Don't let Yu Ding take on any more disciples.

Chapter 262 The Jade Cauldron is the Real Jade, No Mistake (I'm Back)

"How about this disciple helps Master think of a solution?"

Upon hearing that Yu Ding wanted to open the treasure chest, Long Ji immediately became interested as well, after all, who could resist the joy of opening a treasure chest!

In addition, she also wanted to see what good things her father had hidden here.

"Pay off the debt first!" Yu Ding glanced at her and realized that this apprentice had the potential to become a deadbeat.

"Alright, disciple understands..." Upon seeing Yu Ding's expression, Long Ji immediately stopped joking and bowed respectfully.

“Disciple, you must understand that paying back debts is… a matter of course,” Yu Ding said earnestly.

Longji smiled and said, "When did I say I wouldn't pay it back? It's just that the funds haven't arrived yet, so I have to extend the time. Is that illegal? It doesn't seem to violate either the heavenly laws or the laws of the mortal world!"

Yu Ding's eyes twitched, a bad feeling creeping into his heart. He cautiously asked, "Who told you this isn't illegal?"

“The Heavenly Laws and Regulations of Master’s Library Cave are marked on it. This is not illegal, at most it is immoral… So the markings on it were written by Master, right?” Longji said with a smug smile.

"No, those were teaching materials when I taught Yang Jian the Dharma."

Yu Ding coughed awkwardly and said, "It must be that brat Yang Jian who thought he was so clever and wrote random annotations on my books. Humph, let's see how I teach him a lesson next time."

“Oh…” Longji drawled out the word, seemingly both believing and disbelieving.

"However, my disciple, you must know that your status is somewhat different now than before."

Yu Ding coughed lightly and changed the subject, saying, "This matter of repaying the debt, on a grand scale, concerns the reputation of your father, the Empress, and our Jade Void Palace; on a smaller scale, it concerns your reputation and the reputation of our Jade Spring Mountain lineage... Do you understand?"

Longji nodded, looking thoughtful, and muttered, "If we don't show our true faces next time, it shouldn't affect the reputation of Yuquan Mountain... right, Master?"

Don't ask me, I don't know... Yu Ding's face darkened as he continued to change the subject: "But don't worry, the treasure chest where your father hides his treasures won't be easy to open. It won't be easy to come up with a solution. Once I've figured out a way to open it, I'll definitely call you over."

Longji said, "Then I will return to Master as soon as I have dealt with this matter."

"No! Once you've dealt with this, go back to your Azure Phoenix Battle Chamber and cultivate in peace to await your tribulation."

Yu Ding shook his head and said, "I still have some things to attend to, and it won't be easy for you to find them."

"I've thought it over. With your current level and the support of our Jade Void Palace, you shouldn't encounter any more danger. But if something like what happened last time happens again, go find your senior uncle or go directly to Kunlun Mountain..."

He gave me specific instructions.

Although his disciples had all graduated and gone elsewhere, the others had considerable fortune. Only Longji had perished in the great calamity and had a special identity, so he took special care of him.

"Alright!" After hearing the arrangement, Longji had no choice but to reluctantly transform into a long rainbow and soar into the sky.

Watching Longji disappear into the clouds, Yu Ding slowly withdrew his gaze, then glanced at the north again, his eyes somewhat profound.

He knew who had attacked Longji last time, and he knew their scheme. As for that score... he would settle it later. Right now, his cultivation was the priority.

A moment later, Yu Ding rode a cloud into the air and drifted away slowly into the distance.

After traveling for several hundred miles, suddenly, a barely perceptible smile appeared on Yu Ding's lips, and his figure transformed into a wisp of smoke, dissipating with the wind.

As soon as the jade cauldron disappeared, a figure quickly caught up and looked around in surprise at the spot where the jade cauldron had disappeared.

"Fellow Daoist... what are you looking for?"

Just as he was wondering, a gentle voice suddenly rang out behind him, startling him. He turned around and saw Yu Ding standing behind him with a smile.

"So it's you, fellow Daoist! You really startled me..." Upon seeing that it was Yu Ding, the man breathed a sigh of relief. It was none other than Xiao Sheng, whom he had just met.

Yu Ding just smiled at him, and he knew that Xiao Sheng hadn't gone far.

After he left, the guy lingered far behind him, neither showing himself nor leaving, and it was unclear what he was up to.

Just as he caught his breath and saw the smiling jade cauldron, Xiao Sheng seemed to remember something and his expression became tense again, with a hint of awe in his eyes.

Yu Ding smiled and said, "Thank you for reminding me earlier, Fellow Daoist Xiao."

"No, no, fellow Daoist, you are incredibly powerful. The scene just now was nothing to you. It was just that I was blind and didn't recognize you, Great Immortal, and my words of advice were rather ridiculous." Xiao Sheng quickly waved his hand and laughed at himself.

Yu Ding laughed and said, "With such a precious treasure before you, Fellow Daoist, you not only have no desire for it but also offer a word of advice. This shows that you are a cultivator of profound morality. I am determined to befriend you."

"I don't deserve it, I didn't really help much..."

Xiao Sheng feigned a look of shame, but upon hearing the offer of friendship, he was overjoyed and exclaimed, "This... this humble Daoist's magical power is meager; how could I possibly be worthy of befriending a great immortal like you?"

After all, he knew in his heart that neither those who opened the treasure nor those who snatched it were people he could get his hands on with his limited skills. His words of advice were just to do good and make a good connection.

It's just a matter of saying a few words, and you don't have to give anything in return... But right now, Yu Ding's friendship with him has made him overjoyed.

