VHSTS CH17

It was not without reason that cultivators in the outside world had always referred to the seven direct eldest disciples of Taihua Mountain’s seven peaks as the “Seven Scions of Taihua.”

These seven individuals were the most outstanding talents of Taihua Mountain’s disciple generation. Aside from little shimei Mu Tianxin, who specialized in alchemy and lagged slightly behind in cultivation realm, the other six had been the very first among Taihua Mountain’s nearly hundred disciples to form their Golden Cores, consistently ranking at the top in every Sect Grand Competition.

Age had long been as fleeting as drifting clouds to cultivators. Before Luo Jianqing formed his Golden Core, he had actually been the youngest shidi. However, Taihua Mountain had a rule: forming a Golden Core signified that one was “fit to walk the world without tarnishing Taihua Mountain’s name.” Thus, among direct disciples, whoever formed their Golden Core first became Eldest Shixiong.

Even though Zuo Yunmo was more than a full zodiac cycle older than Luo Jianqing, he still ranked only second, precisely because he had formed his Golden Core a year later than Luo Jianqing.

Since his rebirth, this was the first time Luo Jianqing had laid eyes on Zuo Yunmo.

Like Third Shimei Wei Qiongyin, his Second Shidi was a cultivation maniac. Aside from managing the daily affairs of Cangshuang Peak, Zuo Yunmo wished nothing more than to lock himself inside the sect gates and cultivate until the end of time.

Among the Seven Scions of Taihua, Zuo Yunmo actually possessed the most ordinary spiritual roots. Eldest Shixiong Luo Jianqing had one-in-ten-thousand Transcendent-grade spiritual roots, while the rest of their shixiong and shimei possessed the absolute pinnacle of first-grade roots—only Zuo Yunmo’s were considered upper-tier first-grade. Yet this by no means meant Zuo Yunmo’s strength was inferior.

In past Sect Grand Competitions, Luo Jianqing’s sole true rival had always been Zuo Yunmo.

Having spent half a year in closed-door seclusion, Luo Jianqing had hurried down the mountain the moment he heard Zuo Yunmo’s voice, without even tidying his attire. Seeing his rushed appearance, Zuo Yunmo smiled faintly, reaching out to straighten his shixiong’s robes as he chuckled, “How old is Shixiong now, yet you still act just like when you were a child—always so hasty and scatterbrained?”

His tone was brimming with helplessness and indulgence, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze.

Caught off guard and outmaneuvered in seniority like that, Luo Jianqing felt equally helpless and could only say, “Like it or not, I am Eldest Shixiong now. Shouldn’t Shidi give me at least a little face?”

A look of feigned surprise crossed Zuo Yunmo’s refined face before he sighed with mock sorrow, “I remember when we were young, Shidi used to take Shixiong all over Taihua Mountain to play. Back then, Shixiong loved sitting on my shoulders most of all, making me carry you while riding the clouds and mounting the mist. Barely thirty-some years have passed—has Shixiong already forgotten?”

A flush of embarrassment crossed Luo Jianqing’s face, and he promptly changed the subject: “How are preparations for the Sect Grand Competition coming along?”

Zuo Yunmo recounted everything in detail.

The half-year seclusion period had already ended. A few days ago, Luo Jianqing had noticed the date and requested permission from Xuanlingzi to emerge from seclusion. Xuanlingzi had not objected, merely replying with a cold “Do not disgrace Yuxiao Peak,” before returning to his own closed-door cultivation.

At this moment, Luo Jianqing and Zuo Yunmo flew side by side toward Cangshuang Peak, where the Sect Master of Taihua Mountain resided.

Although Luo Jianqing held the title of Eldest Shixiong, when it came to handling sect affairs, Zuo Yunmo was far more adept at navigating social matters, managing everything with effortless ease. He laid out the essential details of the upcoming Sect Grand Competition clearly and methodically; whenever an important matter came up, he reminded Luo Jianqing to take note, yet maintained a respectful tone that never overstepped Eldest Shixiong’s authority.

Luo Jianqing nodded as he listened, though his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Zuo Yunmo’s face.

In his past life, up on Broken Affection Cliff where he had met his end, Li Xiuchen had righteous-mindedly condemned him for murdering his fellow sect brothers.

Even though Luo Jianqing had already fallen into the demonic path by then, slaughtering his own fellow disciples was something he would never have done. Yet at that time, the entire world believed Luo Jianqing had killed two of his own shidi—not even his Shifu, Xuanlingzi, had stepped forward to speak a single word in his defense.

