Chapter 519: Dao Child’s Fury, Qingluo’s Regret
Over 200 years ago, when he was still a Golden Core True Lord, he had gone to Xiao Kingdom over the matter of Zhao Qingluo and once visited Shengya Mountain.
There, on Shengya Mountain, he defeated Dao Child Situ Yang, who had been provoked by Zhao Zhujun into dueling him.
Afterward, Situ Yang refused to accept his loss and swore that once he broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm, he would challenge him again.
By now, Wei Tu had nearly forgotten that old matter from more than 200 years ago. He hadn’t expected Situ Yang to still brood over it, let alone send him a formal letter of challenge.
But after a moment’s thought, Wei Tu wasn’t surprised.
Back then, he was the victor. For him, Situ Yang had been nothing but a defeated opponent, not worth remembering.
But for Situ Yang, the loser, that shame was carved deep into his heart.
"Fellow Daoist Wei, how do you plan to respond?" Divine Master Du Long asked with a strange expression, barely hiding a smile.
Had Situ Yang sent this letter ten or so years earlier, Du Long might not have dismissed it so easily. Back then, he would have thought the two stood about even.
After all, Situ Yang was from a great sect with a deep legacy behind him. With that foundation, it wasn’t unreasonable to believe he might one day surpass a poor wandering cultivator.
But now…
No matter how highly he regarded Situ Yang, Du Long couldn’t imagine any chance of him beating Wei Tu.
How could an early Nascent Soul match someone already at mid Nascent Soul?
Cross-realm battles like that only existed in legends.
What’s more, Wei Tu’s strength was proven—he had joined forces with others to slay the Nascent Soul cultivator known as Liu Yu Daoist. That was real, bloody record.
So to Du Long, this challenge letter was nothing more than a child daring to fight a grown man.
Even so, Wei Tu’s calm reaction was unexpected.
"Decline it. That’s all."
That was Wei Tu’s reply.
He had more important matters to handle. He had no time to travel all the way to Xiao Kingdom again.
Besides, beating Situ Yang again held no benefit for him. There was simply no need.
"Decline?" Du Long blinked in surprise, then quickly understood.
The tree that stands tall in the forest is the one the wind will break.
Now that Wei Tu’s strength was revealed, seeking more fame would bring him nothing. On the contrary, it might draw dangerous eyes—such as from the Hehuan Sect, the mother sect of Liu Yu Daoist.
That would be far too costly.
"Fellow Daoist Wei, your detachment from fame and fortune is admirable." Du Long praised with genuine respect.
After a few more polite words, he excused himself and left the Divine Master’s Mansion.
Before he left, Wei Tu also made some preparations for his coming journey to the Demonic Extreme Sea. He told Du Long that he would soon be going into closed-door cultivation for a few years and asked that no one from the tribe disturb him.
Hearing this, Du Long admired him even more. He finally understood why Wei Tu had stepped into mid Nascent Soul ahead of him.
It was simple—Wei Tu’s calm, steady "bitter cultivator" mindset already surpassed most Nascent Soul ancestors.
Opportunities may be shortcuts for the weak to rise, but without the heart of a true powerhouse, a moment’s gain remains fleeting. It cannot become a lifetime’s foundation.
…
"What? He refused?"
Months later, on Shengya Mountain.
On the main peak, sitting in meditation with a glowing Dharma wheel floating behind him like some Daoist deity, Situ Yang’s composed face darkened when he read Wei Tu’s reply.
That loss back then hadn’t ruined his standing in Shengya Mountain.
But being defeated by a borderland wanderer was something he had never been able to swallow.
To him, it was the greatest shame of his life.
The only way to cleanse it was to defeat Wei Tu with his own hands.
If he could wash away that disgrace, then the past defeat might even turn into a glorious tale—one where his disciples and descendants would be told: "Back then, Ancestor Situ once fell to a wandering cultivator. But after years of bitter cultivation, he returned and crushed that enemy with ease."
But now—
Wei Tu had refused?
That meant he couldn’t even take the first step toward washing away the shame.
