Chapter Six: A Terrifying Presence in the Courtyard

“Even a single piece, if revealed to the world, would spark endless conflict among countless factions—yet here in this mountain village, it’s being used as firewood...” Yu Qiushui’s eyes were filled with astonishment. What kind of person could possibly use Sunfire Wood as fuel?

“How is Master? Has the soul tablet reacted?” Huang Xiantang asked hurriedly.

To determine whether Zhu Xiaoyuan was truly their ancestor, they had brought the ancestor’s soul tablet. If the tablet showed any sign, then Zhu Xiaoyuan was undoubtedly their forebear. Even if a martial artist is reborn, the essence of their soul remains unchanged.

Yu Qiushui nodded and quickly checked, his expression suddenly changing. “There’s not the slightest reaction!”

“He... he is not our ancestor!”

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiantang’s face darkened with disappointment. If such a powerful figure were their ancestor, the Fire Moon Sect would surely flourish, reaching unparalleled heights. But alas, this person was not their ancestor.

“Master, what should we do now?” Huang Xiantang communicated anxiously via spiritual sense.

“Strange, truly strange. If he is not our ancestor, why would the Water Nourishing Pearl willingly recognize him as its master? And why would he gift it to us?” Yu Qiushui was utterly perplexed.

“Master, I believe this elder must have had a close relationship with our ancestor, which is why he gave us the Water Nourishing Pearl,” Huang Xiantang replied.

“That’s quite possible!” Yu Qiushui agreed with a nod.

At that moment, Zhu Xiaoyuan approached them.

“I didn’t expect we’d meet again. May I ask who the people you brought are?” Zhu Xiaoyuan addressed Leng Qianxue.

He had previously gifted this woman a gemstone—could it be that greed had prompted her to bring family in search of more treasures? On second thought, it made sense. Though these people were dressed in fine clothing, from Aunt Li’s remarks, they had apparently been eating wild grass—suggesting their lives were rather miserable. Perhaps they’d hoped to find more gemstones to exchange for silver and enjoy a better life. It seemed martial artists were not all wealthy after all.

For a moment, Zhu Xiaoyuan reached his own judgment.

“Senior... the two with me are elders of my sect. They heard of your deeds and came to pay their respects. I hope this is not too presumptuous...” Leng Qianxue’s words faltered; Zhu Xiaoyuan’s image in her heart had become even more unfathomable.

“I see.” Zhu Xiaoyuan thought for a moment. “Then come with me to my residence.”

He bid farewell to Aunt Li and the others, leading Leng Qianxue and her companions toward his home.

On the way, Huang Xiantang grew nervous, transmitting his thoughts to Yu Qiushui.

“Master, what should we do?”

Yu Qiushui waved his hand. “This elder is a recluse of great wisdom; his actions all carry profound meaning. All we can do is accept what comes.”

Soon, they arrived at Zhu Xiaoyuan’s dwelling. It was simple in structure, built from wood and stone.

“Master... this is... incredible! What manner of blessed land is this? Just approaching, my cultivation surged wildly—this...” Huang Xiantang was in disbelief.

“No... this is not a blessed land!” Yu Qiushui was stunned, hand trembling as he spoke. “This... this is likely a pocket world of spiritual power...”

The higher one’s cultivation, the more extraordinary this place revealed itself to be—endless spiritual energy, continuous traces of Dao.

Among the three, Leng Qianxue appeared the most composed; her cultivation was lower, so she sensed none of these peculiarities. To her, entering this place felt deeply comfortable. The moment she neared the residence, her mind became tranquil, her Dao heart steady and soothed.

“A village in the mountains, a home within the village—could even an immortal’s abode be more than this? Natural and carefree, untouched by the world!” Leng Qianxue’s beautiful eyes were filled with admiration as she gazed at Zhu Xiaoyuan. Such a powerful cultivator, yet he dwelled among the woods, slept beneath the stars, living among common folk...

Could this be the true path of cultivation?

“Please, come in!” Zhu Xiaoyuan pushed open the courtyard gate, inviting the three.

Yu Qiushui and Huang Xiantang exchanged a glance, both taking a deep breath, their expressions tense. At this moment, they felt like peasants who had never seen the world, filled with both excitement and anxiety about the city. For a while, they were at a loss.

Eventually, they stepped into the courtyard, nervous.

“How... the Dao resonance here is so dense—my restless Dao heart instantly calms. I...” Huang Xiantang’s eyes were wide with shock; his bottleneck, which had bound him for years, seemed to loosen, hinting at a breakthrough.

Incredible!

“Such a figure, yet he raises livestock and tends fields in his own courtyard...”

Leng Qianxue’s watery eyes brimmed with awe. Most cultivators were restless, obsessed with strengthening themselves to break through realms. Yet this elder was like a drifting cloud in the blue sky, indifferent to fame and fortune.

Among all cultivators, whose heart could compare to his?

Beside her, Yu Qiushui’s pupils suddenly contracted, filled with suspicion. The livestock, flowers, and trees in the courtyard struck him as extraordinarily strange, as if...

His gaze fixed on a chicken leisurely wandering in the yard, eager to discern what was unusual about it.

Suddenly, one of the chickens raised its head and looked at him.

Bang!

Yu Qiushui felt his mind explode, as though a primordial beast had locked its gaze upon him. His breath churned violently, and his Dao heart cracked, nearly shattering altogether.

His vision darkened, and he was on the verge of collapsing.

Fortunately, Zhu Xiaoyuan moved swiftly, catching him and shaking his head helplessly. “The elderly are frail, and at such an age, it’s difficult to travel around.”

Yet as Zhu Xiaoyuan’s hand touched Yu Qiushui, the oppressive aura in his spiritual sense vanished, and his nearly shattered Dao heart was instantly restored.

Terror filled him. When he looked up again, the chicken was pecking at corn, its head lowered.

He quickly composed himself, not daring to look further, his body trembling faintly.

Heavens—how could that be livestock? The terrifying power and presence far surpassed even the guardian fire beast of Anluan Kingdom. Based on its aura alone, these animals could well be beyond the Void Realm.

What kind of person was this elder?

Fear gripped him, his gaze cautious, terrified of provoking any other dreadful beings in the courtyard.

Thankfully, Zhu Xiaoyuan soon led them into the main hall.

“I already know why you’ve come,” Zhu Xiaoyuan said calmly.

Yu Qiushui and his companions were momentarily startled, then realized.

“Of course, with such cultivation, this elder can naturally peer into fate; how could we ever hide our actions from him?”

In that moment, their worries faded—after all, Zhu Xiaoyuan’s strength was as unfathomable as deep waters.