Chapter 44: Master, My Senior Brother Actually

This... is this truly the Xiao Qiong Peak that I, this old Daoist, am familiar with?

Within a trapping formation surrounding the Dan Fang, Qi Yuan, the newly ascended immortal of Du Xian Men, stood with a dazed look and disheveled Daoist robe, staring blankly at the three small paths before him.

It had been several days, and he still couldn't find a way out...

He had spent many years studying formations, but his skill in the Zhen Fa Dao was quite limited.

After all, for the past few centuries, Qi Yuan had devoted most of his time to repairing his Dao foundation. As for learning formations, he had simply taken array diagrams and set them up a few times, considering it basic mastery once he memorized the process.

So, facing this bewildering linked formation...

"Who could be the master who set this up on my Xiao Qiong Peak? Is there some scheme afoot?"

Qi Yuan muttered softly, forcing himself to recall the routes he had circled earlier.

In a haze of confusion, he stumbled upon a new path amid the disorientation.

Ahead, the forest was lush and green, without the typical white mist of a confusing array, and the scenery was quite ordinary.

Qi Yuan stepped forward cautiously, and soon made a new discovery.

A wooden sign hung from a tree branch ahead, with three large characters written on it:

Lost?

Qi Yuan nodded subconsciously, then shuddered, his eyes filled with vigilance.

Why did this handwriting look so familiar?

Qi Yuan stared at the sign for a while, then noticed another one hanging on a tree behind him. He took two steps forward, and the surrounding scenery shifted slightly, but the sign behind remained.

That sign had another line written on it...

What business do you have coming to Xiao Qiong Peak?

"I live here!"

Qi Yuan snapped in annoyance, though his hands trembled involuntarily.

Could it be...

Could this be the legendary "Years Flow Like a Gap"?

According to ancient legends, an innate spirit entered a valley and emerged from the other end tens of thousands of years later, unaware of the passage of time.

Could such an absurd thing have happened to me?

Is the Xiao Qiong Peak of now no longer the one I knew? Has it been hundreds or thousands of years?

Seeing another sign ahead, Qi Yuan followed it step by step. As he stood before the next one, the scenery around him changed slightly, as if shifting positions—it was the array transforming.

One sign led to another.

And the handwriting on each sign grew more familiar to Qi Yuan the more he looked...

It was as if a shadowy figure was trailing him, whispering eerily in his ear, urging him toward some trap, yet he dared not turn back.

Are you a disciple of Du Xian Men?

This array is only for protecting the Dan Fang's vital area and complies with the sect's rules and regulations.

Dan Fang? I vaguely remember my disciple mentioning it.

Have you entered Xiao Qiong Peak without permission?

Do I need permission? I am the peak master of Xiao Qiong Peak!

Please do not damage any plants or trees here. This path leads to an open area without a soundproof array.

Eh? Is this an exit left by the one who set up the array?

This is just a filler guide sign.

The open area is just ahead.

You're here—please take three steps forward.

Qi Yuan stopped, holding his breath instinctively, and saw a large tree in front of him. With some suspicion, he took three steps forward.

The scenery changed again, revealing an open ground surrounded by trees, covered in fallen leaves, with a low table and a bucket of spiritual spring water nearby.

"This... what is this place?"

Spotting another wooden sign ahead, Qi Yuan walked over and examined the handwriting, which was so familiar yet unplaceable...

I kindly ask you to wait here. If I do not arrive promptly, I may be in closed cultivation or at a critical moment in alchemy.

If you grow impatient, you may use your immortal power to shout for help or call for someone from outside.

Xiao Qiong Peak sincerely welcomes your visit, but next time, please come directly to the door and avoid mistakenly entering near the Dan Fang.

Peak Master Qi Yuan, signing off here.

Qi Yuan's hands trembled, and he stumbled back two steps, bumping into a tree trunk.

The retreat had been sealed off without him noticing.

'This... this was set up by me?'

Qi Yuan's eyes widened in shock, as if he had seen a ghost. The lingering drunkenness vanished instantly, and he scanned his surroundings, feeling a slight dizziness.

Have I been possessed by some evil spirit?

No, no, could it be because of the turbid immortal state?

Earlier, when drinking, a senior from the sect had warned that turbid immortals are easily invaded by earth energy, leading to demonic obstacles in the Dao heart.

Could it be... could I just be the heart demon of the real Qi Yuan?

Qi Yuan's hands began to tremble lightly. He rushed to the sign again, staring at the words, his eyes full of disbelief.

The handwriting on these signs...

It's exactly—exactly my own handwriting!

His footing slipped, and Qi Yuan sat down hard on the ground covered in fallen leaves, his gaze blank and unfocused, his messy gray-white hair even more disheveled.

