Using the Jade Scroll, based on the timestamp, Lu Quanzhen immediately identified a name, âZhao Changhe.â
âZhao Changhe, Ninth Level Energy RefinementâŠâ
Lu Quanzhen muttered to himself as he looked at the name.
Then, using the Jade Scroll again to check the Identity Jade of the other party, he viewed the trajectory of his movements within the Marketplace.
Upon seeing that the other party had headed straight to his Spiritual Wine shop after entering the Marketplace and then went to the Tianâs Everything Shop after leaving, his gaze sharpened slightly.
âThank you, Cousin Mu Jun.â
...
Lu Quanzhenâs expression returned to normal as he gave his thanks with clasped hands.
âHehe, Cousin Quanzhen is too polite.â
This Lu family disciple said cheerfully.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lu Quanzhen bid his farewell and made his way to the Tianâs Everything Shop.
Through inquiries, he learned that today a young man in a black robe had come here to purchase information about Bi Lake Mountain and had acted somewhat oddly.
âMaster LuâŠâ
The shopkeeper, a middle-aged female cultivator, looked somewhat flustered as she faced Lu Quanzhen.
She had not expected selling one piece of information today to trouble the young master from Bi Lake Mountain enough to prompt his visit.
âJust act as if nothing happened.â
Lu Quanzhen spoke with a calm demeanor, walked out of the store, paused for a moment to ponder, and then headed to a tavern.
After asking around, he went to the sixth floor of the tavern and came to a room, knocking softly and saying, âDaoist Zhao.â
âHmm?â
Qu Changge inside the room immediately recognized that it was Lu Quanzhen outside.
He wondered why Lu Quanzhen had come to find him, especially since he did not recall giving Lu Quanzhen this address.
âCome in.â
He lifted his palm slightly, and the door swung open.
âDaoist Lu, what brings you here to see Zhao?â
Qu Changge looked at Lu Quanzhen with a calm and detached expression.
âQuanzhen pays his respects to Uncle.â
Lu Quanzhen bowed deeply as he greeted.
âYou called me what!?â
Qu Changge was taken aback, his hand trembling slightly beneath the black wide robe, his voice sinking.
âUncle.â
Lu Quanzhen continued.
âHow did you know about me?â
Qu Changge did not deny it but instead asked aloud.
He did not understand how, after seeing this nephew only once and having brief chat, the other side could have discerned his identity.
âBecause Uncle came to see me today, and your behavior and mannerisms were a bit off, which led me to this conjecture.â
Seeing that the other had not denied it, Lu Quanzhen knew he had guessed correctly.
This made him pause internally, uncertain about the purpose of the otherâs visit.
After all, when he was handling affairs at Ruyi Marquis Mansion in the mortal world, he had received a piece of news.
His uncle, Qu Changge, had not died but had turned to Demon CultivationâŠ
âOh?â
Qu Changge still did not see where he had given himself away, a smile emerging on his face as he spoke with interest, âTell me, how did you conjecture it?â
Saying this, he gestured for Lu Quanzhen to sit down, then started to prepare tea.
âUncle came today, and his behavior did not seem like he was there to do business but rather to converse with me, which I found quite inexplicable.â
Lu Quanzhen gently pinched the talisman in his sleeve, then seated himself at the table and said with reverence, âDuring our conversation, I was extra cautious and, through your accent and surname, I came to this suspicion.â
âAccent, surname?â
Qu Changge seemed oblivious to the talisman in his nephewâs sleeve, his face full of smiles, beckoning him to continue.
âThatâs right, I once lived in Zhoushan Mansion for quite some time, and noticed a certain familiarity in your accent.â
âThen, Uncle, you use the surname Zhao, and it happens that my maternal grandmotherâs surname is Zhao.â
âAlso, my mother often reminisces about Uncle, telling stories about you to us siblings, so I speculated about your identity.â
Lu Quanzhen explained as such.
âIt shouldnât be just these reasons, should it?â
Qu Changge looked at his nephew, smiling as he spoke.
He felt that just these few conditions were not enough.
