Chapter 2228: Bad News

**Mortal World**

In the cave.

Light and shadow twisted, and three figures emerged from the void: Qin Sang and his two companions.

"We've shaken off those golden eagles..." Qing Hong glanced outside, carefully put down Frost in her arms, then turned to Qin Sang, her voice filled with surprise. "Those poison pills were all made by you, Junior Brother?"

After their whereabouts were exposed, Qin Sang judged that more golden eagles might be attracted. Knowing the two women would be no match, he had already set up a poison formation in the river using his poison pills. The spatial artifacts of this era were small. Master Tong Shen kept many of his treasured spirit herbs in a mountain vault. When Qin Sang went to retrieve herbs, he secretly took some higher-grade ones to refine poison pills as a precaution.

Both poison and formations were means to defeat stronger opponents. The poison formation Qin Sang set up was naturally more intricate, so much so that Qing Hong hadn't even realized it existed. The river water turned toxic, and the golden eagle leader was poisoned to death on the spot. This indeed terrified the other golden eagles, preventing them from entering the riverbed. Qin Sang and his companions seized the opportunity to escape far away.

Qin Sang simply attributed it to luck, believing he had accidentally refined poison pills while making spirit elixirs. He hadn't expected the poison to be so potent that it could kill even the golden eagle leader, who was close to transformation.

Qing Hong sighed with emotion, "No wonder Master praises you so highly. Junior Brother, you truly are a peerless genius! I thought we were all going to die here, but it turns out we escaped danger thanks to you. Both I, your Senior Sister, and Frost owe you a favor."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Qing Feng," Frost said, her voice soft and weak, as she was heavily injured and had just taken a healing elixir.

Qing Hong feigned displeasure. "I was the one who rescued you, Frost, from our enemies. Aren't you going to thank me first?"

Frost's pretty face flushed slightly. "Thank you, Senior Sister Qing Hong."

But Qing Hong wasn't done teasing her. "A life-saving grace isn't easy to repay! As his Senior Sister, it's only natural for him to save me. But you, Frost, are in a tricky situation. Are you really going to offer yourself to Junior Brother, just like in the storybooks?"

Frost had never been teased like this before. Her pretty face turned crimson, like the sky dyed by the sunset, and she hurriedly lowered her head, almost burying it in her chest.

Qing Hong knew she had gone too far. She raised her hand and playfully pinched Qin Sang's fair, tender arm, giggling, "Don't be afraid, Frost. My Junior Brother is still a child; he doesn't understand romantic feelings and won't force anything on you."

Qin Sang shook his head and swatted away Qing Hong's hand. "Senior Sister, stop joking. We're not safe yet. If the elders of those golden eagles come after us, my poison pills won't be able to kill them."

"You blockhead, so unromantic!" Qing Hong glared at him. "Frost's injuries should be stable now. Let's continue our journey."

"Mm." Frost softly acknowledged.

The three flew out of the cave. Frost still kept her head down, not daring to look at Qin Sang, which made Qing Hong secretly chuckle.

Next, they followed the geomancy map drawn by Senior Brother Qing Yan. Perhaps their luck was good, as they didn't encounter any pursuers along the way. Traveling day and night, they finally found the hiding place.

The treasured location chosen by Senior Brother Qing Yan was sheltered and well-concealed, hidden amidst the jungle. Surrounded by lush, towering mountains, its scenery was not much inferior to Yuanjing Mountain.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Their escape lights landed. Qing Hong surveyed the surroundings, very satisfied, and praised, "Senior Brother has excellent taste!" She sensed a spirit formation here, passed down by Master, which must have been set up by Senior Brother.

With a wave of her cloud sleeve, a shimmering watery light appeared before her, like a mirror. It first reflected the three figures, then the light and shadow shattered, and a mountain forest appeared before them.

When Qing Yan had initially received Master's order to find a new residence, he hadn't expected it to be needed so soon. It hadn't been carefully arranged yet and still retained its original, wild appearance. This didn't faze Qing Hong and the others. Qing Hong simply performed some minor spells, moving stones and raw timber, and after some sculpting, quickly built several pavilions.

"We need to build the Ancestral Master Hall and Master's meditation room on the mountain top... Hmm, maybe we should also open up a meditation room for Senior Lu! Below that will be rooms for the four of us, then guest rooms and a welcoming pavilion. Both Master and Senior Lu enjoy drinking, so we'll need to build a wine cellar. Junior Brother's alchemy is so powerful, we must build him an excellent furnace. Let's put it on the back mountain..."

Qing Hong busied herself, surveying the terrain, examining the spiritual veins, and planning the layout of the mountain gate, muttering to herself.

Qin Sang and Frost couldn't get a word in and simply watched from the side.

"Master hasn't arrived yet, and we might not stay here for long, so this might all be wasted effort. Senior Sister, why don't you first open up a few meditation rooms for Frost to heal?"

Qin Sang glanced at Frost beside him. Ever since leaving the cave, Frost had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding his gaze. Now, she deliberately averted her head, staring at the foot of the mountain, though he didn't know what was so interesting there. As soon as he said this, Qin Sang noticed a blush creeping up Frost's ears. This girl was no longer a child, appearing as cold as frost, yet unexpectedly shy. Qing Hong's previous comment had only been a joke.

Qin Sang chuckled inwardly, stretched, and took a deep breath. The fresh scent of grass and trees mixed with two faint, elegant fragrances, lingering in his nostrils.

With Master paving the way for his cultivation, he lacked nothing externally. The sect shielded them from all difficulties, and he only needed to focus on cultivation, occasionally even teasing the young girl. This kind of sect atmosphere was indeed excellent, something he hadn't experienced during his time at Shaohua Mountain. Now that his youthful spirit was gone, he had also lost that state of mind. Unfortunately, he couldn't truly enjoy it, whether in reality or illusion.

"How do you know Master won't stay here for long?"

Qin Hong, whose thoughts were interrupted by Qin Sang, was greatly displeased and retorted, "I underestimated you! You're so young, yet so shrewd and considerate!"

The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart. Frost's ears immediately turned red. Qing Hong cast a suspicious glance at the two of them, snorted, and casually built a few meditation rooms. The three entered their respective meditation rooms to cultivate and await Master.

Several days later, Qin Sang awoke from his meditation, sensing that the mountain's spirit formation had been triggered. He rushed out of his meditation room and saw Master and Senior Brother flying in from outside the mountain, followed by several other streaks of light.

"Master!"

Qin Sang and Qing Hong went to greet them. They saw that both Master and Senior Brother looked exhausted, as did most of the people behind them.

Master Tong Shen nodded slightly, then turned and said, "The mountain is simple and our hospitality lacking; I hope you don't mind. Fellow Daoists, please choose suitable spots to open up your own cave dwellings and recover as quickly as possible."

"Master, you're too kind!"

"Thank you!"

"Then we won't stand on ceremony..."

The crowd bowed repeatedly, then dispersed into the mountain, each opening up their own cave dwelling. Only one white-haired elder remained.

"Please, Fellow Daoist Zhou!" Master Tong Shen gestured, then told Qing Hong, "Let's talk downstairs."

Fortunately, Qing Hong had built a large hall in advance. Everyone filed in, and Master Tong Shen instructed, "This place is too close to Lingkong Mountain; we cannot stay long! Three days from now, once all Fellow Daoists have fully recovered, we will set off for Yongtu Immortal City."

Qing Hong asked, "Master, what kind of place is Yongtu Immortal City? Why didn't Senior Lu return with you?"

"Fellow Daoist Lu, he..." Master Tong Shen's expression dimmed. He walked up to Frost. "Frost, this is what your Martial Uncle left for you." As he spoke, he took out a crystal-clear ring.

Qin Sang's eyes flickered. He had seen this ring before; it used to be on Senior Lu's hand, his spatial artifact.

Frost already realized what had happened. Her delicate body trembled, unable to believe it, and she dared not reach out to take it.

"Fellow Daoist Lu was the first to discover some traces of the Golden Eagle clan and promptly warned us, allowing us to avoid this calamity. However, Fellow Daoist Lu, in his quest for information, unfortunately died at the hands of a Golden Eagle clan expert. Before leaving, Fellow Daoist Lu might have had a premonition; he entrusted this ring to me, saying that should anything happen to him, I was to pass it on to you..."

Master Tong Shen sighed and gently placed the ring into Frost's hand. "Fellow Daoist Lu and I have been friends for centuries, like family. You are his only successor, and I will naturally look after you. From now on, you shall remain by my side to cultivate, and Qing Yan and the others will be your Senior and Junior Brothers and Sisters. I will certainly treat you as I treat Qing Yan and the others, and Fellow Daoist Lu's spirit in heaven will always watch over you."

The white-haired elder, surnamed Zhou, echoed, "Miss Frost, please accept my condolences! We also owe Fellow Daoist Lu a debt of gratitude. Should you encounter any difficulties in the future, just let me know, and I will not hesitate to help!"

Frost gripped the ring tightly. She didn't wail or cry hysterically like most people, but only shed two streams of clear tears. Yet, one could feel her immense grief. Without a word, she suddenly turned and ran out of the hall.

"Poor Frost, what a bitter fate!" Qing Hong also began to cry. Frost had lost her Master before, and now, unexpectedly, her Martial Uncle had also left her.

Qing Hong wiped away her tears with a pained heart, but seeing Qin Sang standing by indifferently, she angrily kicked him. "You blockhead, what are you standing there for? Go after her!"

Master Tong Shen's gaze shifted towards them. "The three of you go out first. Take care of Frost. Your Master and Fellow Daoist Zhou have important matters to discuss."

