Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 109 The Immortal Sect's Upper Ancestral Home: Master and Disciple's New Home

"You seemed a little unwell just now. Did those disciples bother you?" Chen Ye asked gently.

Li Qiuyun looked up and saw the knowing smile in Chen Ye's eyes.
Only then did she understand Chen Ye's intention. A thought struck her, and she said somewhat awkwardly:
"Well... it's nothing, it's just... I'm not used to dealing with those kinds of situations."

Her voice trailed off, like a child who had done something wrong.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Chen, for getting me out of that predicament..."

As he had expected, Li Qiuyun was not aloof by nature, but simply not good at socializing.

Chen Ye still remembered that when Master Sun first came to Yunxifang, Li Qiuyun cried because she missed home.

It's true... you can't judge a book by its cover.

"It's alright." Chen Ye waved his hand. "I noticed you seemed a bit troubled just now. As a cultivator, one should follow one's heart. If you don't like something, just refuse it directly. There's no need to force yourself."

Upon hearing this, Li Qiuyun paused, a bitter feeling settling over her words.

Her father never allowed her to refuse.

He would only forcefully demand how she should cultivate and how she should become stronger, allowing no room for resistance.

No one ever truly cared about her.

And fellow disciples like Junior Brother Liu often have obvious motives...

“Uncle Chen, Qiuyun understands.” This time, Li Qiuyun’s address to Uncle Chen was much more sincere than before.

Chen Ye glanced at the disciples and pushed open the door: "Come sit here with me first."

Li Qiuyun nodded blankly, but immediately regretted it afterward.

How could one go to a room of the opposite sex alone in the dead of night?
at this time,

Inside Chen Ye's cabin, the lights were on.

Qingjun and Zhiwei were lying on the small wooden table, playing Gomoku with great interest.

Qingjun was not good at chess and often took back her moves to cheat, which made Zhiwei both angry and amused, but she patiently played along with her.

Hearing the door open, the two little girls looked up at the same time.

"Master! Sister Qiuyun!" Upon seeing Li Qiuyun, Qingjun immediately dropped her chess pieces and ran over happily, her little hand still tugging at Li Qiuyun's sleeve.

Seeing the two exquisitely beautiful girls, Li Qiuyun's initial unease dissipated considerably.

She crouched down and patted Qingjun's head: "Qingjun, what are you playing with your senior sister?"

"Master taught us Gomoku! It's so much fun! Sister Qiuyun, would you like to play too?" Qingjun invited enthusiastically.

The little girl was incredibly enthusiastic.

She's no match for her senior sister, no match for her master, and certainly no match for Sister Qiuyun!
Looking at the distinct black and white chess pieces and the crisscrossing lines, a hint of curiosity flashed in Li Qiuyun's eyes.

She had focused on rigorous self-cultivation since childhood and had never encountered such novel and interesting things before.

only……

"I...I'd better go back and cultivate first."

Li Qiuyun hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Although she was curious, her long-standing habits made her subconsciously prioritize spiritual practice.

Chen Ye couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at her, who seemed to want to play but was also trying to restrain herself.

Li Qiuyun is always on edge.

Unfortunately, this person is not a mentally strong ascetic, and if this continues, he will eventually be crushed.

Chen Ye walked to the table, picked up a black stone, and slowly said:

“Qiuyun, the path of cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation. Blindly practicing hardship is not necessarily a good thing. As the saying goes, haste makes waste. Appropriate relaxation can actually help you understand your true nature and greatly benefit your cultivation.”

“But, Uncle Chen, I…I’m not a child anymore.”

Li Qiuyun bit her lower lip and whispered her defense.

I felt a little embarrassed to let her play such "childish" games with two little girls.

"puff!"

Qingjun covered her mouth and chuckled, then said in a serious tone,

"Of course Sister Qiuyun isn't a child! Sister Qiuyun is so chubby, how could she be a child!"

"Qingjun!" Zhiwei gently scolded from the side, tugging at her sister's sleeve.

Li Qiuyun: "..."

She looked down at herself... Hmm, she was indeed much "fuller" than Qingjun and Zhiwei, those two still-developing girls. But... could this be called fat?!
Chen Ye couldn't help but chuckle. He cleared his throat and said to Li Qiuyun:

"Qiuyun, Qingjun is just a child and doesn't mean anything by it, don't take it to heart. But since you call me Uncle Chen, aren't you just a child in my eyes? Come and play a game with them, just to relax, how about it?"

"Damn it... Qingjun is the child! What kind of child is Sister Qiuyun!"

The little girl thought to herself, feeling sullen, but she still tugged at Li Qiuyun's sleeve.

"Sister, please keep Qingjun company..."

Li Qiuyun looked at the little girl who kept acting cute, and her insistence finally wavered: "Well... okay, just one game."

She carefully sat down at the table, picked up a white piece, and, with guidance from Qingjun and Zhiwei, awkwardly placed it on the chessboard.

At the start of the game, Li Qiuyun was still somewhat reserved and hesitated to place her pieces.

