There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 200 Two Lifetimes, Heading Again to Jade Capital
Zuoquji is located west of the ancient city of Fengxi.

Although it is called a "market town", it is actually a fairly large town.

Because a type of gravel used for guiding air can be produced in the nearby water channel, the Taiyi Temple took a liking to it a few years ago and built a shop there, bringing the area under its control.

East end, teahouse.

Around the square table sat four men. The highest cultivation level among them was only at the early stage of the second realm, and the lowest was just at the first realm. But in Zuoquji, they were already powerful enough to walk around with impunity.

"Tsk, how much water did you add to this tea? The spiritual energy is so weak I can barely smell it!" A scarred man slammed his rough earthenware teacup down, glancing sideways at the limping old shopkeeper. "Old cripple, trying to fool us with inferior goods again?"

The old shopkeeper trembled and hurriedly stepped forward with a forced smile: "Lord Pi, you flatter me! How could I dare! This is the best Cloud Mist Root in the shop. I've been saving it for half a year, and I've brought it all out, hoping that this little bit of spiritual energy can help you masters find the spiritual opportunity as soon as possible and make a great contribution..."

The one called "Bi Jun" was named Bi An.

He was born with a handsome face, fair and clean-cut, but a sinister and fierce look in his eyes ruined his appearance.

He took another sip of tea slowly and sneered, "Make a contribution? That's probably an insult to us! We've been searching for days and haven't found a single hair! All the higher-ups know is how to talk, do they care about the hard work of us below?"

A short, stout man next to him immediately chimed in, "Brother Pi is right! This godforsaken place, where even birds don't poop, what kind of spiritual energy could possibly be generated or concentrated here? In my opinion, it's just a terrible idea that those big shots up there came up with on a whim!"

“That’s not how it works,” the other, tall and thin man said in a low voice. “It’s precisely because it’s a tough job that it’s easy to get things done, Brother Pi, don’t you think?”

Pi An understood and laughed, saying with a hint of pride, "Yesterday, when I led the patrol to Black Wind Pass, the sensory compass didn't even crack a sound. But we did run into a group of refugees who had hidden a few pieces of jade cores of good quality. As you all know, the law stipulates that privately hoarded spiritual materials should be confiscated! Since we brothers have gone through all that trouble, we can't let it go to waste, so we enforced the law on the spot!"

His words sounded grand and dignified, but everyone present knew exactly what he meant, and they all smiled knowingly and gave him a thumbs up.

"It has to be Senior Brother Pi! He got the job done and followed all the rules!"

"It's their good fortune that Senior Brother Pi personally seized it! It saves them from the trouble of possessing a treasure and bringing disaster upon themselves! Senior Brother Pi is doing good deeds and accumulating merit!"

Pi'an listened to the flattery with satisfaction, and waved his hand reservedly: "It was all for the sect, just my duty. It's just a pity that those people were unlucky and died in the fall."

The other three understood immediately and laughed twice.

Pi'an then advised, "As long as your eyes are sharp, even the poorest and most remote places can offer opportunities. Once you've accumulated enough merit points, you can exchange them for a Qi-Nourishing Pill. Then, one day, you and I will be able to step into the immortal realm and sense spiritual energy. At that time, we can become immortals and ancestors, saving all living beings and bringing peace to the world..."

After boasting about a few similar "achievements," Bi Anzhi stood up smugly, patted his clothes, and said, "Alright, you guys keep an eye on things. I'll go take another look around and see if there are any fish that have slipped through the net."

Amidst the slightly obsequious farewells of several people, Pi An strolled out of the teahouse and turned into the alley leading out of town.

Once away from the crowd, the reserve on his face quickly vanished, and he muttered under his breath, "A bunch of poor, useless wretches. They've talked for so long, but they still don't know how to offer tribute. If I ever make it into the official register and gain power, I'll make them pay..."

The alleyway went deeper and deeper, and the two sides became increasingly quiet.

Suddenly, Pi'an stopped in his tracks, turned abruptly, placed his hand on the sword at his waist, and shouted sharply, "Who's lurking around like that? Get out here! Are you after money or revenge? Do you know my background?"

However, before he could finish speaking!
A person emerged from the shadows and was in front of him in the blink of an eye.

"I made a sound so that you could die in a clear and bright way; otherwise, a silent, painless, and fearless death would be a blessing for you!"

Upon hearing this, Bi'an's heart tightened, but before he could even see how the other party would move, a chilling killing intent had already enveloped him!
The fierce look on his face froze instantly, turning into terror, and the words of pleading for mercy slipped out instinctively: "Senior, please spare me..."

Before he could even utter the word "fate," a slender hand gently landed on his head.

"Crack!"

The terror in Bi'an's eyes suddenly froze, his pupils dilated, all signs of life were wiped away, and a humble expression of trying to beg for mercy remained on his face, but his body had already slumped down.

"Although Taiyi Dao Palace is domineering, it is still a prestigious and righteous sect with the status of a superior sect. How come its outer members are of such mixed quality, even scum like this are being recruited?"

