Xie Qingyun calmly rolls the Buddha beads between his long, elegant fingers. He gazes at Gongsun E as if looking at someone already doomed. 

Gongsun E has no desire to face him directly. Since his resurrection, his strength hasn’t fully returned. Which is why he has been frequently capturing children to practice his dark arts. 

Xie Qingyun’s power, though unknown to others, is something Gongsun E is well aware of.

“You think I’m lying?” Gongsun E sneers, clutching the child in his hand.

“Take a look at this child. Don’t his features resemble Qing Heng?”

Xie Qingyun chuckles lightly, “In this world, there are many who resemble each other.”

“Enough with the nonsense”, Xie Qingyun says, losing his patience. 

“It’s time for you to die.” He throws the prayer beads while chanting a death curse.

Gongsun E: !!

Gongsung E is shocked by the sudden attack. He does not expect Xie Qingyun to attack without any hesitation, and barely manages to dodge. “Xie Qingyun, you’re ruthless! You don’t even care about your nephew’s life.”

Gongsun E’s attempt to use the child as leverage fails completely. Enraged, he throws the child at Xie Qingyun, laughing maniacally. “If that’s the case, I’ll kill him right in front of you!”

Ming Qiao is struck hard and feels a pain so intense that he cannot even cry, his entire body aches. Gongsun E’s blow was meant to kill the child, but most of the force is absorbed by someone else—Xie Qingyun, who catches the child with one arm while pressing his other hand on Gongsun E’s head.

“If Qing Heng could kill you, so can I”, Xie Qingyun says coldly, smashing Gongsun E’s skull with his hand.

Gongsun E’s bloodshot eyes widen in shock. “Neither you nor Qing Heng can kill me!” 

He shouts, just before he self-destructs. He dies, but not completely. As long as a fragment of his soul remains, he can return! No matter how strong Xie Qingyun or Qing Heng are, they can’t destroy his soul, nor stop his rebirth. 

In this world the only force that can completely obliterate him is demonic cultivation, but no Devil Cultivator will ever help Qing Heng’s side.

Though Gongsun E’s self-destruction has some impact, Xie Qingyun protects the child from the blast with his wide sleeve, shielding him from harm. As the dust settles, one last survivor, Huang Gui, is trying to sneak away.

Gongsun E’s self-detonation still has some lethality. Xie Qingyun waves his sleeve to shield the child in his arms, protecting himself from the shockwave. After Gongsun E’s self-detonation, Huang Gui is trying to sneak away. Xie Qingyun cracks his wrist and fixes his gaze on Huang Gui.

“Where do you think you’re going?” He asks in his deep, calm voice. 

Huang Gui, who hasn’t escaped yet, stiffens all over. In the next second, he feels a chill run down his spine as a large hand suddenly presses down on his shoulder.

Both Huang Gui and Gongsun E are notorious figures from the hundred demon catalog. Xie Qingyun’s defeat of them may seem due to Gongsun E’s weakened state and Huang Gui’s illness, but even at their peak, Xie Qingyun would likely still be victorious. His true strength remains a mystery to everyone.

Now that both enemies are gone, Xie Qingyun looks down at the child in his arms. The child’s face is pale but delicate, and he looks as though he’s barely hanging on.

“Uncle.” Seeing the bad guys being eliminated, Ming Qiao clutches Xie Qingyun’s clothes tightly with his chubby little hand. He overheard the bad man mention that Xie Qingyun was his mother’s brother. His mother’s brother is his uncle.

His black, gem-like eyes glisten with tears. In his frail voice, filled with both vulnerability and pain, the child calls out again: “Uncle.”

He calls out again, as if complaining, saying, “Qiao Qiao hurts so much.”

Xie Qingyun: “……”

Xie Qingyun’s expression stiffens. A single thought crosses his mind…

What’s going on?!

Earlier, Gongsun E said this child was his nephew, but now the little one is calling him uncle? He remembers having only one younger brother who is an Immortal General. He doesn’t recall having any sisters!

“I am not your uncle, you don’t need to recognize me as family.” 

Xie Qingyun says, shifting his gaze away from the child’s small face. His tone is indifferent. “I don’t know your mother.”

“You do know him.” Ming Qiao endures the pain and speaks with a trembling little voice 

“My mother is Qing Heng, I am his son. The bad guy said you are Qing Heng’s brother.” 

So, this man must be his uncle. 

Xie Qingyun: “……”

Xie Qingyun freezes for a moment, his expression growing colder. “I have seen my brother as a child, even changed his diapers. He can’t possibly be your mother. He can’t give birth to you.” 

Xie Qingyun is certain about his brother’s gender and finds it impossible to believe Qing Heng could have a child. But the little one in his arms, with tears in his eyes, pouts his lips and refuses to change his claim.

The two stare at each other for a long time. Before Xie Qingyun can continue denying the relationship, the child’s head tilts to the side and slumps into his arms.

Xie Qingyun: ?

Xie Qingyun’s face shifts as he quickly checks the child’s breathing. The boy is still alive, but his breath is weak. Frowning, Xie Qingyun transfers his spiritual energy into the child’s body to heal his injuries. But transferring energy alone isn’t enough.

But transferring energy alone isn’t enough. As Xie Qingyun looks at the fragile child, his mind races. He’s hesitating, unsure if he should send the boy away. If he does, it might waste precious time and delay the child’s treatment.