Because the evidence had been far too conclusive.

Shortly after Luo Jianqing was expelled from Taihua Mountain, he fell into the demonic path. Taihua Mountain’s Sect Master, Haoxingzi Zunzhe, issued the Taihua Decree, putting out a continent-wide warrant for this unfilial traitor and plunging Luo Jianqing into a bleak, miserable period of life on the run. Three years after the Taihua Decree was issued, two people tracked him down—none other than Zuo Yunmo and his Sixth Shidi, Xiu Hen.

A fierce battle broke out among the three in the Far North. Gifted as Luo Jianqing was, he was utterly exhausted from years of fleeing and ultimately lost to his two shidi. Back then, Xiu Hen had stepped forward, beating his chest in anguish as he pleaded, “Eldest Shixiong, come back with us! I swear I will demand an explanation from Sect Master Shibo—I believe you are definitely not that kind of person!”

However, Zuo Yunmo held Xiu Hen back and turned his gaze toward Luo Jianqing.

Up until the moment of his death, Luo Jianqing still remembered how his Second Shidi—older than him by a full zodiac cycle—had looked at him with deeply complicated eyes, his gaze scorching as if seeing straight through the taboo, forbidden feelings Luo Jianqing harbored for his own master.

Zuo Yunmo loved to smile, yet at that moment, not a trace of a smile remained on his face.

Luo Jianqing had been brought back to Yuxiao Peak by Xuanlingzi when he was still an infant. Cold and aloof by nature, Xuanlingzi Zunzhe had no idea how to care for a child and had entrusted the teenaged Zuo Yunmo with raising Luo Jianqing. From clumsy and rough-handed at the start to meticulous and considerate later on, Luo Jianqing’s entire childhood had been filled with the shadow of this gentle older brother figure.

Zuo Yunmo hadn’t lied—when Luo Jianqing was young, he truly had loved playing with him, only gradually drifting apart once he began formal cultivation.

The person who understood Luo Jianqing best in this world wasn’t Xuanlingzi, nor even Luo Jianqing himself—it was Zuo Yunmo.

Amidst the howling gales of the Far North, Zuo Yunmo had restrained their impulsive Sixth Shidi and locked eyes with the battered, disheveled demon cultivator Luo Jianqing. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and said, “Since you have become a demon cultivator, you naturally cannot coexist with our righteous path. Luo Jianqing, you can no longer return to Taihua Mountain. Take good care of yourself—your life is still long.”

With that, Zuo Yunmo held Xiu Hen back and let Luo Jianqing escape.

Three days later, Luo Jianqing learned that both of his shidi had perished in the Far North, not even their bones recovered.

Everyone in the world claimed that Luo Jianqing had exploited his shidi’s brotherhood and murdered them both. Little did they know that upon hearing the news, Luo Jianqing himself had nearly collapsed, risking every danger to return to the Far North—only to find neither of their bodies, recovering nothing save a single strand of sword tassel from Zuo Yunmo’s natal sword.

Their natal life lamps had extinguished; both of them were truly dead, without even a burial ground to rest in.

By the end of his previous life, Luo Jianqing had been reviled by every other junior disciple in the sect, yet the remaining six of the Seven Scions of Taihua had never uttered a single word of reproach against him.

Fifth Shidi Huo Yuchong treated him like a stranger, yet never cursed or hated him; Fourth Shidi Xie Zizhuo repeatedly tried to speak up and explain on Luo Jianqing’s behalf, only to be silenced by ironclad evidence; Third Shimei Wei Qiongyin never meddled in external affairs, yet entered life-or-death seclusion immediately after Luo Jianqing was expelled from Taihua Mountain, never emerging again before Luo Jianqing died; and little shimei had been heartbroken beyond measure, only to be held back by her dual-cultivation partner, Li Xiuchen.

“For this Sect Grand Competition, the Four Great Sects and other clans will all send representatives to observe the matches. Shizun ordered Fourth Shidi and me to organize the reception affairs, though as Shixiong knows, Fourth Shidi has been hounded into duels by Fifth Shidi for the past half year and likely won’t have much time to spare. If possible, would Shixiong be willing to lend Shidi a hand?”

Hearing this, Luo Jianqing snapped abruptly out of his distant memories.

He turned his head to look at Zuo Yunmo, seeing the latter’s eyes widen slightly before reaching out to tuck a loose strand of long hair behind Luo Jianqing’s ear, saying helplessly, “Shixiong, has something happened recently? Why do you look so…” Pausing briefly, Zuo Yunmo smiled, “…so sorrowful?”

