Chapter 106#

An Wuxue: “…”

Only after he finished shouting did Pei Qian notice that Xie Zhefeng was still sitting to the side.

He looked up at the ever-changing landscape of fireworks and then glanced at the lanterns hanging throughout the courtyard.

He remembered the things he had seen in the Guan Ye Array that he shouldn’t have.

It seemed he had arrived at a very bad time.

Something even more terrifying than being placed under an illusion by Qu Jizhi had appeared!

He hurriedly said: “I’ll figure something out myself. Immortal Venerable, First Seat, have a good night’s sleep—”

“Wait,” An Wuxue pulled him back with spiritual energy. “Aren’t you hiding from Qu Jizhi? You’re not afraid now?”

Pei Qian said: “I’m a bit more afraid of the Immortal Venerable.”

Xie Zhefeng, who had been silent: “…”

An Wuxue was about to say there was no need to fear, but then his thoughts shifted, and he realized he had relaxed his guard.

Even though he and Xie Zhefeng had returned to their bond as sect mates, whether Pei Qian feared Xie Zhefeng or might be punished by him was something he could explain for Pei Qian, but how could he decide for Xie Zhefeng?

He swallowed his words and turned to look at Xie Zhefeng: “Immortal Venerable…?”

He wanted to ask Xie Zhefeng.

Xie Zhefeng was startled—he knew Pei Qian was An Wuxue’s friend and could see that An Wuxue wasn’t displeased. He didn’t care at all about Pei Qian’s intrusion.

He had been worried about disturbing his Senior Brother’s conversation with Pei Qian, but then he suddenly heard that “Immortal Venerable.”

His Senior Brother had clearly called him “Junior Brother” before he fell asleep.

His heart tightened, and after careful consideration, he asked An Wuxue: “Is it because I didn’t leave this afternoon that Senior Brother is dissatisfied?”

“I have been consulting ancient records to see if there are any mentions related to the puppet technique. I haven’t done anything else. Senior Brother, talk with Pei Qian; I’ll go elsewhere to look through the books.”

“Wait.” An Wuxue was helpless—he clearly hadn’t driven anyone away.

Just after stopping Pei Qian, he now stopped Xie Zhefeng as well.

“My divine sense has detected Qu Jizhi. He’s right outside. He probably knows we’re both here, which is why he hasn’t intruded.”

“Since everyone is here and I’ve recovered, there’s no time like the present. I happen to have something to ask him—no, them.”

“I knew he followed me!” Pei Qian paused, confused. “Wait… them? What?”

With his higher divine sense, Xie Zhefeng naturally knew there was more than just Qu Jizhi outside the courtyard.

He wasn’t surprised. He quietly studied An Wuxue’s expression amidst the lanterns, confirming there was no anger or coldness, before setting his mind at ease.

Since An Wuxue asked him to stay, he stood silently to the side again.

An Wuxue called out to the outside: “I haven’t had a chance to talk properly with young Immortal Master Qu since the lightning tribulation. Since you’re here, please come in.”

Before the words had even faded, the figure of a man in black robes appeared in the courtyard.

The newcomer landed directly beside Pei Qian, reaching out to grab him and pulling him close as he whispered: “You certainly know how to pick a place to hide from me.”

“Bah!” Pei Qian brushed off his hand. " I came here openly to visit the First Seat, and hid from you as an afterthought."

“Mm, but I came specifically to find you, and am visiting the First Seat as an afterthought.”

“…You are truly sick.”

Qu Jizhi accepted Pei Qian’s praise with equanimity, then straightened his expression and bowed to Xie Zhefeng and An Wuxue: “Immortal Venerable, First Seat. You two were looking for me?”

An Wuxue nodded, but wasn’t in a hurry to ask anything. Instead, he said: “Wait a moment. Not everyone is here yet.”

As he spoke, he had already turned and walked toward the courtyard exit, his purpose unknown.

By then, the fireworks had finally stopped.

The ephemeral landscape paintings created by the fireworks were just like the passing flow of time—whether beautiful or painful, they could only be seen, never grasped.

With An Wuxue gone, Xie Zhefeng stood alone before Qu Jizhi and Pei Qian.

The two of them instantly became restrained, standing side by side in silence.

Xie Zhefeng was unaware of this, looking up at the now-silent night sky. He said: “He always used to like fireworks.”

Pei Qian was dazed for a moment. “Huh? Who? Oh…”

“But what he liked wasn’t actually the fireworks themselves, but the joy that accompanied them. Such peace can only be found in a prosperous era,” Xie Zhefeng said to himself. “Senior Brother enjoys your company very much. It’s because you were born in this prosperous era beneath the fireworks, not in the past he knew as An Wuxue.”

He withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Pei Qian.

“So you don’t need to be concerned about my presence. Whether I am here or not doesn’t matter. What you say to him is none of my concern.”

This was the first time Pei Qian had been spoken to in such a manner by Xie Zhefeng. He was overwhelmed and couldn’t help but say: “Immortal Venerable, you weren’t so easy to talk to when you were about to kill me for the slightest reason.”

Xie Zhefeng: “…”

Qu Jizhi’s expression darkened, and he turned to Pei Qian: “He wanted to kill you?”

As he spoke, he had already grabbed Pei Qian and hidden him behind his back.

“…” Pei Qian rolled his eyes at Qu Jizhi and poked his head out from behind him. " I was just joking with the Immortal Venerable!"

Xie Zhefeng’s expression didn’t change, looking completely different from when An Wuxue was by his side.

It was as if once An Wuxue left, he returned to being the unreachable Immortal Venerable Chu Han.

Qu Jizhi’s expression grew even more unsightly.

Pei Qian was at his wits’ end, wondering what to do, when fortunately An Wuxue returned and saved him.

But An Wuxue hadn’t returned alone.

Upon his return, he sat at the stone table and casually flipped through the ancient scrolls Xie Zhefeng had been reading all afternoon.

At that moment, Qi Xun, Shangguan Liaoliao, and Qin Wei walked in, each with a different expression.

Qi Xun was originally a bit uncomfortable at having been discovered, but seeing that Xie Zhefeng was still there, his hand holding the folding fan trembled with anger.

He muttered: “Xie Chuhan came in during the day and hasn’t left? How is it that this fellow can stay so long…”

Shangguan Liaoliao pursed her lips tightly.

Qin Wei hadn’t seen An Wuxue for a long time, and now he had been caught red-handed.

He lowered his head slightly, appearing too embarrassed to show how badly the snow was freezing him.

But An Wuxue saw it with a single glance. Pointing to the fur robe Shangguan Liaoliao had left, he said: “Elder Qin, your sensitivity to the cold cannot be resisted with spiritual energy. The wind is cold tonight and the snow is heavy; if you’re cold, there’s a robe here that’s just right for you…”

Shangguan Liaoliao’s face turned pale.

Qin Wei, however, looked up with hope. “A-Xue…”

An Wuxue continued: “Do not let physical discomfort hinder important business.”

Qin Wei’s expression froze.

Having said his piece, An Wuxue didn’t care if the man took the robe or not. He looked at Qu Jizhi and said: “Since everyone is here… the Immortal Venerable has likely had the Falling Moon disciples handling the cleanup and demon elimination these past few days, and young Immortal Master Qu has been purging the Qu clan, and…”

And he had been trapped in an illusion for two days.

“You likely haven’t had a chance to exchange clues yet. I want to ask young Immortal Master Qu: what is the deal with the Qu clan demon cultivators?”

At the mention of the North Abyss crisis, everyone’s expression turned solemn.

Xie Zhefeng also stood to the side with his sword, waiting quietly for Qu Jizhi to speak.

“Most of the Qu family was unaware. The demon cultivators pursuing Mr. Jiang were all those who followed my mother into turbid cultivation, all of whom were at the Tribulation-Transcending stage. The rest were merely at the Great or Initial Success stages.”

Qu Jizhi produced a list and handed it to Xie Zhefeng.

“These are the names of those involved.”

Xie Zhefeng’s gaze shifted toward Shangguan Liaoliao.

Qu Jizhi understood: “I will read the names for City Lord Shangguan…”

Once he finished the last name, Shangguan Liaoliao spoke: “Some of them… I have an impression of. Though not exceptionally talented, they were very diligent in their practice. In their past dealings with the clans and the City Lord’s manor, they were all quite honest—how could they commit such a malicious act?”

Xie Zhefeng asked: “Have they been soul-searched?”

“I’ve searched a few of them. The reason was simple—because my mother gave them the possibility of reaching the next level.”

“The person working with my mother seems to know where there is a concentrated source of turbid energy. For years, that person has been providing it to them for their practice, allowing them to increase their cultivation. There is no turning back from turbid cultivation; once they start, they have no choice but to stand against the immortal path. Thus, my mother didn’t need to put much effort into controlling them. Once they became demons, they were all in the same boat.”

Turbid cultivation was a shortcut to begin with. A thousand years ago, even immortals couldn’t necessarily resist its temptation; how could ordinary cultivators?

“And since my mother had governed the Qu clan for many years, she knew who could be tempted. Thus, she never sought out immortal cultivators who would expose her. Consequently, for all these years, City Lord Shangguan had no way of knowing.”

