134: Chapter 134 Revisiting the Past

Zhou Yuan.

They had met in the Secret Realm and at the Exchange Meeting.

During the Exchange Meeting, he was already at the Qi Refining Level 9 Middle Stage.

He was also an elite Disciple of the Jinyang Sect.

Li Changsheng had fought Zhou Yuan at the Exchange Meeting and knew his personality.

Calm, proud, and once he made a decision, it was very hard to change.

"Senior Brother Zhou Yuan has now broken through to the Peak of Qi Refining Level 9, so he can attempt the Foundation Establishment."

"But he feels something is still missing; his state of mind has not reached Perfection."

Lin Jingyun watched Li Changsheng frown and continued.

"After he learned this news, he wanted to go to the Relics of True Lord Xuanyun to search for an Opportunity."

"When is he going?"

Li Changsheng asked.

Lin Jingyun shook his head.

"I don't know."

"But he is already preparing; it is said he is gathering information about Qinghe Town and those Relics."

Lin Jingyun weighed his words before continuing.

"I heard privately that he obtained some clues suggesting that the true Legacy of True Lord Xuan Yun might not be in that stone palace, but elsewhere. He has studied it for a long time and deduced that there might be undiscovered ruins deep within the Black Iron Mine of Qinghe Town."

"I originally intended to learn some information from you, but after hearing you say this, I feel that place should not be visited."

He looked at Li Changsheng, his eyes filled with a trace of earnestness.

"I am afraid that if he goes there rashly, something will happen."

"Brother Li, could you go and persuade him?"

"You are someone who has personally experienced that event; he should believe what you say."

Li Changsheng was silent for a long time.

Persuade Zhou Yuan?

Would that person listen to advice?

He didn't know.

But he knew that if Zhou Yuan really went, something would likely go wrong.

Although the Spirit Devourer had been suppressed again by Immortal Master Yun Yin, it was not dead.

It was merely dormant, waiting for an Opportunity.

If someone were to touch it again, the consequences...

"Fine."

He stood up.

"I will go."

That afternoon, after Li Changsheng settled the herb garden, he boarded a flying shuttle with Lin Jingyun and headed to the Jinyang Sect.

The Jinyang Sect was located three hundred miles east of the Qinglan Mountains, occupying a vast area, even larger than the Qinglan Sword Sect.

The mountain gate was imposing, filled with dense Spiritual Qi, showing the atmosphere of a great sect.

Lin Jingyun led him through several courtyards to a quiet villa.

"Senior Brother Zhou Yuan lives here."

"I'll go call him."

A moment later, Zhou Yuan walked out.

He saw Li Changsheng, froze slightly, then nodded in greeting.

Li Changsheng got straight to the point.

"Brother Zhou, I heard you want to go to Qinghe Town to explore those Relics?"

Zhou Yuan glanced at Lin Jingyun, who lowered his head sheepishly.

He was silent for a moment, then said calmly.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

Li Changsheng said.

"The Relics do exist, but a monster called the 'Spirit Devourer' is sealed inside."

"Four years ago, it broke the Seal once and killed thousands of people."

"I saw it with my own eyes."

Zhou Yuan looked at him, his gaze calm.

"I know."

"But I also know that the monster has already been suppressed again by Immortal Master Yun Yin of the Qinglan Sword Sect."

"What is there to fear from a suppressed monster?"

Li Changsheng said.

"It is only suppressed, not dead."

"And it is very cunning; last time it escaped by taking advantage of someone breaking the Seal. If you go in again, what if..."

"What if what?"

Zhou Yuan interrupted him.

"What if I trigger the Seal and let it out again?"

"Rest assured, I have a sense of proportion."

Li Changsheng shook his head.

"Brother Zhou, you don't understand that monster; it is far more dangerous than you imagine."

"Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators are vulnerable before it, let alone us in the Qi Refining Stage?"

Zhou Yuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said.

"Brother Li, you obtained an Opportunity from those Relics, didn't you?"

Li Changsheng was stunned.

Zhou Yuan looked at him with profound eyes.

"I sensed it at the Exchange Meeting; there is a very special force of vitality in your Spiritual Qi."

"That is not something that can be cultivated from ordinary Cultivation Techniques."

"You must have obtained something in those Relics."

Li Changsheng did not speak.

