Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 152 Master's empty promises, puppet making (Day 1 words)

Chen Ye didn't need to explain; his two disciples already knew the significance of the gold medal.

Although this gold medal was just an ordinary object, it had always been carefully kept by the master and had never been lost, which was enough to prove its importance in the master's heart.

"Jingle Bell--"

The sound of Qingjun's bell grew fainter and fainter, and her fluffy little head drooped lower and lower.

If only she had known... if only she had known, she would have given her precious bell to her master.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat; he had been thinking of exchanging something else for Zhiwei's jade pendant.

Although he was Zhiwei's master, he did not want to take his disciple's things without permission.

but……

He's a master who treats everyone equally, but there's only one gold medal. What should we do?

Chen Ye hesitated for a moment, but he had already spoken, and if he did not keep his word, he would inevitably hurt Zhiwei's feelings.

"This gold medal is not a valuable magical artifact; it is merely... a wish of my master."

Chen Ye spoke slowly, his voice tinged with reminiscence. He placed the gold medal in his palm, stroking the inscription "Peace and Joy" on it, and continued,

"This is the only thing my mother left me; it represents home."

He looked at the two little girls and said seriously, "Before, Master's home was just Master alone. But now, Master's home has Qingjun and Zhiwei."

These words made the two girls' eyelashes tremble slightly, and their eyes almost went blank as they looked at the gold medal.

Zhiwei's hands trembled slightly as she wanted to take the gold medal from her master, but hesitated.

Qingjun pouted, her eyes welling up with tears.

Chen Ye had a bad feeling. He had specifically emphasized that this gold medal was just an ordinary item, so why did it make the two little girls even more eager for it?
It's just a piece of gold... not even worth as much as a spirit stone.

He solemnly handed the gold medal to her again: "Zhiwei, you are my senior sister. This is not a gift from Master, but an entrustment to you as a legacy..."

After Chen Ye placed the gold medal into Zhiwei's hand, she murmured, "But... but where is my junior sister?"

She wanted it, but was also worried about hurting her junior sister's feelings.

As the senior sister... she should give way to the junior sister...

However, Zhiwei really wanted her master's family heirloom!
Moreover, her master once said that in his eyes, she and Qingjun were no different; they were both just little girls...

Zhiwei became increasingly conflicted as she thought about it, and fell silent.

Chen Ye smiled reassuringly.

As a master, his word is his bond; once he promised Zhiwei, he would not go back on his word.

Moreover, in the past, he cared more about Qingjun, which inevitably made Zhiwei feel a little uncomfortable.

Giving her this gold medal was like giving Zhiwei a sense of reassurance.

As for Qingjun, he had another plan: "Qingjun, your master has something else prepared for you."

The white fluffy ball wiped its eyes and said in a childish voice, "Master... Qingjun, I don't want it..."

Her voice trembled slightly, tinged with grievance.

Nothing, no matter how good, can compare to Master's gold medal!
“The gold medal is an old thing, it’s from the past… but what Master gave to Qingjun is the future.” Chen Ye gave a gentle smile.

"Past...future?"

Qingjun was stunned for a moment, forgetting all about feeling wronged.

Chen Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling slightly smug.

As expected of him!

They cleverly relegated the gold medal to the "past" and then offered a promise for the "future."

In this way, he skillfully resolved the seemingly unfair problem.

Most importantly, the wavering balance in the hearts of the two girls has finally been settled, and they have each received their own share of respect.

"Really... Then Master, please give it to Qingjun quickly!"

The little girl glanced at her master, stretched out her delicate white hand, and began to ask for it.

Chen Ye came up with this idea in a moment of inspiration; where did he get the actual item?
He feigned profundity: "We'll talk about the future when it comes to the future. Master will prepare for Qingjun when she grows up."

"Woo..."

The little girl grumbled in dissatisfaction, but in her heart she was already looking forward to what kind of treasure her master would prepare for her in the future.

Just thinking about it made her heart itch, and she couldn't wait to grow up.

"Damn it..." she gritted her teeth.

This feeling was like her master drawing her a delicious pancake, which she could only look at but not eat!

This is the most torturous thing for girls!
Of course, Chen Ye wasn't just making empty promises; he kept his promise to Qing Jun in his heart, waiting for the future to find a suitable treasure to give to her.

……

"Phew... Taking care of a girl is really tiring."

After settling his two disciples in, Chen Ye returned to the alchemy room and let out a long sigh of relief.

This trip to the Mao family can be considered a successful completion of Chen Ye's purpose in coming to Yuexi Lake Fang.