If the disciples he taught are all Golden Immortals, then how high must the master's cultivation be?
In such a perilous prehistoric world, to befriend such a powerful immortal—hmph, he's definitely struck gold here. "Don't be so modest, you're an immortal, I'm an immortal, we're practically brothers..." Yu Ding laughed, "Fellow Daoist, don't be so modest. This humble Daoist doesn't care about the other person's cultivation level when making friends..."

Anyway, I'm not as tall as you... Xiao Sheng looked at the jade cauldron and said happily, "Then... thank you very much. By the way, I still don't know your name, fellow Daoist, or which famous mountain cave you cultivate in!"

With a flick of his whisk, Yu Ding smiled gently and took out a jade piece from his sleeve, handing it over: "This humble Taoist cultivates in the Golden Cloud Cave of Jade Spring Mountain in the Eastern Continent. This is my calling card."

He might not use his real identity if it were someone else, since these days everyone has a few aliases, and he alone has several.

However, Xiao Sheng is a bit special. After all, he is a character who will appear in the future Investiture of the Gods. Although he is a minor character, he at least has a name and a surname, and he also possesses such a heaven-defying item...

"Jinxia Cave on Yuquan Mountain... I feel like I've heard of it somewhere before. Is it a business card?"

Xiao Sheng took the jade piece called the "business card" with a puzzled look and glanced at it. In just one glance, his pupils dilated and his eyes widened. He exclaimed in shock, "One of the Twelve Immortals of Kunlun... Jade Cauldron Immortal?"

"Of course!"

Yu Ding asked in surprise, "You've heard of me?"

"I don't just know about them, they're absolutely legendary!"

Xiao Sheng's voice trembled with excitement: "In the entire Primordial World, across the four continents, who doesn't know the Chan Sect, who doesn't know the Twelve Immortals of Jade Void? Fellow Daoist, are you really the Jade Cauldron Immortal?"

"The jade tripod is genuine, no doubt about it!"

Yu Ding smiled and said, "What, do I not look like one?"

Xiao Sheng took another careful look at the gentle, refined, and otherworldly Taoist priest before him and exclaimed in amazement, "So alike! So alike! So much like him!"

If you, fellow Daoist, said you weren't one of the Twelve Immortals, I doubt I'd believe you now... But I truly can't believe I've had the good fortune to meet such a legendary figure as Immortal Jade Cauldron. To befriend an Immortal like you is truly a blessing I've accumulated over thousands of years..."

Seeing Xiao Sheng looking like he'd won the lottery, Yu Ding nodded slightly in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect we wanted.

A person's reputation precedes them; the name of the Chan Sect was enough to make Xiao Sheng lower his guard.

Putting aside everything else, just considering their reputation in the current prehistoric land, the reputation of the people of the Chan Sect is indeed higher than that of the Jie Sect.

Although there were many virtuous people in the Jie Sect, the sect was also filled with all sorts of people, which not only created a chaotic atmosphere within the sect, but also damaged its reputation outside the sect with those arrogant, cruel, and bloodthirsty rotten apples...

The wandering immortals would generally avoid the disciples of the Jie Sect as if they were encountering a plague god.

“Immortal, this is your… business card!” Xiao Sheng respectfully returned the jade card with both hands.

Yu Ding glanced at the jade piece and smiled, "Keep this. It might come in handy if you encounter difficulties in the future."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Sheng was overjoyed and hurriedly tucked the item into his sleeve, saying, "Thank you, Immortal!"

Honestly, it's really tough to survive in this world these days. Without connections, you're destined to be bullied. But now...

After befriending Master Yu Ding today, Xiao Sheng felt that the future was bright.

"By the way, Immortal, would you do me the honor of visiting my humble abode today?" Xiao Sheng pressed his advantage and extended an invitation.

He had already made up his mind: first, he would invite Master Yuding to his home for a visit, and then they would pay him a visit another day. After a while, how could they not become familiar with each other?

"Unfortunately, I have some worldly matters to attend to during my trip," Yu Ding said with a smile after a moment's thought.

That precious matter must not be rushed.

He was quite open-minded. After all, the great calamity hadn't arrived yet, and being too proactive would easily arouse suspicion and shatter his current image as an immortal...

"Well... alright!" Xiao Sheng couldn't hide a hint of disappointment on his face, while thinking to himself, "Was my attempt to curry favor... too obvious?"
Or perhaps this immortal actually looked down on him? And the befriending was just a casual remark?
But this immortal's appearance... doesn't seem like he's just going through the motions!

Just as Xiao Sheng was feeling uneasy, Yu Ding asked knowingly with a smile, "By the way, I don't know which famous mountain or immortal abode Fellow Daoist Xiao Sheng is cultivating on. I will definitely pay him a visit another day."

Xiao Sheng was overjoyed upon hearing this, realizing that Xiao Sheng had completely misunderstood. He quickly replied, "I am cultivating with a fellow Daoist at Erxian Ridge in Wuyi Mountain. By the way, that fellow Daoist's name is Cao Bao!"

Yu Ding smiled and said, "Alright, I'll remember that. We'll meet again another day. I'll take my leave now."

"Please do as you please, Immortal. I will await your arrival at the temple."

Xiao Sheng cupped his hands in farewell and said loudly, watching Yu Ding wave away until he disappeared from sight before turning his gaze away.

After thinking for a moment, he took out the jade piece from his sleeve again. Looking at the four characters "Jade Cauldron Immortal" on the front, the more he looked, the more difficult it was for Xiao Sheng to hide his excitement. He murmured:

"I never expected that the person I met this time would be the legendary Jade Cauldron Immortal. It's such a stroke of luck to have the opportunity to befriend him."

"Besides, I've been away for quite a while now, and I wonder if that treasure has appeared yet..."

Thinking of 'that thing', Xiao Sheng's excitement intensified. He straightened his back and hurriedly headed towards Wuyi Mountain.

P.S.: Long time no see, everyone! I'm back!
(End of this chapter)