Meanwhile, when he sensed the danger, he froze for only a moment before slowly gathering a trace of yin and yang intent in his hands. The blood and qi throughout his body stirred into motion at once.
The moment he sensed things going beyond his expectations, he would strike. For now, he was waiting to see how the situation unfolded.
For this person to enter his room without a sound, their strength had to surpass his by an unimaginable margin. At that thought, his heart sank into the depths.
Even if he knew he could not win, he still had to try!
Shi Qingyun's mind raced as he tried to figure out why this mysterious person had come.
Could Shi Long and the others be coming for revenge? Were they planning to assassinate me?
While Shi Qingyun's thoughts stormed through his mind, the black-clad figure immediately noticed something unusual about him and felt a little surprised.
Shi Qingyun looked as though the sudden appearance had frightened him stiff. Had the figure not noticed the power already gathered in his hands, they really would have been fooled!
Although the figure had not used their concealment technique to its fullest, Shi Qingyun had detected them the instant they appeared and prepared for battle. He truly was a genius.
Seeing Shi Qingyun standing frozen, the mysterious figure said, "Shi Qingyun, the ancestor wishes to see you!"
The words were brief, the purpose clear.
Still lost in wild speculation, Shi Qingyun heard that husky, resonant voice, indistinguishable as male or female.
He did not find the voice strange at all. Instead, it sounded like music from the heavens.
Once he knew the visitor had not come to kill him, he inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief.
Shi Qingyun immediately turned around, only to discover that the mysterious figure had vanished without a trace. Just as confusion rose within him-
A voice came from the invisible void, giving him an address.
Shi Qingyun could only suppress his bewilderment.
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Chapter 15: Fourth Granduncle
Shi Qingyun stood where he was for a while, surveying his surroundings. Once he found no sign of movement-
He closed his eyes and extended his perception, carefully examining every corner of the cultivation chamber.
Only after checking again and again did he confirm that there really was nobody left in the room. He let out a great breath of relief.
He went over to the cushion where he usually sat cross-legged and slumped down onto it.
His heart still pounded uncontrollably. Listening to its beat, Shi Qingyun felt with absolute certainty that he was still alive.
He had nearly been scared to death just now. When that mysterious person appeared behind him, he had thought his life was about to end! That he would die such a pathetic death.
Sitting cross-legged on the cushion, he adjusted his condition and slowly calmed his surging blood and qi.
He also wondered what the ancestor wanted with him. This so-called ancestor had never appeared before, so why summon him now? It was truly difficult to fathom!
No matter how much Shi Qingyun pondered it, he could find no answer, so he simply stopped thinking about it.
Rather than sit here guessing blindly, I might as well go ask in person!
Shi Qingyun thought somewhat helplessly. The fact that someone had come to notify him made it clear he had no choice to refuse.
Other than going to meet this so-called ancestor, he seemed to have no other option!
He recalled the route the mysterious figure had left him before departing.
Shi Qingyun rose from the cushion, tucked the precious bone he had just warmed in his hands against his chest, and left.
Following the route the mysterious figure had given him, he wound through turn after turn until he arrived before a quiet, deserted palace.
Shi Qingyun could not help looking around. Straight, emerald-green spirit bamboo surrounded him, green halos drifting along their lengths like upright spears of jade.
The spirit bamboo concealed the entire palace. Unless someone deliberately searched for it, they would never find this place.
Had Shi Qingyun not followed the route in his mind, he would never have imagined a palace stood here!
He also glimpsed runes faintly flashing through the void. Without his keen perception, he would never have noticed them.
His gaze wandered as he walked, slowly approaching the entrance to the secluded palace.
Two enormous stone statues of exotic beasts stood on either side of the palace entrance. From their lifelike scales to their exquisitely rendered expressions, everything about them exuded restrained luxury.
Some unknown gemstones adorned the doorway as well, dressing up the otherwise ordinary entrance.
Shi Qingyun glanced at the words "Concealment Palace" on the plaque and found them rather baffling!
Why hide away such a luxurious, magnificent place? And wasn't that name far too casually chosen? Shi Qingyun felt that this was the most speechless he had been in this lifetime.
He had plenty of complaints on the tip of his tongue, but after considering where he was, he held them back!
Looking at the entrance, Shi Qingyun wondered whether he should knock. After all, there did not seem to be a single gatekeeper around.
As he hesitated, a vigorous, powerful voice entered his mind.
"Come in!"
The instant the words fell, the doors opened on their own. Shi Qingyun was already used to such things. After all, this was how it always played out in storybooks-an expert had to maintain an impressive air. While his thoughts wandered all over the place, his feet carried him inside in great strides!
Once inside, he saw that the style and layout were no different from the exterior, though the palace grounds were rather deserted.
Aside from flowers, plants, and trees, there was not a soul in sight!
Passing pavilions and terraces of all sizes, Shi Qingyun finally arrived before a two-story building.
He no longer had the inclination to think too much. Seeing the door open, he walked straight in.
As soon as Shi Qingyun entered, he saw an old man with white hair and a white beard, dressed in pure white with a guard over his right shoulder. He was tending an herb that radiated a hazy, precious glow.
