Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 162 Senior Sister, You're Lying!
The sun sets in the west.

The dark shadow of the eaves fell on Qingjun's face.

She was so small that you wouldn't notice the little ball of fluff hiding in her shadow unless you looked closely.

Senior sister, are you sick?

...That must be a lie, right? How could a cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining be prone to illness?

These past few days, my senior sister has been energetically inspecting the condition of the medicinal herb fields throughout Lin Song Valley...

A dangerous glint appeared in her eyes.

My senior is lying, lying, lying, lying...

Why lie?!
After Qingjun spoke, Chen Ye clearly felt Zhiwei's body stiffen for a moment.

Strangely enough, his eldest disciple sometimes seemed to be afraid of Qingjun.

Chen Ye patted her thin back reassuringly, then looked at Qing Jun with a stern face:

"Senior sister can't even stand up straight, she must be sick, right...?"

When Chen Ye saw Qing Jun, he paused involuntarily.

The girl with long hair reaching her legs stood quietly in the shadow of the eaves, head down, silent, giving off a strange and eerie feeling.

Fortunately, this scene seemed to be Chen Ye's illusion.

The little girl's eyes darted around, and she immediately imitated Zhiwei, covering her forehead with her little hands and letting out an exaggerated groan:

"Oh dear! Qingjun is dizzy too! I feel so dizzy, I'm going to faint!"

As she spoke, her small body swayed unsteadily, as if she were about to fall over.

Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both amused and exasperated.

How could his lively little apprentice possibly be sinister?

Chen Ye shook his head helplessly and put one arm around Zhiwei's waist.

With her other hand, she reached out and scooped up Qingjun, who was pretending to faint. Amidst Qingjun's angry protests, she lifted the white fluffy ball up: "That's not fair! Why is it that I'm carrying Senior Sister and lifting Qingjun!"

Chen Ye ignored them, took the two girls to the room, and pressed them onto the bed.

He looked at his two little bundles of joy lying side by side on the bed, one pretending to be an ostrich with his head covered by the blanket, and the other glaring angrily at him.

Chen Ye pinched Qing Jun's soft cheek in an annoyed tone: "Alright, alright, stop pretending. Do you think your master can't tell?"

"Master just can't see it! Why don't you say that Senior Sister is faking it?"

The little girl was very angry.

Senior sister's expression is so obvious, how come Master can't see it?

But I see myself very clearly!

Chen Ye found it even more amusing to see her puffed-up face.

He released his grip, sat down leisurely on the edge of the bed, and deliberately sighed, "Alas, you can't blame your teacher for this."

“How can you not blame Master?” Qingjun retorted defiantly, sitting up from the bed with her hands on her hips, like a little teapot ready to start a fight.

Chen Ye extended his finger and lightly flicked her smooth forehead, saying slowly:

"Your senior sister is so ill that she looks pitiful and evokes pity. As her teacher, I naturally have to take good care of her. And look at you, jumping around and full of energy. You don't look sick at all. If I couldn't see that, wouldn't I be a useless teacher to you?"

His words, ostensibly an explanation, were actually a sarcastic jab at Qingjun for acting so fake.

"I...I..." Qingjun was stunned by what he said, but she was still unconvinced.

She secretly glanced at her senior sister, who was still pretending to be an ostrich under the covers. She noticed that her senior sister's delicate, pale face looked sickly... both beautiful and pitiful.

The little girl suddenly realized that her master was only interested in her senior sister's charm!
Old Master Chen! Old Master Chen!
That old man Chen is wicked!

The little girl couldn't help but mutter complaints to herself.

She gritted her teeth secretly, wondering why her senior sister seemed to have a bit of the vibe of her old neighbor, Sister Lin…

Chen Ye ignored the stubborn little girl, reached out his hand, a wisp of pure cyan spiritual energy swirling around his fingertips, and touched Zhiwei's fair wrist.

"Um……"

Chen Ye frowned slightly; he couldn't sense anything unusual from Zhiwei's body.

However, my eldest disciple has always been obedient, sensible, and filial to his master; it is absolutely impossible for him to lie casually.

Looking into her master's focused gaze, Zhiwei felt a surge of intense shame welling up inside her.

Master, you must have figured it out, right?
She bit her lip, about to confess, when she heard her master ponder, "Zhiwei, don't worry. It's probably due to your special constitution. Wait a few more days, and if the situation doesn't improve, I'll ask the sect elders to treat you."

Upon hearing this, