20: Chapter 20 Twin Stars Illuminate Fate

A black flag, like a dark cloud, pierced through the blood-red setting sun.

The flag face was embroidered with an ice flower totem in gold thread, snapping loudly in the wind as it galloped, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

The rider on horseback leaned low, one hand controlling the reins, the other holding the great flag high, charging to fifty zhang from the village entrance before abruptly pulling the reins!

The steed reared up, and amidst its long neigh, the rider flicked his wrist. The great flag unfurled with a "swish," facing the ancestral hall, held taut in the evening breeze.

Flag signal: Cease hostilities.

Even the Black Iron Black Flag of the Black Mountain Liu Family had to lower its head upon seeing this banner.

Liu Zhenxiong's pupils constricted, his gaze locked onto that black ice flower flag, the veins on the back of his hand gripping his horse-slaying saber bulging.

He recognized this flag—only those at or above the level of Deacon in the Xuanshuang Sect were qualified to hold this "Xuanshuang Command Flag." To see the flag was to see the Sect's decree; those who defied it would have their entire clan executed.

But why would the Xuanshuang Sect intervene at this moment?!

He turned his head abruptly, looking toward the front of the ancestral hall.

Shen Qingqiu stood holding her sword, her green robes fluttering slightly in the evening breeze, the tip of her sword pointing obliquely at the ground, a cold light shimmering along the blade.

Her words from just a moment ago, "To be an enemy of my Canglan Sword Sect," were not loud, but every word was clear, like ice beads falling onto a jade plate.

Canglan Sword Sect, Qinglan Sect, Xuanshuang Sect.

Of the three major cultivation Sects in Black Mountain, the shadows of two had simultaneously fallen upon this remote backwater, upon this youth named Lu Zhao!

A stormy sea raged in Liu Zhenxiong's heart.

What exactly was the background of this youth, Lu Zhao?!

If he were merely an ordinary mortal Martial Artist, how could he provoke someone from the Canglan Sword Sect to protect him? And how could he alarm the Xuanshuang Sect into issuing an urgent decree?

His gaze swept over the corpses littering the ground—that "Nine Yang Strike" Lu Zhao used just now was terrifyingly powerful, certainly not something an ordinary Qi Refining First Level could achieve. Then, thinking of how Liu Three-Knives died suspiciously, Boss Wu was defeated bizarrely, and the Qinglan Sect Disciple Chen Song was killed for no reason...

One by one, each incident revealed something unusual.

"Liu Zhenxiong!"

The Xuanshuang Sect knight had already ridden close, his voice cold and hard as iron:

"Deacon's Decree: The abnormal movement of the Black Mountain earth vein has been reported to the Sect. All affairs here are now under the jurisdiction of the Xuanshuang Sect. You are to retreat immediately and must not harm another soul in Yangjiao Ravine. Those who defy this order will be dealt with as traitors to the Sect!"

Traitors to the Sect!

These two words struck Liu Zhenxiong's heart like a heavy hammer. The Black Mountain Liu Family had relied on the Xuanshuang Sect for decades to attain their current status. If they were branded with the crime of "treason against the Sect," let alone his position as Clan Chief, his entire Family would likely face annihilation.

His expression shifted. His single eye swept over Shen Qingqiu standing with her sword before the ancestral hall, then looked at the uncertain Black Armor Guard behind him, and finally at the Funiu Gang bandits in the distance who had stopped their attack and were equally stunned.

The situation today was no longer tenable.

"Retreat."

Liu Zhenxiong squeezed the word out through his teeth.

He slammed his horse-slaying saber down heavily, cracking the ground.

He turned his horse around, no longer looking toward the ancestral hall, and left behind only one cold sentence:

"Lu Zhao, you are lucky today. But our account is not yet settled."

The Black Armor Guard, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly gathered the corpses of their comrades, helped the wounded, and retreated like a receding tide.

Seeing the Liu Family retreat, the Funiu Gang bandits dared not stay. "One-Eyed Wolf" spat out a mouthful of blood and phlegm, glared fiercely at Lu Zhao, and led his remaining men into the mountains.

The dust gradually settled.

The setting sun sank completely below the western mountains, leaving only a smear of dark red on the horizon, like congealed blood.

Before the ancestral hall, there was dead silence.

