Chapter 52
Tens of thousands of miles away, deep within a mountain range, a cave lay hidden among sheer cliffs and drifting mist.
Inside, a woman in a Dharma robe sat cross-legged. Her palms rested lightly on her knees, facing upward as she breathed in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth—slow, steady, unbroken. Time slipped past unnoticed.
Then, without warning, her eyes opened.
Her cultivation ended.
This woman was none other than Lingzhu Zhenren of the Wendao Sect.
Her brows curved like distant peaks, her eyes soft as apricot blossoms. Thick black hair was braided loosely and draped over one shoulder, a few stray strands falling at her temples.
There was a playful edge to her beauty—something light, almost mischievous.
Lingzhu Zhenren checked her condition.
Her meridians had widened. Her dantian was full. Even her understanding of her innate divine ability had deepened.
She nodded, satisfied.
A rough, masculine voice sounded from outside the cave.
"Lingzhu. May I come in?"
"Come in!"
Her reply rang out—equally rough.
The contrast was... striking.
Anyone hearing her voice for the first time would likely watch their impression of her shatter on the spot.
Lingzhu Zhenren, however, didn't care in the slightest.
She looked up as her Dao companion entered—a tall, burly man, every bit as solid as his voice suggested. He, too, belonged to the Spirit Ape clan.
"Lingzhu," Zao Mo asked, a hint of anticipation in his tone, "there hasn't been any news from the Wendao Sect, right?"
"Let me check."
Lingzhu rummaged through a pile of communication artifacts before pulling out a faintly glowing stone.
She glanced at him.
"...There is."
Silence fell between them.
"This day... finally came," Zao Mo muttered, exhaling heavily. "I was planning to visit Mist Valley after your seclusion, but now..."
"That won't be happening," Lingzhu said helplessly. "The sect's been raising our child for years. It's about time we brought him back."
Clinging to the last shred of hope, the two leaned in together and activated the stone.
A clear, cool female voice echoed out:
—Lingzhu, where are you? Have you forgotten you have a child?
Crack.
Lingzhu Zhenren felt something inside her snap.
"So they are urging us to take him back," she sighed, forcing herself to accept reality. "Shi Hua even sounds impatient. Looks like they've finally had enough of that little rascal."
Zao Mo raked a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated. "Why couldn't that kid be a bit more obedient? If he behaved, we could've left him there a few more years."
Back then, they'd been overjoyed.
Nascent Soul cultivators rarely had children. When their son was born, it had felt like a miracle.
That miracle quickly turned into chaos.
The "little rascal" was simply too much.
They were exhausted.
So... they handed him over to the sect—and ran.
At the time, they'd expected complaints within days. Maybe weeks.
Instead, silence.
Until now.
Lingzhu hesitated. "What if... we delay a little longer?"
Zao Mo's expression brightened immediately. "That works. We'll go to Mist Valley first. The mist there only appears once a century—it'd be a shame to miss it."
Thus, the two reached a perfectly reasonable—and completely irresponsible—agreement.
—
...I've been rather busy lately. Please take care of him a while longer.
That was the message Shi Hua received.
Shi Hua stared at it for a long time.
Then, without hesitation, she sent another: What do you mean? You abandon the child after giving birth? Do you even know he was almost sold by spirit beast traffickers?!
Back in the cave—
"...What?!"
Both Lingzhu and Zao Mo jolted upright.
Lingzhu scrambled to reply.
"What happened? With you there, how would traffickers dare target him?"
Shi Hua's response came quickly—and cold. "Lingzhu, are you pretending to be confused? You left the child at the sect without a word. How were we supposed to know he even existed? If we had known, would anyone have dared touch him?"
Lingzhu Zhenren: "..."
Wait.
Something wasn't right.
"...Didn't I tell you?" she asked, voice faltering. "Haven't you been taking care of him all these years?"
Shi Hua: ?
She turned, looking at the others present.
Sect Leader Qingxuzi spoke first. "You didn't tell me."
Zeng Xuangan followed. "Nor me."
Shi Hua glanced at the Medical Sage—then shook her head before he could answer. "Impossible. You were in the western regions back then."
