Volcanic Age

Before the rumors of their survival spread, the Mount Hua Sect and the Zhuge Family had already been notified in advance by Zhuge Zhonghao. As soon as the news of Zhou Xuchuan's survival got out, Liu Zhengmu volunteered to pick him up, almost as if he had been waiting for an opportunity the whole time.

The sect could not stop him from going. Concerned about safety, they offered to send other members of the sect with him, but Liu Zhengmu refused, telling them that he appreciated their sentiments. Anyone below the Absolute Realm would slow him down because they wouldn't be able to keep up with him if he were to use lightness art.

Liu Zhengmu ran tirelessly for days and nights until he arrived at Wuhan. Fortunately, Wuhan was close to Shanxi province, so it didn't take too long.

"I was truly worried about you." Liu Zhengmu sighed, gently rubbing Zhou Xuchuan's head. He seemed to be releasing all the worries that had burdened him until now through that sigh.

"I'm sorry…"

Before Zhou Xuchuan went missing, he had sent a letter to his master, letting the latter know he was alive. However, that obviously wouldn't completely ease the worries.

"It's good as long as you understand, mischievous brat." Liu Zhengmu said, lightly pressing down on Zhou Xuchuan's head in a scolding manner.

So he was very worried, Zhou Xuchuan thought.

Liu Zhengmu had never hit his disciple or gotten angry at Zhou Xuchuan in both of his lives, no matter what he did wrong. Whenever he truly committed a grave mistake or worried Liu Zhengmu to death, he would press on his head like this. Even then, he didn't use much strength, and Zhou Xuchuan barely felt it.

As Zhou Xuchuan thought about how anxiously Liu Zhengmu must have been waiting at the sect, he couldn't help but feel emotional.

"Sniff."

A sniffle interrupted his thoughts, but it didn't come from either Liu Zhengmu or himself. It was Zhuge Shengji, who had been watching the two from afar.

"Big brother… hiccup!" Zhuge Shengji wiped his eyes with his sleeves.

"Hm?" Liu Zhengmu looked puzzled.

"Wait, why the heck are you crying?" Zhou Xuchuan found Zhuge Shengji's reaction baffling.

"I'm not sure because I don't have a master… but I think this is what a master-disciple relationship is like! Sob!"

Zhuge Shengji cried, appearing deeply moved. It seemed that he was still a child in the end, no matter how boastful he was.

A reunion between a disciple who was thought to be dead and a master who has come to meet them!

"Who is…" Liu Zhengmu asked, confused.

"Sniff, sniff, I've been late to… sob… introduce myself. I am Zhuge Shengji of the Zhuge family, and has recently become big brother's sworn younger brother. Sniff." Zhuge Shengji introduced himself, still crying.

"Oh, I see. You're him." Liu Zhengmu nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Liu Zhengmu of the Mount Hua Sect. You're at an age where you should be playing around, and you must've suffered a lot."

Liu Zhengmu knelt down and met Zhuge Shengji at eye level before smiling softly.

"N-not at all. I am also a child of a family of martial artists. I'm okay." Zhuge Shengji stopped crying.

As expected of Master. He's incredible.

If there was a level to smiling, Liu Zhengmu would be unparalleled. Although he never smiled with the intention of charming anyone, he could make an angry person soften their tone and calm down, regardless of age or gender. This time, his smile managed to soothe Zhuge Shengji and stop him from crying.

"You're quite something despite being so young. It seems my disciple has created a relationship worth cherishing during his trip to the world this time." Liu Zhengmu gently patted Zhuge Shengji's head, his emotions genuine.

"Sniff!" Zhuge Shengji sniffed again, his eyes welling up with tears.

Zhou Xuchuan couldn't help but feel pity as he watched the scene.

The Five Great Clans value blood ties so much, and yet he's never experienced the familial love of his own family… what a twisted fate.

