Regarding this, Zhou Qing was not surprised, but respectfully bowed and said, "Thank you, senior brother!"
Thus, the two of them walked side by side up the mountain.
For some unknown reason, during their casual conversation, Zhou Qing always felt that Du was filled with awe towards him, and he even detected a trace of fear hidden within.
This made Zhou Qing inexplicably a bit dejected. As his cultivation increased, his status in the sect rose, causing a gap to form in relationships that were once intimate.
In the world of cultivation, strength is revered, but he never thought that the gap in strength could become a chasm between him and his fellow disciples.
This was apparent earlier this morning when he went to Divine Peak to see Master and encountered Senior Sister Shi Zhen on the way through the Task Hall.
Although they greeted each other with smiles as usual, Senior Sister Shi Zhen’s tone had become very polite.
Not long after, Zhou Qing and Du Kui arrived inside the great hall, only to see Gao Xuan, their senior uncle, engrossed in reading through the rows of bookshelves.
Zhou Qing, upon seeing this, immediately stepped forward and respectfully saluted.
Du Kui, recognizing the situation, tactfully withdrew and gently closed the door behind him.
"Sit!" Gao Xuan pointed to the desk where the tea had already been brewed, steaming and fragrant.
Zhou Qing walked over and slowly sat down.
Gao Xuan continued to go through the books. After a while, Zhou Qing thought for a moment and then said, "Master, a few months ago at Yellow Maple Valley, regarding the matter you mentioned, I’ve been keeping an eye on it but haven’t found any clues. However, there is one person who seems quite suspicious."
He then detailed the figure in white who was only seen from the back.
After listening, Gao Xuan closed the book in his hand, stood up, and came over to sit down.
He first picked up the teacup, took a light sip, and then fell into contemplation: "Some things, you have to judge for yourself. I can only point you in a direction."
Zhou Qing nodded, indicating he understood.
"You didn’t come just to talk about this, did you?" Gao Xuan’s voice remained gentle, with a hint of deeper meaning.
A candid smile appeared on Zhou Qing’s face as he said, "Indeed, nothing can be hidden from you, Master. Actually, after you left Yellow Maple Valley, I was thinking that, if you returned, I might see if I could clarify some matters."
"Are they related to my situation at the Cangyan Daoist Palace?" Gao Xuan asked directly.
This question took Zhou Qing by surprise.
He originally thought that Gao Xuan would lead the conversation gradually, not so bluntly.
It was really straightforward!
But since the topic had been opened, Zhou Qing no longer hid his intentions and said, "Just curious, if it’s inconvenient to say or involves some secret, then forget it."
Gao Xuan smiled slightly and took another sip of tea.
Then he calmly said, "There’s no secret. Previously, your senior uncle Gao Xuan had defected to Cangyan Daoist Palace, acted as an insider for many years, and eventually grew more greedy, desiring more and more. Sikong Yan disliked such people, so he replaced him with me. It’s that simple!" Dıscover more novels at novel-fire.net
Watching his senior uncle express this truth in such a casual tone, Zhou Qing couldn’t help but twitch his face.
Really? You just admitted your identity as someone who took over like that?
Although they had previously had many subtle conversations leading Zhou Qing to suspect, when the secret was openly presented, he found himself a bit at a loss.
Gao Xuan looked at Zhou Qing’s stunned expression and couldn’t help but laugh heartily: "I like to speak directly with intelligent people."
"But how did you..." Zhou Qing hesitated.
Gao Xuan seemed to understand his thoughts and proactively explained, "Betrayal? To be honest, for a dying Nascent Soul Realm cultivator to successfully take over a Divinity Transformation Realm body, extend life, and witness the world’s splendor, I should thank him."
Though Gao Xuan said this, Zhou Qing could hear the strong irony in his words.
"So when did you start suspecting me? After the Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering, with that stone stained with the real Gao Xuan’s blood? You really smelled it out?" Gao Xuan’s expression suddenly changed, full of curiosity.
"That shouldn’t be it though, Gao Xuan was dead before you were born, right?" Gao Xuan added puzzled as he saw Zhou Qing remain silent.
Indeed, Gao Xuan knew far more than Zhou Qing had anticipated.
"Forget it if you won’t say. Your master too, pushing you out as a probing stone," Gao Xuan gently shook his head, his eyes flickering with complex emotions, seeming more helpless than sentimental.
Zhou Qing did not argue.
Let his master take the blame for now.
But after thinking for a while, he still said, "Master, if there’s anything I can help with, please feel free to instruct."
Considering the previous senior uncle was a cautionary tale for Cangyan Daoist Palace, with their ways of doing things, it’s impossible they wouldn’t have any restraining methods for their new replacement.
Seeing Zhou Qing’s earnest expression, Gao Xuan couldn’t help but smile warmly, saying, "The same old advice, keep cultivating well. You’re still too weak now."
Zhou Qing slightly lowered his head, hesitated for a moment, then softly asked, "Is it Nannan?"
Upon these words, Gao Xuan’s smiling face instantly turned stern, his eyes narrowed dangerously, staring at Zhou Qing like an eagle.
The air in the room seemed to freeze at this moment, the atmosphere becoming oppressive.
After a while, Gao Xuan’s expression gradually turned bitter, and he sighed softly, "It seems Senior Brother Cao truly regards you as the next Sect Leader, sharing such a deep secret."