Years Flow Like a Gap, turbid immortal, heart demon...

Years Flow Like a Gap, turbid immortal, heart demon...

"Who am I? Could I really just be my own heart demon?

No, that's impossible. I am not a heart demon. I am Qi Yuan.

I am Qi Yuan, and Qi Yuan is me. I must have stepped into Years Flow Like a Gap; I can't be a heart demon!

No, that's not right! That's not right!

No—no—

No—"

Qi Yuan clutched his head with both hands and suddenly shouted toward the sky, startling flocks of birds in the nearby areas of Xiao Qiong Peak and drawing curious glances from a few figures passing overhead.

Suddenly, a slightly surprised female voice came from the side:

"Master?"

Qi Yuan's shout cut off abruptly, and he trembled as he asked, "Ling E?"

"Master, are you trapped in the array?"

"Are you really Ling E?"

"Of course, Master. How could your disciple be wrong?"

"No, no, you might be a heart demon... my heart demon..."

Outside the array, Ling E, who had just arrived, couldn't help but facepalm.

Oh no, Master has been messed up by senior brother.

She sighed softly and quickly came up with a plan, saying, "Don't move around in there; there are many arrays!

And don't walk toward the direction of my voice. If you leave that small area, you won't hear outside sounds anymore!

I'll come in to find you!

But it will take me some time to find the array path to your location. Only senior brother can undo this array; he set it all up, so please wait patiently, Master."

Qi Yuan was slightly stunned, and soon he heard the faint "ouch" from outside.

What had his little disciple just said?

Senior brother?

Was this setup done by Chang Shou?

Qi Yuan's eyes were full of confusion, and as he pondered, he gradually calmed down.

Half an hour later, Ling E appeared before her master, covered in grass and leaves, with some bruises, and a bitter smile on her face. She bowed in greeting.

"Master, your disciple has come to find you."

Qi Yuan stared at Ling E intently, and she calmly performed a few minor spells that Qi Yuan had taught her before.

"Master, it's really Ling E..."

Qi Yuan relaxed a bit and sighed, "What on earth is going on?"

"Well," Ling E bit her lip and pondered for a moment, thinking about how to cover for her senior brother. She quickly pulled out a treasure pouch, hurried to the low table, and took out two cushions and a teapot with cups, saying, "Master, please come over and rest first. I'll explain slowly."

Qi Yuan still looked somewhat suspicious, but as he sat on the cushion and watched Ling E's familiar tea-making technique, his doubts faded a little.

The forest was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Looking up from here, the blue sky was partially obscured by the surrounding trees, leaving just a small patch visible...

In that moment, the old Daoist seemed to understand something.

He glanced around and asked softly, "Is all of this set up by your senior brother?"

Ling E replied, "Well, senior brother designed it, but it was arranged by Jiu Jiu Shishu from Po Tian Peak, who is a Zhen Ren."

"Oh, I see," Qi Yuan said with a bitter smile. "So it was Jiu Jiu Shimei who helped set it up."

"Actually, Jiu Jiu Shishu doesn't know anything about arrays. It was senior brother guiding her step by step—telling her to place this here and that there."

Ling E paused, then lowered her head and said, "Master, haven't you really noticed anything?"

Qi Yuan picked up his teacup and took a sip—it was his favorite chrysanthemum and lotus seed tea.

"Noticed what? That you like your senior brother?"

"Ah!" Ling E's face turned bright red instantly.

Qi Yuan frowned and stared. "So you don't like Chang Shou?"

"This... it's not something I can say directly; it makes me embarrassed..."

Ling E quickly composed herself and said softly, "Senior brother is actually quite extraordinary."

"Oh?" Qi Yuan's eyes showed a hint of indulgence as he smiled. "In your eyes, your senior brother is naturally extraordinary."

"No, Master," Ling E adjusted a strand of hair by her ear. "Senior brother is much more accomplished than you think.

For example, the arrays here—he created linked formations using basic arrays.

Even if senior brother had done it alone, it wouldn't have been any different."

Qi Yuan was taken aback.

Ling E continued, "Over the more than ten years since I joined, senior brother has taught me so much.

Many times, after you gave lectures, Master, and I was confused, senior brother would explain the key points to me.

Often, just a sentence or two from him would clarify the true meaning, which is why I've made such progress."

Qi Yuan furrowed his brows, looking at Ling E, unsure what to say.

Ling E said gently, "Also, Master, look at my current cultivation level—what realm is it?"

Qi Yuan stroked his beard and thought for a moment. "Refining Qi, ninth stage?"

Ling E formed her hands into sword fingers and made a complex seal, and her aura suddenly surged outward. "What about now?"

Qi Yuan's eyes widened. "Transforming Spirit, fifth stage! Ling E, when did you—"

Ling E made a shushing gesture and formed another seal, retracting her aura quickly.

