Xu Mei's return, meeting with the enemy

Elder Zhang was a cultivator at the Qi Condensation – 5th stage, considered a decent level for holding the position of an elder, although their advantages would be limited. Hence, they were left guarding the gate, more akin to the duties of a sentry or a Swiss guard.

In his youth, he possessed Earthly-level talent, which was not very impressive but still decent in a way. However, due to the difference in talent, his peers had long surpassed him in status.

Even so, he was confident. Rarely did Elder Zhang have to experience fear, and yet...

Today was different.

His spine tingled from the aura released by Xie Qing. It felt as if he had returned to his disciple days when he secretly watched the beloved of a main court disciple, only to be beaten in front of everyone.

...Well, his past wasn't enviable.

"F-Foundation Building second stage... alright, you meet the requirements. Good luck," Elder Yu quickly said, noticing that Elder Zhang remained silent.

Elder Yu was afraid that Zhang Wei would become angry with Xie Qing, who concealed his cultivation level and spent time with both of them... though it wasn't an excuse for such actions; Elder Zhang had a nasty temper.

Xie Qing nodded and didn't continue the argument, passing through the open gate after a few minutes. His back disappeared from the two elders.

Sighing, Elder Yu waved his hand and activated his Qi formation responsible for opening and closing the doors. When the characteristic creak sounded, the elder turned to his colleague.

"Who would have thought this kid is at the Foundation Building level... ah, I wasted my breath trying to educate him. How embarrassing," Elder Yu said and sighed.

"..."

"Hm? Zhang Wei, why are you silent?"

Elder Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise when, even after five minutes, his friend didn't respond. To bring Zhang Wei back to his senses, he reached out and...

Thud!

A dull sound echoed. Elder Yu was stunned when he saw his colleague fall to the floor with foam coming out of his mouth.

"Call the disciples of the Medicine Pavilion!"

***

Meanwhile, Xie Qing, who was leisurely walking along the road, suddenly received a notification.

Ding!

[Spiritual Roots have been improved... current improvement: 2%].

"Hmm?"

Xie Qing suddenly stopped and raised an eyebrow in surprise. The notification in front of him made the young man slightly puzzled. He couldn't understand why his spiritual roots had been improved.

"Don't understand..." he thought, then shrugged: "Well, never mind. I need to hurry to the city, and meanwhile, I'll have some fun..."

The young man nodded and clenched his fists – suddenly his gaze filled with determination as he recalled some details about the city of Xinjiang.

Although this city wasn't famous per se, as it was located in the wilderness, Xie Qing already had some information about this place.

"The red-light district there is quite developed... besides, there's a rumor that the influential Yang family manages this district, opposing the Yin family..." Xie Qing thought, and his face took on a strange expression: "Yin and Yang opposed to each other... if members of these two families get married, then their union will be called Yin-Yang?"

Xie Qing chuckled, then shook his head. Suddenly, he felt like this joke dulled his wit and cost him a few dozen IQ points.

Then he continued his way. Thanks to his cultivator's body, he could walk for two days without stopping and not get tired. All thanks to Qi, which absorbed into his body, thereby filling it with energy.

Sometime later...

It was already evening. Xie Qing stopped on a deserted road surrounded by a forest. This place was the shortest route on the map.

"By the way, when I was walking towards this road, I caught many pity-filled glances. Why is that?" Xie Qing pondered and suddenly jumped.

"Ha-a!"

Boom!

The ground under his feet exploded, causing him to react just in time and jump aside. Seeing a crater two meters in diameter where he stood, Xie Qing's face turned dark.

He drew his sword, resting in the sheath on his belt. Almost immediately, he activated the "Heavenly Sword" technique, which helped strengthen his body.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... dodged it, you scoundrel," sounded a cold and rough voice filled with murderous intent. Xie Qing couldn't help but narrow his eyes; his face turned cold, and his aura became as sharp as a sword. He knew this person's voice very well.

"You..."

***

Meanwhile, Xu Mei returned to the sect and first decided to visit Xie Qing, wishing to check his progress. It seemed he should have broken through to a new level by now.

"I wonder if he succeeded. This cultivation technique was extremely difficult, and even I couldn't understand it. Moreover, I couldn't even read it as it was in some strange ancient language!" Xu Mei thought and sighed, reminiscing about her youth. "But I'm sure he's fine. After all, his body reacted to this scroll, which means they are compatible."

Xu Mei was very pleased with herself. She managed to somehow snatch this technique from Zhang Mei, who still gives her trouble, trying to find out to whom Xu Mei passed the technique.

"Although I returned the scroll to her, this fool still hasn't calmed down," Xu Mei thought, rolling her eyes. "What's her problem? Now she even wants to meet my disciple, probably to recruit him into her sect to keep the secret... ha, she's delusional! Xie Qing is mine only!"

Shaking her head, she quickly returned to her Pavilion. Not wanting to waste time wandering through the rooms, she activated the "Gaze of God" technique.

"Hmm? He's not in the Pavilion," Xu Mei thought, frowning. She expanded the influence of the technique, covering the entire sect with it, but even so, she couldn't find Xie Qing. "Hmmm? Is he not in the sect? Did he go somewhere?"

Xu Mei was surprised. Even when she suggested Xie Qing leave the sect, he would simply refuse, as if she sent him to his death.

And now, without any escort, he dared to leave on his own?

"Weird. He's not so arrogant to think that he broke through and is now invincible," Xu Mei pondered. Then her technique sensed changes in Xie Qing's room, where a letter lay on the table. "Ah, there it is... probably a clue."

A vortex of blue Qi appeared around her, and then she disappeared. In the next second, she appeared in Xie Qing's room and already held the letter in her hand.

After reading it, she was puzzled.

"To complete sect missions? Why? As far as I know, he has never been interested in this. Maybe he went to test his strength?" she wondered, and then she noticed an open envelope, from which another letter peeked out. "This is not for me... but as a master, I am obliged to check my disciple's letters, right?"

..., no, but her logic was a bit strange, so whatever. And now, after reading the letter, Xu Mei's face turned cold. She was angry.

"The Xie Family... these worms seemed to support the Task Pavilion with funding? Come to think of it, I never checked my disciple's past and biography," she pondered, frowning. Holding her golden token made of pure gold, she directed her Qi inside, and then a voice echoed.

"Do you need something, Master?"

A voice came from the token, Lian Lin's voice, sounding a bit sleepy. It seems she had only recently woken up.

"Gather all the information about Xie Qing for me, anything. Investigate his past."

"Hmm?"