Chapter 44: Going Out To Venture
As Ming Zhaoshuang had said, within two days, Qin Du submitted the marriage cancellation letter to Ming Zhaoshuang.
He lamented to Ming Zhaoshuang for a long time. Seeing that she was unmoved, he changed the subject and said:
“We, the Ao Tian Sect, encountered a strange matter these past two days. A woman placed a commission of the highest level upon us, yet she was ragged and filthy, not at all appearing someone who could afford spirit stones.”
“When questioned by our disciples, she handed over a broken jade pendant. After screening, we discovered this jade pendant originated from our Ao Tian Sect.”
Ming Zhaoshuang did not understand why Qin Du would suddenly tell her these things.
“What’s more, coincidentally, the jade pendant was inscribed with the name ‘Qin Zhi,’ which was lost by my own biological younger sister who has been missing for thirty years.”
Qin Du’s voice suddenly became choked with emotion as he said this:
“You may have heard of Qin Zhi’s name. She was once the most talented sword cultivator in the Ao Tian Sect. At only twenty years old, she reached the late Golden Core stage, just one step away from the Nascent Soul stage.”
“At that time, everyone said that within a hundred years, she would definitely achieve Deity Transformation and ascend to the Upper Cultivation World. However, she met with misfortune, or perhaps it wasn’t misfortune. During a commission, she disappeared. But her life lamp still flickered, proving she was not dead.”
“The elders of the sect at that time speculated that she might have accidentally stumbled into a secret realm and would return when she emerged. So, we waited for her to come home.”
But for a full century, that astonishing young girl did not return home.
Qin Du continued:
“Until today, we received this jade pendant. According to the woman, my younger sister is trapped in a great mountain, and that mountain is within Lingxiao Sect’s territory. If the Ao Tian Sect wants to rescue her, it’s likely that we old guys cannot be the ones to do it.”
Ming Zhaoshuang understood, “So, Uncle, you want me to go rescue Aunt Qin Zhi.”
Ming Zhaoshuang’s heart skipped a beat as she suddenly remembered. The original story did mention this matter, after the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm – Qin Feilong encountered the complete rupture between Lingxiao Sect and Ao Tian Sect immediately upon exiting the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm, leading to a sect war.
Qin Feilong even gained great fame from this, leading the Ao Tian Sect to annihilate Lingxiao Sect, thus becoming the number one young disciple in the Lower Cultivation World.
The reason for the rupture between Lingxiao Sect and Ao Tian Sect was this woman named Qin Zhi.
The original story recorded that after Qin Zhi married into Lingxiao Sect, she was repeatedly abused, and even her two children were slaughtered by Lingxiao Sect. When Qin Zhi informed her older brother of this, Qin Du naturally became enraged.
He went to Lingxiao Sect to demand an explanation but was further provoked by Lingxiao Sect’s arrogant demeanor, leading to a sect war.
However, what she heard now seemed to greatly conflict with the original story.
If Qin Zhi married into Lingxiao Sect, how could she be trapped in a great mountain? It was truly strange.
Moreover, Qin Zhi’s jade pendant was damaged, which certainly indicated she did not encounter anything good.
It was just that Ming Zhaoshuang could not figure out why Qin Du wanted to commission her for this matter; she was not a member of the Ao Tian Sect.
Seeing Ming Zhaoshuang’s softened attitude, Qin Du nodded without politeness:
“Yes, there is still more than a month before the Talisman Saint’s Secret Realm opens, so I was thinking of having Changxiu handle this matter, letting him take Ji Qi, Jiu Si, and Qingqing with him.”
“But after much thought, I always feel he acts without restraint, so I hope you will go with Young Master Ming Chenxing. After the matter is done, the Ao Tian Sect will surely offer a generous reward.”
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “May I also bring Qianqian?”
She couldn’t bear to be separated from her Qianqian.
Seeing her agree, Qin Du couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief and smiled, “If you can persuade her, I will naturally have no objection. It’s just a pity that Feilong is injured now and cannot accompany you.”
Ming Zhaoshuang thought to herself that it was fortunate Qin Feilong was injured, otherwise, if she and Shen Liqian went together to complete the commission, would they have to bring a third wheel?
Naturally, she couldn’t say this aloud, so Ming Zhaoshuang said, “Senior Brother Qin’s health is important.”
“You all too,” Qin Du said, patting Ming Zhaoshuang’s shoulder:
“Thirty years ago, Zhi’er’s cultivation had already reached the late Golden Core stage, just one step away from breaking through to Nascent Soul, yet she was still trapped in that great mountain. This shows that the journey is extremely perilous.”
