“Yu Ting, descendant of the Yu family, pays respects to Senior Zhuge.”
Yu Ting knelt at the foot of the mountain, performing a deep bow of reverence.
Instead of flying upward, she walked slowly, step by step, along the mountain path toward the summit.
Seeing this, Chu Feng suddenly understood.
No wonder Yu Ting knew of Zhuge Yuankong’s old residence.
It seemed her connection to Zhuge Yuankong was far from ordinary.
Since Zhuge Yuankong was someone Yu Ting revered, Chu Feng naturally showed respect as well.
He descended, joining Yu Ting, climbing step by step from the mountain’s base.
“Miss Yu, what kind of person was Senior Zhuge Yuankong? He must have been extraordinary to know a way into Wolong Martial Sect,” Chu Feng asked as they ascended.
“You really don’t know about Senior Zhuge?” Yu Ting looked at him, surprised.
“Uh, I truly don’t,” Chu Feng admitted, slightly embarrassed.
“It’s not your fault. Senior Zhuge passed away thousands of years ago. The world of martial cultivators is cruel. People admire current powerhouses but rarely honor past ones. Even when they do, it’s often for their treasures or secret techniques,” Yu Ting said.
“Indeed,” Chu Feng nodded, then added, “If you know, please tell me about Senior Zhuge.”
“Are you aware of the Enlightened Sage?” Yu Ting asked.
“Of course,” Chu Feng replied.
The Enlightened Sage was the strongest Spiritist in the Holy Light Galaxy, having mastered Fifth Rank Dragon Transformation, a power comparable to the Martial Venerable realm.
This meant the Enlightened Sage could rival Martial Venerables with Spiritist techniques alone.
“Before the Enlightened Sage, Zhuge Yuankong was the Holy Light Galaxy’s strongest Spiritist, the first to master Fifth Rank Dragon Transformation,” Yu Ting said.
“So Senior Zhuge was that remarkable. No wonder,” Chu Feng realized why Zhuge Yuankong knew secrets unknown to others.
As the pinnacle Spiritist of his time, he had access to knowledge beyond ordinary reach.
It wasn’t impossible that he collaborated with Wolong Martial Sect, making it reasonable he knew hidden secrets.
“How did Senior Zhuge die? Did he pass naturally?” Chu Feng asked.
Yu Ting shook her head, sighing, “He took his own life.”
“Suicide?” Chu Feng sensed there was more to the story.
Through Yu Ting’s account, he learned that Zhuge Yuankong’s death was tied to the Enlightened Sage.
In his time, Zhuge Yuankong was the Holy Light Galaxy’s top Spiritist, the only one to master Fifth Rank Dragon Transformation.
The Enlightened Sage was a rising star.
When he too reached Fifth Rank, he challenged Zhuge Yuankong.
Due to prior grudges, the Enlightened Sage made an extreme demand: the loser must sever their cultivation.
Surprisingly, Zhuge Yuankong accepted.
But in the end, he lost to the Enlightened Sage.
Per the wager, he only needed to sever his cultivation, but feeling humiliated, he took his own life in front of many experts.
From that day, the Enlightened Sage became the Holy Light Galaxy’s top Spiritist.
As a defeated figure, Zhuge Yuankong faded from memory over thousands of years.
Now, only the older generation knew of him, and few juniors did.
Logically, as a junior, Yu Ting shouldn’t know him.
Her knowledge came from her family’s history.
Her ancestors had been saved by Zhuge Yuankong, who was their benefactor.
Though the Yu family had long since declined, and Yu Ting never met him, she remembered his kindness.
Zhuge Yuankong not only saved her family but gifted them a treasure.
That treasure was pivotal for Yu Ting, enabling her current achievements in Spiritist techniques.
This was why she revered him so deeply.
Finally, Chu Feng and Yu Ting reached Zhuge Yuankong’s residence.
Though dusty, the furnishings were intact, suggesting no one had visited in years.
Seeing this, Yu Ting grew visibly emotional, silently weeping.
“Miss Yu, what’s wrong?” Chu Feng asked, caught off guard.
“When I was young, my family was already fractured. My grandfather, parents, aunts, and uncles died in conflicts. My grandmother was my only remaining kin. She saw Senior Zhuge save our family as a child. Though young, she always felt gratitude. Even after many forgot his kindness, she remembered. She said as long as she lived, she’d come here yearly to burn incense and pay respects,” Yu Ting said, crying harder.
Chu Feng understood.
If her grandmother was alive, she’d visit annually and clean the place.
But the dust showed no one had come for years, meaning her grandmother had passed, explaining Yu Ting’s grief.
She had lost her last family member.
“Miss Yu, rest for a bit,” Chu Feng said, not wanting to disturb her.
He entered a room alone to search for clues.
Though the cottages appeared ordinary, barriers blocked them.
Even if Chu Feng could use his mental power, he couldn’t observe the interiors from outside.
Entering was the best way to investigate.
But after checking two rooms, his heart sank.
He hadn’t held much hope coming here, but he clung to a sliver of it.
Yet, he found only mundane household items, no treasures or special clues.
His last shred of hope began to fade.
He doubted he’d find a way to enter Wolong Martial Sect here.
“Ah!” A sharp scream suddenly pierced the air.
Chu Feng’s heart tightened. Recognizing Yu Ting’s voice, he rushed out.
Following the scream, he reached another cottage.
Yu Ting lay unconscious by the door.
