“Cough—cough! Cough—cough!”
A burst of clearly startled coughing abruptly interrupted the two who were kissing. Chu Mingwei’s first instinct was that it was Old Ghosthead—but he immediately realized something was off. Old Ghosthead’s voice wasn’t this young.
Reacting quickly, he pulled his junior brother behind him and looked toward the source of the sound. What came into view was Bai Qian’s face—completely stunned.
Chu Mingwei glanced over with perfect composure. Instead, Bai Qian looked like someone who had just been caught red-handed, his expression painfully awkward.
Old Ghosthead, watching how calm and unruffled Chu Mingwei was, said to Xiao Lingyu with obvious admiration, “No wonder your dear senior brother is known as the leading figure among the younger generation of the Immortal Sect. Just that level of composure—deserved!”
“Shut up!”
Even after living a second life, Xiao Lingyu still couldn’t stay calm in a situation like this.
As for Bai Qian, he truly had been frightened out of his wits. First, he had been separated from Chu Mingwei inside the illusion and had fought his way through countless demonic creatures alone. Just when the illusion finally shattered and he was hurrying toward the mountain peak to find the others, a violent tremor had thrown him straight out of the illusion.
By the time he heard the splash and rushed over, the sight that greeted him was Chu Mingwei and Xiao Lingyu locked in an embrace.
The shock was so great that he hadn’t been able to stop himself from coughing. It really wasn’t on purpose.
But now, under his senior brother’s meaningful gaze, Bai Qian felt utterly miserable. He wished he could turn back time and stay far, far away from here. He could already foresee his tragic life after returning to the sect—being ordered around endlessly by his senior brother.
Silently, he turned around and shut off his spiritual awareness, hoping that his junior brother would forget all about this as soon as possible. One senior brother was already hard enough to deal with. Add in the junior brother, and Bai Qian deeply felt that he needed to go out on another cultivation journey soon—preferably not returning for ten years.
Seeing that Bai Qian had tactfully left, Chu Mingwei looked at Xiao Lingyu, who was trying very hard to appear calm. A softness welled up in his heart, and he couldn’t resist pulling him into his arms once more.
Holding the warm, soft body tightly, Chu Mingwei pressed a kiss to the top of Xiao Lingyu’s head and murmured softly, “Lingyu…”
—
By the time the two of them had composed themselves and appeared before Bai Qian again, Bai Qian took one look at their clasped hands and silently shrank into the background.
Because of their encounter with Bai Qian—and recalling the strange changes within the illusion—Chu Mingwei suspected that something had gone wrong with the formation spirit, causing it to lose control and crash into the void, which had thrown everyone out.
Without delay, he formed a hand seal. A massive sword phantom shot into the sky, blazing with light, visible across the entire horizon.
Seeing Xiao Lingyu’s puzzled expression, Chu Mingwei explained with a smile, “This is our custom. If we get separated, we raise a sword image. Everyone will gather by following it.”
Xiao Lingyu looked up at the sword shadow spanning the sky. He thought of his previous life, when the sect disciples had been separated in the Chu Tian Secret Realm. Meng Fan had raised a sword image, yet only Luo Shaohan and Bai Qian had come—everyone else had followed Leng Hanyuan instead.
No wonder Meng Fan had looked so dejected back then. He must have been thinking of Chu Mingwei.
The memories of his previous life flickered past. Xiao Lingyu turned and smiled faintly at Chu Mingwei.
Senior Brother is still alive… how wonderful.
—
As the two gazed at each other, their affection evident, several streaks of light suddenly appeared in the distance, rapidly approaching.
From afar came Meng Fan’s delighted voice: “Senior Brother?!”
Bai Qian immediately rushed forward. Soon, Meng Fan descended, supporting a battered Su Wan, with a Xuankun Sect disciple following behind, grief etched across his face.
“Junior Sister Su?” The joy on Chu Mingwei’s face vanished the moment he saw her condition.
Su Wan’s face was pale, filled with regret. Only upon seeing Chu Mingwei did she finally seem to relax, as though the breath she had been holding was released.
After a brief rest, she recounted her experience in the illusion. Combined with Chu Mingwei’s deductions, everyone came to understand that their escape from the illusion had been due to Su Wan accidentally subduing the formation spirit.
But thinking of the heavy losses suffered by the Xuankun Sect, no one felt any joy.
—
That night, they searched the surrounding area but found no trace of anyone else.
At dawn, despite her injuries, Su Wan hurried back to the Xuankun Sect.
