How does it feel to look at yourself in bewilderment while you are floating in mid-air?

Especially this "self" has a cold expression and frosty eyes, as if he has some deep hatred with this world.

Cheng Qian was a little horrified anyway. He took a step back involuntarily, thinking, "What the hell is this?"

As soon as this thought came to his mind, "Cheng Qian" floating in the sky came like a ghost and raised his hand to hit him in the face.

Cheng Qian: “…”

Of course, even though he was frightened by this thing, he was not so easily hit by a small shadow. Cheng Qian moved his feet slightly, and in a flash he had floated ten feet away, landing outside the house. Standing on the wall, he looked at Yan Zhengming with a strange expression as he frantically took back the "ghost" in the ring: "What is this?"

Yan Zhengming was speechless and covered his index finger. It had only been a short while since he had come to his senses, but he didn't want to live anymore.

Li Yun immediately jumped out to "share the worries" for the head brother, and said, "It's a replica spirit."

The so-called "imitation spirit" naturally corresponds to the "real spirit". All things have spirits. For example, things like ancient jade and ancient wood may become spirits over time. By taking those that have spiritual energy but have not yet become spirits, and adding a few simple talismans, you can make such an imitation spirit.

Although the imitation spirits look like real people, they have no perception or consciousness and can only do mechanical things. Some of the imitation spirits that were originally sharp objects are aggressive, but most of them only have one move. Some can do small things like delivering messages or serving tea. In short, they are of no use except to deceive mortals.

"I know that thing is called a mimic spirit," Cheng Qian said in confusion, "it... that... why..."

Although Cheng Qian didn't think his face was worth much, he couldn't help but feel something was a little strange when he saw this little imitation spirit that looked exactly like him. He frowned and asked, "Why does it look like this?"

Yan Zhengming was quick-witted and covered Li Yun's mouth with his hand. He finally defended himself before the donkey could: "Because I thought of you when I saw the copper coin, I carved one without thinking too much. Well... well, don't think too much about it."

Li Yun gloated as he thought to himself, "Humph, the more you explain, the worse it gets."

"What am I thinking?" Cheng Qian squatted on the wall and asked even more puzzledly, "Besides, didn't you carve the copper coin yourself?"

Imitation spirits can only be created from raw materials. Second-hand goods that have been polished will not work. Cheng Qian still has this common sense. He always seems to be unaware of what he should know, and very clear about what he should not know.

Yan Zhengming was speechless for a moment, feeling ashamed of being caught cheating... and the person who caught him was so tactless, he just kept watching.

Cheng Qian: "Also, what was it planning to do when it raised its hand just now? Was it planning to fight me?"

Li Yun easily broke free from the stiff senior brother and calmly replied, "Slapping people, it's a ghost, it doesn't recognize people, it will slap anyone who stands in front of it."

Yan Zhengming: “…”

After hearing this, Cheng Qian's calm face finally showed a little shock. He frowned and thought carefully, then asked cautiously, "Big Brother, did I do something that I shouldn't have done to make you misunderstand me? I don't slap people... or grab their hair or scratch their faces."

"No, that's just..." Yan Zhengming tried to explain feebly at first, but then he came to his senses and realized that Cheng Qian was teasing him again. He suddenly felt that he could no longer work as the eldest senior brother, so he pointed at Cheng Qian and said, "Get off here!"

Li Yun was afraid that the world would not be in chaos, so he quietly continued his senior brother's words: "It was just that when the eldest brother was making this imitation spirit, he was not careful and made a mistake."

Yan Zhengming: "What's wrong with making some harmless mistakes?"

Li Yun smiled and added, "He originally wanted to be someone who could chat with him in the middle of the night and relieve his sleepless nights."

Cheng Qian: “…”

He suddenly felt a little embarrassed for unknown reasons, as if his second brother had turned around and dragged himself into it.

Especially the four words "alone on the pillow, unable to sleep", which sound a bit out of place no matter how I listen to them.

After entertaining his senior and junior brothers, Li Yun felt extremely happy both physically and mentally. He happily let his head senior brother swing his sword into a stick and chase him all the way to beat him out.

Yan Zhengming: "Today I must let you know how many eyes Lord Ma has!"

