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

No, not just a possibility, it's almost certain.

With her current cultivation level and status, what kind of geniuses and outstanding talents haven't she seen?

How could she possibly be interested in a "cousin" who is trapped in his family and whose cultivation has stagnated?

Wouldn't that be humiliating ourselves?

Even the last vestiges of "affection" from their youth will likely vanish completely.

Fear ultimately overwhelmed that faint hope.

Zuo Chunqiu stopped at a corner about a hundred feet away from the old house.

He hid behind an old tree, gazing at the courtyard shrouded in the aura of thunder, and at the blurry white figure that occasionally flashed into the courtyard.

He just stared at it for a long time, until the terrifying pressure of the thunder gradually dissipated, until Zuo Qingqiu's aura completely left Cui Weishan.

In the end, he didn't take that step.

His last chance to express his feelings was squandered by his own cowardice and hesitation.

When the extraordinary celestial phenomenon of Zuo Qingqiu attaining the Golden Core stage was reported, and when the name of "Nine Heavens Taihua Purple Void Responding Thunder Ancestor True Lord" resounded throughout the Old Earth Continent, Zuo Qingqiu knew that everything was over.

The Purple Palace and the Golden Core are worlds apart, like heaven and earth.

The bittersweet, secret feelings of youth, the resentment and persistence, the ridiculous desire to conquer... all became as insignificant as dust before a Golden Core True Monarch, impossible to recall or utter.

They could only swallow it silently, let it rot inside them, turning into a sigh that no one could hear in the dead of night.

-

Zuo Chunqiu's fingertips unconsciously caressed the bamboo dragonfly that could no longer fly.

The cool touch pulled him back from his long reverie.

The sunlight outside the window had shifted at some point, slanting in and casting a bright patch of light on the clean floor, illuminating the dust particles dancing in the air.

He recalled the brief conversation he had with his cousin Zuo Qingqiu—no, with Gu Zu—last night in the study of the old house.

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At that time, he respectfully presented the preliminary charter concerning the implementation of the three requirements of the ancient ancestor, which had been hastily prepared overnight by several clan elders.

The ancient ancestor took the jade slip containing the regulations and scanned it with his divine sense at a very fast speed.

She made almost no changes, only minor adjustments to a few details, such as the specific standards for mortal relief and the frequency and methods of promotion assessments, before handing the jade slip back to him.

"It's generally feasible. You can decide on the specifics." Her voice remained calm and indifferent, and her gaze didn't linger on his face for long, as if she were handling a routine official matter.

At that moment, Zuo Chunqiu felt bitter.

She's still the same.

Cold, aloof, and detached from worldly affairs.

These major events concerning the rise and fall of her family and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people seemed less important to her than the withering and flourishing of a single spiritual herb in her cave.

She was like a ray of moonlight that happened to pass by in the heavens, illuminating the mortal world for a moment, but never lingering for the mundane.

He held the revised charter jade slip in his hand and hesitated for a long time.

The elder's words echoed in his ears: "Chunqiu, you've been stuck at the bottleneck of the mid-stage Purple Mansion realm for many years. The return of the ancient ancestor is a tremendous opportunity. Be sure to seek his guidance; perhaps a single word of advice will enlighten you!"

He knew this was an opportunity.

This may be his only chance to break through his bottleneck.

But... asking for advice is tantamount to admitting one's "incompetence," and it's like completely stripping away the "prodigy" facade in front of her, revealing one's inner helplessness and distress.

Self-esteem is struggling.

But in the end, the desire for a breakthrough and the unwillingness to accept the future overwhelmed that pitiful self-esteem.

He gritted his teeth, stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said in a hoarse voice, "Ancestor... this humble one... this humble one has a request."

The ancient ancestor raised his eyes to look at him, his gaze calm and unwavering: "Speak."

