Chapter 29: Bygones Cannot Be Retained

Senior Wuqing? Is the person standing before me truly Zhou Wuqing?

Despite having mentally prepared himself, Lu Zhenhai could not help but feel his pupils constrict when faced with the undeniable reality.

Fifteen hundred years ago, this man had already achieved feats that could only be described as miraculous. Now, with the passage of time, his cultivation level would surely have only grown, never diminished.

When his subordinate, Li Yulan, had reported the situation earlier, her assessment was incredibly radical, asserting that this man could tear down half of Liangzhou City in a single day. In comparison, Lu Zhenhai had been the conservative one, yet he now felt that the radicals might have actually been too cautious.

Compared to the mental storm Lu was experiencing, Jiang Ruifeng, standing beside him, was even more agitated. His entire body trembled slightly, and his voice was strained and distorted.

This could not be blamed on him; if anyone else from the Jiuli Sect had been here, their reaction would have been no better.

Compared to the Sanitation Bureau, which acted as mere bystanders, the name "Zhou Wuqing" was known to every soul within the Jiuli Sect. It is no exaggeration to say that all descendants of Jiuli, Jiang Ruifeng included, grew up listening to legends about him. How could he not be agitated when the legend now stood living and breathing before him?

"So you are the young lad of the current Jiuli?" Zhou Qing raised his head and sized him up. "Jiang Ruifeng, is it? How old are you?"

"In reply to the Senior, I am four hundred and twenty-eight."

"Four hundred and something? That is still young." Zhou Qing waved his hand. "At your age, you should go out and gain more experience, see more of the world."

"Yes! I will take your instruction to heart, Senior."

The group from the Sanitation Bureau was utterly bewildered. Four hundred years old and still young? How did those two concepts fit together?

"I haven't been back in many years. How is the sect faring now?"

"Currently, Sect Master Yan Guoyun is in power. There are over four thousand disciples in the sect, among whom..."

He had originally intended for a brief exchange, but in his excitement, Jiang Ruifeng turned the pleasantries into a formal report. He was so eager to lay out the entire state of the sect that Zhou Qing allowed the junior to continue speaking for a while.

Compared to the era he belonged to, the current Jiuli was no longer the Immortal Alliance of the past, and its scale was far smaller than it had been at its peak.

However, in his view, this was not entirely a bad thing.

After he had pacified the Peach Blossom Spring and unified the Central Plains—during the mortal Sui Dynasty—the number of cultivators under the Jiuli Sect reached its zenith. The sect was reorganized into the Immortal Alliance, and it held the vast Sui Dynasty in its grip. It could be said that the entire Central Plains was under their control, a scene of immense prosperity.

But soon, new troubles arose.

Just like the Peach Blossom Spring, because too many factions were brought into the fold during wartime, the Immortal Alliance’s numbers reached an unprecedented level, but this simultaneously brought about new, deep-seated internal divisions.

While the Peach Blossom Spring still existed, everyone worked toward a common goal and remained at peace. But once the common enemy fell, the contradictions hidden beneath the surface immediately surged upward.

To resist the Peach Blossom Spring, the Jiuli had previously opened its storehouses, attracting many profit-seeking members into the outer sect. Many of them had secured positions within the Immortal Alliance based on their war records during the North-South conflicts, yet their profit-driven motives had never changed.

In the chaotic times, the Central Plains had been sliced into fragmented sections, with each sect occupying a territory based on its power, enjoying the local incense, civilian support, and spiritual vein resources. As the Sui Dynasty was established and the Central Plains unified, the question of how to manage and distribute this massive cake became a problem.

Where there are people, there is a "Jianghu." This saying applied just as well to the world of cultivation. While mortals needed political maneuvering and factionalism to arm themselves, the powerful cultivators were often more direct and blunt.

In his memory, the atmosphere within the Immortal Alliance was tense, with constant friction. It wasn't until Emperor Yang Jian passed away and the new Human Emperor, Yang Guang, ascended the throne that the sparks of friction finally hit the gunpowder.

Back then, he had no interest in mortal affairs and did not understand them in great detail. He only remembered that ever since Yang Guang ascended the throne, he had continuously dug canals and built temples and sacrificial altars. This caused the incense and treasure offerings received by the Immortal Alliance to multiply several times over compared to the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, while simultaneously plunging the Great Sui into misery.

Regarding the Human Emperor's actions, the Immortal Alliance debated extensively. Many deacons, represented by Ye Qiansheng, submitted petitions repeatedly, requesting that the Alliance issue an edict to stop the Emperor and restore order to the mortal realm. Meanwhile, another faction praised Yang Guang's actions, even proposing further conquest of Goguryeo to seize its grotto-heavens and incense-paying populace to compensate for the war losses suffered by the various sects over the centuries.

With this as the fuse, the friction that had previously existed only in the shadows moved into the light. Factions turned from verbal debates to armed conflict. In the ensuing struggle, the Sui Dynasty was torn apart, and the entire Central Plains was pushed to the brink of division once again.

