Junior Brother Pays Respect to You: Chapter 65 - Where is the Spiritual Root?
Chapter 65: Where is the Spiritual Root?
Qin Zheng had never longed to return so badly.
As soon as he opened his eyes and confirmed he was back, he collapsed straight onto the bed like he’d just finished a fight.
It was still daylight outside, so it didn’t seem like much time had passed.
This last time-travel experience was by far the hardest of all.
Even though he had managed to seal the spirit pillar on the first day without much danger—and even got married along the way—it meant that for the rest of the month, he had to pretend to be in love with Qin Su. That alone had been exhausting.
Qin Zheng felt like he had never been this tired before.
Not just because he had to act like he was in love, but because he also had to stay alert at all times.
He was terrified he might develop inappropriate thoughts again toward his junior.
He had already learned that lesson once, and he wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.
Especially not one he’d remember for the rest of his life.
Unfortunately, he would have to go back again.
Qin Zheng sat up in bed and suddenly sensed something missing in the room.
Because he had just returned from the other world, he hadn’t yet fully adjusted back.
He stood in front of the table, thinking for a while before suddenly remembering—
Right! He nearly forgot he was supposed to be looking after Xiao Hua.
“Xiao Hua?” Qin Zheng glanced around and called out.
The room was small enough to see everything at a glance—no sign of another person.
Since Xiao Hua wasn’t inside, Qin Zheng walked outside.
Xiao Hua had been obedient. Qin Zheng had told him not to wander off, and he had listened. He couldn’t have gone far.
Since Xiao Hua wasn’t inside, he must be playing outside.
He was still just a child, after all—not likely to just sit and watch someone sleep.
As soon as Qin Zheng opened the door, whatever good mood he had from escaping Xifeng Valley vanished instantly.
Standing at the door was the last person he wanted to see—Wei Feiluan.
Qin Zheng quickly looked around, and sure enough, not far ahead of Wei Feiluan stood Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua didn’t look well—his expression was wary and clearly defensive toward Wei Feiluan.
Qin Zheng didn’t want to deal with Wei Feiluan at all, so he called out, “Xiao Hua, come here!”
Hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Hua immediately looked up. When he saw Qin Zheng standing at the door, he ran over joyfully, as if the person who had just made him so uncomfortable no longer existed.
He stopped in front of Qin Zheng and looked up at him, eyes wide and shining.
For once, Qin Zheng lifted his hand and patted the boy’s head, then turned around to go back inside.
Some people were better off ignored.
But Wei Feiluan didn’t seem interested in being subtle. He shouted loudly, “What kind of dumb name is Xiao Hua?!”
“Why would you give a boy a name like that?!”
Qin Zheng was already annoyed just by seeing him. Now, this guy had the nerve to act like this too?
Clearly, it was time to settle the score.
Before Qin Zheng could respond, however, Wei Feiluan strode over with a serious look and said, “Looks like we need to talk.”
Qin Zheng looked at him coldly, then smirked and replied, “Yes. We definitely need to talk.”
It was time to resolve a few things.
He lowered his head and patted Xiao Hua’s again. “Go inside and wait for me.”
Xiao Hua, delighted by getting patted twice in a row, obediently went back into the room.
Once he was inside, Qin Zheng stepped forward and said, “Let’s talk right here.”
Wei Feiluan glanced at Qin Zheng, sensing something different about him today, but eventually nodded.
He gave a token cough and said, “There’s something I have to tell you.”
Qin Zheng looked at him calmly. “Go on.”
Wei Feiluan pressed his lips together, hesitating for a moment before saying, “Actually, that child is my son.”
Qin Zheng frowned, surprised. “Xiao Hua?”
Wei Feiluan’s face instantly turned sour. “His name isn’t Xiao Hua. His name is Wei Gu.”
“Wei Gu?”
Wen Lun had mentioned her son’s name was Wei Gu…
Qin Zheng gave Wei Feiluan a strange look, suspicion rising in his heart.
Could he have accidentally changed something by traveling through time?
Otherwise, why had Wei Feiluan claimed not to know Wen Lun when he’d asked before?
Was he lying back then?
After recovering from his injuries in Xifeng Valley, Qin Zheng had heard from Hong Yi that Wei Feiluan had barged into the valley trying to destroy the spirit pillar.
Could it be that now, knowing the truth, Wei Feiluan no longer felt the need to lie?
Qin Zheng thought it over and finally asked, “So you and Wen Lun are… married?”
No need to speculate further—just ask directly.
But Wei Feiluan’s reaction to the question puzzled him.
It was the same confused expression as last time when Qin Zheng had brought up Wen Lun.
Wei Feiluan looked at him strangely. “Wen Lun? Who’s that? Why do you keep thinking I have something to do with her?”
Qin Zheng frowned. “Isn’t Wen Lun Wei Gu’s mother?”
“Mother?” Wei Feiluan was silent for a moment, then muttered, “So Xiao Gu’s mother is named Wen Lun?”
