Volume 1 Volume 5 Chapter 158

Volume 5 Chapter 158: Before the Beginning (Part 2)

Hearing this voice, Wang Zegang frowned; he did not like being disturbed while he was meditating.

But when Wang Zegang heard the visitor introduce himself, he was taken aback, and his earlier displeasure vanished. He quickly got up from his bed and went to welcome the guest.

Wang Zegang knew Li Yuhan’s name; he understood that although Li Yuhan was young, he was almost as skilled as Wang Zegang and held a very high status in Jiuhua. Moreover, Wang Zegang had sought Li Yuhan out before and was somewhat acquainted with him, so he couldn’t be angry about Li Yuhan’s sudden visit.

The reason Wang Zegang wanted to meet Li Yuhan was simple: he wanted to see Xu Qingfan in person through Li Yuhan and thank him personally.

Wang Zegang was part of a small sect, and the cultivation method he practiced was not very advanced. However, with his remarkable willpower and talent, he had managed to raise his level to the late stage of the Real Golden Core Stage. Naturally, he was quite proud, and in his life, only a few individuals could inspire admiration or even a hint of worship in him, and Xu Qingfan was one of them—indeed, the only cultivator still alive aside from Immortal Zizhen.

More than ten years ago, Wang Zegang followed his sect to a hidden place to escape the disaster that caused panic in the cultivation world. However, he never expected that with his strength, he and his sect would be easily controlled by "Ying," who intended to turn them into "Beast Madness cultivators."

Just when Wang Zegang was about to feel hopeless, Xu Qingfan suddenly appeared. With his Real Golden Core Stage strength, he fought with determination and risked his life to kill the mysterious "Ying," saving them. At that moment, Xu Qingfan’s blood-stained, pale face, yet still standing strong, left a deep impression on Wang Zegang.

Later, when Wang Zegang joined the Righteous Alliance and due to his exceptional cultivation, he smoothly became a member of a task force. In the Righteous Alliance, he heard many rumors about Xu Qingfan, but they were mixed. Wang Zegang was a person of strong feelings; because Xu Qingfan saved his life, he tried hard to defend and refute any slander against him, which caused his relationships with some teammates to become quite poor.

Later, there was the incident at "Wolf Howling Mountain." When he felt scared and frozen in front of the powerful nine-tailed demon fox, about to be killed, Xu Qingfan stepped forward, delaying the fox’s attack and saving his life.

All in all, Wang Zegang owed Xu Qingfan two lives. Although he knew that some of Xu Qingfan’s actions were not specifically for him, this made Wang Zegang respect Xu Qingfan even more.

Later, Wang Zegang had the desire to see Xu Qingfan in person to express his thanks, but as Xu Qingfan often secluded himself or went on missions, it was hard for ordinary people to meet him. Wang Zegang first sought to meet Li Yuhan, hoping to see Xu Qingfan through him.

Furthermore, Wang Zegang knew that many others who had similar experiences shared this thought.

When he asked to see Li Yuhan initially, Li Yuhan replied he would inquire about Xu Qingfan’s whereabouts, but after that, there was no news. Just as Wang Zegang was about to give up, Li Yuhan suddenly sought a meeting. Could it be that Xu Qingfan wanted to see him?

At this thought, Wang Zegang felt a strange excitement. He had never imagined he would be excited to meet a cultivator who was not a master, but it was really happening. It seemed that Xu Qingfan held an even higher place in Wang Zegang’s heart than he had realized.

When the door opened, Li Yuhan’s sincere yet reserved smile caught Wang Zegang’s attention.

"Oh, it’s Taoist friend Li. I wonder what brings you here?"

After inviting Li Yuhan into the house, Wang Zegang asked.

"It’s Martial Uncle Xu. He was busy with the matters of the Righteous Alliance and Jiuhua, but now he finally has time to meet Taoist Friend Wang."

A flash of joy appeared in Wang Zegang’s eyes, and he unknowingly stood up, saying, "Please lead the way, Taoist friend Li."

After speaking, Wang Zegang realized he had acted a bit too excitedly; he quickly smiled apologetically at Li Yuhan, who shook his head to show he didn’t mind and walked ahead towards the door, leading Wang Zegang quickly toward Xu Qingfan’s courtyard.

However, Wang Zegang didn’t notice that when Li Yuhan saw how respectfully Wang Zegang treated Xu Qingfan, a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.

※※※※

In fact, the reason Xu Qingfan did not see Wang Zegang before was not that he was too busy, nor was it because he had become arrogant due to his elevated status. Instead, it was because, before meeting Wang Zegang, Xu Qingfan had encountered several cultivators who had similar experiences and goals. Their fervent gazes and respectful attitudes made Xu Qingfan feel extremely uncomfortable, so when other cultivators with the same goals asked to meet, he preferred to avoid meeting them if possible.

But now the situation is different. Whether it is to achieve Mr. Liu and Zhang Hualing’s goals, or to achieve Xu Qingfan’s own goals, Xu Qingfan must meet these cultivators.

When Wang Zegang flew to Xu Qingfan’s courtyard with Li Yuhan, he was surprised to find that Xu Qingfan was standing outside the gate to greet him, as a member of the decision-making team of the Righteous Alliance, Xu Qingfan’s status was equal to that of any sect leader of the major sects, and his high reputation in the Righteous Alliance made Wang Zegang feel a bit overwhelmed.