Firstly, she received Mao Qingzhu's promise that Qingjun would be able to undergo a baptism at the Xu family's Cold Pool in the future.

Secondly, if the Xu family tries to take Qingjun away again, he will have Mao Qingzhu as his backer.

"Judging by the time, it's time to return to the Lingyin Sect. This time, I not only met Mao Qingzhu, but also gained a great deal."

Chen Ye was organizing the current resources.

He gained a lot from this trip to Yuexi Lake Square.

His personal iron sword was upgraded to a first-tier top-grade item, and he also obtained a first-tier top-grade protective magic weapon, the Bagua Mirror, as well as a second-tier magic treasure, the Hundred Herbs Furnace, and the core of the second-tier magic treasure, the Puppet Master.

As for the number of spirit stones, it surged after Li Guangzong was killed, reaching as many as 450.

In addition, there were a large amount of supplies in Li Guangzong's storage bag that had not yet been exchanged for spirit stones.

Just as Chen Ye was taking stock of the resources, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He felt a subtle change in his aura, as if he had become light and ethereal, almost blending into his surroundings.

[Qi Concealment Technique Limit Break: 1/800]

done?

Chen Ye was overjoyed. His Qi Concealing Technique was already close to breaking through its limit. It must have been because he had accumulated enough proficiency by concealing his Qi at the Mao family all day today, and thus he was able to break through to the limit smoothly.

He immediately calmed his mind and carefully comprehended the profound changes brought about by breaking through the limit.

The previous technique of concealing one's spiritual energy was to hide one's own spiritual energy fluctuations, like hiding a stone in the grass. Although it could be concealed, it still existed in the end.

However, after breaking through the limit, this technique underwent a qualitative transformation—it was no longer about "concealing" but about "integrating".

With a slight thought, his aura could easily assimilate with the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth, as if he were no longer an independent entity, but had transformed into a wisp of air, a speck of dust, and a flickering candle flame in this alchemy room.

What's even more mysterious is that he can not only make his aura disappear into nothingness, but also simulate different spiritual energy fluctuations at will.

He could make himself look like a Qi Refining Stage 1 disciple who had just entered the path of immortality, or a mortal with no cultivation, or even... if he wanted, he could simulate the ferocious aura of a demonic beast, or the cold and evil aura of a demonic cultivator.

From "concealing oneself" to "disguising oneself as everything," this is the sublimation brought about by breaking limits!

"Excellent! What a brilliant concealment technique!"

Chen Ye clapped his hands in admiration.

The powerful effects brought about by breaking the limits of spells or skills have never disappointed him.

Now, unless a Foundation Establishment cultivator uses their divine sense to carefully probe him, Chen Ye's Qi Concealment Technique can be described as flawless!
"The ability to conceal one's aura is strong enough... The next step is to assess one's strength; otherwise, even the strongest aura concealment is meaningless."

Chen Ye pondered to himself.

Now, what he lacks is not resources, nor techniques or spells, but simply time to level up.

Whether it's alchemy, cultivation, or puppet making, it all takes a lot of time.

"Among them... only the crafting of puppets can yield results in a short period of time. With the help of a second-tier puppet core, puppets with combat capabilities can be crafted quickly."

Chen Ye had made up his mind and would not delay any longer. He took out the jade slip containing the puppet-refining technique from his storage bag, and immersed his divine sense into it to study it carefully.

The Puppet Refining Method records various methods for refining puppets. The most basic are the zombie puppet made from corpses and the soldier puppet made from metal and iron spirit materials.

Zombie puppets are easy to make and quite powerful, but they are ultimately shrouded in corpse energy, making them easy to spot, and the materials used are often harmful to nature.

While the crafting of weapon puppets is cumbersome and requires expensive materials, they have greater potential. In the future, materials can be continuously replaced and the rank can be upgraded, which is the right path.

"Given a choice, one should naturally choose the righteous path."

Chen Ye made a decision.

Having abandoned the previously crafted Chen Yi, this zombie puppet was merely a practice piece with very low potential.

……

The next day.

After a simple disguise, Chen Ye used a concealment technique to hide his aura, but he did not conceal his cultivation level.

A Qi Refining Stage 7 cultivation level isn't particularly outstanding in Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market. However, a Qi Refining Stage 4 cultivation level can reduce unnecessary trouble.

He arrived at the west side of the market, where shops lined the streets, mostly large stores selling religious artifacts and materials.

After a brief comparison, Chen Ye entered the businesses under the Lingbao School.