Li Yun: "Alas, Master Brother, it's pointless to get angry out of shame."

Yan Zhengming beat Li Yun all the way from the inner courtyard to the front yard. He met the surprised gazes of several servants who were sweeping up fallen leaves outside. He stopped in an attempt to hide his mistake, put on a serious face, slightly adjusted his clothes, and strolled over with great grace.

Li Yun smiled and walked a shoulder distance away from him, then caught up with him and said, "I just wanted to make Xiao Qian laugh."

Yan Zhengming was furious when he heard this: "Oh, you tease him and you have to make fun of me? You are really something, Li Yun."

"Master, you are very generous, so you won't hold it against me." Li Yun pretended to flatter him insincerely. Then he paused, became more serious, and said, "Have you noticed that Xiao Qian hasn't changed, but I always feel that he seems to be less popular this time when he comes back."

Yan Zhengming paused.

Li Yun continued, "You see, that boy used to cause trouble and seemed to get along with everyone, but he had his own spirit. Unlike now, if you can't see him, he's as if he doesn't exist. Even the flowers on the wall are more lively than him."

"Hmm." Yan Zhengming responded, and then briefly told him the experience that Cheng Qian had told him.

The more Li Yun listened, the more solemn his expression became.

Yan Zhengming: “What?”

"Refining a weapon into a physical body... I've never heard of such a thing," Li Yun pondered, "Who is this Tang Zhen?"

Yan Zhengming said: "I heard from Xiao Qian..."

Li Yun waved his hand: "Don't just listen to what he says. Don't you understand your dear junior brother? He will go through fire and water for anyone who is kind to him. Sometimes he may not think too much about it, and even if he does think about it, he may not take it to heart."

Yan Zhengming said sarcastically: "That's right, you are so smart."

Li Yun rolled his eyes at him. "The Soul Devouring Lamp is a very evil thing. Even a person like Master had lost his mind and tore up his own portrait. What's more, Senior Tang was trapped in the Soul Lamp for hundreds of years. What kind of determination did he have? Tsk, I'm just a coward anyway. No matter whether he means well or ill, it's a bit scary to think about it... Let's talk about Xiao Qian - he must not have told you the truth. How can a spiritual object like the Soul Gathering Jade be refined by human power? This is so treasonous. He must have suffered a great calamity, maybe more than one... Hey, Senior Brother, where are you doing? Did your tail get burned?"

Yan Zhengming: "I'm going to beat him to death!"

Cheng Qian was sitting alone on the wall of Yan Zhengming's courtyard. He looked down and saw the weeds on the wall, and suddenly remembered the phrase "a dead tree comes back to life in spring".

The wild flowers and grasses in the cracks of the rocks moved slightly, and after a moment of stagnation, they suddenly seemed to wake up and regained vitality. Following Cheng Qian's wishes, long vines grew, and tiny white flowers gradually bloomed, which actually had a somewhat scorching feeling.

A thought that had never occurred to Cheng Qian suddenly occurred to him. He thought, "I am alive again."

Yan Zhengming, who had threatened to beat Cheng Qian to death, had just stepped into the courtyard when this scene hit his eyes, instantly turning his anger into ashes. Cheng Qian looked up at him and smiled, "Should I leave too?"

Yan Zhengming silently looked at the little white flowers on the wall. He couldn't lose his temper, but he didn't want to let him off like that, so he found fault with him and said, "Gray walls with white flowers, is that mournful? Change the color for me."

Cheng Qian smiled and said, "You can discuss it with it yourself."

After saying this, he flipped down from the top of the wall with great grace, and disappeared after a few jumps.

Yan Zhengming stood there, thinking of Li Yun's statement that "Xiao Qian has no vitality". He felt a little confused and suspected that Li Yun was imagining things again. Then he walked to the wall, cut off two bunches of branches with his fingers like a knife, took them back to the room, found a vase and kept them.

At dusk that day, Yan Zhengming was still worried, so he got up and went to the bamboo forest.

Cheng Qian was meditating, so Yan Zhengming did not disturb him and just walked around the room.

