In Search of His Wife

The map of the Nine Heavens was vast. This was reflected in its setting: the human territory stretched boundlessly, mountain ranges sprawled without end, and ferocious demonic beasts dwelled throughout them.

Aside from the many cities established by the Great Xia, where countless humans gathered, there were also innumerable cultivation Lineages and sect forces. They built their mountain gates and human settlements in wilderness regions that contained Spirit Veins.

The Ziyang Mountain Range was not a particularly large mountain range.

It lay more than a hundred li north of Zhenjiang City.

Within the Ziyang Mountain Range were many small Spirit Veins. This made the spiritual energy around the range denser than in ordinary places, offering cultivators a modest boost in cultivation.

Nourished by these small Spirit Veins, the Ziyang Mountain Range also contained many spirit herbs that had yet to be harvested.

The major sect forces, with their vast estates and great fortunes, had no interest in these small Spirit Veins. But to Rogue Cultivators and small cultivation Lineages, the Ziyang Mountain Range was a land blessed by wind and water.

Thus, the Ziyang Mountain Range gradually drew in many low-level Qi Refining cultivators.

Ziyang Town was a small town built in reliance on the Ziyang Mountain Range.

Because it had been established amid a primeval mountain range, and the mountain roads connecting it to the outside world were infested with wild beasts and fierce birds—

Ziyang Town did not have many residents, only three or four thousand. Most were cultivators, while ordinary people were exceedingly few.

Today, however, Ziyang Town's peace was shattered.

A cry rang through the sky, its terrifyingly piercing sound making the eardrums of Ziyang Town's residents ache.

The cultivators of Ziyang Town all looked up.

High in the air, fierce winds howled as an enormous bird entered everyone's sight.

Its body measured five or six meters long, and when its wings spread, they stretched eleven or twelve meters wide. Black feathers across its body gleamed with a metallic luster. Its hooked beak was glossy, sharp, and utterly terrifying.

"Ah, no!"

Someone cried out in terror.

After circling once in the sky, the giant bird actually dove straight toward Ziyang Town.

Its momentum was overwhelming!

Though Ziyang Town had many cultivators, they were all low-level cultivators. Among its several thousand residents, there was not a single Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Yet the pressure emanating from this demonic beast was absolutely that of a Second-grade Demonic Beast.

A Second-grade Demonic Beast was an existence equivalent to a human Foundation Establishment cultivator.

With the powerful body of a demonic beast, if this giant bird targeted Ziyang Town, not a single cultivator would possess the strength to resist.

Even more terrifyingly, this demonic beast was a massive bird.

If it found the situation unfavorable, it could simply spread its enormous wings and depart.

Flying through the air was an ability only Foundation Establishment cultivators could master.

In other words, even if every cultivator in town joined forces, they might still have no way to deal with this demonic beast.

"How could such a terrifying demonic beast appear in the Ziyang Mountain Range?" Everyone in Ziyang Town felt chills run through their hearts.

Boom—

With a tremendous roar, like a meteor crashing down, the giant bird landed heavily in Ziyang Town. A violent gale swept out, throwing up a cloud of dust.

When the dust dispersed and they saw the scene clearly—

The people of Ziyang Town could not help but let out a breath of relief.

For atop the giant bird's immense body sat a white-haired elderly cultivator and a youth.

This giant bird was not a savage demonic beast, but a tamed Demonic Pet!

The people of Ziyang Town were filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Though the Ziyang Mountain Range's resources were fairly abundant, they were all low-grade spirit herbs. Only destitute Rogue Cultivators like them regarded them as treasures; any cultivator with even a little background would disdain such things.

And the person before them, since he could subdue a Second-grade Demonic Beast, was at least a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Why would he come to a tiny place like Ziyang Town?

"Is this the place?" the elderly cultivator asked.

He was none other than Steward Cai, Cai Heng, while the youth accompanying him was naturally Lu Qingshan.

Lu Qingshan swept his gaze over the surroundings and nodded.

Ziyang Town was where Steward Cai's Cultivation Partner had gone into seclusion.

Only a place this small could have caused Steward Cai to search for years and find nothing.

Urgency filled Steward Cai's eyes. He glanced at the Ziyang Town cultivators, who stood silent as cicadas in winter, and asked in a deep voice, "Is there anyone in your town named Cai Xingchao?"

—Ziyang Town, Cai Xingchao. That was the final result of the quest that the Sword Cultivator player from his previous life had posted on the forums.

The Ziyang Town cultivators looked at one another. No one dared answer.

Steward Cai frowned. Seeing the fear plastered across the faces of the Ziyang Town cultivators, he understood something. After a moment's thought, he took a Third-grade Spirit Stone from his Storage Ring and called out loudly.

"Whoever provides me with information first will receive this Third-grade Spirit Stone."

To these Rogue Cultivators, a Third-grade Spirit Stone could even equal their entire fortunes.

And now, they only needed to provide a single piece of information to obtain one.

Wealth stirred the hearts of men.

Thus, though they feared bringing disaster upon themselves, a bold Rogue Cultivator in yellow robes soon stepped forward and said, "Senior, I know of a young cultivator in town named Cai Xingchao. I just do not know whether he is the person you seek?"

Steward Cai's gaze darkened. "Lead the way!"

Under the yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator's guidance, a dilapidated little courtyard came into view.

"This is Cai Xingchao's Household," the yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator said cautiously.

Steward Cai looked at the weathered, lifeless little courtyard before him, and his heart suddenly felt stifled.

"Tell me the specifics about this place's owner," Steward Cai said in a muffled voice.

The yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator glanced at Steward Cai. Unable to discern his exact relationship with the owner of this place, he could only gather his words and say, "The owner here has had a truly miserable life. A husband and wife once lived here with their son. All three members of the Household were cultivators."

At the mention of a family of three, Steward Cai's eye twitched slightly.

"But three years ago, when the couple ventured deep into the Ziyang Mountain Range to gather spirit herbs, they encountered a Jiangzhu Snake. Though they ultimately slew it, both husband and wife suffered severe injuries.

After returning, the husband succumbed to his injuries and died just two days later. His wife, meanwhile, had been poisoned by the snake and had remained bedridden for three years. Their son, Cai Xingchao, only at the third level of Qi Refining, had relied on repeatedly risking his life in the depths of the Ziyang Mountain Range to gather spirit herbs and trade them for medicine, barely keeping his mother alive."

The yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator's voice gradually faded.

For he discovered that as he spoke, the powerful cultivator before him had grown increasingly pale, his lips trembling without cease.

Seeing Steward Cai's expression turn wrong, the yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator did not know whether he had said something he should not have. Fear rose in his heart, and he did not dare say another word.

"Yun'er, how could you let yourself suffer like this!" Steward Cai was nearly in tears. Unable to endure it any longer, he shoved open the courtyard gate and strode inside.

The yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do.

Seeing this, Lu Qingshan took a Third-grade Spirit Stone from his Storage Ring and handed it to the yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator.

"This is your reward. There is nothing more for you to do here. You may leave."

The yellow-robed Rogue Cultivator's eyes shone as he excitedly accepted the Third-grade Spirit Stone. He thanked him again and again, "Thank you, Young Master! Thank you, Young Master!"