Xiuxian, I can travel to another world

Chapter 288 Returning to the Clan
night.

The moon and stars are rare.

Pei Jingque stood on the pavilion with his hands behind his back, squinting as he gazed into the distance at the cave dwelling he had arranged for Zhu Ju.

'A cultivation level approaching the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm, a body at the third level of Body Refinement, and he even created an extremely powerful sword control technique…'

What exactly has Junior Brother Zhu gone through all these years?

The two fought, seemingly using all their skills, but in reality, they both held back.

Like her.

As the sect leader of Mingxu Sect and a second-tier weapon refiner, how could he not have a protective magic weapon on him?
She also sensed that Zhu Ju possessed the aura of a magical artifact, but neither of them used it.

"Senior sister!"

A streak of light silently descended upon the mountain peak, revealing Liu Huang'er's figure. She looked up and saw...
"You haven't rested yet?"

"For us Foundation Establishment cultivators, cultivation can replace sleep. I've already forgotten when I last slept," Pei Jingque shook his head.

"Is something wrong?"

talking.

He waved his sleeve to open the restrictions on the pavilion and let Liu Huang'er in.

"Yes."

Liu Huang'er leaped onto the pavilion and said:
"I went back and thought about it carefully, and I still feel it's necessary to remind my senior sister."

"Senior Brother Zhu has been missing for so long, no one knows what he has been through all these years, so we should be careful."

"after all……"

"The methods of the Hehuan Sect are no different from those of a demon. Even if one appears outwardly normal, one can still be controlled by others."

This kind of thing has happened before.

Liu Huang'er knew that Pei Jingque would prioritize the sect, but she was also worried that Pei Jingque would be blinded by her feelings.

Once people are emotional, they often find it difficult to control themselves.

"I see."

Pei Jingque thought for a moment before explaining:
“Junior Brother Zhu and I have a special connection, so I know very well that he is fine.”

"certainly……"

"It's understandable that he concealed some of his experiences over the years."

"Hmm?" Liu Huang'er was taken aback, blinked her beautiful eyes, and then realized what was happening.

"So it was him who defiled my senior sister's virginity?"

Pei Jingque possessed the Xuanxu Body, yet he almost failed to achieve the Dao Foundation because he broke his body at the Innate Realm.

Very few people know about this.

Liu Huang'er was one of them.

But all she knew was that Pei Jingque had been defiled; she didn't know who that person was.

"Ah."

Pei Jingque nodded.

Even with her steadfast Dao heart, her pretty face still couldn't help but blush slightly when talking about such private matters.

"Tsk..." Liu Huang'er shook her head and clicked her tongue lightly, a satisfied look on her face.
"No wonder Senior Sister reacted so strongly after learning that Senior Brother Zhu was missing. So that's why."

"fortunately!"

"He's back, and the two of you can rekindle your romance."

"It was an accident back then, and it's all in the past now." Pei Jingque took a deep breath and shook his head.

"Don't mention this matter again."

"Understood, understood." Liu Huang'er chuckled and nodded repeatedly, then her brows furrowed.
"I was so confused about Senior Brother Zhu's matter today that I forgot to mention something. Soon, Fellow Daoist Shi of Xuanqing Sect and Qin Zhiruo, a rogue cultivator from the Ten Thousand Mountains, will become Daoist partners. We should also prepare a congratulatory gift."

"Fellow Daoist Shi Xuan?" Pei Jingque nodded silently.

"He is the most promising Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Xuanqing Sect in the past sixty years. We must not be disrespectful to him."

"I will prepare a top-grade magical artifact as a congratulatory gift."

"A top-grade magic weapon?" Liu Huang'er's face showed bitterness:

"Another few years of work for nothing!"

Pei Jingque possesses the Vermilion Bird Heavenly Fire, which can incinerate all things, making him a natural weapon refiner who was able to forge magical treasures at a young age.

Forging top-grade magical artifacts is not difficult for her.

but!

Materials and time are always needed.

A fine, top-quality magical artifact is worth a fortune, roughly equivalent to more than two years' income for the Mingxu Sect.

"To support the disciples' cultivation and maintain the second-tier formation, the daily expenses alone require more than a hundred mid-grade spirit stones each month. In addition to other miscellaneous expenses, the sect must earn no less than four hundred mid-grade spirit stones each month."

Liu Huang'er did some calculations and sighed:

"The income from the mine is getting lower and lower. Qingfeng can only refine a few mid-grade second-tier spirit talismans each month. It takes my senior sister two to three years to refine a top-grade magic weapon, not even counting the cost of materials..."