Although Lingbao Sect's products are relatively expensive, their quality is guaranteed and they have a wide variety.

Since he was going to create a puppet for protection, Chen Ye didn't want to be greedy for small gains and risk future troubles.

"Fellow Daoist, what would you like to buy?" A shopkeeper who looked like an old man with a long beard looked up and glanced at Chen Ye. Seeing that he had the cultivation level of the late stage of Qi Refining, his tone became much more polite.

"Shopkeeper, I'd like to craft a puppet. Do you have any suitable skeleton materials?" Chen Ye asked directly.

Since the Wan Kui Sect was located near Yuexi Lake, the methods of making low-level puppets were often leaked out. There were quite a few rogue cultivators here who knew how to make puppets, so Chen Ye did not hide it.

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper perked up: "Oh? Fellow Daoist also studies puppetry? Then you've come to the right place. The puppet skeleton is crucial to its foundation; may I ask what grade you're looking for?"

He stroked his long beard and began to introduce the items as if they were his most treasured possessions:
"If you're a beginner and want to save money, then use century-old ironwood. This wood is harder than ordinary metal and has a certain spirituality. You can buy a skeleton for just twenty spirit stones. The disadvantage is... also obvious: it's too rigid and can't withstand heavy blows."

"If you want to properly forge a weapon that can be put to use, then you must use black iron."

The shopkeeper pointed to a pile of gleaming, dark metal behind the counter.
"Mysterious Iron is a mid-grade first-level spiritual material, far more sturdy than ironwood, and capable of withstanding attacks from mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators. A Mysterious Iron skeleton the size of an average person costs sixty spirit stones. Within the Myriad Puppet Sect, even inner disciples who are short of money forge puppets from Mysterious Iron."

Looking at it, Chen Ye saw that black iron was a common material for refining magical artifacts.

It is tough and has spiritual properties.

The Wan Kui Sect disciple that Chen Ye killed earlier, despite his puppet being a first-grade high-ranking puppet, was made of Xuan Iron.

This is because crafting a puppet often requires far more materials than crafting a magic weapon of the same grade. When crafting a puppet, cultivators usually use mostly low-grade materials to forge the main body, and then combine a few high-grade materials to craft the key components.

Chen Ye is now financially well-off, so naturally he looks down on mid-grade first-level black iron.

He cupped his hands and asked, "I wonder if there are any other materials in the Lingbao Pavilion?"

The shopkeeper looked slightly surprised upon hearing this. He lowered his voice and said, "Of course, if you are wealthy, our shop also has some of our best stock on hand—Cold-patterned Steel."

“Even the Lingbao Pavilion doesn’t have many of these top-grade first-tier materials in its various industries.”

As he spoke, he took out a wooden box from his storage ring. When he opened it, a piece of steel covered with natural frost patterns lay quietly, with wisps of cold air emanating from it.

"This spiritual material is hard and can absorb moisture and spiritual energy to nourish its core, making the puppet react more quickly. However, our shop only has ten catties of it. The price is twenty spirit stones per catty!"

Chen Ye clicked his tongue in amazement.

To forge his 300-jin iron sword from cold-patterned steel, it would cost 6,000 spirit stones!

Of course, in the cultivation world, heavier is not always better, and different materials have very different densities.

If a sword were forged from cold-patterned steel, it would probably be bigger than Chen Yeren himself.

Generally, six catties of cold-patterned steel are enough to forge a first-grade high-quality magic sword.

"Let me think about it," Chen Ye said calmly.

He then asked about materials related to joints and spiritual energy transmission.

The shopkeeper also offered different options, from ordinary demon beast tendons to water ape tendons containing spiritual power, and from basic spiritual silk circuits to liquid silver marrow with faster conduction.

"Hiss... There are so many tricks to it?" Chen Ye clicked his tongue in amazement.

He felt that creating puppets was just like building a desktop computer in his previous life.

Each component, with a little effort and a bit more money, can be upgraded to something better.

As I stomped my feet, I realized that the computer I initially budgeted for 5,000 yuan would now cost 10,000 yuan.

"Haha, puppetry is no small matter. The Myriad Puppet Sect is founded on puppetry, and there are many intricacies involved."

The shopkeeper smiled and stroked his beard.

After comparing the options, Chen Ye had already made up his mind.

He made the decision immediately and bought all ten kilograms of cold-patterned steel.

He spent another forty spirit stones to purchase a silver marrow that could increase the efficiency of spiritual energy conduction by three levels.

