Volume 4 Chapter 56

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Volume 4 Chapter 56: Astonishing News

If a cultivator is fortunate enough to have a high-level spirit beast, they generally need to master three techniques. One of them is the "Heart Eye Technique," which allows one to see and hear the spirit beast’s surroundings through its eyes and ears, and it is the only one of the three techniques that Xu Qingfan has mastered.

The other two techniques are actually simpler to cultivate, but Xu Qingfan instinctively avoided them, as he felt their uses were too cruel.

These two techniques are called the "Dual Destiny Method" and the "Beast Explosion Technique." The "Dual Destiny Method" allows one to drain energy and even life force from a spirit beast to heal the cultivator’s injuries or partially restore the cultivator’s Spirit Qi. The "Beast Explosion Technique," as the name suggests, involves controlling a spirit beast to self-destruct to severely injure the enemy, while the cultivator either fights or flees.

The effects of these two techniques are undeniably powerful, but from the moment Xu Qingfan learned of them, he never considered practicing them because he wished to uphold his own "Heavenly Way."

If we say that a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator is approaching the "Heavenly Way," a Condensed Core Stage cultivator is understanding the "Heavenly Way," and a Mahayana Stage cultivator is merging with the "Heavenly Way" to become it, then according to Xu Qingfan, a cultivator’s life is spent not only training the body and fusing with the Heavenly Way, but also finding the "Heavenly Way" of one’s own mind, which is different for everyone.

For example, some people are cold-hearted, willing to betray the world rather than let the world betray them, using their self as the Heavenly Way. They live by this principle, putting themselves first, thus adhering to their own Heavenly Way. The Venerable Deaf Mute Blind of Penance Valley is this way.

Others, however, have a more twisted nature. Demonic path cultivators, for instance, place themselves above the Heavenly Way, killing without hesitation and recognizing no kin, using the essence of all creatures for themselves, causing harm but remaining untroubled, and that is their Heavenly Way. Zhang Xusheng, whom Xu Qingfan saw before, is a representative of this kind of Heavenly Way.

There are also people like Xu Qingfan, who are compassionate, thinking of others even while cultivating, refraining from killing for personal beliefs, and avoiding harming others for personal gain. Such people may seem foolish, but if they persist to the end, it is also a Heavenly Way. Li Xuhan from Jiuhua Gate represents this path. Due to his nature, Xu Qingfan is also moving towards this Heavenly Way.

Although each cultivator pursues a different Heavenly Way because of their personality, there is no right or wrong Heavenly Way. As long as you persist in your Heavenly Way and believe it is right, then you are right. While the Heavenly Ways are many, they ultimately lead to one goal: reaching the limit of Mahayana Stage and becoming the Heavenly Way.

As for statements like the Heavenly Way being fair, those who do wrong will face consequences, Xu Qingfan sees them as simply comfort for the weak after years of experience.

In the face of true heaven and earth, even the most powerful cultivator is no different from an ant. If the Heavenly Way truly seeks benevolence, why are there still floods and earthquakes that harm the world?

Xu Qingfan believes that this understanding is clear not only to him but also to Liu Huaxiang, Xiao Huazhe, Lu Huayan, and most Condensed Core Stage cultivators. Yet due to their positions, they don’t explicitly tell Xu Qingfan, and besides, such realizations must be personally understood. Otherwise, if the demonic cultivation method didn’t hinder understanding the Heavenly Way and reaching immortality, who would follow the Demon Ancestor back then?

However, in the pursuit of one’s Heavenly Way, cultivators must avoid hesitating and wavering between various Heavenly Ways. A demonic cultivator hesitant to kill, or a righteous cultivator who harms in pursuit of personal gain, will leave flaws in their minds, and may never glimpse the slightest edge of the Mahayana Stage.

For this reason, when Xu Qingfan saw the training methods for the "Dual Destiny Method" and "Beast Explosion Technique," even though they were profound, he refrained from practicing them, fearing they might leave a flaw in his heart.

Let’s get back to the main topic.

After quickly returning to his room, Xu Qingfan sat cross-legged on the bed and used the "Heart Eye Technique" to see through Little Black’s eyes, observing the scenery of "Ronghua Mountain" where Little Black was.

