Chapter 10: Evil Returns
The dawn broke gently over the Herbs Valley, the first rays of sunlight casting a golden sheen across the dew-kissed leaves. Qing Chen woke before the others, his routine unbroken by the discovery of the previous day. His hands itched to return to the concealed garden, but he knew better than to act rashly. The valley’s harmony relied on its subtle equilibrium, and any sudden disappearance would raise questions he wasn’t ready to answer.
The morning air was crisp as Qing Chen stepped into the main grounds, his robes plain but immaculate. Zhao Ling greeted him with a cheerful wave. “You’re up early as always, Little Brother! Don’t you ever sleep in?”
Qing Chen smiled faintly, adjusting the strap of the basket slung over his shoulder. “There’s work to be done. The herbs won’t tend to themselves.”
Zhao Ling laughed, her light demeanor a contrast to the rigorous discipline of cultivation. “You’re like a machine. If only we all had your dedication.”
"I wanted to tell you that I will be going down the mountain. I know that I have reached my limit, and right now, I should get married while I am still young. Otherwise, I would have to stay single like our Valley Master for my whole life."
"But can’t you try pursuing the opportunities that could change someone’s talent against Heaven’s Will, like you and Bai Zian always used to say?"
"Nothing is free. In search of opportunities, hundreds of disciples die every day around the world. Not everyone is the main character, and the main character will also stop progressing one day, waiting to become stepping stones for the new generation."
Zhao Ling continued, "I had wanted to leave long ago. But as the only disciple in the Valley, I could not leave the Valley Master alone. He could die anytime. And as deserted as our Herbs Valley is, it might have taken the sect months to find out about the death of the Valley Master."
Qing Chen looked around the Valley and saw that there was so much silence in the Valley that he could even hear the sound of the air.
"Now that you are here, I can leave with peace of mind."
"Do not worry, Senior Brother. I will take care of the Valley Master like I would have taken care of my parents if they were still with me." Qing Chen was honest. Although the Valley Master looked shady, he was already stronger than him, and he did not need to be on his guard all the time.
Qing Chen could also understand the worries of his Senior Brother, as his Senior Brother had said that he had been sold by his parents when he was only eight years old because they were not able to feed one more mouth. Luckily, he had not spent much time in the slave market; he was bought by the Valley Master, joined a righteous sect, and even became a respected cultivator and understanding Senior Brother.
In this sense, even if the Valley Master had asked for the life of Zhao Ling, he would not have hesitated to give up his life for the Valley Master.
"Thank you. You just saying this much is enough for me to go down the mountain with peace of mind."
"Senior Brother, never forget this place will still be your first home, even if the Valley Master dies."
Zhao Ling just looked into Qing Chen's eyes, trying to find if he had lied, but Qing Chen looked back into his eyes with firm determination.
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Zhao Ling did not feel good leaving his responsibilities on the young shoulders of this youth, but he also knew that if he hesitated now, he might never be able to leave this Valley.
He was not like Qing Chen, who was uniquely close with Nature and liked doing what he was doing. Zhao Ling was different. He had only stayed in this Valley for five decades because he owed the Valley Master, and the real reason he wanted to leave the Valley was because he knew that he would not be able to handle the death of the only loved one he had in this cruel world.
...
"Have the preparations been completed?" an indifferent voice sounded from an eerie-looking purple crystal placed on an empty throne. Robed individuals were genuflecting in front of the empty throne.
"Yes, My Lord."
"Finally, after centuries of planning and sacrifices, the time has arrived for our revenge." The purple crystal glowed whenever the voice spoke from the other end.
"Have you searched? Is there any talent noteworthy that could disrupt our plans again, like 1,000 years ago?"
"No, My Lord. We have searched the whole continent, and if someone showed signs of such a person appearing again, we killed them. Currently, the spiritual energy in the continent is no longer as rich as it used to be 1,000 years ago."
"Now even reaching the Celestial Path Realm has become something only 1 in a billion geniuses can do. And there are only 3 or 4 such beings, maybe, still alive on the continent. Many have left the continent in the past 500 years to try and break through the Mortal Peak Realm."
"Hahaha...those fools." Again the dim purple crystal lit up with a purple glow.
"Years ago, the founder of the Azure Sky Sect forced us to flee from the continent. But during that historical fight with the Founder of our organization and the Azure Sky Sect, at the last moment, our Founder inflicted an incurable curse on the founder of the Azure Sky Sect."
"I don't believe that he would still be alive after so many centuries have passed, and even if he were alive, he would no longer be able to exert the same strength as in his prime."
"Send your subordinates to all the top sects in the kingdoms across the continent to first test the waters."
"Yes, My Lord."
...
Qing Chen was unaware of the threats that had started to regain their strength again after recuperating for centuries.
And his wish for living a low-key and calm life would remain a dream.
A few weeks later, after Zhao Ling had left the Herbs Valley, indirectly, Qing Chen became the second-highest power in the Valley, but he was a king without a kingdom. Qing Chen was doing everything himself, from cutting herbs to registering them in the records to submitting them to the Alchemist Hall in the sect. As all the herbs and seeds belonged to the sect,
Qing Chen did earn Harmony Points, but they were so few and rare that it was shameful to even call them Points.
While Qing Chen was in the study that was previously owned by Zhao Ling, Mu Qingfeng entered. His face looked more withered, with wrinkles now more pronounced on his pure white skin. Qing Chen stood up from his seat and cupped his hands in greeting to the Valley Master.
"Valley Master, here, sit here." Qing Chen vacated his seat and walked to stand opposite him.
Mu Qingfeng did not say much, walked, and took Qing Chen's seat. A few minutes went by, but the Valley Master did not say anything.
"Valley Master, do you need something, or did I make a mistake? I apologize in advance if I had, because I am still new at this job," Qing Chen nervously said.
Although his cultivation was higher than Mu Qingfeng’s, seeing the head of any company, school, or place visiting the home or office of their staff without any prior notice rang an instinctual alarm inside his head.
Even though it had been 2 years since he arrived in this world, how would 2 years win against the fear of 10 years he had felt whenever the boss was around or sometimes stopping behind him and looking at what he was doing on the PC?
"Before Zhao Ling left, he recommended you for the position of the next Valley Master."
What?! But why?
"Starting from today, I will be imparting all the techniques, secret skills, and confidential info to you."
"I don’t want to be your disciple." Qing Chen became alert.
Why was this old fellow giving away his knowledge for free?
"I know. I just want my legacy to continue, which is why I will be passing my knowledge to you."
What legacy could a puny Eight Layer Foundation Building Realm Cultivator even have?
Qing Chen did not believe him one bit.
Mu Qingfeng looked at him and smiled.
"I know what you are thinking. What type of legacy could an Eight Layer Foundation Building Realm Cultivator like me have? But you should never judge a book by its cover."