âToday, after I had my suspicions, but was still unsure, I went through the marketplace to check todayâs city entry records.â
âI saw the fake name Zhao Changhe that uncle used, and then noticed that uncle came directly towards me, and afterwards purchased information about Bi Lake Mountain, which gave me some confidence.â
Lu Quanzhen continued calmly.
âThere must be other reasons too, right?â
Qu Changge still wore a smile.
Seeing his nephew infer so much from their simple conversation today brought him a great deal of satisfaction.
Truly worthy of being a child of the Qu family, so astute!
âI was not entirely certain of the matter either, I just felt it was a possibility, so I came over to ask. I did not expect uncle to admit it straightforwardly.â
This is what Lu Quanzhen said.
âBut if thatâs so, why were you holding a talisman in your sleeve?â
Qu Changge asked with a smile, his demeanor easygoing and refined.
Seeing Lu Quanzhenâs expression change, he immediately raised his hand and said, âQuanzhen, no need to be nervous, uncle is just asking casually.â
At this moment, he candidly revealed his own identity.
Since his nephew had already recognized him, he had nothing left to hide.
âI didnât expect uncle to have noticed.â
Lu Quanzhen felt a chill in his heart, not expecting his uncle to be aware that he was hiding a talisman in his sleeve.
This indicated that the other party was definitely not merely at the Ninth Level Energy Refinement but had broken through to Foundation Establishment!
Only the divine sense of Foundation Establishment could possess such keen insight!
This revelation struck him with amazement, as he had not expected this uncle whom he had never met to be a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator!
Faced with this situation, he knew he couldnât play any tricks in front of the other.
He immediately took out the talisman hidden in his sleeve, placed it on the side, and said with a bitter smile, âBecause my mother often mentions uncle, and our family has always been looking for you, but there has been no news.â
âThinking that we should see each other alive or at least find the body if dead, so in my early years when I was handling affairs in the secular world, I investigated uncleâs information and learned that thirty years ago in Zhoushan Mansion, a demon cultivator appearedâŠâ
âAnd this demon cultivator, is very likely to be you, uncle. So, on this trip, I came with some caution in my heart, I hope uncle wonât take offense.â
Lu Quanzhen no longer concealed anything and spoke openly.
He knew that he couldnât play games in front of the other and could only bet that the other had no ill intent.
âA demon cultivatorâŠâ
Qu Changge immediately knew it must be the time when he returned home years ago, only to discover that his entire family had been wiped out, which caused the demonic blood within him to erupt.
He laughed and said, âHehe, whatâs there to take offense at? In the Cultivation World, it is necessary to be extra cautious.â
âYes, many years ago, due to some reasons, I walked the Demon Path and became a demon cultivator.â
Qu Changge admitted candidly.
Then his facial features blurred for a moment as his disguise faded and he restored his true appearance.
Although he regained his original look, his current appearance and demeanor were quite different from the uncleâs temperament Lu Quanzhen had learned about from his mother Qu Zhenzhenâs descriptions and images.
His face was stern, and there was an inexplicable demonic aura between his eyebrows.
âZhenzhen⊠how has your mother been these past years?â
Qu Changge continued to speak, his voice somewhat hoarse and trembling.
He had intended to go directly to Bi Lake Mountain today to see how his sister was doing, and to teach her husband a lesson.
But after reading the information and making some simple inquiries, he learned that Lu Changsheng had a rather good reputation and was not the kind of energy-draining heretic cultivator or demon cultivator he imagined.
In particular, he was famously good to his wives, and his sister Qu Zhenzhen was one of his official wives, not just a concubine.
Consequently, he thought about further contact with his nephew, and to visit Bi Lake Mountain later, not expecting his nephew to take the initiative to come to him.
âMother has been quite well these years, itâs just that she often mentions uncle, as well as my grandparentsâŠâ
âAnd then these past years Iâve caused mother some worryâŠâ
Lu Quanzhen began, slowly voicing his motherâs situation.
He roughly guessed that his uncle must have achieved success in cultivation, which is why he came back to visit his mother.
Because from his motherâs stories, he knew that the siblings were very close, and that his uncle was always especially caring towards her, his sister.
Faced with this, he also played the familial card as much as possible to stabilize his uncle.