As for the main body of the puppet, he planned to use the Xuan Iron from the disciples of the Wan Kui Sect.

The total cost was 240 spirit stones!
The shopkeeper was overjoyed and gave him other necessary materials for making puppets as a gift.

Although these materials are equally expensive, they are far less expensive than the materials used to refine the main body of the product.

It would have been better if the shopkeeper hadn't given away these materials; now that he had, Chen Ye suspected that he had made a lot of money off him with spirit stones.

The human heart is complex beyond compare.

……

In the days that followed, the alchemy room was once again transformed into a weapon-refining room.

No matter how much the little girl protested, she couldn't change her master's mind that he would use the alchemy furnace as a weapon-refining furnace.

"Stupid master! I hate you, master! The alchemy furnace is for refining sugar beans, how can you use it to refine iron!"

The little girl loved the alchemy furnace so much that she angrily climbed onto her master's back and bit his shoulder.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Chen Ye's face was flushed red from the firelight; he spoke with righteous indignation.

"The Hundred Herbs Furnace used to be a second-tier magic weapon, making it easy to refine these spiritual materials. Why can't it be used anymore?"

"Damn it... Qingjun didn't say it couldn't be refined, but... but..."

The little girl was at a loss for words.

It's like using a cooking pot to heat stones, or using a basin to wash vegetables to wash your feet!
Chen Ye let his young apprentice hang on his back and continued to smelt iron.

The first step in weapon crafting, and also the most mentally and spiritually demanding, is to smelt the materials.

Chen Ye put the ten catties of cold-patterned steel and the black iron dismantled from the broken puppet into the Hundred Herbs Furnace in batches.

He activated the Grandmaster-level Evergreen Technique, continuously channeling pure wood-elemental spiritual energy into the bottom of the furnace, igniting the fire.

"Hmm? The Grandmaster-level Evergreen Technique is full of vitality. Using it to smelt iron will keep the flames burning continuously, which saves me a lot of effort."

This was an unexpected surprise for Chen Ye.

Generally, refining spiritual materials consumes far more spiritual energy and time than refining medicinal herbs, and he was prepared to take it slowly.

However, the Grandmaster-level Evergreen ability can maintain the flame for a long time with minimal spiritual power, which undoubtedly reduces Chen Ye's energy consumption significantly.

"boom!"

Although the Hundred Herbs Furnace is a damaged second-tier magic weapon, its essence remains.

As the furnace roared to life, the crimson flames instantly illuminated the interior, and the hard, cold-patterned steel and black iron began to soften and melt slowly under the high temperature.

Chen Ye's consciousness was highly concentrated. He did not rush to achieve results, but carefully controlled the timing.

The Hundred Refinements Technique was activated, and spiritual energy transformed into an invisible giant hammer, repeatedly refining the molten metal in the furnace.

"Boom! Boom!"

Each tempering was like an invisible hammer striking his sea of ​​consciousness, making his head spin, and the molten metal in the furnace churned violently.

This process is tedious and boring, and it consumes a great deal of spiritual energy and consciousness.

Even with the blessing of the Evergreen Skill, Chen Ye was already drenched in sweat and pale-faced after half a day.

“No, that’s too inefficient.”

Chen Ye took a short breath and swallowed a Qi-restoring pill.

With a thought, he took out the repaired puppet core and carefully placed it in the secondary flame port of the Hundred Herbs Furnace.

For the puppet, the core is the dantian and the cultivator.

The second-tier puppet core can act as a temporary spiritual power amplifier.

Sure enough, as the puppet's core was activated, a more stable and powerful spiritual force was injected into the furnace, greatly accelerating the refining process!
[Small Success in the Hundred Refinements Technique: 78/100]

[The Great Success of Hundred Refining Techniques: 5/200]

For three whole days, Chen Ye barely slept or rested, taking care of the spiritual plants in the Herbal Pavilion and refining puppets.

Inside the weapon-refining room, the constant whistling of bellows and the clanging of metal could be heard.

When hungry, he would take a bite of the food his disciple had prepared; when tired, he would meditate for a while to restore his spiritual energy.

Three days later, all the metal materials had been refined to the fifty-fourth level, turning into clusters of metallic essence that shimmered with dark gold and ice blue light, quietly suspended in the furnace.

"In the proficiency panel, 'Mastering the Hundred Refinements Technique' is equivalent to other cultivators reaching the sixth level?" Chen Ye was greatly surprised. In the Hundred Refinements Technique, every nine refinements make up one level, and even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would only refine a second-tier puppet core sixty-three times!
As for the puppet of the Wan Kui Sect disciple, it was probably less than thirty refinements!