But the rules of Gomoku are simple and it's very easy to learn. After a few games, she gradually became immersed in it.

The flickering lights illuminated four figures: two adults and two children.

Laughter filled the small cabin late into the night, quietly dispelling the cold night and wind and rain outside the window.

……

The spirit boat pierced through the clouds and mist, and three days passed quietly amidst the monotonous cultivation and occasional rest.

During this period, Li Qiuyun would often "stop by" to visit.

Sometimes, they would send over some spiritual fruits and snacks unique to the Lingyin Sect, which would make Qingjun cheer with joy.
Sometimes, he would patiently answer Chen Ye's questions about sect rules or the Herbal Peak, his answers concise yet to the point.

More often than not, he would play chess with Chen Ye and his two apprentices.

She still had that stern expression, but the way she addressed Uncle Chen in her mouth was becoming more and more familiar.

Moreover, even she herself didn't realize that there was a hint of filial piety in her eyes when she looked at Chen Ye.

On the evening of the third day, the speed of the spirit boat gradually slowed down.

"Uncle Chen, we're almost there." Li Qiuyun knocked on the door from the outside, her voice carrying a hint of cheerfulness.

Chen Ye opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

He got up and went to the porthole. He saw the churning sea of ​​clouds below gradually thinning, revealing the rolling, lush mountains.

Nestled among those mountains, a magnificent palace complex, like a fairyland, appears and disappears in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Lingyin Sect, we've finally arrived!

After passing through a swirling cloud of mist, the spirit boat finally landed slowly on a huge white jade plaza suspended in mid-air. At the edge of the plaza were stone railings carved with intricate array patterns.

Beyond the railing, the sea of ​​clouds surges, cranes soar, and distant mountain peaks appear and disappear, resembling a fairyland.

As soon as he stepped off the spirit boat, a spiritual energy far richer than that of Yunxifang rushed towards him, invigorating Chen Ye.

Chen Ye was startled.

This is at least a second-tier spiritual vein!

Such a large sect is actually all located on a second-tier spiritual vein!
No wonder Li Qiuyun was so eager to return to the sect.

The two young apprentices widened their eyes in astonishment. Qingjun couldn't help but let out a small gasp, tugging at Zhiwei's sleeve and pointing to a majestic mountain peak bathed in golden light in the distance, her little face full of shock.

"Steward Chen, this is the reception plaza of my Lingyin Sect."

Li Qiuyun's voice rang out from the side, pointing to a magnificent palace on one side of the square.

“Newly appointed deacons and returning disciples must first report to the Foreign Affairs Hall to verify their identity, receive their waist tokens and corresponding supplies, and then I will take you to the Herbal Peak to settle down.”

Chen Ye nodded and, following Li Qiuyun, led his two disciples toward the Foreign Affairs Hall.

Along the way, one could see many cultivators dressed in various Taoist robes hurrying along, and the spiritual energy emanating from them was far superior to that of the rogue cultivators in Yunxifang.

Occasionally, one could see a few cultivators dressed in sky-blue inner sect disciple robes flying by on their swords, attracting envious glances from many outer sect disciples.

The Foreign Affairs Hall was bustling with activity.

Chen Ye waited in line for a long time before it was his turn.

The person in charge of registration was an old man with white hair. He carefully examined Chen Ye's identity jade token and his appointment document before slowly taking out a green jade waist token engraved with the words "Chen Ye" and a storage bag.

"Deacon Chen, this is your identification token. Please keep it safe. Inside the storage bag are two sets of deacon robes, ten spirit stones, and a copy of the Herbal Peak cultivation manual."

The old man gave his instructions in a calm tone, clearly already used to such newly appointed deacons.

Chen Ye accepted the waist tag and storage bag, and thanked him.

He sensed the storage bag and found that the steward's robe inside was woven from a kind of bluish-gray spirit silkworm silk. It was warm to the touch and carried a faint spiritual energy fluctuation. It was actually a low-level magic artifact with a certain degree of defense and dust-cleansing effect.

This waist tag is different from the previous ones.

The waist tag that Deacon Tian gave him was a standard temporary token, but the waist pendant he now wears is his own unique one.

The old man then advised, "Please keep this waist pendant safe. It contains records of the sect's contributions. Deacon Chen was rated as a top-tier member, and his initial contribution was recorded as one hundred."

"One hundred contributions?" Chen Ye was only vaguely aware of this.

"Uncle Chen, these contribution points are very useful. One contribution point can be exchanged for one spirit stone, but a spirit stone can't be exchanged for contribution points."

Li Qiuyun couldn't help but feel a little envious. She explained,

"Within the sect, whether it's exchanging pills, magic weapons, or cultivation techniques, or renting cave dwellings or entering secret realms for cultivation, all require contribution points. You could say that contribution points are the hard currency within the sect."

Chen Ye was shocked once again.

As expected of a powerful sect, they are incredibly wealthy!

Isn't this much more comfortable than being a miserable, wandering monk?