Chen Qing glanced at the corpse on the ground, stretched out his finger, and with a swift motion, took a few strands of flesh with hair roots and a small section of finger bone from Bi An.

Then, he used the "Hundred Forms and Thousand Illusions" technique taught by Liu Shuang'er, silently chanted the incantation, placed the flesh and bones in his palm, and used his own spiritual power to envelop and refine them.

A faint light emanated from his palm, and his flesh and bones melted away like ice and snow, transforming into a wisp of mist that spread out and enveloped him.

A moment later, Chen Qing's figure and face began to change at a speed visible to the naked eye. His muscles writhed and his bones cracked. In just a moment, he became exactly the same as Bi An on the ground, even imitating the sinister and fierce aura between his brows perfectly.

He moved his hands and feet, then touched his cheeks, feeling the condition of this "new body".

"This magic, created tens of thousands of years later, has been refined through war and the end of the Dharma era, its essence purified and refined, truly exquisite. Although its memories cannot be read, its form, energy, and spirit can all be simulated, enough to fool the eye." He was quite satisfied. "Liu Shuang'er mentioned that because the spiritual energy in the present world is scarce, this technique consumes a great deal of energy and needs to be maintained with spiritual marrow, making it difficult to sustain and easy to expose. However, in this Immortal Dynasty, although the spiritual energy is weak, it is still relatively abundant. In addition, the gate in my heart can continuously replenish it, making this technique almost flawless, just what I need!"

He glanced at the corpse on the ground, flicked his finger, and a spark of real fire fell, instantly burning the body to ashes, which were then scattered by the wind into the filth of the alley corner, leaving no trace.

After finishing all this, Chen Qing straightened his clothes, imitated Bi An's arrogant and impatient expression, and stepped out of the alley, merging into the crowd on Zuoquji Street.

Wearing the face of Bi'an, he was pondering how to get to Yujing when he was stopped by his companions who had been drinking tea at the teahouse earlier, who were panting heavily.

"Senior Brother Pi! Wait! Great news, incredible news!" The short, stout man exclaimed excitedly. "Chief Liu just received orders that an unusual spiritual energy gathering point has been discovered in the wild ridge between Fengxi Ancient City and Nanxiang City! He ordered us to search for it immediately! The chief said that if this is successful, it will be a great achievement, and we might even be rewarded with elixirs, or even have the opportunity to go to Yujing to report on our duties!"

Chen Qing initially didn't want to get involved, but in the end, a thought struck him: if he could use this as an excuse to go to Yujing, he could save himself the trouble of figuring it out on his own.

With this thought in mind, he imitated Bi An's sarcastic tone: "Oh? There can be spiritual energy in a remote mountain valley between two cities?" After listening to his companion's detailed description, he also became suspicious. The place was close to the Thunder Pool. Could it really be related to his residual aura?
"lead the way."

The group hurriedly arrived at Yeling and met up with Liu Ben, the minor leader of the outer sect.

Liu Ben was tall and thin, with a sallow complexion. He carried a long sword inlaid with spirit jade at his waist. His cultivation had reached the late stage of the third realm, making him stand out among the low-ranking gang members. He was calling out to everyone, "Listen up! The compass indicates that the spiritual energy in the mountains ahead is unusual. There may be villains hiding there, practicing evil arts, or hoarding prohibited spiritual items! We are ordered by the Dao Palace to patrol the four directions and protect all living beings. We will not tolerate any filth hiding! Search carefully later! Any suspicious items must be brought back for investigation! If there is resistance, kill without mercy!"

Seeing Chen Qing arrive, he looked down at him and said, "Bi'an, it's good that you're here. There's a small, ignorant sect on this wild mountain called Baopu Sect, which harbors evil spirits and is obstructing my Taiyi Dao Palace's law enforcement investigation. Take a few people and go around to the side to teach them a lesson." As he spoke, he took out a small bottle from his pocket, shook it, and said, "The evidence is here, so you don't need to worry about being held accountable later."

exhibit?

Upon seeing the small bottle, Chen Qing thought to himself, "Who knows if it doesn't contain laundry detergent?"

The group used their makeshift escape lights and arrived at the desolate mountain in no time. Sure enough, there was a small door hidden in the mountain valley. The lintel was low, and there were only seven or eight rooms, with spiritual energy pitifully thin. An elderly sect leader led a few disciples out to greet them, trembling with fear. The highest cultivation level among them was only the mid-stage of the second realm.

This scene gradually overlapped with the dire situation he had encountered when he first arrived at Mingxia Mountain, deep in his memory!
Liu Ben swaggered forward with his men, gathered his strength, and proclaimed, "By order of the Taiyi Dao Palace's Inspector, this place is suspected of harboring heretical spiritual sources and evil spirits, threatening the peace of the surrounding area. We must now enter to investigate! You must open the mountain gate immediately and cooperate with the inspection without fail! Anyone who dares to disobey orders will be considered to be defying the orthodox sect of the Immortal Dynasty and will be detained and investigated according to the law. You will bear the consequences yourself!"

