"Xiao Qingwan," Song Changsheng had never heard that name before. Someone like her, a Purple Mansion cultivator and a Tier-3 Alchemist, couldn't possibly be unknown in the Great Qi cultivation world.
But she had no reason to deceive a junior like him. She probably used another name in the cultivation world… though he had no clue which one it might be.
"Grandpa… what were you thinking back then?" Song Changsheng sighed and shook his head. Life was full of crossroads, and if you chose the wrong path, regret was often all that remained.
He'd never met the Purple Mansion cultivator from Lieyang Sect, but from what he could infer, that person probably wasn't a match for this "Senior Xiao."
If Xiao Qingwan and Song Xianming had ended up together, would Lieyang Sect still be able to throw their weight around like this?
But now it was too late. Once a bond breaks, it's nearly impossible to mend.
Back inside the bamboo residence, Song Changsheng was about to call for Song Qingluo to clean up the used tea set when he noticed something new sitting beside the chair where Xiao Qingwan had just been. A small porcelain bottle had somehow appeared.
"Hm? What's this?"
Song Changsheng quickly stepped forward and picked it up. On the bottle, written clearly, were the words: [Mind-Focusing Pill].
"It's this!" Song Changsheng's heart skipped a beat. Though the [Mind-Focusing Pill] was only a mid-grade Tier-2 pill, its value rivaled even that of the [Foundation Establishment Pill].
For Foundation Establishment cultivators, the most crucial factors were nothing more than three: techniques, spiritual power, and divine sense.
In terms of techniques, Song Changsheng lacked nothing. Whether it was Water and Fire Control, Flickering Shadows Step, Eye of True Sight, or even the as-yet-unmastered divine ability Mountain-Flipping Seal, each was a top-tier secret art.
As for spiritual power, he was even better off. Thanks to his solid foundations built since childhood, widened meridians, and a vast dantian, he could hold far more spiritual energy than most. He had even refined the quality of his spiritual energy by consuming Mistveil Tea.
On top of that, he'd crafted the Ink Jade Lotus Platform as an auxiliary tool, capable of storing a massive amount of spiritual power, allowing him to unleash large-scale spells with ease. That was the very foundation of his ability to fight opponents above his level.
By comparison, the divine sense, once his greatest strength as a child, had gradually become a shortcoming.
Having lived a second life, his soul was extraordinarily powerful. Even before breaking through to Foundation Establishment, he could sense the existence of his Sea of Consciousness. And after breaking through, his divine sense strength was already equivalent to a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Strong, yes, but still not strong enough.
And now, the Mind-Focusing Pill left behind by Xiao Qingwan would allow his divine sense to break through once more.
"Was this… a gift for our meeting?" Song Changsheng smiled wryly. Even now, he couldn't quite figure out her attitude.
If she and his grandfather were truly still close, why hadn't she come to help when Grandfather attempted his Purple Mansion breakthrough? If someone had been there to fend off the Lieyang Sect's attack, Grandfather wouldn't have been forced to halt his breakthrough and damage his foundation.
If there had been any lingering feelings between them, how could she just stand by and watch such a thing happen?
But if they were truly strangers now… then how did this make sense?
He'd only met her twice in his entire memory. The first time, she'd commissioned a jade flute and paid tens of thousands of spirit stones, solving his urgent financial problems.
This time, she had not only forgiven his earlier disrespect but also left him a rare and precious pill. Don't be fooled by the Tier-2 grade; even a Tier-3 Alchemist couldn't just conjure one at will.
That was because its main ingredient was exceedingly rare and rarely seen on the open market. This was no small token; this was a true gift.
As far as Song Changsheng was concerned, he had no personal connection with her. The only reason he was treated this well was because he was Song Xianming's grandson.
Which meant… she hadn't fully let go of the past. That alone left Song Changsheng completely baffled.
"High-level cultivators are impossible to read," he muttered, then took the porcelain bottle and headed upstairs to begin closed-door cultivation.
Refining the pill didn't take much time. Once completed, his divine sense surged, finally reaching the level of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This latest surge in divine sense not only greatly expanded the range of Song Changsheng's spiritual perception but also indirectly boosted his refinement and formation techniques significantly. He had a strong premonition that it wouldn't be long before he achieved a breakthrough in his Hundred Arts Realm.
Just then, Song Qingluo arrived once again, wearing a perplexed expression.
"Young clan master, another female cultivator is here to see you."
"Could it be Zhuang Yuechan?" Song Changsheng asked with anticipation.
