Chapter 48: Hong Jiu

After browsing through Hong Jiu’s information, Qingxi felt a jolt in his heart. The man before him was a peak mid-stage Innate swordmaster—if he were an enemy, Qingxi would be in grave danger. However, recalling that the Narcissus Sect and the Lingyuan Sect were not hostile toward each other, and that the system had suggested Hong Jiu was highly likely to know Ouyang Changfeng, Qingxi reasoned that Hong Jiu should be a friend, not a foe.

Besides, the other party definitely didn’t know he was Ouyang Changfeng’s disciple and would only see him as an ordinary young man. So, Qingxi put on a cheerful face and said, “Senior, is there something I can help you with?”

“No reason at all—can’t I just have a chat with you?”

Hong Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, his hands clasped behind his back. Even standing there quietly, his presence radiated an invisible aura that made Qingxi wary and cautious.

“Senior, I’m soaking wet. If you’d like to chat, might I change my clothes first?” Qingxi thought up a way to slip away.

Hong Jiu grinned, “We’re both men, just change here. I’ve lived so many years—seen not only men but plenty of women too. It’s nothing to make a fuss about.”

Having uttered such shameless words without the slightest embarrassment, Hong Jiu remained calm and composed.

Qingxi looked on, feeling a bit bitter, and a phrase popped into his mind.

As steady as an old dog!

In his eyes, Hong Jiu was the very embodiment of that saying.

“Senior, you may not be shy, but I am!” Qingxi replied with a bright smile, though inwardly he was already considering how to deal with the situation.

Most of the five elemental essences he’d had in his system space had been used to upgrade his spirit root. There was very little left. If he still had more than five thousand threads of essence, he would have felt much more assured. After all, the assistant had told him that sacrificing thousands of threads at once would unleash tremendous power—enough that even a mid-stage Innate cultivator would be no threat.

However, with so little remaining in his system, he dared not act rashly until he understood Hong Jiu’s intentions.

“What’s there to be shy about? Didn’t that old fox Ouyang Changfeng teach you that one must have a skin thick as a city wall, and speak boldly at every turn to roam the world freely?” Hong Jiu chuckled, arms behind his back, clearly enjoying himself.

At that, Qingxi’s heart skipped again. How did the other man guess he was connected to Ouyang Changfeng?

Was it the Azure Order?

That must be it!

Qingxi was sure of it and instantly regretted his earlier decision. If only he’d disembarked with the members of the Joyous Sect, he wouldn’t have exposed his identity via the Azure Order.

Still, he decided not to beat around the bush anymore. He straightened and asked, “Senior, do you know my master?”

Since arriving on the island, he’d never revealed his identity. The only slip came when he showed the Azure Order. Now that the Volcano Island Lord, Hong Jiu, had deduced his connection to Ouyang Changfeng, Qingxi realized that any further subterfuge would only complicate matters. Better to speak plainly.

Hong Jiu’s eyes narrowed, his gaze deep and amused. “That Azure Order? I lost it to that old fox of yours. What do you think, do I know him or not?”

“You lost it to him…”

Qingxi raised his brows—the implications were significant. Could it be that these two old fellows had dueled once, and Ouyang Changfeng emerged victorious? Hard to believe!

“Bah! If that old fox hadn’t played dirty, would I have lost to him?” Hong Jiu grumbled. “But that’s all in the past. I won’t bother to hold a grudge. Now, as for you—what brings a youngster like you to Volcano Island?”

“To compete in the Heroes’ Gathering, of course,” Qingxi answered without hesitation.

“Pfft…hahaha!” Hong Jiu was thoroughly amused, casting a sidelong glance at Qingxi. “So young, yet already as boastful as Ouyang Changfeng. You really are cut from the same cloth. Tell me, do you even know the qualifications needed to participate?”

Remembering the introduction from the Joyous Sect disciple Yun Wei, Qingxi replied, “I’ve heard that at minimum, one must have reached the twentieth level of Qi Refinement, though that’s just the baseline. Anyone who stands out at the gathering is usually a genius of at least the thirtieth level.”

“Hmm, so you know a thing or two. Even so, do you still dare to participate? With your Azure Order, you can join regardless of cultivation, but if you take the stage, you’ll certainly be beaten.” Hong Jiu laughed, clearly not optimistic about Qingxi.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Hong Jiu pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his belt, glanced at it, and exclaimed, “Eh? That old fox Ouyang Changfeng claims you’re at the thirtieth level of Qi Refinement? Impossible. You’re still so young!”

“Perhaps you haven’t heard the saying, Lord Hong: since ancient times, heroes emerge young. What of my youth? Does being young mean I can’t have significant cultivation?”

A line from a novel he’d read in his previous life came to Qingxi’s mind. His voice was clear and bright as he declared, “Some geniuses are called young emperors, possessing awe-inspiring power at a tender age, overshadowing their elders. Some who once hid their light, on awakening soar like nine dragons across the heavens, shattering the stars with a wave of the hand… Why should age limit one’s achievements?”

“This…” For a moment, Hong Jiu was silent, accepting the truth of Qingxi’s words. As a senior, he had traveled all over the Yun Chuan Prefecture and even to grander domains, witnessing invincible youths entering the Spirit Gang Realm at an early age. Now, hearing Qingxi’s words, a dormant passion in his blood seemed to stir.

“Recalling those days of youthful glory, you’re right indeed,” Hong Jiu said, his eyes bright as he turned to Qingxi. “So, are you one of those rare geniuses with all twelve meridians open?”

“Eh…Lord Hong, you guessed it?” Qingxi was genuinely surprised.

“Is it that hard to deduce? Don’t forget, I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve walked roads.” Hong Jiu stroked his long beard, the very image of a sage. “Under normal circumstances, to reach the thirtieth level of Qi Refinement at your age, one would need at least an Earth-grade spirit root. But clearly, you don’t have one.

“Every genius with an Earth-grade spirit root or above bears a Heaven-bestowed mark, easily detected by the top factions in the major domains. The moment they appear, they’re taken away for cultivation. You’re still in the Lingyuan Sect, so you can’t be one of those prodigies.

“Therefore, there’s only one possibility: all twelve of your principal meridians are open. In the Qi Refinement stage, you face no bottlenecks, reaching the thirtieth level at such a young age.”

With that, Hong Jiu reached out, grasped Qingxi’s wrist, and after a moment’s inspection, his wrinkles seemed to quiver. He exclaimed, “Such a solid foundation… Your qi is far denser than others of your level. No wonder that old fox Ouyang Changfeng took you as his disciple against all precedent.”

“Since you’re a youthful genius, I’m curious to see just how far you can go at this Heroes’ Gathering.” Hong Jiu’s eyes narrowed with interest, a gleam of anticipation on his face.

Qingxi was swept by waves of emotion. This truly was a senior expert—he’d deduced almost everything at a glance. Still, Qingxi had one lingering question.

“Lord Hong, you seem quite invested in my participation in the gathering.”

“My personal disciple will be competing as well. You two are destined to cross paths—wouldn’t I care?” Hong Jiu’s smile was full of mischief, giving Qingxi a distinct sense of foreboding.