Luo Yao’s departure only made Du Zihui angrier. He wanted to chase after him and demand an explanation, but there were two Golden Core Perfected Ones seated on the viewing platform Luo Yao had returned to. Du Zihui held a fairly high position within his family, and for that very reason he understood the importance of not making enemies recklessly. He forced himself to calm down and returned to his own place in frustration.
Xu Ziqing and the others welcomed Luo Yao back warmly.
Afraid that losing to Du Zihui had upset him, Qiu Ze hurried to console him. “Don’t take it too hard. Just temper yourself more in the future.”
Luo Yao nodded. “It’s fine. He’s genuinely stronger than I am. I accept the defeat wholeheartedly.”
After hesitating, he repeated to his friends what Du Zihui had said on the stage.
Qiu Ze and the others exchanged astonished looks. They had been so focused on the battle that they had not expected Du Zihui to say anything like that afterward. Yet it did agree somewhat with what they had suspected.
Yue Jun said, “You refused Young Master Du before because you thought he was an idle wastrel who disliked you and only wanted to recruit you so that he could torment you. But from what we’ve seen today, he seems sincere, and he has real ability. Even if his temperament isn’t very pleasant, as long as he can be reasoned with, it shouldn’t matter too much.”
Luo Yao had raised the matter because he wished to discuss it with his friends. Hearing this, he said, “I’ve thought it over, and that does seem to be the case. I just don’t know what he sees in me that makes him pursue the matter so insistently.”
That was the reason he remained uncertain.
Long Xuan laughed heartily. “If we cultivators want to advance far, we have to grasp opportunities when they appear. Young Master Du probably values your talisman-making ability. Once you join his family, all you need to do is serve him diligently and obtain enough resources. Why should the exact reason matter?”
Luo Yao considered it, then smiled. “That’s true. But I didn’t answer him just now, so he must be furious again. If he comes back, perhaps I’ll agree. And if he’s so angry that he never returns, then I suppose the Du family and I weren’t fated to be connected.”
With that, they reached an agreement.
Xu Ziqing listened from beside them, but did not feel it was his place to join in. Seeing that they had made their decision, he smiled and turned his attention elsewhere. After a moment’s consideration, he looked toward the man seated beside him. “Senior Brother Yun, what do you think of this?”
Yun Lie replied, “The Du family’s reputation is not bad.”
Xu Ziqing became curious. “Senior Brother, do you know about the Du family? Could you tell me something?”
Yun Lie considered the question. “The Du family has Nascent Soul Perfected Ones.”
Xu Ziqing waited for him to elaborate. When nothing followed, he blinked. “And then?”
After another silence, Yun Lie said, “The Du family has two Nascent Soul Perfected Ones. People of the Du family are seldom mentioned in the Peak of Discipline’s records.”
Xu Ziqing finally understood, though his expression became a little peculiar.
His senior brother probably knew only that much about the Du family.
For some reason, Xu Ziqing did not feel that this diminished his senior brother’s greatness. Instead, he found him rather endearing. His senior brother was cold by nature and devoted entirely to cultivation. Even during Essence Transformation he had been able to defeat Golden Core cultivators. Presumably, only experts at Nascent Soul or higher could attract much of his attention.
While Xu Ziqing was thinking this, Yun Lie suddenly spoke again. “If you have something to say, speak directly.”
Oh no. I must have let my amusement show on my face.
Xu Ziqing immediately straightened and adopted a solemn expression. “I have nothing to say, Senior Brother. Please don’t be angry.”
Yun Lie looked at him. “If you want details, ask Master.”
Xu Ziqing felt as though he had been pardoned. He immediately rose. “Yes! Thank you for showing me the way, Senior Brother!” He hastened several steps toward Perfected Qiu He.
Seeing his second disciple rush over without his usual composure, Qiu He was surprised. “Ziqing, whatever is the matter?”
Xu Ziqing smiled sheepishly. “I think I might have annoyed Senior Brother just now, so I’ve come to hide here for a while.”
Perfected Qiu He burst out laughing. “Yun’er, annoyed?”
If his eldest disciple were truly capable of getting angry, Qiu He would be delighted beyond measure.
Xu Ziqing was embarrassed and looked around for somewhere to sit.
Seeing him, the eight female disciples moved aside to make room.
Xu Ziqing sat cross-legged and shyly explained what had happened, then rubbed his nose. “…And that’s what happened.”
Perfected Qiu He struggled to suppress his laughter. After clearing his throat, he said, “Your senior brother pays little attention to anyone whose cultivation doesn’t surpass his. It’s only natural that he doesn’t know much about them.”
Xu Ziqing nodded repeatedly. He understood this too. He just did not know why his thoughts had shown so clearly a moment ago.
They were cultivators with steady minds, however, and soon set the embarrassment aside to discuss more serious matters.
Perfected Qiu He had lived for more than four hundred years. He immediately began explaining the Du family’s history to his second disciple.
In Wuling Immortal Sect, cultivators lived very long lives. Those who became powerful ancestors often left descendants, who in turn had further descendants. Over many years, their bloodlines multiplied enormously. Although descendants without spiritual roots could not remain in the sect, those born with spiritual roots, whether from the main line or a branch, could eventually form an immortal-cultivation family.
