Ill-Fated Bond, Divine Investigation

"Brother Qiu." Zheng Zhongsen bowed to Qiu Yan and tugged at the child behind him, "Don't hide. This is your Uncle Qiu. Why don't you go and pay your respects?"

The toddler, fidgeting and extremely unwilling, was Zheng Zhongsen and bowed to Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan narrowed his eyes, extending his perception to envelop the child. Even his Divine Sense and Heart Demon smoke drifted out from the Soul Aperture and spread outwards.

This perception immediately made him aware of the strangeness on the child. Sure enough, there was a faint Yao Qi, not obvious. In addition, there was a Divine Path aura, with divine energy rising, as if connected to some existence in the Unseen.

Qiu Yan immediately guessed what was going on, and the child seemed to sense it as well, taking two steps back in fear and hiding behind Zheng Zhongsen.

At this moment, Zheng Zhongsen whispered, "Brother, this is my child, named Zheng Yun."

"Hmm? This is Brother Zheng's son?" Qiu Yan was taken aback upon hearing this, and then looked at the child named Zheng Yun. The child was not short, and although his face was childish, it also had a lively spirit. He looked to be about six or seven years old.

Zheng Zhongsen clearly guessed Qiu Yan's question and sighed, "I know you have doubts, my brother. Yun'er has only been born for less than a year, but there is a reason for her current state." He could only sigh again as he said this.

Seeing this, Qiu Yan knew that the other party was unwilling to say more, and he could roughly guess what the other party wanted.

Sure enough, Zheng Zhongsen said, "My wife and I have gone through many hardships. If it weren't for my master, who didn't abandon me and took me into his sect, the consequences would have been unimaginable. But now, my child has nowhere to go."

Qiu Yan didn't mince words, and before Zheng Zhongsen could beat around the bush, he asked directly, "You want me to take care of it for you?"

Hearing this, Zheng Zhongsen looked embarrassed and shook his head, saying, "That's not the case. I've already spoken with my brother and sister-in-law. They'll help take care of Yun'er. My cousin has a job in the government now, with a decent salary, but..."

He patted Zheng Yun's head affectionately, then said, "This child is intelligent and has the potential to be a scholar. I want him to study under you in the future."

As he spoke, a hint of shame appeared on his face. "My dear brother, your reputation is soaring now. You've even become the top scholar in the imperial examinations, and your future is bright. If word gets out, countless families will want to become your disciples. How can I easily accept a student? It's just that I'm not good at socializing, and you're my only true friend. If it's inconvenient for you, then let Yun'er be your page. As long as she doesn't become a slave..."

The more Zheng Zhongsen spoke, the more ashamed he felt, but for his son's sake, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue.

Qiu Yan interrupted him, saying, "Brother Zheng, what are you saying? The fact that you thought of me shows that you consider me a friend, so how could I refuse? However, Yun'er has only been in this world for a year, yet she is like a six or seven-year-old child. It's best to clarify this matter to avoid any complications."

Zheng Zhongsen hesitated for a moment, sighed, and then said, "Very well, then I will tell you what happened."

Having made his decision, Zheng Zhongsen no longer hesitated and, without even avoiding Zheng Yun, recounted the whole story.

It turns out that he went north two years ago ahead of schedule in order to make some arrangements at the Daofu (prefectural government office).

Zheng Zhongsen's family was not wealthy. He had already spent a lot of money to obtain the title of Xiucai who passed the county-level imperial examination), and he had been even more frugal in preparing for the provincial-level Provincial Examination. On his journey north, he couldn't even afford to take a carriage and had to walk the whole way. He was also unwilling to spend money to stay in inns and often spent the night in dilapidated temples.

Just as they were about to reach Jiannan City, they encountered a feud between martial arts practitioners in a temple, nearly losing their lives and having all their travel money stolen.

Penniless and still recovering from serious injuries, he also developed a high fever, bringing him to the brink of despair.

It was under these circumstances that he encountered a woman.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, Divine Soul several skilled martial artists. Zheng Zhongsen, the seemingly frail and weak scholar, however, was so preoccupied with the Provincial Examinations that he completely overlooked her beauty...

"... Xiaoqiao didn't notice me at the time, but I already guessed she was an anomaly. After all, that dilapidated temple was located in a remote, difficult-to-find mountain area, rarely visited by people. Suddenly, a palace maid appeared and led us into a palace. How could such a place exist in the mountains? But I was seriously injured and powerless..."

As Zheng Zhongsen recounted his story, he kept shaking his head, but finally a gentle smile appeared on his face, "However, I don't regret it. Entering that palace was truly like heaven, making one forget all worries. Xiaoqiao also took meticulous care of me, which allowed me to survive my injuries; otherwise, I would have died long ago..."

Qiu Yan listened without interrupting. What happened next was rather predictable: fortuitous opportunity chance, Zheng Zhongsen and the woman named Xiaoqiao became increasingly close and eventually fell in love. Xiaoqiao soon became pregnant.

Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned. The woman had a sect behind her that was unwilling to let the two lovers go easily. Then, the classic scene unfolded: the two eloped, but were surrounded, and Xiaoqiao was captured and taken back.

Zheng Zhongsen was a mere scholar, powerless and helpless, but he was spared death by the help of a benefactor. However, his daughter was about to give birth, Xiaoqiao compelled him to go and help her.

Unfortunately, they couldn't rescue the person, but they took Zheng Yun back with them.

"What's the name of the sect your wife belongs to?"