This means that, under the same material conditions, the strength of Chen Ye's refining is far beyond that of ordinary Wan Kui Sect disciples and is close to that of Wan Kui Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators!
After a short rest, Chen Ye began the final refining process.

Using tempered black iron as the main material and cold-patterned steel as the key component, he meticulously began forging the puppet according to the diagrams in the puppet-making method.

Then, like embroidery, the liquid silver marrow was carefully used to outline a complex spiritual energy conduction circuit along the grooves reserved inside the skeleton.

Another seven days passed.

A colossal object, gleaming with a cold metallic light, stood silently in the alchemy chamber.

Based on the dimensions from his previous life, he was a full two and a half meters tall, exuding a sense of oppression.

"Only the last step left..."

Chen Ye looked at the masterpiece before him, his eyes filled with satisfaction and anticipation.

He sat cross-legged, separated a wisp of his refined divine sense, and carefully probed into the core of the puppet's chest cavity, attempting to establish the most direct connection with it.

This is the process of spiritual awakening and recognizing the Lord.

The moment the divine sense touched the core, a violent and chaotic will emanated from it; it was the remnant spirituality belonging to the puppet's core.

Chen Ye was prepared. The Seven Luminaries Soul Nourishing Technique was quietly activated. The Jupiter in his sea of ​​consciousness emitted a warm blue light, firmly protecting his mind and constantly soothing and guiding that violent will.

After an unknown amount of time, that will finally subsided and was assimilated and accepted by Chen Ye's consciousness.

"Om-"

Two points of blue light suddenly lit up in the puppet's empty eye sockets, like two burning ghost flames!

It slowly raised its heavy metal arm, moved its slightly stiff joints, and then, amidst the tooth-grinding metallic scraping sound, this steel giant, standing two meters and fourteen centimeters tall, actually knelt down on one knee in front of Chen Ye!
"good!"

Chen Ye rubbed his sore eyes and looked at the puppet with satisfaction.

Its cost, not counting the puppet core, is as high as nearly three hundred spirit stones!
If you factor in the puppet core as well, the price would probably be higher than that of an ordinary second-tier magic weapon!

"Based on the strength of the material, it should be able to withstand spells from the late stage of Qi Refining with ease... Coupled with this puppet core, its combat ability should surpass that of a cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining."

Chen Ye couldn't even imagine how strong a puppet that was impervious to pain and magic, coupled with superb combat skills, would be in combat!
He took out a black robe that he had prepared beforehand from his storage bag and ordered the puppet to put it on.

Although the puppet was forged from spiritual materials, it was powered by a second-tier core and enhanced with cold-patterned steel and silver marrow, making it as agile as an ordinary person.

After a few simple joint movements, it changed from its previous stiffness and put on the black robe with agility and lightness.

Moreover, the puppet is controlled by Chen Ye's divine sense, and he can easily use the puppet's spiritual power to perform the Qi Concealment Technique.

Furthermore, combined with the characteristics of the puppet, its ability to perform the Qi Concealment Technique is even better than that of Chen Ye himself!
Therefore, after donning the black robe, he looked no different from a body-refining cultivator.

"Wow!"

The little girl nestled behind Chen Ye, resting her chin on his shoulder, her mouth wide open enough to fit an egg.
"Master, this iron lump is so cool!"

"?"

Chen Ye slowly turned his head. When did this little girl climb onto his back again?
Ever since Qingjun climbed on his back and bit his shoulder in protest.

The little girl seemed to have become addicted. Whenever she had nothing to do, she would watch Chen Ye practice his weapon-making. When she got tired of watching, she would secretly lie down on his back and sleep.

The little girl squinted her eyes: "What are you looking at! Haven't you seen Qingjun before!"

As she spoke, she used her two soft, white hands to forcefully turn Chen Ye's head around.
"Qingjun must keep an eye on Master! Keep an eye on Master! Until Master returns Qingjun's treasure to Qingjun!"

The "treasure" she was referring to was the "future" that Chen Ye had promised Qing Jun.

"Good good..."

Chen Ye looked at the puppet kneeling on one knee, and felt the lively little apprentice behind him, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face.

With this puppet's help, his and his disciple's lives will surely be more peaceful...

Zhiwei was also attracted by the commotion in the alchemy room. Seeing Qingjun fidgeting behind her master, she quickly stepped forward and picked Qingjun up.

