Chapter 149: Memories Reawakened

After the grand Foundation Establishment banquet concluded, the Xuanyang Sect returned to its usual routine. The disciples each attended to their duties, carefully managing the sect's modest territory...

As the east-flowing water drifted away, the autumn leaves fell in flurries.

Upon returning to the mountain gate, Bai Qingzhou resumed his duties as the Merit-Teaching Deacon and once again began holding classes.

Because of his promotion to the Foundation Establishment stage, an increasing number of students came to his lectures. The classroom, which originally held only a dozen disciples, expanded to over twenty. Among them were many who had previously felt that the Great Dao was out of their reach, hoping that under Bai Qingzhou’s guidance, they could break through their current levels and attain a new realm.

Unfortunately, Bai Qingzhou could not help them break through their bottlenecks. After listening for three months, the group felt hopeless, dispersed once more, and returned to their own affairs.

The dozen or so disciples who remained had acquired a comprehensive understanding of various subjects through long-term study. In the end, there was nothing left for Bai Qingzhou to teach. By the fourth month, he officially announced that they would study independently from then on, and formal lectures would cease.

From that day forward, Bai Qingzhou’s life returned to peace.

Having advanced to Foundation Establishment, according to the sect's rules, he officially became an elder.

As a sect elder, he no longer needed to live in the communal residential area for ordinary disciples and was permitted to carve out an independent cave dwelling anywhere within the sect grounds.

Therefore, Bai Qingzhou took some time to find a pleasant spot in the back mountain forest. After enlisting a few handymen to help with a simple renovation, he officially moved in.

From then on, he spent his days meditating and cultivating in the back mountain, studying the newly acquired Fierce Sun Sword Technique to temper his physical body.

In his spare time, he also practiced the Ethereal Sword Manual. After a period of diligent study, he finally mastered all eighteen sword techniques of the manual, elevating his swordsmanship to a brand new level.

Every day was spent in fulfillment as he continuously enhanced his own strength. Time slipped away like fine sand between fingers, and in the blink of an eye, nine months passed.

This day.

Bai Qingzhou gazed into the distance. The figures of He Zuo and He Li departing were still fresh in his mind.

"Perhaps the time is truly right..." Bai Qingzhou murmured to himself.

What the two of them had come to discuss earlier had left him deep in thought.

Before he could ponder further, a sharp sound of a flying object piercing through the air suddenly echoed in the sky.

Bai Qingzhou raised his head to look.

He saw a woman dressed in white robes, with skin as smooth as congealed fat, slowly descending from the sky.

"Junior Sister." Bai Qingzhou raised a hand in greeting.

The newcomer was none other than Zhang Zhiyan.

Zhang Zhiyan’s small courtyard was not far from this place. Ever since Bai Qingzhou moved here to live, the two had frequently visited each other, often chatting about Daoist arts and sharing cultivation insights.

"Just now, it seemed I saw the He siblings coming to see you?" Zhang Zhiyan walked familiarly over to a stone chair, sat down, and asked casually.

Hearing Zhang Zhiyan’s inquiry, Bai Qingzhou recalled the conversation he had just shared with the two youths. He paused for a moment before replying, "Not quite. This time they came to speak with me about a serious matter."

"What matter?"

Bai Qingzhou said calmly, "They said they want to leave the Xuanyang Sect..."

Zhang Zhiyan looked slightly surprised and quickly asked, "Leave? Why would they want to leave out of the blue? Could it be that some disciples in the sect are bullying them?"

"No..." Bai Qingzhou shook his head and slowly explained, "Does Junior Sister know that, in truth, the two of them are not disciples of our sect, but rather disciples of the Heavenly Master Sect from far away in Chuzhou?"

"That much I naturally know. They were brought here back then by a close friend of late Sect Master Li. Later, when that cultivator went out together with Sect Master Li, they unfortunately fell in the wilderness, which is why the two of them remained behind in our sect."

"That's right," Bai Qingzhou nodded slowly, a trace of emotional realization in his voice. "Therefore, they have expressed to me more than once that they wish to leave the Xuanyang Sect and return to the Heavenly Master Sect in Chuzhou."

Hearing this, Zhang Zhiyan’s expression turned somewhat indignant as she retorted angrily, "Our Xuanyang Sect has taken care of them unconditionally for several years, yet they are this eager to go back? To leave my Xuanyang Sect?"

"There is no help for it..." Bai Qingzhou said with mild helplessness. "When all is said and done, they are disciples of the Heavenly Master Sect. It is only natural that they want to return."

Zhang Zhiyan fell silent.

Bai Qingzhou continued, "Moreover, the cultivation technique they practice can only take them up to the early stages of Qi Condensation. Now that both have reached the third layer of Qi Condensation, they need to return to their sect to obtain the subsequent techniques to continue their cultivation."

"Techniques? This... they could completely choose other cultivation techniques to practice; why must they return to their sect?" Zhang Zhiyan asked, puzzled.

"The two of them once told me that their introductory technique and subsequent techniques form a complete, indivisible set. They cannot casually switch techniques halfway through, or they will easily suffer a deviation in their cultivation and go mad."

"So that's how it is..." Zhang Zhiyan shook her head and said helplessly, "Very well... they have not forgotten their roots, which is a fine quality. It is simply a pity that our Xuanyang Sect will lose two cultivators."

"This matter cannot be forced," Bai Qingzhou raised his head to look at the sky, continuing slowly, "And today, they came to speak to me about this matter once again."

"Wait," Zhang Zhiyan paused for a fraction of a second and hurriedly asked, "They don't want to return to the Heavenly Master Sect right now, do they?"

Bai Qingzhou stood up, took a couple of steps, and said, "Precisely so. They plan to leave the Xuanyang Sect in a few days and return to the Heavenly Master Sect."

"But, the distance between Lizhou and Chuzhou is vast, requiring one to cross several regions and even travel across states. The journey is exceptionally arduous, and the two of them are merely at the third layer of Qi Condensation..."

At this, Zhang Zhiyan abruptly stood up and stared intently at Bai Qingzhou. "Junior Brother Bai! Do they expect you to escort them back?!"

Bai Qingzhou gave a slight nod and said calmly, "They have approached me about this multiple times. That is indeed their intention."

He Zuo and He Li were extremely familiar with Bai Qingzhou. Within the mountain gate, they had always been very attached to him and placed immense trust in him, which was why they wished to ask Bai Qingzhou to escort them back.

"Then what are your thoughts?" Zhang Zhiyan’s expression turned grave.

Bai Qingzhou said in a deep voice, "This is something I ought to do in the first place."

"Why?"

"Because I once made a promise to Senior Qin..."

Bai Qingzhou could not help but recall the scene from years past in his mind...

Back then, Bai Qingzhou, along with He Zuo, He Li, and Chen Lin, had ventured into the back mountain as a group of four to search for a lost large yellow dog.

There, they happened to encounter Li Yuyun and the others.

At that time, Li Yuyun and Qin Xiu had come together to search for Han Aoyu, intending to explore a secret realm.

During their final conversation that day, Qin Xiu had entrusted Bai Qingzhou to take good care of He Zuo and He Li, and Bai Qingzhou had readily agreed.

Who could have known that that meeting would be their last, and both Li Yuyun and Qin Xiu would leave and never return...

Bai Qingzhou looked into the distance and spoke slowly, "I made a promise to Senior Qin... I cannot break my word to others."