Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 510 The Youngest Leaves Home, the Eldest Returns

— Chongmingzong, Old School

That day, Ye Yaoling was on duty in the scripture hall for the evening class. Since she had been assigned to be a steward of Yulin Hall, she rarely had time to do such tedious things lately.

The sixteen-year-old girl of yesteryear has now become an old woman in her eighties. Since her failure to establish her foundation, she has even stopped taking beauty pills, and now looks like a wrinkled old woman with white hair. Compared to Mo'er and Zhou Xinran, who are of similar age and have people who care about her, she does look much older.

However, she doesn't care much about these things now. Back then, she and Mingzhe could have formed a marriage, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it all ended in a mess. As for Ye Yaoling, she still needs to seize the opportunity before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of ninety and take another risk.

Strangely enough, she, who had been anxiously searching for a Foundation Establishment opportunity for so long and was usually restless, found a rare sense of peace after standing behind the two characters "Lao Xue" (Old Learning) personally written by the Sect Leader Kang.

After the rain stopped, the scripture reading ended. Ye Yaoling received the bows of all the disciples in the hall and stepped out. She then saw her only disciple, Jiang Tangpei, walking quickly towards her with a somewhat anxious look on her face.

This girl came from the Jiang family and was well taken care of by Elder Ye Zhengwen, who was in charge of foreign affairs. That's why she was able to become a disciple of Ye Yaoling, who originally had a bright future.

In just over a decade, even Wei Gu, the junior brother with the lowest background and the oldest age, had already formed his Dao Foundation, while Ye Yaoling, who was highly regarded, had fallen behind.

This shows that even the most powerful beings of this era cannot predict a person's future on the path to immortality, which is quite lamentable.

Jiang Tangpei's aptitude is not bad; her three spiritual roots are still considered above average within the Chongming Sect. Her cultivation has also reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, not much worse than Ye Yaoling's. The only concern is that her appearance is somewhat pleasing to the eye, so even though she has a connection with an elder, she still finds it difficult to find a good marriage partner.

Fortunately, cultivators are not bound by a single way of life. After Jiang Tangpei established her Dao foundation, Ye Yaoling no longer needed to worry about her romantic affairs.

Knowing her disciple was a steady person, Ye Yaoling couldn't help but ask in a suspicious voice when she saw his anxious expression, "What happened?!"

Jiang Tangpei hurriedly replied, "Grandmaster Yuan wants me to come and inform my master to go to the Ancestral Hall as soon as possible to pay respects to the elders of the sect. There should be no delay."

"elder?"

Ye Yaoling immediately thought of the Grandmaster Lian that her two uncles had mentioned when Fei Nanying visited before. Without saying much to Jiang Tangpei, she rode a gray goose to the ancestral hall of the Chongming Sect.

To be honest, the disciples of Master Kang weren't entirely without conscience.

Since the Chongming Sect began to rise to prominence, Kang Dabao has not only stopped holding grand banquets and elaborate sacrificial rites in the Ancestral Hall, but also renovated the golden statues of the six Chongming Sect Ancestral Masters from Zhang Yuandao onwards.

Furthermore, the three major festivals and two birthday celebrations each year are also presided over by disciples. When Yulin Hall disciples graduate, inner disciples are promoted, and disciples in charge of duties are promoted, they all come to this main hall to burn incense and pray, making it one of the most lively places in the Chongming Sect.

However, when Ye Yaoling landed on her grey goose today, she found the main hall much quieter than usual. Two rows of dark yellow flags fluttered outside the hall without wind, adding to the solemn atmosphere of the place.

At this moment, the main gate was wide open, and several elite disciples of the Punishment Hall were guarding the gate. Even though they all recognized Ye Yaoling as a close elder, they still verified her identity talisman before using the talisman on their waists to open the spiritual barrier on the gate and allowing Ye Yaoling to step in.

After Ye Yaoling entered, she saw a handsome cultivator dressed in a lacquered gauze canopy standing under the golden statue of Patriarch Zhang, holding incense and bowing.

All the senior uncles were present. Yuan Jin sat beneath the large chime, holding a bronze gavel, his face solemn. Each time the valiant cultivator bowed, the superior chime, which was of unknown origin and had been brought from some noble family, would ring out with a crisp sound.

