Looking at Jing Yi’s expression, Wu Min Huan once again felt that it might not be such a good idea to talk about Qiu Ling. Even though Jing Yi had said that everything was alright, you couldn’t always believe what people told you.

That was something he had learned after years of being in the sect. Sometimes, people would lie. Some had malicious intentions while others didn’t want to burden you or weren’t ready to talk about it.

He couldn’t say for sure which was the case with Jing Yi but he still felt that he should better tread cautiously. In any case, he couldn’t believe that somebody who had managed to ascend would just swing by on a trip to the mortal realm if there was absolutely nothing going on. There should have been something at least even if it was trivial in the large scheme of things. Either way, if he was right with that assumption, then it was better to divert Jing Yi’s attention.

Thinking of that, he gave a hum and then slapped the table. “You know, it’d be nice to get together with Nian Hong Fang and Ma Zhi Wu but, honestly, I’m sure there are a lot more people you would love to see. Other than Shao Hai, who else is there?”

Jing Yi blinked his eyes and then realized that if they were to get together, then maybe it really would be nice to have everyone join in that they knew. He thought for a bit but, to be honest, regarding people of the Yun Zou Sect, he couldn’t think of anyone else.

He rubbed his neck, his expression turning embarrassed. “Well, as for others …” Thinking for a bit longer, there was only one more person he could think of. “Well, what about Qiguan Cheng Da? He’s from the same region as me.”

Wu Min Huan’s expression turned subtle. “Oh. Well, that … I’m afraid it won’t be possible.”

Jing Yi raised his brows, surprised. “Why that? Is he also in closed-door cultivation?” To be honest, it wouldn’t be that strange. Back then, Qiguan Cheng Da had managed to change his aptitude by using the pill that Qiu Ling had originally intended for him. His cultivation level should have risen by a lot and after so much time had passed, being in closed-door cultivation to reach even greater heights wasn’t that surprising.

Wu Min Huan pressed his lips together and wondered whether he should actually say something. In the end, he just sighed. “No, he’s … dead. He … was killed, to be precise. As it turns out, he was somehow involved with the demon king and spying on someone in the sect. When he got caught, the other person killed him.”

Jing Yi stared at Wu Min Huan in a daze. He hadn’t had anything to do with Qiguan Cheng Da in a long time but hearing this really surprised him. “When did that happen? I mean … colluding with the demon king? That’s …” He wanted to say that he couldn’t imagine that but thinking back now, he suddenly realized that maybe this wasn’t too odd.

Anyway, now that he thought back, there were a lot of doubtful points about Qiguan Cheng Da. That matter with the pill he had just thought of was definitely the first of many. Even if he couldn’t say that it looked like it had anything to do with the demon king, it had definitely been shady.

Back then, he might not have understood but the Amethyst Lightning Pill that Qiu Ling had given him was precious beyond belief. If you told the Grandelder of the Yun Zou Sect to refine one, he might actually have some trouble doing it. Not to mention all the ingredients you needed.

Without knowing much about it, he had thought that Qiu Ling had gone too far with preparing it for him without even asking and he hadn’t thought much of handing it over to Qiguan Cheng Da. He also hadn’t thought it was too bad when he used it himself and obscured the fact even though he had promised to give it to the sect. After all, somebody had had to use it. And since Qiguan Cheng Da had tried to help him before, he had felt that he had earned something in return. Thus he hadn’t been angry about it, even though he wished that Qiguan Cheng Da had been honest.

Looking at that matter with the knowledge of today, he naturally realized that he had thought too beautifully. The ‘help’ that Qiguan Cheng Da had given him had not compared to an Amethyst Lightning Pill in the slightest. Not to mention that this matter hadn’t only concerned him.

Yes, the pill had been intended for him but hadn’t the ingredients been collected by Qiu Ling? Didn’t they — as disciples of the Yun Zou Sect — have a responsibility toward the sect? Looking at it that way, that pill should have been given back to Qiu Ling or to the sect to deal with it.

Just keeping it showed that Qiguan Cheng Da’s character wasn’t the best. That might not equal being a spy for the demon king but it was only the first problem with him, wasn’t it?

For example, when he started out in the sect, hadn’t Qiguan Cheng Da ‘taught him’ how to take in spiritual energy? And hadn’t that explanation turned out to be total bullshit? Obviously, he had had some kind of hidden agenda if he did that. Maybe that had had to do with his trial or maybe the demon king had already gotten Qiguan Cheng Da to help him out even at that time. It was possible.

Also, now that he thought about it, for the first five years in the Yun Zou Sect, the seniors had clearly taken advantage of him. He hadn’t minded because he was a simple child but now, it stood out to him how it was odd Qiguan Cheng Da hadn’t bothered to speak up for him even a single time.

If he really was a friend or at least held some good feelings for him because they came from the same place, shouldn’t he have paid more attention to him and tried to help him along?

Yes, now that he thought about it, there were many doubtful points. In fact, the longer he pondered, the more things he could think of, and soon enough, he felt like he had found an even more doubtful point, something that he had always overlooked until this very day.

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