Chapter 420

Chapter 420: Returning Home

Wang Yu Wei escorted Zhou Luo out of the Biquan True Sect, and specifically informed him of the direction Ye Qian had gone.

After the Biquan True Sect suffered such humiliation this time, even though Ye Qian had been expelled, that Hu Xuan certainly wouldn’t escape blame either.

Zhou Luo steered his flying shuttle to pursue the direction she had left.

Half a day later, he found her trail.

"Friend Ye."

He stopped the flying shuttle and landed next to her.

Seeing who it was, Ye Qian’s voice turned cold: "Are you following me?"

Now that she had been expelled, and although she hadn’t received any other punishments, she had lost the sect’s shelter and support. From now on, advancing to the Golden Core stage would probably be difficult, like climbing the sky.

So at this moment, she was actually feeling hopeless inside, thinking she might be stuck like this forever.

Feeling so downcast, seeing Zhou Luo, how could she remain calm?

Zhou Luo laughed sheepishly: "Friend Ye, there’s a misunderstanding. I was just heading back to the Qinyuan Domain. I happened to hear about your misfortune, and I really am deeply sorry."

His expression was very sincere, his words held no improprieties, and they were filled with deep remorse.

Facing these words, Ye Qian’s expression softened a little, but her voice maintained its chill: "This has nothing to do with you."

Given the circumstances at the time, even if she hadn’t been intimate with Zhou Luo, Hu Xuan would have taken her purity anyway.

Actually, if it hadn’t been Zhou Luo, not only would she probably not have come back alive, her cultivation might have been sucked dry by the other party. Reason told her she shouldn’t blame all her misfortune on Zhou Luo. That’s why she hadn’t chosen to implicate him in the Judgement Hall.

Since it had already happened, it was pointless to dwell on who took her purity.

"How can it have nothing to do with me? What happened to Friend Ye was ultimately my fault. Moreover, Friend Ye didn’t reveal my involvement – for that, I’m truly grateful," Zhou Luo said seriously.

After speaking, he took out a storage ring.

"Consider these things my compensation to Friend Ye. Please, you must accept them."

Ye Qian ignored the storage ring, her voice icy: "I said, this matter has nothing to do with you. I’m leaving."

She immediately prepared to activate her flying shuttle.

But the next second, Zhou Luo shocked her in disbelief: "Friend Ye, wait. Seeing as you have nowhere else to go right now, how about coming back with me to the Qinyuan Domain? I can help you."

Her nature was proving harder to change than he’d imagined; he planned to get her to the Immortal City first.

Ye Qian paused, turning to look at him: "Help me?"

Zhou Luo nodded: "Friend Ye must surely be troubled by the matter of the Golden Core. I am a second level Pill Master, and I have other methods to assist a friend."

"Tell me," Ye Qian showed a flicker of interest.

To reach the Golden Core stage, forming the core was essential.

Forming the core naturally required a Pill Master.

Although he was only a second level Pill Master, judging by his confident demeanor, perhaps he did have a solution.

Without the sect’s help, achieving the Golden Core stage became exceptionally difficult for her. She was rather curious about what capabilities he might possess.

Zhou Luo took the opportunity to inform her about the dual cultivation technique, The Fusion of Dragon and Phoenix Technique.

This dual cultivation technique offered immense benefits to both practitioners, yielding far greater results than solitary cultivation alone.

Moreover, Zhou Luo didn’t forget to mention his current status in the Immortal City and the previous events at the Wan Gu Sect.

Essentially, he laid all his advantages bare before her.

Using the need to compensate her as his reason, he stated that as long as she returned to the Immortal City with him, she would never need to worry about materials for advancing to the Golden Core stage again.

Amid these revelations, Ye Qian’s expression underwent a subtle shift.

Had it only been a matter of dual cultivation techniques, it wouldn’t have moved her; in fact, it might even have elicited some disgust.

However, his background genuinely sparked her interest, and his obvious sincerity inevitably made her somewhat intrigued.

In these times, solitary cultivation was an extraordinarily challenging path.

Especially for breaking through to the Golden Core stage. Without substantial financial backing, innate talent alone was meaningless.

Under these circumstances, heading to the Qinyuan Domain seemed like a potentially good choice.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Qian said in a heavy tone, "You’d better not be lying to me."

"You’ll know I speak the truth once you reach Qinyuan City."

Her words convinced Zhou Luo he stood a chance. He was confident these terms were enticing enough.

As for the matter of dual cultivation, as long as she went with him, wouldn’t it be only a matter of time before she agreed to cultivate with him?

There would be ample time to gradually win her over.

After their brief exchange, Ye Qian ultimately agreed to accompany him to Qinyuan City to see for herself.

…

On a steep cliff within the Qinyuan Sect, a cave entrance shimmered, concealed by a protective formation.

Standing at the cave entrance was a man bearing some resemblance to Zhou Luo – it was Zhou Changqing, confined within Banishing Mountain.

Punished for his previous transgression, he was now imprisoned here.

Though his freedom was restricted, no hint of despondency showed on him. Instead, he quietly devoted himself to cultivation every day, occasionally standing at the cave entrance to gaze at the scenery outside.

Right at this moment, a sword light streaked across the sky. Zhou Chang Le, standing atop his treasured sword, descended swiftly and landed at the cave entrance.

Now at the mid-level Foundation Establishment stage, Zhou Chang Le had caught up to his father’s pace of cultivation.

This achievement stemmed from his own talent and the sect’s substantial support.

Nearing fifty, he retained a youthful appearance. Dressed in a simple green robe, he stood tall with a composed demeanor, bearing a hint of Zhou Luo’s characteristic presence.

"Elder brother Chang Le, why is it you coming today?"

Seeing him, Zhou Changqing smiled with pleasant surprise.

"Chang Lun is in Closed-Door Training. From now on, I’ll be bringing you the spiritual stones," stated Zhou Chang Le calmly.

They delivered spiritual stones to Zhou Changqing every five days to aid his cultivation.

While the cliff possessed spiritual energy, the formation restricting him significantly thinned its flow, making progress towards Foundation Establishment dauntingly slow.

Since Banishing Mountain had no strict rules depriving confined disciples of resources, Zhou Chang Le had arranged for substantial shipments of spiritual stones to arrive here every five days.

"I see. Elder brother Chang Le, I thank you all," Zhou Changqing expressed his gratitude.

"Why give thanks? We are true brothers. Father also wishes us to support each other."

"The more pressing matter is you. You must reach Foundation Establishment swiftly, so you can leave this place and assist me with the Heavenly Alliance affairs."

Zhou Chang Le presented a storage ring.

The ring pierced through the formation barrier, sending out a ripple, and landed firmly in Zhou Changqing’s hand.

Currently, the Heavenly Alliance was in a crucial phase of expansion. Zhou Chang Le had few he fully trusted, and with Zhou Chang Lun also in seclusion, he was burdened with personally overseeing numerous matters.

"Don’t worry, elder brother. I should be at Foundation Establishment within the next half year," Zhou Changqing declared with quiet confidence.