Little Black was very fast, and although "Ronghua Mountain" was vast, Little Black soon reached the area near the mountain’s backside. Xu Qingfan had noticed before that Little Black’s body was pitch black, and its flight, though swift, was silent, making it difficult to spot at night unless very close and prepared. Nonetheless, Xu Qingfan still cautioned Little Black to be extremely careful because if a crow (though a Dark Crow) symbolizing doom and death was seen flying in the ethereal Holy Land of the Qingxu Gate, it would cause a commotion as significant as an enemy invasion of "Ronghua Mountain."

Thus, Little Black flew cautiously, and among thousands of Qingxu cultivators in the expansive "Ronghua Mountain," not one detected Little Black’s presence.

Just as Little Black was about to fly into the Jiuhua back mountain, it suddenly stopped and started circling in place.

Noticing Little Black’s strange behavior, Xu Qingfan felt puzzled. Although he shared vision with Little Black, he didn’t share Divine Sense, which for cultivators is often more useful than sight.

Xu Qingfan sent a query to Little Black, and although the response was unclear due to the creature’s limited intelligence, Xu Qingfan roughly understood why Little Black was circling instead of moving forward.

There is a barrier between the front and back mountains of Ronghua.

After learning of this information, Xu Qingfan felt both happy and worried. He was happy because if there was a barrier blocking the way, it proved his previous judgment about Ronghua’s mountains was likely correct. He was worried because if there was a barrier, how would Little Black enter Ronghua’s mountains to investigate?

Initially, Xu Qingfan thought of giving up. It wouldn’t be good to expose himself, as many at "Qingxu Gate" knew that Little Black was his spirit beast. But realizing he only had a few days to investigate, and uncertain when such an opportunity would come again, Xu Qingfan steeled himself and commanded Little Black, "Little Black, analyze whether this barrier is made of Five Elements Spirit Qi or single Spirit Qi."

The main difference between a Five Elements Spirit Qi barrier and a single Spirit Qi barrier is that the former is much stronger and sturdier. Any damage is quickly repaired through the cycle of the five elements. However, its downside is the weak connection with its creator, making it hard to detect minor damage. The barrier before Little Black seemed to be set by several experts from "Qingxu Gate," weakening the connection even more. On the other hand, a single Spirit Qi barrier, although weaker in defense, would immediately alert its creator if damaged.

Upon receiving Little Black’s information, Xu Qingfan’s heart leaped with joy.

"It’s a Five Elements Barrier!"

Xu Qingfan calmed himself and ordered Little Black, "Use all your Spirit Qi to quickly corrode a small hole in the corner of the barrier. It doesn’t need to be large, just enough for you to pass through. Once through, retract the dead Qi you released, minimizing any potential damage."

Xu Qingfan didn’t know exactly what barrier Little Black faced, but he believed that with Little Black’s terrifying dead Qi, any barrier in the world could be easily broken.

Just as Xu Qingfan was about to closely observe the changes between Little Black and the invisible barrier, a sudden change occurred.

The change didn’t come from Little Black’s side, but rather from Xu Qingfan’s.

"Knock… Knock…"

The sound of knocking on the door was heard, along with the voice of Liu Ziqing, whom Xu Qingfan was quite wary of.

"Taoist Friend Xu, Liu Ziqing wishes to meet you. Is there any inconvenience?"

There is! But can I refuse to see him? Xu Qingfan sighed inwardly. He understood that his recent long conversation with Mo Ziliang likely aroused Liu Ziqing’s suspicion. This visit was to investigate.

Xu Qingfan slowly withdrew from the "Heart Eye Technique," intending to get up and open the door. However, he was concerned that Little Black was not standing on his shoulder as usual. Given Liu Ziqing’s intelligence, he would realize something unusual, causing Xu Qingfan to feel anxious.

What should I do?

Xu Qingfan’s mind was racing.

…

Although no sound came from within the door after the request for a meeting, Liu Ziqing didn’t appear anxious. However, only he knew his true feelings inside.

