Passing through the Ascending Dragon Gate was easy this time, with Yun Lie, now a Nascent Soul ancestor, leading the way. They stepped into the Qingyun Great World without difficulty.
They had only just steadied themselves when Yun Zhengrui and Yun Tianheng both drew sharp breaths. Their lungs seemed filled with spiritual energy, and their entire bodies felt incomparably lighter and more comfortable.
Yun Tianheng had not yet reached Foundation Establishment, though he was at the tenth level of Qi Refining. He sighed. “So this really is a great world! The spiritual energy here must be a hundred, even a thousand times denser than in our small world!” His admiration for his master and elder cousin deepened. He could only think that if he himself had cultivated in a great world, how could he willingly spend decades of his life in a small world afterward? Even if he agreed, surely he would become impatient and restless, not remain as calm and untroubled as the two of them.
Yun Zhengrui had tempered his sword year after year and was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining, but he had laid a very solid foundation, not inferior to Yun Lie’s in those earlier years. Sensing the energy of the great world, he showed none of Yun Tianheng’s wonder or regret; instead, his face shone with eager delight.
He was tall and sturdily built, with features common among the Yun family and a somewhat honest, simple air. Yet once he picked up a sword, he became fierce and sharp, like a savage beast about to attack, filled with formidable power. Yun Tianheng, by contrast, was slender and graceful, handsome with a touch of nobility, and looked almost eighty percent like Dongli Xi in his previous life.
Xu Ziqing looked at the two youths with a gentle expression.
He was now over a hundred years old. After so many years of cultivation, his state of mind had been polished until it resembled an ancient well, still and untroubled, not easily disturbed.
These two were younger descendants of his senior brother, so he regarded them as his own juniors. After so many years together, they had become almost like his own children.
Once they had finished marveling at their surroundings, Xu Ziqing took out his beast-command tablet and released Chonghua.
Chonghua’s bloodline descended from the ancient Great Peng, making it exceptionally noble and old. Because of this, advancing in rank was also extremely difficult for him. After several decades, he was still a fifth-rank demon beast, although his aura had become more domineering and some of his innate divine abilities were gradually awakening.
To receive his bloodline inheritance, he first had to awaken his bloodline fully. That, however, was anything but easy.
Once released, Chonghua gave a clear, ringing cry. His body had grown even larger and his flying speed still greater.
He lowered his body to allow everyone to climb onto him.
Yun Tianheng and Yun Zhengrui were well acquainted with Chonghua and respected him greatly. Whenever they met, they addressed him as Martial Uncle Chonghua.
But though they had long heard that Chonghua flew with exceptional speed, neither had ever ridden him. Both were delighted at the opportunity.
Soon the entire party stood upon Chonghua’s back.
Chonghua spread his wings, raising tremendous gusts of wind around him. Then he soared into the air and, like a streak of golden lightning, disappeared into the sky!
The Wuling Immortal Sect had stood for millions upon millions of years. Towering and vast, it extended over an immeasurable expanse of land.
On this day, an enormous demon bird flew swiftly across its skies. Its body was so vast it seemed capable of blotting out the sun.
Before long, it arrived at the outer sect, crossed layer upon layer of mountain ranges, and reached a peak wreathed in clouds and mist.
Xu Ziqing formed a hand seal and opened the restriction. Seeing the wonder on Yun Zhengrui’s and Yun Tianheng’s faces, he recalled the day he had first come to the Wuling Immortal Sect. He too had been just as astonished and awed, and the memory stirred his emotions.
Chonghua did not stop. He flew directly through the rippling barrier and crossed the many peaks, heading toward Little Bamboo Peak.
His magnificent presence attracted many people’s attention along the way.
One person asked curiously, “Who’s that? What an imposing sight!”
Another answered, “That demon bird must be at least fifth-rank. Anyone capable of controlling it is probably a Golden Core Perfected One at the very least!”
Others chimed in, “We’ve seen quite a few perfected ones who formed their Golden Cores during the past century, but we’ve never seen this one before.”
Regardless of their speculation, Chonghua beat his long wings and soon reached Little Bamboo Peak.
Although the mountain was still shaded by green trees, a faint sense of desolation seemed to linger there.
Chonghua circled above it, drawing many eyes.
From within Little Bamboo Peak, a woman’s voice suddenly demanded, “Who dares behave so presumptuously here?”
Xu Ziqing recognized her immediately. It was one of his junior sisters, Lang Wan. Her breathing was now deep and steady, suggesting she had reached Foundation Establishment.
He smiled and called aloud, “Junior Sister Lang Wan, open the restrictions, please. Senior Brother and I have returned to pay our respects to Master!”
Lang Wan cried out in disbelief. “S-Second Senior Brother? Is that really you?”
Xu Ziqing laughed. “It is indeed. Even if you can’t recognize me from here, surely you recognize Chonghua? His feathers have changed, but his bearing hasn’t.”
Only then did Lang Wan believe him. Several other women were speaking beside her, probably the other junior sisters.
She hurriedly called, “Second Senior Brother, come quickly! You’ve both been gone so many years. Master has been beside himself with worry!”
With that, she quickly released the restriction.
Xu Ziqing patted Chonghua’s back, signaling him to descend. The group landed before Lang Wan.
Chonghua immediately shrank, leaped up, and perched on Xu Ziqing’s shoulder.
Sure enough, Lang Wan was accompanied by several beautiful young women, including Fang Zhirou and Cen Qian’er. All had reached Foundation Establishment and were Xu Ziqing’s junior sisters.