At the time, as a guest elder, he had no stance on these power struggles and no interest in them; he had no desire to get involved.

That was until one day, several old codgers claiming to be from the Fanghua Sect arrived at his residence with a petition. In the name of outer sect elders, they righteously criticized his past actions and then declared on the spot that the guest elder, Zhou Wuqing, was a heretic who deserved to be purged.

The fire from the opposite bank had inexplicably caught onto him. Realizing what was happening, he simply crossed out their names on the petition and declared on the spot that the entire Fanghua Sect consisted of heretical rebels who should be purged.

In the end, he won, and as a result, he was drawn into the swirling undercurrents.

Under the glint of blades and swords, that civil war within the Immortal Alliance lasted for decades, only subsiding during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. Ultimately, under the guidance of the Jiuli, the various sects learned from the lessons of the Peach Blossom Spring and restructured the Immortal Alliance, truly unifying all the factions under one banner.

After that, while the number of members and strongholds of the Alliance appeared to decline compared to the Sui era, its overall strength grew once again. In coordination with the nascent Tang Dynasty, it expanded its sphere of influence to the northern grasslands and the Western Regions—a feat rare in the history of the Central Plains.

Heaven’s timing and geographical advantage are not as important as human harmony; that was the conclusion he had drawn from his life.

Hearing the current state of the Jiuli, although minor frictions were inevitable, they were generally moving forward in stability, and the new generation of disciples was growing steadily. In his view, this was the best state they could be in.

"...That is the current situation of the Jiuli." Jiang Ruifeng concluded his introduction, his tone becoming high-spirited once more. "The Sect Master has already given instructions: if you, Senior, are willing to return to the Jiuli, we will certainly welcome you with all our might."

With this short sentence, the pupils of the Sanitation Bureau officials standing behind could not help but constrict in unison.

This seemed like a mere invitation to welcome back an old senior, but given the strength and status of the man before them, this invitation was akin to an official government document issued to the entire society.

Fifteen hundred years ago, the emergence of Zhou Wuqing overturned the landscape of the North-South wars and shifted the entire cultivation world's attitude toward rogue cultivators. Now, a millennium later, his strength would only be greater than before.

If he truly agreed to return, the Jiuli Sect's ranking on the official strategic list would soar once again, and the power dynamics associated with them would face a massive earthquake.

And earthquake disaster relief was, after all, within the purview of the Sanitation Bureau.

For a moment, everyone's expressions tightened, and every gaze remained locked on Zhou Qing, waiting for his reply.

Zhou Wuqing only needed to speak, but they had a great deal to consider.

Under the gazes of the crowd, Zhou Qing shook his head gently.

"I am a guest; how can there be talk of a return?" he said. "The sect has too many complex affairs. I have no desire to be involved in them at present, so do not go to such great lengths or waste your efforts on this matter."

The officers around them relaxed their shoulders slightly, just about to let out a sigh of relief, when they saw Zhou Qing wave his hand. The spirit sword in his hand performed a sword flourish and dropped back into the hands of Jiang Ruifeng.

"Senior?" Jiang Ruifeng hurriedly caught the sword, his tone filled with shock.

He had come prepared to welcome the Senior back to the sect, never expecting that everything he had prepared would vanish like a stone in the ocean following Zhou Qing's words.

He did not want to return to the Jiuli?

That didn't seem right either...

Jiang Ruifeng looked at the spirit sword in his hand. The moment he caught it, he sensed a change in the artifact: after the passage of a millennium, the spiritual energy within the sword had somewhat depleted, but now, that power was once again brimming, even more potent than before.

"A sword is merely a tool; it should be used by people. I have no use for it right now, so let it return to where it came from," Zhou Qing said. "When I have the leisure in the future, I might stop by the sect to pay a visit, and we can discuss it then."

More than a thousand years had passed; his old friends in the sect had long since departed this world, and he had no lingering attachments to the Jiuli itself.

Compared to getting involved in the various troubles of cultivators, he preferred to enjoy his retirement and complete his tempering of the heart in the mundane world. As for revisiting old haunts, it wouldn't be too late to do so after all of this was finished.

Jiang Ruifeng pondered for a moment, seemingly savoring the meaning of these words.

He had originally wanted to take the opportunity to ask why Senior Wuqing had left the Jiuli in those years and where he had gone afterward. But now, with Zhou Qing not making a clear statement and the Sanitation Bureau present, this was clearly not the occasion for such questions.

After a long while, he clasped his hands and bowed slightly.

"I will strictly obey your command, Senior."

As he spoke, he stepped to the side. With his movement, Zhou Qing shifted his gaze to Lu Zhenhai and the others from the Sanitation Bureau who were watching from the sidelines.

Seemingly sensing his gaze, Lu Zhenhai shivered slightly, then stepped forward, his voice deep.

"Senior, we have a matter to report as well."

Having heard Jiang Ruifeng call him "Senior," he thought for a moment before adding the word "Old" to the title.

"Previously, you entrusted us with investigating an old enemy. We have already made some important breakthroughs, and we hope to inform you in person so that you may make a decision."