Chapter 213: Chapter 205: Revisiting Familiar Places, Laughing at My Sentimentality, Gray Hair Born Early
"Are you from Huai State?"
Chen Zhixing raised his eyebrows; it was the first time he learned that Dugu Ni came from Huai State.
No wonder Dugu Ni rarely took the initiative to accompany him this time to Huai State.
"Yes, it’s been over eighty years since I left Huai State last time, and I don’t know how my descendants are doing."
Dugu Ni shook his head, feeling a bit melancholic.
The path of cultivation is, in essence, a solitary journey through the world.
The further one advances in cultivation, the lonelier one becomes in this world, becoming accustomed to life and death.
Therefore.
Cultivators with higher cultivation levels tend to have colder temperaments.
"Is it difficult to know the situation of your descendants? On this trip to Huai State, you can stop by and have a look."
Chen Zhixing smiled and said, "The family is rich in resources now and in need of people. If your descendants have good potential, they can come to Ziwei Mountain to cultivate."
"Hopefully."
Dugu Ni nodded with a smile.
The Ziwei Chen Family, having plundered the Qing State Meng Family and other forces, is now indeed overflowing with riches.
In just over a month, many family elders have taken the True Self Pill and broken through to the True Self Realm!
Excluding the Dark Division, just within the Nine Peaks of the Bright Division, there are now more than ten cultivators in the True Self Realm!
Compared to before, the number of True Self cultivators in the Bright Division has nearly doubled!
Time slowly passed.
The steed serving as the carriage is no ordinary creature; it is a pureblood Snow Dragon Steed with the ability to travel ten thousand miles a day.
Huai State is quite distant from Yanzhou, nearly a hundred thousand miles away.
They need to cross the entire Youzhou midway.
Without rushing, it took them more than ten days.
Chen Zhixing and Dugu Ni finally rode the carriage and entered the territory of Huai State.
Throughout the journey, there were frequent signs of warfare and smoke.
Cultivators were often seen fighting viciously over an East Profound Order, many losing their lives in the process.
"The chaos of the world is approaching."
Chen Zhixing lowered the curtain, gently shaking his head.
Just earlier, he witnessed two sects fighting fiercely over an East Profound Order, leaving a field of corpses and a sea of blood.
In the end, one of the sects incurred the death of over a hundred disciples to obtain the East Profound Order.
A True Self Realm cultivator suddenly attacked from the side and killed the victorious sect, seizing the East Profound Order.
"Young Master, we’ve entered the territory of Huai State. Up ahead is Qinghe City."
Dugu Ni sat outside the carriage, turned back with a smile, and said.
"Hmm, your family is in Qinghe City, right?"
Chen Zhixing nodded and said.
"That’s right, I don’t know if those ignorant descendants can still recognize this old man, haha."
Dugu Ni laughed out loud, usually silent and stern, but now surprisingly excited, babbling to Chen Zhixing about past family stories.
The Snow Dragon Steed pulling the carriage seemed to sense Dugu Ni’s eagerness to return home, speeding up its pace.
Chen Zhixing smiled faintly, listening quietly.
Soon enough.
A majestic city gradually appeared on the horizon.
Qinghe City is Huai State’s second-largest city, with a population exceeding a million, second only to Sidu City, home of the Sikong family.
"Young Master, you have read widely, do you know any poems that express one’s feelings upon returning to an old place?"
Dugu Ni scratched his head and smiled.
Even though his mind is usually detached, he was somewhat excited and nervous at this moment.
He wondered how his children, who had already taken on the world independently before he left, were doing.
The mischievous grandson who refused to cultivate must have become a father by now, right?
Chen Zhixing thought for a moment and said:
"Looking back at Chang’an, a land of beauty, eighty years ago, I was a dashing gentleman."
"How about that?"
This poem is from a past life poet, who particularly enjoyed expressing youthful splendor.
It seemed fitting for Dugu Ni.
"Not proper... In my youth, I had a rather poor reputation, nothing related to a dashing gentleman. Hahaha."
Dugu Ni laughed heartily, waving his hand.
During their conversation, they entered Qinghe City.
Dugu Ni intentionally bought some gifts and then followed the remembered route towards his family’s old residence.
"Eighty years have passed; for cultivators like us, it’s a mere blink."
"But for the mundane world, significant changes occur."
"I recall Qinghe City being much livelier; now it seems desolate and quiet."
Dugu Ni and Chen Zhixing stepped off the carriage, walking on streets paved with bluestone.
This ancient city, ranked second in Huai State, was now desolate, with few pedestrians on the streets.
"It’s normal; everything has its rise and fall, even towns."
Chen Zhixing chuckled.
The two chatted as they turned into an alley, walking forward.
Suddenly.
Dugu Ni suddenly halted, looking intently at a wild-grown land ahead.
The ground held fallen houses, broken walls, and towering wild grass growing fiercely.
Through the dust-covered, web-infested ruins, one could faintly see past prosperity.
Chen Zhixing squinted his eyes, silently pondering, already guessing some.
The next moment.
Boom!
Dugu Ni stomped forward, appearing in front of a nearby teahouse.
"Old man wants to know, where are the people of this family?"
Dugu Ni stared fiercely at the teahouse’s waiter, his face terrifyingly gloomy.
"S... Sir, this family died out decades ago!"
The waiter was startled by Dugu Ni’s abrupt appearance and replied quickly.
"Died... died out?"
Dugu Ni seemed struck by lightning, body stiffening.
"Yes... it was many years ago."
The waiter shrank his head, lowered his voice, and said:
"I heard from elders in my family that this family offended a powerful figure they shouldn’t have, from Sidu City, the Sikong family. As a result, the entire family was slaughtered overnight, even the babies weren’t spared! It was tragic!"
After a pause.
The waiter cautiously glanced around and said quietly:
"Sir, please don’t spread this, and if you do, don’t say I told you."
Finished speaking.
The waiter quickly bowed away.
"Sikong...!!"
Dugu Ni stood there, eyes flashing fiercely.
Demonic Qi slowly rose like a tidal wave.
Clap.
A hand landed on Dugu Ni’s shoulder.
The previously soaring Demonic Qi instantly vanished.
Dugu Ni turned to Chen Zhixing, his eyes now utterly red.
"Don’t be anxious."
"Since you’ve joined me, we will eventually avenge this extinction, but not now."
Chen Zhixing shook his head slightly.
Dugu Ni remained silent.
It took a long time before Dugu Ni inhaled deeply, forcing a smile.
"Alright."
Dugu Ni nodded.
Chen Zhixing smiled faintly, about to speak.
Suddenly, from above the city, a sound explosion reverberated.
"Shanyang! Where do you think you can escape today?"
"Tell us! What is your relationship with that Bai Shi from back then?"
"Hmph, do you think you can evade us by fleeing from Youzhou to Huai State and joining the Five Elements Thunder Sect, and we from Haori Sword Sect are powerless?"
"Shanyang, you can’t escape your fate today! Even the Five Elements Thunder Sect can’t protect you!"
Chen Zhixing looked up.
He saw a single streak of lightning quickly dart across the sky, while several sharp sword lights pursued relentlessly.
"Shanyang?"
Chen Zhixing slightly furrowed his brow, feeling an odd sense of familiarity.
In the next moment.
Chen Zhixing seemed to realize something and revealed a look of understanding.
"Is it him? I didn’t expect to meet him again."
Chen Zhixing’s mind stirred, and a white mask with a crimson cross appeared in his hand.