Meeting Qin Shuang Again

Years later, the young woman remained unchanged, perhaps only more mature and charming. Her brows were like paintings, her skin as crystalline as jade, and her waist so slender it seemed a single grasp could span it. Her eyes, like pools of spring water, were lively and spirited, carrying an alluring, mature air.

Sitting beside her, the man was as elegant as a jade tree in the wind, refined and gentle. He was strikingly handsome, dressed in a white robe, and his clear eyes were fixed tenderly upon his wife.

Upon seeing them, Yaoyao cheered with joy, rushing into the young woman's arms. Giggling, she said, "Mother, look who I've run into!" As she spoke, she pointed toward Xu Yang.

Xu Yang immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Junior Xu Yang greets the two seniors." He then turned to the young woman and added, "It has been several years since we parted. Seeing you again brings me great joy, and I must thank you for your generosity back then."

Su Ru examined Xu Yang carefully, then said with a look of surprise, "So it is young master Xu. I never expected that after our parting, you would already be a Qi Refining Realm cultivator at the eighth level. Your progress is truly astonishing."

Su Ru then turned to the man beside her and said, "Husband, this is the one who brought Yaoyao back to the estate all those years ago. At that time, he hadn't even reached the first level of Qi Refining, yet now he has reached the eighth. It is truly shocking." After saying this, Su Ru turned to Xu Yang to introduce their names.

Qin Shuang had noticed Xu Yang the moment he entered the hall. He had been puzzled, wondering who this person was, but hearing Su Ru's words, he finally understood the situation. He, too, was surprised by how quickly Xu Yang had cultivated.

With a smile, he gestured for Xu Yang to approach and said, "There is no need for such formalities, Fellow Daoist Xu. Please, take a seat! I should be the one thanking you for returning Yaoyao to the estate; the items I gave you were merely a token of gratitude."

Hearing Su Ru's introduction, Xu Yang bowed to them once more before taking a seat on the chair opposite them. He smiled and said, "I didn't expect that when I ran into Yaoyao this time, she would still recognize me. I did visit your estate later, Senior Qin, but found that you were no longer there. Later, by a stroke of fate, I joined the Bailian Pavilion to cultivate, which is how I attained my current level."

"I see. Fellow Daoist Xu is quite fortunate to have joined one of the three major righteous sects in Yue Province. May I ask who your master is, that you have been able to cultivate so rapidly?" Su Ru asked with curiosity.

"My master is named Qing Yuanzi. I believe the two seniors may have heard of him," Xu Yang replied with a smile.

"Oh! So it is Senior Qing Yuanzi. I never imagined Fellow Daoist Xu was a high disciple of his; no wonder your cultivation has been so swift." Both Su Ru and Qin Shuang looked on in astonishment.

Following this, the two parties began to converse in the hall. Because of their previous connection, the exchange was very pleasant, and with Yaoyao playing and acting spoiled nearby, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Just as they were enjoying their conversation, Old Liu and a young man walked into the hall toward them. Everyone stopped talking and looked at the pair. Upon seeing Old Liu, Xu Yang immediately stood up and bowed, saying, "Xu Yang greets Old Liu. It has been years, yet you are still as vigorous as ever."

Old Liu froze, looked Xu Yang over, and immediately revealed a look of shock. "It's you, young Xu! You've become a cultivator!" As he spoke, Old Liu showed a look of envy. Because Old Liu lacked a spirit root and could not step onto the path of immortality, seeing Xu Yang become a cultivator filled him with envy and a touch of melancholy.

Seeing Old Liu's envious and dejected expression, Xu Yang felt a sense of helplessness. Spirit roots were innate; they could not be created later in life. There was no solution for Old Liu's situation, and with his lifespan already dwindling, this might be the last time they would ever meet.

Old Liu's situation also served as a warning to Xu Yang. If he could not advance further on the path of immortality, he, too, would eventually turn into a mound of dirt, killed by the passage of time. Thinking of this, Xu Yang's resolve to cultivate hard solidified once more. The turmoil in his heart caused by Li Qingqing instantly settled, never to be shaken again.

Xu Yang nodded at Old Liu, acknowledging his question. Seeing that Xu Yang had indeed become a cultivator, Old Liu said with envy, "Young Xu, you are truly lucky to possess a spirit root. Unlike me, who was born without the fate for immortality, you must cherish this hard-won opportunity!"

Xu Yang replied to Old Liu with a serious expression, "I understand, and I will always keep your teachings in mind." Upon hearing this, Old Liu patted Xu Yang on the shoulder with a smile, clearly pleased by his words.

At this moment, the young man walked up to Qin Shuang and whispered something. Qin Shuang's long brows furrowed, and his expression turned grim. Seeing Qin Shuang's reaction, Su Ru's face also grew heavy. Xu Yang was filled with curiosity, wondering what could have happened to trouble two Nascent Soul Realm cultivators so deeply.

Qin Shuang pondered for a moment, finding no good way to solve the problem Ling Feng had presented, and his face darkened. Su Ru, seeing her husband's expression, realized he had no solution and grew anxious.

Su Ru looked down at Yaoyao in her arms with a look of pity, her eyes revealing a trace of pain. Xu Yang could no longer contain his curiosity and asked Su Ru, "Is there some difficulty, Senior Su? Is there anything this junior can do to help?"

