Dog-Blooded Love Story 12
Qin Jingzhou admitted candidly in front of Ling Jing, his son, and his future daughter-in-law, “How many Extraordinaries would actually want another mountain weighing on them, and this mountain just dropped out of the sky?”
Ling Jing shook her phone and said, “All I’ve seen is that most Extraordinaries treat you like an outsider. They respect you, but don’t trust you, and keep their guard up around you.”
“As expected.” Qin Jingzhou checked once more the Energy-Sealing Array and the sealing array he had set up, the latter stopped but well-preserved. He estimated that it would take at least two days for Zhong Dewen and his group to “have everything ready and set the plan in motion,” so with a wave of his hand, he brought Ling Jing and the others back to their home on the outskirts of the Capital.
Ling Jing tugged the worried Yuan Lingmei upstairs, using her wound recovery as an excuse.
Downstairs, in the small living room, Qin Jingzhou and his son Xuan Qing looked into each other’s eyes. “After hearing that conversation, how do you feel?” What he really meant was: Son, are you still sticking to your choice?
Zhong Dewen and Xuan Helin’s “escape plan” sounded legitimate, but there were two key issues the pair were deliberately avoiding: First, where exactly would the rift to the domain passage, torn open by destroying the Energy-Sealing Array and the sealing array, actually lead? Even the couple had no idea. Second, once the two arrays that blocked negative energy were lost, even if Qin Jingzhou managed to save the day in time, there would inevitably be a period when the entire world would suffer a total invasion and assault of negative energy. As for what would become of those Extraordinaries and ordinary people who failed to run away first, the pair clearly didn’t care in the slightest.
Zhong Dewen and Xuan Helin didn’t care about anyone else’s life or death, but Xuan Qing couldn’t just ignore it.
From what Qin Jingzhou had observed and experienced, his silly son’s heart demon had split into two parts: he used to lack love, but since Qin Jingzhou arrived and Yuan Lingmei “came back to life,” Xuan Qing wasn’t so obsessed with love and family anymore. That was why, when Xuan Helin came by to test and provoke him, Xuan Qing just became agitated for a moment and then calmed down after a little consolation from Qin Jingzhou. The other part was about saving the world…
And saving the world was also what Gu Lingfan and Ye Lingtian wanted most.
Xuan Qing and Gu Lingfan were willing to sacrifice their own lives to save the world. Ye Lingtian simply hated moral coercion. Though he had seemed swayed just now by Zhong Dewen and his wife, in reality he was just playing along. When it truly came down to it, Ye Lingtian would also stand up.
After careful consideration, Xuan Qing decided to be honest with his father. “The Extraordinaries, especially those Golden Cores, are already in chaos. Zhong Dewen’s plan sounds workable, and sooner or later they’ll win over more and more Extraordinaries to join them. Dad, no matter how powerful you are, it’s not wise to oppose such a group of determined people. They’re determined to destroy things and won’t stop until they succeed. You definitely… can’t stop them all. Dad, this ship is destined to sink, there’s no point wasting your energy.”
Since his father didn’t reply, he continued, “Senior Xuan Yuan, who designed the sealing array, prepared for this long ago. There’s a special switch in the Main coffin. Once opened, the array will self-destruct, sealing off the whole mountain and the domain passage along with it. That should hold things off for a while.”
Qin Jingzhou frowned a little. “And you?”
Xuan Qing didn’t think he could fool a Divine Transformation Stage dad. “The moment I stepped into the Main coffin, my fate was sealed.” He suddenly stood up and hugged his father. “I just can’t bear to leave you, Dad… and Xiao Mei too.”
Qin Jingzhou: …
Even the System was moved. “He… would rather die himself than see you take risks.”
Qin Jingzhou gave his son a light pat on the back. “Dad is really touched,” then his tone shifted, “but I’m not that happy you don’t have faith in my ability.” With that, he flicked his silly son’s forehead.
Suddenly realizing that his dad had just given him a “bestowal,” quietly raising his cultivation by a small realm, and that he had gained a Divine Transformation Stage cultivation method in his sea of consciousness… Xuan Qing was utterly stunned.
Qin Jingzhou explained unhurriedly, “Because you haven’t resolved your heart demon, Dad was worried about rushing things, and planned to give you the cultivation method later. But since you doubt Dad’s ability…”
His coaxing tone made Xuan Qing, once he snapped out of it, both amused and a little embarrassed. “Dad, I’m not a teenager anymore.”