Which meant this stain would cling to him forever, turning into Shengya Mountain’s secret shame, never to be spoken of to outsiders.
Even so, Situ Yang didn’t harbor thoughts of taking revenge by underhanded means. He was Shengya Mountain’s Dao Child. He could act domineering, but he could never disgrace his sect’s name.
"Wait… Zhao Qingluo…"
Suddenly, he remembered her—Wei Tu’s close companion.
Other than her, he could think of no one who might persuade Wei Tu into fighting him.
His eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he flicked his sleeve, his figure turning into a streak of flowing light as he rushed toward Shendu Island, where the Zhao Clan resided.
The arrival of a Nascent Soul ancestor.
The Zhao Clan naturally dared not neglect him. They quickly cleansed the courtyard and prepared a formal welcome.
"Dao Child, are you here to see Zhujun?"
Zhao Clan’s Nascent Soul elder, Zhao Yuer, stepped forward, bowed to Situ Yang, and asked with a smile.
Once, Zhao Zhujun had been Situ Yang’s beloved. They had pledged their lives to one another. Later, a small misunderstanding had caused them to quarrel and split apart.
But as the saying went, quarrels between husband and wife never lasted.
So today, Zhao Yuer assumed he had come to reconcile. She could think of no other reason.
"No. I came to see Zhao Qingluo."
Situ Yang’s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked at Zhao Yuer with calm indifference, his tone cold.
At the same time, he deliberately stressed the word "Elder."
Now that he had stepped into Nascent Soul, he was no longer Shengya Mountain’s Dao Child, but a true authority on the main peak—Elder Situ Yang, a Nascent Soul ancestor.
He was now Zhao Yuer’s equal.
"Qingluo?" Zhao Yuer’s heart sank with disappointment, and surprise flickered across her face.
After all, there had never been any connection between Zhao Qingluo and Situ Yang.
"Elder Zhao, just call her here."
Situ Yang said blandly.
Hearing this, the elderly Zhao Yuer frowned deeply. Still, she couldn’t afford to offend Situ Yang over such a small matter.
She waved her hand, ordering the clansmen to summon Zhao Qingluo.
"Why has Elder Situ come looking for Qingluo? Is there some urgent matter?"
After giving her order, Zhao Yuer looked at Situ Yang and cautiously asked.
"It concerns Wei Tu…"
Situ Yang did not hide anything. He directly explained the old duel agreement from two hundred years ago, Wei Tu’s current refusal, and his own intentions.
"Wei Tu!"
Hearing that familiar name, the Zhao clansmen on Shendu Island froze for a long moment.
Over two hundred years ago, after Wei Tu visited the Zhao clan of Shengya Mountain and declared his intentions, they had naturally regarded him as their son-in-law.
But time passed in a blink.
After Wei Tu broke through to the Nascent Soul, in the hundred years since, he had never once returned to visit the Zhao clan of Shengya Mountain…
Even they, who once called him a good son-in-law, could not help but grow more and more disappointed.
However, since the matter involved a Nascent Soul ancestor, it wasn’t something they could easily comment on. Before Situ Yang, none of them showed any hint of dissatisfaction toward Wei Tu.
After a brief wait.
Zhao Qingluo, led by Zhao clan cultivators, came before Situ Yang.
"Golden Core peak?" Situ Yang raised his brows slightly, giving Zhao Qingluo a glance.
He remembered clearly—two hundred years ago, this woman had only been at Golden Core mid-stage.
And her aptitude was only a middling high-grade spiritual root, considered low among Shengya Mountain cultivators.
Now, in just two hundred years, she had leapt across several minor realms to reach Golden Core peak. For an ordinary cultivator, this could indeed be called a miracle.
"No wonder Wei Tu valued her!"
A hint of admiration showed on Situ Yang’s face.
Though he was angry at Wei Tu’s refusal to fight, he still acknowledged Wei Tu’s ability. After all, praising Wei Tu was also praising himself.
Only if Wei Tu was strong would he, the defeated opponent, not be seen as a laughingstock.
But before he could voice any praise for Zhao Qingluo, her very first words made him fall silent.
