Chapter 377

“It seems Xuankong Mountain has no intention of coming out for now.”

At the edge of the Ling Mountain Range, Lu Qing concealed his presence with a Concealment Talisman, speaking softly to himself.

After several days of secluded training to fully recover his strength, Lu Qing returned to the Ling Mountain Range, intending to give Xuankong Mountain a little more intimidation.

Yet, after waiting for days, he didn’t see a single disciple emerge from Xuankong Mountain. From this, he could tell that Xuankong Mountain was determined to remain hidden within the secret realm and had no intention of coming out.

He didn’t feel disappointed by this.

On the contrary, this was exactly the result he wanted, as it meant his intimidation had achieved its purpose.

“Young Master, it seems you’re bound to be known far and wide now, having suppressed an entire hidden realm to the point where it dares not emerge. Such a feat has rarely been seen, even in the ancient days of the cultivation world.”

The voice of “Yan” sounded in Lu Qing’s mind.

During Lu Qing’s time in seclusion, “Yan” had also managed to recover some of his own spiritual energy.

“It’s just an empty reputation, not worth mentioning,” Lu Qing replied casually. “Since Xuankong Mountain won’t come out, there’s no need for us to waste time here. Let’s go back.”

“Aqing, are we going back?” Xiao Li asked.

“Yes, we’ve been away for so long that Xiao Yan must be missing us. If we don’t return soon, that little girl will be in tears,” Lu Qing chuckled.

“Xiao Li misses Xiao Yan too,” Xiao Li said, sounding a bit homesick.

Lu Qing patted its head. “Then let’s leave now.”

With that, Lu Qing took one last, lingering look at the Ling Mountain Range before moving away, his movement technique allowing him to disappear soundlessly into the distance.

This time, he didn’t stop and headed directly beyond Western State.

To stay inconspicuous, he didn’t use the Golden Boat, instead using the power of a talisman to travel on foot. With the talisman’s power boosting him, he wasn’t much slower than he would have been on the Golden Boat.

More than half a day later, Lu Qing had left Western State.

He glanced back in the direction of Western State.

This trip had proven fruitful. Not only had he dealt a heavy blow to Xuankong Mountain, causing significant losses and keeping them confined to the secret realm, but he had also acquired several treasures. The Golden Boat, in particular, would be very useful to him.

Now, he could look forward to a period of peace where he could train in relative safety.

Taking one last look at Western State, Lu Qing’s body glowed with green light as he moved forward once again at great speed.

…

Several days later, Lu Qing returned to Cangzhou.

The journey had taken a bit longer than necessary because, for safety’s sake, he deliberately took a roundabout route.

Once in Cangzhou, Lu Qing no longer felt the need to be cautious and used his full speed to travel. By noon, he was back in Jiuli Village.

As he entered the range of the array without concealing his aura, Old Doctor Chen, who was at the Wei Family Courtyard examining Wei Zihao and the others, sensed his presence.

“Master Chen, is there something wrong with Hao’er’s health?”

Noticing his expression, Wei Xinghe asked urgently.

Madam Wei, standing beside him, also looked worried.

“No need to worry, Master Wei,” the old doctor reassured them. “Zihao and the others are recovering well. A little more conditioning, and they should be fully recovered in about ten days to two weeks.”

Hearing this, Madam Wei let out a sigh of relief and patted her chest. For days now, every time she saw the few white strands at her eldest son’s temples, her heart would ache. Fortunately, thanks to the old doctor’s prescriptions, those white hairs had already started to darken again.

“Thank you, Master Chen,” Wei Zihao said, standing up and bowing respectfully to the old doctor.

The other disciples of the Qingyun Sword Sect also bowed in thanks.

“No need for such courtesy,” the old doctor said. “But remember, these next few days you should focus on rest and avoid engaging in any combat.”

“We will heed your advice,” Wei Zihao and the others replied respectfully.

“Good. I’ll leave a recipe for a medicinal meal. Following this should help speed up your recovery,” the old doctor said, leaving a prescription before exiting the Wei Family Courtyard.

Returning to his small courtyard on the mountainside, he saw Xiao Yan clinging to Lu Qing, whining playfully.

“Big Brother, Xiao Li, why did you stay away for so long? Xiao Yan was so bored at home!”

“My apologies, Xiao Yan. Next time, I won’t be away so long.” Lu Qing hugged the little one, comforting her.

The old doctor watched the scene with a smile as he entered the courtyard.

“Master,” Lu Qing greeted him respectfully after setting Xiao Yan down.

He hadn’t concealed his aura on purpose, knowing his master would sense his return.

“It’s good to have you back. You didn’t run into any trouble, did you?” the old doctor asked.

“No, everything went smoothly.”

The old doctor nodded and didn’t press Lu Qing for details about his trip, knowing that if there was something he could discuss, Lu Qing would bring it up himself.

As expected, Lu Qing spoke up soon after. “Master, I went to Western State this time to settle some matters. I think we’ll have a period of peace now…”

He gave his master a general account of what had happened in Western State.

Although Cangzhou was rather remote and information arrived more slowly, the events in Western State had already spread widely.

While others might not know who used the Li Huo Cauldron to attack Xuankong Mountain, his master, Wei Shanhai, and the others would undoubtedly recognize who it was as soon as they heard.

The old doctor was both surprised and alarmed.

“Aqing, you took quite a risk this time. Xuankong Mountain has a legacy stretching back tens of thousands of years, so it’s no ordinary sect. If they had set an ambush, even with a spiritual artifact to protect you, it would have been difficult to escape.”

“I understand, Master, it was indeed risky. However, Xuankong Mountain’s emergence doesn’t bode well for us. The Wujian Tower Assassin who escaped from Wei Manor is still a hidden threat. I even suspect that he may already have located us. I couldn’t allow Xuankong Mountain to establish control over Western State so easily. Otherwise, if they were to free up their resources, we might soon face even more trouble.”

Recalling the assassin who had previously slipped away from him, the old doctor fell silent. He knew Lu Qing’s concern was valid, though he couldn’t help feeling a sense of dread when thinking of the risks his disciple had faced on this journey.

“Very well,” he said finally. “It’s good you made it back safely, but I hope you’ll be more cautious in the future.”

“I will remember, Master,” Lu Qing promised, knowing his master’s concerns.

Lu Qing’s return went largely unnoticed.

Even Wei Shanhai only learned of it the following day when he came to have tea with the old doctor.

However, he merely assumed Lu Qing had been away in secluded training and didn’t give it much thought.

It wasn’t until a few days later, when news of the events in Western State reached Cangzhou, that things became clear.

Hearing the reports from their spies, particularly of a mysterious cultivator wielding a massive cauldron to attack Xuankong Mountain’s disciples and elders, Wei Shanhai and Wei Xinghe were left shocked and uncertain.

After the spy departed, Wei Xinghe couldn’t hold back. “Patriarch, could that giant cauldron mentioned in the reports be…”

Wei Shanhai looked toward the small courtyard on the mountainside. “It seems that during Lu Xiaolangjun’s recent disappearance, he wasn’t in seclusion but rather involved in something truly earth-shaking!”