"The sect is about to run into financial difficulties."

"Oh!"

"Senior Sister and I can forgo our monthly stipends, and Qingfeng's can be delayed as well, but what about Senior Brother Zhu?"

Pei Jingque frowned.

Supporting a Foundation Establishment cultivator requires at least ten mid-grade spirit stones per month. This amount may seem small to a sect, but it is like the last straw that could break the Mingxu Sect's financial chain at any time.

"I still have a robe on me."

Pei Jingque pursed her lips:
"Fairy Chen of the Tianyu Immortal Sect has always wanted it. If we sell it to her, we can get a good price."

"Dharma robe?" Liu Huang'er said:
"That gold-embroidered robe?"

"no!"

"That was a farewell gift from the Flying Phoenix lineage to the Dragon Head lineage. How can it be exchanged for spirit stones?"

She gritted her teeth and said:
"Otherwise, I can move up my wedding with Qingfeng. Over the years, the sect has been giving gifts to others, and it's time to take some back. We can then use the gift money to subsidize the sect."

"No!" Pei Jingque shook his head.

"Your wedding with Qingfeng has already been arranged; how can it be changed so easily?"

"Furthermore, once you two become a couple, the dowry should belong to you personally. How can the sect use it?"

"There's no need to bring this up again!"

"Senior Sister." Liu Huang'er frowned.

"You still treat us like outsiders."

"This has nothing to do with whether someone is an outsider or not." Pei Jingque took a deep breath.

"At worst, I'll take on more weapon-refining jobs in the next two years, and with the spirit stones I have on hand, I should be able to make ends meet."

"Two years later..."

"We should be able to make a fortune from that secret realm."

Liu Huang'er had no choice but to nod.

*
*
*
Three days later.

"when……"

As the melodious bells rang, a group of Mingxu Sect disciples entered the sect's main hall in order.

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

"..."

The unified shouts of hundreds of people echoed in the main hall.

"Get up."

Dressed in magnificent palace attire, Pei Jingque raised one hand, her eyes sweeping over the disciples, and spoke:

"We have some good news to announce today."

"This is Zhu Ju, a junior brother from the Dragon Head lineage. He was trapped in the Great Zhou Dynasty and has only recently returned. You two have met before."

?

Most of the people looked bewildered, while some had already heard the news and bowed to Zhu Ju.

"Uncle-Master Zhu!" "Senior Uncle Zhu!"

"Master..."

"Senior brother," Liu Huang'er smiled sweetly, gesturing with her hand.

"He is Ma Shushuang, the eldest disciple of our Mingxu Sect, and the pillar of the sect in recent years."

Ma Shushuang, with graying temples and an aged face, appeared to be over seventy years old. Upon hearing this, he cupped his hands in greeting.

"Greetings, Uncle Zhu."

"Are you a disciple of the Heavenly Sword lineage?" Zhu Ju looked at the other person, able to sense the sharp sword intent emanating from him.
"Were you injured when you were young?"

"Yes." Ma Shushuang smiled wryly.

“Uncle Zhu’s discerning eye is infallible. I damaged my foundation when I was young, and it was only today that I broke through the eight innate apertures. I am ashamed to have failed my master.”

"As for the Heavenly Sword lineage..."

"Now the three branches of the Mingxu Sect have been merged into one, and there is no longer any distinction between them."

"Senior brother," Liu Huang'er said.
"Although Junior Nephew Ma has no hope of establishing a Dao Foundation, he helps Senior Sister with sect affairs, and he does most of the work."

He then pointed to the female cultivator beside Ma Shushuang:
"Shui Qianning, the third disciple accepted by Senior Sister, is expected to reach the Dao Foundation Realm within ten years."

The female cultivator, dressed in white robes embroidered with gold thread and possessing a heroic air, clasped her hands in a respectful gesture:

"Greetings, Uncle Zhu."

"Ji Mingxi," Liu Huang'er continued, introducing him.

"He possesses an innate Dao body, and although he is young, his cultivation level is already quite high. His future achievements are limitless."

“Xu Hanzhi…”

"Are you drinking again?"

"Uncle-Master." The young man named Xu Hanzhi blushed.
“Yesterday, several fellow Daoists from the Hundred Flowers Sect came to see me, and I couldn’t refuse, so I had a few drinks with them.”