"But I didn't hear anything either," he said.
Shi Hua's patience snapped.
She very nearly wanted to grab Lingzhu through the stone and shake her.
After three exchanges—the communication stone cracked and went dark.
Dead.
The Medical Sage rummaged through his storage for a moment before producing a new one. "Here."
Shi Hua took it, poured in spiritual power, and spoke—each word clipped and icy.
"Who did you tell? When did you tell them? Explain. Now."
On the other side, Lingzhu's own stone had just died.
Zao Mo, quick-eyed, grabbed another as it lit up. After listening, he coughed lightly. "...Lingzhu. Did you really tell them?"
Lingzhu snapped upright. "Of course I did! Why would I lie about something like that? Don't tell me you forgot—you went to the sect with me that day!"
Zao Mo shrank slightly. "I remember... but I didn't go inside. I was waiting outside the mountain gate."
Lingzhu froze. "...Right."
She thought for a moment—then winced. "Seems like I didn't go in either. Fine. Not your fault."
Zao Mo quietly let out a breath.
Lingzhu pressed her fingers against her temples, rummaging through her memories.
"Back then... I was worried Shi Hua and the others wouldn't agree, so I went to the old white turtle—the guardian beast of the back mountain—and left the little monkey with him.
I asked him to pass along the message afterward.
Once the child was already there, they wouldn't have any choice but to accept it. "
She paused.
Then her eyes widened.
"...The old white turtle. He agreed so readily... don't tell me he forgot?"
Zao Mo frowned. "The Primordial White Turtle? Didn't you say he was reliable?"
Lingzhu: "..."
"That was then. This is now," she muttered through gritted teeth. "Who knows if he's had a relapse?"
She immediately sent another message. "Huahua, I remember now! I told the old white turtle—he promised to inform you. Why don't we ask him what went wrong?"
Her tone turned... noticeably gentle.
After all, her confidence as a mother was currently nonexistent.
—
"Old white turtle?"
The group exchanged looks.
Among the sect's three guardian spirit beasts, the Primordial White Turtle was the oldest—having witnessed five generations of sect leaders. A living relic. A mascot.
In front of it, even they were juniors.
It resided in the back lake, rarely appearing unless the sect faced a crisis. Most disciples had never seen it at all.
Even Qingxuzi had only encountered it twice.
Meanwhile—
Lou Yuqing had been busy.
With the Enforcement Hall short-staffed, she and the auditing disciples had been drafted into patrol duty—circling the sect from dawn till dusk, ensuring everything remained in order.
It wasn't particularly difficult.
Just... mind-numbingly repetitive.
Same route. Same scenery. Every day.
She sighed inwardly.
Senior Brother Gu really had impeccable timing, escaping all this "overtime."
Though... thinking of his cracked face, she shuddered.
...Actually, maybe he could stay gone a bit longer.
"Junior Sister, stay alert," Si Nidie whispered beside her. "Captain Wei might show up for a surprise inspection."
Lou Yuqing straightened instantly, like she'd just heard a ghost story.
"...Seriously? That busy man has time for this?"
Si Nidie gave her a meaningful look. "That's what everyone thinks—right before they get caught."
Realization dawned.
"He's fishing?"
"Exactly. Don't be fooled by appearances. If he catches you slacking—best case, you're a public example. Worst case? Solitary confinement."
Lou Yuqing fell silent, shooting her a look.
Si Nidie, however, was fully immersed in her lecture.
"You seem to know quite a lot."
The familiar male voice made Si Nidie freeze.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Wei Houming stood behind them, smiling faintly.
...Unlucky.
No wonder her junior sister had been giving her looks earlier.
"Go on," Wei Houming said mildly. "Why stop?"
Si Nidie stiffened. "...There's nothing more."
"Really?"
"Yes. Actually, I'm not usually this talkative. I was just explaining things to my junior sister since she doesn't know much. As her senior, I felt obligated..."
As she spoke, she subtly pulled Lou Yuqing forward like a shield.
Lou Yuqing: "..."
Wei Houming glanced at her, clearly seeing through everything-but chose not to press.
