Chapter 55 Old Friends
His sins, blood, and bones were all burned away in the crimson flames.
Qingjue only extracted a wisp of Jie Nanfeng's soul, which swirled in his palm for a moment before dissipating.
Jie Nanfeng wasn't lying.
He never realized he was wrong.
Qingjue disagreed. He dared not even imagine how many people this despicable method would have killed in the original storyline.
A fire that scatters geese can burn everything to ashes, leaving not a single ash.
It's as if this person had never existed.
The last member of the Xie family disappeared completely.
As the fire gradually died down, everyone felt a sense of relief. He left silently and sat on the rooftop in a corner, watching the night view.
Qingjue appeared quietly behind him, and Jie Zhoujian said without turning his head, "Master."
“That’s rude,” Qingjue said casually as he sat down next to him. “You should have told your elders before leaving.”
"Yes, you will be punished for turning back during the day, along with the previous lies."
"...So, are you satisfied now?" Qingjue glanced sideways. "Actually, I haven't really felt how much hatred you have all these years. Your mother didn't spend much time with you, so how could you remember those things?"
“My memory is indeed a bit hazy, but I can still remember pinching my mother’s long hair when I was a child,” Jie Zhoujian said. “Actually, I know that my image of my mother is somewhat exaggerated, after all, I didn’t spend much time with her, but she was still very memorable among that group of bad people.”
Qingjue chuckled and said, "I also have no memory of my parents. I was abandoned when I was very, very young."
Jie Zhoujian was somewhat surprised, as this was one of the few times Qing Jue mentioned him: "Master..."
"So I can understand you quite well. However, my situation is different. I care more about the mentor who raised me than my parents, since I've never met my parents."
“It’s not that they’re different, because Zhoujian is too,” Jie Zhoujian said. “He has thoughts and fantasies about his mother, but Master and you are the real ones. Zhoujian can tell the difference.”
"So, you don't have the same thoughts you had when you were a child? You feel like you shouldn't have been born, and that if I knew the truth, I wouldn't want you anymore?"
"...Everyone says it's from when we were little, how can we take a child's thoughts seriously?" Jie Zhoujian tried to make amends for his previous statement: "Master should look at me with new respect."
"...You little rascal, you've already become confident after being all dramatic. Your mood changes way too fast."
"After all, this confidence was given to me by you, Master. How could I refuse it during the day? ... However, lying is indeed wrong, and not admitting my mistake is indeed punishable. Master, please let me accept the punishment."
Jie Zhoujian had never caused any trouble since he was a child, and he had basically never been punished.
Qingjue did have some compassion for good students, especially since his situation was truly understandable.
If anyone is to blame, it's the Xie family.
But if this child has such a strong sense of morality...
"Alright, then go back and find the elder to receive your punishment yourself."
“Hmm,” Xie Zhoujian continued to look at the night view outside the mountain and said, “Actually, it wasn’t an instant realization. It’s just that these past few days, following the Yun family head around, I’ve rediscovered some of my own value.”
With Xie Nanfeng dead, the last weight on my heart must have been lifted.
So this incident is... resolved? The Xie family won't cause trouble again.
A mother who is not very familiar with me can rest in peace in the afterlife, and I can finally say goodbye to the past.
He really didn't need to hear those things anymore.
At this moment, all he could hear were the nightingales singing in the forest and the noise of people under the eaves.
Jie Zhoujian let out a long sigh and closed his eyes, feeling the tranquility after these days were over. Jie Nanfeng's appearance and his abusive words did pull him back to his memories, but memories are just memories.
He doesn't need to repeat the lies he told in his youth; from now on, he can speak his mind.
“Master,” Jie Zhoujian said directly, “Zhoujian wants to stay with you forever.”
"..." This sudden direct approach caught Qingjue off guard. He had intended to adopt an adult demeanor and had even prepared a lot of things to say to Jie Zhoujian, but he never expected him to bring this up so suddenly.
"I also want to be Linglai, Tianyu, Aju and Ayan's senior brother forever."
"..."
"Of course, I also want to be able to eat Aunt Zhang's osmanthus cake more often each month."
"This is your ultimate wish, isn't it? You're trying to get pocket money from me in all sorts of ways."
Jie simply smiled during the day and didn't reply.
Qingjue smiled, thinking to himself that he should give them a raise; the children were getting older and should carry more travel money.
Forever... that word carries a heavy weight.
Qingjue blinked. She hadn't had a hallucination in a long time. Just a moment ago, it seemed like she had seen a strange man again.
The man also had a high ponytail and sat beside him, but his face was still not clearly visible.
In the blink of an eye, his figure transformed into Xie Zhoujian.
Strange.
Qingjue looked away.
My gaze fell on Ruan Linglai and the others not far under the eaves. Ruan Linglai and Yan Shiqun were bickering, Aju was adding fuel to the fire and watching the show, and Wen Tianyu was between the two of them, zoning out and studying the tea leaves in his cup.
Another image flashed before Qingjue's eyes, red and blurry.
That's really strange.
Could it be... related to the original plot?
After all, he wasn't from a family with supernatural abilities, so he couldn't see everything.
Is it some kind of inexplicable bug?