The little girl's eyes widened: "Senior sister, what are you doing? Are you trying to help Master bully Qingjun?"

The older girl said expressionlessly, "Master is exhausted after crafting the puppets, how could you disturb him? In the future... don't lie behind Master!"

"Senior sister...you're really nosy..." Qingjun muttered softly.

"What did you say?" Zhiwei's eyes flickered slightly.

"..." Qingjun remained silent.

"Mm." Zhiwei nodded.

Just as the two dumplings fell silent,
Suddenly, Qingjun said quietly, "Envious?"

The sound was so faint that it seemed only Zhiwei could hear it, and even Chen Ye, who was standing nearby, was completely unaware of it.

"!" Zhiwei's eyelashes trembled, and she glanced at Qingjun in a panic.

But the little white fluffy ball looked up at her with a puzzled expression: "Senior sister, what's wrong?"

"nothing."

Zhiwei bit her lip; she saw the crimson fading rapidly in her junior sister's pupils.

what happened……

Why does Qingjun, even in a normal state, experience illness...?

Chen Ye had no idea of ​​the undercurrents between his two disciples. He reached out and patted the chest of the tall, burly puppet, making a dull "thud".

"Come on, let's get to know your new junior brother. Hmm... how about we call him Qingzhi No. 1?"

Chen Ye had a smug look on his face, wanting to show off in front of his disciple.

With a thought, the puppet that was kneeling on one knee slowly stood up.

Its towering size made it feel particularly imposing, almost reaching the roof beams.

Its pupils, gleaming with a faint blue light, swept across the dimly lit alchemy room, causing even the usually bold Qingjun to instinctively hide behind Zhiwei.

"Master...Master, it...it won't move and attack us, will it?"

Qingjun tugged at Zhiwei's sleeve and asked softly, her phoenix eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of timidity.

"How could that be?" Chen Ye chuckled. "It's a puppet, it only obeys my orders. Come on, say hello to your junior sisters."

With a thought, Chen Ye had the puppet wave lightly at the two little girls.

"Wow!"

Qingjun's eyes lit up instantly. She peeked out from behind Zhiwei, circled around Qingzhi, and curiously poked its cold, hard little leg with her tiny hand.
"Wow, amazing! Master, can Qingzhi cook? Can she tell stories?"

Zhiwei also reached out her hand. She moved a small stool over, stood on tiptoe, and touched Qingzhi's chest:
"Hmm... such powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, it seems to have a hint of white aura."

Chen Ye nodded approvingly. As expected of his eldest disciple, he could see the key point at a glance.
"Although this core is damaged, it is still a second-tier core with a trace of Foundation Establishment aura... which is probably the aura of Bai Suxu that you sensed."

The two little dumplings opened their mouths in surprise.

This is Foundation Establishment!
No matter which market you're in, Foundation Establishment cultivators are considered to be at the very top of the pyramid!
One of them touched the core of the chest cavity, and the other touched the calf, extremely curious.

Chen Ye was even more pleased with himself. He cleared his throat and decided to show off his masterpiece to his disciples.

"Watch it carefully!"

With a thought, Chen Ye directed Qingzhi to slowly pace around the alchemy room.

"Boom...boom...boom..."

With each step Qingzhi took, the ground trembled slightly, and the heavy pressure made the two girls instinctively hold their breath.

Of course, this was something Chen Ye did intentionally.

The purpose was simply to amuse his two apprentices.

In reality, Qingzhi walks just like any other person.

"Not only that!"

Seeing that his two disciples were intimidated, Chen Ye's playful nature was aroused.

He took out half a bag of spirit grain flour and a basin of water from his storage bag, strode up to Qingzhi, and said with great pride, "Today, I will show you what a fully automatic alchemist's auxiliary combat puppet is!"

As he spoke, he poured flour and water into a large stone basin and gave Qingzhi the instruction: "Qingzhi, knead the dough!"

Qingjun and Zhiwei curiously came over, wanting to see how this big guy was going to knead the dough.

A flash of blue light appeared in Qingzhi's eyes, and its metal hand slowly rose, aiming at the soft dough in the stone basin.

The next moment, under the expectant gazes of the two little girls, Qingzhi's arm suddenly fell!

There was no gentle kneading as one might imagine, and no kneading skills whatsoever.

"boom--!!!!"

A loud bang!
The enormous metal fist, carrying the terrifying power brought by the divine core, slammed solidly into the stone basin!
In an instant, the entire alchemy room seemed to have been detonated by a flour bomb!
White powder shot into the sky, instantly enveloping everything inside the room.

