Chapter 620: What

"For someone like me, a cultivator who roams north and south, making friends is perfectly normal, but my cultivation is modest, I can't befriend any powerful people, so I only get to know a few folks from the Underworld!"

Xuanqing Daozhang smiled wryly, his face full of self‑mockery; back then, whether at Ziyang Palace or traveling the jianghu, honing his cultivation, he never made a single friend. He did meet people, but only nodding acquaintances, and some beasts used the name of friendship to harm him.

He was duped not just once or twice; during that time he almost lost his life.

Later.

It made him clearly understand that in this world no one can be kind to others without reason; ten out of nine times they conceal malice.

He repeatedly kept his distance from those who wanted to befriend him; although he never made another friend, he also avoided being harmed by others.

Gu Liangong's expression turned strange; he opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words caught in his throat and he swallowed them, then said:

"Kumu Daozhang, I owe you an apology. The Zhu Clan Great Young Master called me over and asked about you; I had no choice but to tell him every detail of your situation!"

He wanted to shout at Xuanqing Daozhang for being shameless, asking what "being unable to befriend powerful friends, so you can only barely know people from the Underworld" means.

Does he not know that to know someone from the Underworld, especially one who can emerge from Guimen Guan, only the legendary soul‑snatching death‑seeker can achieve that?

Who knows how many people dream of meeting such a being!

Of course.

It's not about hoping the soul‑snatching death‑seeker can pull strings to extend his remaining years; even a judge couldn't do that. As the old saying goes, "If King Yan decrees you die at the third watch, how could he keep you until the fifth?"

What he cares about is having such a friend so that when he reaches the Underworld someone will look after him, allowing his reincarnation to occur earlier than others, perhaps even into a good family.

Only that.

Even if this gave him the courage of a bear and the daring of a leopard, he still wouldn't dare say it in front of Xuanqing Daozhang.

He has seen Xuanqing Daozhang's power with his own eyes; if it weren't for that Zhu Clan Imperial Attendant being able to die and revive, he would have already perished at Xuanqing Daozhang's hands, without Xuanqing Daozhang needing to summon his Underworld friend and directly drag the Zhu Clan Imperial Attendant into the netherworld.

How could he possibly have the nerve to berate Xuanqing Daozhang as a pretender?

"This isn't your fault!"

Xuanqing Daozhang smiled, not caring about such a trivial matter. Earlier, when Gu Liangong was summoned by a constable to Zhu Xing, he watched everything, even the constable's death was linked to him, and said:

"What brings you calling me at this time?"

He wasn't unaware of Gu Liangong's situation; Gu Liangong is just an ordinary commoner. Not to mention Zhu Xing, even a regular constable wouldn't dare offend him. Whether or not they have a friendship, given the safety of their whole families, it's understandable that Gu Liangong would give Zhu Xing a detailed report of his condition.

He actually appreciated that Gu Liangong was willing to lend a hand at Le Wenmao's funeral.

Upon hearing this, Gu Liangong let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Xuanqing Daozhang might make a fuss over the matter, and replied: "Kumu Daozhang, regarding Le Wenmao's funeral, should we continue the arrangements or hold a proper grand ceremony?"

He truly isn't afraid of death; after all, he's lived a great many years, seen through life and death. What he cares about is fearing that Xuanqing Daozhang might take his anger out on his household because of this.

Xuanqing Daozhang unexpectedly said, "Weren't you just urging me to bury that old Le Wenmao quickly? Why now do you say we can hold a grand ceremony?"

Gu Liangong forced an awkward smile and explained, "Kumu Daozhang, with you here, I think that for the time being, the Zhu Great Young Master shouldn't cause trouble at the Le Family again, right?"

He had earlier urged Xuanqing Daozhang and Le Zhuang to bury Le Wenmao quickly, fearing that Zhu Xing would come to the Le Family to cause trouble, disrupt Le Wenmao's funeral, and vent his anger on those assisting the Le Family. At that moment.

During the clash between Xuanqing Daozhang and Kong Yuan Si, both he and the others in the Le Family's main hall backed Xuanqing Daozhang.

Not only because they harbored a bellyful of anger toward Zhu Xing, but also out of fear that if Xuanqing Daozhang were to be disastrously defeated by Kong Yuan Si, without his resistance Zhu Xing would take his wrath out on those who helped them.

They know exactly what sort of person Zhu Xing is.

Don't be fooled by Zhu Xing being from the county town rather than their own; he often comes to their town and has done plenty of mischief there. They dare to be angry but dare not speak.

"This… it's hard to say!"

Xuanqing Daozhang frowned and said.

"Hard to say?"

Gu Liangong was startled; he had personally witnessed Kong Yuan Si being bound with iron chains by the death‑seeker, ready to be taken into Guimen Guan, when Zhu Xing's carriage led the squad away, completely ignoring Kong Yuan Si's life or death. Clearly, he was frightened away by Xuanqing Daozhang—or perhaps the death‑seeker—so he trembled and asked in doubt:

"Could it be that the Zhu Great Young Master will return?"

Before Xuanqing Daozhang could speak, Le Zhuang sneered, "Old Gu, what are you afraid of? With my uncle here, even if that Zhu Xing brute returns, what's the use? That Evil Cultivator earlier should be the Zhu Clan Golden Core stage Imperial Attendant you mentioned; even he has already been taken to Yincao Difu by my uncle's friend, so even if he returns, what's the point?"

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"Indeed, if that Evil Cultivator earlier was the famous Zhu Clan Golden Core stage Imperial Attendant, without that Imperial Attendant, the Zhu Great Young Master, should he return…"

Gu Liangong seemed to have thought of something, his face showing an unmistakable delight.

He hadn't forgotten that Le Zhuang and Zhu Xing bear a parental feud; Le Zhuang's parents were juniors of Xuanqing Daozhang. As a senior, he would avenge his seniors no matter what; if Zhu Xing dared to return, ten out of nine times he would meet his end at Xuanqing Daozhang's hands.

Had Xuanqing Daozhang not just engaged in a life‑and‑death battle with that Zhu Clan Imperial Attendant, clearly sustaining serious injuries, he might not have watched Zhu Xing leave with his eyes wide open.

Thinking that way, he suddenly hoped that Zhu Xing would cause trouble at the Le Family again, yet he knew that although Zhu Xing commits countless misdeeds, he's not a foolhead; he couldn't do such a reckless thing.

Xuanqing Daozhang said nothing, but if one looked closely, a weighty seriousness could be seen deep in his gaze.

Earlier.

Kong Yuan Si was bound with iron chains by Le Zizhen, giving him time to heal. During that period he also observed Zhu Xing's squad and discovered that among them was an extremely powerful martial cultivator, not inferior to Kong Yuan Si, indeed stronger. He nearly lost his life at Kong Yuan Si's hands and didn't think he could handle this martial cultivator who surpasses Kong Yuan Si.

Moreover.

He vaguely sensed that Zhu Xing was off, very strange, but even using his Dharma Eye, he couldn't discern any oddity in Zhu Xing.

(End of chapter)