Qinghua Xianzi was a special existence within the Taiyan Sect.
Yushan Shengren had ascended to immortality a hundred years ago. Before ascending, he only took two disciples: Shaoyang Zhenren and Qinghua Xianzi. Compared to Shaoyang Zhenren, Qinghua Xianzi clearly had an even greater reputation back then.
Qinghua Xianzi had exceptional spiritual roots and was naturally suited for cultivation. After Yushan Shengren’s ascension, her cultivation had reached the Great Vehicle stage, just one step away from tribulation transcendence. If she were merely outstanding in cultivation, that would be one thing, but legend said that Qinghua Xianzi’s beauty could topple nations – even the finest painters, upon seeing her, couldn’t capture even one ten-thousandth of her elegance.
A goddess who was beautiful, coldly arrogant, and possessed remarkable cultivation was always meant to be looked up to.
“Where is Qinghua Xianzi now? I don’t seem to have seen her in the sect,” Zanxing said as she dried herself, put on her undergarments, and emerged from behind the screen.
The lamp wick on the table was trimmed short, and candlelight flickered on the walls. The cool night breeze drifted in through the window.
Zi Luo sighed: “Qinghua Xianzi has long been gone.”
“What do you mean by gone?” Zanxing asked.
Zi Luo looked toward the window: “Over twenty years ago, during the great war between humans and demons, Qinghua Xianzi led the sect’s cultivators into battle and personally slayed the Demon Lord. After returning to the sect, she gave birth to Seventh Master Uncle. A year later, she disappeared.” She continued: “Some say the immortal successfully transcended tribulation and ascended to the upper realm, while others say…” She paused before continuing: “The immortal perished.”
In any case, over ten years had passed, and no one on the Duzhou continent had seen any trace of Qinghua Xianzi. Sect Master Shaoyang Zhenren had also ordered that disciples within the sect were not to casually mention Qinghua Xianzi’s affairs.
Time flowed like a long river, slowly passing. All the turbulent waves eventually became babbling streams. Twenty years had passed since the human-demon war, and that stunning woman who once wielded the azure staff had gradually faded from everyone’s memories.
“What about Seventh Master Uncle’s father?” Zanxing asked: “If Qinghua Xianzi isn’t here, Seventh Master Uncle’s father should at least be taking care of him.”
“Shh—” Zi Luo placed her finger to her lips, looked around, and only dared to speak quietly after seeing no one: “Don’t mention this in the sect, especially not in front of Seventh Master Uncle.”
Zanxing looked at her curiously.
“No one knows to this day who Qinghua Xianzi’s dao companion was. Back then, the immortal returned to the sect and quietly gave birth to Seventh Master Uncle, which made the Sect Master quite angry.” Zi Luo lowered her voice even more: “After Qinghua Xianzi disappeared, there were even rumors outside that the immortal had gone back to find that man.”
“He’s probably not a good person,” the usually gentle Zi Luo said, her face showing rare indignation when mentioning this person. “To become dao companions with the immortal yet pay her no attention – our sect isn’t something to be ashamed of, so why act like this?”
Zanxing’s mind wandered for a moment. Although this was a male-oriented cultivation novel, and the original story didn’t elaborate on Qinghua Xianzi’s past, if it were to be expanded upon with typical melodramatic plot development, could that Demon Lord be Gu Baiying’s father?
“In any case, Junior Sister Zanxing, you must never mention this matter in front of Seventh Master Uncle,” Zi Luo cautioned: “Previously, disciples from other sects used this matter to humiliate Seventh Master Uncle, and he broke one of their legs. I think he’s quite sensitive about others mentioning his father.”
Zanxing nodded: “I understand.”
“This time you came down from the mountain and survived such great danger – you’re truly fortunate. I’ll also speak on your behalf to Sixth Master Uncle.” Zi Luo patted Zanxing’s shoulder: “These next few days, you should rest and recuperate well.”