Zhou Yuan continued.

"If you could obtain an Opportunity, why can't others?"

"If you could come out alive, why can't I?"

Li Changsheng took a deep breath and said.

"Because at that time, it was suppressed more deeply."

"Besides, I was only on the periphery and did not go deep at all."

"If you want to enter the core area, you will almost certainly disturb it."

Zhou Yuan looked at him and was silent for a long time.

Finally, he spoke slowly.

"Brother Li, I understand your good intentions."

"But there are some things, if you don't do them, how will you know the result?"

Zhou Yuan thought about his temporarily imperfect state of mind; it was not advisable to force a Foundation Establishment.

"If I don't do it because I'm afraid, then for the rest of my life, I will only be able to stop here."

Li Changsheng looked at him, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart.

This person was very much like him.

Both were the type who would not turn back once they had made up their minds.

"Brother Zhou,"

He finally said.

"If you really must go, at least be prepared."

"Bring enough life-saving items, and it would be best to have a Senior at the Foundation Establishment Stage accompany you."

"Do not go in alone and rashly."

Zhou Yuan nodded.

"Thank you for the reminder, Brother Li. I will consider it."

Li Changsheng knew this was already the best result.

He turned and left.

When he walked out of the villa, Lin Jingyun caught up with him, his face full of apology.

"Brother Li, I'm sorry, Senior Brother Zhou Yuan he..."

Li Changsheng shook his head.

"I don't blame you."

"He has already decided; no matter how much I say, it's useless."

Lin Jingyun sighed and said.

"I will keep an eye on him."

"If he really wants to go, I will definitely follow and try to stop him."

Li Changsheng nodded without saying anything more.

On the way back to the Qinglan Sword Sect by sword flight, he kept thinking about the Relics.

That stone palace, that altar, that Cultivation Technique, and that suppressed Spirit Devourer...

He touched the bead in his bosom, feeling the force of vitality contained within it.

Was the Spirit Devourer really just suppressed?

Immortal Master Yun Yin had said it would recover in ten years at most.

Now, it had been almost five years.

He took a deep breath and sped up.

There were some things he had to do as soon as possible.

After returning to the Hundred Herb Garden, Li Changsheng sat by the spirit field, looking at the tea tree, remaining motionless for a long time.

Zhou Yuan was going to Qinghe Town.

That place had the home where he grew up, the family he desperately protected, and that monster that could break the Seal at any time.

Five years.

He hadn't been back for five years.

He thought of the increasingly aged face of Li Zhenshan, the turbid yet still sharp eyes of the Grand Elder Li Qingsong, the clansmen he once practiced boxing with, and that night of the blood moon and corpses.

And the Spirit Devourer.

Immortal Master Yun Yin said it would recover in ten years at most.

It had already been five years, so how was it now?

Li Changqing had told him a few days ago that news had come from Qinghe Town; there were occasional disturbances from the Spirit Devourer at the Black Iron Mine. Although there were no signs of it breaking the Seal yet, the townspeople were already starting to panic.

He couldn't wait any longer.

He stood up and went to find Li Changqing.

Li Changqing was practicing swordplay at the Martial Arts Field of the Sword Guard Hall.

Her performance of the "Thirteen Swords of the Clear Wind" was as smooth as flowing water, and the sword light was like snow.

Seeing Li Changsheng come, she sheathed her sword and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Brother Changsheng? Why are you here?"

Li Changsheng said.

"There is something I want to discuss with you."

Li Changqing looked at him, her gaze tightening slightly.

Li Changsheng said.

"Zhou Yuan wants to go to Qinghe Town to explore the Relics of True Lord Xuanyun. I couldn't persuade him otherwise."

Li Changqing's brows furrowed.

Li Changsheng continued.

"If he goes, he will very likely disturb the Spirit Devourer. By then..."

He didn't finish, but Li Changqing already understood.

"You want to go back?"

She asked.

Li Changsheng nodded.

"It's been five years; it's time to go back and take a look."

Li Changqing was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Coincidentally, I want to go back too."

"Xiao Cao was just talking about it a few days ago, saying she missed the persimmons at home."

Li Changsheng also smiled.

"That girl, all she thinks about is food."

The two looked at each other and smiled, as if they had returned to those days in Qinghe Town.