The Cold and Aloof Palace Master's Daily Demon-Slaying Life

Zuo Lengqiu gradually accepted reality.

Although her Foundation Establishment cultivation came so poorly, she had survived and was still able to stay by her sister's side. She began to adapt to her identity as a Foundation Establishment cultivator and practice the health cultivation techniques her sister had taught her, which were most suitable for her current condition.

Three months later, Zuo Qingqiu prepared to return to Taihua Gate.

Before leaving, she left her sister a large amount of cultivation resources, life-saving pills, and an emergency communication talisman that could directly contact her.

"Take good care of yourself, eat on time, and sleep on time," she instructed. "I'll come back to see you when I have time. If anything happens, contact me immediately using this emergency communication talisman."

"Okay, sis, don't worry." Zuo Lengqiu smiled as she saw her to the door, her complexion much better than before. "Take care of yourself too, don't overwork yourself."

The two sisters hugged goodbye.

Zuo Qingqiu rose into the air on the wind and looked back. Her younger sister was standing at the gate of the courtyard, waving at her with a warm smile on her face.

The sunlight was lovely, shining on my younger sister and making her look full of life.

Zuo Qingqiu felt completely at peace.

Okay, my sister is alright now.

Having lived two hundred years longer, she has plenty of time to make up for past regrets and slowly find better ways to help her sister.

From now on, she can pursue the Great Dao with peace of mind. When her cultivation level is higher in the future, she may be able to find a way to truly improve her sister's aptitude and guide her onto the right path.

The future seems full of hope.

-

After returning to Taihua Sect, Zuo Qingqiu once again threw herself into intense cultivation and sect affairs.

She continued to write letters and send things to her sister regularly. Her sister's replies gradually became more frequent, with a relaxed tone, talking about daily trivialities, occasionally complaining about the slow progress of her cultivation, but overall being positive and encouraging.

Zuo Qingqiu was relieved.

She began to focus on breaking through to the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

She needs to become stronger as soon as possible, strong enough to be qualified to explore those ancient secret realms that might improve one's aptitude, strong enough to truly protect her sister for the rest of her life.

Fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Zuo Qingqiu's cultivation has steadily improved, reaching the peak of the late Purple Mansion stage, just one step away from the Great Perfection. Within the Taihua Sect, she is already a core combatant second only to the Ten Elders, and her reputation is renowned.

Just as she was preparing to attempt to reach the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion.

A sudden message, like a bolt from the blue, shattered all her plans and hopes.

That day, she was meditating in her cave on Zixu Peak.

A disciple of the Taihua Sect, accompanied by a young, unfamiliar, and terrified cultivator from the Purple Mansion Realm, hurriedly requested an audience.

"Uncle-Master Zuo!" the disciple in charge exclaimed urgently, "This is Fellow Daoist Zuo Mingxuan from the Zuo family of Cui Weishan. He has urgent business to discuss!"

Zuo Qingqiu felt a sudden jolt of fear, a sense of foreboding rising within her.

"What is it?" she asked in a deep voice, regaining her composure.

Zuo Mingxuan fell to his knees with a thud, his voice trembling: "Ancestor! Aunt Leng Qiu, she...she..."

Zuo Qingqiu's pupils constricted sharply: "What's wrong with Leng Qiu? Tell me!"

"Aunt Leng Qiu... passed away peacefully half a day ago!" Zuo Mingxuan prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to raise his head. "The clan elders specially ordered this junior to come and deliver the news urgently, asking the clan patriarch to accept the loss and return quickly to oversee the funeral arrangements!"

"What?!"

Zuo Qingqiu suddenly stood up, and his aura exploded uncontrollably. The violent thunderous power instantly filled the entire cave, and electric snakes danced wildly, almost suffocating the deacon disciple and Zuo Mingxuan!

"Died of old age?!" Her voice was icy, filled with disbelief, rage, and murderous intent. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Fifty years ago, I personally helped her establish her foundation, extending her lifespan by two hundred years! She's only a little over one hundred and fifty years old now, how could she possibly have died of old age?!"

She strode up to Zuo Mingxuan, looking down at him with a fierce glint in her eyes, as if she wanted to devour him whole: "Speak! Did someone harm her?! Did those old fogies in the Zuo family dare to lay a hand on her because I don't come back often?!"

The terrifying pressure terrified Zuo Mingxuan, who kowtowed repeatedly, "Senior, please understand! This junior would never dare to lie! Aunt Leng Qiu truly passed away naturally, without any external or internal injuries. Many physicians and cultivators in the clan have examined her, and it is indeed because her lifespan had run out! This junior swears on my Dao heart that if I utter even the slightest falsehood, may I be struck down by heaven and earth!"

Zuo Qingqiu stared intently at him, her divine sense sweeping over him like the sharpest knife, confirming that he showed no signs of lying.

So, in her haste, she ignored the two kneeling on the ground, and with a flash, disappeared into the cave.

The next moment, she tore through the void and traveled frantically by burning her spiritual power!

Forget all the rules and regulations, forget all the costs!

She wanted to get back to Cui Weishan as quickly as possible to see her sister with her own eyes!

Let's see what's going on!

-

Zuo Qingqiu appeared in the sky above Zuojiayu almost instantly.

She made no attempt to conceal her aura; the vast and majestic thunderous pressure of the late-stage peak of the Purple Mansion realm was released without reservation, instantly enveloping the entire Zuojiayu!

"boom--!!"

The world lost its color, and the winds and clouds surged!

All members of the Zuo family, regardless of their cultivation level, were horrified, as if they were being pressed down by an invisible mountain, unable to move, their souls trembling!

Three aged figures shot out from the Ancestral Hall; they were none other than the three clan elders, Zuo Xiuxian, Zuo Zhaocheng, and Zuo Yuxuan.

They felt a terrifying pressure far exceeding that of ordinary late-stage Purple Mansion cultivators, a pressure that made their very souls tremble. The color drained from their faces instantly.

"Ancestor, please calm your anger!"

Zuo Xiuxian suppressed the urge to kneel and shouted hoarsely.

Zuo Qingqiu's gaze swept over the three of them like lightning, her voice icy and chilling: "Where is Leng Qiu?"

"In...in the old house's mourning hall..." Zuo Zhaocheng answered in a trembling voice.

Zuo Qingqiu flashed again and appeared in the old courtyard.

The courtyard had been set up as a mourning hall, with white banners fluttering and a coffin placed in the center.

Several cultivators and servants from the Zuo family were kneeling before the coffin, keeping vigil. At this moment, they were all subdued by the terrifying pressure and trembled on the ground.

Zuo Qingqiu walked to the coffin.

The coffin lid was not yet sealed.

She raised her hand and waved it, and the coffin lid slid open silently.

Inside, Zuo Lengqiu was lying.

She was dressed in simple funeral clothes, her face peaceful, as if she were asleep. She still looked like a middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties when she left fifty years ago, only her face was pale and lifeless.

Zuo Qingqiu reached out, her fingertips trembling, and gently touched her sister's cheek.

Icy.

Cold and lifeless.

Her divine sense was like the most precise carving knife, instantly examining her sister's body inside and out.

There were no external injuries.

There are no internal problems.

There are no signs of poisoning.

There was no trace of magic left behind.

The body was well preserved, clean and tidy, as if it had simply exhausted its last bit of life force and left this world peacefully.

He truly died of old age.

Zuo Qingqiu stood frozen in place, as if she had turned into a stone sculpture.

Why?

Why is this happening?

She clearly helped her sister build a foundation for life! She clearly extended her lifespan!

Could it be that forcibly establishing a foundation has a much smaller effect on prolonging life than she thought?