Perhaps when she was first brought to Yashan by Fudao Shanren, there were still quite a few people who felt that this “eldest senior sister” who fell from the sky was rather peculiar and somewhat undeserving of her title. Qu Zhengfeng of old seemed naturally to be one of them. But ever since the Left Three Thousand gathering, such voices should have died down, not to mention the hidden realm of Qingfeng Nunnery, the journey to the extreme domain, the gathering at Xinghai Silver Building, the recent fierce battle in the snowy region, and the Heart-Questioning Dao Tribulation not long ago.

The current Jian Chou was truly Yashan’s eldest senior sister in name and reality.

Whether judging from her conduct and demeanor, or from her own formidable strength.

Having entered the Void Refining stage, she had already become a “great cultivator” who could make others’ hearts tremble just by stamping her foot when she went out.

How many people would dare to call her “little junior sister” to her face?

Firstly, she was indeed Yashan’s eldest senior sister; secondly, her cultivation had already placed her among the upper echelon of cultivators across the entire Shijiu Zhou.

But Qu Zhengfeng dared.

Two years ago when she first entered the sect, she had been taught a lesson by this “second junior brother.” Now their statuses were different, their positions were different, and they had experienced so many changes in between, yet he still called her “little junior sister.”

Jian Chou thought she should be angry, but for some reason, she laughed instead.

“Sit.”

Qu Zhengfeng glanced at her, merely placing the freshly filled wine cup in his hand on the other side of the table, then pointed with one finger and spoke a single word.

Jian Chou sat down as instructed.

At this moment, Shen Yao and the other women had all left the entire building. In the silent deep night, it felt somewhat empty.

Wind blew in from outside, creating ripples in the wine cup.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Tomorrow at daybreak, many important figures from across Shijiu Zhou who had arrived at Mingri Xinghai would gather together at Jiexing Mountain Manor to discuss matters. Yet Qu Zhengfeng, as the current master of Mingri Xinghai, had never shown his face from the beginning, claiming to be very busy, but was actually here drinking wine—and drinking with Shen Yao, the Grand Marshal of Tongguan Station from the demonic path, no less.

This was quite intriguing.

Jian Chou had always been someone with keen and meticulous thoughts. Today, she had been shaken by Fu Chaosheng’s questioning, which broke through her mental barriers and led her to fall into the demon of contemplation and enlightenment. By chance and coincidence, she had accidentally arrived here.

She knew Qu Zhengfeng had something to say, but she didn’t ask at this moment.

In this brief silence, she thought of many things from the past, thought of the current situation in Shijiu Zhou—internal troubles and external threats, and the surging undercurrents.

Qu Zhengfeng didn’t disturb her, nor did he urge her to drink or speak. He only poured for himself and drank alone. When the specially brewed strong wine had made him slightly intoxicated, he slowly opened his mouth to ask: “Is Yu Zhifei gone?”

When old friends met again, the first thing he actually asked about was the life and death of another old friend.

In this instant, Jian Chou felt countless emotions surge to her heart, remembering everything she had seen when she went to the snowy region, and that junior brother Yu standing with sword in hand…

Her gaze moved slightly, becoming somewhat dim as she said: “His soul returned to Yashan, in the Thousand Cultivators’ Tomb.”

His soul returned to Yashan, in the Thousand Cultivators’ Tomb.

Not long ago, news that Yashan’s Kunwu had lost a group of formidable disciples in the snowy region had already spread throughout all of Shijiu Zhou. Qu Zhengfeng had naturally heard about it too.

It was just that he had already left Yashan and didn’t inquire much about it.

A traitor who had already betrayed Yashan shouldn’t be concerned about these matters that no longer had much to do with him.

But how could he not be concerned?

Yu Zhifei had forged his own “I am the sword” and cultivated his own path, making him another brilliantly talented individual among this generation of Yashan disciples. Yet he hadn’t even had time to shine long in the sky of Shijiu Zhou before falling in that snowy region covered with blood beneath the ice plains.

Qu Zhengfeng stared at his wine cup, actually laughed once, then raised his cup to drink again.