Lu Zhao used his sword to steady himself, his body swaying, his vision going black in waves.

The Nine Yang Strike had exhausted all his True Qi, and his Meridians felt as if they had been seared by a branding iron, waves of intense pain washing over him. He forced himself to take a breath and looked at Shen Qingqiu before him.

"Miss Shen..."

Before he could finish, a sweetness rose in his throat, and another mouthful of blood surged up, which he forced himself to swallow.

Shen Qingqiu turned, her cold, clear eyes sweeping over him, her brows furrowing slightly. She sheathed her sword, stepped forward, and reached out to take Lu Zhao's pulse.

Her fingertips were cold, but her touch was gentle.

A wisp of True Qi, warm and smooth as water, entered his Meridians and flowed through Lu Zhao's parched Meridians, like spring rain nourishing all things, soothing those searing, painful cracks.

"True Qi exhausted, Meridians thirty percent damaged, internal organs shaken." Shen Qingqiu's voice was still flat, yet it lacked some of the aloofness from their first meeting. "You must rest quietly for over a month; you cannot rashly use True Qi again."

She withdrew her hand, took a small white jade bottle from her bosom, poured out a jade-green Medicinal Pill, and handed it to Lu Zhao.

"Qinglin Pill, for healing and consolidating your foundation."

Lu Zhao did not take it, only looking at her: "Why save me?"

Shen Qingqiu met his gaze, and after a moment, the corners of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.

"I am not saving you," she said calmly. "I am saving myself."

She paused.

"I am investigating Family matters in Black Mountain City and learned that the Liu Family intended to slaughter Yangjiao Ravine. If you die, my lead will be broken."

This was half-truth, half-false. Lu Zhao heard that she did not wish to speak deeply, so he did not press further, took the Medicinal Pill, and put it into his mouth.

The Medicinal Pill dissolved, and a sense of coolness spread through his limbs and bones; the searing pain in his Meridians was immediately relieved significantly.

"Thank you."

Shen Qingqiu shook her head, her gaze turning to the village entrance.

The Xuanshuang Sect knight had dismounted and was walking toward them. He was about thirty years old, with a cold and stern face, dressed in black martial attire, with a long sword at his waist. His steps were steady as he walked, his aura restrained; he was actually also at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining.

He walked up close, his gaze lingering on Shen Qingqiu for a moment, and he nodded slightly: "Fellow Daoist of the Canglan Sword Sect."

Shen Qingqiu held her sword and returned the salute: "Distinguished Disciple of the Xuanshuang Sect."

The knight then looked at Lu Zhao, his eyes sharp as knives, sizing him up for a moment before suddenly speaking:

"Lu Zhao?"

"Yes."

"Deacon Wang Tong ordered me to pass on a message." The knight's voice had no inflection. "The earth vein evil spirit has been sealed, and your contribution in suppressing the evil is acknowledged; your previous crimes can be waived. But the fifty Spirit Stone fine, the three-month deadline remains unchanged. Furthermore..."

He paused.

"Deacon Wang wants me to ask you: Where did you get that 'Seal of Suppressing Evil'?"

Here it comes.

Lu Zhao's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface: "It is an heirloom, the Junior does not know its origin either."

"Heirloom?" The knight raised an eyebrow. "What kind of Family could possess such an ancient artifact?"

"My ancestors had a small amount of property, but later the Family fortune declined, and only this seal remained." Lu Zhao lowered his head. "The Junior has poor Aptitude and cannot Cultivate, so I just treated it as an ordinary amulet, never imagining it would have some effect in suppressing evil."

This explanation was watertight. Family decline, inability to Cultivate, using an ancient seal as an amulet—it was reasonable and logical, yet impossible to verify.

The knight stared at him for a long while, then suddenly took a black token from his bosom and tossed it to Lu Zhao.

"Deacon's Order: Within three months, pay the fine in full and take this token to the Xuanshuang Branch in Black Mountain City to report. If you fail to arrive on time, or if the token is damaged, it will be considered treason, and you will be executed without exception."

The token was ice-cold in his hand, with an ice flower carved on the front and the character "Punishment" on the back.

The Xuanshuang Sect Penal Hall Command.

Accepting this command was like wearing shackles.

The three-month deadline was a death warrant, and also a sword hanging over his head.

