Chapter 26

This matter is riddled with suspicious points.

Everything about it feels strange.

Ao Qing let out a cold snort, his slender hand gripping his previously injured arm, regretting only that he had not managed to capture the treacherous dog and flay him alive.

A small jug gently nudged his hand.

"Water." The cub thought to herself that her Grand-Uncle-Master must be exhausted and terribly thirsty after such a great battle and traveling thousands of miles to bring two people back to the sect.

Having just huffed and puffed while wiping the bloodstains from his arm, she pulled out a water jug and held it up for her hardworking Grand-Uncle-Master.

The stern-faced, handsome man lowered his head, meeting her round, concerned eyes. After a moment, he snorted again, took the jug, and drank twice. Glancing coldly at Sect Master Yu, who was lost in deep thought, he said, "Why so stingy? Why is this not spirit water? One must be more attentive when raising a child."

To have such a helpless, hungry cub drinking nothing but ordinary water—it was far too miserly.

While still grumbling, the Azure Dragon Elder—lord of the waters—raised his hand, tossed a small urn to the flustered cub, and said indifferently, "Take this and drink it."

"Oh." The little one nodded vigorously, then hurriedly defended her father, saying, "There... was!" Her father had given her spirit water, but she was a glutton and had finished it all.

The little one babbled and circled around him, showing her filial piety.

Ao Qing had just emerged from a major battle and returned in great haste; throughout the journey, he hadn't even had the time to wipe the faces of the former Sect Master and the other elder.

Now, back at the sect, being greeted by the little one's caring inquiries, he felt the murderous intent in his heart inexplicably fade away.

Seeing that Yu Youyou’s complexion was better than when he had left, he casually checked her meridians, and finding them the same as before, he withdrew his hand.

At this moment, Daoist Feihong asked softly from the side, "Uncle-Master, since there was such a great struggle in the Far West, did it not alert the high-level cultivators there?"

A powerful force held sway over the Far West. If a disturbance had occurred quietly, it might have gone unnoticed, but for Ao Qing to have fought to the point of injury—a clash between three Immortal-level beings—the commotion would have been significant. It would be difficult to explain if that powerful force had truly remained unaware.

A look of suspicion crossed Daoist Feihong’s charming face as she looked at the contemplative Ao Qing and said softly, "Our sect has always had a good relationship with them. Isn't it strange that no one came to assist you when they heard the commotion? Or is it possible that the Immortal-level opponent you faced came from their ranks?"

When she mentioned "them," the hall fell silent; it was clear that "they" were people of great concern.

Yu Youyou, hugging the heavy urn filled with cool spirit water, tilted her little head, looking left and right, completely bewildered.

She tried hard to recall the memories of Yu Youyou from the book.

In those memories, there was indeed a major power in the Far West, called...

"They truly did not intervene, but I suspect that those who attacked us were not necessarily them," Ao Qing said calmly. "That fellow, the Great Derivation Emperor, has been an Immortal for ten thousand years. If he had intended to do something to us, I might have been able to escape, but those two would have had no chance of survival. How could it have merely been the sealing of their souls?"

Seeing the elders whispering among themselves, he shook his head and added, "Furthermore, he has spent these past few millennia fully dedicated to guarding the God-Demon Tomb; it is plausible that he pays little attention to other matters in the cultivation world."

As he said this, the cub, who was struggling to recall the book's contents, felt a sudden flash of clarity. She immediately remembered what that power in the Far West was.

It was a ten-thousand-year-old imperial dynasty named Great Derivation, and its guardian was an Immortal-level powerhouse who shared the name of the dynasty.

This Immortal had ascended ten thousand years ago and was a renowned and highly respected supreme senior throughout the cultivation world.

Her Grand-Uncle-Master was correct; it was said that the Great Derivation Emperor’s cultivation was formidable, and legend had it that several Immortal-level beings had once joined forces against him, yet they could not withstand the power of a single sword strike from him.

However, this powerhouse was not a tyrannical or overbearing person. He had established his dynasty in the west of the cultivation world and remained in seclusion for years, seemingly guarding something.

As for why she knew such details about the Great Derivation Emperor, it had a great deal to do with the Yu Youyou in the book.

In the book, the scumbag who had made the original Yu Youyou give everything for him claimed to be a descendant of the Great Derivation Emperor.

Of course, this was only a claim, as the Great Derivation Emperor rarely appeared.

Regardless, when that scumbag walked the cultivation world claiming to be of his bloodline, the Emperor never came forward to deny it—nor, of course, did he ever acknowledge it.

Although the fellow who had tricked Yu Youyou into betraying her sect was indeed a villain, he was also an exceptionally talented genius; in a short time, he had achieved a formidable cultivation, or he would never have dared to scheme to seize the entire cultivation world.

However, the cub felt it unlikely that the Great Derivation Emperor was truly related to that scumbag.

Because later, when Chu Xingyun and Zhu Changshu took their revenge, Zhu Changshu crippled that scumbag and threw him into the Land of Absolute Spirit, and no one ever came to rescue him...