This was his first time in Luoxia City, and he didn't know many people here. Xiao Qingwan's appearance had already been a surprise. Aside from her, only Zhuang Yuechan could seek him out.
"Yes, that's the name!" Song Qingluo quickly nodded.
"Excellent! Go prepare a pot of tea, I'll be right down."
Song Changsheng was overjoyed. Finally! Maybe she can answer the questions that have been troubling me all this time.
Outside the bamboo lodge, a graceful figure stood quietly in the wind. She wore a light green, waist-length gown and carried a yaoqin on her back. Though her face was veiled, her bright, star-like eyes remained visible.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, it's been years. I trust you've been well?"
Song Changsheng greeted her from afar with a smile and a cupped fist.
Zhuang Yuechan returned the greeting with a gentle smile.
"It has indeed been a long time, Fellow Daoist Song. I was recently handling some affairs for my master and only just learned of your arrival in Tianyin Mountain. Please forgive me for the delay."
"Of course, important matters come first. Please, come in."
Song Changsheng smiled and gestured for her to enter.
Once seated, Song Changsheng sighed with a hint of nostalgia.
"It's hard to believe that in just a few short years since we parted ways in Lingzhou, we've both stepped into the Foundation Establishment realm. Others might not believe it if we told them."
"Indeed. Back then, even a single Foundation Establishment Blood Demon had us cornered."
Zhuang Yuechan sighed as well. Her background had made it rare for her to leave the mountain, and even when she did, it was usually under the protection of elders or senior disciples.
That expedition with Song Changsheng and the others had been her first time venturing out alone, and also the first time she truly felt her life in danger.
Upon returning to Tianyin Mountain, she had immediately gone into seclusion, determined to reach Foundation Establishment and gain the power to protect herself.
Now, even if she met that demonic cultivator again, she might still lose in a head-on fight, but at the very least, she could survive.
"Oh, by the way, Fellow Daoists Zhu and Xu have also broken through to Foundation Establishment. They appeared in the city recently. Had you come earlier, you might have met them.
Unfortunately, I was tied up and missed the chance myself. They've already left," Zhuang Yuechan said with a hint of regret.
"Fatty was in Luoxia City? When?"
Song Changsheng's brows lifted in surprise.
Zhuang Yuechan thought for a moment before replying,
"It was just recently. I had Senior Brother Niu gather information for me."
"Recently? That can't be right. I've been in Luoxia City for over a year now and have been searching for his whereabouts this entire time. If he were here, there's no way I wouldn't have sensed him."
Song Changsheng rubbed his chin, confused. He had great faith in his Ten-Thousand-Mile Tracking Technique and was sure Zhu Yiqun wasn't in the city.
But to his surprise, Zhuang Yuechan was now the one caught off guard.
"You've been in Luoxia City for over a year?!"
"Yeah. Ever since my clan received the City Lord's invitation, I have been staying at Wangyue Pavilion ever since. Why?"
Song Changsheng noticed her strange tone.
"I asked Senior Brother Niu to gather information about you all since I couldn't leave. He managed to track Zhu and Xu's movements, but yours… he said he found nothing.
I assumed the Song Clan had declined to attend my master's birthday celebration."
Zhuang Yuechan's eyes widened.
Song Changsheng's eyes lit up in realization.
That Niu Dazhuang is flat-out lying! We even met face-to-face during the auction hall announcement and exchanged words!
Niu Dazhuang had some serious beef with him and enough of it to deceive his junior sister.
Recalling the man's past behavior, Song Changsheng's teeth itched with annoyance. His eyes narrowed as he decided to stir the pot a little.
Feigning innocence, he said,
"That doesn't make sense. When the Luoxia Auction Hall posted their notice, I ran into him. We even chatted for quite a while…"
"You met my senior brother back then?"
Zhuang Yuechan's brows furrowed. Song Changsheng had no reason to lie to her. But Niu Dazhuang was her senior brother, and he also had no reason to lie. One of them wasn't telling the truth.
She was sharp. Once suspicion entered her heart, she quickly reviewed the chain of events.
Thinking back to Niu Dazhuang's increasingly odd behavior, a pattern began to emerge.
"Senior Brother Niu lied to me? But why would he hide your presence in Luoxia City? What could he possibly gain from that?"
Even someone as clever as Zhuang Yuechan was baffled. On the surface, it seemed utterly meaningless.
Reading her expression, Song Changsheng knew the time was ripe. He added another jab:
"I even asked him to pass along my regards to you. Did he forget?"
Zhuang Yuechan paused, then offered a neutral explanation to save face for Niu Dazhuang.
