C76 Hee Dongqing

Upon returning to his Inner Sect residence, Yu Kun couldn't shake the feeling of having been worlds apart from his former life.

Just a few days ago, he had plummeted from the heights of admiration as an elite disciple of the Outer Sect to being discarded as a failure, unable to condense his Martial Soul. Overlooked and forgotten by the Inner Sect Elders, he had nearly been cast out of the Flying Cloud Sect.

In the end, only the lower-ranked Elder Hee had been willing to keep him in the Inner Sect.

But today marked a turning point; Yu Kun had finally condensed his Martial Soul, transforming his fortunes in the blink of an eye!

"Now that the Sect Master has intervened, the other Elders must surely be aware of my breakthrough! I can only imagine the looks on their faces when they learn I can condense my Martial Soul," Yu Kun mused, a wave of smug satisfaction washing over him. Before his ascent to the Flying Cloud Tower, those Inner Sect Elders had been eager to claim him as their disciple. Yet, after his ascent, even Zhou Xingtian fell silent.

With his newly condensed Martial Soul, Yu Kun was certain the Elders' reactions would be priceless.

"It's a shame I won't get to see their faces! But meeting the Master of the Flying Cloud Sect and receiving this token from him is more than enough compensation," he thought, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

Then, another thought struck Yu Kun.

"Old Hee promised to share his secrets with me once I reached the Soul Refining Stage, not to mention his mysterious ability."

Yu Kun vividly recalled how Elder Hee had effortlessly immobilized those two Inner Sect disciples with a single move—a formidable skill indeed.

Now at the Soul Refining Stage himself, Yu Kun could handle four Inner Sect disciples with ease. Yet, the allure of mastering Elder Hee's enigmatic power was irresistible.

Resolved, Yu Kun stepped out of his room to seek out Elder Hee.

After a persistent knocking, a weary Elder Hee finally shuffled to the door and opened it.

Glancing at Yu Kun, Elder Hee inquired, "What do you need?"

Yu Kun offered a smile and inquired, "Do I need a reason to show concern for you?"

"You don't need a reason to care," Elder Hee replied with a few coughs, "but I suspect you're not here just out of concern."

Feeling slightly sheepish, Yu Kun realized Elder Hee had seen right through his pretense. With his true intentions exposed, he decided to be forthright.

"Elder Hee, I've got something impressive to show you!"

With that, Yu Kun unveiled his Leviathan-roc Martial Soul.

Elder Hee scoffed, "What could you possibly have that's of any value?"

However, upon witnessing the Martial Soul, Elder Hee was taken aback.

Yu Kun struggled to contain his laughter at the sight.

"Take it easy, Elder Hee," Yu Kun chuckled. "I haven't encountered anyone else, but I'm sure their reactions wouldn't be any prettier than yours. What's the rush for?"

Before he could get an answer, Elder Hee had already pulled him into the room.

Inside, Yu Kun noticed Elder Hee holding an odd rune that briefly glowed before fading to a dull light.

"What's that?" Yu Kun couldn't help but ask.

"A Divine Rune. Let's discuss it later," Elder Hee said quickly, then pressed on, "Besides me, does anyone else know about your return?"

Yu Kun shrugged, "I disciplined a few Inner Sect disciples when I got back and even had a scuffle with Yan Changge. I also encountered someone who might be the Master of the Flying Cloud Sect."

He then described the Sect Master's appearance.

Elder Hee sighed upon hearing this, "So it is him. You're correct; that's the current Sect Master."

Yu Kun sensed Elder Hee's dissatisfaction with the Sect Master but chose not to pry, understanding that Elder Hee would share more when ready.

"Fortunately, I sensed trouble and activated the concealment Divine Rune ahead of time! Now, no outsider can eavesdrop on our conversation. You're safe to speak freely here," Elder Hee explained with a furrowed brow. "What you may not know is that Gong Liufeng has a covert group of Law-enforcing Disciples who practice a unique art of concealment. Any forbidden words spoken within the Flying Cloud Sect are instantly reported to Gong Liufeng. However, he pays no mind to the squabbles among the other disciples."

After a brief pause, Elder Hee added, "The individual you encountered is Gong Liufeng, the current Sect Master of the Flying Cloud Sect."

Yu Kun nodded, signaling his attention as he continued to listen.

Elder Hee went on, "I never anticipated that you would succeed in condensing a Martial Soul! From what you've told me, Gong Liufeng took an interest in you. It seems he intended to recruit you as a covert Law-enforcing Disciple. You're fortunate you declined—otherwise, you might never have seen the light of day again."

Elder Hee declared, "Now that you've condensed a Martial Soul and attained the Soul Refining Stage, I am bound by my word. First, I will share my tale with you. Second, I will impart to you the knowledge of my Divine Rune Art!"

With that, Elder Hee began to recount his story, while Yu Kun listened intently.

"My name is Hee Dongqing, an Elder of the Flying Cloud Sect. Time has aged me, but in my youth, I was quite the looker, with many admirers. You've seen Gong Liufeng—well, I was no less handsome in my day."

"I devoted myself to mastering the Divine Rune Art, but my martial arts practice fell short, preventing me from becoming the Sect Master of the Flying Cloud Sect. That never bothered me, though; I was content being an Elder."

"By chance, I rescued a woman. Initially, it was of little consequence to me. However, she later sought to marry me as a way to repay her debt, and from then on, she became the shackles of my life."

As he spoke, a wistful look crossed Hee Dongqing's face, but he pressed on, "I was immersed in the Divine Rune Art, spending my days with her in harmony, until the Demon Hunting Battlefield opened. As an Elder, I led several of my Direct Disciples into battle."

At this point, Hee Dongqing's expression turned to one of anger as he continued, "To my shock, she was from the Demon Clan! My first instinct was to kill her, but after over a decade of companionship, I found myself unable to do it and ultimately let her leave."

"What I hadn't foreseen was her return with a horde of the Demon Clan. All my efforts to fight back were in vain, and it cost the lives of several Direct Disciples. It was only by her mercy that I was spared, allowing me to make my way back to the Flying Cloud Sect."

"All the Direct Disciples perished, and I was the sole survivor, released by the Demon Clan. Since then, I've been branded a traitor by everyone at the Flying Cloud Sect. Gong Liufeng himself took action to destroy my cultivation; I've been bound to this place ever since."

Hee Dongqing's face took on a hint of pride as he concluded his tale.

"The truth is, Martial Arts never held my interest. Over the years, I've made significant advancements in my Divine Rune Art. Unfortunately, without the ability to practice Martial Arts, I can't extend my lifespan, and now I find myself an old man."