Just learned that Xu Qingfan suddenly found Mo Ziliang and had a great conversation, all the other Qingxu elders were curious about Xu Qingfan’s mysterious "Art of Disappearance" that could see through the "Qingxu Gate". Yet Liu Ziqing was the first to sense something unusual, feeling that Xu Qingfan’s actions weren’t that simple, especially after he was convinced that Xu Qingfan was someone’s subordinate, which made him more cautious. So while the other Qingxu elders were debating the principles of Xu Qingfan’s seemingly made-up secret technique, Liu Ziqing headed towards the courtyard where Xu Qingfan lived.

After a long wait, Liu Ziqing finally heard Xu Qingfan’s voice from outside the room.

"Taoist Friend Liu, please don’t mind. I was pondering over the upcoming lecture and got lost in thought, which made you wait."

The door opened quickly, and Xu Qingfan stood in front of Liu Ziqing.

Liu Ziqing carefully observed Xu Qingfan, noticing the same white clothes, with a purple jade at the waist, and a black mask covering the upper half of his face. The Dark Crow still perched on his shoulder; everything seemed unchanged.

"Could it be that I’m overthinking?" Liu Ziqing thought quietly to himself.

Although he thought this way, Liu Ziqing’s face showed concern, and he said, "I heard you went out for a walk in the middle of the night, and I was worried that you might find our ‘Qingxu Gate’ too dull, so I came to chat with you. Haha."

Xu Qingfan’s eyes revealed gratitude as he smiled and said, "Not at all. I was just worrying about the upcoming lecture, so I went out for a walk to find some inspiration. I happened to meet Senior Mo Ziliang and after a fruitful discussion, I came back to think over the details."

As he spoke, Xu Qingfan stepped aside to invite Liu Ziqing into the room, but the implication was that he was currently preparing for the upcoming lecture and didn’t want to be disturbed.

Liu Ziqing, who was usually so smart, seemed not to understand Xu Qingfan’s words at all and walked straight into Xu Qingfan’s room.

It seemed that Liu Ziqing was not only brilliant in strategy, but his boldness far exceeded Xu Qingfan’s expectations.

After entering Xu Qingfan’s room, Liu Ziqing discreetly looked around but found everything as usual, with no abnormalities, except a corner of the bedhead was missing, revealing some wood shavings, yet this did not arouse Liu Ziqing’s suspicion in the slightest.

A moment later, Liu Ziqing suddenly seemed to grasp the meaning behind Xu Qingfan’s words, and with a look of realization on his face, he said, "It is now the time when Taoist Friend Xu is preparing for the lecture two days later. I must apologize for my intrusion and take my leave."

Hearing Liu Ziqing say this, Xu Qingfan slowly sighed in relief but did not extend any invitation for him to stay, wondering if doing so might cause Liu Ziqing to linger longer, so he simply replied apologetically, "I am currently preoccupied with matters of the lecture and have not extended proper hospitality. After the lecture, I would be delighted to have a long chat with Taoist Friend Liu for a whole day and night."

Liu Ziqing laughed heartily and said, "It’s a deal."

With that, Liu Ziqing started playing with the folding fan in his hand as he left.

Watching Liu Ziqing’s figure gradually disappear, Xu Qingfan let out a deep breath, only to realize that cold sweat had unknowingly formed on his back.

Gently closing the door, Xu Qingfan picked up "Little Black" from his shoulder and softly stroked it. As he did, a spiritual light flickered from his hand; where Xu Qingfan caressed, "Little Black’s" black feathers quickly faded to a shiny blue, and its body became a bit smaller. Then, Xu Qingfan pinched "Little Black’s" long sharp beak with two fingers, and the beak easily came off, revealing a small pointy beak inside.

Once everything was completed, the "Little Black" that had been perched on Xu Qingfan’s shoulder suddenly transformed into the "Greenwind Bird" that Xu Qingfan had previously obtained from the man in the purple robe!