"Work is work," he said evenly. "No slacking. Next time—you'll copy the sect rules."
"Mhm!" Si Nidie nodded furiously.
Internally, she was already celebrating.
Her junior sister was invaluable in moments like this.
"Captain Wei," she added quickly, seizing the chance to change the subject, "any updates on Tianxing City?"
Wei Houming hesitated—then, catching Lou Yuqing's curious gaze, relented.
"Beitang Lechen has been taken to Ice and Fire Prison. Fifty years."
Si Nidie snorted. "Too lenient. Should've been a hundred."
Lou Yuqing nodded. "Mu Yunqing's there too. They both harmed the Nangong sisters—they deserve it."
"Exactly."
Their mood improved immediately.
Wei Houming, meanwhile, continued calmly, "Tianxing City is under surveillance. If there's a deeper issue... we'll deal with it."
His tone was light.
The implication wasn't.
Then, as if remembering something, he asked: "Ling Yunxiao seems close to you. He applied for the Enforcement Disciple assessment. What do you think of him?"
Lou Yuqing blinked.
Ah. Background check.
"He's a good person," she said without hesitation. "Very reliable. When my storage ring went missing, he helped a lot. If he joins, he'll definitely be dedicated."
Wei Houming raised an eyebrow.
If Master Zixiao heard that...
He turned to Si Nidie. "And you?"
Si Nidie opened her mouth—and suddenly burped.
A faint smell of roast chicken lingered.
"...."
Wei Houming: ?
Thinking fast, she blurted, "Roast chicken-flavored fasting pill! New product! If you're interested, you can check Ping'an City—though they might've already left..."
Her voice trailed off under his increasingly dark gaze.
He didn't say anything at first.
Just watched.
"...Don't eat things like that," he said finally. "It affects cultivation."
"I understand."
She was immediately obedient.
After he left, Si Nidie sagged in relief.
"That scared me to death..."
Lou Yuqing tilted her head. "He didn't catch you directly. If you want to eat it again, I can keep watch?"
Si Nidie shot her a look. "Let's not. I don't want to be attacked again."
Lou Yuqing coughed.
This morning, during patrol, a spirit chicken had flown over—and delivered a perfectly aimed "gift."
She'd dodged.
Si Nidie hadn't.
The result was... decisive.
In retaliation, Si Nidie had immediately bought the chicken, had it roasted, and eaten it on the spot.
Justice had been served.
"...Let's not talk about that," Si Nidie muttered. "Anyway, Ling Yunxiao's assessment. I've got past materials. Ask him if he wants them."
Lou Yuqing took out her jade slip. "What's the assessment like?"
"First, combat ability. At least Foundation Establishment," Si Nidie said. "Second, you can't be an idiot. You need judgment. Otherwise, you'll just cause trouble."
There was... feeling behind that statement.
Lou Yuqing tilted her head. "Something happened?"
Si Nidie gave her an approving look. "Exactly."
She clasped her hands behind her back and gazed at the sky. "Before Captain Wei took over, the hall recruited a fool. During an arrest, he got tricked, decided the target was innocent, and let him go."
Lou Yuqing inhaled sharply. "And then?"
"That's it. They investigated, found him, and he still insisted he was right. Said he was doing good for the sect."
Lou Yuqing fell silent.
What a unique perspective.
"So the sect should thank him for being fooled?" she asked dryly.
"Pretty much. He got expelled."
Si Nidie shook her head. "We can't afford that kind of stupidity."
At that moment, Lou Yuqing's jade slip lit up.
Smiling, Si Nidie added, "Ling Yunxiao's not like that. He's sharp. You don't need to worry."
"Agreed."
Si Nidie nodded.
Last time, he'd already sensed something wrong from Ruan Qingzhu's words alone.
That kind of person—belonged in the Enforcement Hall.
Lou Yuqing tapped the jade slip and asked: "I heard you're applying for the Enforcement Hall. Do you need to take the assessment?"
—
Meanwhile, inside the solitary confinement chamber—
Ling Yunxiao arrived carrying a pot of spirit wine. It was a rare brew he'd managed to coax out of the head cook after painstakingly building a relationship—only one vat was made each year, and it had the added benefit of nourishing the body.