Lu Zhao gripped the token tightly, his knuckles turning white, but he could only lower his head: "The Junior will obey."

The knight said no more, turned, mounted his horse, turned it around, and rode away in a cloud of dust.

The sound of hooves faded into the distance, eventually disappearing at the end of the mountain road.

Night had completely fallen.

Torches were lit before the ancestral hall; He Shan, Zhong Tiegu, and others rushed out from the ancestral hall and gathered around.

Seeing that although Lu Zhao was pale, his life was not in danger, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Sir!" He Shan's tiger-like eyes were filled with tears. "You..."

"I am fine." Lu Zhao waved his hand and looked at the crowd. "How are the villagers?"

"They are all settled in the Mountain God Temple at Wild Wolf Slope." Zhong Tiegu said. "Big Brother Yan is guarding them; there is food and drink, and there is nothing unusual for now."

Lu Zhao nodded and looked at Shen Qingqiu: "The kindness of Miss Shen's assistance today, Yangjiao Ravine will keep in mind. If you don't mind, please come inside to rest."

Shen Qingqiu shook her head.

"I came here not only to stop the Liu Family but also for another matter." Her gaze landed on Lu Zhao's face. "Lu Zhao, do you know that your Physique is special?"

Lu Zhao was startled.

Shen Qingqiu said slowly: "That day you fought Boss Wu at the village entrance, I was watching from afar. The True Qi in your body is extremely Yang and rigid, yet it contains a wisp of extreme Yin Qi, Yin and Yang balancing each other, endless and ceaseless—this kind of True Qi attribute can never be cultivated by ordinary Cultivation Technique."

She paused, her voice lowering.

"More importantly, your Spiritual sense is keen, your grasp of the battle situation is precise, and your use of Moves is natural and seamless; this is definitely not something a person who 'cannot Cultivate' can do."

Lu Zhao's heart was shaken.

Shen Qingqiu actually saw through him so thoroughly!

He forced himself to calm down: "What Miss Shen means is..."

"I mean," Shen Qingqiu looked directly into his eyes, "you are not 'without Spiritual Root,' but have 'Congenital Crippled Meridians'."

The four words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Lu Zhao's ears!

Congenital Crippled Meridians!

This was worlds apart from having no Spiritual Root!

Those with no Spiritual Root cannot sense Spiritual Qi, like an insulated body, and are destined to have no connection to the Dao of Immortality for life. But Congenital Crippled Meridians means the Meridians are naturally defective or blocked, unable to carry the circulation of Spiritual Qi, but the Divine Soul's sensing ability is not necessarily poor, and may even far exceed ordinary people!

However, Crippled Meridians are more desperate than having no Spiritual Root—those with no Spiritual Root can still practice martial arts to strengthen their bodies, but with Crippled Meridians, it is difficult to keep even True Qi in the Meridians for long. Forcing cultivation will inevitably lead to backlash, shattering the Meridians and resulting in death.

"When you tested your Spiritual Root back then, it tested the Spiritual Root, not the Meridians." Shen Qingqiu said slowly. "That person from the Xuanshuang Sect crippled your Spiritual Root because he thought your Aptitude was low. But he did not know that your real problem was in your Meridians."

Her gaze was complex.

"The fact that you can live to this day and Cultivate this strange True Qi is already a miracle."

Lu Zhao was silent for a long time before speaking hoarsely: "How does Miss Shen know?"

"My Shen Family ancestors once produced a master of medical arts who specialized in meridian diseases. Since childhood, I have read the Family medical classics and seen similar records." Shen Qingqiu said. "Just now, when I took your pulse, it was confirmed beyond doubt."

She paused.

"In your Meridians, there are several places naturally blocked, and even three 'Dead Meridians,' through which ordinary True Qi simply cannot pass. That you can practice, and have reached the first level of Qi Refining, must be due to a special Cultivation Technique, or... some other fortuitous encounter."

In Lu Zhao's mind, the Martial Seal stone flashed, [heart of the martial ancestor] flashed, and the Yin-Sha Crystal and the Nine Yin Manual flashed.

So that was it.

No wonder when he tested his Spiritual Root, the testing stone only showed a faint light, and he was judged by Wang Tong as having "low Aptitude." No wonder when he cultivated the Nine Yang Divine Skill, he always felt that some Meridians were stagnant and difficult to pass, requiring True Qi to repeatedly flush them.

