Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Sudden Trouble

The black-robed man kept nodding, then suddenly stiffened as if remembering something. He turned to the young boy with grave seriousness.

“But I warn you—stay out of his affairs. Waking his power this time and guiding it to seal the Nether Path? Don’t let there be a next occasion. When he truly returns, he’ll make you regret it!”

“……” The boy hung his head lower.

“Enough. I’ve said my piece. You’ve never listened to me anyway.” The black-robed man sighed wearily.

“……” The boy stayed silent.

“Another thing.” The man added sharply, “Stop provoking Wen Ze! I know you two clash, but he’s forgotten the past while you cling to it. What’s the point?”

“I… didn’t!” The boy snapped, lifting his gaze furiously.

“Deny it all you want!” The man shook his head. “Two sealed souls—one voiceless, one formless. Brothers in hardship, yet you brawl like beasts each time you meet. Pathetic!”

“Hmph!” The boy turned away, jaw clenched.

“See? Can’t even take criticism.” The man exhaled heavily, resembling an exasperated parent. “Fine! Follow him to your doom if you must. I wash my hands of this.”

With that, he disappeared as abruptly as he’d arrived.

—————————

You You couldn’t shake her doubts about the recent Nether Realm disturbance. The land of the dead, forbidden even to the Divine Clan—how could a breach form there? Soul Beast had explained: Nether River’s waters purge all soul marks, trapping spirits until rebirth. Any gap must’ve originated elsewhere.

But where?

Ling Qi’s investigation revealed the site had been a thriving mortal town until two years ago. “Nearby settlements claim a plague struck,” he reported. “Residents fled, abandoning it.”

“Plague?” You You frowned. “Why no alerts to sects or authorities?” Here, plagues often signaled supernatural threats requiring immortal intervention.

“None issued. It stayed localized, causing minimal harm.”

“Odd. Why vanish when people left?”

“Indeed suspicious.” Ling Qi agreed. “No containment measures, yet the ‘plague’ ceased once the town emptied. More like…”

“Someone scared them off.” You You concluded.

Ling Qi nodded. “This suggests the Nether Realm breach was deliberate.”

“Possible.” Ling Qi continued, “Formation Masters found residual traces at the site. Faded, but unmistakable. Sadly, the formation’s purpose remains unclear.”

You You’s frown deepened. If the breach was man-made, who could access the Nether Realm? Even Yuan Qi had said gods couldn’t enter.

The mystery gnawed at her, but lacking clues, she shelved it.

Days passed peacefully as Zhen Yan Sect hummed with routine. Growth had stabilized, easing her workload. Beyond daily tasks, she mainly soothed Qiu Zhang—his cultivation rocketing upward from Soul Beast’s constant pranks.

Only Soul Beast and Wen Ze disrupted the calm. Though both monsters, they shared no kinship. Their daily brawls defied mediation, continuing secretly outdoors after indoor scoldings. Eventually, You You let them be, trusting their restraint.

Just as normalcy seemed assured, duty called.

“Wuyun Sect?” You You blinked. “Their leader is…”

“Qin Hong, the Celestial Maiden,” Ling Qi answered.

“Ah, Qin Yan’s friend!” You You recalled Qiu Yao’s scheme—how he’d excluded Qin Hong from the competition, yet she’d stumbled into the trap regardless.

“Correct. Wuyun Sect’s suffered since Qin Yan’s fall,” Ling Qi added. “Once top-tier, now third-rate due to sect prejudices.”

You You nodded. Ming Xin Sect’s dissolution hadn’t quelled collective anger. “But why approach me? Qin Hong should resent me for Qiu Yao’s downfall.”

“Elder Hang Ye requests audience—Qin Hong’s Follower. He seems distressed.”

“Send him in.” You You decided. Answers required meeting.

“At once.”