Chen Ye, Qing Jun, Zhi Wei, and even the tall puppet were all dyed white in this sudden flour storm.

The air was filled with pungent dust and the smell of raw noodles.

Inside the alchemy room, there was an eerie silence.

Chen Ye stood frozen in place, his face, hair, and clothes covered in white flour, with only his eyes still blinking in astonishment.

Looking at his disheveled state, then at the metal fist still deeply embedded in the stone basin, and the mangled lump of dough beneath it, he felt a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Pfft... Pfft hahaha!"

The first to break the silence was Qingjun.

The little girl stared blankly at her master's comical appearance, which looked like he had just been pulled out of a flour jar, and then she couldn't help but burst into silvery laughter while clutching her stomach.

"Master...haha...you...you look like a snowman! No...you're even whiter than a snowman! Hahaha!"

Even the usually aloof Zhiwei had a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth, and her clear black and white eyes were filled with a faint smile.

Chen Ye looked at his two disciples who were laughing so hard they were practically falling over, and sighed helplessly.

He wiped the flour off his face, but it only made it look more messy, like a big tabby cat.

"It seems... Qingzhi's power still needs some proper training." He coughed lightly, trying to salvage some of his master's dignity.

The puppet was newly made and still needs some simple training.

Once the training is complete, cooking should be a piece of cake.

Qingjun finally stopped laughing. She ran to Chen Ye's side, stood on tiptoe, and used her flour-covered little hands to pat the "snow" off her master. Her little face was full of teasing smiles.

"Master, it seems we still have to rely on Qingjun for cooking. Junior Brother Qingzhi... it seems all it knows is fighting!"

The little girl breathed a sigh of relief.

This junior colleague almost stole her job!
It's clearly Qingjun's job to cook for her master!
……

Before I knew it, my month-long assignment at the Herbal Pavilion in Yuexi Lake Market had come to an end.

Although Chen Ye was busy with other matters, he still successfully completed the task of conditioning the medicinal garden entrusted to him by Steward Sun.

"Steward Chen, your two disciples are truly the treasures of the Herbal Pavilion!" Steward Sun held Chen Ye's hand, his old face full of reluctance.

This month, the two apprentices have long since become the mascots of the Herbal Pavilion.

Chen Ye felt a touch of pride.

His two daughters are adorable, sensible, and hardworking... who wouldn't like them?

Hearing the praise, Qingjun proudly puffed out her little chest, her face full of smugness, and she didn't forget to turn around and make a face at her master.

Zhiwei was much quieter. She bowed respectfully to Steward Sun and the pharmacists who came to see her off, saying, "Thank you all for your guidance these past few days. I have benefited greatly from it."

"Oh, don't be so formal." An old pharmacist smiled and waved his hand, stuffing a packet of herbs wrapped in oiled paper into Zhiwei's hand. "These are some calming and soothing herbs. Your junior sister is lively and probably doesn't sleep well at night. Take this and boil it for her to drink."

Zhiwei was taken aback and looked up at the old pharmacist.

This old pharmacist is Manager Sun's grandfather, and he is a full 150 years old!

He is the most senior member of the herbal medicine pavilion.

The old pharmacist stroked his beard and pondered, "It should be due to the slightly stronger fire elemental root..."

Upon hearing this, Zhiwei was somewhat disappointed, but her face showed gratitude as she accepted the medicinal herbs, repeatedly expressing her thanks.

After another round of pleasantries, everyone reluctantly saw Chen Ye and his two apprentices off from the Herbal Pavilion.

Li Qiuyun had already prepared the return carriage and was waiting at the door.

Looking at Qingjun, who was surrounded by a group of old pharmacists and was as lively and adorable as a little sun, and Zhiwei, who was quiet and composed but had her own unique character, a gentle smile appeared in her eyes.

If... I could live with Uncle Chen's family for the rest of my life, it seems like it would be quite enjoyable?
"Uncle Chen," she said softly, suppressing her inner turmoil, as she stepped forward, "everything is ready. We can set off at any time."

Chen Ye nodded, led his two disciples onto the carriage, and amidst the farewells of the crowd, embarked on his journey back to the Lingyin Sect.

The carriage traveled along the smooth official road. Inside the carriage, apart from Li Qiuyun who remained vigilant, Chen Ye and his two disciples were all quite relaxed.

The reason is that they all know that there is a powerful junior brother in their master's storage bag!

Chen Ye touched the storage bag at his waist.

Fortunately, Li Guangzong's storage bag was large enough to easily hold Qingzhi.