It turned out that when Liu Ziqing came to check the room earlier, Xu Qingfan, in a moment of quick thinking, remembered that he still had a "Greenwind Bird" at hand. Being of the bird species and bearing some resemblance to each other, he took it out from his sleeve, then used some special ink meant for making talismans to paint the "Greenwind Bird" black. The ink’s sheen closely resembled Little Black’s original dark feathers. Next, he grabbed some wood and swiftly carved it into the shape of Little Black’s beak to attach it onto the "Greenwind Bird’s" beak.

Poor "Greenwind Bird", known for its noble demeanor among birds, ended up looking just like the ugliest of crows under Xu Qingfan’s disguise. Even its mate probably wouldn’t recognize it now.

Fortunately, the Dark Crow, as a demon beast, is quite different from others, with its energy being extremely subtle and hard to detect, so Xu Qingfan felt confident he could fool Liu Ziqing. He was secretly relieved that he had chosen the Dark Crow as his demon beast instead of the massive Gold-Stone Giant Elephant; otherwise, there would be no way he could have sent it out to investigate, and any tears over it would be in vain.

Then, Xu Qingfan awakened the "Greenwind Bird" from its slumber and, in the instant before it took off, used a "Freezing Technique" to fix its form on his shoulder, successfully deceiving Liu Ziqing. After putting the "Greenwind Bird" to sleep again, Xu Qingfan tucked it into his sleeve and once more employed the "Heart Eye Technique" to start observing the situation on Little Black’s side.

However, what Xu Qingfan didn’t know was that Liu Ziqing, seeming not entirely convinced, hesitated for a moment before briskly walking towards the back of the mountain after leaving Xu Qingfan’s room.

…

When Xu Qingfan’s mind sank back into the "Heart Eye Technique," the scenery in his eyes suddenly changed, beginning to observe the landscape of "Ronghua Mountain" through Little Black’s perspective.

Little Black was still lingering in the front hills of Ronghua. The strength of the Five Elements Barrier far exceeded Xu Qingfan’s expectations, with its recovery ability being extraordinarily strong. Earlier, Xu Qingfan had spent more than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn just to deal with Liu Ziqing. During this period, Little Black used all its dead energy, yet only managed to create a tiny hole in the barrier, which was difficult for even Little Black’s small form to squeeze through.

But Xu Qingfan knew that Little Black had given it all, so he did not urge him and simply watched nervously with Little Black as the battle between the deathly atmosphere and the five-element Spirit Qi unfolded.

Finally, after the time of a cup of tea had passed, the hole enlarged enough for Little Black to pass through. Without hesitation, Little Black spread his wings and flew through the opening, then turned to reclaim the deathly aura battling the five-element Spirit Qi.

After losing the corrosive deathly aura, the unknown barrier’s strong recovery ability revealed itself. In a moment, like water filling a valley, the brilliance flowed and quickly restored the barrier to its original state.

Just as the unknown barrier returned to its original state, Liu Ziqing suddenly appeared in front of it. After carefully inspecting and finding nothing unusual, he performed a hand gesture to open the barrier and entered the back mountain of Ronghua without hesitation.

Meanwhile, with Xu Qingfan following Little Black through the barrier, the scenery before him changed abruptly to a desolate and lifeless sight. For a moment, Xu Qingfan felt as if he had returned to the Southern Wasteland, and he was greatly surprised. He had thought that the beauty of Ronghua Mountain, despite its embellishments, would extend to its back mountain, which should at least be lush with vegetation. Unexpectedly, it was such a scene, as if all of Ronghua Mountain’s vitality was concentrated in the front.

However, Xu Qingfan couldn’t dwell on the reason for this situation. Instead, he directed Little Black to fly around the entire Ronghua back mountain for a thorough investigation.

According to Xu Qingfan’s previous assumptions, both the "Quelan Jail" imprisoning Qinglingzi and the cave mansion where Immortal Zizhen was secluded should be here. The intrigue and irregularities in Qinglingzi’s overthrow did not concern Xu Qingfan, and as a Deacon Elder of Jiuhua, it was indeed inappropriate for him to involve himself in those matters. However, he had to find Immortal Zizhen, as it was related to Liu Huaxiang’s last wishes, which Xu Qingfan must fulfill.

