Chapter 58: Do Not Say You Were Not Warned!

"Family Head Lü, I had no such intention."

Zhong Tao's expression shifted as he realized he had spoken out of turn. He hurriedly cupped his fists toward Lü Wen in apology.

Lü Wen let out a cold snort before continuing, "I said it before: that fiend's heart meridians were shattered by our Lü family's Ruyi Force. Even if an immortal descended, they couldn't save him! What Zhao Zhen said is true—once the bronze gong strikes, all grudges are settled! Just now, everyone present agreed to put an end to our grievances with that fiend, and everyone nodded in consensus! If anyone still wishes to stir up trouble under this pretext, then please forgive the Lü family for not accompanying you further! Everyone, farewell!"

With that, Lü Wen turned and walked down the mountain with the Lü family members without the slightest hesitation.

As the Lü family members left in anger, the remaining people exchanged glances.

At that moment, Zhang Linfeng of the Floating Cloud Sword Sect stepped forward once again.

"I stand by what I said. That fiend's heart meridians are severed; there is no possibility of survival. Matters here are concluded, and the Floating Cloud Sword Sect will likewise not accompany you any further!"

Seeing that both major factions, the Lü family and the Floating Cloud Sword Sect, had departed, the remaining people realized that staying any longer would not only lack justification but would also indirectly offend both powerful forces.

Realizing this, the righteous cultivators began walking down the mountain one by one.

Realizing the general trend was lost, Zhong Tao gritted his teeth, sheathed his long sword, and slunk away down the mountain in the wake of the crowd.

Before long, the clearing that had previously been packed with people was left with only Zhao Zhen.

An hour later, Zhao Zhen carried Duan Chuan's body down the mountain and, in accordance with their agreement, buried him beneath the red maple tree at the entrance of his old home.

After erecting a gravestone for the old man and carving the inscription "Tomb of My Venerable Master, Golden Light Immortal Duan Chuan," Zhao Zhen knelt before the headstone and kowtowed three times.

"Old man, now that everyone has gone, you can finally have some peace."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed behind Zhao Zhen.

Zhao Zhen turned his head to see Wugen Sheng and Wang Yaozu walking slowly toward him.

"As expected, that old ghost still had you bury him right here..."

Wang Yaozu glanced at the tombstone and sighed with emotion, "Lü Wen was right. That old ghost had good fortune. I wonder if anyone will ever set up a stele for me when I die..."

"What are you here for?"

Zhao Zhen glanced sideways at Wugen Sheng standing behind him.

Wugen Sheng did not reply. Instead, he walked up to Duan Chuan's tombstone and cleanly, resolutely kowtowed three times.

"My apologies."

"Apologize for what?"

"Naturally, for the Master's death."

"Didn't you say it yourself? The old man figured things out on his own; it had nothing to do with you," Zhao Zhen said indifferently.

Wugen Sheng was slightly startled, then couldn't help but chuckle wryly.

This fellow actually used his own words to trap him...

"Wugen Sheng, do you remember what you once told me about the four types of people?"

"I remember." Wugen Sheng nodded.

"While I don't necessarily oppose your theory, I still want to leave you with one piece of advice."

"What advice?"

"Though you fancy yourself a person of the fourth category, playing the teacher is never a good habit."

Wugen Sheng froze, casting a suspicious and uncertain look at Zhao Zhen.

Before he could speak, however, Zhao Zhen interrupted him in a cold tone.

"Gentlemen, now that you've paid your respects, please leave. Since the severance is complete, the old man is no longer considered a member of your Quanxing sect, and there is no need for you to keep coming to honor him."

Wang Yaozu said nothing. He simply cast one final look at Duan Chuan's tombstone before turning to walk away.

As for Wugen Sheng, he looked at Zhao Zhen with a trace of curiosity before departing.

"Brother Zhao, where do you plan to go next?"

"My master has passed away. As his disciple, it is only right that I observe seven days of mourning for him."

Faced with Zhao Zhen's nonsensical reply, Wugen Sheng opened his mouth, but ultimately chose to say nothing more.

In the end, Wugen Sheng and his party left once again.

-----------------

Seven days later, the mourning period concluded. Zhao Zhen took off his mourning clothes, folded them neatly, and placed them inside the old man's room.

Before leaving, he took one last look at the red maple tree.

Walking alone through the streets of the small town, an unprecedented wave of loneliness welled up within him.

From this day forward, he was truly left entirely to himself.

After a brief moment of sorrow, Zhao Zhen slowly shook his head, casting all the chaotic thoughts in his mind to the back of his head.

The predecessors had passed on, and those who remained alive had all the more reason to carry on the wills of the fallen and live well.

Unwittingly, the year 1930 was fast approaching, and there was barely a year left before the full outbreak of war.

Though Zhao Zhen was confident that his current abilities were more than enough to preserve his life, with the nation facing catastrophe, he had no intention of merely seeking self-preservation.

Over the years of his travels, he had mastered quite a few techniques.

For concealment, he had the Mirage Escape; for fleeing, he had the Golden Light Streamer; alongside the Ghost Gate Needles, which could both kill and save lives, his repertoire of mystical arts was already quite comprehensive.

The only thing Zhao Zhen currently lacked was a core mental cultivation method for refining life and spirit.

Just as the Tianshi Mansion had the Golden Light Spell and Quanzhen had its own unique Golden Elixir mental method, the Golden Light Streamer ultimately leaned toward movement arts rather than cultivating the essence of life and spirit.

This was evident from the tangible gap in life-cultivation level that still existed between Zhao Zhen and Zhang Zhiwei.

Even with the mastery of stepping on the Dipper constellations, when it came to endurance in combat, Zhao Zhen still fell far short of Zhang Zhiwei.

Therefore, before that great war arrived, Zhao Zhen had to find a way to resolve his greatest current shortcoming.

Yet techniques specializing in the refinement of life and spirit were mostly passed down exclusively within major sects.

Although the severance was complete and Zhao Zhen had shed the identity of a Quanxing fiend disciple, he had no desire to apprentice himself to anyone else.

In this lifetime, he would acknowledge only the old man as his master!

Just as Zhao Zhen was agonizing over how to solve this current dilemma, a familiar figure in the distance instantly caused him to frown.

In the next instant, Zhao Zhen's figure vanished from the spot.

Moments later, outside Duan Chuan's former residence, Zhong Tao muttered softly to himself, "This should be the place, right? That old bastard's house..."

Upon seeing the tombstone erected by Zhao Zhen beneath the red maple tree, Zhong Tao's eyes lit up fiercely.

"It really is here! You old bastard, I'm going to see for myself whether you're really dead!"

Just as Zhong Tao reached for the shovel he carried with the intent of digging up the grave, an intensely chilling voice suddenly rang out right behind him.

"Since you miss the old man so much, you can go down and keep him company."

In a flash, a silver needle radiating dark aura silently pierced the back of Zhong Tao's head.

Thud!

Without the slightest struggle, Zhong Tao pitched forward and fell straight to the ground, losing all breath instantly.

Behind him, Zhao Zhen's figure slowly materialized.

He cast a cold glance at Zhong Tao's corpse on the ground, making no move to bury it. Instead, he left the body exposed right there, carved a few bold characters on the ground beside the corpse, and turned to walk away.

"Do not say you were not warned!"