Zanxing smiled and thanked her: “Thank you, Senior Sister.”
…
In Miaokong Hall, the spiritual fruits arranged on the long table formed a yin-yang taiji pattern. Now, someone had abruptly taken a piece from the yang side of the taiji, leaving a gap.
The cool night breeze whistled through the spacious hall, making the autumn night seem even more cold and desolate.
Xuan Lingzi held a fruit and ate it with relish, “crunch crunch.” Yueguang Daoren said, “Junior Brother, mind your appearance.”
“I’m just happy that Seventh Junior Brother has returned,” Xuan Lingzi smiled, then looked toward the middle-aged cultivator in hemp clothes beside him: “Fifth Senior Brother, didn’t you take Junior Brother traveling to the south? How did you suddenly return?”
Zhao Mayi – that middle-aged cultivator with the small beard – heard this, and his smile slightly faded as he said: “Some time ago, I observed the heavens at night and discovered strange star patterns. So I used turtle shell divination and discovered…”
Xuan Lingzi asked: “Discovered what?”
“I discovered that a demon star has appeared in the world. I fear calamity is approaching Duzhou, so I brought Baiying back quickly so you could prepare early,” Zhao Mayi said.
Miaokong Hall fell silent for a long while.
After a moment, an impatient voice spoke up: “Senior Brother’s divination is wrong eight times out of ten, so there’s no need to take it to heart.”
The youth leaned against the soft couch in front of the long table. He wasn’t sitting properly, with one hand lazily draped over the armrest. His long hair, bound with silk ribbons, fell over his shoulders, making his black hair appear soft and lustrous.
Gu Baiying picked up a spiritual fruit from the table and tossed it up and down in his palm twice, then turned his head to look at the others: “Why don’t we talk about what’s going on with that Yang Zanxing?”
Zhao Mayi had just returned to the sect and knew nothing about what had happened in recent days. Upon hearing this, he asked: “What Yang Zanxing? Is she a new disciple?”
Yueguang Daoren said gently, “That’s right. This young lady found the ‘Qing E Nian Hua Gun’ in the Martial Arts Hall.”
“Isn’t that Qinghua Xianzi’s technique?” Zhao Mayi was slightly surprised: “So Qinghua Xianzi chose her?”
When Qinghua Xianzi had slain the Demon Lord and returned to the sect, she wrote the “Qing E Nian Hua Gun” and placed it in the Martial Arts Hall, saying that only someone with affinity could find this technique manual. Nearly twenty years had passed, and Zanxing was the first person to find the “Qing E Nian Hua Gun.”
Gu Baiying scoffed: “An early Foundation Establishment cultivator who can’t even distinguish illusions – I think she just stumbled upon it by accident.” Thinking of the woman he’d seen during the day, with her tattered gauze robe, face covered in mud, and disheveled appearance, his expression darkened slightly as he snorted coldly: “My mother… how could she possibly choose her?”
“That may not necessarily be a coincidence,” Yueguang Daoren smiled as he looked at him: “What if I told you she executed ‘Jing Hua Shui Yue’?”
The youth was startled, then said: “Impossible.”
“It’s true,” Xuan Lingzi quickly said: “I can testify – during the sect assessment, Yang Zanxing indeed executed the ‘Jing Hua Shui Yue’ technique.”
Jing Hua Shui Yue was the first level of “Qing E Nian Hua Gun.” It seemed simple, but without truly comprehending the technique’s heart method, one probably couldn’t master it.
“If this is Qinghua Xianzi’s intention, perhaps this girl harbors some opportunity. Baiying,” Yueguang Daoren looked at him with a smile: “Perhaps this girl can help you find your mother.”
Gu Baiying’s gaze flickered between light and dark, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around the spiritual fruit. After a moment, he stood up, gave a mocking laugh, and said: “What does that have to do with me?”
“I don’t want to find her at all.”