If he were a true bloodline descendant, surely they wouldn't have watched him become a cripple, wailing and waiting for death?

Because of this, the little one pricked up her ears to listen, wanting to learn more about the Great Derivation Emperor.

Although she would certainly never be like the Yu Youyou in the book, digging out her heart and lungs for some unknown wild man, she knew that to know one's enemy is the path to victory.

If she learned more now, when she met that scumbag in the future, she would jump up and kick his kne... well, she would deploy her Senior Brother and Senior Sister to beat that scumbag—who coveted the destruction of the Primordial Sect and saw her Senior Brother as a thorn in his side—into a meat pie.

Thinking of the formidable cultivation of her Senior Brother and Sister, the cub felt relieved.

Although she wasn't smart, she knew how to call for backup.

This was the happy life of a cub who preferred to lie flat.

"But it is still strange that no one from Great Derivation offered assistance," Sect Master Yu said from the side. "It is likely that even if they noticed, they chose to remain neutral, or perhaps there is some other hidden story."

Unless one were a worm in their hearts, it was impossible to know why no one from Great Derivation had stepped forward during such a massive battle.

However, because this dynasty was protected by the Great Derivation Emperor, even if that Emperor never interfered in the affairs of the cultivation world, they were still respected due to the presence of such a supreme being.

Sect Master Yu pondered and said, "The Great Derivation Emperor’s birthday banquet is coming up. Perhaps we should attend and use the opportunity to test their attitude." As Sect Master, he had much to consider.

Ao Qing had little interest in such things and replied coldly, "We shall see when the time comes."

Having rushed back without a moment's rest, even a member of the powerful Dragon race would inevitably be exhausted.

Sect Master Yu said respectfully, "Uncle-Master, please rest first."

The elders also urged Ao Qing to rest.

The latter did not refuse, as it was clear that he needed to heal and recover from the injuries sustained in the battle.

However, he lingered for a moment, looking at Yu Youyou, and said softly, "Bring her over in a few days."

Even though the former Sect Master had his soul sealed by immense power, he had shown a flicker of reaction when he saw Yu Youyou.

That might not be because the cub possessed some great ability, but more likely because she was of the Gong family bloodline. This was a matter of utmost importance to the former Sect Master, surpassing even his own life, which was why he had managed to utter those two words.

Since that was the case, it would be better to have the little one hover around the old man every day; perhaps it might lead to a greater recovery.

The restraints locking the former Sect Master and Daoist Sun were too powerful; Ao Qing hadn't thought of a way to break them yet, so he hoped to find other ways to alleviate their condition.

Beyond the matter of the former Sect Master, there was also the need to inquire about the anomalies in his own daughter’s behavior during this period.

Sect Master Yu hurriedly agreed. Seeing the disciples return, he patted Yu Youyou’s little head and said gently, "Youyou, go back with your Senior Brother and Sister for today. Daddy needs to go settle your Grand-Master, okay?"

The former Sect Master had raised him, and was like a father to him. Now that he had returned safely, Sect Master Yu was overjoyed, but seeing him in this hollow, zombie-like state made it impossible for him to be at ease.

The little one nodded hurriedly, patted her own little chest, and said to her father, "Home!"

Was he going to take them home?

Sect Master Yu’s eyes grew hot as he turned to look at Ao Qing for confirmation.

Ao Qing had not originally intended to house the two of them at his own cultivation site.

That was out of the question—if they stayed at his place, the constant noise would be unbearable.

He had initially thought to keep them nearby for a few days of observation before having Sect Master Yu take them away, but now that he thought about it, taking them away immediately was fine too.

Regardless, they had been rescued, and aside from their souls and cultivation being sealed, they were otherwise unharmed—at most, they would just be like simpletons... He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Take them away."

He gave the order and went off to rest.

With the return of the former Sect Master, the great weight in everyone’s hearts was lifted, and they all felt a sense of relief.

Sect Master Yu hurried to bring the two unresponsive elders back to the Main Hall to be properly settled.

Since they had just returned and the cub knew the two elders were exhausted, she didn't disturb them, watching only as Sect Master Yu took them to a safe room.

Because Sect Master Yu still had concerns, the news of the two elders' return was not yet known to everyone.

Ruan Ling, being by Yu Youyou’s side, could not be kept in the dark, but she kept her lips tightly sealed, refusing to mention it to anyone.

After Sect Master Yu settled them, he patted his daughter’s little head with satisfaction.

He didn't know how to express his feelings to his daughter.

This child had helped the Primordial Sect bring back its former Sect Master.

However, a father and daughter did not need to say so many words of gratitude; Yu Youyou felt that things were just fine as they were.

Several days passed this way. When the cub saw her Grand-Master and Daoist Sun being helped by Ruan Ling to bask in the sun, she busily ran over to play with them.

Surprisingly, they really could play together.

Ao Qing also emerged from his seclusion.

Having recovered from his injuries and exhaustion, Sect Master Yu picked up his daughter to pay him a visit.