The house was dilapidated. The furniture had long since rotted, and the interior was draped in old cobwebs that even spiders and insects no longer bothered with. Clearly, no one had lived here for years.
Qi Ping wasn't surprised. He had specifically told Old Man Zhou to find a remote forest to hide in and to tell no one the exact location. At the time, he was afraid his own actions might implicate the old man. As it turned out, Qi Ping hadn't caused any trouble, but his instruction had made finding the old man difficult.
However, he wasn't worried. To another cultivator, this might be a hassle, but not for him. He stepped into the forest and released over ten thousand bees.
"Search within a hundred-mile radius. Find Old Man Zhou's trail!"
Following his command, the swarm of Rank 1 and several Rank 2 bees immediately dispersed. But the search wasn't as easy as he expected; an entire night passed without a sign.
'Did something happen?' A hint of worry began to grow in his heart.
Fortunately, as the sun climbed toward noon, he finally received news.
'Good heavens, this old man hid himself deep!' After learning the location, he couldn't help but admire the old man's craftiness. He had some real skill in staying hidden. Finally finding him, Qi Ping's worries dissipated.
He moved quickly and soon found Old Man Zhou's hideout. At the foot of an unremarkable hill, the old man was carefully tending to a patch of flowers. Small Green-Slave Bees were buzzing among the blossoms, their bodies covered in a thick layer of fresh nectar.
'Couldn't help himself and started raising bees again, eh?'
'I suppose he was getting bored.'
Qi Ping didn't disturb him there but went instead to the old man's courtyard. Upon arriving, he blinked in surprise. The courtyard was a perfect replica of the one they had in the Cloud-Mist Mountain Range. Even the positions of the table and the reclining chair were identical.
Qi Ping didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down, took a cup, and poured himself a drink.
"Berry wine, hawthorn... and mulberries. The taste is quite good!"
Having gone without such things for a long time, Qi Ping found his appetite stirred. He drank one cup after another until the jar was empty. Not satisfied, he pulled a massive jar out from a corner.
He had almost finished the large jar of the old man's private stash by the time Old Man Zhou returned, huffing and puffing while wearing a straw hat. The moment he walked through the door, he saw a familiar figure.
"Kid Qi? How did you find—"
Before he could finish, his eyes landed on the empty jar beside Qi Ping. Wasn't that his prized vintage? Why was it out? He rushed forward to check. Seeing the bottom of the empty jar, he felt as if the sky had fallen. He had been so stingy with himself, barely taking a sip, and this kid had polished it off in one go. For a wine lover like him, this was unbearable!
"You brat! You just get here and you've already drained my best stash? Are you looking for a beating?" Old Man Zhou said, feigning sternness.
"Hehe, I was just a bit thirsty," Qi Ping replied, acting innocent.
Looking at Qi Ping, the old man didn't truly intend to scold him. Seeing Qi Ping arrive safely, the weight on his heart finally lifted.
"Is the chaos in Qingshi County over? How are the others?"
Having been here so long, he naturally wanted news of his friends. Qi Ping shook his head.
"Qingshi County is at its most chaotic right now. Several major sects are fighting; Qi Refinement cultivators are dying in droves, and no fewer than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators have fallen."
"A year ago, the three major families were instigated into a civil war by a rival sect. The slaughter left mountains of corpses and rivers of blood..."
Qi Ping shared the news he knew. Skinny Li Peng had vanished without a trace. Meng Shanshan's "protector" wasn't a great figure but a demonic cultivator disguised as a sect disciple; her cultivation was drained, and she had lost her mind—her current status was unknown. Wang San had survived within the three families and gained quite a bit of profit. As for Sister Nan, she was hidden deep in the mountains and had recently reached the seventh layer of Qi Refinement.
As the news was delivered, Old Man Zhou sat frozen. The scale of the disaster was staggering. He had lived there for nearly a hundred years and couldn't remain indifferent. He knew it would be bad, but he never imagined it would be this horrific.
He was glad that his old friends Wang San and Sister Nan were doing well. Wang San had apparently secured some cultivation capital for his child. Sister Nan's breakthrough to the seventh layer surprised him; it seemed her fortune was deep.
As for a kid with Qi Ping's talent, he figured reaching the mid-level of Qi Refinement was good enough; reaching the late stage would be a blessing. He never expected Qi Ping to achieve greatness; he just wanted him to live a peaceful, happy life.
Hearing about the fate of Meng Shanshan, however, made his heart ache. He had watched that girl grow up. If only she had agreed to stay with Qi Ping back then. He remembered Qi Ping had contracted Golden Marrow Bees; if the two of them had raised Green-Slave Bees and Golden Marrow Bees together, their lives would have been so happy.
As for Li Peng, he wasn't too worried; that fellow likely had connections to keep him hidden.
"Sigh... the world is unpredictable," he finally sighed. For a small figure like him, just staying alive was hard enough. What could he change?
"Indeed. The world is in chaos, and survival is difficult."
"So, are you planning to stay in the mortal realm for a while too?" the old man asked. He knew Qi Ping's personality; if the county was that dangerous, he wouldn't stay there without a plan.
"I'm here to take you back to Qingshi County."
"It really is too dangerous there right now—wait, what? Back?" Old Man Zhou stared at him in shock. He wondered if he had misheard. In this situation, Qi Ping should be running as far as possible. Why would he want to go back?
"Yes," Qi Ping replied firmly. "The environment here is too poor. Staying here will shorten your lifespan."
So that was it. He wondered why Qi Ping would suggest such a thing. "Kid, don't worry about me. My body can still hold on. It's too dangerous in the county; don't take the risk..."
But the old man's words cut off abruptly.
What was this aura? He stared at Qi Ping with wide, bulging eyes.
"Foundation Establishment?!"