Chapter 79: A Fortuitous Encounter is Nothing Compared to an Enlightened Heart

Hearing their discussion, Qin Haoxuan struggled to keep his expression neutral, but his heart was filled with dread. If they discovered Zhang Kuang was dead, they would surely hunt for the killer…

Just then, a young disciple who had been out searching with Elder Chu that morning returned, his face grim. He brought explosive news. “On a cliff in Hundred Beasts Mountain, they found some of Yelu Qi’s belongings. They were burned to ash, but they were still identified. They also found traces of blood that had been deliberately concealed. Elder Chu examined the cliff face with his flying sword. It’s a thousand fathoms deep, and even he didn’t dare to descend far. But on a thorny bush, he clearly saw a scrap of cloth from Senior Brother Zhang Kuang’s robes. He suspects that Senior Brother Zhang Kuang was murdered and pushed from the cliff!”

“Could Yelu Qi have been the one who killed him?”

“What could Zhang Kuang possibly have that Yelu Qi would kill him for?”

“It’s possible! Zhang Kuang is an Unsurpassed Purple Seed. Maybe Yelu Qi wanted him to become his subordinate, and when he refused, he killed him!”

“I bet Yelu Qi was practicing some demonic art! He saw Senior Brother Zhang Kuang’s excellent aptitude and wanted to use him for his cultivation!” a new disciple, who had heard some stories from his own Guiding Senior Brother, said with an air of authority. His theory seemed the most plausible, and the others nodded in agreement.

Just as a storm of rumors and speculation was engulfing the disciples, a figure in tattered clothes slowly walked into view from the direction of Hundred Beasts Mountain. It was Zhang Kuang.

His appearance instantly silenced the crowd. They stared at him, and as they did, they noticed that although his clothes were in rags, his eyes shone with an unprecedentedly steady and calm light. The arrogant, flamboyant aura he used to carry was gone, replaced by an indescribable and somber composure. Everyone could feel it: Zhang Kuang had changed. He had become unfathomable.

Zhang Kuang… is back…

Qin Haoxuan and Pu Hanzhong stared, dumbfounded, at the living, breathing boy. They exchanged a look of unconcealed terror. How could he possibly have survived a fall from such a high cliff? If he were to twist the truth, to claim that the two of them had conspired to ambush him and Yelu Qi, that they had killed his guide and pushed him from the cliff… no matter how they explained it, who would believe them?

Qin Haoxuan’s mind was in turmoil. What if Zhang Kuang used his knowledge of Yelu Qi’s death to blackmail him for the Formless Sword? Although he couldn’t have seen the invisible weapon, Yelu Qi’s mysterious death would have surely made him suspicious. If he didn’t hand it over, Zhang Kuang could accuse him and his senior brother, and then what? After a moment of frantic thought, he resolved to deny everything, no matter what he was asked for. If the Formless Sword fell into Zhang Kuang’s hands, his own life would be in constant danger.

Pu Hanzhong, being nearly fifty and having weathered many storms in his life, forced himself to calm down. “Haoxuan, don’t panic,” he said in a steady voice. “If something happens, your senior brother will take the blame.”

Qin Haoxuan was about to refuse when the commotion surrounding Zhang Kuang’s return drowned him out. The Purple Seed’s followers immediately swarmed him, one of them taking off his own robe and draping it over Zhang Kuang’s tattered clothes.

“Boss, where have you been? We were worried sick!”

“I was cultivating in the mountains for a couple of days,” Zhang Kuang said, his voice quiet. “The spiritual energy was dense, so I stayed a little longer.”

No one believed him. His clothes were in shreds, and Yelu Qi, who had left with him, was nowhere to be seen. No amount of cultivation could reduce one’s clothes to rags in just two days.

Just then, Elder Chu and the rest of the search party arrived, having heard the news. Seeing Zhang Kuang alive and well, the elder let out a long sigh of relief. If a Purple Seed had been lost from the Spirit Field Valley, he knew that Perfected Man Huanglong would have likely taken his life. After fussing over him for a moment, the elder asked, “Where is Yelu Qi? Did you two have a dispute?”

At the question, Zhang Kuang looked at him, his gaze as deep and unreadable as a placid well. With a calm expression, he simply replied, “I don’t know.”

From the state of his clothes and the evidence the elder had already found, it was clear that Zhang Kuang had been through some unimaginable peril. Yet he was completely composed, saying nothing. It gave him a terrifying aura. He had changed.

Elder Chu, however, was pleased with this transformation. Zhang Kuang’s former arrogance was a major hindrance on the path of cultivation. This newfound maturity meant he had overcome his inner demons. His future progress would surely be swift, and he was destined for greatness.

But looking at the composed Zhang Kuang, Qin Haoxuan felt a growing sense of unease. The fact that he said nothing was more worrying than any accusation. The old Zhang Kuang had been easy to read. This new one was a mystery. And to have survived a fall from a thousand-fathom cliff, he must have had some kind of fortuitous encounter.

Fortuitous encounters were both common and uncommon in the world of cultivation. Qin Haoxuan had experienced them himself. It wouldn’t be surprising if Zhang Kuang had one as well. How else could he have survived? As he was pondering this, Zhang Yang approached his cousin with a wide, sycophantic smile.

“Brother Kuang, I was so worried when you were missing!” he gushed. “I thought you might have run into trouble! Though, on second thought, how could anything dangerous happen in a safe place like the Spirit Field Valley? If you hadn’t come back, I might have thought you’d lost confidence in cultivation and decided to leave without saying goodbye!”

