The white-haired woman crouched down, her hand trembling slightly as she touched the stone monument.
"Your Excellency, you see there's no old rust or moss where the inscription is carved on the monument. This indicates that the monument hasn't been standing for very long," said the man who discovered the monument.
"Spread out and search this area!" the white-haired woman commanded.
After giving the order, the white-haired woman's gaze remained on the inscription. "I hope the heavens aren't playing a joke on me."
Waving her hand to cover the stone coffin and restoring the grave, the white-haired woman left the canyon and then saw the wooden house.
Coming before the wooden house, and after a look, the white-haired woman noticed some traces. She had seen this wooden house when she was cleaning the grave earlier. The wooden house was somewhat dilapidated, but now it had clearly been repaired by someone, though there were no signs of anyone living in it.
Half a day later, the people the woman had sent out returned and reported to the white-haired woman that there was no sign of human habitation in the surrounding area.
"Go out and search, spreading out from here in all directions. Report back immediately if you find anything," the white-haired woman waved her hand at her subordinates. She planned to wait here; the wooden house had been repaired, so someone might return.
A team of people bowed to the white-haired woman and left the wooden house.
"Your name is Qin Chu, and you're still alive. It's good that you're alive!" the white-haired woman murmured softly.
Qin Chu, who had entered the Holy Land of Zhongzhou, traveled every day, but not aimlessly. When he entered a city, he would stay at an inn and gather information, as he wanted to understand the current situation of the Jianghu.
Half a month after entering the Holy Land of Zhongzhou, Qin Chu's Cultivation improved again, entering the fourth level of the Spiritual Origin Realm.
Qin Chu never slacked off in his Cultivation. He knew there were many masters in this world, and to stand firmly in this world, he needed to diligently improve his Cultivation.
In addition to his Origin Qi Cultivation advancing, Qin Chu's Sword Body also entered the fourth level. The heat in his chest no longer flared up, but the sword bone in his chest was still growing. Its volume hadn't grown much, mainly its level. Qin Chu felt that it contained a lot of energy, but he didn't know how to use it or what was going on with it.
On this day, Qin Chu entered a large city to rest, as he needed to continue gathering information.
At this moment, in the wooden house where Qin Chu lived as a child, the white-haired woman listened to the report from her subordinates.
"What did you say? He's a Utility Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. This is too much bullying!" A cold light appeared in the white-haired woman's eyes.
"Please calm your anger, Princess. It's true that this person named Qin Chu is a Utility Disciple, but he is the strongest Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect and is very famous. The elite Disciples of the Blood Saber Gate and the Wolf King Hall have all suffered at his hands and have been killed by him," the man who had gathered the information said with a bow.
The white-haired woman stood up. "Depart! Head to the Azure Cloud Sect. If he has suffered any grievances in the Azure Cloud Sect, then this Princess will flatten the Azure Cloud Sect!"
The white-haired woman led her people to the Azure Cloud Sect. Before the Azure Cloud Sect's defensive array was activated, the group rushed to the main hall of the Azure Cloud Sect's mountain gate.
"Who are you people?" Luo Zhen appeared with his people. Seeing the white-haired woman, Luo Zhen felt pressure because he couldn't discern her depth.
"You don't need to ask who this Princess is. This Princess is here for Qin Chu. Bring him out to see this Princess!" The aura around the white-haired woman rippled, violently, even causing spatial distortions.
"Who exactly are you people?" Luo Zhen's hand touched the hilt of his sword. He was the Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect, and no matter how strong his opponent, he would not be forced to submit.
"Sect Master, don't be impulsive!" Mo Daozi appeared, reaching out to block Luo Zhen, who was about to strike.
"This Princess wants to see Qin Chu!" the white-haired woman said, looking at Mo Daozi.
"You are going too far." Luo Zhen was quite angry because Qin Lingxi was too overbearing, demanding to see someone without giving a reason, showing no regard for the Azure Cloud Sect.
"Sect Master, she is Qin Chu's relative," Mo Daozi shook his head at Luo Zhen.
Hearing Mo Daozi's words, the white-haired woman's aura receded somewhat. "How do you know?"
"This Seat helped him deduce his background and saw you in an image. Although seventeen or eighteen years have passed, you haven't changed much. Also, when you buried him in the stone coffin, how did you know he was alive?" Mo Daozi was also a little puzzled.
"Let's not talk about anything else for now, this Princess wants to see him." The white-haired woman was very anxious.
"Everyone, please come with this Seat first. This Seat has some things to tell you." Mo Daozi said, leading the white-haired woman and her group into a side hall.
After everyone sat down, Mo Daozi spoke, "Your Excellency, you are late. Some time ago, Qin Chu left the Azure Cloud Sect. He wanted to find his family. Although this Seat was worried, I couldn't stop him."
"Looking for his family... This Princess buried him back then and didn't leave any clues!" The white-haired woman frowned. She was Qin Chu's aunt, Qin Lingxi. She had come this time intending to take Qin Chu's remains, but she hadn't expected things to change. She hadn't expected her nephew, the only direct descendant of the Vermilion Bird Clan, to still be alive.
"It's like this: after you buried him back then, a passing master discovered life within the grave, so he dug him out and raised him for fourteen years. That person knew this Seat was skilled in deduction, so he provided clues for him. After he arrived at the Azure Cloud Sect and rendered great meritorious service to the Azure Cloud Sect, this Seat helped him deduce what happened more than ten years ago, from you being ambushed to your hair turning white instantly. He knows all of this. Knowing the clues, he left the Azure Cloud Sect," Mo Daozi explained what he knew.
"This child, how much does he know, and where is he looking?" Qin Lingxi became a little anxious.
"Back then, when you left the first battlefield, a Vermilion Bird phantom appeared behind you. That was the Vermilion Bird Body of the Vermilion Bird Holy Clan, and you protected him selflessly, so he knows he is related to the Vermilion Bird Holy Clan. As for where he went to search, this Seat is not clear! He left, and you arrived; it truly is an unfortunate coincidence." Mo Daozi sighed, he truly hadn't expected such a situation to arise.
"Thank you, Your Excellency, for helping Qin Chu." Qin Lingxi cupped her fists at Mo Daozi.
"Qin Chu is a very diligent child. If he had been willing, he would have been the next Sect Master of the Azure Cloud Sect," Mo Daozi said.
"But as this Princess knows, Qin Chu is just a Utility Disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect," Qin Lingxi said. She was very displeased about this matter. A direct descendant of the Vermilion Bird Holy Clan becoming a Utility Disciple was simply a desecration.
Mo Daozi shook his head, "There's a misunderstanding here. When he came to the Azure Cloud Sect back then, the Azure Cloud Sect's Disciple acceptance ceremony had already passed. In order to find a place to live and eat, he entered the Utility Hall of the Azure Cloud Sect. Later on, the Sect wanted to promote him, but he himself was unwilling. Actually, for him, being a Utility Disciple or a Core Disciple made no difference. This Seat even taught him my sword techniques. It can be said that in the Azure Cloud Sect, he could have anything he wanted. It's just that his inner obsession was to find his family."
"To find a place to live and eat..." Qin Lingxi's eyes were a little watery. She knew that her nephew had suffered greatly and endured much hardship.