Chapter Sixty-Nine: Old Grievances Unavenged

With the newfound blood relationship with Zheng Hongjun, Zheng Yiqing's status and position naturally changed drastically.

With Zheng Hongjun's support, Zheng Yiqing's body-forging cultivation broke through the ninth stage in just over a month, his strength soaring at an astonishing rate.

Zheng Yiqing was utterly ecstatic.

However, he also understood that Ye Mo, Gao Jian, and the group of martial artists he hated to the bone were still stranded on that nameless island without a sea. The chances of them crossing the vast ocean to reach Donglai Spirit Island were next to impossible.

If he wanted revenge, he might not have the opportunity to return to that nameless island any time soon.

This left Zheng Yiqing with a faint sense of disappointment.

"Young Marquis, look over there—that man surnamed Ye, and Gao Jian! How did they make it to Donglai Spirit Island?"

A wiry, one-armed man behind Zheng Yiqing suddenly spotted a group of familiar martial artists at the ferry and couldn't help but cry out in surprise.

"Ye Mo, Gao Jian?"

Zheng Yiqing was engaged in conversation with Zheng Hongjun. Hearing this, he followed the man's gaze, and at once, a surge of anger flared within him.

It was indeed Ye Mo—the very commoner martial artist he wished to tear to pieces.

Since becoming a cultivator, Ye Mo's spiritual senses had grown particularly keen. Sensing a murderous gaze directed his way, he immediately turned to look.

"Zheng Yiqing?!"

Ye Mo also spotted Zheng Yiqing disembarking from a sea vessel and was taken aback.

He had arrived at the dock before Zheng Yiqing's group, but lingered for a while as Vice Shipmaster Chang conversed with a snakehead.

He hadn't expected to run into Zheng Yiqing here. Ye Mo felt the urge to curse—this Young Marquis Zheng clung like a stubborn leech, impossible to shake off, haunting him relentlessly.

Ye Mo's gaze instantly turned cold, his right hand unconsciously reaching for the Golden Spirit Sword at his waist. He still had old scores to settle with this Young Marquis Zheng.

On that desolate island, Zheng Yiqing had ambushed him several times; after Ye Mo defeated him, Zheng Yiqing had fled to sea with his men, and Ye Mo had been unable to take his revenge on the spot.

Leaving a grudge unsettled was not in Ye Mo's nature.

He was just about to act when his eyes suddenly landed on the middle-aged cultivator beside Zheng Yiqing; his pupils contracted sharply in alarm.

"Zheng Yiqing?"

"He actually made it to Donglai Spirit Island too!"

Gao Jian, Lin Zhi, and the other martial artists also spotted Zheng Yiqing and, infuriated, closed in on him. Being captured by Zheng Yiqing before had been their greatest humiliation.

"Ye Mo, Gao Jian—you shameless lowlifes and traitors, how dare you show yourselves before me!"

Enraged, Zheng Yiqing couldn't help but curse them loudly. He felt no fear now, with his cultivator uncle backing him—why should he fear Ye Mo and his lot?

"Bah! Young Marquis Zheng, that day you managed to escape to the sea—we didn't catch you then, and never thought we'd meet again here. With your meager skills, if it hadn't been for He An helping you, you'd have died countless times already!"

Gao Jian shot Zheng Yiqing a disdainful look and spoke coldly.

"Gao Jian, you... Fine, fine! I'll show you right now whether I have the ability to deal with a traitor like you!"

Zheng Yiqing was so infuriated by Gao Jian's contemptuous expression that his face turned ashen.

He was no longer the mid-stage body-forging martial artist he once was—he had reached the ninth level. Gao Jian was only at the same level, yet dared to act so arrogantly and look down on him.

With a metallic ring, Zheng Yiqing drew the sword at his waist, bristling with murderous intent as he prepared to charge at Ye Mo and Gao Jian.

He had barely taken a step when a large hand firmly pressed him back.

"Yiqing, stand down! All private fighting and duels are forbidden on Donglai Spirit Island; violators will be severely punished by the guards of Immortal Village. Step back at once!"

Zheng Hongjun blocked Zheng Yiqing with a cold command.

"Yes, Uncle!"

Zheng Yiqing was forced to stop, glaring venomously at Ye Mo and Gao Jian. He spat bitterly, "You two got lucky today! Hmph, don't let me catch you outside this Spirit Island!"

"Yiqing, you must learn to control your emotions. Losing your temper is of no benefit to your cultivation."

With that, Zheng Hongjun swept a cold spiritual sense across Ye Mo and Gao Jian.

Instantly, Ye Mo felt as if steel needles were stabbing into his body, a faint stinging sensation that vanished as quickly as it came. His heart tightened—this middle-aged man was clearly far stronger than he was.

Gao Jian felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy blow; his face turned deathly pale and he staggered back several steps. Shocked, he realized at last that this man was a true cultivator.

"Let’s go!"

Zheng Hongjun gave a contemptuous laugh, flicked his wide sleeves, and led Zheng Yiqing, He An, and several dozen martial artists away.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle!"

Zheng Yiqing hurried to keep close at Zheng Hongjun's side, then said, hesitating, "It's just... these people are my sworn enemies. If I can't kill them, I won't rest easy!"

"The one leading them is called Ye Mo, isn't he? I just probed him with my spiritual sense—he has already formed his nascent spirit and stepped into the ranks of the cultivators. You are still a martial artist; until you have formed your own nascent spirit, do not provoke him!"

Zheng Hongjun frowned.

"What? Ye Mo has become a cultivator? How is that possible? He’s just a commoner martial artist—without a Spirit Qi Pill, how could he possibly break through to nascent spirit?"

Zheng Yiqing exclaimed in disbelief, his face full of shock.

It wasn't just Zheng Yiqing—He An, Steward Cao, Adviser Hou, and the other martial artists all looked astonished. Even a supreme expert like He An, without a Spirit Qi Pill, could not break through to nascent spirit.

Zheng Hongjun’s brow furrowed slightly.

Ever since he had confirmed Zheng Yiqing’s identity, he had treated Zheng Yiqing as his own nephew. This newly acknowledged nephew had many strengths, but his temperament was too impatient and rash; it seemed he would need to be tempered further in the future.

"There are many rules in Donglai Immortal Village: strictly forbidding private duels among cultivators, for example. But the rules exist to protect cultivators. If you are not a cultivator, you have no status here. Yiqing, you may be a Young Marquis in Zheng Country, but here in Donglai Immortal Village, your worldly status means nothing.

For a martial artist to offend an immortal is a grave taboo. Just now, if I hadn’t been here to shield you, he could have cut you down with a single stroke and you would have had nowhere to seek justice. Even if you are at the peak of the ninth stage of body-forging, it would mean nothing."

Zheng Hongjun spoke with grave earnestness.

"Uncle, I understand. Until I have cultivated my own nascent spirit, I will not leave the premises, nor will I risk encountering Ye Mo again!"

Zheng Yiqing’s face turned sullen with lingering dread. He was gradually realizing that, unless he became a cultivator, he had not even the most basic guarantee of survival on Donglai Spirit Island.

"Good, as long as you understand. Momentary strength or weakness is nothing; cultivation requires vast resources to support it! That Ye Mo is just a wandering commoner cultivator. With my support, you will soon surpass him. Your future has no bounds; when the time comes, it won’t be too late to seek your revenge."

Zheng Hongjun instructed.

"I will certainly follow your teachings, Uncle, and keep them close to heart!"

Zheng Yiqing hastily replied with utmost humility.