"Ten years ago, when parting from Princess Qingluo, she gave this Minor Shift Talisman to me. Now… with my duty at Cicada Cry Cliff complete, this Minor Shift Talisman… I ask Clan Leader Zhao to take it and return it to Princess Qingluo on my behalf."
Wei Tu took the Minor Shift Talisman from his sleeve, gave Zhao Tinghai a small bow, and respectfully offered the jade talisman with both hands in Zhao Tinghai's direction.
Originally, he had planned to return it to Zhao Qingluo personally. But Zhao Tinghai had refused to let him meet her again and told him to become a "stranger" in her life.
So now, Wei Tu didn't feel right holding on to the talisman any longer, nor waiting for a future moment to give it back.
"Minor Shift Talisman?" Zhao Tinghai was startled. While cursing Qingluo inwardly for favoring an outsider, he also felt a deep respect for Wei Tu's character.
If it were him, he'd return minor gifts, sure. But something as rare and precious as a Minor Shift Talisman? No way he'd give that back.
And he wouldn't feel a shred of guilt about it.
After all, the talisman had been a gift—there was no obligation to return it.
"No need."
Zhao Tinghai shook his head and didn't reach for the talisman. He turned away, hands behind his back, gaze fixed on the cave where Zhao Qingluo was in seclusion.
"Though the Minor Shift Talisman is rare, since Qingluo gave it to you, I can't take it back."
"Fellow Daoist Wei, keep it."
He paused for a moment, then added firmly, "The Zhao Clan of Xiyue is not like the Huang Clan of Yunhe. We're not petty or greedy. What we give, we don't take back!"
When those words fell, silence hung in the air.
Wei Tu was momentarily speechless. Without saying another word, he returned the Minor Shift Talisman to his storage pouch and offered Zhao Tinghai a deep, solemn bow.
A breath later.
As he rose, Zhao Tinghai had already vanished into the clouds. All that remained before him was a full moon descending from the sky, pressing down on the summit of Xiyue Mountain, connecting with the pavilions and towers atop the peak, casting silvery frost across the landscape.
In that moment, the entire world seemed to melt into a single hue.
"A crescent moon, last time?" Wei Tu suddenly remembered the view he saw at Moonview Terrace the last time Wei Xian'er brought him here.
…
Wei Tu descended the mountain and left Xiyue Mountain behind.
In truth, with Fu Zhizhou and Wei Fei as mutual acquaintances, Zhao Tinghai wouldn't have stopped Wei Tu from staying at Xiyue Mountain. Spending a few days there wouldn't have been a problem.
But Wei Tu understood the mood.
He didn't linger. After Zhao Tinghai left, he quietly took flight and left the mountain, going elsewhere to find lodging.
Once settled nearby, Wei Tu sent talisman messages to both Wei Fei and Fu Zhizhou.
One month later.
Capital of Zheng Kingdom, Yujing.
Juxian Tower, third floor, Heaven Room Number One.
Outside the private suite stood Wei Xian'er. When she saw a female cultivator in a pale blue long dress, elegant and refined in bearing, approaching slowly, her eyes couldn't hide a flash of amazement.
"Sister Hongying." Wei Xian'er gathered her robes and bowed respectfully.
By generation, she and Kou Hongying were peers, and shouldn't have needed to be so deferential. But seniority was just that—seniority. Relationship-wise, she and Kou Hongying had never been close. This was their first time meeting.
So naturally, their conduct was determined by status in the cultivation world.
—Kou Hongying was a prestigious sect-affiliated Foundation Establishment cultivator, her standing far above that of Wei Xian'er's father, who was just a common Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator. At this Righteous Society gathering, only her "Uncle Wei" could match Kou Hongying.
At the thought of Uncle Wei, Wei Xian'er's eyes shone with admiration.
As a rogue cultivator herself, she knew very well what kind of struggle it must have taken for Wei Tu to climb to where he was today with only a low-grade spiritual root.
"Xian'er?" Kou Hongying glanced curiously at her.
In her letters with Wei Tu, he had mentioned that Wei Fei had a daughter named Wei Xian'er.
"This is a little gift."
After a moment's thought, Kou Hongying casually pulled a high-grade tier-one magic tool from her storage pouch and handed it to Wei Xian'er.
"Thank you, Sister Hongying."
Wei Xian'er beamed as she received the gift and quickly offered her thanks.
At the same time, she silently felt grateful to Wei Tu for bringing her to Juxian Tower. If not for him, she wouldn't have received a welcome gift from someone like Kou Hongying, whom she had never even met before.
—Wei Xian'er understood that her own father, Wei Fei, didn't have a close relationship with Kou Hongying.
Otherwise, she would have known long ago that she had a Foundation Establishment peer from a prestigious sect.