"A little drink?" Liu Huang'er glared at him.
"Drinking leads to trouble. If you dare to do it again, don't blame your uncle for being ruthless!"

"Yes, yes." Xu Hanzhi nodded repeatedly:

"This disciple dares not, never again."

"..."

"Senior brother," Liu Huang'er whispered.
"The sect currently has twelve core disciples, thirty-six inner disciples, and nearly three hundred outer disciples."

"In addition, there are also some menial servants and attendants who rely on the sect for their livelihood, totaling nearly two thousand people."

"Those who came today are all important disciples. Let's get acquainted with them and get to know them gradually in the future."

Zhu Ju nodded slowly.

This number sounds like a lot, but it's actually not that many at all.

When he was on Yunjing Island in the East China Sea, the entire island belonged to the Yunjing Chamber of Commerce, which had a membership of over a million!

To be honest, the Yunjing Chamber of Commerce is far less established than the Mingxu Sect.

The Mingxu Sect once had several Golden Core cultivators and dozens of magical treasures, while the Yunjing Chamber of Commerce had not a single Golden Core cultivator.

of course.

The Mingxu Sect has now declined. Not to mention Golden Core cultivators, even including Zhu Ju, there are only four Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"besides."

Liu Huang'er licked her lips and continued:

"As the foundation of the sect, my senior brother receives a monthly stipend of three mid-grade spirit stones and one Bright Essence Pill."

"..."

Is this gone?

A hint of surprise flashed in Zhu Ju's eyes, then he nodded:

"As a disciple of the sect, all my knowledge comes from the Mingxu Sect, so I don't need a monthly salary."

"Senior brother..." Liu Huang'er looked embarrassed.

"Senior brother, please understand. The sect is indeed in a difficult situation right now, but things will be better in a couple of years."

Zhu Ju smiled and didn't ask any further questions.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, three mid-grade spirit stones a month is practically the same as not giving them anything at all.

Other sects offer at least ten mid-grade spirit stones, plus resources such as robes and pills as gifts.

Mingxu Sect...

They probably don't have much wealth left.

Pei Jingque sat in the main seat from beginning to end without uttering a single word, like a deity.

A symbol.

Well……

She appeared to have her eyes open, but was actually cultivating; this sect leader wasted no time at all.

Zhai Qingfeng's eyes were vacant, his gaze unfocused, his mind probably already far away.

A quick glance.

Zhu Ju sighed helplessly.

It's truly bizarre that such a large sect seems to be entirely supported by Liu Huang'er and a few juniors.

…………

Zhu Ju's cave dwelling is located halfway up the mountain.

The rocks were broken open with magic, creating a space of about an acre, which was then divided into a quiet room, a study, an alchemy room, and so on.

Even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to infiltrate silently once they are surrounded by the defenses of a second-tier grand formation.

"It's better to rely on yourself than on others."

Zhu Ju sat cross-legged on the futon, took out his belongings one by one, and took stock of the supplies in his hands.

Talisman

There are a few left.

They were mostly used during escapes.

Spiritual stone.

There are also a dozen or so mid-grade spirit stones.

Over the years, by operating the formations on the Investiture of the Gods and adjusting my breathing to recover, I have consumed almost all of my spirit stones.

Ritual implements...

Apart from the Ten Directions Sword, which is frequently used in battle and remains intact after several reforgings, everything else has been damaged in combat, and few items remain.

Even the Vajra King Armor was full of cracks, the Magnetic Heavy Sword was intact, and the rest were gone.

Elixir...

When Zhu Ju left Cloud Whale Island, he bought a large amount of pills, thinking that twenty years would be enough for him to cultivate to the mid-stage of the Dao Foundation realm.

Never thought.

They encountered frequent dangers along the way, and their various elixirs were quickly consumed, so their cultivation level has not yet reached the mid-stage of the Dao Foundation.

There are very few left.

The truly valuable things cannot be sold.

The Investiture of the Gods, the mutated left hand, the magical weapon Wind and Thunder Blade Wings, and a Yuanling Stone Embryo that cannot be activated.

Looking at what was in front of him, a hint of helplessness appeared on his face.

You can have both poverty and wealth!
He said he was poor.

He possessed several items that were no less valuable than magical treasures.

He said he was rich.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator who has lived for nearly a hundred years, he only has a dozen or so mid-grade spirit stones.

"Junior brother."

At this moment, Pei Jingque's voice came from outside the cave:
"Still not resting?"

"I have something to ask you."

(End of this chapter)