The clear and melodious sound of the chime was soothing and refreshing. Ye Yaoling, who was inside the hall, immediately felt that the troubles in her heart had lessened.

Among her fellow disciples, she could barely be considered intelligent, so just by looking at the scene before her, she knew that her guess was correct. The handsome and sharp cultivator in front of her, who could be compared to her uncle surnamed Feng from back then, must be Lian Xuepu, the only remaining sixth-generation disciple of Chongming Sect.

Seeing the solemn atmosphere, Ye Yaoling didn't dare to make a sound. After a quick glance, she realized that all the people in charge of the sect except Ming Zhe had arrived, so she chose a corner seat to sit down.

She had barely sat down when she saw Lian Xuepu turn around after checking the incense, looking at all the cultivators in the hall. His face was a mixture of guilt, relief, joy, and sadness, which could not be described by the word "complex".

"Hoo," Lian Xuepu let out a long breath, bowed to the assembled cultivators, and said loudly, "Lian Xuepu, the sinner of Chongming, greets all fellow disciples."

Apart from Yuan Jin, who was quite familiar with this Uncle Lian, and Jiang Qing, who had a vague impression of him, even Ye Zhengwen, who was nominally a disciple, was seeing Lian Xuepu for the first time.

However, upon seeing their sect elder perform such a grand ceremony, they all changed their expressions to surprise and hurriedly returned the greeting in varying degrees: "Greetings, Uncle Lian/Grandmaster Uncle."

Lian Xuepu's complex expression remained unchanged upon witnessing this scene.

For a moment, he didn't know what to say. The words stuck in his throat for a long time. Finally, he turned his head and looked at He Changqing, the sixth sect leader, who had been moved by the sect leader Kang to stand next to Zhang Yuandao.

"My senior brother, the sect leader, is truly a divine being. The first thing he did after returning from Guandong was to personally visit Xiaohuan Mountain to check on the sect's survival."

"I never imagined that I would hear from idle gossip that you have made your sect so successful, that you have transcended Pingrong County and become a prominent sect in the entire prefecture. In that case, I, a worthless person, feel I have no face to return."

When Lian Xuepu arrived at this point, several younger relatives, led by Yuan Jin, were about to offer some words of comfort, but were stopped by the former's hand. However, they heard him speak again:
"When my senior brother, the sect leader, passed away, I was traveling. I was going to return for the funeral, but I heard from acquaintances that Senior Brother He had passed the position to Brother Bao because of his own selfish reasons, which caused Senior Brother Li to leave in anger."

The sect, which had just begun to show signs of revival, was immediately torn apart, and a scandalous fratricidal conflict almost broke out. Feeling utterly disillusioned, he turned to other paths.

Looking back now, I must have been blinded by greed. How could I not have considered that my sect leader had never made a mistake in his actions?

Lian Xuepu paused after asking his question. After all, he was a seasoned alchemist who often listened to the teachings of masters, and he couldn't let this sentimental mood control him for too long.

When he slowly withdrew his gaze from the golden statue of Sect Leader He and looked at the disciples in the hall, his expression had already changed to one of renewed vigor:
“I am a person of no virtue who has betrayed the sect. I should not and dare not come back to pay homage to the ancestor. But now that the survival of the sect is at stake, I can’t care about so many things.”

At this moment, Yuan Jin finally got a chance to speak, and he earnestly said, "On behalf of the entire sect, I thank my uncle for his protection."

Upon hearing this, Lian Xuepu's eyes dimmed even more noticeably. He glanced at Yuan Jin, his voice revealing a hint of weariness: "If Brother Jin were truly grateful to me now, he wouldn't be thanking me."

The latter hurriedly said he dared not, but even Xuepu no longer cared. Apart from Yuan Jin, a junior he had watched grow up, he was not familiar with any of the cultivators in the hall.

However, it wouldn't be difficult for Lian Xuepu to recognize Jiang Qing among them.

Although he hadn't spent much time with this man, whom outsiders jokingly called the Sword Immortal Chongming, he could tell from the undisguised sharpness emanating from the young man in black in the hall that this was the same adorable little boy who had grown up on Kang Dabao's back years ago.

"While external alchemy methods may produce immediate results, they cannot be considered as effective in penetrating the body's internal organs. Ultimately, they are not as reliable as one's own methods, and may not be able to provide adequate protection in critical moments."