"Qi Refinement sixth layer at age forty-one—not bad at all." Kou Hongying offered a few words of encouragement.
Even though Wei Xian'er only had a low-grade spiritual root, making her aptitude only slightly better than older rogue cultivators like Wei Tu and Wei Fei, her generation started from a much better foundation than theirs ever had.
Though she didn't have abundant resources, she had everything she needed—companions, wealth, cultivation ground—far more than cultivators like Wei Tu and the older generation ever had.
Because of that, at the same age, Wei Xian'er's cultivation far outpaced Wei Tu and Wei Fei back when they were her age.
After exchanging a few polite words with Wei Xian'er, Kou Hongying pushed open the private room's door and stepped inside, lifting the hem of her robe as she walked.
Seeing that Wei Tu was unharmed and looked at ease, she let out a silent breath of relief.
She'd once served as a stationed cultivator in Hongyan Mountain Marketplace, so she understood how dangerous and harsh that duty could be.
If she hadn't happened to attend an underground auction held by the Jiu Yun Merchant Guild during her posting, thereby avoiding a deadly ambush, she too would've perished under a demonic cultivator's hand.
Compared to that, Cicada Cry Cliff was even more perilous. After all, the Zheng Kingdom had now become a major battleground between the righteous and demonic paths. The intensity and scale of warfare had surpassed what it used to be.
"It's been over fifty years. Our Righteous Society… finally together again," said Fu Zhizhou, a sigh of emotion on his face once Kou Hongying was seated.
Fifty years might seem long, but to him, it had been a lifetime of upheaval.
Over fifty years ago, he'd missed the Society's ten-year reunion because he was trying to reach Foundation Establishment.
He never imagined that afterward, the four of them wouldn't get another chance to reunite.
In those fifty years—
Wei Fei had failed to reach Foundation Establishment, lost heart, withdrew from the Righteous Society, and married a female cultivator named Zhao Ting.
The Cloud Ze Secret Realm of the Huang Clan opened.
The Beast Tide from Demon Wolf Mountain, the demonic invasion of the Jing Kingdom…
One event after another made it impossible for the four of them to meet again, even if they wanted to.
But finally, fifty years later, fate turned.
Wei Fei succeeded in establishing his foundation.
Wei Tu returned safely from Cicada Cry Cliff.
The others were all relatively idle.
They finally had a chance to gather once more.
After speaking, Fu Zhizhou didn't wait for the others to get sentimental. He raised a wine pot with his spiritual power and filled cups for Wei Tu and Wei Fei before downing several cups himself without pause.
"Drink!" Wei Fei didn't speak much. He clinked his cup with Wei Tu's and began drinking just as fiercely as Fu Zhizhou.
Wei Tu didn't hold back either. When it came to alcohol, he hadn't lost to these two in a hundred years.
The three of them took turns pouring, each cup full to the brim.
Off to the side, Kou Hongying watched with a smile, not interrupting the three old friends' reunion.
From time to time, she would rise to refill their cups, sleeves neatly tucked in, with not even the slightest hint of impatience.
"If Father were still alive, he'd probably be drinking and laughing with Uncle Wei, Uncle Fu, and Uncle Wei just like this…" A flicker of sorrow passed through Kou Hongying's eyes as that thought crossed her mind.
Among the four founding members of the Righteous Society, she had taken the place of her late father, Kou Liang.
Several hours later.
Fu Zhizhou let out a satisfied burp and exclaimed, "That hit the spot!" With that, the three of them stopped drinking and used their cultivation to force the alcohol out of their systems.
In a flash, the room was filled with the rich scent of wine.
Now calm again, Fu Zhizhou looked to Wei Tu and asked, "Brother Wei, you sent out letters calling us to reunite—there must be an important matter you wish to discuss?"
Over a hundred years ago, they'd formed the Righteous Society to support one another through tough times.
But over the last century, all four had reached Foundation Establishment and earned some standing in the cultivation world.
So they stopped relying on each other, and instead went their own ways.
These past fifty years, the Society hadn't gathered again—not just due to bad timing, but because… there was no longer a need.
Back in the Qi Refinement Realm, their cultivation levels weren't too different.
Resources could be shared.
But after reaching Foundation Establishment, things changed.
Their cultivation paths diverged. It became harder to support one another.
Cultivation became a solitary road.
So when Wei Tu called them together this time, Fu Zhizhou didn't need to guess—he already knew Wei Tu must have something important to say.
"Brother Fu, that's…" Wei Fei frowned slightly when he heard that and cut in.
Though Fu Zhizhou had spoken gently, his words came off wrong—as if implying that Wei Tu only reached out because he needed something after fifty years.
"That was poorly worded."
Fu Zhizhou furrowed his brows but didn't argue. After a pause, he realized something and gave a brief apology before falling silent.
