Three days later, Song Yuzhi emerged from the medicinal hut, and his injuries healed.
During these three days of recovery, Song Shijun guarded the hut without leaving. Every two hours, he’d drag Lei Xiuming to peer through the window, checking his son’s complexion as he meditated. He scrutinized every bowl of tonic soup, ensuring the ingredients were of the highest quality.
Lei Xiuming was greatly disturbed by this and complained repeatedly to Qi Yunke, nearly retiring in frustration. Fortunately, as the three-day period ended, Song Yuzhi emerged from the meditation room on his own.
Overjoyed, Song Shijun immediately planned a grand feast, even considering inviting dozens of singers and dancers to boost the local entertainment industry. Qi Yunke managed to persuade him to scale it down to a small banquet.
“Please calm down,” Qi Yunke advised earnestly. “Yuzhi has only regained his previous strength, he hasn’t fully recovered!”
Song Shijun exclaimed, “What do you mean? If he’s recovered, how is it not ‘fully recovered’?”
Ning Xiaofeng chimed in sarcastically, “That ice jade was, after all, a Purple Golden Sunflower. It shattered before you could finish. Xiaochun said there’s still a trace of cold energy in Yuzhi’s dantian – don’t you have any sense?”
Song Shijun felt dizzy.
While treating his son’s injuries, he noticed that the cold energy in his dantian was scattered like silk threads mixed in cotton. It was extremely difficult to expel all at once. He, along with Qi Yunke and Cai Pingchun, combined their efforts with the ice jade’s aid to gradually dispel the cold energy. Just as they were about to succeed, he had indeed vaguely sensed a final wisp of cold energy lingering in his son’s dantian.
However, at that moment, the ice jade shattered.
Qi Yunke explained, “Yuzhi has indeed recovered for now, but what about the future? With his talent, he would have surpassed us within a decade. But with this residual cold energy in his dantian, his future cultivation will surely be twice as difficult.”
“Then… what should we do?” Song Shijun was beside himself with worry.
Song Yuzhi, on the other hand, remained calm. “Father, don’t worry. As long as the Purple Golden Sunflower still exists in this world, I’ll find it. Heaven won’t abandon us. Even without it, I believe there must be other solutions.”
After this cruel twist of fate, Song Shijun lost his festive spirit, and the small banquet was reduced to a family dinner.
Those in the sect who knew the truth all raised their glasses to celebrate Song Yuzhi’s recovery, except for Qi Lingbo and Dai Fengchi, who seemed awkward and avoided eye contact. Yin Qinglian didn’t even attend, reportedly engrossed in Taoist scriptures, praying and meditating daily, with incense smoke constantly rising from the Twin Lotus Flower Pool Palace, almost turning it into a Taoist temple.
Song Shijun, in low spirits and seeking distraction, suddenly turned to Cai Zhao during post-dinner tea: “Tell us about the Demon Cult’s outpost arrangements. Let’s plan our attack.”
Cai Zhao calmly held her teacup: “Master Song, have you forgotten? Third Senior Brother and I entered the Blissful Palace through an underground passage. We don’t know about the outposts.”
Song Shijun pressed, “Then what about the layout inside the Blissful Palace?”
Song Yuzhi frowned: “Father, Sister, and I were together from the moment we entered the幽冥篁 path. You might as well ask me these questions. Sister risked entering the Demon Cult to help me recover; how can you interrogate her like this?” Even without Qi Yunke’s instructions, he had decided not to let others know about Cai Zhao and Mu Qingyan’s entrapment in the underground palace.
Song Shijun rolled his eyes: “Don’t get too comfortable, you two. Someone will question you about this in the future.”
“Question what? Who knows where they went?” Qi Yunke spoke sharply, which was rare for him. “You say, I say, we all say – who knows that Zhao and Yuzhi entered the Blissful Palace?”
Song Shijun was bewildered: “But… but we caught them at the foot of the Hanhai Mountain Range, and everyone at the banquet just congratulated Yuzhi on obtaining a treasure from the Demon Cult for his recovery!”