"I was in closed-door cultivation for a while. Perhaps he didn't want to disturb me. Please don't take offense, Fellow Daoist."
But inwardly, she had already made up her mind that as soon as this visit was over, she would confront him.
On a craggy hilltop far from the city, Niu Dazhuang was happily roasting meat when he suddenly sneezed twice in a row, almost extinguishing his fire.
Rubbing his nose, he muttered,
"Who the hell is cursing me now?"
....
Song Changsheng, seeing her reaction, wisely decided to stop there. After all, his intention was only to mess with Niu Dazhuang a little, not to drive a wedge between him and Zhuang Yuechan.
So, he took the initiative to change the subject.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, do you know where Zhu Yiqun went after he left Luoxia City?"
He still couldn't help but worry about Zhu Yiqun.
Zhuang Yuechan shook her head.
"I'm afraid I don't. Last I heard, Fellow Daoist Zhu and someone named Song Qingxing took down a rogue puppet that had been causing trouble in the city. They went to the City Lord's estate to claim their reward and then disappeared."
"Pfft!"
Just as he was taking a sip of tea, Song Changsheng spit it all out, coughing violently and looking completely disheveled.
"Fellow Daoist Song, are you alright?"
Zhuang Yuechan was startled by his reaction and quickly asked in concern.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just choked a bit, that's all."
Song Changsheng replied awkwardly.
Zhuang Yuechan gave him a suspicious look. The excuse was absurd: a Foundation Establishment cultivator choking on tea? That was like saying a true dragon drowned, completely ridiculous.
Song Changsheng knew it was a lousy excuse, too, but he truly hadn't expected that the rumor of "Zhu Yiqun in Luoxia City" came from that of all places.
Talk about irony. After all that running in circles, it came right back to me. Life is damn weird sometimes...
He coughed and added,
"I was just surprised to hear the name Song Qingxing. I have a nephew with the same name, and he's not even of age yet."
Of course, he wasn't going to tell her the truth. The whole point of using an alias back then was to throw others off, and judging by the results, it had worked out quite well.
"Oh, is that so? Well, if I happen to run into Fellow Daoist Zhu in the future, I'll have him introduce them. Who knows, perhaps your Song Clan has some long-lost relatives."
Zhuang Yuechan said with a smile.
"Let's change the subject. I wanted to ask you about someone," Song Changsheng said seriously, waving off the previous topic.
"Please, go ahead."
"There's a senior cultivator named Xiao Qingwan. She's a Purple Mansion stage cultivator and a Tier-3 alchemist. Have you heard of her?"
"Xiao Qingwan?"
Zhuang Yuechan's pupils shrank slightly. She immediately turned to look at Song Changsheng.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"She came to see me just yesterday," Song Changsheng replied calmly, still closely observing her reaction.
"She gave me that name before leaving."
As expected, Zhuang Yuechan knew who he was talking about. Song Changsheng had already suspected that this Senior Xiao was someone local to Luoxia City. Whether it was the strange visions he had in his dreams or her ability to so easily track his movements, all signs pointed to her being a hidden force within the city.
Much like the Purple Mansion cultivator guarding the city's treasure vault, she was likely one of Luoxia City's concealed powers. That would explain her anonymity. As the direct disciple of the Grand City Lord, Zhuang Yuechan would almost certainly be in the know, and now her reaction confirmed it.
"I just found out you were in the city. How did Shishu know before me?"
Zhuang Yuechan was both puzzled and suspicious. She began to carefully retrace the events, and suddenly, a key detail came back to her.
The day she had gone to visit her Shishu, someone else had already been there before her. That person… was Niu Dazhuang!
So he did know Song Changsheng had arrived in the city, and he lied to her!
"Senior Brother… you've messed up this time," Zhuang Yuechan sighed to herself, silently mourning for him.
She was one of the few people who knew the truth, which was why she understood just how serious a mistake Niu Dazhuang had made.
Anyone else in the sect could have made that mistake, anyone but him.
She could already picture the punishment he'd receive. A shiver ran down her spine just thinking about it.
Still, he was her senior brother. She couldn't just stand by and do nothing. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Song Changsheng and asked,
"What exactly did you talk to her about?"
Song Changsheng hesitated slightly.
He couldn't let anyone else know what had happened. In the end, he just said,
"Not much. She said she just came to check on me. I'd never heard of her before, which made me curious, so I thought I'd ask you."
Hearing this, Zhuang Yuechan finally relaxed, letting out a subtle breath of relief.
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