Along the way, without the dangers and urgency of the journey there, Qingjun completely let loose and embraced her true nature.

She would pester Li Qiuyun with questions one minute and then drag Zhiwei into a game of Gomoku the next. When she lost, she would cheat, filling the carriage with laughter and chatter.

As evening fell, the group found a secluded spot by a stream to rest.

Chen Ye lit a campfire, set up a pot, cleaned up a plump wild rabbit he had hunted on the road, and stewed a pot of fragrant wild rabbit soup.

"Master, didn't you say you were going to give Qingjun spicy rabbit meat?" Qingjun muttered to herself, staring longingly at the rabbit meat in the pot, clearly still remembering the spanking Chen Ye had given her before.

However, the little girl's focus was a bit strange:
"So, does spanking Qingjun mean 'stir-fried pork with spicy whip'? But Qingjun didn't get to eat it! So... Master lied to Qingjun!"

That little girl, all she does is argue all day long.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye pulled a thin, half-burnt branch from beside the campfire, waved it in front of Qing Jun, and said irritably, "I don't have any spicy whips, but I do have a fire poker. Do you want to try some?"

"Ugh!" Qingjun shrank back in fright and quickly hid behind Zhiwei, never daring to mention the matter again.

Zhiwei watched her master and junior sister bickering and silently shook her head. She took the soup ladle from Chen Ye and served everyone a bowl of steaming rabbit soup.

As night deepened, the campfire crackled, and the four sat together, enjoying this rare moment of peace and warmth.

Three days later, the spirit boat successfully arrived at the Lingyin Sect.

Upon returning to the familiar Rakuri-in, both disciples cheered.

"We're home!" Qingjun was the first to rush into the yard, opening her arms wide like a happy little bird.

Zhiwei followed closely behind. Looking at the old pear tree in full bloom in the courtyard and the clear pond, she was filled with emotion.

Li Qiuyun saw them to the door, and looking at the warm scene in the courtyard, a hint of envy flashed in her eyes: "Uncle Chen, I'll head back to Zixia Peak now."

"Qiuyun, thank you so much for escorting me all the way," Chen Ye said sincerely.

"You're too kind," Li Qiuyun smiled sweetly. "If I have some free time, I'll come visit my two nieces and Fellow Daoist Chen again."

She deliberately emphasized the word "niece," then covered her mouth with a light laugh and turned to leave, leaving Chen Ye alone, bewildered in the wind.

This girl is getting better and better at joking.

She keeps saying her two disciples are her nieces, and she calls herself Fellow Daoist Chen...

What a disrespectful brat!
He shook his head, looking at his two apprentices chasing and playing in the courtyard, a gratified smile on his face.

With disciples as companions, my heart finds peace; this is my home.

……

Just as the three of them were tidying up the Luoli Courtyard, a knocking sound came from outside the gate.

"Is Steward Chen here?" a gentle young male voice asked.

Chen Ye frowned slightly, signaling Qingjun and Zhiwei to go back inside, while he went to open the door.

Standing outside the door was a young cultivator dressed in the sky-blue robes of an inner disciple. He had a handsome face and bright, starry eyes; it was none other than Xu Qingsong!
Xu Qingsong remained as gentle and refined as ever. He cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Ye, a flawless smile on his face: "Deacon Chen, how have you been? I apologize for the uninvited visit."

Xu Qingsong's arrival was within Chen Ye's expectations.

A month ago, he came to our door, claiming that he wanted to take Qingjun home.

If Chen Ye hadn't gone to Yuexi Lake Lane, he probably would have come back to visit again long ago.

at this time,

Chen Ye had already gone to see Mao Qingzhu and learned the inside story. He was no longer as nervous as before and asked expressionlessly, "What brings Fellow Daoist Xu here this time?"

Meanwhile, in the Rakurin courtyard, two little dumplings were secretly watching from the window.

"Senior sister! Look at Master's expression, it's just like you... so cold." Qingjun exclaimed as if she had discovered a new continent.

"Cold and icy?" Zhiwei's pale face showed a hint of confusion.

“Hmm…he just doesn’t look approachable!” Qingjun replied without hesitation.

"Is...that so?" Zhiwei pursed her lips.

　Thank you, Zuo Haiyoumian, for the 1000 coins!

　　Thank you Honeysuckle Dew for the 500 coins!

　　Thank you Aisha for the 100 coins!

　　Thousands of days! Thousands of days! Thousands of days! ! ! ! !

　　
　
(End of this chapter)