After Little Black’s continuous search, Xu Qingfan discovered two peculiar places in the vast desolation of Ronghua’s back mountain. One was an old stone fortress, small in size and similar to the courtyard Xu Qingfan currently resided in. But according to Little Black, there seemed to be more underneath the fortress and numerous restrictions. Even Little Black had no confidence in freely coming and going.

Xu Qingfan knew that this stone fortress was likely the legendary "Quelan Jail," where Qinglingzi was presumably imprisoned.

Yet another time, it was even stranger. It seemed as though all the vibrant life of Ronghua’s rear mountain was concentrated there, even though it covered only a few acres. Countless towering trees stood densely together, their trunks intertwined in such a way that not a single gap could be seen, forming an enormous green hemisphere. These trees appeared to be enchanted by some mysterious magic, with a deep and luminous hue, suggesting they were far from ordinary trees. Little Black intuitively felt that even with his death aura, it would be hard to harm these giant trees effectively.

"I see, this must be where the cave abode of Immortal Zizhen is located. But what kind of magical formation is so wondrous that it seals Immortal Zizhen’s abode so tightly? It’s likely these giant trees that have prevented Immortal Zizhen from leaving. To trap a Mahayana cultivator, this magic is truly astonishing."

Just as Xu Qingfan was about to order Little Black to test the defensive power of the giant trees with his death aura, Little Black suddenly transformed into a streak of black light and flew into the sky, merging into the night.

"What’s happening?" Xu Qingfan asked Little Black in his mind.

Someone is coming.

This was Little Black’s response.

A figure dressed in a flowing cyan robe swayed gently with the wind, a gentle yet inscrutable smile on his face. His bearing was both noble and approachable, as he idly played with a folding fan.

It was Liu Ziqing, who had just left Xu Qingfan.

Seeing Liu Ziqing’s arrival, Xu Qingfan was secretly surprised and cautioned Little Black not to act rashly. Although Little Black’s death aura was profound, it was no match for Liu Ziqing, who had reached the late stage of the Real Golden Core Stage, until it matured into an earth-level middle-class demon beast.

"Brother, how have you been all these years? Has anyone visited you recently?"

When Liu Ziqing arrived before the giant trees, he paused for a moment in silence, then spoke softly.

In response to him, there was only silence. It seemed as if his brother was just the strange forest of giant trees before him.

Liu Ziqing did not get angry, instead, his smile became even more pronounced as he slowly said, "What? Has no one come to visit you all these years? Haha, back in the day those elders of Qingxu couldn’t wait to visit you every few years just to gain some benefits. Now that you’re trapped, they can’t get anything from you and these young ones have forgotten you. Tell me, why do you still protect such young ones?"

After a long time, a cold snort suddenly came from the depths of the trees, as if emanating from another world, deep and ancient.

"People like you, who think themselves wise, will never truly understand the human heart."

Hearing this sarcastic voice, Liu Ziqing did not get upset; instead, he appeared even happier, and with a smile, he asked, "So, does this mean that during these years, someone secretly came to visit you?"

Upon hearing Liu Ziqing’s question, the forest of trees fell into silence once more.

Liu Ziqing remained unaffected, leisurely saying, "Even if you don’t tell me, I know it must have been Bailingzi and the others, right? Did they tell you they are crafting a heavenly level artifact called ‘Diamond Drill’ and would come to rescue you once it’s completed? I know all about it, so don’t get your hopes up. They aren’t my match; if Xuan Ling and Huanlingzi weren’t so stubborn about their fellow disciples, I would have dealt with them long ago."

Upon hearing Liu Ziqing’s words, a soft sigh came from the ancient tree, followed by, "Junior brother, you are too clever, but let me give you some advice: be careful not to let your wisdom backfire on you!"

Then, the voice suddenly turned stern, saying, "You should know that the technique of this ‘Spiritual Wood Formation’ cannot confine me for long. Right now, as I’m in a crucial stage of my seclusion, I can only exert thirty percent of my power. Otherwise, I would have captured you long ago. If you dare harm Bailingzi and the others, once I get through this period, I won’t forgive you!"

Liu Ziqing merely smiled nonchalantly and softly countered, "But senior brother, do you truly think you will still be my match by then? You need to know that it will take you sixty years to get through this period, and by that time, my plan will already be completed."

