Metaphysics Master (16) Earlier it was said that the maximum cultivation level this world could contain was Foundation Establishment. More precisely, Foundation Establishment was the highest level it could stably accommodate.
Even Golden Core cultivators—or Nascent Soul cultivators—could remain in this world, provided they did not use power exceeding the Foundation Establishment realm.
Otherwise, once the world’s will detected it, a heavenly lightning strike would descend and blast them straight out.
Yes.
Up until now, Qin Jingzhou had only displayed a Golden Core realm, but had never used power that truly exceeded Foundation Establishment.
There was no doubt that Ji Qing understood this perfectly.
Her appearance had been bait.
If Qin Jingzhou attacked her, he would be sending himself away.
If he restrained himself, he would have no choice but to head to Taixu Sect—where Ji Qing’s puppets would gang up on him. One slip, one burst of excessive power, and he would still end up sending himself away.
Ji Qing’s plan was transparent.
Ling Jing couldn’t help saying, “This is an open scheme. And—” she looked toward the direction of the Ancient Martial Association headquarters, “I can responsibly say the Association won’t be able to give you many reinforcements. Even if you’re helping them eliminate internal threats.”
Qin Jingzhou patted his daughter’s shoulder. “There are definitely people in the Association who’ve fallen under Ji Qing’s skirt.”
After comforting his daughter, he looked at Ling Jing. “Luck harvesting and charm manipulation—both of these are actually Ji Qing’s specialties. Becoming the world’s number one with just these two methods… she’s a real figure. To be honest, I misjudged her at first too. I thought luck harvesting was Taixu Sect’s Grand Elder’s trump card.”
Ling Jing said, “Maybe it was the Grand Elder’s hidden skill, and Ji Qing just… you know… coaxed it out of him and took it even further.” She abruptly changed topics. “But she didn’t even try to seduce you?”
Qin Jingzhou thought about it seriously. “Because I look like someone fated to die alone? I really don’t love women or men. My children are the exception—especially my daughter.” He rubbed Jin Ziyun’s head. “Your face is all blotchy from crying.”
Jin Ziyun sobbed. “Dad, I’m scared… You can’t go… We’ve already lost my brother and my husband. We can’t lose you too.”
Qin Jingzhou smiled helplessly. “You’re way too honest. Alright, stop crying—your dad’s heart is about to shatter. Ji Qing dug a pit; why would I really jump in? I have a way to deal with her.”
Jin Ziyun wiped her tears. “Really?”
Ling Jing immediately perked up. “You have a plan?”
To be honest, what Ling Jing had always feared wasn’t that the boss couldn’t beat Ji Qing and her puppets—but that he’d be forced to go all out and end up dragging himself and Ji Qing away together.
His mission was to protect Jin Yuansheng and Jin Ziyun.
If he had to leave this world, Ling Jing—at her current strength—wouldn’t be able to protect the Jin siblings, nor the “legacy” he’d left behind. Just the demon core in Jin Yuansheng’s body, capable of endlessly producing demonic qi and serving as an external core, was enough to make cultivators at the end of their lifespan fight desperately for it.
And the Ancient Martial Association, already stretched thin, couldn’t be relied on either.
Ling Jing trusted Chairman Xie’s integrity and character—but he was clearly willing, yet unable.
Qin Jingzhou calmly revealed the answer. “Ji Qing actually helped me. By stepping forward herself, she made it convenient for me to capture the thief by taking the king first.”
He beckoned to Ling Jing.
Ling Jing immediately leaned in.
On the surface, they were whispering—but in reality, they were communicating via their systems.
After hearing half the plan, Ling Jing cried out, “Substituting the plum for the peach?! Ji Qing would call that professional!”
Jin Ziyun forgot to cry. “Dad, what’s going on?”
Qin Jingzhou stood up and headed toward the eastern wing where his daughter lived. “Come with me.”
He pushed open the bedroom door.
Gu Yu was curled up on the bed like a shrimp, his face twisted in pain.
Jin Ziyun stepped forward in anger and slapped him—yet Gu Yu didn’t react at all.
She was startled and leaned closer, quickly realizing it was worse than unconsciousness. “Dad… did he lose his soul?”
Qin Jingzhou nodded. “More or less.” He turned to explain to Ling Jing. “I suspect that in the original story, Ji Qing first controlled her biological daughter, Su Weiwei, then bound Su Weiwei and Gu Yu’s luck together to harvest them continuously. Now, to send me away—and to control as many puppets as possible—she uprooted the leeks entirely.” That was a lot of information.
Ling Jing stared as Qin Jingzhou flicked a talisman onto Gu Yu’s forehead. Black specks slowly spread across the pale-yellow paper. When the talisman was nearly covered, Gu Yu suddenly opened his eyes.
After a few seconds of dazed confusion, he recognized his red-eyed, livid wife. He jolted upright, scrambled off the bed, and knelt properly.
“Wife…”
Jin Ziyun refused to look at him, instead tugging on her father’s sleeve. “Dad, how is it?”
Qin Jingzhou lit the talisman in his hand, waiting until it burned completely to ash. “Based on the residual qi Ji Qing left on Gu Yu, it’s clear that the number of puppets she can control is directly proportional to the luck she’s harvested.”
Jin Ziyun gasped. “Ah!”
Gu Yu also looked up sharply.
Qin Jingzhou continued, “Gu Yu is one of this world’s children of fortune. That sense of being above others… isn’t entirely unfounded.”
