The three of us walked up the steps to the entrance of the mausoleum.
On this initial path, both Lao Mo and I were puzzled as to what our Uncle-Master couldn't tell us.
After all, neither of us were novices fresh out of training.
However, I did recall the words spoken by the lizard spirit before it died.
He said he was a minor Daoist from Fuzhou, captured and modified into a puppet.
He had only recently found an opportunity to escape and set up shop in the mainland to earn a living.
Practicing yin-to-yang cultivation was merely to maintain his original form and prevent further demonization…
Assuming all of this were true.
Coupled with the attitude of Granny Rat from earlier.
Then it could be inferred that this Tianzhao Alliance likely possessed significant influence.
And its sphere of influence had already extended from overseas to the coastal areas.
Otherwise, the lizard spirit wouldn't have said he fled to the mainland for refuge.
But if the lizard spirit had lied.
And he hadn't fled, but was a member of that Tianzhao organization.
Then the influence of this Tianzhao Alliance would be terrifying, directly extending into the mainland.
From the above, it could be concluded.
This organization was likely no less than the Changshenghui or even the Youming Cult, an overseas heterodox sect.
Its power base might be even larger.
As for their doctrines.
And what they aimed to achieve, none of this was known.
Currently, there were too few clues, and Uncle-Master was unwilling to say more, so this was all I could think of.
Standing at the entrance of the mausoleum, Lao Mo and I smoked a few cigarettes.
After a brief chat.
Uncle-Master emerged from the mausoleum.
Seeing Uncle-Master come out, all three of us greeted him:
“Master!”
“Master!”
“Uncle-Master!”
Uncle-Master nodded as he heard our calls:
“Let’s go! We’re heading back! Pretend tonight never happened.”
Uncle-Master didn’t seem in high spirits.
Lao Mo couldn't help but ask:
“Master, what is it that you can’t tell us?
Haven’t we caused enough trouble?
The Youming Cult, Changshenghui, and Black Demon Cult, we’ve offended them all.
Are we still afraid of some foreign heterodox sect?”
Honestly, I felt the same way.
I nodded in agreement.
The more trouble you have, the less you fear it; the more Uncle-Master was unwilling to speak, the more our curiosity grew.
Uncle-Master glanced at the three of us.
And sighed:
“There’s nothing to say, it’s just an Eastern heterodox sect.
I’ll notify the Daoist Alliance about this matter later.
Let them handle it themselves.
None of us should interfere.
Alright, let’s go, let’s go…”
With that, Uncle-Master ignored us, opened the car door, and got in.
Uncle-Master truly didn’t want to talk about it!
We had no choice but to get into the car and head back.
The entire journey, Uncle-Master remained silent, leaning quietly against the seat, gazing out the window.
Anyone with eyes could see he had something on his mind.
Could this "Tianzhao Alliance" have stirred up Uncle-Master’s painful past?
And was the past related to Master?
Therefore, Uncle-Master didn’t want to bring it up, only willing to share it with Master at his grave?
This possibility was very high.
Lao Mo drove Chen Yao back to her residence first, then drove back to the shop.
Back home, thinking about today’s events.
Thinking about the green misty eye that burst from the lizard spirit’s head still gave me a slight chill.
But it was very late now, and as I thought about it, I drifted off to sleep…
The following month was also quite peaceful, with only five days left until the alliance meeting.
Every day, apart from my cultivation, I would open the shop and conduct business.
Occasionally, I would think of Qing Dai, wondering what she was doing now!
Uncle-Master never mentioned the Tianzhao Alliance again.
It was as if he had completely forgotten about it.
He continued his usual routine of drinking and eating, appearing to enjoy a retired elder's life.
He only reminded us two to dedicate time to cultivation every day.
And informed Lao Mo and me that we would depart for Mount Wudang in two days.
Lao Mo was very excited, constantly sharpening his fists, talking about gathering heroes from all over the world, and looking forward to it.
During this time, Xiao Mei had not returned either.
Presumably, she remained in the mountains practicing.
Lao Mo’s and my cultivation had remained stagnant since our last breakthrough.
Aside from advancements in Daoist arts, our cultivation levels had not improved at all.
Just as Uncle-Master said, after the Profound Core realm, each subsequent stage was like an insurmountable chasm.
It felt harder to progress further than climbing to the heavens.
One evening, bored, I sat in front of my computer, wanting to watch a movie.
After the movie, I went to bed.
But after browsing for a long time, I couldn’t find anything I liked.
Just as I was idly doing nothing, my chest suddenly ached.
I instinctively touched the spot and found that the pain was coming from the fiery cloud mark on my left chest.
I lifted my shirt to take a look and saw that the red fiery cloud mark had turned a bright crimson and was very hot.
Moreover, the edges of the mark.
Seemed to be slowly disappearing?
This made me puzzled.
The ten-lifetime curse between Qing Dai and me had been lifted long ago in the Black Demon Palace.
Since then, apart from this fiery cloud mark, there had been no further abnormalities.
But today, what was happening?
“Hasn’t the curse been lifted? Why, why is there still a reaction? Why is it fading?”
I was somewhat confused.
But then, a bad thought crossed my mind.
My body instantly stood up with a jolt.
The curse was connected to Qing Dai.
Therefore, the mark was also connected to Qing Dai.
After the curse was broken, the mark remained branded on our chests.
Now that the curse mark was showing abnormalities again:
“Could it be that the curse was not lifted?
Or has something happened to Qing Dai?
Causing the curse mark on my body to resonate?”