During the time he spent with Zhuge Shengji, he had gotten to know more about the latter. The head of the Zhuge Family, Zhuge Yun had a concubine, and Zhuge Shengji was her son. Although he was the child of the family head, he was the son of a concubine, so he had been ostracized within the clan. This ultimately led to his death in the previous life after being exploited his entire life.

Such was the life of the Posthumous Genius.

You… are a much more amazing person than you think you are, Posthumous Genius, Zhuge Shengji.

He was different from the likes of Zhou Xuchuan, who had obtained an opportunity by chance.

You don't remember your parents, don't know familial love, and faced criticism within the clan. Despite that, you held onto the things you like.

Only in the distant future would the art of mechanisms be acknowledged as a proper field of study. Before then, whether it was cultivators of the Orthodox Faction, the Evil Faction, or even non-cultivators, no one recognized its value and looked down on it.

The world mocked him, and his direct family disdained him for studying it. Despite that, he persisted. He refused to give up.

Zhou Xuchuan had once asked him about it.

"Isn't it hard?"

"It is hard."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Because it's fun!"

"That's it?"

"Yeah!"

To this day, he still couldn't forget the smile Zhuge Shengji gave him.

*

The long journey finally came to an end. Zhou Xuchuan and Liu Zhengmu had to leave for Mount Hua.

"Until next time."

"See you then, Big Brother."

Zhuge Shengji remained behind in Wuhan, as the clan notified him that they would send someone to pick him up. They parted ways with the promise of meeting again later.

"What have you gone through until now?" Liu Zhengmu asked not long after they left Wuhan.

So it's time. Zhou Xuchuan inwardly laughed bitterly.

He had expected Liu Zhengmu to ask this question, but he had to think for a long time about how to answer it. Should he tell the truth? Or hide it?

"First of all, it's not entirely different from what you already know."

"Haha, what I already know, you say. So there's something more to it after all." Liu Zhengmu chuckled, tapping on his knees.

"You knew?" Zhou Xuchuan asked, surprised.

"Anyone would suspect something after reading your letter. That aside, what really happened?"

"That's…"

Before Zhou Xuchuan started speaking, he glanced around. Fortunately, he couldn't feel any presence nearby.

"I asked after checking that there is no one around us, so you can speak freely." Liu Zhengmu reassured him.

"As expected of you, Master."

Zhou Xuchuan nodded before explaining what had happened.

Liu Zhengmu couldn't hide his shock. "Whoa, so the treasury of the Three-Eyed Godly Thief was first discovered by you?"

Although he had thought that there must be some extraordinary circumstances, he hadn't expected it to be this shocking.

"Yes."

Zhou Xuchuan explained the general progression of events while omitting the fact that he knew the future.

"So, after surviving falling into the Yangtze River, you followed the path down and stumbled upon the treasury?"

"Yes, that's what happened."

"Hm, then you were lying when you reported that you were isolated because you fell from a waterfall."

"Yes. I thought our lives would be at risk if it became known that we discovered the treasury. I'm sorry for making you worry, Master."

"No, you did well. You made the right decision," Liu Zhengmu complimented Zhou Xuchuan.

Urgh.

He didn't tell a lie at least… at least. Despite that, he couldn't help but feel a prick in his conscience.

"Coincidentally, Shengji, whom I've become sworn brothers with, was skilled in mechanisms, so we explored the place. I sent a letter through a homing pigeon from a nearby village and received help from a merchant I encountered while I was traveling with Senior Uncle Qiu Feng. Thanks to that, I managed to stay hidden until recently."

Technically, that wasn't entirely a lie. He did meet Li Yicai for the first time while he was with Qiu Feng after all. Thanks to this, he could speak confidently without hesitation.

"Mm," Liu Zhengmu groaned.

"What is it, Master?" Zhou Xuchuan asked worriedly.

"I'm worried you might be blinded by the desire for wealth."

Thankfully, those words relieved him. He was almost worried that Liu Zhengmu would press him further out of suspicion.

