Chapter 518 Part 1

Chapter 518 Part 1: Return to Peach Blossom Villa (1)

"Congratulations to the Qiao family’s martial ancestor, who broke through the void fifty years ago and returned to Jiu Province from beyond the heavens!"

These rather extravagant words shocked everyone in the room.

The Earth Sword Immortal still carried a masterful aura in front of unfamiliar juniors.

The rumor of "shattering the void" had been spread many years ago by the storyteller Clairaudience of Tide Listening Building, but this rumor could neither be proven nor disproven.

People back then simply believed it, but people now are somewhat skeptical.

The same sentence.

When spoken by the storyteller of Tide Listening Building, it naturally carries more weight than when said by one of the towering pillars of martial arts in Jiu Province.

Everyone in the room was astonished.

Qiao Mu was not surprised; he found it somewhat hard to maintain his composure.

Time is the most merciless force.

If a person lives too long, they gradually become as calm as a still ancient well.

The things that were once cherished and valued have become dull, and curiosity, the desire to explore, interests, and cravings have gradually faded away, until there was no ripples in the ancient well.

However, the somewhat extravagant words of Earth Sword Immortal made Qiao Mu feel a different taste that he hadn’t experienced for thousands of years, and it was hard to hold back.

Thank you, Earth Sword Immortal.

But despite finding it hard to hold back.

There was also a subtle feeling rising in his heart.

Sixty-nine thousand-year-old Qiao Mu looked forward to unexpected changes like a student eagerly awaiting a typhoon day off, carefully protecting the tiniest fluctuations of emotion in his heart like a mother tenderly caring for her baby.

So even though it was hard for him to hold back, he still made an effort to do so.

To Xue Changhe and the others, this scene appeared as if Qiao Mu had listened to Earth Sword Immortal’s overly flattering words and fell into deep thought without saying a word.

Xue Changhe also found it a bit hard to hold back, after all, he had been a famous martial arts master in Jiu Province for decades, not the young man he was at twenty.

But with the Earth Sword Immortal subtly reminding him, he thought for a moment and said:

"I should indeed offer my congratulations."

"Last time, on the battlefield of the Long Life Gate’s destruction, with the help of Senior Qiao Huo, I was able to temporarily escape the bloodline curse of the Long Life Gate and finally take revenge by personally defeating the Changsheng Taoist Lord."

"At that moment, things were urgent, and I failed to offer my congratulations, which was quite rude."

"….." This time, the puzzled looks from everyone shifted slightly to understanding.

Previously, many of them had questioned whether Storyteller Jiang Chen had deliberately taken credit for the achievements of a Qiao family member in the battle against the Long Life Gate’s destruction.

But when Xue Changhe himself admitted this, the direction of the conversation naturally changed.

The Earth Sword Immortal had a look of approval, nodding quietly, and then turned his gaze towards Wu Mingkong.

"Heh." However, Wu Mingkong remained unmoved.

She is not someone easy to deal with like Xue Changhe.

If we speak of the Qiao family members who have returned from afar, like Qiao Shuangtu or Qiao Yao, she has spent time with them and knows them well.

But no matter how skilled Qiao Huo is, he is not Qiao Shuangtu, Qiao Yao, and definitely not Qiao Xin…

Wu Mingkong’s eyes dimmed slightly, but she said nothing.

Only Qiao Feixian, standing beside her, began to move.

She stepped forward and fixed her gaze on Qiao Mu; her eyes, as dark and deep as an abyss, reflected Qiao Mu’s face.

She stared quietly for a long time, and then suddenly spoke softly:

"Can I call you… adoptive father?"

Qiao Mu was clearly taken aback, and the other tea drinkers were also stunned.

But the one who reacted the most was Wu Mingkong.

"Crazy! As long as your last name is Qiao, you are all just an adoptive father, right? Anyone can be a father, right?" Wu Mingkong blurted out.

Qiao Feixian had no expression on her face; she simply reached behind her and grasped the handle of her halberd.

"I won’t argue with something that anyone can call a father," Wu Mingkong then decided to back down.

Qiao Mu was initially a bit surprised. He looked closely at Qiao Feixian and saw only her eyes, deep and unfathomable, with no clear sign of any emotions.

"Qiao Shuangtu and Qiao Yao are my brothers by blood, and their adopted daughter is my adopted daughter," Qiao Mu replied.

However, as he spoke, the expressions of the people in the tea house grew more and more complicated.

Earlier, they had been debating fiercely, discussing who among One Sage, One Ancestor, and Five Peerless Ones was stronger and whether they could match the members of the Qiao family of the past.

But now, the words of Xue Changhe and the others, especially Qiao Feixian’s phrase "adoptive father," seemed to have lost their importance.

"This is not a place for talking, let’s leave first."

Qiao Mu spoke decisively.

Although he tried to stay calm, he was finding it a bit hard to do so now.

If he didn’t act quickly, it wouldn’t just be a simple three rooms and one living room; it might turn into a luxurious flat with seven rooms, three living rooms, and five bathrooms.

How should I put it?

Even after living for sixty-nine thousand years, there are still surprising people in this world, like the late Old Huang and the Earth Sword Immortal, who is old in age but young at heart.