An Wuxue frowned: “But the secret method for a Turbid Immortal does not exist in this world. Turbid cultivation is equivalent to ending one’s path to the Immortal Realm. The person behind Qu Wenxin doesn’t even possess the method for ascension; how could they persuade so many to bring disaster to North Abyss?”

Pei Qian shook his head and said with a smile: “This is a trouble that the First Seat, with your exceptional talent, cannot understand. Ending the path to ascension is a severe consequence that geniuses who hope to ascend wouldn’t dare touch.”

“But among the countless souls of this world, how many immortals are there? Isn’t there only this one standing before us?”

Xie Zhefeng: “…”

“For the majority of cultivators, they can never ascend to begin with. Turbid cultivation offers them a hundred benefits and only one drawback. That single drawback is having their souls annihilated by Immortal Venerable Chu Han’s sword.”

Pei Qian, who was always smiling, showed anger as he spoke.

“So they want the Immortal Calamity to return, for immortals and demons to stand as equals. That way, they can not only reach the next level but also stop living like rats in the street. Even if these people practice diligently every day, it’s only for themselves—selfishness is their nature.”

“Oh, and that includes my adoptive mother, Qu Wenxin. Before she started turbid cultivation, she had been stuck at the middle Tribulation-Transcending stage for far too long. If nothing had changed, she would have remained there until her life’s end.”

“So she disregarded mortal lives just to turn demonic and destroy North Abyss’s ‘Heavenly Pillar’?” An Wuxue said coldly. “Cold-blooded vermin.”

Qi Xun noticed another key point: “But turbid cultivation requires turbid energy. Demon cultivators haven’t been able to gain a foothold for a thousand years because Falling Moon Peak is governed by a Long-Life Immortal, and the Four Seas Ten Thousand Swords Array suppresses turbid energy in all four directions.”

“For all these years, if there was any spreading of turbid energy or demon activity, the major sects wouldn’t stand by. This mastermind actually has so much turbid energy available—where did it come from?”

Qin Wei thought for a moment and said: “Do you remember the incident with the demon blade right after A-Xue returned?”

Everyone’s expression sharpened.

When An Wuxue had just awakened in Su Xue’s puppet body, he had intended to leave Falling Moon Peak immediately. But he had encountered a small sect at the mountain gates asking for help.

The person said their sect had found a precious blade, but it turned out to be a demonic object filled with turbid energy, nearly destroying their entire sect.

Qi Xun had investigated the matter at the time.

Qi Xun held his folding fan, thoughtfully tapping it against his palm. “Now that you mention it, I remember a few things. The demon blade incident originated from a secret realm where a spiritual vein had been hollowed out. Earthly spiritual veins cleanse turbid energy; once a vein is empty, the suppressed energy is released. That demon blade happened to be right next to a vein and was thus corrupted.”

“And after the Guan Ye Array was broken, I did some brief investigation near the First City. I found that they were able to set up such a magnificent array because they had drained the power of several spiritual veins, and had simultaneously absorbed the turbid energy suppressed beneath them.”

Qu Jizhi said in a heavy voice: “My Qu clan excels in array paths and divination. Among our specialties is the art of finding people, objects, and spiritual veins—the so-called Art of Finding All Things. Furthermore, array paths often require a massive amount of spiritual energy, far more than a cultivator can provide alone. One must borrow the power of earthly spiritual veins. Thus, extracting spiritual energy from veins at the lowest cost for one’s own use is also a specialty of the Qu clan.”

“Did my mother give these techniques to the mastermind, allowing them to search for and secretly hollow out spiritual veins everywhere?”

So the mastermind was able to do so much by relying on the methods of finding and hollowing out spiritual veins to draw away the turbid energy.

And these were all Qu clan secret techniques.

Pei Qian wiped his brow. “Our old Qu family certainly has no shortage of secret techniques.”

Qi Xun tapped his fan, his gaze focusing. “This brings me to the final point. If the previous disasters were as young Immortal Master Qu says—Qu Wenxin aiding the mastermind with Qu clan techniques—then that explanation seems plausible.”

“But Qu Wenxin only turned demonic a few centuries ago.”

“I suspect the mastermind must have existed for over a millennium and possessed these Qu clan secret techniques even a thousand years ago—because the events we’ve just discussed happened once before, a millennium ago.”

Qi Xun stopped speaking abruptly.

The next thing he was about to mention was too heavy for him, even after a thousand years.

An Wuxue’s expression also changed.

Except for Qu Jizhi and Pei Qian, everyone present showed a darkened expression.

The event from a thousand years ago where spiritual veins were hollowed out and turbid energy was released… was the extermination of the Li Huo Sect.