CHAPTER 980: CHAPTER 111: ASK HEART

Ye Zhu said no more after that.

The elder gently patted Xie Xuanyi on the shoulder, summoned his flying sword, and departed, leaving the place to the two young men.

Xie Xuanyi silently approached the two tombstones, paid his respects, and mourned.

Whether it was Qin Ancestor or Wu Zhexian, they were all peak characters of Da Chu’s martial arts... If not for the upheaval stirred by the Demon Queen, both of them should still be safe and sound. This grand catastrophe nearly dragged the martial arts fate of the Da Chu Dynasty back to the level of three hundred years ago.

Fortunately... there’s still Zhou Ceng.

"Brother Zhou."

After completing these actions, Xie Xuanyi slowly spoke: "...Are you okay?"

The shoulders of the white-clad martial artist were scattered with many maple leaves.

It was clear.

He had been standing there for a long time.

"I’m not that fragile."

Zhou Ceng looked at the tombstones and said, "Master taught long ago, martial arts cultivation not only requires tempering the flesh but also honing the heart..."

Paused for a moment.

"Departures and farewells."

"All are trials on the path of cultivation."

Zhou Ceng’s voice grew hoarse, and he forced a smile: "I... actually am alright..."

Xie Xuanyi looked at this white-clad martial artist, thinking that Zhou Ceng was really not skilled at lying.

Is this guy really alright?

Standing before the tombstones, even forgetting to brush away the fallen leaves.

How can someone like this be alright?

"I heard Lu Yuzhen also took part in the Sword Palace battle."

Zhou Ceng suddenly asked: "Now that the news of the Holy Empress’s death is confirmed, there is no word about him... Could it be he didn’t die by Master Zhao’s sword..."

Now that the Sword Palace triumphed and the Demon Queen perished, if Lu Yuzhen also died beneath Lotus Peak, then the news of Paperman Sect being obliterated would surely have spread across the Great Chu Four Realms.

"Lu Yuzhen... is hard to kill."

Xie Xuanyi didn’t want to deceive Zhou Ceng.

He recounted the scene of the battle at Moon Hidden Cave Heaven.

"Indeed..."

Zhou Ceng’s bad premonition was confirmed.

He had guessed that Lu Yuzhen might not have died.

The white-clad martial artist took a deep breath and muttered: "It’s really unexpected, with Master Zhao’s cultivation, capable of killing even the Demon Queen, he couldn’t kill him?"

This Sword Palace calamity.

Zhao Chunyang took action, killing the Demon Queen... This battle was truly invaluable!

Previously there were discussions, within the Da Chu Dynasty, who held the highest force as the ’Strongest’ existence.

After this battle, this question would no longer have any controversy.

Qin Ancestor fell in Moon Hidden Cave Heaven, Holy Empress was defeated in Da Sui Sword Palace.

Among the four peak characters of the Da Chu Dynasty, only ’Xiao Yaozi’ remains unappeared...

The esteemed Taoist, hollowed by Chong Kan, the Dragon Vein removed, it had become a ’joke’, Xiao Yaozi and Zhao Chunyang never clearly distinguishing superiority over the years, the difference now faintly emerges.

"So that’s good..."

Zhou Ceng shook his sleeves and said in a deep voice: "Lu didn’t die, it just leaves me with a shred of thought!"

As he spoke, his eyes revealed a fierce killing intent.

There are many cultivators in this world, cultivating only a single obsession.

Zhou Ceng is such a person.

With the word ’thought’ spoken, Zhou Ceng’s voice hardly paused.

"Brother Xie..."

He looked at Xie Xuanyi, spoke word by word: "For ten years, I’ve been desperately cultivating, reaching the Yin God Great Perfection Realm. Do you know what supported me?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi sighed lightly.

"It’s you."

Zhou Ceng stared intently into Xie Xuanyi’s eyes.

He spoke with utmost seriousness: "Years ago, I challenged you eleven times with Ask Heart technique, all ended in failure. If not for the Moon Hidden incident ten years ago, in the twelfth duel... I would have surely won."

For the twelfth duel.

Zhou Ceng prepared painstakingly for several months, on the day Xie Xuanyi entered the Imperial City, he secluded himself in the Martial Sect Arena, adjusted his mind, body, and spirit to their peak.

Just waiting for Xie Xuanyi to leave the Imperial Palace for the battle with him!

Before promoting to Yang God, two major ordeals await.

Heart Inquiry, Dao Inquiry!

Zhou Ceng had already inquired his ’Dao’, only Xie Xuanyi’s ’Heart Inquiry’ remained!

This ordeal.

A crossing, it’s been ten years.

Upon hearing the news of Xie Xuanyi’s demise in the North Sea, Zhou Ceng couldn’t believe it, personally went to the North Sea to investigate, found nothing, but still couldn’t accept it.

He had already established a belief in ’certain victory’.

Just waiting for Xie Xuanyi to fight him.

Even if defeated in this battle... he could accept it!

Nothing more than starting anew, cultivating again, with a high mountain ahead waiting for him, if Xie Xuanyi promotes to Yang God, naturally he would also cross this Heart Inquiry challenge.

After all, only a Yang God is qualified to challenge a Yang God.

But Xie Xuanyi died just like that...

Zhou Ceng was stuck in the Yin God Realm for ten years.

Now.

The man who died in the North Sea came back alive, standing right in front of him.

The white-clad martial artist stood before the tombstones all night, knowing that Xie Xuanyi would surely come to him, this duel delayed by ten years... though late, it arrived. Thus, like ten years ago, he meticulously prepared, adjusted his mind, body, and spirit, waiting for Xie Xuanyi’s arrival.

"Twelfth duel..."

Xie Xuanyi naturally understood Zhou Ceng’s thoughts.

He looked at the white-clad martial artist, sighed, and asked: "Are you sure you want to do it here?"

"This is the source of Da Chu’s martial fortune, master and master ancestors rest here, after some time, I will also guard this vein, suppressing the martial fortune."

Zhou Ceng smiled and said: "You are the opponent I Zhou Ceng most want to defeat in my life. If I were to choose the location for this twelfth duel, I would choose here."

"..."

Xie Xuanyi solemnly looked at the man before him.

He nodded and gently spoke a word of affirmation.

As soon as the words fell.

The white-clad martial artist suddenly punched, the two were very close, Zhou Ceng spared no effort, and with this punch, a sonic boom exploded next to Xie Xuanyi’s ear.