Gu Yu’s mind shook violently. After a long pause, he finally found his voice. “Mother-in-law contacted me. She said you and your brother had all been coaxed away by Father-in-law, and that she had something extremely important to say. She said… wouldn’t a complete family be nice? My own family is already a joke. I don’t know why, but I just didn’t want Yunyun to regret anything later…”
Jin Ziyun exploded, kicking him hard. “Who asked you to decide for us?!”
Qin Jingzhou steadied his daughter, who nearly lost her balance. “Let’s go. We’re checking on your brother.”
Still furious, Jin Ziyun obeyed. She crossed the lush courtyard and followed her father to the western wing.
Jin Yuansheng had been drinking tea by the window. Seeing his father, sister, and the woman who might become his stepmother approaching with clear ill intent, he stood up calmly, welcomed them in, and even brewed tea.
Holding her teacup, Jin Ziyun stared at her brother, black qi coiling around him. She finally couldn’t hold back. “What’s going on with you two? Where’s my brother?”
Even knowing the alternate brother had died avenging her, she was still more attached to the brother she’d grown up with.
The demonized Jin Yuansheng smiled bitterly and set down the teapot. “Look at me. I can’t even control the demonic qi leaking out anymore. To protect your brother, I let him fall into temporary slumber.”
Jin Ziyun reacted instantly. “If you lose control, he’ll never wake up—right?!”
The accusatory tone made the demonized Jin Yuansheng uncomfortable. “The demon core has begun fusing with my soul. It’s irreversible.” His eyes grew even redder. “Don’t talk to me like that.”
Qin Jingzhou set down his cup and slapped him.
He stood, stepped on Jin Yuansheng, and barehandedly dug the jet-black demon core out from the junction of his skull and neck—sending in a thread of wood-attribute qi along the way.
By the time demonized Jin Yuansheng reacted, the wound on his neck was already nearly healed.
Qin Jingzhou examined the demon core in his hand and commented, “Raised pretty well.” Then he took his daughter and walked out.
The demonized Jin Yuansheng lay on the floor clutching his neck, completely stunned.
Ling Jing paused, looking down at him. “Your soul realm is peak Foundation Establishment. After returning, you cultivated diligently—and just fused with the demon core. Still don’t get it? When your dad slapped you, you couldn’t even react, let alone resist. Silly child,” she said gently, full of affection. “Your dad will always be your dad. Get up and follow them already—unless you want another slap?”
Jin Yuansheng sprang up in a carp flip and hurried after them.
Ling Jing watched his back and strolled out leisurely. “Teachably so.”
Qin Jingzhou brought the children to his flower shop. In front of them, he buried the demon core and a crystal-clear spirit stone into the pot of the pothos beside his rocking chair.
Watching the pothos shoot up half a meter in a short time, he calculated silently:
Ji Qing was the mastermind. The Taixu Sect elders were either her puppets or unwavering supporters of her grand scheme.
Since he was going to clear out Taixu Sect’s Foundation Establishment elders, he’d not only bring Ling Jing, his children, and Gu Yu—whose son-in-law status was shaky—but also invite a few witnesses from the Association.
Good deeds—especially ones that could change the entire Huaguo cultivation world in a single battle—deserved to be recorded.
Despite being exhausted to the point of strain, Chairman Xie answered Qin Jingzhou’s call immediately.
Qin Jingzhou went straight to the point and stated his requirements.
Chairman Xie had witnessed Qin Jingzhou’s strength firsthand and believed he never fought unprepared—but still couldn’t help worrying. “I always felt the appearance of the demon core wasn’t a coincidence. Taixu Sect is frighteningly good at choosing timing… A demonic calamity is coming, and when that happens, even Taixu Sect will be needed…”
Qin Jingzhou smiled. “I won’t cripple Taixu Sect entirely.” He would just uproot the elders’ council.
After hearing the explanation, Chairman Xie agreed without hesitation—temporarily lending Mr. Li and his master, as well as three vice chairmen including Vice Chairman Zhao.
Not only did Chairman Xie provide manpower, he also lent a helicopter and an experienced flight crew.
Onboard, Qin Jingzhou saw another familiar face—Director Zhang from the Special Affairs Department.
A demonic calamity was far more serious than Taixu Sect’s rebellion. Official powerhouses were guarding all directions, yet Director Zhang personally came along. Clearly, the authorities were taking this operation very seriously.
The flight from the capital to Taixu Sect took less than two hours.
They disembarked before Taixu Sect’s heavily guarded gate. Qin Jingzhou, the last to step down, looked at the snow-covered mountain peak and instructed Jin Yuansheng to carry down the pothos.
As soon as the pot touched the ground, Qin Jingzhou tossed over a spirit stone. “Little one, your turn.”
The pothos gently swayed its leaves.
Dark clouds gathered overhead.
Bolts of heavenly lightning slammed straight into Taixu Sect’s mountain gate.
Amid the thunderous roar, Qin Jingzhou’s voice rang out clearly: “Heavenly Dao is usually sluggish—but when someone is undergoing tribulation, that’s another matter entirely. Miss Ji, I should remind you: stealing luck and borrowing luck are two completely different things.”
After a lightning strike that nearly split the mountain in two, a heart-rending shriek followed.
Qin Jingzhou chuckled. “Pretty accurate strike.”
Everyone stared at one another. “….”
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