"Understood!"

Qin Sang and the two women left the hall. Qing Yan was injured and needed to go into seclusion to heal.

Qin Sang and Qing Hong soon found Frost on a cliff. She was sitting by the edge, knees hugged, staring blankly eastward. One step forward would be a bottomless abyss.

"Frost, don't think foolish thoughts!" Qing Hong was alarmed and rushed forward to hug Frost. "Although Senior Lu is gone, you still have Master and us. From now on, we'll be like sisters..."

"Senior Lu surely wouldn't want to see you so down."

"You must pull yourself together, take care of yourself, and carry on Senior Lu's legacy. Only then can you truly comfort his spirit in heaven..."

Qing Hong offered one consolation after another, saying everything she could think of, but Frost remained unresponsive. As her throat grew dry, she looked up and saw Qin Sang leaning against a large tree, arms crossed, looking as if he were watching a play. She couldn't help but get angry. "Are you mute? Can't you say anything?"

"It's not Frost's first time experiencing something like this, so does she still need others to comfort her?" Qin Sang said calmly. "If you can't move past it, why not turn your grief and anger into strength, cultivate diligently, and one day avenge both your Master and Martial Uncle?"

"You..." Qing Hong clenched her teeth, wishing she could kick Qin Sang. Unexpectedly, Frost suddenly lifted her head, and a glimmer of light appeared in her dull eyes.

She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and stood up, bowing deeply to Qin Sang. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for pointing me in the right direction."

"You really understand? Avenge them, yes, but don't let hatred blind you," Qing Hong said, growing even more worried.

"According to Master, you should call me Junior Brother," Qin Sang said.

"Thank you, Junior Brother."

Frost smiled, appearing to have resolved the sadness in her heart. Then, with a normal expression, she said, "Senior Sister, Junior Brother, I'm going to cultivate now." With that, she turned and flew towards her meditation room.

Qing Hong wanted to follow, but Qin Sang stopped her with a hand.

"Will that method really work? Our Junior Sister won't go astray, will she?" Qing Hong whispered.

"Time heals all wounds," Qin Sang said.

"Sigh, Junior Sister has no relatives left. We must treat her well from now on, and that includes you, Junior Brother!" Qing Hong sighed faintly, giving Qin Sang an order.

Before she finished speaking, she quickly bowed. "Greetings, Master."

"What were you two just talking about?" Master Tong Shen appeared, looking at his two disciples.

"Ah! Nothing!" Qing Hong pointed to the meditation room. "I'll go check on Junior Sister."

"Go," Master Tong Shen shook his head and said to Qin Sang, "Qing Feng, walk with me in the mountain."

"Yes!"

Qin Sang followed Master Tong Shen, ascending along the cliff. There was originally no path in the mountain. Wherever Master Tong Shen passed, the vegetation automatically parted, and the rocks were cut into neat slabs, paving the ground to form a smooth mountain path.

The Master and disciple walked in silence until they reached the mountaintop. Master Tong Shen stood on a large, naturally formed rock, hands clasped behind his back, gazing silently westward. They stood there like that until the sun set and the moon rose, and starlight appeared in the sky.

Master Tong Shen looked up at the sky, gazing at the sea of stars for a long time. He then turned and, seeing no impatience from Qin Sang, said with satisfaction, "Your Senior Brother and Senior Sister lack your composure."

Qin Sang showed no trace of pride on his face. He asked, "Is Master troubled by something?"

"Oh?" Master Tong Shen was surprised. "You can tell your Master is troubled?"

Qin Sang smiled helplessly. "Your disciple may be inexperienced, but I'm not foolish."

Master Tong Shen burst into laughter. "In that case, tell me, Disciple, what troubles your Master?"

Qin Sang pretended to ponder. "Your disciple speculates that Master's worries might be of two kinds."

"First, we are relocating to Yongtu Immortal City, leaving our homeland behind. As the saying goes, 'a person leaving their home is devalued.' You worry whether the Fellow Daoists in Yongtu Immortal City will accept us, whether the people we encounter in the future will be friends or foes, and how the monsters will deal with our human race. The path ahead is uncertain, so Master is worried. You worry for us, and you worry for the future of humanity."

Master Tong Shen nodded slightly. "And the second?"

"Second, Master once said that you entered the mortal world for experience because your cultivation encountered a bottleneck. You didn't hesitate to disguise yourself as a beggar and descend to the mortal realm to seek opportunities. Your disciple couldn't understand it then, but I do now."

Qin Sang's expression at this moment also seemed to show concern for his Master. "In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. If Master could break through, you would be able to resolve the current difficulties. However, for your disciple's sake, Master returned to the mountain early without finding the opportunity. Now, with this major upheaval, Master may find it very difficult to descend to the mortal realm again in the future. Therefore, Master is also worried about your own cultivation path."