Mm.
Jiang Che felt an intense throbbing in his head, the kind of pain that could mean only a few things—a fever, or maybe he drank too much the night before.
But it wasn’t either of those. The only explanation he could think of was that he had been drugged.
“Awake? That was quick. Looks like your body’s got some resistance to the drug.”
A raspy voice echoed in the room. It was unmistakably Qin Zifeng’s voice.
Jiang Che carefully sensed the changes around him. His hands were bound behind his back, leaving him immobile.
There was another presence close by. Judging by the feeling, it should be Hu Qiao’er. She must be tied up as well.
Jiang Che tried to recall what had just happened.
He remembered eating the food that Qin Zifeng had just brought back with Hu Qiao’er.
After that, the three of them chatted idly. Qiao’er even asked Qin Zifeng why he lived in such a small courtyard—was it because the sect didn’t treat him well?
She only asked that because Jiang Che had inquired if Qin Zifeng had a Transmission Jade Slip, and Qin Zifeng hadn’t answered right away. That was when Hu Qiao’er chimed in.
As for Qin Zifeng, he paused for a moment before saying, “Of course I have a Transmission Jade Slip here…”
Hearing those words, Jiang Che immediately felt something was off.
Before he could do anything, a heavy darkness he couldn’t resist descended on him, and his consciousness snapped out in an instant.
“All right, enough resting. Let’s talk.”
Qin Zifeng’s voice rang out again, carrying a chilling undertone.
He stared at Jiang Che, who had just awakened, yet showed not a trace of panic on his face. In Qin Zifeng’s cloudy old eyes, a flicker of surprise passed.
His withered fingers tapped on the edge of the table, his tone playful, like a cat toying with a mouse:
“What’s wrong? Surprised?”
Jiang Che tilted his head slightly, as if seriously pondering the question.
“No, not really. It actually makes sense.” His voice was calm and even, betraying no emotion.
“Makes sense?” Qin Zifeng raised an eyebrow. This reaction was completely unexpected.
This kid, tied up with his sister like a lamb awaiting slaughter, could still say it was reasonable? “You’re quite something, staying this calm even after being captured?”
“Yeah, it’s reasonable. After all, who would dare make trouble in Shenxiao Sect’s territory?
Since you’ve already tied us up, there’s no need to guess—you must be that Cultivator hiding in Shenxiao Town, right? Hmm… And, you must be the Master of that Xuemo who was killed a while ago.”
“Hiss… You actually know he had a Master? I remember that detail never got out.”
He leaned in closer to Jiang Che, examining him intently.
Suddenly, as if a realization struck him, a strange, greedy gurgle escaped his throat, sounding both like sudden enlightenment and covetous hunger:
“Oh, so it’s you! That brat Xuemo talked about—you’re the one, just as my disciple said. Indeed, such pure blood! As a Furnace, your body’s foundation is exceptional! Truly exceptional!
No wonder he was so excited back then. But as I recall, didn’t he say you were Lin Yin’s disciple? Is this all you’re capable of?”
At these words, Jiang Che couldn’t help but swallow hard.
How ridiculous—everywhere he went, people kept saying he’d make a good Furnace! Was having a Water Spiritual Root really this popular?
Still, Qin Zifeng had been hiding way too deep! The image of that humble, careful, all-dedicated Old Zhenzhang managing the town shattered instantly.
No matter what, there was one thing he simply couldn’t admit.
“Your disciple was mistaken. I’m not Lin Yin’s disciple.”
“Heh, don’t try to fool me. I’ve fought your Master before. She was so desperate to save you, she didn’t even care about life and death—obviously you mean a lot to her.”
Argh!
The more Qin Zifeng talked, the less Jiang Che wanted to listen.
It had been so long since anyone mentioned Lin Yin.
Hearing her name out of the blue now was just aggravating.
“Since you know all this, why bother tying us up? Also, your disciple’s already dead. Why are you still here? Couldn’t you just take all the Ling Stones Shenxiao Sect gave out these years and run away?
Is it because you can’t let go?
After all, as the Head of Lingjian Peak, secretly skimming some of the public funds meant to develop Shenxiao Town shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
There was a note of sarcasm in Jiang Che’s tone.
Qin Zifeng’s eyes grew colder as he looked at Jiang Che.
He could have done just that. Sometimes, he realized, even as a registered disciple, his life was better than many outer and even inner sect disciples.
“Clever boy, you’re right. Being the Old Zhenzhang of Shenxiao Town is a wonderful position. I really do owe it to Senior Brother Jiang for giving me this post back then.
At first, I thought I shouldn’t let Senior Brother Jiang down, so I worked diligently.
One day, I actually achieved Yin Qi Ru Ti! It felt like I was young again, by ten or twenty years!
I kept hoping for the day Senior Brother Jiang would come, so I could share it with him! But he never, ever came.”
So Yun Yan really hadn’t spread the word about him, Jiang Che realized.
Well, even as the Head of Lingjian Peak, how much attention could he really attract?
“Later, I tried to go up the mountain, but I couldn’t even get past the Shimen! Turns out, I wasn’t even considered Foundation Establishment stage.
I’m already old. Achieving Yin Qi Ru Ti was no small feat, but who would be willing to stop there!
So I discovered the path of Xiufa!”
Qin Zifeng’s emotions grew agitated. Jiang Che, seizing the chance, tried to break free from the ropes binding his hands, but they were tied far too tight.
“So there really is a way to reach Qi Refining, or even Foundation Establishment, overnight!”
Jiang Che jerked his head up, voice trembling with suppressed fury: “That’s not real Cultivation!”
Though he was now crippled, he still understood the true nature of Immortal Cultivation.
It was about comprehending the heavens and earth, refining one’s body—not following some evil path that fed on blood.
Qin Zifeng, as if stabbed in a sore spot, let out a grating laugh:
“Yes, yes, you high-and-mighty Cultivators always say that!
But aren’t all you Cultivators fighting for resources?
Since ancient times, fewer and fewer people have ascended. Doesn’t that prove the world’s spiritual energy is nowhere near what it used to be!
Now that someone’s forged a new path for us mortals with no hope for Immortal Cultivation, who are you to say it’s wrong? Do you think I don’t know right from wrong?”
Jiang Che thought the man was completely insane.
That Xiufa harmed others and oneself alike—no amount of flowery words could whitewash it.
Suppressing his disgust, he coldly asked, “One more question. I can understand why you’d hide in Shenxiao Town, but why didn’t you care about your own disciple? He was your disciple after all.”
Qin Zifeng’s laughter turned cold and sinister:
“Disciple? Heh, just a cowherd brat. His parents argued every day. Everyone knew, in the end, not only did the couple hurt each other, but also the innocent child.
So I freed them! And that brat? He didn’t even shed a single tear!
From that moment, I knew he was ungrateful.
I kept him around only so that, if the Shenxiao Sect ever came looking, I could push him out as a scapegoat! That’s why I told him not to go looking for people outside town—just stay in town and…”