Hearing Liu Ziqing say this, the person within the ancient tree seemed to be struck at a vital point and, after a long pause, slowly said, "Junior brother, no matter what, the Qingxu Gate has been your place of cultivation for a thousand years. Can you really bear to destroy it with your own hands?"

Yet, there was already a hint of pleading in his tone.

Liu Ziqing remained unmoved, simply smiling as he replied, "Senior brother, you still don’t comprehend my intentions. How am I destroying the Qingxu Gate? I’m elevating it! What was the ancestral master’s last wish? Wasn’t it that he couldn’t fully master the ‘Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique’ in his lifetime? Even though he was its creator. Through my plan, someone within our Qingxu Gate will finally master the technique. The ancestral master, if he sees it, should be pleased even in the afterlife."

"But you are sacrificing the lives of all the Qingxu cultivators!"

Liu Ziqing laughed and said, "What does that matter? To master the ‘Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique’, there must be some sacrifices. Besides, disciples can always be recruited again, but the opportunity to master the technique only comes once."

The person within the ancient tree perhaps lost faith in persuading Liu Ziqing or was left speechless, yet there was silence once more.

Liu Ziqing sighed softly and said, "Senior Brother, I know you’re disappointed and angry with me now, but you’ll understand my intentions in the future. The cultivation world is so chaotic right now, and it’s clear another calamity is soon to come. At this time, our ‘Qingxu Gate’ may seem strong, but as a Holy Land, we are the first to face such calamities. Aren’t you in seclusion just for this reason? What I’m doing might cause ‘Qingxu Gate’ to lose many members, but if I master the ‘Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique,’ and you master the ‘Thirteen Formulas of Qingxu,’ our strength will greatly increase. Who would we fear then? The calamity wouldn’t harm us at all, and even the ‘Ming’ that creates calamities won’t be a match for us."

"You’re using such extreme methods to master the ‘Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique,’ is it truly to save our ‘Qingxu Gate’? I think you’re just eager to seek revenge on that ‘Huang,’ aren’t you?" the person trapped by the giant wood said with a cold laugh.

Hearing the word ‘Huang,’ Liu Ziqing’s face momentarily lost its calmness. Killing intent and anger flashed quickly but vanished just as fast. He regained composure and said softly, "Senior Brother, from my judgment over the years, the Zhang Xusheng who attacked Jiuhua Mountain back then was indeed ‘Huang’ from the ‘Ming’ organization."

As he spoke, Liu Ziqing sighed softly, with rare despair in his voice and said, "Back then, after you discovered signs of the ‘Ming,’ you had me infiltrate them. I succeeded, becoming the fifth strongest ‘Yu’ in the ‘Ming,’ but accidentally offended Zhang Xusheng. In one night, Zhang Xusheng destroyed the underlings I cultivated for years, my dwelling, and even myself easily. The strength and cunning I was proud of meant nothing in Zhang Xusheng’s eyes. If it weren’t for my study of the ‘Original Soul Rebirth Technique,’ I wouldn’t have even saved my original soul. Unfortunately, this technique can’t overcome the rejection between the soul and a new body. Otherwise, with my Mahayana Stage foundation, I’d have restored seventy to eighty percent of my power, unlike now, struggling to enter the Golden Core Stage and unable to step out of ‘Qingxu Gate’ for so many years."

Liu Ziqing’s voice became more despondent, murmuring, "Back then, Zhang Xusheng’s body was missing its most crucial part—the heart, and his strength was only at sixty percent. But now, after attacking Jiuhua Mountain again, he’s taken back his heart. Once fully merged with his body, who can oppose him? If he discovers that the ‘Yu’ he supposedly killed still lives, what will he do? Even if you master the ‘Thirteen Formulas of Qingxu,’ winning is uncertain. What I’m doing is to protect ‘Qingxu Gate.’"

"But you can’t sacrifice everyone in Qingxu Gate! If I hadn’t discovered the problem with your cultivation method in time, were you going to absorb my Original Soul too?"

Liu Ziqing smiled but didn’t answer, seemingly confirming by his silence.