Qin Jingzhou ruffled his son’s hair. “And you’re not purposely using that tone to act spoiled with me?” Then he laughed. “Brat, whether you’re a thousand or eight hundred years old, you’re still my son.”
Xuan Qing squinted his eyes. “Oh.”
Qin Jingzhou said again, “No slacking off at dinner tonight.”
Xuan Qing covered his face with one hand. “Got it, Dad.”
As evening approached, Xuan Qing and Yuan Lingmei headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Qin Jingzhou didn’t keep secrets, and relayed the details of his “heart-to-heart” with his son to Ling Jing.
Ling Jing couldn’t help but sigh. “He’s selfless, but never a martyr. Congrats, boss… on having such a fine son, I guess?”
Qin Jingzhou laughed heartily.
But Ling Jing was right: he had originally only intended to leave his cultivation manual behind and train Xuan Qing and the others up to the Divine Transformation Stage. Now he slightly revised his plan, intending to spend more time and effort to patch up the world’s missing foundational inheritance.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Xuan Qing was so happy making a feast for Dad that he even started humming.
With her boyfriend grinning from ear to ear, Yuan Lingmei was even more optimistic than him. With the world seemingly no longer at risk of destruction, she was more than happy to sit back and watch the show. But as a witness and participant in such a monumental historical event, she couldn’t help but feel excited and exhilarated.
So, as she helped her boyfriend prep dinner, she couldn’t resist saying, “There’s that thread on the Extraordinaries’ Forum, 'What’s it like having an immortal family member?' I really want to go answer it.”
Xuan Qing said plaintively, “So do I.”
Unlike the cheerful mood at Qin Jingzhou’s place, things were far heavier over at Gu Jing’s home.
After a Supernatural conference riddled with disagreements, Gu Jing was left utterly drained. In the end, Zhong Dewen and Xuan Helin still managed to rally enough heavyweights among the Extraordinaries to support their cause.
As the leader of the Extraordinaries, Gu Jing had given everything for years, only for it all to come to this. He wasn’t immune to frustration and discouragement, but what could he do now…
So, right in front of the grandson and grandson-in-law who had purposely returned, Gu Jing slowly sighed. “Those Extraordinaries plotting to 'destroy the arrays and blaze a new path' are the same people who once used 'for the greater good' as an excuse to force Xuan Qing, and most of those who entered the Spiritual Coffin now want to return… So we’re not doomed by natural disaster, but torn apart by civil strife.”
In the previous life, those self-righteous Extraordinaries were the ones who first pressured Xuan Qing, then morally blackmailed Gu Lingfan, and finally hit a wall with him.
Ye Lingtian had always considered them enemies.
He looked at the worried Gu Lingfan, thinking of how, in their past life, he’d been forced to ease this cousin’s suffering. In this life, at least his cousin didn’t have to sacrifice himself again.
Gu Jing didn’t know what his grandson was thinking, but he could tell Lingtian had his own agenda and wasn’t on the same side as Zhong Dewen and the others.
After a moment’s thought, he added, “I don’t know why Zhong Dewen is so confident that Senior Ying will just let things be.”
Gu Lingfan had been present when Zhong Dewen sought out Senior Ying, so he tried to answer, “Because with the sealing array destroyed, Xuan Qing won’t have to sacrifice himself.”
Gu Jing smacked his forehead. “I’m getting old—I can’t believe I forgot that!”
Ye Lingtian recalled, in the past life, Zhong Dewen and his wife hadn’t stirred up trouble. Their youngest son’s spirit shattered too quickly and they didn’t have time to act. Plus, when Xuan Qing fell to his heart demon, Gu Lingfan put Xuan Qing to rest and sent the couple with him.
Thinking back, Zhong Dewen and Xuan Helin back then had carried some “Heaven’s Mandate does not favor us” energy, but they were by no means fools. Their certainty that Senior Ying wouldn’t interfere might not have relied on Xuan Qing at all…
Ye Lingtian asked, “Grandpa, is there anything around here that would force a banished immortal to leave—array rules, or whatever?”
Gu Jing glanced at his grandson, his expression a little odd. “If he uses power beyond the Divine Transformation Stage, he’ll be whisked away by the World Will.”
Gu Lingfan blurted out, “So if someone summons a monster from another world and forces Senior Ying to intervene…”
No need to think about it: the power of the monster summoned would be in direct proportion to how much spiritual energy or power the summoning array could hold. With both arrays exploding at once, the resulting energy could rip open a domain passage—can you even imagine what kind of monster would show up?
The three generations stared speechless at each other. …