Deep within the Xisha Forest, there’s an ancient ruin once owned by the Medicine Immortal Zhong Wan, who ascended long ago. Left behind a medicinal spring, countless healing herbs, and remedies. However, the ruins are guarded by powerful level six magical beasts—more than one.

Xie Qingyun knows the location of the secret realm, but isn’t certain he can break through. As he ponders, the small hand gripping his sleeve suddenly tightens. The child in his arms, who looks as delicate as a porcelain doll, scrunches his face in pain, his breath turning hot—he’s developing a fever. 

The child isn’t just fragile in appearance, like a porcelain doll, his body seems equally weak. “Uncle…” the boy murmurs in his sleep, his small face twisted in discomfort.

The child is still too young, in that stage where he instinctively relies on adults, on family. Even though Xie Qingyun is cold toward him and refuses to acknowledge him as family, the boy doesn’t mind. He doesn’t care if his uncle rejects him—he won’t let go of his hand.

The boy’s weak voice makes Xie Qingyun, who always prided himself on being heartless, stand silently for a few seconds. After a brief pause, he sets his jaw and, holding the child close, walks deeper into the forest.

The Cangxuan Forest is home to many spirit beasts, which, like cultivators, are ranked by level. level one to level two beasts are common and often being kept as pets. level three magical beasts are higher-tier, though they are temperamental and difficult to tame. If someone acquires one, they usually either extract its inner core or find some other valuable use for it.

Above level three, level four and level five magical beasts are rare. A level five beast is extremely valuable and hard to catch, fetching astronomical prices in auctions. But the beasts guarding the Medicine Immortal’s ruins are level six, far more powerful than the others.

Xie Qingyun mutters quietly, “Mercy of Buddha.”

Out of some sense of duty, he decides to reluctantly perform a good deed today.

Time passes, and the terrifying roars of beasts continue to echo from the depths of the forest. Some cultivators, standing at a safe distance, look ahead in awe.

“What in the heavens is going on? Who angered a high-level magical beast?” Someone asks, shaken.

“High-level magical beasts? There’s a beast-hunting team nearby. Should we ask them to catch one and take a look?” Another suggests.

“Are you stupid? Listen to that roar—does it sound like a spirit beast that a hunting team could handle?”

“Huh? I can’t tell, but it sounds terrifying to me.”

“We need to leave fast, let’s keep our distance too. From the aura of this magical beast, it’s even more powerful than a level five magical beast!”

“Impossible! level five spirit beasts are already rare, anything stronger—”

Before the gray-robed cultivator could finish, the ground beneath him began to tremble. No, to be exact, the entire land was shaking. Without waiting for anyone else to warn him, the gray-robed cultivator turned pale and bolted toward the exit.

This forest is too dangerous, he better hide for now! Outside the forest, everyone can feel the tremors. It was far worse in the depths, it’s easy to imagine how violent it must be.

Ming Qiao is jolted awake. The first thing he notices is his chubby hand clutching a piece of cloth—Xie Qingyun’s robe.

“Uncle”, he mutters, rubbing his eyes and instinctively looking around for Xie Qingyun. After searching, he finally spots him—covered in blood. Ming Qiao woke up late, the battle with the level six magical beasts just ended. One beast lay collapsed nearby, and his uncle wasn’t in much better shape, battered and exhausted.

Ming Qiao’s small face freezes in shock before he rushes over on his short legs. “Uncle!!!”

Ming Qiao cries out, terrified. He just found his uncle, he can’t bear the thought of losing him! Tears wells up in his eyes as he anxiously wipes the blood off Xie Qingyun’s face and body with his little handkerchief, his tears dripping all over Xie Qingyun’s face. Xie Qingyun’s face gets wet with his tears. 

“Alright, stop crying like I’m dead” Xie Qingyun says, sitting up. He takes the handkerchief from Ming Qiao and wipes his own face. 

After wiping his face, he stands up from the ground. As he rises, he winces slightly, inhaling sharply from the pain.

He fought off three level six magical beasts—one escaped, but the remaining two were tough enough. Ignoring the still-breathing beasts, Xie Qingyun picks up the tearful child and heads into the Medicine Immortal’s secret realm.

As soon as they enter, Xie Qingyun smells the thick aroma of medicine in the air, and the soreness in his body begins to ease. Ming Qiao also smells the medicinal fragrance. He glances around at the space within the secret realm, taking in the overwhelming scent of herbs and then looking at Xie Qingyun, who is still covered in blood.

At that moment, Ming Qiao realizes something—his uncle fought those magical beasts to bring him here!

“Uncle.” Ming Qiao’s little face, still damp with tears, hasn’t dried yet. He calls softly, a smile slowly spreads across his face.

Xie Qingyun: “……”

Xie Qingyun, annoyed, snaps, “What are you grinning at? Silly crybaby, you can’t even call me properly.”

He prefers to be called Xie Qingyun, or if polite, Xie Uncle. He’s certainly not anyone’s “uncle”.

Ming Qiao doesn’t care about Xie Qingyun’s apparent annoyance. With his little hands, he grabs Xie Qingyun’s face and turns it toward him. Then, with a pout, he leans in and plants a kiss on Xie Qingyun’s cheek.

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The sweet little cub gives his uncle a kiss!