He wet his hand with a little water, then flicked it, scattering droplets over the precious herb.
As soon as the water fell, the herb's radiance grew brighter, dazzling within the spacious hall.
The old man did not look up at Shi Qingyun, merely telling him to find somewhere to sit.
Shi Qingyun obediently found a seat and sat down. Before long, the old man finished what he was doing and walked over.
He went straight to Shi Qingyun's side and sat down. Shi Qingyun took the opportunity to study him carefully.
Although the old man's hair was entirely white, his complexion was rosy, without the slightest sign of frailty. Only a knot of melancholy between his brows marred his air of an immortal sage.
His face did not suggest he was a bad person, and he showed Shi Qingyun no ill will. Some of the tension in Shi Qingyun's heart eased.
Moreover, judging by his dragonlike stride and tigerlike bearing, the old man's strength should not be low. Shi Qingyun's curiosity stirred. He should never have met this old man before, so why did the man know him?
While Shi Qingyun studied the old man, the old man was also sizing up the little fellow before him.
After a brief silence, the old man laughed, patted Shi Qingyun's shoulder, and said, "Hahaha! Good, very good! Little fellow, you're even more handsome and more capable than your grandfather was in his youth."
His hearty laughter let Shi Qingyun feel his joy. Even the melancholy between his brows seemed to fade a little.
Seeing Shi Qingyun's bewildered expression, the old man briefly told him about his history with Shi Qingyun's grandfather.
Only then did Shi Qingyun understand. His grandfather and the old man before him had met by chance in their youth.
Here in Martial King Manor, the old man and his grandfather could be considered friends.
He himself had been entrusted to this old man, who had remained in Martial King Manor. But for certain reasons, the man had been unable to care for him personally.
After hearing the story, Shi Qingyun looked at the old man, and a thought flashed through his mind. Could this be the Fourth Granduncle from the original story?
If that was true, it explained everything. The old man before him must have been imprisoned here.
No wonder this place was so deserted. Everything made sense now.
Regardless of what Shi Qingyun was thinking, the old man simply continued speaking.
"If your talent had been a little more ordinary, I would have protected you from the shadows and let you live your whole life free of worry."
"But your talent has still drawn covetous eyes. If only you weren't someone on my side."
At this point, his tone grew somewhat desolate.
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Chapter 16: Explaining the Reasons
Hearing the desolation in the old man's voice, Shi Qingyun did not know what to say to comfort him.
Besides, he did not think it mattered all that much. Over these years, he had received the old man's protection and survived the most difficult period. Compared with that, certain other matters were less important.
Once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, Shi Qingyun had never expected smooth sailing throughout. Facing all kinds of dangers and becoming embroiled in the contests between various factions were unavoidable.
After rambling for a while, the old man seemed to finally remember Shi Qingyun was there. He smiled and waved his hand. "Still, talent is a good thing. Only when you are strong yourself can you determine your own fate!"
As he spoke, he patted Shi Qingyun's shoulder again. Shi Qingyun nodded, deeply agreeing with his words.
Seeing that Shi Qingyun seemed to have something to say but held back, the old man smiled at him. "Your grandfather and I know each other, so you can call me Grandpa!"
Shi Qingyun promptly took the opening offered to him and called him Grandpa.
Then he voiced his question. "Did you summon me here today because there's something you want to tell me?"
The old man, however, replied unhurriedly, "You've made a name for yourself in Martial King Manor. Your talent has already made certain people uneasy, even though you've only shown a fraction of it!"
"All these years, if not for Fifteenth Brother's continued absence, and their fear that old fellows like us might drag them down into death with us-which would benefit no one-and the fact that I've been imprisoned!"
"There is also the Martial King mediating between us. That is why Martial King Manor has remained relatively peaceful."
"Otherwise, they would have attacked those close to us long ago! That is also why I didn't look after you personally. I feared that staying too close to me would get you caught in the fallout!"
Hearing this, Shi Qingyun did not feel much beyond the realization that the dangers lurking within Martial King Manor were anything but minor.
As for resenting the old man for failing to care for him properly, that was even more impossible. For him to live peacefully in Martial King Manor, who knew how much effort this old man had expended behind the scenes?
The fact that he had summoned Shi Qingyun as soon as others began taking notice of him already revealed something.
Seeing Shi Qingyun deep in thought, the old man stopped beating around the bush and directly explained why he had called him over.
"Martial King Manor will be taking part in the exploration of the Qilin Cave. This time, Shi Yi will lead the manor's young disciples in search of treasure!"
The old man's words pulled Shi Qingyun out of his thoughts. Hearing Shi Yi's name, he first froze, then nodded with some puzzlement.
Over these years in Martial King Manor, he had only heard that the manor had produced a genius, but Shi Yi's name had yet to spread. Presumably, he had been cultivating in seclusion. Now that he was taking part in this Qilin Cave expedition, it seemed he was about to make his debut.
Shi Qingyun thought this silently. Seeing him say nothing, the old man assumed he knew nothing about the Qilin Cave and explained it to him.
"The Qilin Cave lies within the Ten Thousand Mountains, where danger lurks on every side. Legend has it that the Qilin Cave is the burial place of a Qilin, one of the ancient Ten Fiends."
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