It was obvious that no one had moved the bed, the pen in the study was still on the inkstone, and even the tea on the shelf was not missing at all. There was only a cup of cold water on the table.

Yan Zhengming frowned at first, then looked at Cheng Qian quietly for a while, and then thought: "What kind of place is the ice pond in Mingming Valley?"

After sitting in a place where water freezes into ice for forty or fifty years, expecting him to be alive and kicking immediately... seems a bit too much to ask.

After Yan Zhengming thought about it, he couldn't bear to criticize him anymore.

In the breeze among the bamboo forest, the consciousness of the Sect Leader's Seal hanging on his chest seemed to be clearer. Yan Zhengming had made considerable progress in it the day before, so he simply entered into a state of meditation quietly and immersed his soul into the Sect Leader's Seal.

He was still standing on the wall in front of the Sky Lock, allowing the spiritual consciousness in the Sect Leader's Seal to lead him deeper. When his consciousness was connected, those tiny fragments flashed before his eyes again.

But this time, Yan Zhengming felt that he was more than just a spectator. The joy and sorrow seemed so real that he couldn't help but immerse himself in it. Gradually, he even forgot about himself and the world.

He saw Island Master Gu again in countless scenes - this was not surprising, Yan Zhengming was not like Cheng Qian, he had never seen the true form of his master or his great-grandmaster, and among the people who had close contacts with Fuyao Mountain in the previous generation, he only knew one person, Gu Yanxue.

Island Master Gu seemed to be much more energetic than when he met him. He stood opposite a middle-aged man with slightly gray temples and deep eye sockets. Between the two of them stood a large stone that looked like water.

It is the piece of land in Cheng Qian’s courtyard in Qing’anju, Fuyao Mountain.

Gu Yanxue was speaking quickly, with one thin hand resting on the stone. She looked at the man opposite her worriedly and shook her head. The strange man just listened silently without responding.

Yan Zhengming suddenly had a strong feeling in his heart. He always felt that this strange middle-aged man had a close relationship with him. He couldn't help but probe deeper with his spiritual sense. In an instant, his eyes blurred and his perspective suddenly changed. Yan Zhengming recovered from the dizziness and found that Island Master Gu was standing opposite him without him knowing when.

Yan Zhengming immediately realized that he was now in the position of the strange man, as if he was possessed by someone else. He was startled and was about to try to leave, but the next moment, a huge sense of sadness suddenly penetrated his head, like a sharp knife, nailing him there without any warning.

At the beginning, Yan Zhengming was very clear that this strong emotion was not his own and he wanted to break free from it.

However, Yan Zhengming had just experienced the kind of sadness that was almost desperate, and the deep and unrelieved hatred. The external emotions resonated with his heart, and soon he was involuntarily carried away.

The indignation that is unparalleled in the world, the deep repression of wanting but not getting, the excruciating pain of having one's reverse scales cut off...

At this moment, a cold chill suddenly rushed in, chilling Yan Zhengming to the core. He suddenly woke up, and the next moment his sight darted away. He was once again ejected from the Sect Leader's Seal. His chest was still heaving violently, but there was a faint sound of thunder in his ears.

Cheng Qian was startled by a burst of muffled thunder. Yan Zhengming's cultivation had just passed a bottleneck, which was a good thing. However, it seemed that his realm was not stable yet, and he was led by something to improve abnormally all the way. Not only did he almost attract a small heavenly tribulation, but there was also a flash of red light between his eyebrows, as if he ran too fast and vaguely alarmed some inner demon.

Cheng Qian couldn't wake him up, so he had to force a stream of true energy into his back, and only then did he drag Yan Zhengming out of his meditation.

Seeing that he was still in a daze, Cheng Qian wanted to pat his face, but as soon as he raised his hand, Yan Zhengming leaned back reflexively.

Cheng Qian waved his hand helplessly in front of him: "Brother, look carefully, I am not the one who slaps people. I won't hit you. Are you awake?"

There was a buzzing sound in Yan Zhengming's ears, and he didn't hear what he said at all. His soul came out, but he still didn't know what day it was. The sadness lingering in his heart did not dissipate for a long time.

He suddenly grabbed Cheng Qian's hand and held it down fiercely. A voice in his heart roared in anger, "This is mine. No one of you can take it away!"