"You’re saying Wei Tu has nothing to do with you?"
Situ Yang’s face instantly darkened.
Back then, he had seen clearly—Wei Tu came to Shengya Mountain for Zhao Qingluo’s marriage contract.
Now, with a casual 'no relation,' was she treating him as a fool? Mocking him openly?
"You’re connected to Wei Tu, so I won’t bully you. You only need to send him a message—that Situ Yang awaits him on Shengya Mountain to settle our old battle!"
Situ Yang took a deep breath and spoke in a heavy tone.
A Nascent Soul ancestor could not be treated with disrespect.
If not for Zhao Qingluo’s link to Wei Tu, he would have already punished this Golden Core junior, without fear of public gossip.
"The younger generation and Senior Wei… no longer have any ties. We have each chosen our own Dao."
Zhao Qingluo shook her head and answered truthfully.
The path and a partner—she once thought she could have both. But later, she finally understood. Wei Tu was no longer that poor wandering cultivator, and she was no longer the lofty Princess Zhao.
With Wei Tu’s status and cultivation, he would never accept someone willing to abandon a marriage contract just for the sake of pursuing the Dao.
Even if that so-called bond was only a piece of paper…
Yet since that moonlit farewell, she had come to terms with it, and felt no regret.
Even when she learned of the day Wei Tu broke through to Nascent Soul ahead of her… she still had no regrets!
"No ties?"
Seeing Zhao Qingluo remain firm, Situ Yang felt a flicker of doubt. He turned his head and sent a sound transmission to Zhao Yuer, asking whether this was true.
"It should be so." Zhao Yuer sighed softly, confirming it helplessly.
She had always thought highly of Wei Tu.
Born as a wandering cultivator, with talent in both talismans and alchemy, and practicing both body and Dao…
Time proved her right. Wei Tu had reached Nascent Soul more than ten years before Situ Yang did.
But there was no medicine for regret.
As the Zhao clan ancestor, she could not harshly blame Zhao Qingluo for missing the chance to become Wei Tu’s Dao partner.
After all, the Zhao clan of Shengya Mountain did not survive solely by 'selling daughters for glory.'
Besides, Zhao Qingluo had cultivated diligently.
Though far inferior to Wei Tu, she was still a rare talent among the Zhao clan’s Golden Core generation.
When her words fell.
Situ Yang’s brows furrowed. If Zhao Qingluo had no ties with Wei Tu, then this trip of his was for nothing.
But in the next moment, he thought of something.
A faint smile touched his lips. "Back then, Zhao Qingluo’s personal disciple status came because she replaced Zhao Zhujun to marry into the Tianyi Sect’s Jiao family… but I recall the Zhao clan canceled that marriage afterward."
"First an alliance marriage, then a cancellation. Such actions have greatly harmed relations between our sect and the Tianyi Sect."
The corner of Situ Yang’s mouth curved as he shifted into the role of a core elder of Shengya Mountain, speaking in the name of public duty.
A personal disciple was not like an ordinary disciple. They were considered core heirs to the sect’s legacy—quality mattered more than numbers.
Though it was common for families like the Zhao clan to use influence to secure such positions for their offspring… if he chose to use this as a pretext, no one could really refute him.
One phrase—'not according to the rules!'—was enough.
"Elder Situ, this…"
Zhao Yuer’s face grew somewhat unsightly.
It wasn’t hard for her to guess Situ Yang’s intent.
He feared gossip, so he couldn’t strike directly at Zhao Qingluo to lure Wei Tu over.
But now, by seizing on this excuse, he could pressure the Zhao clan into acting as his proxy, to 'resolve' Zhao Qingluo instead.
In this way, once Wei Tu heard, he would very likely come to Shengya Mountain.
After all, the bond wasn’t so easily severed.
But handling it in such an official manner was no good thing for the Zhao clan.
If they helped Situ Yang…
Their own clan would be restless.
If they refused him, they would surely have to pay a heavy price to smooth things over.
Thus, unless absolutely necessary, Zhao Yuer did not want to make this choice.