As Wang Zegang walked quickly towards Xu Qingfan, he noticed that Xu Qingfan was also walking quickly toward him, with a sincere and modest smile on his face. Compared to Li Yuhan, Xu Qingfan also had an added calmness and wisdom that comes from experiencing many storms in life. Although they had not yet spoken, Wang Zegang’s fondness for Xu Qingfan increased.

"Taoist Friend Wang, it is truly a disgrace to meet you only now; please forgive me."

After they exchanged greetings, Xu Qingfan said with a smile.

"You flatter me. I’m just a common person; I can meet you anytime. I am grateful that you took time out of your busy schedule to see me."

Wang Zegang had seen Xu Qingfan from a distance a few times before, but this was his first close look. He found that Xu Qingfan looked younger than he had imagined, with tight and shiny skin, a tall and upright figure, almost like a man in his twenties. However, he also looked older than expected because Xu Qingfan’s hair was already streaked with gray, and the worn look in his eyes was not typical of a young person. Plus, the dark red phoenix tattoo at the corner of his eye and faint scars gave him a unique charm, warm yet dignified. Unknowingly, Wang Zegang began to use honorifics with this cultivator who was much younger than him, feeling no sense of awkwardness.

A trace of a bitter smile quickly flickered in Xu Qingfan’s eyes. He couldn’t stand such overly polite words. Although Xu Qingfan’s status had changed greatly, in his heart, he still saw himself as an ordinary second-generation disciple.

"Come in and speak."

Xu Qingfan raised his arm to invite Wang Zegang into his courtyard, while Li Yuhan quietly withdrew.

Xu Qingfan’s courtyard was much simpler than imagined, with one big house, three small houses, a big tree in the middle, and a few flowers. Together, they created a sense of elegance that was very pleasant.

At the same time, Wang Zegang keenly noticed that the three small houses each had a very strong wave of Spirit Qi. Observing the energy, two of them had reached the Fake Golden Core Stage, while one had reached the Real Golden Core Stage, seeming to have just broken through, yet still in seclusion for some unknown reason.

Seeing the confusion in Wang Zegang’s eyes, Xu Qingfan smiled and explained, "My three disciples live in those three houses. They have been in seclusion for over two years, likely refining some magical tools, so even though they’ve had breakthroughs, it will still take some time before they can come out."

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Wang Zegang was taken aback, realizing that Xu Qingfan’s disciples were so powerful. In the cultivation world, a cultivator who has raised a Condensed Core Stage cultivator holds a much higher status than a simple Condensed Core Stage cultivator. The fact that all three of Xu Qingfan’s disciples had reached Condensed Core Stage, with one even reaching Real Golden Core Stage, filled Wang Zegang with more respect and admiration for Xu Qingfan.

After avoiding a Blue-eyed Cloud-hoofed Beast that Xu Qingfan called Little Green, Wang Zegang entered Xu Qingfan’s house. Inside was even simpler and more elegant than the courtyard, with just a table, three chairs, a bed, and a bookshelf.

Once the host and guest were seated, Xu Qingfan smiled and said, "I understand that Taoist Friend Wang has come to seek me out to thank me for matters related to Wolf Howling Mountain and ‘Ying’."

Wang Zegang quickly nodded.

However, Xu Qingfan shook his head and said slowly, "In fact, there is no need for thanks. Everything I did was due to the circumstances; I had no noble intentions. The two times I saved you were unintentional, so there is truly no need for gratitude."

Xu Qingfan spoke the truth, but unfortunately, no one believes him until now.

Wang Zegang is also a straightforward person. He shook his head and said, "No matter what your thoughts are in saving me, I truly owe you my life. If I get the chance, I will definitely repay you."

Xu Qingfan smiled slightly but suddenly said, "Since you say this, it would be insincere for me to be overly polite. In fact, the reason I asked you to come here is that I have something to ask."

Wang Zegang quickly replied, "Please speak, and I will surely agree."

Xu Qingfan shook his head and calmly said, "It’s fine for you to consider whether to agree after I finish speaking."

"Please go ahead, Taoist Friend Xu."

"The matter is this: it is actually a personal issue for me. I need to deliver something to a place in the Southern Wasteland, but it is too dangerous for me to do it alone, so I want to find some people to help. I wonder if you would be willing to assist me?"

Wang Zegang did not ask what the item was or why he needed to deliver it. He simply agreed right away. From Wang Zegang’s expression, it seemed that if Xu Qingfan said he wanted to lead him to fight against the army of demon beasts led by the nine-tailed demon fox, he would also grit his teeth and agree.

Among cultivators, people like Wang Zegang who repay their debts are indeed rare.

Xu Qingfan asked again, "This matter is my personal business. Even if it succeeds, my Taoist friend will gain nothing but great danger. If it fails, my Taoist friend will not gain any reputation at all. Even so, do you still agree?"

"As I mentioned, I will definitely give my full support to Taoist Friend Xu’s matter."

Seeing Wang Zegang’s sincere expression, Xu Qingfan felt ashamed in his heart, and though his lips moved, he ultimately said nothing.

Then, Xu Qingfan chatted a bit more with Wang Zegang before Wang Zegang took his leave.

Personally escorting Wang Zegang to the courtyard, just as Wang Zegang was about to ride the clouds, Xu Qingfan suddenly remembered something and said, "Taoist Friend Wang, please stop."