Thankfully, he received an A grade; otherwise, it would have taken him one or two years to earn that 100 contribution points.

"According to the sect's rules, newly promoted stewards are all entitled to an independent courtyard as their residence. The steward of the External Affairs Hall will take you to the area on Herbal Peak that is specifically for stewards and outer disciples to choose from, based on your waist token, Uncle Chen."

Li Qiuyun continued.
“Different courtyards require different contribution points. Uncle Chen, since you are new here, the sect will first allocate a basic courtyard without deducting contribution points. However, if you want to choose a better one, you will need to pay additional contribution points.”

Chen Ye nodded. He now had a hundred contribution points, so there was no need to be too stingy. He looked at Li Qiuyun and said, "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, Qiuyun."

Li Qiuyun smiled and said, "Uncle Chen, you're too kind. It's my duty to show you the way."

At that moment, Li Qiuyun led Chen Ye and his two apprentices through several corridors behind the Foreign Affairs Hall to a more secluded place.

Several ancient-style palaces stand here, and above the gate of one of them hangs a plaque that reads "Hall of General Affairs".

"This is where the disciples and stewards of my Lingyin Sect choose their residences, receive their monthly stipends, and hand over their tasks," Li Qiuyun explained. "The residence map of Bencao Peak is also located here."

Inside the General Affairs Hall, people came and went, mostly outer disciples dressed in sky-blue Daoist robes, with a few cultivators wearing steward's robes as well.

Li Qiuyun was very familiar with this place and led them to a counter with ease.

The disciple in charge greeted Li Qiuyun politely with a bow: "Senior Sister Li."

Then his gaze turned to Chen Ye, "This must be the newly appointed steward, right? I wonder where this steward would like to choose for his residence?"

Chen Ye handed over his waist token.

The disciple took the waist token, examined it with his spiritual power, and then took out a huge picture book depicting landscapes and pavilions, which he slowly unfolded on the counter.

"Steward Chen, this is a map showing the distribution of residences for disciples and stewards of our Herbal Peak. According to your steward status, you may choose a courtyard within this area." The disciple pointed to an area circled in vermilion on the map and said, "The courtyards within this area are all standard and do not require additional contribution points."

Chen Ye looked intently and saw that the area was located at the foot of Bencao Peak, with courtyards arranged densely and the layout appearing somewhat cramped.

He frowned slightly. This kind of residence was crowded and didn't offer much privacy.

"How many contribution points are needed to choose a courtyard in another area?" Chen Ye asked.

Upon hearing this, the disciple smiled knowingly.

"Deacon Chen, please look at this map. The areas marked with different colors represent residences of different levels. The courtyards in the yellow areas have a slightly better layout and a slightly richer spiritual energy, requiring an additional five contribution points per month. The orange areas are even better, requiring ten contribution points per month. The courtyards are spacious and even have their own small herb garden. As for the red areas... these are the Herbal Peak cave dwellings, which require meeting specific requirements."

Chen Ye calculated in his mind that with ten contribution points per month, and now having one hundred contribution points, he could afford it.

"Master, I want to live in that courtyard with the little flowers!"

Qingjun came over at some point, pointing with her little finger to a courtyard marked with a pear blossom pattern in the orange area of ​​the picture book.

Beside that courtyard, there was a small pond painted on the wall, with several red carp playing in the water.

Seeing that his disciple liked it, Chen Ye made up his mind. He looked at the disciple and said in a deep voice, "Then I'll take that Pear Garden."

The disciple was taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled and said, "Steward Chen has a good eye. This courtyard is called Falling Pear Courtyard, and it is one of the most beautiful courtyards... It just so happens that its previous owner has just been promoted to the inner sect. However, the price is ten contribution points per month. Steward Chen should consider this carefully."

Chen Ye nodded: "Okay, three months will be fine."

He did not act impulsively.

This pear orchard is rich in spiritual energy and has its own medicinal herb garden, making it the perfect place for him, a spiritual plant master.

Moreover, my two disciples like it too, and being able to cultivate and live in a comfortable environment makes the contribution points well spent.

Fortunately, this sect is more humane than the market; it doesn't require a deposit and has no restrictions on the rental period.

But upon closer reflection, it makes sense. Sects are different from marketplaces; their purpose is not to make a profit.

Seeing Chen Ye's resolute attitude, the disciple said no more, quickly completed the formalities, deducted thirty contribution points from Chen Ye's waist token, and handed him the Pear Garden's restriction token.

"Deacon Chen, this is the restriction token of Luoli Academy. With this token, you can open the restrictions within the academy. This is a detailed location map; you can find it by following this path."

Chen Ye took the token and location map, and suddenly realized that the name of the courtyard was a bit wrong.

Fallen pear...?
Chen Ye glanced at the two girls, who were a little reserved at the moment, even Qing Jun seemed a bit embarrassed.

They were so beautiful that countless young cultivators stared at them along the way.

Ahem... This courtyard is suitable for raising two apprentices.

(End of this chapter)