Hu finished speaking, hugged the old hen angrily, and left.
Zhou Qing opened his mouth, then transformed into a bitter smile. He was mainly worried that Yan might clumsily destroy any clues that might exist.
Looking at this almost brand-new book, after a brief contemplation, he took the book under the sun, and then carefully checked the corners of the pages.
Upon closer inspection, his eyes suddenly brightened.
In the later pages of the book, the corners appeared slightly curled.
People who often read books know that if someone stays on a certain page for too long, the paper will start to show fine wrinkles due to repeated flipping and pressing, and the corners are particularly prone to curling.
When I was in school, although it seemed like I hadn’t learned much academically, for some reason, all the books I used ended up being crumpled like twisted dough.
Seeing this, Zhou Qing hurriedly opened these pages carefully and began to examine them closely.
After a long time, his brows tightened as he stared at the story in front of him.
He had a feeling that perhaps Gao Xuan’s test for him was right here.
The general content of the story recorded was about a small righteous sect called Qingwei Sect, whose Sect Leader Dong Ting had a son.
Her Daoist partner had been harmed by the Demon Sect early on, so when her son grew up and broke through the Foundation Establishment, he secretly went alone to avenge his father.
A few days later, the son returned severely injured but was holding the head of the enemy. However, he was also on the brink of death, not knowing what kind of trickery he had fallen into, his body infested with poison.
His mother, Dong Ting, was heartbroken. Fortunately, a passing man in black examined his injuries and told Dong Ting that as long as he could take a Spirit-Commanding Pill in time, there might still be a chance of survival.
But the Spirit-Commanding Pill is extremely rare, said to be refined only by Nascent Soul Realm experts using Nascent Fire. However, Qingwei Sect was just a small sect, and the strongest in the sect were only mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators like Dong Ting.
They had never even seen a Golden Core Realm master, let alone a Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse.
The price of a Spirit-Commanding Pill was astronomical; even selling a hundred Qingwei Sects might not afford it.
Later, the man in black gave this heartbroken mother an idea...
A few days later, someone saw a small righteous sect leader, carrying her severely injured and unconscious son, kneeling and bowing continuously in a certain direction.
The fresh blood oozing from her forehead left a shocking mark on the ground.
Soon, the inside story of this matter spread swiftly like wings.
It turned out that someone informed this poor mother that as long as she didn’t use any spiritual power, and carried her son, kneeling and bowing all the way to the Blood Demon Palace, the Palace Master of Blood Demon Palace might reward her with a Spirit-Commanding Pill.
This news caused an uproar immediately.
Countless sects heard about it and were furious, believing that the Blood Demon Palace’s actions were a blatant insult to the righteous Dao.
This was not only targeting Qingwei Sect but also trampling on the dignity of the entire righteous Dao.
If this precedent was set, and other Demon Dao sects followed suit, the status of the righteous Dao would plummet, losing respect altogether.
After some inquiries, people gradually understood the whole story.
Her son avenged his father, ventured alone into enemy territory, and this behavior was righteous and virtuous, showcasing the utmost filial piety and bravery deserving everyone’s admiration.
In less than ten days, a Nascent Soul Realm expert from a major sect personally brought a Spirit-Commanding Pill to this grieving mother.
He told her that the righteous Dao is a family and mustn’t be belittled by the Demon Sect.
The story ended with the mother’s son being saved, and the major sect receiving countless praises. Every year, many young people came in admiration, feeling honored to join, a true win-win situation.
Likewise, the Blood Demon Palace faced increasing disdain, with curses filling the air.
What no one knew was that the man in black who gave the mother the idea was the Palace Master of Blood Demon Palace.
"I have a plan that can save your son."
"Use one person as bait, let the world step into the game."
"I fear sir will bear a lifetime of infamy!"
"No matter, our Demon Dao is already despised, a bit more does not matter."
Zhou Qing mused, Demon Dao people, truly act as they please.
He might have the power to produce a Spirit-Commanding Pill, but why should he give it to an unfamiliar Foundation Establishment cultivator?
"He is betting, betting on humanity’s kindness, humanity’s evil, truly stepping into the game with his life, playing against fate!" Zhou Qing sighed.
But what does this have to do with him?
"If the test really is this story, then what is he trying to tell me? And why did he choose me?"
Zhou Qing pondered deeply, then picked up a pen and wrote on paper: [Dead Person], [Substitute Ghost], [Sacrificial Lamb], [Missed Opportunity Child], [Good Actor Child].
This is so far all his thoughts about himself.
"Perhaps Dead Person, Substitute Ghost, Sacrificial Lamb are his thoughts that I will encounter continuous assassinations from Cangyan Daoist Palace, determining that a Foundation Establishment cultivator like me can’t escape, thus having these thoughts, rather than his own views about me."