“You must remember to be careful in everything, prioritize your own safety. If you absolutely cannot rescue Aunt Qin Zhi, then abandon the task for now and return to the Ao Tian Sect to get help.”
“Of course, if you encounter people from Lingxiao Sect, there’s no need to be afraid. The Ao Tian Sect will always be your backing.”
Saying this, Qin Du took a piece of talisman paper from his hand and handed it to Ming Zhaoshuang:
“Your Uncle Xiu will be waiting at the border between Lingxiao Sect and Ao Tian Sect. If anything happens, burn this talisman paper, and he will arrive immediately.”
Ming Zhaoshuang felt this kind of elder’s care for the first time.
She nodded and said, “Okay.”
The next day, at the Ao Tian Sect, the morning light was faint.
Ming Zhaoshuang arrived by sword control with Shen Liqian, followed by Ming Chenxing.
Fei Changxiu and the others had already been waiting at the entrance for a long time. Upon seeing the three, they immediately waved and said, “Hurry up, we’re about to depart!”
Ming Zhaoshuang said, “Senior Brother Xiu’er, why don’t you just take us there by sword control?”
As she spoke, she flew past Fei Changxiu’s head, without disturbing a single cloud.
“No problem,”
Fei Changxiu immediately summoned his long sword, gestured for the remaining people to quickly depart by sword control, and then spoke to He Qingqing:
“Junior Sister He, why don’t you ride on my sword with me? I guarantee it will be steady, and you can be as far away from me as you like.”
If an ordinary man invited a woman to share a sword, he would certainly be cursed as a lecher by the woman, as the sword was only so big, and physical contact would be unavoidable.
However, Fei Changxiu remembered that among the seven of them, there was He Qingqing, who was not a sword cultivator. He couldn’t possibly leave her behind, hence why he said that.
He Qingqing shook her head and smiled, “Thank you, Senior Brother Fei, but I have a flying spiritual beast, so you don’t need to worry about me.”
As she spoke, He Qingqing quickly summoned her flying spiritual beast. To Ming Zhaoshuang’s surprise, it was a bald eagle, its physique appearing to be more than twice the size of the bald eagles Ming Zhaoshuang had encountered before.
He Qingqing calmly sat on the bald eagle’s back and, with a “poof,” flew into the sky, even faster than Ming Zhaoshuang and the others.
Ming Zhaoshuang clicked her tongue in admiration.
Shen Liqian whispered in Ming Zhaoshuang’s ear, “This is an Eagle King. Only one out of a hundred bald eagles can become one. Ordinary bald eagles are only Yellow Grade Mid-Rank spiritual beasts, but an Eagle King can reach Mysterious Grade Low-Rank and its cultivation can break through limitations, reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Clearly, Junior Sister He’s Eagle King has reached the late Golden Core stage, which is indeed remarkable.”
As the saying goes, if He Qingqing could achieve Deity Transformation and ascend to the Upper Cultivation World, her future would be limitless.
It’s a pity that such a beast-taming genius was born in the Lower Cultivation World.
Seeing He Qingqing take off, the others then stepped onto their swords and proceeded towards their destination.
Fei Changxiu was even more excessive, directly blocking the way in front of Ming Zhaoshuang and the others, arrogantly declaring, “I’m leading this time, no one is allowed to stand in front of me, okay?”
Ming Chenxing immediately accelerated and caught up, leveling with Fei Changxiu.
Fei Changxiu stomped his feet in anger, “No, Junior Brother Ming, are you trying to challenge your Senior Brother Fei’s authority?”
“Not challenging,” Ming Chenxing’s voice was honest, “I am not standing in front of you.”
I am simply standing beside you.
Fei Changxiu glanced at Ming Chenxing, who was moving level with him, and immediately understood his intention. He became even angrier and commanded, “Go to the back, to the back.”
Ming Chenxing complied with Fei Changxiu’s words and stepped back half a pace.
Fei Changxiu: “……”
What difference was there between this and not being level?
Ming Chenxing remained silent, only maintaining a distance of half a pace behind Fei Changxiu.
He knew very well that Fei Changxiu wanting to be at the front wasn’t because he liked being a show-off, but because whoever stood in front would inevitably encounter danger first, thus being able to better protect them.
Ming Chenxing didn’t want to be protected by Fei Changxiu; he just wanted to fight alongside him.
