# 1029
Chapter 1030: Meeting the Secret Thief Again
He doesn't recognize me?
"True Lord, you don't remember me?" Lin Qiye frowned and spoke, "I'm Lin Qiye, we met in Takamagahara."
"Takamagahara?" Yuanding True Lord was stunned, then shook his head repeatedly. "I have never been to Takamagahara, nor have I met you."
Lin Qiye looked at the bewildered gaze of Yuanding True Lord, and for some reason, the hairs on his body stood on end.
He clearly remembered that when they were in Takamagahara, Yuanding True Lord had proactively stopped him to thank him... How could he possibly not recognize him?
"This young friend, are you also invited to attend the Peach Banquet? Where is your master from?"
Yuanding True Lord, seeing Lin Qiye frozen in place, proactively asked.
The Peach Banquet?
In Lin Qiye's mind, the mythological legends of the Peach Banquet flashed rapidly.
Legend had it that the Peach Banquet was a grand celebration hosted by the Queen Mother of the West for her birthday, inviting deities from all realms to feast on the mystical peaches. The venue for this grand gathering was none other than the Queen Mother of the West's residence, the Jade Pool of Kunlun.
Kunlun Ruins, Pamir Plateau, Kunlun Mountains...
Could it be that the bronze patterns on that snow plain connected to the legendary Kunlun Sacred Land?
"I..."
Lin Qiye was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.
Just then, melodious and exquisite celestial music drifted悠悠 from the distant fairy mountains, like a spring flowing in clear notes, echoing among the群山.
Those Gods of Great Xia soaring through the clouds in the sky all turned their heads toward the highest floating peak. After exchanging a few words with each other, they descended toward the peak one by one, lips curved in smiles, each and every one looking as if basking in the warmth of spring.
"The Peach Banquet is about to begin." Yuanding True Lord withdrew his gaze and smiled at Lin Qiye, "Young friend, let's talk as we walk."
With that, he remounted the white tiger with heterochromatic eyes. The white tiger glanced at Lin Qiye, let out a low growl, and leaped from the earth, transforming into a streak of light flying toward the floating peak.
Lin Qiye's eyes flickered with a hint of hesitation. After a moment, he still beckoned with a wave. Endless clouds swirled beneath his feet, lifting his body into the sky, closely following Yuanding True Lord.
"Somersault Cloud?"
When Yuanding True Lord saw the cloud beneath Lin Qiye, a look of amazement appeared in his eyes, "Are you that monkey's disciple? He actually takes on apprentices?"
Lin Qiye saw Yuanding True Lord's expression and knew he had misunderstood.
In the legends, the Somersault Cloud was personally modified by Subodhi Patriarch for Sun Wukong. In the entire Great Xia mythology, only Sun Wukong possessed this ability. So now, with Lin Qiye standing on the Somersault Cloud, it wasn't strange for Yuanding True Lord to mistakenly think he was Sun Wukong's disciple.
Lin Qiye simply nodded in response: "Yes."
To some extent, he truly was Sun Wukong's successor... a part-time attending physician, that is.
"After that monkey achieved enlightenment, his temper did收敛 quite a bit, but having him take in a disciple is still somewhat unbelievable." Yuanding True Lord couldn't help but sigh, "I heard that monkey returned from the Western World a couple of days ago. Why isn't he personally attending this Peach Banquet?"
Lin Qiye briefly deliberated.
"Master has some matters to attend to and cannot come."
Lin Qiye had completely immersed himself in the role of Sun Wukong's disciple, not only to answer Yuanding True Lord's question but more importantly, because he had already realized something was wrong.
No, not "somewhat"... everything here was wrong.
First, Yuanding True Lord must have met him and personally visited Takamagahara—this was an indisputable fact—but now he seemingly couldn't remember anything.
If this were merely Yuanding True Lord having lost his memories for some reason, it might be explainable, but the heterochromatic white tiger beneath Yuanding True Lord looked exactly the same as Fang Mo when he transformed. Lin Qiye didn't believe this was a coincidence.
He had just rescued Fang Mo from Andre, and then Fang Mo transformed into a heterochromatic white tiger, ran back to Yuanding True Lord's side, and even growled at him?
This simply didn't add up!
Furthermore, Sun Wukong had been confined in the Asylum of the Gods within his mind for over a hundred years. How could he have returned from the Western World a couple of days ago to attend the Peach Banquet?
These three major doubts circled in Lin Qiye's mind. After much deliberation, he could only think of one possibility.
This was indeed the legendary Kunlun Ruins... but the timeline was absolutely not the one he existed in.
Had he traveled through time when passing through the bronze patterns, or was everything he was seeing a segment that had been sliced from the river of time, something that once existed in the past?
"If that's the case, you may sit with me." Yuanding True Lord smiled, "Although the Peach Banquet is the Queen Mother of the West's birthday celebration, it has countless rules and customs. First-timers like you can easily make mistakes. If you offend the Queen Mother of the West, that wouldn't be good.
恰好, my disciple has already arrived. He has some connection with your master. When we sit together, I can slowly teach you the etiquette."
With that, he led Lin Qiye soaring into the distance.
...
Pamir Plateau.
An Qingyu, who had been sitting quietly before the bronze patterns, seemed to sense something. Her tightly closed eyes snapped open, gazing toward a certain direction.
Her expression visibly grew solemn.
"Are you sure it's this direction? I remember the sounds of battle were not here just now?" Si Xiaonan looked around, blinking her eyes.
"This is the direction. The compass points here." Singh glanced at the compass in his hand and said with certainty.
"Could the compass be broken? Let me lead the way?"
"...No. You led the way twice before, and both times were wrong. You simply don't have any talent for navigation." Singh shook his head, "Just follow me."
Seeing that she couldn't convince Singh, an imperceptible hint of frustration flashed across Si Xiaonan's face. Just as she was about to speak again, her footsteps suddenly stopped.
Singh's gaze fell into the distance, his eyes narrowing. He too came to a halt.
Through the wind and snow, a figure draped in a crimson cloak slowly rose from the snowfield.
"Someone?" Singh spoke in surprise, "Also a Great Xia person? Though their power seems only at the 'Unmeasurable' realm..."
He turned to scan the surrounding area. In the vast snowfield, no other figures could be seen. His gaze finally landed on the bronze patterns behind An Qingyu, and his eyes brightened slightly.
"It seems we've found the right place..." Singh's eyes narrowed, "A mere 'Unmeasurable' realm mouse. Crush them, and we can enter Kunlun Ruins."
He licked his lips, and a cold killing intent appeared on his face.
He didn't notice that the moment they saw An Qingyu, both Si Xiaonan and Leng Xuan's bodies simultaneously trembled!
They naturally recognized An Qingyu.
He was the "Secret Thief" from Cangnan City several years ago. When the disaster struck Cangnan, An Qingyu had even stepped forward to fight alongside Team 136 at the highway toll station, jointly resisting the Frost Giant's assault.
And when An Qingyu saw the two of them, he too stood frozen in place.