Luo Jianqing swiftly composed his expression. “It is nothing. What were you saying just now, Shidi? My mind wandered and I didn’t catch it clearly.”

Showing not a hint of impatience, Zuo Yunmo repeated himself from the beginning.

Luo Jianqing nodded. “Alright. Since Fourth Shidi has his hands full, you and I will organize it together.”

Zuo Yunmo smiled in agreement.

Before long, the two arrived at the grand plaza atop Cangshuang Peak and walked together toward the main hall. Halfway there, Luo Jianqing couldn’t resist asking in a low voice, “Shidi, this sword tassel… looks rather worn. Why haven’t you replaced it?”

A sudden gust of wind swept past, drowning out Luo Jianqing’s words in the rush of air. Zuo Yunmo did not answer, seemingly having failed to hear him.

Yet just as the two were about to step inside the grand hall, Luo Jianqing heard Zuo Yunmo’s smile-laced voice murmur softly beside his ear: “Shixiong, Shidi has always been a sentimental person.”

Luo Jianqing paused in mid-step, while Zuo Yunmo had already stepped inside the hall.

Three ke later, all seven of the Seven Scions of Taihua had gathered inside Lingyun Hall, awaiting the belated arrival of Haoxingzi Zunzhe.

Even inside Lingyun Hall, Fifth Shidi was still chasing Fourth Shidi around trying to beat him up, unleashing all sorts of magic treasures and even releasing several fifth-grade demonic beasts, wearing an expression that screamed, “If I don’t peel your skin off today, Xie Zizhuo, I’ll call you Grandpa!”

Xie Zizhuo begged frantically for mercy: “Shidi! Shidi! That was just a sixth-grade demonic beast—I’m your own flesh-and-blood shixiong! Spirit beasts are indeed precious, yet a shixiong’s life is priceless!”

Short, red-haired Fifth Shidi Huo Yuchong spat on the floor and cursed, “Bullshit! You, Xie Zizhuo, don’t even compare to a single hair on my demonic beast! Who’s your shidi?! I’m your mortal enemy!”

Xie Zizhuo wailed to the heavens in grief and indignation: “It’s already been half a year—how long are you going to hold a grudge?!”

Huo Yuchong sneered coldly: “Until the day you catch me a mutated sixth-grade demonic beast!!!”

Only then did Luo Jianqing realize that Fifth Shidi’s sixth-grade demonic beast had actually died—though in his past life, he had never heard anything about Fifth Shidi hunting Fourth Shidi down for half a year straight.

Just then, little shimei tugged on Luo Jianqing’s sleeve and whispered softly, “Eldest Shixiong, third-grade medicinal pills are really hard to refine. After finishing your pills, I tried several times, yet I still couldn’t succeed in refining that third-grade pill for Xie Zizhuo. By the time I finally managed to refine one, word came that the demonic beast had already died.”

Luo Jianqing, feeling suddenly guilty as if he had caused all this: “…”

Completely unbothered by the chaos, little shimei promptly added fuel to the fire: “Shixiong, here’s the pill I refined for Xie Zizhuo earlier—you take it. Since that fellow has no use for it anymore, you might as well keep it for when you tame a spirit beast in the future; it’ll come in handy to save its life.”

Running desperately for his life, Xie Zizhuo roared furiously, “Little Shimei, I was the one who gathered those ingredients for you!”

Mu Tianxin chuckled sweetly and shot him a massive eye-roll: “Your ingredients are my ingredients! Anything that enters my, Mu Tianxin’s, mouth isn’t coming back out—not a chance!”

Luo Jianqing, feeling as though he were holding a hot coal in his hand: “…”

After the group carried on fooling around for a while longer, seeing that the white-bearded, white-browed Haoxingzi Zunzhe was nearly at the hall entrance while Xie Zizhuo and Huo Yuchong were still brawling, Luo Jianqing furrowed his brows slightly and was about to step in to stop them. Unexpectedly, sword light flashed before his eyes, and Zuo Yunmo calmly hauled both of them back—one in his left hand, one in his right.

Looking at Luo Jianqing, who had just summoned the Shuangfu Sword, Zuo Yunmo smiled gently: “No need to trouble Shixiong. I’ll toss these two into the Gate of Admonition afterward.”

Luo Jianqing: “…”

Xie Zizhuo: “!!!”

Huo Yuchong: “Great! Once we’re inside the Gate of Admonition, let’s see where you run off to then, you little brat!”