Simultaneously, both Liu Ziqing and the person within the giant wood sighed, with a similar sense of distance and helplessness.

After a long while, Liu Ziqing said, "Senior Brother, I came mainly to investigate, but since you’ve been trapped for so long, I thought you’d be lonely, so I came to keep you company. But now I realize, I’ve probably only made you feel worse."

Liu Ziqing gave a faint smile and continued, "But don’t worry, I’m about to leave soon. Before I go, there are some things I need to tell you since you’re so concerned about the ‘Qingxu Gate’. Around the time you were imprisoned, I discovered the spy ‘Ming’ had planted within our Qingxu, and I took care of him. For years, I’ve been pretending to be him, maintaining contact with ‘Ming’, and blaming the imprisonment on him, letting a dead person take the blame in ‘Ming’. I also sealed the ‘Sky Light Pearl’ as ‘Ming’ instructed, so no one would notice their chaos caused by the ‘Art of Tian Sha’, since only the ‘Sky Light Pearl’ can detect Tian Sha Qi. I know you’ll blame me, brother, but there’s no other way. If the ‘Tian Sha’ matter is exposed, our ‘Qingxu Gate’ will be directly in ‘Ming’s’ sights, so sacrifices must be made."

"Meanwhile, that fool Xuan Ling suddenly invited a mysterious Southern Wasteland rogue cultivator to our ‘Qingxu Gate’, but I suspect this rogue cultivator is likely one of Zhang Xusheng’s men, which means Zhang Xusheng might be suspicious of our ‘Qingxu Gate’. Luckily, they haven’t suspected me yet, but either way, I need to speed up my plan."

"That’s all for now, Brother. I’m leaving. No matter how much you hate me, I must prove to you that my methods are right."

With that, Liu Ziqing turned and left, his figure carrying a hint of loneliness, but the desolate despair on his face vanished, replaced by calm confidence.

Just as Liu Ziqing turned to leave, a voice suddenly came from the giant trees.

"The thing I regret most is sending you to ‘Ming’ as an undercover agent, only for you to become as ruthless as they are."

Hearing this voice, Liu Ziqing’s body trembled slightly, then he turned with a gentle smile, "Perhaps, perhaps this is the real me, who knows."

With these words, Liu Ziqing didn’t hesitate and headed toward Ronghua.

Hearing Liu Ziqing’s response, the giant trees replied with silence.

As Liu Ziqing’s figure disappeared from view, Xu Qingfan instructed Little Black to temporarily ignore the giant tree and first break the barrier between the front and back mountains using the same method, and then return to him.

When Xu Qingfan saw Little Black erode a hole in the barrier and then fly safely towards the courtyard where he was, he slowly emerged from the "Heart Eye Technique," got out of bed, left the house, and found the elderly Mr. Mo Ziliang once again to have a pleasant conversation. Meanwhile, Little Black took the opportunity to return to Xu Qingfan’s room.

Watching Mo Ziliang’s happy expression while talking to him, Xu Qingfan suddenly felt a wicked sense of taking advantage of an honest person.

After saying goodbye to Mo Ziliang, Xu Qingfan turned around, restored himself, and patted Little Black who was waiting in the house as a reward. Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, frowning as he pondered over the information he had unexpectedly gathered that night.

The information was overwhelming and astonishing to Xu Qingfan; he needed to carefully consider which parts could be utilized and which needed to be remembered.

As Xu Qingfan had previously thought, the person trapped by the giant tree was none other than the top expert of Qingxu Gate, Immortal Zizhen. He truly lived up to being the top expert, having reached the "Three Calamities of Heaven and Man" stage of the Mahayana Stage, which was why Liu Ziqing took advantage of him. He was imprisoned with a strange Taoist technique, explaining why Immortal Zizhen did not appear when Qinglingzi was detained.

As for Liu Ziqing, his true identity was not Immortal Zizhen’s last disciple, but rather Immortal Zizhen, who had suddenly disappeared 800 years ago! Additionally, his other identity was "Yu," a former member of the incredibly mysterious "Ming" organization, who was killed by Zhang Xusheng himself!

