Inside the cave abode, a man sat upright in the center. From his appearance to his clothing, he was almost identical to the illusory clone inside Tianhua Tower; presumably, he was Senior Zhong. Beside him was someone with the appearance of a woman in her thirties, none other than the other Spirit Transformation powerhouse, Lü Wenqiu.
Xu Qingtong hurried forward to pay his respects, bowing to the ground,
and said with his head lowered, "Junior Xu Qingtong pays his respects to you, Seniors!"
Zhong Ziqing narrowed his eyes slightly, studied Xu Qingtong for a few moments, and said, "Rise. No need to be so reserved!"
"Thank you, Senior!"
Xu Qingtong straightened up, keeping his head lowered and his eyes on the tips of his shoes as he waited quietly.
Only after a full half an incense stick's time had passed did Zhong Ziqing speak. "Young friend, who was your teacher?"
Xu Qingtong's heart jolted. He did not know what Zhong Ziqing meant, but he could not refuse to answer. He could only steel himself and say, "Senior, I belong to no sect or school. I am merely a rogue cultivator!"
"Oh? Is that so? Then where do you come from, young friend?"
Xu Qingtong's heart lurched. Had he given something away? He hurriedly said, "Senior, I am a rogue cultivator from Law City!"
Zhong Ziqing sat there with his eyes closed, saying nothing. Beside him, Lü Wenqiu asked, "That girl who challenged the tower with you-what is her relationship to you? Where did she come from?"
"She is my Dao companion, though we have yet to marry. She lost her physical body in an accident. My main purpose in coming to the Academy was to find tiger-patterned white jade lotus and refine an incarnation for her to bring her back