Though his words were dripping with false enthusiasm, Zhang Kuang just snorted, a cold light flashing in his eyes. He raised his right hand, and a powerful surge of spiritual energy gathered in his palm. Then, with the speed of a thunderbolt, he slapped Zhang Yang across the chest. Zhang Yang, a First-Leaf cultivator, was sent flying, unable to get up for a long time.

Everyone had expected Zhang Kuang to use a spiritual art to deal with his cousin’s snide remarks. No one had imagined he would send him flying with just a raw display of power. And Zhang Yang was a First-Leaf cultivator himself. When Zhang Kuang had gathered his energy, anyone with eyes could sense its immense power, far surpassing that of a First-Leaf. Elder Chu narrowed his eyes and cried out in astonishment, “Third-Leaf Spirit Sprout Realm!”

He’s reached the Third-Leaf Realm? He had only been at the First-Leaf when he disappeared. In just a few days, he had advanced two full leaves?

Hearing the elder’s announcement, Zhang Yang, who had been thinking of revenge, completely abandoned the idea. He knew at once that his cousin must have had a major fortuitous encounter. He had thought his own progress was comparable to a Purple Seed’s, but now he was filled with a profound sense of powerlessness. Li Jing, who had been watching silently, was also stunned, the elder’s words echoing in his mind: Third-Leaf… Third-Leaf…

Qin Haoxuan, however, was not surprised. For someone to survive such a fall, a fortuitous encounter that jumped him two levels was perfectly normal. The urgent matter now was to get back to the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley and find some treasures of his own. Zhang Kuang was a Purple Seed who had now had a lucky break; his cultivation speed would be terrifying. If he fell too far behind, things would become very difficult.

Behind him, Xu Yu clenched her small fists. The moment Zhang Kuang revealed his power, her heart had seized with worry. Though she had no personal grudge against him, she knew that once he became powerful enough, he would not spare Brother Haoxuan. No, I must cultivate even harder, she resolved. I can’t let him harm Brother Haoxuan!

Murong Chao, who was always watching her, saw her clenched fists and knew what she was thinking. He felt a pang of jealousy, but also a surge of determination. Though he was conflicted about her feelings for Qin Haoxuan, he admired the boy’s character and was grateful for his help. If I can become strong enough to stand firmly by Qin Haoxuan’s side, he thought, if I can show my own strength, surely I can win Xu Yu’s favor!

As a storm of different thoughts and emotions swept through the crowd, Zhang Kuang walked over and stood face-to-face with Qin Haoxuan.

Just then, a flash of light appeared, and Perfected Man Huanglong materialized before them. It was rare for the Sect Master to leave Emperor Peak, and his sudden appearance sent all the disciples to their knees.

Zhang Kuang also knelt. “This disciple was reckless and has worried the Sect Master.”

Huanglong enveloped him in a gentle spiritual light, confirming that he had no serious injuries. “Do not be so rash in the future,” he said, his voice filled with relief. “The mountains are not a safe place. If you wish to explore, you must report it first. Do you understand?”

“This disciple understands,” Zhang Kuang said, then kowtowed again. “I will not worry the Sect Master like this again.”

“Did you have a fortuitous encounter in the mountains?” the Sect Master asked, looking at his new cultivation level.

Zhang Kuang shook his head, his eyes filled with a sincerity that no one could doubt. “Yes and no.” He then slowly took out a piece of paper from his robes. The Sect Master’s pupils instantly contracted to pinpricks. It was a Dragon Talisman, albeit a heavily damaged one. It was a powerful weapon, but not something that could raise one’s cultivation.

“My cultivation,” Zhang Kuang said, glancing at Qin Haoxuan, “I earned myself. I fell from the cliff, but was lucky enough to survive. I sat at the bottom of that cliff and thought for a long time. And I finally understood something. I am a Purple Seed, a chosen son of heaven! Yet I was always trying to rely on my status and on external forces to achieve my goals. This was extremely foolish.”

The Sect Master nodded slowly, a look of appreciation and hope in his eyes. He had known about the childish squabbles in the Spirit Field Valley and had planned to teach Zhang Kuang a lesson about it himself one day. He never imagined the boy would figure it out on his own.

“After I understood this, I meditated to heal myself. And then… I climbed, step by step, back up the cliff.” His voice was calm, but the crowd listened with bated breath. He could have found a path, but he chose to climb.

“When I reached the top and looked out at the world,” he continued, “I realized how ridiculous my former self had been. And then, I reached the Third-Leaf Realm.”

Perfected Man Huanglong nodded, understanding completely. Near-death experiences often led to breakthroughs. For a Purple Seed to have such a profound enlightenment after surviving a fall like that, advancing two leaves was entirely possible. This kind of growth, born from a change in one’s state of mind rather than a lucky treasure, was far more precious. A fortuitous encounter could grant temporary power, but it often led to an unstable foundation. For a genius like a Purple Seed, mental fortitude was more valuable than any treasure.

“Very good, very good,” the Sect Master said, his voice filled with pride. “All of you, rise.”

Zhang Kuang stood and walked closer to Qin Haoxuan. “I was wrong before…” he began.

Qin Haoxuan was surprised he would apologize. Before he could respond, Zhang Kuang continued, “I was wrong to always rely on others to deal with you. I’ve thought it through. If I am to kill you, I will do it myself, with my own strength. Just as you defeated me in Datian Town with your own strength.”

As he spoke, Qin Haoxuan looked into his eyes and saw that the arrogant, swaggering boy was gone, replaced by something deeper and far more resolute.

(End of Chapter)