Seeing Xu Ziqing, their faces lit with joy, tears glistening in their eyes. Their gazes passed over Yun Zhengrui and Yun Tianheng before resting on Yun Lie. They shivered a little, but no longer feared him as deeply as before. Now what they felt was mainly reverence.
Lang Wan wept. “If Master knew that both his senior disciples were still alive, how happy he would be!”
Hearing this, Xu Ziqing felt deeply guilty.
They had acted for Senior Brother’s sake, with no alternative, but they had still caused their master terrible grief. They had been terribly unfilial.
He composed himself and said, “We should go see Master quickly. We have several pieces of good news for him.”
Lang Wan hurriedly agreed. “Yes! Of course! Both Senior Brothers, please follow me.”
She immediately turned and led the way.
Little Bamboo Peak was much the same as it had been in the past, though several additional cave abodes now dotted the mountain. The junior sisters who had reached Foundation Establishment had probably opened those residences themselves. Xu Ziqing paid them little attention. After exchanging a glance with Yun Lie, he hurried toward the cave abode halfway up the mountain.
As before, an illusion formation protected the residence. At his present cultivation level, Xu Ziqing could break it himself.
But instead of doing so, he turned to look at Yun Lie.
Without changing expression, Yun Lie flicked a finger.
In an instant, the illusion parted like a river, its currents flowing aside before vanishing completely.
The same wooden house stood there, but the grasses and trees on either side felt different from before. It seemed Perfected Qiu He no longer tended them personally.
A meditation cushion lay before the house.
On it sat a plainly dressed young man with an honest face, cultivating cross-legged. He appeared to be at Essence Transformation.
It was Qiu Ze, Perfected Qiu He’s third personal disciple.
Sensing the arrival of an extraordinarily powerful aura, Qiu Ze suddenly opened his eyes and saw the two men before him!
His pupils contracted, and wild joy swept over his face.
“Eldest Senior Brother! Second Senior Brother! You…”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “We’re back.”
Qiu Ze sprang to his feet and cried urgently, “Come with me to see Master! Master, he… he…”
Without finishing, he flung open the door.
Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie did not delay. They hurried inside.
The furnishings had changed. The wooden house had been divided into two sections.
In the outer room stood an altar. Prayer incense burned upon it, before two tablets carved from golden jade. One bore the name “Yun Lie”; the other, “Xu Ziqing.” Wisps of incense curled upward, and the smoke had already stained the tablets dark green-black, showing that they had stood there for years.
Seeing their gaze, Qiu Ze explained, “After the two of you disappeared, we heard you had… Master refused to believe it. He went down the mountain to search again and again, but each time he returned disappointed. In the end he erected these two tablets and prayed for both of you.”
Prayers were originally a Buddhist practice. The Buddhist path cultivated reincarnation, so what help could those methods offer disciples of the immortal Dao? They were little more than comfort to the heart. Yet Perfected Qiu He, a Golden Core cultivator, could not accept the news that his two disciples had died. He had withdrawn from the world and made offerings year after year. If others learned of it, they might laugh at him. But the love and devotion behind it were sincere and ardent, deeply moving.
After living another lifetime among mortals, Yun Lie understood blood ties more deeply, and Xu Ziqing’s single emotion had awakened his seven emotions. He could now understand this devotion better than he once would have.
Seeing these tablets, even he was somewhat moved.
Xu Ziqing caught his breath, his state of mind shaken.
Qiu Ze said little more. He pointed toward a side door. “Master hasn’t gone down the mountain for years. Lately he hasn’t left his room at all.”
Pain showed faintly in his face as he spoke, and his eyes reddened.
Xu Ziqing nodded slowly. If Qiu Ze and all those junior sisters looked like this, Master must have suffered terribly.
He glanced toward Yun Lie. Together, they approached the side door.
Yun Zhengrui and Yun Tianheng had remained silent the entire time. Now they stopped and did not follow.
The two senior disciples quickly stepped into the inner room.
It was not large, containing only one meditation cushion and a wooden bed.
The cushion sat alone on the floor. On the bed, a human figure lay turned to one side.
That figure was gaunt, with only a faint trace of spiritual energy, as though his lifespan were almost spent.
His visible long hair had actually turned gray-white.
It was… Perfected Qiu He.
Their revered master had exhausted himself over the fate of his two disciples until he had reached this pitiful state!
Xu Ziqing trembled and called urgently, “Master!”
The person on the bed did not move.
Yun Lie frowned faintly and spoke as well. “Master.”
Still no response.
Anxiety rising in his heart, Xu Ziqing tugged Yun Lie along, and the two hurried to the bedside.
He reached out and gently held the man’s arm. “…Master, please turn and look. Ziqing and Senior Brother have come home.”
Only then did the figure seem to be startled awake. He jerked upright and turned around.
It was indeed Perfected Qiu He, but his cheeks were sunken and the hollows around his eyes almost cavernous.
He reached out and touched Xu Ziqing’s face, then grasped Yun Lie’s wrist. After a moment he spoke. “…Ziqing? Yun’er?”
Xu Ziqing’s heart ached so much that he could find no words.
Before they had left, their master had been round and plump, with a kindly smile. How had he come to look like this?
Yun Lie allowed his master to hold his wrist. He lowered himself to his knees. “It’s me, Master.”
Clasping Perfected Qiu He’s withered hand, Xu Ziqing knelt beside his senior brother. “Master… this disciple pays his respects.” His voice caught as he added, “Senior Brother and I have returned.”