Xu Qingfan also learned three other very important things during their conversation: First, Huang’s identity was indeed Zhang Xusheng, and Zhang Xusheng’s power was about to grow immensely, making him unstoppable in the cultivation world. This made Xu Qingfan begin to worry about the future of Jiuhua Mountain.

Secondly, from Liu Ziqing’s partial revelations, it seemed that the continuous disasters in the cultivation world for over ten thousand years were caused by this mysterious "Ming" organization. An organization that had existed for over ten thousand years was already unbelievable. Furthermore, this organization aimed to create disasters in the cultivation world, but for what purpose? And why did these disasters happen every 2,800 years in such a regular pattern? Xu Qingfan couldn’t understand.

The third point is that Xu Qingfan had always found it strange that despite the widespread chaos in the world, he could think of the possibility of "Tian Sha," which other cultivators from different schools hadn’t considered. Now, he realized it must be because the "Sky Light Pearl" in the "Qingxu Gate," which could reflect "Tian Sha," showed no abnormalities while sealed. Knowing this, the major schools overlooked the possibility of the "Art of Tian Sha."

With this thought, Xu Qingfan shook his head. These matters were not for him to consider right now, and he turned his focus to the affairs of the "Qingxu Gate."

At this point, combining what Immortal Zizhen mentioned about the anomalies in the cultivation method and the absorption of the Original Soul, Xu Qingfan had roughly figured out the entire "Qingxu Gate" incident.

When Liu Ziqing was still Immortal Xuanzhen, he had already discovered some clues about the "Ming" organization. Immortal Zizhen sent him to be an undercover agent in "Ming." Unexpectedly, four hundred years later, Immortal Xuanzhen offended Zhang Xusheng and was killed. However, because of this, Liu Ziqing created the mystical cultivation method "Original Soul Rebirth Art," which allowed him to be reborn using another person’s body. Thus, after becoming Liu Ziqing, he returned to the "Qingxu Gate" to hide from Zhang Xusheng, taking on the identity of Immortal Zizhen’s closed-door disciple within the "Qingxu Gate."

However, fifty years ago, the changes occurred when Zhang Xusheng’s attack on Jiuhua Mountain spread throughout the cultivation world. Liu Ziqing identified Zhang Xusheng’s other identity as "Huang" in the "Ming" organization. Out of fear of Zhang Xusheng, or perhaps fearing he wouldn’t have a chance to take revenge, Liu Ziqing began to implement a plan that would allow him to perfect the legendary "Art of Heavenly Spirit Alchemy," but it required the sacrifice of the entire "Qingxu Gate."

Based on what Immortal Zizhen mentioned about the cultivation method anomalies and absorption of Original Soul, and knowing Qinglingzi was detained by Qingxu elders for keeping these secrets, Xu Qingfan surmised the plan was probably like this: Liu Ziqing created a cultivation method. While the exact function was unknown, Xu Qingfan guessed it might accelerate the practice of "Heavenly Spirit Refining Technique" and "Thirteen Formulas of Qingxu," but it likely had significant flaws or concealed intentions. Ultimately, it would allow him to absorb practitioners’ Original Souls to replenish his own. Liu Ziqing somehow let Qinglingzi obtain this cultivation method, likely intending for him to spread it within "Qingxu Gate." However, Qinglingzi, either out of caution to test it himself or with selfish intent, didn’t promote it, choosing to practice alone.

Perhaps Liu Ziqing anticipated this scenario and collaborated with other Qingxu elders to detain Qinglingzi on charges of selfishness. Qinglingzi, while practicing the cultivation method, was unable to defend himself. Seizing this chance, Liu Ziqing promoted the cultivation method throughout "Qingxu Gate," leading all cultivators to practice it, completing half of his plan.

Within "Qingxu Gate," although a group led by Bailingzi intended to rescue Immortal Zizhen, their actions were all within Liu Ziqing’s control.

"That’s probably how things stand. If I hadn’t shown up, before long, the cultivation world would have seen a figure like Zhang Xusheng. But now that I’m involved, what should I do?"

After analyzing the entire situation, Xu Qingfan secretly thought to himself.