Cheng Qian was frightened by the strange look, as if he was a hungry wolf on the verge of death.

In a flash, the thunder in his ears seemed to be approaching again. Cheng Qian did not dare to delay. Fine frost condensed on his other hand and flicked it between Yan Zhengming's eyebrows, making all the hair on his forehead stained with fine frost: "Big Brother!"

Yan Zhengming was startled, his eyes softened, his hands loosened suddenly, and he raised his head with a bit of confusion: "...Xiao Qian, what's wrong?"

Cheng Qian didn't answer. He listened to the thunder outside fading away, and then he felt relieved. He frowned and said, "I was just about to ask you what's wrong. Why did you force yourself to improve your realm? You almost attracted a small heavenly tribulation just now... Did you encounter some inner demon?"

This immediately reminded Yan Zhengming of the unignorable throbbing he had just experienced. He felt inexplicably guilty, and avoided Cheng Qian's gaze with a wandering look. He made an excuse, "Well... I just encountered a memory in the Sect Leader's Seal, and I might have been affected a little."

Cheng Qian listened carefully to his description and said with certainty: "The person you saw should be Bei Ming Jun, the old friend that Master Gu mentioned, could it be him?"

This answer was not unexpected. Yan Zhengming had already guessed it when he was in the master's seal. The strange man was either his master's grandmaster or his master's true body. At this moment, he listened absent-mindedly, his heart full of unfamiliar emotions.

Seeing that he looked unhappy, Cheng Qian stopped talking and said, "I think you should take a rest for a while?"

Yan Zhengming himself was also feeling uncomfortable, and after hearing this, he immediately stood up and said, "Well, I'll go back and take a nap."

Cheng Qian wondered, "Aren't you here to enjoy the cool air? Just sleep here. I'm not going to grab your bed."

"No... cough, no need for that," Yan Zhengming's voice suddenly became a little dry, and he made up an excuse casually, "You... your pillow is too hard, I can't get used to it, I'm leaving."

After saying this, he ran away quickly without even looking at Cheng Qian.

Cheng Qian raised his hand to call the pillow over, stretched out his hand and squeezed it, only to feel that the head brother was becoming more and more unreasonable - was he going to sleep in a ball of cotton?

At this moment, a palm-sized bird suddenly rushed in like a firecracker and dived into Cheng Qian's arms. A crisp female voice came out of the bird's mouth: "Hey, big... Hey? Third brother, did the eldest brother give this yard to you?"

It turned out to be a puddle.

Before Cheng Qian could reply, the bird leaped up, twirled its feathers around Cheng Qian's arm, and danced three times in a circle, shouting, "I'm so mad! I'm so mad! I can't change back!"

Cheng Qian had never been in contact with women before, so he was always uncomfortable facing his little apprentice sister who had suddenly grown up. But now that she had turned into a bird, she felt much more relaxed. He asked, "What's wrong?"

"I met a bastard on the road. He coveted my beauty and actually set a trap to catch me! I spent the whole night biting and chewing the net before I finally broke through and escaped. I don't know what kind of magic is on it, but now I can't change back!" The puddle jumped twice more as if to vent its anger, "I'm going to burn that bastard to death!"

Cheng Qian raised his hand and held her little bird head, feeling a handful of fluff, and asked, "Who is it?"

The puddle rubbed him aggrievedly: "I don't know."

"I'll take you to see Second Senior Brother and see if he has any solution," Cheng Qian said as he stood up. "I heard that there are constant wars outside, so you'd better not go out alone in the future."

Shuikeng lowered his head dejectedly: "When can I become a powerful monster?"

These words sounded extremely familiar. Cheng Qian recalled that when he was a child he was always restless and worried all day long about when he could become a powerful person who could call the clouds and rain.

He couldn't help but smile and was about to say something to comfort his junior sister.

Then he heard the puddle complaining unhappily, "When I turned into a bird, there were always people trying to take advantage of me. Why wasn't there even a lecher who came to tease me when I was in human form? Are those people blind? It really makes me so angry!"

Cheng Qian: “…”

He felt like he had misunderstood why his junior sister was angry.