“The children, not knowing their limits, tried to sneak into the Demon Cult to make a name for themselves, but failed and only managed to snatch a piece of ice jade,” Cai Pingchun explained calmly. “Or does Master Song want people to know that the treasure for Yuzhi’s recovery was a gift from the Demon Cult?”
“Gift? Nonsense!” Song Shijun shook his head vigorously. “This ice jade was exchanged for Yuzhi’s Snow Lotus Pill!”
He stroked his beard, “Heh, you’re right. The fewer people who know about this, the better.”
Qi Yunke and Cai Pingchun exchanged knowing smiles.
Ning Xiaofeng seized the opportunity to change the subject: “Let’s stop talking nonsense and discuss that stone wall – the one Zhao saw in that secluded corner of the Blissful Palace. Was the Northern Chen Ancestor the disciple… er, son of the first Demon Cult Leader?”
Song Yuzhi lowered his head slightly.
According to his discussion with Master Qi Yunke, since they were concealing the underground palace incident, they should have also kept the stone wall a secret. However, Cai Zhao had insisted on revealing it.
After Ning Xiaofeng’s question, curious gazes swept across the faces of the three sect leaders.
Qi Yunke smiled wryly: “I was the last to join the inner circle and only heard Master’s teachings for a few years. I never learned of such secrets.”
Cai Pingchun said nonchalantly: “My parents passed away when I was young, and even if they were still alive, I doubt I’d know much about these internal matters as a son-in-law. There’s bound to be some loss in the inheritance.”
“So you all know about this?” Song Shijun was quite surprised. “Well, I do know.”
The eyes of all five people in the room turned to him.
Song Shijun smiled: “It’s because I’m a smooth talker. You’ve always mocked our Song family for nepotism and bloodline obsession. But now look at your two sects – one takes in sons-in-law, the other passes down to disciples. Many ancient stories have been lost in the process…”
“Are you going to tell us or not?” Ning Xiaofeng grew impatient. “If you won’t, we’ll go ask Brother Zhou. The Peiqiong Manor has an unbroken lineage; they might know more than you.”
“How can you…” Song Shijun sighed resignedly. “Alright, alright, I’ll tell you.”
According to the vague legends passed down through generations of the Song family, the Northern Chen Ancestor initially had only one mute old servant. After a great famine that swept across the land, he found six orphans, two of whom already had surnames.
“That’s our Song family and the Zhou family!” Song Shijun said proudly. “The Zhou family ancestor had ‘Zhou’ embroidered on his undergarments. The Song family ancestor wore a small jade lock around his neck, engraved with ‘Song’. The jade was of excellent quality, showing that our Song family must have been wealthy before the disaster!”
“I think you’ve got it backward,” Ning Xiaofeng said skeptically. “I heard from Sister Pingchu that the Zhou family ancestral hall’s highest level has a purple sandalwood box enshrining a jade lock.”
Cai Zhao stifled a laugh.
Song Yuzhi looked up at the ceiling with a ‘here we go again’ expression.
Song Shijun stammered awkwardly: “Is that so? Cai Pingchu must have made a mistake!”
“Aunt wouldn’t make such a mistake,” Cai Zhao said, holding back her laughter. “She said that whenever she misbehaved as a child, she was punished by being made to clean the Zhou family ancestral hall. She polished those hundred-plus ancestral tablets three or four times a year!” – Not to mention, given Cai Pingchu’s status as the Zhou family’s future daughter-in-law, cleaning the ancestral hall was practically a tailor-made punishment for her.
Qi Yunke turned away, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Cai Pingchun hid his face behind his teacup, barely managing to keep from spilling his tea as he suppressed his laughter.
“Father,” Song Yuzhi said to his old man resignedly, “let’s continue with the story.”
Those who can be playboys often have thin skin. Song Shijun coughed twice, composed himself, and continued his tale-
The other four orphans were too young to remember their names, so the Northern Chen Ancestor casually assigned them surnames. Yes, those were Zhu (Pig), Ma (Horse), Niu (Cow), and Yang (Sheep).
