Dire News

After stepping into the Spiritual Transformation Realm, time had been short, and Chu Zheng had cultivated only two Divine Abilities: one was the Invisibility Technique, while the other was this Life Bond Seal.

The Invisibility Technique was for preserving his life, while he had cultivated this Life Bond Seal specifically for Fu Quanliang alone.

The Life Bond Seal carried great restrictions. It could only be used on a single target, and before the seal was removed or the creature bearing it died, it could not be used on another creature.

Ancient Qi Cultivators generally used it to subdue powerful exotic beasts as long-term companions on the path of cultivation. It was born from the need to have something dependable at one's back.

In truth, the Life Bond Seal's uses extended far beyond that. After placing the seal, Chu Zheng could vaguely sense changes in Fu Quanliang's emotions.

"Ah?"

Fu Quanliang blanked out for a moment, then abruptly rose to his feet. Seeing the faintly cold expression on Chu Zheng's face, his complexion shifted between green and white. He struggled inwardly for a moment, then sat back down weakly and muttered, "Why did you place this kind of restriction on me? What could I possibly do to help you?"

Chu Zheng pondered for a moment, then casually tossed the Gale Step Sword before Fu Quanliang and said slowly, "We'll talk once you manage to stay alive."

"What do you mean by that?"

Fu Quanliang glanced at the Flying Sword, somewhat puzzled.

"You killed the man. Naturally, this Flying Sword should be in your hands."

Chu Zheng walked to Jiang Cunhu's corpse and crouched down, feeling around it. Before long, he pulled a palm-sized pouch from behind Jiang Cunhu's waist.

Its drawstring was tied in a dead knot, impossible to pull open through brute force.

"What is this?"

Chu Zheng made no attempt to conceal his ignorance as he held it out before Fu Quanliang.

"A Storage Bag. It requires Mana to open, so I can't use it." Fu Quanliang shook his head. "Everything Jiang Cunhu owned should be inside."

Chu Zheng's heart stirred. The Primordial Qi within him surged lightly and entered the Storage Bag in his hand.

A space roughly half a zhang square appeared in his mind, with quite a few items scattered about within it.

After taking stock, Chu Zheng gained a rough understanding of its contents. With a flip of his hand, he took out a jade stone the length of a finger.

Before Chu Zheng could ask, Fu Quanliang took the initiative to explain, "A Spirit Stone. It can speed up Cultivation Speed and is considered the gold and silver of the cultivation world."

"How much can one of these buy? Can it be exchanged for gold and silver from the mortal world?" Chu Zheng wanted to understand the purchasing power of Spirit Stones.

If they could be exchanged for mortal gold and silver...

"In the mortal world, one of these could buy the entire Song Family, but no one would trade this for gold and silver."

Fu Quanliang answered, then shook his head. "It still depends on the region. Cultivation Holy Lands do not lack Spirit Stones, and Low-grade Spirit Stones are of little value there. It would even be shabby to give them as gifts. In some impoverished minor sects without Spiritual Veins, they can occasionally be exchanged for good things, but ordinarily, they are used for cultivation."

Chu Zheng was somewhat disappointed. He then took out all the items he did not recognize and had Fu Quanliang explain them one by one.

Only after a long while did he put away the Storage Bag in satisfaction, slowly refining it with his Primordial Qi.

Killing Jiang Cunhu had not brought much of a harvest. The most valuable item was the Gale Step Sword, but it had opened a corner of the cultivation world to Chu Zheng, revealing a sliver of its scenery.

That was enough.

It was not until dusk that Song Tonghai and Song Lingxue entered the courtyard and began arranging for people to clean it up.

The instant Jiang Cunhu arrived, they had heard Chu Zheng's Message and hidden themselves, only emerging now.

The dancing girls in the room had already lost their wits. They clung to one another in a trembling heap in the corner, utterly unaware of what had happened outside.

After Song Lingxue sent them away, she moved Fu Quanliang's residence to the edge of Song Manor at Chu Zheng's request, far from Chu Zheng.