"It is time to go," Wu Mingkong said at that moment.

"My martial arts skills are now much greater than before. I can certainly compete with the masters of the Qiao family. But let’s go to the Southeast Province battlefield, so I can show you my true abilities…"

Qiao Mu did not talk to them anymore and quickly left, ignoring their reactions.

The Earth Sword Immortal just smiled and then left with the few people behind him.

As for the destination, it was naturally the Peach Blossom Villa, located among the mountains outside Yan City.

……………………….

Although Qiao Mu had left.

The discussions among the tea guests in the room did not stop; instead, they grew more intense following Qiao Mu’s departure.

"Did a member of the Qiao family really return?" The crowd still found it hard to believe.

"Did you not see the reactions of those few martial arts giants? How could a liar fool all of them at once?"

"But this——–" The crowd was also unsure of what to say and could only let the complex emotions swirl in their hearts.

Everyone was saying I was Qin Shi Huang V50 giving you a general.

But when the Emperor Qin Shi Huang from the story really returned, no one knew what expression to show.

Just a moment ago, they were fiercely debating who among the current martial arts champions was stronger compared to the members of the Qiao family from fifty years ago.

But when these people truly appeared before them, many began to realize an obvious fact known to everyone fifty years ago.

Whether it was Millennium Master Xue Changhe, Wuji Empress Wu Mingkong, or Human Flying Immortal Qiao Feixian… in front of the martial arts of the Qiao family back then, they were actually all like disciples or children.

Though disciples may not be inferior to their masters, there are many cases in the world where the student surpasses the teacher.

However, the attitudes of Xue Changhe and Qiao Feixian, especially that one phrase "adoptive father," were enough to silence many doubts.

But with that came even more questions.

"It is said that the Qiao family members remain unchanged through the ages, endlessly and with many unusual aspects… every day, three to five of them pop out from the cracks in the stones…"

Clairvoyance drew her gaze back from afar and landed on the old Storyteller Jiang Chen.

His age and experience are actually greater than Jiang Chen’s, but the demon blood flows in him, allowing him to live much longer than ordinary people. He now looks middle-aged, appearing much younger than Jiang Chen.

"Jiang Chen, how do you feel right now?" he asked directly.

"I feel…" the old Storyteller Jiang Chen lowered his eyes.

"It’s good to be back, very good."

At this moment, he couldn’t say much, just standing still and repeating.

"I understand; fifty years is really too long. Telling old stories is not as good as telling new ones." Clairvoyance was aware of Jiang Chen’s thoughts.

After coming out of the Hundred-mile Desert, he changed from the Fantastic Faction to a practical approach, wanting to share the forty-year history of the lonely city with Jiu Province.

At that time, he might have had similar thoughts to what Jiang Chen is feeling now.

"The Qiao family member always appears at the center of attention. I imagine your storytelling will attract many new listeners soon," Clairvoyance said.

"I hope so." Jiang Chen pondered for a moment and finally calmed down. He turned and walked upstairs.

"Where are you in such a hurry to go?" Clairvoyance asked.

"I am going back to the Tide Listening Building to find the Landlord," Jiang Chen replied.

"The senior named Qiao just spoke to me in secret and asked me to deliver a message to the Landlord."

"He said…"

……………………………………

"In a fallen nest, there are no perfect eggs. Just listening to the tides without engaging in them ultimately cannot stand. In this world, who can truly remain outside the great tide?"

Inside the Tide Listening Building, Nian Chao Sheng frowned as he looked at Jiang Chen in front of him, his brow gradually tightening.

Fifty years is a long time for a mortal.

But for Nian Chao Sheng, or for the Tide Listening Building, there was almost no change at all.

Inside the Tide Listening Building, it was still filled with aimless mixed-blood creatures, just a small batch had changed, with no other differences.

The changes in the world and the shifts in its patterns seemed like the forever rising and falling waves to the Tide Listening Building, where the waves come and go while it remained still.

However, when Nian Chao Sheng heard the words brought by the old Storyteller Jiang Chen, his originally calm thoughts began to be disrupted.

"A member of the Qiao family, who has returned from beyond, has brought me this message…."

Nian Chao Sheng leaned over the railing and looked down; the clouds below gradually parted, revealing the rising and falling sea surface.

"No egg is perfect beneath a toppled nest?" Nian Chao Sheng murmured this phrase softly.

………………………………

In the midst of mountains and valleys, the peach blossom forest was lush and green, with pale peach petals floating on the rippling streams, and hidden within the peach blossom forest was a villa.

However, in Qiao Mu’s memory, there is no peach blossom forest at Peach Blossom Villa in Nan Province.

Originally, this villa was located among the great mountains of Southwest Province and was bought by Hai Wuya, hidden away from view.

This place in Nan Province is actually near Mount Dong outside Yan City, where Wang Songhe once hid.

This peach blossom forest must have been planted in the last fifty years, and when Qiao Mu saw it again, it had grown into a beautiful forest.

When Qiao Mu arrived with Earth Sword Immortal and others, he saw an elderly man with slightly gray hair sitting by a stream in the peach blossom forest, discussing martial arts in front of several seated martial artists.