"I... have been stuck at the peak of the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm for over twenty years. No matter how hard I cultivate or what methods I try, I can never reach the threshold of the later stage. I don't know... whether it's a problem with my cultivation method or simply that my opportunity hasn't arrived yet? I humbly request the Ancient Ancestor... to guide me through this predicament."

He kept his head down, not daring to look at her expression.

The study was quiet for a moment.

He could feel that cold gaze falling on him, as if it could penetrate his flesh and look directly into his soul.

After a long silence, the ancient ancestor's voice rang out again, still devoid of any emotional fluctuation:

"Your mind is flawed, and you are plagued by distracting thoughts. Forcing a breakthrough will be futile."

A flawed state of mind... plagued by distracting thoughts...

Zuo Chunqiu was startled.

This answer was actually not unexpected.

Over the years, he has reflected on these things in the quiet of the night.

Am I being too eager for quick success?

Is it because of family expectations, the figure you want to catch up with or even surpass, or the distractions of various complicated matters that you have too much to do?

"Then... what should I do?" His voice trembled slightly.

"I seal away my cultivation and enter the mortal world. In the myriad aspects of life, I see all beings, and I also see myself. When will all the defilements of my heart be gone, and I will understand my true nature and break through the bottleneck?"

Transform into the mortal world...

Zuo Chunqiu was stunned.

This was a method he had heard of but never thought of trying.

Should I seal my cultivation and live like an ordinary person?

Go and experience the joys and sorrows, birth, aging, sickness and death of those "ants" he once looked down upon.

Is this... going to work?

But he has no right to raise questions.

To him, the words of the ancient ancestor were the supreme golden rules.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor." He bowed again.

"Go." The ancient ancestor waved his hand and said no more.

He left the study and walked in the cool moonlight, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

There was gratitude for the guidance, uncertainty about the future of "transformation into the mortal realm," and a deep, indescribable sense of loss.

She pointed out his problem and gave him direction.

But his tone and attitude were still like instructing an unrelated, somewhat troublesome junior.

There was no concern, no curiosity, nothing... anything beyond the cold relationship between "ancestor" and "clan members".

In her mind, he really was just a clansman who needed guidance and was somewhat troublesome.

That's it.

-

Zuo Chunqiu carefully placed the bamboo dragonfly back into the wooden box, placing it next to the faded windmill.

Then, he closed the lid, his fingers gently tracing the mottled paint, as if bidding farewell to a bygone era that could never be revisited.

Finally, he put the wooden box back into the hidden compartment, closed the hidden compartment, and activated the security features.

After doing all this, he stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled robes, and his face regained its usual composure and calmness.

Time to get to work.

He left his bedroom, crossed the courtyard, and departed from his residence, heading towards the mansion of the patriarch Zuo Xiuxian.

Zuo Xiuxian's residence is located in the most central part of Zuojiayu, where the spiritual energy is most abundant and the atmosphere is most solemn and dignified.

There were Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding the entrance. Upon seeing Zuo Chunqiu, they quickly bowed and greeted him: "Lord Commander."

"Reporting to the elders of the clan, Zuo Chunqiu requests an audience." Zuo Chunqiu's tone was calm.

"Yes, please wait a moment, sir."

A moment later, the guard returned: "The elder requests your presence."

Zuo Chunqiu nodded and stepped inside.

Zuo Xiuxian was in his study, deep in thought, looking at a huge map on the wall depicting the distribution of spiritual veins in the towering mountain range and the surrounding area.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around.

"The Spring and Autumn Annals have arrived." Zuo Xiuxian's face showed a hint of weariness, but his eyes remained sharp. "How is the drafting of the regulations for the tasks entrusted by the Ancient Ancestor progressing?"

"Reporting to the Elder, the regulations have been revised according to the Ancestor's wishes and are ready to be issued to all branches for implementation," Zuo Chunqiu replied with a bow. He then paused and added calmly, "In addition... regarding the marriage you mentioned before, I have thought it through."