Jiang Cunhu was dead. Nightlight Pavilion's next move was now of crucial importance.

Whether Fu Quanliang, this shield, could hold up was still uncertain.

Time was like sand slipping through one's fingers. In the blink of an eye, another half month passed.

Over this half month, Song Manor had remained utterly calm, without the slightest abnormality. The peace was strange enough that even Chu Zheng began to feel uneasy.

At dawn, the sky began to brighten.

Chu Zheng sat cross-legged in the courtyard, circulating his Qi through the heavenly cycle and breathing in Sun Moon Essence to increase his cultivation.

Unlike during the Hundred Days of Qi Refinement, the growth of his strength had gradually begun to slow. The Yin Yang Qi around him had slowly become sparse to him.

He could still cultivate, but this speed was undoubtedly greatly restricted.

Footsteps sounded outside the courtyard. Chu Zheng slowly withdrew his cultivation and looked toward Fu Quanliang, who was hurrying over. He sensed that something was wrong. "What happened?"

Fu Quanliang had already received his instructions. Unless there was an urgent matter, he would not come over here.

"I just received a Message from the sect, ordering me to return immediately. It said there was no need to concern myself with the Song Family's affairs any longer."

As he spoke, Fu Quanliang's expression grew increasingly strange. "A junior brother of mine in the sect also sent me a secret letter. He said Senior Sister Song encountered an ambush, and her Dao Protector, Elder Qin, was gravely wounded and on the verge of death. He barely managed to escape back to the sect."

"Is Song Lingqing dead?" Chu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly and sought confirmation.

"My junior brother's letter did not mention whether she was alive or dead. I fear..."

Fu Quanliang did not finish, but Chu Zheng already understood.

Even Qin Feng had suffered grievous injuries, much less Song Lingqing. Coupled with the Phantom Spirit Sect recalling Fu Quanliang and telling him to stop concerning himself with the Song Family, Song Lingqing had most likely already died.

Smack—

A crisp sound came from before the courtyard gate. Song Lingxue stood outside, staring blankly, while food boxes lay scattered all over the ground at her feet.

Chu Zheng lowered his gaze slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting. Before long, he could no longer restrain a low laugh.

This dead knot had finally been untied.

Amid his laughter, Song Lingxue came back to her senses. Her eyes reddened slightly as she rasped, "What are you laughing at?"

Chu Zheng paid no heed to her reaction. The smile on his face grew wider as he shook his head. "Now that Song Lingqing is dead, you no longer hold the slightest value in the eyes of those from the Immortal Sect."

That was true for the Phantom Spirit Sect, and equally true for Nightlight Pavilion.

Jiang Cunhu's death would naturally be attributed to the Phantom Spirit Sect. No one would connect this matter to the Song Family.

Even if someone vented their anger upon them, the Song Family now had the right to flee. They would not be hunted down by the Immortal Sect.

At the very least, they now had hope of survival.

Song Lingxue did not listen any further. She turned and ran off to find Song Tonghai.

Chu Zheng slowly withdrew his smile and looked toward Fu Quanliang beside him, his tone growing heavy. "I have something for you to do."

"What is it?" Fu Quanliang's heart tightened.

"Previously, it was the Phantom Spirit Sect that forced you into a dilemma between life and death. Don't you want revenge?"

"Revenge?"

Fu Quanliang found it absurd. "How?"

The word revenge had never even crossed his mind. How could one with a Low-grade Immortal Bone take revenge against one of the Immortal Sects and Great Factions?

"One must have something to pursue in life."

Chu Zheng slowly rose to his feet and gazed into the distance. He slowly raised a hand and clenched it in the air, as though grasping the Great Sun within his palm.

"I was born in this life to accomplish great things."

"Once the Song Family's affairs are settled, you will lead me into the Phantom Spirit Sect, and I will help you destroy it."

"What you cannot do, I will do."