"Here I have the sword principles taught to me by Hong Wenshang, a cultivator of the Rift Heaven Sword Sect, when he went to Guandong to preach the Dharma 60 years ago. Qing-ge'er may be creating his own sword technique now, and he might be able to use it."

Lian Xuepu spoke gently, taking out a jade slip as he spoke. Jiang Qingchu initially showed a hint of hesitation, but after Yuan Jin beside him nodded in acknowledgment, he bowed deeply and respectfully accepted the slip. Creating one's own Daoist arts and techniques is not a novelty for cultivators. Just look at how Patriarch Zhang, with his almost nonexistent Foundation Establishment stage, comprehended the Golden Eye of Illusion, a superior pupil technique that could amaze even advanced cultivators. This shows that there are quite a few cultivators who are obsessed with this matter.

However, true cultivators with extraordinary talent like Patriarch Zhang of the Chongming Sect are extremely rare.

A hint of pleasure immediately appeared on the faces of the sixth-generation disciples of Chongming Sect. Lian Xuepu arrived ten days later than Fei Nanying, and it was clear that he had done his homework in the meantime.

Apart from Jiang Qing, who stood out from the crowd and received a precious treasure, the other Chongming disciples also received suitable resources that perfectly suited their own cultivation.

Ye Yaoling was summoned quite early. When she paid her respects, after Yuan Jin solemnly introduced Lian Xuepu as Pei Yi's disciple, Ye Yaoling saw a hint of sadness in the eyes of this grandmaster.

Perhaps because he suddenly thought of that handsome young man who was indeed talented in alchemy, Lian Xuepu was speechless for a moment. He simply called Ye Yaoling to his side and gently stroked the top of her head.

The sight of a sharp-looking middle-aged man looking at a white-haired old woman with a hint of kindness on his face was indeed somewhat eerie.

However, the people in the hall did not care about these things. They only saw Lian Xuepu stuff a magnificent jade bottle into Ye Yaoling's hand. When the latter received the instruction and sat down to go back, this grandmaster did not utter a single word.

Ye Yaoling's intuition told her that there must be something extraordinary inside this jade bottle. So even though they were still in the main hall, she, like her fellow disciples, risked checking it out.

"A mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pill?!"

She wasn't the only one in the hall who looked pleasantly surprised; heaven knows why this grandmaster uncle was so generous.

By this time, Yuan Jin's resentment had largely dissipated. While it was true that his Uncle Lian had made mistakes at the time, his concern for the sect was genuine.

Lian Xuepu placed Yuan Jin in the final position. The latter did not know what kind of skill or method this senior brother practiced, but he knew that his eyesight was really good.

"The mind is easy to nurture, but the consequences are endless. The White Ape Classic is a flawed teaching. It is already remarkable that you have cultivated to such a level by correcting your mistakes and filling in the gaps. It would be extremely difficult to achieve a breakthrough."

I have met several Foundation Establishment and Pseudo-Core cultivators who think like you, Brother Jin, and I know that if we had stopped earlier, there would still have been room for maneuver.
But if the process is too slow, then one can only regret it and tell others: "The art of raising monkeys is like melting gold in an ice cauldron; it shines brightly for a moment, but will eventually crumble in an instant," as a way of consoling oneself.

You should understand that while the *Scripture of Clarifying the Mind and Overcoming Calamities: The Sea of ​​Wisdom and the Awakening to True Understanding* is indeed a wonderful method of Buddhist practice, it may not necessarily help you achieve your wishes.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Jin's expression changed drastically.

His cultivation had stagnated over the years, so he conceived the idea of ​​raising the ape demon within his heart, hoping to strengthen its demonic body before refining it. The ultimate goal, of course, was to use the demonic body to nourish his true body and facilitate a breakthrough.

While this is a fairly common unorthodox method, it doesn't deserve the label of "evil" or "devious," so practicing it doesn't necessarily go against one's true nature.

However, the dangers involved are considerable, and even Sect Leader Kang, Jiang Qing, and Yuan Jin have not mentioned it. After all, according to Yuan Jin's calculations, it might take another sixty years for his mind to fully develop.

At that time, he would be 40% confident that he could directly break through to the late-stage True Cultivator realm. After spending another ten years or so to solidify his realm and strengthen his foundation, he might be able to attempt Core Formation.