"I am aware of the sect's teachings that excessive desire for wealth brings ruin. You do not need to worry."

"Then what have you done with the things you obtained from the treasury?"

"Other than a few things, I've asked the merchant from before to help feed the hungry."

"That's good. But when you said a few things…"

"Since we're on the topic, let me take it out." Zhou Xuchuan proudly took out a wooden chest. "They're Lesser Circulation Pills."

"What did you say…?"

Liu Zhengmu's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Please take one before we return to the sect. You should be able to consume two of them at least."

He had obtained ten Lesser Circulation Pills after defeating the Three-Eyed Godly Thief. Among them, he took two for himself and gave two to Zhuge Shengji. He handed Li Yicai four of the remaining six.

Originally, he wanted to hand all of the remaining Lesser Circulation Pills to Liu Zhengmu, but he decided against it. Too much could be worse than too little. Even if Liu Zhengmu was an expert of the Absolute Realm, he would require a considerable amount of time to absorb the energies of three whole Lesser Circulation Pills. On top of that, Zhou Xuchuan didn't know what kind of side effects there may be from consuming too much spiritual medicine in a short span, so he only brought two with him.

"I'll stand on guard so—"

"Xuchuan," Liu Zhengmu interrupted him, his tone determined.

"Yes, Master."

"These are not mine, nor are they yours. They don't belong to the sect either."

Liu Zhengmu gave Zhou Xuchuan a stern look.

Don't tell me he… Zhou Xuchuan felt a sense of unease.

"If you obtained these from the Three-Eyed Godly Thief's treasury, these Lesser Circulation Pills must have originally been stolen from the Shaolin Temple. The gold and other treasures cannot be returned to their owners at this point, but these Lesser Circulation Pills should be returned to their original owners."

"M-Master!" Zhou Xuchuan was flustered.

"No."

Liu Zhengmu looked very serious, unlike usual. He grabbed Zhou Xuchuan's wrist to check his condition.

"Whoa, over sixty years!" His shock and disbelief were visible on his face.

Sixty years' worth of qi! At the age of twelve!

"Although I expected this… haa." Liu Zhengmu sighed. "How many did you consume?"

"Two pills," Zhou Xuchuan confessed.

"Is that all?"

This time, he seemed to have no intentions of letting it slide.

"I left four pills with the merchant who helped me…"

"I'd like to return to Guizhou and retrieve them before heading to the Shaolin Temple, but we do not have the time." Liu Zhengmu palmed his forehead.

Although he set out by himself to pick up his disciple, it did not change the fact that this matter was important. This concerned a precious member of the Lotus Pavilion, and Mount Hua did risk going to war with the Nine Water Gangs over this. It concerned the reputation of Mount Hua, and losing a member of the Lotus Pavilion would damage the pride of the sect's long history.

The other organizations within the Orthodox Faction were focused on the Three-Eyed Godly Thief's treasury, but Mount Hua paid a lot of attention to Zhou Xuchuan.

"My sect brothers are waiting in a village about two days away, so we must meet up with them as soon as possible."

That meant there was not enough time to consume the pills either.

Urgh, this was a mistake!

Zhou Xuchuan couldn't hide his regret at this painful mistake. He failed to take Liu Zhengmu's personality into account. He originally thought that Liu Zhengmu would simply take the pills and consume them, considering Zhou Xuchuan had obtained them from a thief from three hundred years ago. However, his master's nature was much more upright than he thought.

"I'm grateful that you're watching out for me, but the martial world has its own unwritten rules of handling items. This is especially true for something as precious as the Lesser Circulation Pill, whose origins are clear. You cannot use them as you wish, do you understand?"

"Yes, Master."

No one would know if he turned a blind eye and consumed it—he almost said this out loud, but he swallowed it down.

"That's my disciple," Liu Zhengmu said with pride.

The Lesser Circulation Pills…

Zhou Xuchuan on the other hand, was lamenting inwardly.

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