"Fourth Brother, you're overthinking it." Wei Tu smiled and said, "This time, I invited Second Brother, Hongying, and you, Fourth Brother, just to celebrate the fact that we've made it back alive from the front lines."
"It's not because of some urgent matter."
Wei Tu waved his hand.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Fu Zhizhou's expression changed. He clearly heard the dissatisfaction and mistrust behind Wei Tu's words.
And with that, the atmosphere in the private room also shifted. It was no longer as warm and easygoing as before—tension quietly crept in.
"Fu will take his leave." Fu Zhizhou gritted his teeth. He stood up, cupped his hands to Wei Tu, then flicked his sleeves and walked out of the room.
Staring at the open door, the remaining three sat in silence for a while.
In the end, it was Kou Hongying who broke the silence. She stood, calmly shut the door, and said quietly, "I trust Uncle Wei."
Simple words, but firm.
"I trust Third Brother too," Wei Fei quickly added, voice tense.
He'd known Wei Tu for many years. He understood his nature and had personally experienced Wei Tu's help during his lowest moments.
Compared to Wei Tu, Fu Zhizhou couldn't match him—in character or loyalty.
—Though they had lived as neighbors for years, Fu Zhizhou had barely spoken to him. Seasonal gifts were never exchanged.
In the past, Wei Fei had excused this, thinking Fu Zhizhou was just a bitter cultivator who lacked social grace.
But after what happened today…
Wei Fei finally understood—Fu Zhizhou wasn't clueless. He simply didn't bother with things that didn't benefit him.
"Thank you, Second Brother. Thank you, Hongying."
Wei Tu stood up and bowed in gratitude.
After expressing his thanks, he got to the real reason he'd gathered them.
"This time I wrote letters to invite the three of you—Hongying, Second Brother, and Fourth Brother—because I do have something important to discuss. It concerns… traveling to Kang Kingdom."
"Besides that, there's also a piece of good news I wanted to share."
As he spoke, Wei Tu paused for a moment, his voice slightly choked, and a look of disappointment flickered across his face.
He'd brought the Righteous Society members together for a joyous occasion. Yet Fu Zhizhou hadn't even waited for him to finish before jumping to conclusions and accusing him of having selfish motives.
"A hundred years of brotherhood… and this is what it's come to."
Wei Tu sighed to himself.
Back in the day, Fu Zhizhou had stood guard outside Danqiu Mountains for his sake and killed the rogue cultivator Ying Bing.
Later, during many shared moments, Fu Zhizhou had proven himself loyal—not a heartless man.
Kou Hongying noticed his mood and offered a few comforting words. "Uncle Fu is my elder, so I shouldn't speak out of turn. But… back then, he abandoned his wife and child to walk the immortal path alone. That may show strong Daoist resolve, but someone who'd leave even his wife behind—can he really be called loyal and devoted?"
Then she added, "Uncle Fu is now in mid Foundation Establishment, cultivating both body and magic."
"He may have… gained some fortuitous encounter on the battlefield."
Her meaning was clear.
The current Fu Zhizhou no longer needed help from Wei Tu, a Tier Two talisman master. That's why he acted distant, even suspicious.
Back then, Fu Zhizhou had no resources, no talent, and no opportunities. Among the four elements of cultivation—partner, wealth, method, and place—he had only a 'partner,' so he relied heavily on Wei Tu.
Wei Tu nodded.
A bit of the weight in his heart lifted.
He understood that Fu Zhizhou wasn't quite as cold-blooded as Kou Hongying described. Otherwise, he wouldn't have quietly given those ten spirit stones to Fu Lin.
By that logic—
Fu Zhizhou didn't lack all feelings toward him.
It was just that now, he had fewer reasons to depend on Wei Tu, and so naturally, he gave him less thought. That's why his words earlier had crossed a line.
As for why Wei Tu hadn't told Fu Zhizhou about Kang Kingdom, which led to today's misunderstanding… he had his reasons.
Crossing into Kang Kingdom was no trivial matter.
One misstep, and it would mean certain doom.
Since he couldn't fully trust Fu Zhizhou anymore, he couldn't reveal such a dangerous secret to him.
"Xian'er's talent for sensing will come in handy during the journey to Kang Kingdom…"
"The choice is up to Second Brother. I won't force anything."
Wei Tu composed himself and got back to the topic.
…
After the discussion ended, Wei Fei left with Wei Xian'er.
Only Kou Hongying and Wei Tu remained in the private room. She pulled out a tea set from her storage pouch and personally brewed tea.
"This is Tier Two spiritual tea—'Purple Cloud Mist.' Uncle Wei, have a taste and clear your head a bit," Kou Hongying said softly as she poured a steaming cup for him.
Wei Tu nodded, glanced at the now-empty seat Fu Zhizhou had left behind, and let out a quiet sigh.
"It's no longer… like it was in our youth."