reincarnating is already a heavenly blessing; how could one ask for more?

As Guimen Guan disappeared and no more yin energy overflowed, Wang Ping'an gradually absorbed the lingering yin energy, listening to Xuanqing Daozhang's sigh. Though he did not open his eyes to see his master's expression, he could roughly guess his master's condition and thought to himself:

"Indeed, parting life and death is hard to witness; my master is a sentimental person, but regardless, letting my master know that his sister is in the Underworld, has not reincarnated, and has become a Yin Yue Sect saint is also a rare good news for him!"

Not long after.

Xuanqing Daozhang looked at the dissipating yin energy around Wang Ping'an, waved his hand and said, "Ping'an, come here!"

(End of chapter)