Chapter 58 — TVF Chapter 58

Metaphysics Master (15) Qin Jingzhou flexed his muscles once again, forcing both Taixu Sect and the Ancient Martial Association to convene emergency overnight meetings among their core members.

Taixu Sect’s main gate lay deep within a continuous mountain range five hundred kilometers from the capital. Beneath the sect grounds ran one of Huaguo’s eight major spirit stone veins—so its ambition, strength, and resources were well matched.

At this moment, elders and peak masters filled the hall. The first topic on the agenda was simple:

Should they reconcile with Zuo Jingzhou?

Everyone present was clear-headed. Implanting the demon core into Jin Yuansheng, deliberately guiding the true disciple Chao Lan to plunder the siblings’ luck, nearly killing Jin Ziyun in the process… with just these three matters alone, reconciliation would be extremely difficult.

Of course, the elders believed in the principle that all under heaven gather for profit. If the price was high enough, reconciliation was still possible. But the amount of resources required—especially if the other party was truly a Golden Core cultivator—was something no one was willing to part with.

If they had so many resources they could squander them freely, why bother scheming and opposing the authorities in the first place?

Since reconciliation was unlikely, the next discussion followed naturally:

How to kill or cripple Zuo Jingzhou and seize his inheritance and assets.

After three rounds of probing, they had confirmed that “physical transcendence” would require sacrificing at least four elders at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Such a lose-lose strategy would only be chosen as a last resort.

An elder sighed deeply and turned to the Dao companion at his side. “This time, you’ll have to take the field again.”

Ji Qing smiled faintly. “I already had Weiwei pay some attention to Zuo Jingzhou. There’s still some of Jin Yuansheng and Jin Ziyun’s luck lingering on her. Zuo Jingzhou clearly dotes on his children—Weiwei should be able to gain at least some goodwill from him. Who would have thought Weiwei remembered my task, yet Chao Lan somehow… tied her down.”

Chao Lan was a direct disciple of another elder. Being singled out like this, that elder merely smiled meaningfully. “Junior Sister Ji certainly has great confidence in her daughter.”

Everyone present knew that Su Weiwei had not only inherited Ji Qing’s charm-type talent, but had surpassed her. Still, Su Weiwei was ultimately just a girl who hadn’t even begun cultivating.

Letting her go seduce Zuo Jingzhou—no one believed Ji Qing lacked ulterior motives, or that she wasn’t leaving herself a way out.

Ji Qing didn’t mind their suspicion. “Mortals have their advantages. Once you cross that threshold and become a cultivator, you can’t escape official scrutiny. Otherwise, why would I—a Foundation Establishment cultivator—spend so many years pretending to be an ordinary person, carefully acting alongside that old man?”

Old Master Gu’s luck had been just right—enough to serve as cover.

After a pause, Ji Qing continued, “Forget it. This time, I’ll go personally.” She glanced at her Dao companion. “If we can act together, even better.”

The elder laughed heartily. “How could I let you walk alone? Our brothers in the Association will lend us a hand as well.”

Ji Qing’s brows relaxed. “Good.”

The elders laughed along, though many sensed something subtly discordant in the couple’s tone and attitude.

…

While Taixu Sect finalized its plans, the Ancient Martial Association was no less intense.

The sword cultivator consultant, who had personally witnessed Zuo Jingzhou’s move, spoke frankly: “That Ghost King had terrain advantage. Even for this old man, subduing him would’ve taken real effort. As for Mr. Zuo—one move. Instant suppression. There’s nothing more to say.”

In other words: I’m convinced. Chairman Xie and Vice Chairman Zhao had dealt with Zuo Jingzhou many times. They held a very favorable impression of this Golden Core senior—mild-mannered yet domineering when needed.

Bound by duty and fairness, they neither exaggerated praise nor smeared him in such a serious meeting.

The Ancient Martial Association was the true number-one sect of Huaguo. With many people came many opinions.