At that time, the Northern Chen Ancestor was alone and accustomed to his freedom. He had no plans to take on disciples, and there were only a few shabby thatched huts on Mount Jiuli. After leaving the six orphans in the care of his mute old servant, he set off to travel the world again.
Unexpectedly, he changed his mind the following year.
He returned with a seventh orphan, a sickly boy on the brink of death.
The Northern Chen Ancestor showed extraordinary compassion for this orphan covered in sores. Abandoning his previously carefree and adaptable nature, he formally conducted a discipleship ceremony. He even opened his long-hidden treasure vault, sparing no expense, and had the mute servant lead hundreds of craftsmen to build the magnificent Muwei Palace. Thereafter, he deliberately cultivated relationships with heroes from all over the world, focusing on developing the sect’s reputation.
“According to my grandfather, the first character of the original Muwei Palace was the ‘Mu’ from ‘admiration,'” Song Shijun lowered his voice. “It’s also the ‘Mu’ of the Mu family in the Demon Cult.”
“So the Northern Chen Ancestor had found his long-lost flesh and blood,” Ning Xiaofeng understood. “The grand construction and careful management were all to leave something for his kin.”
“What happened next is the same as the legend,” Song Shijun continued. “Various demons emerged, wreaking havoc on the world, and the Ancestor led heroes from all over to resist them fiercely. We eventually won, but the Ancestor’s beloved disciple fell to the demonic path.” Song Shijun shook his head sagely.
“The demons ate people, and his followers did the same; the demons spread plagues and raised venomous insects, and his followers did likewise, just on a smaller scale… How were his actions any different from the demons the Ancestor fought so hard to eliminate? Our six sects have had internal conflicts, but we could never do such evil things.”
“My grandfather heard from his grandfather that the Ancestor and his beloved disciple had intense arguments. The Mu ancestors believed that as long as one’s heart was righteous, even an evil sword could be used for good. He wanted to contain those demons and nurture them, thinking they could be used to fight future crises. But the Ancestor maintained that the way of evil is evil, no matter what.”
“The Ancestor was already gravely injured, and the betrayal by his beloved disciple nearly killed him. He didn’t live much longer. On his deathbed, in front of all the heroes, he expelled his disciple from the sect.” Song Shijun suddenly became serious. “Let me be clear, our six sect ancestors didn’t usurp anything. After the Ancestor passed away, they were the only ones left in Muwei Palace.”
Ning Xiaofeng picked at her nails. “Master Song, you explain so quickly, as if afraid someone might doubt you.”
“Even when you say something good, it sounds bad coming from you,” Song Shijun grumbled.
” I believe this is true,” Song Yuzhi suddenly said. “Although our six sect ancestors spent many years with the Ancestor, they were still servants and their knowledge was limited. The Mu ancestor, however, was a great talent carefully nurtured by the Ancestor. Even if it was six against one, our ancestors probably couldn’t match him, which is why they…”
“Is that why they hid on Mount Jiuli, not daring to leave?” Cai Zhao interjected.
“No,” Song Yuzhi gave the girl an approving look. “After the Ancestor’s death, the Mu ancestor had countless secret manuals and treasures left by the Ancestor, as well as skilled craftsmen like the mute servant who knew Mount Jiuli’s terrain well. Even with the natural defenses of the Wanshui Qianshan Cliff, it wouldn’t have been impossible to take Muwei Palace.”
“However, in my research of the archives, I’ve never found any record of the first Demon Cult Leader attacking Mount Jiuli. I believe it’s not that he couldn’t, but that he was unwilling. And why would he be unwilling? There can only be one reason: the Mu ancestor felt guilty.”
After all, his mentor and suspected father figure had died of anger because of him.
Qi Yunke slapped the table, exclaiming, “Well said, Yuzhi! That’s exactly right!”
“Yes, yes! If our six sect ancestors had truly usurped Muwei Palace, that guy should have been obsessed with reclaiming it, not quietly accepting the situation,” Song Shijun nodded repeatedly.
“That makes sense,” Ning Xiaofeng rarely agreed with the old Song family.