She whispered, "This is the Turtle Breath Equalizing Qi Art that senior brother taught me. It can hide my cultivation level. As long as no one at the Zhen Ren level touches my body, I can conceal it and even simulate any realm I want to show."

Qi Yuan's face was full of shock.

"Master, senior brother has been in the sect for a hundred years. You've spent most of that time in closed cultivation, trying to break through to the immortal realm. You've paid so little attention to him."

Ling E picked up her teacup, holding it gracefully with her left fingers supporting the base and her right hand holding the cup, and took a small sip. Her gaze was now steady.

"While senior brother is away in the East Sea, tricked by Jiu Wu Shibo, I wanted to tell you all this clearly, Master.

I've seen senior brother do so much for you, but you're unaware of it all. Every time you see him, it's either scolding or saying how useless he is.

Master, senior brother is probably not far from becoming an immortal.

As for the Fusion Immortal Pill you used for your heavenly tribulation, if I'm not mistaken, it was made from the Immortal Release Grass that senior brother personally dug up in the depths of North Ju Lu Continent during the training assembly a few years ago.

You've been worried about your immortal tribulation, and what senior brother cared about most was your heavenly tribulation—he put in a lot of effort for it.

All you saw was that bird cage for the Dharma Master... but in the past two years, senior brother also made over a dozen treasures to resist heavenly tribulations, though they all failed in testing.

The only times I've seen senior brother frustrated were when he squatted by those treasures destroyed by lightning.

The only time I saw him nervous was during your tribulation earlier."

Ling E looked at Qi Yuan, who sat there like a statue, his eyes vacant.

"Master, senior brother is truly extraordinary—this isn't just me exaggerating..."

Gradually, Ling E shared what she knew about her senior brother.

Though she held back many details as per his instructions, there was no exaggeration.

Qi Yuan slowly came back to his senses, asked Ling E to demonstrate the Turtle Breath Equalizing Qi Art again, and examined the various immortal and poison pills she carried. The old Daoist fell into deep thought.

A moment later, Qi Yuan asked uneasily, "Ling E, what should I do? When your senior brother returns, should I praise him?"

"Master, it's best if you act as if I never told you anything today, and just carry on as usual," Ling E said with a smile. "When senior brother comes to get us, you can take your fly whisk and swat his backside...

But don't actually use force.

Every time you go to hit senior brother, it's because he deliberately lets you catch him."

Qi Yuan had several black lines on his forehead and sighed, "Am I really that incompetent?"

"Uh," Ling E quickly added, "Master, you are wise and divine! Your immortal arts are boundless!"

Qi Yuan hesitated. "So, I should pretend I didn't hear any of this?"

"Senior brother is the type who wants no attention and just quietly builds his fortune," Ling E said with a pout. "I even have to act a bit foolish around him, playing dumb when needed, or he'd slowly distance himself from me..."

Ling E changed the subject, starting to complain about how Li Chang Shou always bullied her as his junior sister, trying to ease her master's inner turmoil.

Soon, Qi Yuan was laughing heartily, his spirits lifted again.

"You little one! Ha ha ha!"

Qi Yuan stood up and walked aside, examining the various unfamiliar array setups, hiding his slightly moist eyes from his disciple.

"I've been too selfish as a master, just focusing on my tribulations and closed cultivation.

Sigh, I brought your senior brother into the sect, taught him the techniques, and then just kept closing myself off.

Now that I've passed my tribulation, I thought I'd guide you both properly, but it turns out I've been the one who's been taken care of all along.

Oh well, I'll stop interfering. Not getting involved is for the best.

With disciples like you, I can face the ancestors of the Xiao Qiong Peak lineage with peace!"

He turned back to Ling E and smiled. "And my little disciple has grown so sensible now."

Ling E smiled shyly and murmured, "I've been working hard to be worthy of senior brother."

"Oh?"

"Uh, Master, have some tea—it's gone cold!

Remember, don't give away what I told you today!"

"Alright, alright. We'll both play dumb and put on an act in front of your senior brother," Qi Yuan said as he sat back at the low table and picked up his fly whisk. "When he comes, I'll discipline him, and you can join in—give it a try."

Ling E's eyes lit up. "Can I, Master?"

"Of course! He's been playing us like fools for years, so he deserves a good thrashing!"

Ling E cheered excitedly and eagerly.

Qi Yuan added, "Don't worry, after this, I'll go into closed cultivation to study the turbid immortal cultivation method. From now on, you two can handle Xiao Qiong Peak as you like."

With that, Qi Yuan looked at the tea in his cup, seeing his aged reflection, and shook his head with a light laugh.

Truly...

Wonderful, beyond words.