Taixu Sect’s rebellious intent was obvious. Some within the Association still advocated appeasement, believing compromise between compatriots was reasonable. The same group urged caution toward Zuo Jingzhou—and when he displayed his strength, they even suggested the Association should jointly… teach Zuo Jingzhou a lesson.

Chairman Xie narrowed his eyes at the two advisors backing that faction.

Taixu Sect had been infiltrating the Association for years. This time, they’d clean house—using Senior Zuo as the blade.

…

The next morning, Mr. Li—whose flesh had already covered both shoulders—rose early to prepare breakfast for the whole family.

He had learned the day before that the rich brat who had bullied his daughter was already behind bars, sentenced to at least ten years. As for the family that raised such a lawless scion, a powerful figure had promised they would be bankrupt within a year.

The nephew who had facilitated everything had woken up, but as punishment, his father had broken both his legs. After learning the truth, the nephew was pale with terror, not feeling wronged in the least. Through a camera, he kowtowed repeatedly with plastered legs, begging forgiveness.

His girlfriend and daughter had been badly shaken, but were unharmed.

Out of respect for his elder brother—who had stood by him from the start—Mr. Li spared the nephew. As for the brat’s family… even if they were spared on the surface, that was merely giving face to the Association. More importantly, they were just knives borrowed to kill. The true culprit was the wildly ambitious Taixu Sect.

If Taixu Sect was to be overturned, it would depend on Senior Zuo.

Having made up his mind, Mr. Li resolved to train hard with his master—and cook diligently for Senior Zuo’s household.

After breakfast, he drove to the Association’s training grounds near the Zuo residence. With flesh regrown over his shoulders, he could wear long robes to hide the still-exposed bones, add gloves, and walk about like an ordinary person.

Once Mr. Li left, Ling Jing took advantage of the siblings tending the shop’s plants and asked quietly, “Boss, do you think the turning point lies… with the one surnamed Li?”

Qin Jingzhou hummed in affirmation. “And Gu Yu as well. The siblings are actually very well-behaved.”

Ling Jing nodded. “If you don’t move left, they won’t step right first.”

They’d been here several days—how could their mother not contact them? Yet neither sibling mentioned her even once. That level of restraint and caution was telling, especially after Ji Qing’s incident had made them suspect Taixu Sect might be everywhere. “Ling Jing, open the Eye of Fortune and take a look,” her system reminded her.

Ling Jing did so. Jin Yuansheng and Jin Ziyun’s luck was even denser and more synchronized than Gu Yu’s. There was also a subtle, indescribable karmic link between them and the boss reclining in a rocking chair, smoking.

She then looked closely at Gu Yu. His luck… didn’t seem to be truly sheltered by the boss, despite the boss having said he found Gu Yu “pretty agreeable.”

She pouted slightly. Men. Ling Jing wore her thoughts plainly. Qin Jingzhou put out his cigarette and explained, “His own luck rejects me a little. I’m not the type to force things.”

“Gu Yu is the male lead after all—arrogance comes naturally,” Ling Jing hurriedly said. “Boss, I misunderstood you. Sorry.”

Qin Jingzhou waved it off. “No need to apologize. I am biased. I don’t really care who my son-in-law is.”

Ling Jing couldn’t hold it in and laughed. “Definitely a biological father.”

…

Taixu Sect wasted no time. They accelerated the awakening of fierce ghosts.

Truth be told, a communicative ghost like Mr. Li was one in a hundred. Most fierce ghosts still required physical persuasion—dust to dust, earth to earth.

Even with preparation, the Association felt stretched thin. Fortunately, that one percent of communicable ghosts—transported with their remains to headquarters and boiled according to Qin Jingzhou’s formula—were converted into allies.

These newly turned ghost cultivators held no love for Taixu Sect. After brief recovery, they joined Association cultivators in countering Taixu Sect’s provocations across the land.

Just as the Association was forced to divide its forces, Mr. Li’s girlfriend and daughter finally arrived in the capital.