Qingjue rubbed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she couldn't find any of the scene from before.
Purification Formula: ...
He took it to heart this time and didn't intend to ignore it. Although it was just as absurd as the day he returned to the modern world, he still had to pay attention.
In short, we should resolve the issue between the Zhao and Li families as soon as possible to avoid endless troubles in the future.
The next day, Qingjue and the Yun family leader came up with a plan: while he was still in the Yun family, they would act together.
On the surface, the head of the Yun family personally announced the crimes of the Zhao and Li families. Afterwards, they split into several groups, and the head of the Yun family, based on Zhao Sansi's confession, led people to eliminate the Zhao family's rebels.
After Qingjue obtained the Ling Shui Pearl from Li Wei, he and Yun Yuelin led a group to the Dead Sea again.
Qingjue landed and looked at him with disdain: "That's why I told you not to follow. Your wound has just scabbed over. If something happens, how am I supposed to explain it to Patriarch Yun?"
Yun Yuelin rolled her eyes at him and said, "Are you less injured than me? Stop talking nonsense and get to work."
The two of them used the magical artifact to thoroughly search the Dead Sea. In addition to the sunken ships, there was indeed a lot of treasure hidden underneath. It wasn't too tiring, since the younger generation was carrying things, and he and Yun Yuelin played the role of keeping an eye on things and giving instructions.
Jie Zhoujian was entrusted with an important task: to lead Ruan Linglai and the others in a thorough investigation of the Li family.
Confiscate and return all the things they had previously stolen.
Jie Zhoujian, holding the Fulan Sword, said calmly, "Immortal Lord Wuqing and the Yun family head have ordered that anyone who disobeys will be killed without mercy."
If Jie Nanfeng can understand them so well over the years, then let alone the immortal families, who doesn't know that Wu Qing Immortal Lord's disciples are not easy to mess with?
The newly appointed head of the Li family dared not say much. Having taken advantage of the family for so many years, he should pay a price. Naturally, he handed over all the treasures.
"Master, they're too arrogant!" one of the servants said, indignantly. "There's also a girl over there who can only move one hand, and she came along too. She's clearly looking down on us!"
"That's right, Patriarch. Without those magical artifacts, wouldn't we be..."
Before the man could speak, the back of his neck was gripped tightly.
Yan Shiqun exerted only a slight pressure on his palm and said, "I thought you were just robbing people from the immortal sects, but I didn't expect the demonic sect to have magic treasures too."
"..." The disciple who was speaking felt his throat tighten, too frightened by the oppressive aura to utter a word.
“I’d like to ask,” Yan Shiqun, who had always been short-tempered, tightened his grip, “If you look down on demonic cultivators, why are you robbing them?”
"Uh...uh..."
The underling who was lifted up was about to die, and no one else dared to step forward to stop him.
How terrifying... How can the disciple of Immortal Lord Wuqing have such courage...?
He just referred to himself as "this humble one," but who exactly is he...?
"Ayan," Wen Tianyu said while checking the items, "Just cripple their cultivation, but spare them from killing them."
Those members of the Li family who were actually involved in the previous incidents have all been killed by Li Wei, both openly and secretly. Now, the Li family members may be spared the death penalty, but they cannot escape punishment.
"Hmph," Yan Shiqun let go, kicked the person on the ground, and said, "Keep your tail between your legs and behave yourself. If you dare to commit another crime, I will not let you off lightly."
"Honestly," Aju said, feeling uneasy as soon as he entered the room, shivering. "Their courtyard is bigger than the Ruan family's. How much money must they have made from these magical artifacts?"
The Li family also owns an entire mountain. Although their territory is not as large as that of Liuchun and Quanzhang, it is considered to be quite influential among families of cultivators.
Aju inexplicably dislikes this place and finds it very irritating.
Ruan Linglai shook her head: "Our family just doesn't care about that. In terms of wealth, they can't compare to the Ruan family, who have been in business for generations."
She could tell at a glance that there were too many flashy but impractical things, and the large size of the place was useless; a single brick from the Ruan family's house would be enough to buy a room here.
Yan Shiqun: "I agree with this point. Things earned by stealing and robbing cannot compare to a legitimate family business."
After Wen Tianyu finished checking another batch of items, he said, "Aju, go outside and find your senior brother to come over."
"Okay," Aju muttered to herself, jogging lightly, "Anyway, I don't want to stay here."
"Wait..." The Li family head, who was so frightened that he was about to kowtow on the ground, raised his head and said, "Your name is Aju...?"
"..." Aju turned around, looking completely bewildered: "Yeah, what's the problem?"
"But is it a place for peaceful and prosperous living?"
"...Yes, what exactly are you trying to say?"
His words drew everyone's attention.
“No, no, no,” the Li family head was startled by those looks. “Gentlemen, I didn’t mean anything by it, it’s just that I’ve heard of an old friend’s child whose nickname was this.”
Aju was taken aback: "...Huh?"
Wen Tianyu, with a serious expression, pulled Yan Shiqun, whose expression was not very friendly, back and stepped forward himself, asking, "May I ask which old friend this is?"
"I...I'm not very familiar with it," said the Li family head. "I've only...heard the name, but I don't know anything about it, gentlemen..."
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