While he may not be as talented as his senior and junior brothers, he hasn't fallen too far behind.

Fortunately, Lian Xuepu was speaking in secret, so Yuan Jin didn't have to worry about others finding out for the time being; otherwise, there would have been a lot of trouble to deal with.

Seeing the change in Yuan Jin's expression, Lian Xuepu, perhaps because he had just returned, did not say much. He simply gave a few more words of advice and then gestured for him to leave.

After Yuan Jin, the last person to come up to pay his respects with a complicated expression was Ye Zhengwen, a disciple who should have been friendly but was actually a stranger.

Ye Zhengwen was filled with anxiety at this moment, and it would take a lot of effort to keep it from showing in his one eye.

However, after carefully examining him for a while, Lian Xuepu showed no dissatisfaction. Instead, he let out a light laugh: "Ha, my nephew, the sect leader, has indeed thought things through. I have cultivated for many years and am all alone, but after returning to the sect, I have gained a lineage of disciples for free."

The elder in charge of Chongming Sect was quite shrewd. As soon as he heard Lian Xuepu say this, he immediately prostrated himself and bowed deeply, saying, "Disciple Ye Zhengwen greets Master."

Lian Xuepu nodded repeatedly and said a few good words, thus establishing their master-disciple relationship. There was no need to dwell on the matter of Master Kang overstepping his bounds back then.

Having left the Hehuan Sect with important matters to attend to, even Xuepu had no time for pleasantries with his only disciple, whom he was meeting for the first time but who had been a disciple for some time. After distributing the final gift, he stepped forward and announced loudly:
“The Three Immortals Cave is cruel and tyrannical, and has wronged our people without cause. This matter needs to be addressed.”

Lian Xuepu's words had barely left his lips when they invigorated the spirits of all the cultivators in the hall. His gaze swept over each of them, noting that while their expressions varied, none showed fear or panic. Reassured, he continued:
“Cultivate virtue and eliminate evil at its root. Since we have already parted ways with such sects, we cannot let them go easily. The reason I came out of the Hehuan Sect is to join you in destroying the Three Immortals Cave, annihilating their lineage, and eliminating future troubles.”

Lian Xuepu's words were sincere and did not seem fake.

However, Yuan Jin and Ye Zhengwen, perhaps inheriting the cautious nature of the Great Master Kang, did not. Instead, the latter said, "Reporting to Master, such an important matter should be discussed at length."

"I've already made arrangements with Chu Han; he won't interfere."

Lian Xuepu, having only glanced at them briefly, understood their intentions perfectly, yet he was pleased rather than angry. If they were to obey him so readily just because of this small token of their affection, then the officials of Chongming Sect would truly be beyond saving.

Even with Lian Xuepu's explanation, Yuan Jin still had reservations. He restrained the somewhat tempted Jiang Qing and respectfully addressed Lian Xuepu:
"Reporting to my senior uncle, this matter may still require the decision of the sect leader. We have not been sitting idly just now, and all preparations have been made. If the time comes, all forces will be deployed immediately."

Yuan Jin's answer was reasonable and well-founded, which even Xuepu appreciated. However, after thinking for a while, he frowned and said, "What Brother Jin said is all reasonable. However, Brother Bao is still in Yingzhou forming his core. If it is just this kind of thing, we should not disturb him."

Yuan Jin understood this principle, and although his mind remained unchanged, he could not find any other excuse.

Just as the two were discussing this, the disciple guarding the Chongming Sect's gatehouse happened to let in a valuable token.

"From the Fei family?"

Upon receiving the letter and unfolding it, Jiang Qing's face lit up with ecstatic joy. Yuan Jin hadn't seen his junior brother like this in many years. After snatching the letter from the former and glancing at it briefly, he made the same expression.

This reaction naturally aroused Lian Xuepu's curiosity, but he had already guessed what was going on. After looking at the letter, he confirmed his thoughts.

"Phew, the pill is of medium grade." Lian Xuepu's face was almost overflowing with smiles. He was about to put the talisman away, but when his peripheral vision swept over the golden body behind him, he stopped.

He unfolded the talisman and placed it in Master He's hand, his tone full of comfort: "In that case, things will be much easier to do."

(End of this chapter)