After seeing her off, Chu Mingwei glanced once more at the place where they had fallen the previous night, then led Xiao Lingyu and the others on their return to the Yuntian Sect.
—
Flying side by side atop the Water Moon Wheel, Xiao Lingyu and Chu Mingwei cut through the sky together. Meng Fan, eyes darting, dragged Bai Qian off to the side.
Watching their senior brother’s gaze remain fixed on Xiao Lingyu the entire way, Meng Fan thought of Uncle Wu—who treated Xiao Lingyu like the apple of his eye—and silently shed a tear of sympathy for his senior brother.
Once they returned, those days of holding him whenever he wanted and walking hand in hand would probably be over.
—
Meanwhile, Xiao Lingyu brought up Leng Hanyuan.
They had searched all night, yet found no trace of him. Even Xu Xuan had disappeared along with him.
Xiao Lingyu did not believe Leng Hanyuan had been trapped in the illusion. He felt certain the man had some other plan.
Chu Mingwei, seeing his junior brother’s serious expression, grew concerned. Though he didn’t know why Xiao Lingyu paid so much attention to Leng Hanyuan, he knew Xiao Lingyu had glimpsed his secret.
If Leng Hanyuan truly had ties to the ancient demon race, then Xiao Lingyu was in great danger.
But since Xiao Lingyu was the only one who had seen it—and there was no evidence—it was not something to spread lightly. It would need to be discussed carefully with their master.
At the very least, once they returned, he should arrange for Xiao Lingyu to stay at Haotian Peak so he could protect him personally.
—
Unfortunately, before Chu Mingwei could act on that plan, news of their return reached the sect—and Wu Yunzi had already rushed to Haotian Peak to wait for his beloved disciple.
After ten years apart, the moment he heard Xiao Lingyu was coming back, Wu Yunzi wasted no time and sped there on his artifact.
So when Chu Mingwei and the others arrived, they were greeted by the smiling Sect Master—and Wu Yunzi, who was trying very hard to appear calm.
Everyone’s reactions differed.
Xiao Lingyu was overjoyed.
Chu Mingwei’s smile stiffened.
Meng Fan and Bai Qian shot him sympathetic looks.
Senior Brother… good luck.
—
Before they could even finish reporting, Wu Yunzi had already lost patience. Throwing out, “The Sect Master can handle the rest,” he directly took Xiao Lingyu and left for Yilan Peak.
Chu Mingwei could only watch helplessly as Xiao Lingyu was whisked away.
Inside the hall, Lingxiaozi observed everything with interest, a knowing smile deepening on his face.
—
Back at Yilan Peak, Wu Yunzi carefully examined Xiao Lingyu from head to toe. Seeing how much he had matured, he felt deeply gratified.
Xiao Lingyu obediently let him look, recounting everything that had happened—except for Old Ghosthead. He revealed everything else: the void, the ancient matters, and Leng Hanyuan’s mutation.
Wu Yunzi remained calm at first, but his expression shifted when Leng Hanyuan was mentioned.
After a long silence, he instructed Xiao Lingyu not to speak of it for now and to wait for the Sect Master’s arrangements.
Xiao Lingyu agreed.
—
Meanwhile, back at Haotian Peak, Lingxiaozi dismissed Meng Fan and Bai Qian, then listened intently as Chu Mingwei recounted everything.
When he heard about the ancient demon race, his expression darkened.
And when Chu Mingwei described what Xiao Lingyu had seen in the illusion—
Lingxiaozi’s expression changed drastically.
After a long silence, he finally spoke:
“Chu Mingwei… there are some things—secrets of the sect—that only the Sect Master and Supreme Elders have known through the generations. But you are my chosen successor. It is time you knew.”
Chu Mingwei straightened, his heart tightening.
“Yes, Master.”
Lingxiaozi formed a seal, activating the hall’s barrier. Only after ensuring they were alone did he speak:
“Our sect… was founded for one purpose.”
“To suppress an ancient demon.”
“And that demon… is imprisoned in the forbidden grounds behind the mountain.”
—
Chu Mingwei stood frozen.
For the first time, he heard of such a secret.
Yet though shocked, he did not lose composure.
Lingxiaozi, seeing this, felt a surge of satisfaction.
As expected of his disciple.
—
But the implications were far from over.
Lingxiaozi’s gaze deepened.
“And now… I suspect…”
“Leng Hanyuan—and perhaps others—entered this sect for that very reason.”