By now, many such families had grown to considerable size within the immortal sect. There was even an unofficial designation of the ten great families, tacitly accepted by the Sect Master.
The Du family was one of the established clans. Its first patriarch, Du Qingzhi, was an immortal who had ascended many years before.
Du Qingzhi had been a peerless genius rarely seen among the nine thousand worlds. From Qi Refinement to the Tribulation Crossing stage, he had taken only five thousand years.
He had been the subject of brilliant legends. Countless beautiful female cultivators became his wives and concubines and bore him numerous descendants. Not only were his personal achievements immense, but before his ascension, his family had also occupied an extremely prominent position in the sect.
After Du Qingzhi ascended, however, none of his descendants displayed talent as extraordinary as his. Gradually, the once-glorious family declined from its former prominence.
But even a starved camel was bigger than a horse. Although the Du family no longer ranked among Wuling Immortal Sect’s ten great families, its foundations were deep, and it was protected by two Nascent Soul Perfected Ones. It remained a formidable power that ordinary people absolutely could not afford to provoke.
The Du family’s reputation really was quite good.
Wuling Immortal Sect was enormous. Even with the Peak of Discipline enforcing its rules, there were always matters it could not handle. In situations that did not involve serious principles, some compromises were inevitable, allowing people to save face.
Thus, although not everyone with a powerful backer in the sect strutted about and bullied others, there were inevitably a few unworthy descendants who abused their family’s influence. Such incidents were small waves amid a sect with a million disciples. What could they amount to?
The larger peaks and families tended to harbor even more such parasites. At times they caused problems serious enough to be recorded by the Peak of Discipline, and more severe offenses certainly occurred.
Yet over many years, the Du family’s disciples had almost never caused any major trouble.
As for Du Zihui, his everyday demeanor was hardly likable. But after seeing him on the fighting stage, it was obvious that he possessed considerable strength. Perhaps that, too, demonstrated the foundations of a great clan.
Even with all his experience, Perfected Qiu He did not know Du Zihui’s precise position within the Du family, or whether he came from its main line or a branch. The young man had been little known until now, perhaps because the family deliberately kept its capabilities concealed.
Qiu He explained the history patiently. Not only did Xu Ziqing listen carefully, but Qiu Ze’s group gradually moved closer to hear him, becoming thoroughly engrossed.
They were ordinary inner-sect disciples, busy struggling for resources. They had known that Du Zihui came from a substantial family, but how could they have learned so much about its history? Even their previous inquiries had produced little detail. Thinking now of the Du family’s former glory, they felt some lingering fear for Luo Yao.
Luo Yao’s emotions were complicated too.
Perfected Qiu He had always been willing to guide the younger generation. Wanting to give these men a little more advice, he turned to Xu Ziqing. “Ziqing, can you guess how old Du Zihui is?”
Xu Ziqing shook his head. “This disciple cannot tell.”
Perfected Qiu He smiled. “His aura is not as pure and flawless as yours, so he does not possess the exceptional aptitude of a single-spiritual-root cultivator. But I can tell that he has been cultivating for fewer than fifty years. Moreover, his foundations are strong, his true essence is rounded and harmonious, and his aura is perfectly integrated. I suspect he has already spent ten years or more refining his cultivation at late Foundation Establishment.”
Xu Ziqing froze in surprise.
Luo Yao was even more stunned.
A person without a single spiritual root had to expel impurities constantly while absorbing spiritual energy. Yet Du Zihui had entered late Foundation Establishment when he was only in his thirties… Even with a powerful family behind him, reaching that level was no small achievement.
But why had such a person behaved so… so strangely when trying to recruit someone?
Qiu Ze’s group looked at one another with expressions difficult to describe.
Had the Du family’s policy of keeping its strengths hidden somehow produced descendants like this? It was almost enough to make them laugh and cry at once.
Still, after hearing Perfected Qiu He’s explanation, the four understood the Du family much better. Their intentions became firmer, and they would not judge the entire family by Du Zihui’s peculiar behavior.
Luo Yao suddenly felt as though someone’s gaze were pricking his back. With a suspicion in mind, he turned around.
Sure enough, on a viewing platform to the southeast, someone was staring fiercely at his back, his eyes blazing with enough anger to shoot flames three zhang high.
Who else could it be but Du Zihui?
Luo Yao sighed. He could see clearly now that Du Zihui’s eyes held anger but no killing intent. He would probably come looking for Luo Yao again… Luo Yao had cultivated for more than a hundred years, while Du Zihui was not even fifty. In comparison, the young man was practically a child. Luo Yao ought to show him some tolerance.
Thinking this, he nodded toward Du Zihui before turning back.
Having finished advising the younger men, Perfected Qiu He turned his attention to his own disciple. “Ziqing, you’ll soon be competing against the victors from other fighting stages. Why not check who your opponent is?”
This stage of the tournament was more important than the earlier rounds. If his opponent was someone famous, perhaps Qiu He could offer some guidance.
Xu Ziqing obediently took out his identification talisman and saw the words written upon it:
Forty-ninth match. Flying Immortal Peak. Du Linglong.
This… Another person surnamed Du?