After listening to Zheng Zhongsen's account, Qiu Yan roughly grasped the key points and couldn't help but ask.

"I can't say, it will only cause you trouble." Zheng Zhongsen shook his head. "My brother has now passed the imperial examination and has a bright future. With the protection of the Dragon Court's Fortune, ordinary demons and evil spirits can hardly get close to him. That's why I shamelessly came here to let Yun'er become my disciple. But if he knows the name of that sect, the Karma and effect will be intertwined, and it will inevitably be too deeply involved. Even with the Dragon Court's Fortune, it may be difficult to protect him completely."

At this point, he showed gratitude again. "However, I am truly surprised that you are willing to believe me, even my cousin is unwilling to believe it. Moreover, this love affair with someone of the opposite sex is a karmic entanglement, a moral failing, and you can forget about Imperial Examinations again."

Qiu Yan, unable to offer any comfort, could only point to Zheng Yun and say, "My nephew..."

"Yun'er already knows all these things, and I haven't hidden them from him. Don't let his timidity fool you; he's actually very smart." Speaking of his son, Zheng Zhongsen's face was full of smiles and satisfaction, and Little Zheng Yun also raised his head slightly.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, there were several knocks outside the window, followed by a voice—

"Chongsen, the situation has changed. There are traces of those people nearby. We must leave immediately, otherwise they will soon find us by following the Karma connections!"

The voice was slightly deep, and then the window opened, revealing the face of a burly man in blue, the same man who had guided Qiu Yan outside the Examination Hall.

In fact, Qiu Yan's senses had already picked up on the commotion outside the window when this person arrived, but he didn't say anything.

The moment this person appeared, his words caused Zheng Zhongsen's expression to change drastically. His entire being tensed instantly, revealing unease and panic. However, a small hand tugged at his clothes, calming him down.

On the other side, the burly man in blue flipped over and leaped into the room through the window. He glanced at Qiu Yan, then bowed, and without wasting a moment, said to Zheng Zhongsen, "Yun'er can't come with us; it's too dangerous. Since you intend for him to study with Mr. Qiu, why don't you let him stay here for now? In a few days, Mr. Qiu will definitely be returning to his hometown, and he can take Yun'er with him then."

"This..." Zheng Zhongsen hesitated for a moment, and the small hand that was gripping his clothes suddenly tightened.

He came here to have his son become his apprentice; he had no intention of separating from his son. How could the bonds of blood and the kinship between father and son be so easily severed?

"Time waits for no one!" the burly man in blue said, reaching into his robes and taking out a jade pendant.

In Qiu Yan's perception, the jade pendant seemed no different from ordinary objects, but as the burly man placed the jade pendant on Zheng Yun, Qiu Yan's pupils couldn't help but shrink, and he noticed that the faint Yao Qi and Divine Path aura on Zheng Yun's body had completely disappeared!

"With Mr. Qiu's abilities, you should be able to see the function of this jade pendant," the man in blue glanced at Qiu Yan, "It belongs to my sect Upper Severing Dao Master. It can isolate auras and solidify Karma. Placing it on my nephew will ensure his safety and also save you some trouble."

"The Upper Severing Dao?" Upon hearing this name, Qiu Yan's heart skipped a beat. "Could it be that you are a member of the Heavenly Daoist Sect?"

The burly man in blue looked surprised. "Oh? You know about this. But we are not some celestial Daoist Sect, just Clear Dao Lineage." He then changed the subject, "I would like to ask Mr. Qiu to help my junior brother this time."

Qiu Yan, seeing the urgency of the situation, didn't mince words. "Brother Zheng and I are close friends, it's only right that we do this."

Now that things had come to this, Zheng Zhongsen had no choice but to make a decision, glancing down at Zheng Yun.

Zheng Yun's face turned deathly pale in an instant, but she managed a smile and said in a trembling voice, "Yun'er, don't be afraid. Father, you must cultivate diligently so you can rescue Mother!"

Upon hearing these childish words, Zheng Zhongsen trembled and turned his face away.

"I'm a useless father..."

Zheng Zhongsen shook his head, not letting Zheng Yun see his face, then bowed deeply to Qiu Yan: "I'll leave Yun'er to you, my virtuous brother." Then, he was pulled by the burly man in blue, and the two of them disappeared through the window in the blink of an eye.

Qiu Yan withdrew his gaze and looked at Zheng Yun.

Although this child was only a year old, his intelligence was clearly much higher than that of ordinary children. Seeing his father and uncle leave, he suppressed his grief and did not let the tears in his eyes fall. Instead, he bowed to Qiu Yan and called him "Uncle".

"What a well-behaved child."

Qiu Yan sighed, stepped forward, patted Zheng Yun's head, and said, "Your father and I are close friends, so you don't need to be so reserved."

As soon as he said that, Zheng Yun's stomach growled.

Qiu Yan then asked, "Are you hungry? What do you usually eat?"

Zheng Yun named several dishes.

"Oh? You can eat regular dishes now?" Qiu Yan was slightly surprised, then nodded. "Come with me." With that, she led Zheng Yun out the door.

But as he walked, Qiu Yan's mind shifted.

Below, a dense Divine Sense rose from the Kitchen God in the kitchen, silently drifting over and enveloping Zheng Yun, carefully analyzing and probing him.

At the same time, a scream rang out from a temple a thousand miles away!

"A god is probing my Divine Sense! Am I about to be surrounded and killed by the Heavenly Court's lackeys again?" (To be continued)

P. S.: Thanks to "Cat in the Meteor Crater" for the donation!