Jian Chou then said: “Today something happened during the day. I was troubled by confusion that I couldn’t resolve, so I came out for a walk. I didn’t expect my mental state to become unstable for a moment, nearly falling into demonic obstacles. If no one had awakened me, I might have already fallen into irreversible ruin, so…”

“What confusion do you have?”

Qu Zhengfeng had cultivated for many years, and had himself been in the Void Refining stage for quite some time. Not to mention how extensive his knowledge and experience were. Without needing Jian Chou to explain, he knew what had happened, so he directly interrupted her and asked this question.

Jian Chou had thought Qu Zhengfeng would be quite impolite in private, but she hadn’t expected him to be impolite to this degree, and hadn’t expected him to ask such a question.

Yet her current doubts indeed needed someone to answer them.

So after thinking it over, she felt relieved and honestly said: “I have a close friendship with a great demon, but he has committed heavy sins, having killed many powerless mortals just to achieve a certain goal. His conduct is also unlike ordinary people. Today we had some disputes. He said that the law of the jungle is the ultimate principle this universe bestows upon all beings. When demons and spirits kill humans, people call it ‘demonic evil.’ When humans dominate all other weak creatures, is that not demonic evil? Foolish as I am, I’ve been wondering: what is demonic evil, what is right and wrong, what is the true ultimate principle between heaven and earth…”

What is demonic evil.

What is right and wrong.

What is the true ultimate principle between heaven and earth?

Qu Zhengfeng knew she had fallen into demonic obstacles, but he hadn’t expected it to be this kind of “demonic obstacle.” For a moment, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. As if he had heard some absurd joke, or as if he had remembered something else.

He laughed like this for quite a while before stopping.

Finally, he only looked at Jian Chou with an examining and mocking gaze: “I had thought that after you crossed the Heart-Questioning Dao Tribulation that should have been fatal, ascended to Void Refining, and became one of the dozens of great cultivators in all of Shijiu Zhou, you would have some enlightenment and be worthy of the title ‘Yashan’s Eldest Senior Sister.’ I never imagined you would be so muddled. It’s truly disappointing. Is this the kind of boring question that confines you?”

Boring? Indeed boring.

This was almost the most boring question between heaven and earth, yet it was precisely the question that every mediocre person in the world would think about, whether frequently or occasionally.

Jian Chou had always considered herself just an ordinary person.

When ordinary people in the world think about these questions, they usually just think about them casually, without going deep, without getting to the root of things, without insisting on an answer. Most think about it briefly and then let it pass. Because people still have to live in this world, there are still many things they need to do. Thinking not only wastes time but also doesn’t help them obtain what they need for survival, so it’s better not to think.

But cultivators are different.

They have lifespans far exceeding ordinary people, and they possess abilities closer to heaven and earth than ordinary people. A single confused thought becomes an abyss, becomes a heart demon. So contemplation should be a common thing, and also a necessary thing.

Jian Chou knew that Qu Zhengfeng was absolutely not one of the mediocre people in this world. He had even, without any reason, betrayed Yashan in a single day.

He was an extraordinary person who did extraordinary things.

Although his sarcastic words were harsh, since he said her question was boring, he must have some not-boring insights.

Jian Chou was neither angry nor resistant. Instead, she humbly lowered her posture, without any arrogance from being a Void Refining great cultivator, only saying: “Jian Chou is but a common person, and my thoughts and concerns are indeed unwise. I’m willing to listen humbly to His Majesty the Sword Emperor’s detailed explanation.”

Qu Zhengfeng sneered, wanting to say “When did I ever say I was willing to guide you through your confusion?” But regarding her current response and lowered posture, he felt somewhat unexpectedly surprised.

After all, their past relationship could hardly be called good.

Now that she was also a Void Refining great cultivator, she could still suppress her own posture like this, humbly seeking instruction from someone who might not necessarily be considered her teacher or friend. This could be called having some magnanimous bearing.

Having her at Yashan might truly be a blessing?

His figure in the gold-threaded black robe hidden in the corner’s shadow, Qu Zhengfeng lowered his profound eyes, fell silent for a while, and countless sarcastic words finally didn’t come out. He only asked her: “First, set aside the so-called right and wrong, good and evil, ultimate principles. You’ve forged your own path and passed the Heart-Questioning. Why don’t you properly ask yourself: do you truly know yourself?”