Hearing Xu Yang's question, Su Ru gave him a meaningful look and shook her head. Xu Yang was startled and immediately fell silent. Shortly after, Qin Shuang had Old Liu take Yaoyao away to rest. Although Yaoyao was reluctant, she dared not defy Qin Shuang's orders and pouted as she followed Old Liu into the inner chamber of the cave dwelling.

Once Yaoyao had left, Qin Shuang's expression turned completely somber. He slammed his palm onto the stone table in front of him, shattering it into pieces, and the atmosphere in the room became incredibly heavy.

Xu Yang and Ling Feng stood to the side, suppressed by the aura radiating from Qin Shuang, not daring to breathe. Seeing this, Su Ru immediately stood up to comfort Qin Shuang, which finally caused his expression to soften.

Regaining his composure, Qin Shuang apologized to Xu Yang, "I lost my composure for a moment, Fellow Daoist Xu. Please forgive me, I am truly sorry." As he spoke, he took Su Ru's hand and sat back down, suppressing his anger and regaining his poise.

Hearing this, Xu Yang quickly replied, "I do not mind, Senior; there is no need to apologize. However, I dare to ask, what has caused you such anger, to the point that even Senior Su looks so worried?"

Qin Shuang looked at Xu Yang, pondered for a moment, and said, "This matter concerns Yaoyao, and it is because of this..." Qin Shuang then recounted the cause and effect of the situation in detail. After listening, Xu Yang's face showed a look of sudden realization, followed by a hint of joy.

It turned out that Yaoyao possessed extraordinary talent; she was born with a Yin Spirit Root, which, like Xu Yang's Void Spirit Root, was extremely rare. In the cultivation world of Yue Province, no one with a Yin Spirit Root had appeared for hundreds of years.

Unlike the Void Spirit Root, which was often looked down upon, the Yin Spirit Root was highly coveted. Once discovered, such cultivators were often captured and used as a Cauldron. Because those with a Yin Spirit Root possessed the Nine Yin Body, they were the best possible Cauldrons for cultivators, capable of significantly increasing one's cultivation speed.

Years ago, when Qin Shuang took Yaoyao out, they were tracked by an enemy who accidentally discovered her Yin Spirit Root. Driven by greed, the person tried to abduct her. Qin Shuang fought him for three months before finally killing him, ensuring no news leaked out. Afterward, they immediately left Mountain City and erased their tracks.

To protect Yaoyao, the couple searched extensively and finally discovered that several hundred years ago, a female cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm in Yue Province had also possessed a Yin Spirit Root. She had been incredibly powerful, unmatched across the province. They were fortunate enough to find the location of her cave dwelling.

According to their investigation, that Nascent Soul Realm cultivator had long since passed away, and this cave was likely her final resting place. It was highly probable that her legacy remained inside. If they could obtain it, Yaoyao could cultivate the techniques most suited to her, and there would surely be a secret method to conceal her Yin Spirit Root.

This would greatly increase Yaoyao's safety, and they would no longer have to live in such constant fear. However, the cave was protected by a barrier that only allowed Qi Refining Realm cultivators to enter. Any cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm or higher who tried to force their way in would surely die.

The young man, Ling Feng, was at the peak of the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm. He was Qin Shuang's childhood servant and lifelong companion, and he had been following him with unwavering loyalty. He had been inside the female cultivator's cave but was blocked by a massive stone door. The door was protected by a barrier that rendered all attacks from Qi, magical artifacts, and talismans useless. Only the purest physical strength could open it.

But Ling Feng was a pure magic cultivator whose body had only been passively tempered by Qi, making him far too weak to open the door. With no other options, Ling Feng had returned to report the situation to Qin Shuang.

After learning the truth, Xu Yang lowered his head in thought for a moment. When he looked up at Qin Shuang, he saw the three of them staring at him intently, ready to strike at any moment. Xu Yang was stunned for a second before realizing the situation. He quickly raised his hand and swore, "I, Xu Yang, hereby swear to the heavens: if I reveal a single word of this matter, may I be struck down by heaven and never be reincarnated."

Hearing Xu Yang take such a grave oath, the expressions of the three relaxed. A cultivator's oath could not be taken lightly; their every move was watched by the heavens, and if they broke their word, the consequences would be immediate. Su Ru nodded at Xu Yang and said, "Do not take offense, Fellow Daoist Xu. This matter is simply too significant; we had no choice."

Xu Yang smiled and replied, "Senior Su, there is no need to explain. I understand. Since you two seniors trust me enough to share such a vital secret, I must take this oath to keep it silent. Otherwise, I would be unworthy of your trust."

Having said this, Xu Yang moved on. He turned to Ling Feng and asked, "Fellow Daoist Ling, have you tried using Great Strength Talismans, Mountain Opening Talismans, or similar items on yourself before pushing the door?"

Ling Feng shook his head and sighed, "I tried, but it was useless. The power of the talismans was dispelled the moment it touched the door; they had no effect at all."

Xu Yang then asked Ling Feng, "Then how do you know that pure physical strength can open the door?" Ling Feng replied, "There is an inscription next to the door that explains it quite clearly."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang looked at the three with joy and said, "If that is the case, then I would like to give it a try."