Chapter 3337 — Energy Stones Again

"His name is Lin Dongfang? Lin Dongfang is your grandfather?" Qing Yi lost her composure at that moment, her eyes brimming with incredulous shock—but far more than that, with excitement! News. At long last, news of him!

And yet, a faint melancholy lingered in Qing Yi as well. He was married? Of course he was—his grandson was already this grown... Wei Zhao, Lin Dongfang. So Wei Zhao was no ordinary wandering cultivator after all, but one with a considerable background!

Though in the ancient strata, taking multiple wives and concubines was commonplace, Qing Yi still could not quite bring herself to be happy. After all, what Lin Dongfang had said back then was that his circumstances made it impossible for him to consider personal matters—not that he did not care for Qing Yi!

But now? Lin Dongfang was not only married, he had a grandson this grown. How could Qing Yi possibly be glad? Was this not deceit?

So in that moment, Qing Yi grew somewhat despondent: "So he was already married... And you, little Yi, are his grandson. No wonder you are so heroic and capable..."

"Married?" Wei Zhao was taken aback. Looking at the mournful light in Qing Yi's eyes, he seemed to grasp something, and could not help but smile wryly. Surely this was not the old man's lover from his youth? Still, such matters were hardly a junior's place to meddle in. He could only answer honestly: "Qing Yi, my grandfather never married. I am an orphan he took in. You could call him my master, and you could also call him my kin."

"Ah? So that is how it is?" Xiaoqing's disappointed gaze suddenly turned radiant at those words, and the way she looked at Wei Zhao grew far more kindly. Wei Zhao was Lin Dongfang's adoptive grandson—did that not make him as good as her own? It seemed she had been quite right to help Wei Zhao back then! Qing Yi's voice trembled as she asked, "Your grandfather—is he well? Where is he?"

"He... I do not know either. He contacted me by special means and told me to come find you, but what exactly he is doing, what he is busy with—I am not too clear on that either..." Though Wei Zhao could see that the bond between Qing Yi and Lin Dongfang was anything but ordinary, he had to lie against his conscience, if only to keep Lin Dongfang's whereabouts from being exposed.

"Ah, so that is how it is..." Qing Yi sighed. In truth, she had guessed as much long ago. Back then, how could Lin Dongfang possibly not have left together with them?

"Grandfather said that this matter only needs to be known to you, that he does not wish too many people to know..." Wei Zhao said.

"Oh? Very well..." Qing Yi was somewhat surprised. It seemed Wei Zhao did not know of Lin Dongfang's mighty powers, nor what it meant in the ancient strata to be Lin Dongfang's grandson! Had he told Bing Tang of his lineage back then, would Bing Tang still have dared say those things? Clearly not. And Wei Zhao calling himself a wandering cultivator—heroes need not ask after one's origins—was likely because he did not know Lin Dongfang's true strength either!

Which proved, from another angle, that Lin Dongfang had left when Wei Zhao was very young, when Wei Zhao was still too young to understand.

"Qing Yi, the real reason I came to find you this time is for the person I am carrying." As he spoke, Wei Zhao laid Wang Xinyan on the sofa in the reception hall, then said, "I hear your elder sister's constitution was very similar to hers..."

Wei Zhao did not say more, for there was no need. He trusted Qing Yi could understand his meaning.

Sure enough, Qing Yi's expression turned grave. She looked at Wang Xinyan on the sofa: "You are saying she... also has the sponge constitution?"

Wei Zhao nodded slowly and told Qing Yi everything about Wang Xinyan, from beginning to end, in minute detail, placing particular emphasis on the matter of the orchid mustard jade spirit grass.

"In that case, barring any surprises, it must be that constitution." Qing Yi nodded slowly after hearing him out. "You came to me hoping to find a way to resolve it, is that right?"

"Exactly!" With the connection through Lin Dongfang, Wei Zhao felt far closer to Qing Yi, and his speech grew much more natural. "I hear that Qing Yi's elder sister also had this constitution back then, and yet she achieved extraordinary things on the path of cultivation..."

"Little Yi, since you are Dongfang's adoptive grandson, you are as good as my own junior. I will spare no effort to help you in this matter," Qing Yi said. "But though I know my elder sister's affairs very well, you must understand that her success cannot be replicated!"

"What do you mean?" Wei Zhao was startled.

"Back then, with the old palace master of the Ice Palace's help, my elder sister found a cultivation site blessed by nature and terrain, and together with the mental cultivation formulae and oral instructions, she was able to rapidly raise her strength and become an expert at the peak of the late Heaven rank," Qing Yi said. "But the heaven-and-earth spiritual energy contained in that blessed site was limited. My elder sister used up most of it, and later Palace Master Bing Tang cultivated there as well, along with some disciples. By now that place is little different from any ordinary spot—there is nothing special about it anymore!"

"In other words, without the cultivation site, the mental formulae and oral instructions alone are useless. Is that right?" Wei Zhao frowned.

"Yes," Qing Yi said with certainty.

"So that is how it is..." Wei Zhao sighed softly. This was very much in line with what Lin Dongfang had predicted earlier: in a place rich in heaven-and-earth spiritual energy, Wang Xinyan could recover, and even without cultivating, she could survive!

The crucial problem now was where to find such a place. Wei Zhao pondered for a moment, then could not resist asking, "Is there no alternative? Must it be a place rich in heaven-and-earth spiritual energy?"

"This... there does seem to be another way as well... let me think!" With that, Qing Yi closed her eyes and sank into thought.

Wei Zhao did not dare disturb her, and waited quietly for Qing Yi's answer. This was Wei Zhao's only hope. He had not expected Wang Xinyan's constitution to be so complicated, but no matter what, Wang Xinyan's problem had arisen because of him. Had he not absorbed the fragrance from within her body, Wang Xinyan would still be safe and sound—at worst, she could not reveal her constitution, nor become a cultivator.

But now, even if her constitution was exposed, what of it? If Wang Xinyan wished to become a cultivator, she must have a blessed cave-heaven or similar place rich in heaven-and-earth spiritual energy. It was not simply a matter of wanting to cultivate and then cultivating.

"Little Yi, I recall something my elder sister once said: if there were energy stones meant for cultivation, they could serve the same purpose—only, a great many energy stones would be required!" Qing Yi said. "I wonder, have you ever heard of such energy stones?"