Everything had an explanation.

"Miss Shen, since you have told me this, do you have any advice?" Lu Zhao raised his eyes, his gaze calm.

Shen Qingqiu looked at him, a trace of appreciation flashing in her eyes.

Ordinary people, upon learning they have "Congenital Crippled Meridians," would mostly collapse in despair. Yet this youth only panicked for a moment before regaining his composure; such resilience of Heart-Nature is truly rare.

"I wouldn't call it advice." She shook her head. "I am just reminding you that your current cultivation is shallow and your Cultivation Technique is special, so you might be able to hide it. But if you continue to improve, the abnormalities in your Meridians will inevitably be revealed. At that time, it may attract even greater trouble."

She paused.

"The Canglan Sword Sect has a secret technique of 'Meridian Cleansing' that might alleviate your meridian condition. But this is a secret technique not taught outside the Sect, and cannot be practiced by anyone other than a Core Disciple."

The words were not fully spoken, but the meaning was clear.

Lu Zhao cupped his hands: "Thank you for your guidance, Miss Shen."

Shen Qingqiu nodded, said no more, and turned to leave.

"Miss Shen, please stay." Lu Zhao suddenly said. "After today, the Liu Family will certainly not give up. Yangjiao Ravine is no longer a safe place. If you wish to investigate your Family matters, perhaps you could look elsewhere."

Shen Qingqiu paused and looked back at him.

The firelight reflected on her beautiful profile, and a trace of imperceptible fluctuation flashed in her eyes.

"I know my own affairs." Her voice was still cold. "What about you? The three-month deadline, fifty Spirit Stones—how do you plan to deal with it?"

Lu Zhao looked toward the Black Mountain City to the north and slowly spat out two words:

"Mining."

A look of surprise flashed in Shen Qingqiu's eyes, but she did not press further, only saying lightly: "Then I wish you good Luck."

Her green robes unfurled, her figure like a crane, and with a few leaps, she disappeared into the night.

Lu Zhao stood alone in place, not moving for a long time.

He Shan stepped forward and whispered: "Sir, this Miss Shen..."

"She is a friend, not an enemy." Lu Zhao interrupted him and looked at the crowd. "Clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded. Tomorrow morning, we will go to Wild Wolf Slope to bring the villagers back."

The crowd took the order and busied themselves.

Lu Zhao walked into the ancestral hall, sat cross-legged, and closed his eyes to regulate his breath.

The medicinal power of the Qinglin Pill had dissolved, nourishing his Meridians, but the damage caused by the Nine Yang Strike could not be healed overnight. What was even more troublesome was that Shen Qingqiu's words were like a boulder thrown into the lake of his heart.

Congenital Crippled Meridians.

heart of the martial ancestor.

Yin-Sha Crystal, Nine Yin Manual.

Was all this a coincidence, or was there some arrangement in the dark?

Deep in his Spiritual platform, the Martial Seal stone lay quietly, no longer hot, and with no golden light. It was as if the vision of sealing the evil spirit that day was just an illusion.

But Lu Zhao knew it was not.

He gripped the stone in his bosom tightly, the cold touch calming his mind slightly.

No matter what the road ahead was like, he had no way back.

The forty-seven people of Yangjiao Ravine were waiting for him to lead them to survive.

The fifty Spirit Stones for Black Mountain City were waiting for him to earn.

The Xuanshuang Sect Penal Hall Command was like a sword hanging over his head.

And this "Congenital Crippled Meridians" in his body was a shackle, but it might also... be a key.

He opened his eyes and looked at the deep night outside the ancestral hall.

In the distant mountains and forests, the shrill cry of a night owl could be heard.

A new day was about to begin.

Three days later, Lu Zhao took the recovered He Shan and Yan Meng to explore the depths of the cave again.

The Yin-Sha Crystal was still embedded in the center of the stone slab, its deep blue luster dimmed slightly.

Lu Zhao reached out and touched it lightly. The crystal suddenly vibrated, fine cracks appeared on the surface, and with a "crack" sound, it split open from the middle! From deep within the cracks, a dark golden light shone through, and an ancient aura faintly permeated—inside this Yin-Sha Crystal, there was actually something else hidden!