Hao Tianping took a sip.
The moment the wine slid down his throat, warmth spread through his limbs, seeping into his bones.
His eyes lit up instantly. "This is good stuff! Brother Ling, where did you get it?"
He had been in the Wendao Sect for so long, yet he'd never even heard of such wine.
Ling Yunxiao smiled mysteriously. "Take a guess."
"No guessing."
Hao Tianping rejected it outright. Guessing with him was pointless—either he'd get tricked, or the answer would be something ridiculous anyway.
Ling Yunxiao sighed in mock regret. Looks like the mouse had grown smarter.
"You know the head cook? The chubby middle-aged cultivator. He brewed this with his own secret recipe. I had to grind him down forever just to get this one pot. You lucked out, kid," Ling Yunxiao scoffed.
Hearing that, Hao Tianping froze.
Then his eyes reddened.
"...I'm touched."
Ling Yunxiao immediately looked away, visibly uncomfortable. "You're a grown man. Don't cry."
Hao Tianping wiped his eyes, muttering, "It's not like I want to. It's just... this place is unbearable. I still have five, six—seven, maybe even eight months left before I can get out. Thinking about staying in this dark, hopeless hole that long... it's enough to crush anyone."
He tilted his head back and took another swig, his cheeks gradually flushing.
Ling Yunxiao glanced toward the high, narrow window set into the wall.
"There's light," he said thoughtfully. "Sunlight during the day, moonlight at night. How is that dark and hopeless?"
"..."
Hao Tianping slowly turned his head. "Are you doing this on purpose?"
He faced the other direction, refusing to engage further.
Ling Yunxiao chuckled under his breath, then straightened. "Alright, enough joking. Let's talk business. I've applied for the Enforcement Hall assessment. Once I pass, I'll be assigned duty here in the confinement chambers."
He raised a brow. "Well? Feeling more touched now?"
Hao Tianping's expression went blank. "...I don't dare move."
For a moment, Ling Yunxiao considered saying something reassuring.
Just then, his communication jade slip flickered.
Lou Yuqing.
He glanced down—and before he could stop himself, a smile tugged at his lips.
"Really? Then thank you."
Hao Tianping: ...Something's off. Why does that smile look so irritating?
"I'll treat you to a meal at the dining hall another day," Ling Yunxiao continued, his tone suddenly warm. "Don't refuse. You've helped me a lot. The head steward there has a signature dish—absolutely worth it. You won't regret it."
Hao Tianping: ...Is that really him talking?
"Then it's settled. I'll come find you after I pass the assessment. You better show up, or I'll be heartbroken."
Hao Tianping: What the hell? Is he possessed?!
Ling Yunxiao didn't notice the increasingly bizarre look on his friend's face. He tucked away the jade slip, that faint smile still lingering.
A beat.
"Oh~ if you don't come, I'll be heartbroken~" Hao Tianping drawled, mimicking him with exaggerated flair.
Ling Yunxiao froze.
"..."
The tips of his ears turned red.
"Come on, tell me," Hao Tianping pressed, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "What's going on? I've never seen you act like that before. It's honestly... impressive."
"You're overthinking it," Ling Yunxiao snapped, already turning to leave.
Hao Tianping called after him, "The medicinal soup from last time was great! Bring me more!"
"I'll bring it next time."
The reply came casually, almost absentmindedly.
Hao Tianping leaned back, a smug hum escaping him.
Got you.
Usually, Ling Yunxiao would've argued for half a day before agreeing. This time, he didn't even hesitate.
Suspicious.
—
Evening descended.
Golden sunlight spilled across the lake, the surface rippling with molten light.
Lou Yuqing and Si Nidie had just finished another round of patrol. They sat on a large rock by the back lake, enjoying the rare moment of peace, the tension in their bodies slowly easing.
Then—
"Move. You're sitting on my land."
The voice came out of nowhere.
Both of them froze.
Lou Yuqing's head snapped to the side, eyes sharp with caution.
There was no one there.
A chill crept up her spine.