Cai Pingchun also said, “Yuzhi’s deduction is very reasonable. The earliest recorded hostilities in Luoying Valley were with the second-generation Demon Cult Leader. It seems he learned of the past and resented his father’s expulsion from Muwei Palace. So during his tenure as leader, he led several attacks on Wanshui Qianshan Cliff.”
The logic that followed was straightforward.
Because of their servant origins, the six ancestors had no confidence in their abilities and feared being bullied if they left the mountain. So they hid on Mount Jiuli, cultivating hard.
Over decades, following the remnant cultivation methods in the palace and the bits and pieces taught by the Ancestor, they gradually developed their unique skills for each of the six sects. It wasn’t until the next generation grew up and ventured down the mountain that they discovered their martial arts could easily defeat the heroes below.
Only then did the six families dare to consider establishing branch sects.
“But what difference does it make if we know the Demon Cult originated from the Northern Chen Ancestor?” Cai Zhao suddenly asked. “Would both sides suddenly lay down their weapons and reconcile?”
The other four people, except Song Shijun, were startled.
The Cai Pingchu couple exchanged worried glances, Qi Yunke frowned, and Song Yuzhi glanced at the girl.
Only Song Shijun nodded repeatedly, expressing great approval: “Well said, niece! It’s been two hundred years, and both the six sects and the Demon Cult have gone through many generations. As for other martial arts sects, they’ve changed even more.”
“Indeed,” Cai Zhao murmured, “What matters isn’t whether we were one family two hundred years ago, but that we’ve been killing each other for two hundred years, accumulating blood feuds that can’t be easily resolved.”
“Niece, you’ve spoken my mind!” Song Shijun felt a strong resonance. “Let’s not speak of others. Just consider our Guangtian Gate. My great-grandfather’s three brothers died at the hands of the Demon Cult. My grandfather, orphaned at a young age, still cries when he remembers it at his advanced age! And Yuzhi’s grandfather, my father, also passed away after being severely injured by the Demon Cult!”
He slapped Qi Yunke on the back: “And my father-in-law, old Sect Leader Yin – who’s also your father-in-law, Brother Yunke – was hacked to death, his head separated from his body! Tsk, tsk, it was truly tragic.”
Qi Yunke stiffened, nearly falling off his seat from the slap.
“And Sister Pingchu, and Zhuge Lie and the others, all dead…” Ning Xiaofeng’s eyes filled with sadness as she remembered the deceased.
Cai Pingchun gently patted his wife’s shoulder.
“Chang Haosheng might foolishly protect the Mu boy because Mu Zhengming once saved his life, but we of the Northern Chen Six Sects cannot!” Song Shijun declared loudly. “Yuzhi, remember this too. Don’t feel obligated just because you took a piece of jade from them. That’s one thing, but overall, we can never coexist with the Demon Cult!”
“I understand, Father,” Song Yuzhi replied, his eyes fixed on Cai Zhao.
Qi Yunke and the Cai couple also looked at her with various expressions.
Noticing their cautious concern, Cai Zhao suddenly gave a light laugh.
“What are you laughing at, niece?” asked the oblivious Song Shijun.
“I just remembered something amusing,” Cai Zhao smiled. “Because Nie Hengcheng held power in the Demon Cult for decades, sidelining three generations of the Mu family, most of our blood feuds with the Demon Cult in recent decades were caused by the Nie family. Moreover…”
Song Shijun was confused. “So what? Nie Hengcheng didn’t fall from the sky; he’s the Mu family’s adopted son.”
Cai Zhao continued, “Although Nie Hengcheng is the Mu family’s adopted son, his foster brothers, and their children were all killed by him and his nephew.”
“Is that so? The Mu family truly raised an ungrateful wolf,” Song Shijun said with some schadenfreude, then frowned. “What’s your point, niece?”
“No point,” Cai Zhao shrugged. “Just saying. I’m thirsty now. I’ll go get some rice cakes for everyone to try.”
“Huh?” Song Shijun was bewildered as he watched the girl leave the room.