Qin Zheng had sharp hearing and caught every word of Wei Feiluan’s mumbling. He asked, “Wait, don’t tell me… you don’t even know who your son’s mother is?”
Wei Feiluan replied awkwardly, “I… I really don’t know this person called Wen Lun.”
“Wei Gu’s birth was rather unusual. He was created by the demon race using me and a demon woman. I didn’t even know about his birth at the time.”
“One day, the child was left at my doorstep, along with a letter.”
“It said that Wei Gu was my child. He was originally created for the demon race’s experiments, but that demon woman—presumably the Wen Lun you mentioned—developed feelings for the baby while pregnant and ended up betraying the demons to leave him in my care.”
“Unfortunately, because of a moment of carelessness on my part, the child still ended up in the demons’ hands. In the end, they turned him into a mindless monster.” At this, Wei Feiluan clenched his fists.
“The demon race has become utterly deranged in their quest to conquer the human realm.”
He suddenly looked up at Qin Zheng and asked, “How… how is she?”
Qin Zheng curled his lips and said, “She’s in the forest guarding the barrier.”
“That’s good.”
Seeing that Wei Feiluan had nothing more to say, Qin Zheng asked, “Is that all you came to tell me?”
Wei Feiluan looked visibly relieved and smiled, nodding. “Yes.”
Qin Zheng’s expression darkened instantly, a cold smile on his face. “Then I guess it’s my turn to ask the questions.”
Wei Feiluan spread his arms. “Go ahead. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you!”
Qin Zheng took a step forward and said slowly, “Then tell me, Lord Wei, what kind of grudge do you have against me that you had to ruin me like this?”
The smile on Wei Feiluan’s face faded with each word Qin Zheng uttered. His expression changed drastically, and he stammered, “W-What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Qin Zheng sneered.
“Heh. When I was two, you came to our Lin Royal Residence under the pretense of treating a serious illness and took me away. Then, midway through the journey, you extracted something from me and left me at the foot of Mount Yujing.”
“You really are the kind of man who forgets his sins, aren’t you?”
Wei Feiluan was forced to retreat step by step by Qin Zheng’s pressure. In shock, he said, “Yu Jingchen! You regained your memories?!”
Qin Zheng stopped and said coldly, “I am Qin Zheng.”
“I am now, and always will be.”
Wei Feiluan asked, “How do you know all this?”
Qin Zheng, looking down at him with scorn, replied, “How I know is none of your concern.”
“All I need is for you to tell me why you did it.”
Despite being more powerful in terms of spiritual cultivation, Wei Feiluan began to feel fearful.
Qin Zheng stared at him, waiting for him to tell the truth.
After a long hesitation, Wei Feiluan finally confessed: “Because Wei Gu is a monster.”
“He kills humans, immortals, and demons alike. So I thought, if there could be someone who was neither immortal, nor human, nor demon—maybe that person could care for him. That’s why I decided to target the reincarnation of Yu Jingchen—meaning you.”
“At the time, you refused to let Xiao Gu go, so I resented you. But your reincarnated form had the potential to become just such a person.”
“So I took your spiritual root.”
Qin Zheng didn’t believe that was the whole story. “That’s not all, is it?”
“If I lost my spiritual root and never cultivated properly, why am I now immortal?”
Wei Feiluan answered, “That’s exactly why you were the right candidate!”
“Because you used all your cultivation to seal the demonic portal—and that portal’s entrance is at Tianque Sect, the place most saturated with Yu Jingchen’s spiritual power. You became immortal because your own spiritual energy transformed your body.”
Qin Zheng stared at him. “Since you now know Yu Jingchen meant well, give me back my spiritual root!”
“I’ve had enough of being a cripple all these years. If you’re truly grateful I restored your son’s mind, then return it to me!”
At that, Wei Feiluan took a step back, hesitation written all over his face.
Qin Zheng’s heart sank.
If he remembered correctly, Wei Feiluan had discarded the spiritual root on the ground back then.
Qin Zheng gritted his teeth and growled, “Spit it out!”
Wei Feiluan, full of remorse, explained, “Back then I was too angry… I threw it away to prevent you from ever regaining your immortal body.”
“I’m afraid… it’s lost forever.”
Qin Zheng felt like his eyes were about to shoot flames. He grabbed Wei Feiluan by the collar and said in a low, menacing voice, “Then give me yours!”
Wei Feiluan quickly shook his head, then hesitated, and said, “My spiritual root is useless to you!”
“Then rip it out and throw it away!”
“This debt still needs to be paid, doesn’t it?”
Wei Feiluan immediately pulled away and said firmly, “No!”
“The demon race is coming. If I lose my spiritual root, too, Xiao Gu will be taken by them again.”
“I’m the only one who can protect him now. And you… you’re the only one who can care for him.” As he said the last part, his voice softened.
“Please… I’m begging you. Xiao Gu is still just a child.”
“If you’ll just wait until he’s truly safe, then you can do whatever you want with me.”
Qin Zheng had originally intended to refuse without hesitation—but the moment Wei Feiluan mentioned Xiao Hua, a pang of compassion stirred in his heart.
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