At this point, Mr. Li lacked only his legs. Everything visible outside his clothes looked no different from a living person, aside from his slightly pale complexion.

Seeing her boyfriend exactly as he’d been years ago, as if time had frozen, his girlfriend broke down completely—crying herself straight into the hospital.

Her condition was a classic case of “heart illness needs heart medicine.” Spirit medicine was useless. Mr. Li took leave from his master to stay with her more, while still handling the Zuo household’s breakfasts.

Their daughter, however, didn’t share her mother’s feelings. Having suffered herself, she harbored some resentment toward her father—though not hatred.

One day, outside the hospital convenience store, she ran into Su Weiwei—disguised—and Chao Lan, who drifted in and out of a daze.

Using a talisman given by her birth mother, Su Weiwei extracted a wisp of demonic energy from Chao Lan’s eyes. As they brushed past, she injected it into the back of the girl’s head.

Mr. Li had cultivation talent. His daughter had less, but enough to bear demonic energy. Within a day, that wisp magnified the darkness in her heart, leading her to believe she had willingly swapped out the ingredients her father bought from the Association.

Mr. Li, almost completely unguarded against his daughter, used the replaced ingredients to make breakfast for the Zuo household.

Qin Jingzhou noticed something was wrong—but said nothing. At worst, his children would have diarrhea and lose a bit of luck. Hardly worth mentioning.

Gu Yu, however, experienced violent fluctuations in his luck. That made Qin Jingzhou curious.

That afternoon, the siblings indeed had stomach trouble. Qin Jingzhou had them pluck two leaves from a spirit plant in the shop and rest at home.

Gu Yu seemed fine, but out of concern for his wife and brother-in-law, he went out to buy medicine and groceries.

Watching him leave, Ling Jing smiled. “It’s here. An incident’s coming.”

Qin Jingzhou smiled without replying.

The next two days passed peacefully. One morning, after Gu Yu left for the shop, Jin Ziyun stormed over, phone in hand, face dark.

“Dad, look! They’re everywhere!”

More than a dozen photos. The first five showed Gu Yu and Jin’s mother close together—serious, then friendly. The remaining ones were Gu Yu and Su Weiwei—explicit enough to require censoring. And they didn’t even look like they were secretly filming.

Honestly, Jin Ziyun didn’t believe her husband would choose to cheat with Su Weiwei while fully conscious.

Just then, Ling Jing floated over. “Gu Yu’s luck just plummeted!” She glanced at the photos, clicking her tongue. “That’s a hefty sacrifice. They really went all out.”

Qin Jingzhou shook his head with a smile. “I thought the final boss was Taixu Sect’s elder—after all, I traced the demon core’s residue to him. Turns out I was wrong.”

Ling Jing was startled. “Huh? Not him?”

Qin Jingzhou replied succinctly, “It’s his wife. Absorbing the original male and female leads’ luck this time is enough for her to control the elder in return.”

Applause rang out.

Ji Qing descended from above. “As expected of the world’s only Golden Core cultivator. Half your son and your son-in-law are in my hands… I’ll be waiting for you at Taixu Sect.”

With that, she dispersed into smoke, vanishing with the wind.

Jin Ziyun panicked. She could temporarily ignore her husband, but not her brother. “What happened to my brother?”

Qin Jingzhou answered calmly. “The brother from the parallel world has a partial binding with the demon core. That core was implanted by Taixu Sect’s elder beside your brother’s dantian. If the demon core collapses, that brother’s soul will be damaged—and your original brother will be affected as well. Left untreated, he’ll likely live his life in a haze.”

Jin Ziyun: …So she had to choose between her brother and her husband?

Ling Jing said, “Ji Qing wants to lure you to Taixu Sect. She must have a dragnet waiting.”

Jin Ziyun grabbed her father’s arm. “Dad, don’t go!”

Qin Jingzhou smiled gently. “I really didn’t spoil you for nothing.”