The old sect leader's face was deathly pale, but he still bowed and said, "Your Excellency, please understand! Our Baopu Sect has been cultivating here for a hundred years, and has never had any heretical spiritual sources. We have neither spiritual veins nor spiritual mines. The little spiritual energy we have is all from the meager spiritual energy gathered by our disciples through diligent cultivation. We are truly unworthy of such praise..."

"Shut up!" Liu Ben interrupted him sharply before he could finish speaking. "It seems you're all guilty and making excuses, but you must be hiding something shady! Men, break the formation!"

The group of fierce outer disciples behind him immediately grinned and stepped forward, hurling various low-level talismans and magical artifacts at the crumbling protective array without hesitation.

"You're forcing your way into the mountain gate! How are you any different from bandits!" The old sect leader trembled with rage, and several young disciples were even more furious, trying to activate their magic power to maintain the formation.

Liu Ben didn't even glance at it, turning to instruct, "After the formation breaks, search carefully! Any suspicious items, especially spiritual materials, ancient books, and rare treasures, should be sealed and brought back for investigation! Remember, our sect is a prestigious and righteous sect, holding sway over the cultivation world, and we must act according to the law!"

The crowd responded enthusiastically and became even more energetic.

Chen Qing, having observed this all along, had lost his patience. He was an imposter, after all. Was he really going to stand by and watch how things unfold, scheming and fighting with a bunch of peripheral gang members?
With a swift movement, Chen Qing had already swept across the arena.

The next moment, seventy-two sword talismans flew through the air!

"Puff puff!"

Before they could even scream, the people who were attacking the mountain screamed and fell to the ground, turning into ashes!
"Bi'an! What's wrong with you? No! You're not Bi'an!" Liu Ben's sinister smile froze instantly. He let out a strange cry, and the protective mirror on his body emitted a burst of spiritual light as he retreated rapidly. "Who are you? How dare you attack us! What good will it do you?"

But in the next instant, a Dharma Wheel of Annihilation arrived first!
"Crack!"

Liu Ben looked down at his empty chest, his face filled with disbelief and absurdity, before his consciousness went dark and he lost all feeling.

Chen Qing walked to the body and shook his head, saying, "Why must there be any benefit?"

In the blink of an eye, the arrogant and domineering Taiyi Palace troops were completely wiped out.

The members of Baopuzong were stunned, staring at "Bi'an" with eyes full of fear, their faces filled with incomprehension and terror.

The old sect leader was the first to regain his senses. Trembling, he stepped forward and was about to perform a deep bow: "Thank you so much, senior, for saving my life..."

Chen Qing waved his hand, an invisible force supporting him, and said calmly, "Hurry up and pack your things, let's go. It won't be long before someone comes to investigate."

Upon hearing this, the old sect leader was even more grateful, but said with worry, "My benefactor, you killed people from the Taiyi Dao Palace. They will never let this go. You..."

"Why would the Taiyi Dao Palace care about a few gang members? Besides, even their elders, I can kill or capture them!" Chen Qing grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "I kill people to clear my mind, so they can't trace it back to you. Let's go!"

As he spoke, he found that without his identity and sect ties, and with the villain's face, his actions were surprisingly satisfying and exhilarating!
So he ignored everyone and started rummaging through Liu Ben's body. He had deliberately kept the man's body for this moment.

Soon, Chen Qing retrieved the flesh and bones, and found a storage ring. He used his divine sense to forcibly break the restriction and took out a standard flying boat, a Wind Patrol Envoy token, and a detailed map with a route pointing directly to Yujing.

The old sect leader finally realized what was happening, bowed deeply to Chen Qing, said no more, and called on his terrified disciples to quickly clean up the mess and escape this dangerous place as soon as possible.

Chen Qing ignored the aftermath, destroyed the body and all evidence, then summoned a flying boat and set up a route on a map pointing to Yujing.

"Om-"

The flying boat transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the clouds and heading straight for the central hub of the world, the magnificent Jade Capital.

Standing at the bow of the boat, he looked down at the vast land below, where mountains and rivers rushed past, and a feeling suddenly arose in his heart.

In his previous life, he was "Chen Xu," burdened with the mystery of the spiritual bone. After leaving Xuandu Mountain, he entered the dragon's den and tiger's lair of Yujing. From then on, he was no longer in control of his own destiny, but was swept into the raging torrent with no way out.

In this life, he is "Li Qing," carrying a secret, disguising his identity, and taking the initiative to go there.

"I wonder what kind of fate awaits us this time..."

He murmured to himself, his eyes showing no fear, but rather a burning desire.

"This time, I don't have any heavy responsibilities that involve the safety of heaven and earth on my shoulders. If I can win, I will fight. If I can't win, with the trump card of the Taiyuan Immortal Emperor, I can't escape, can I?"

(End of this chapter)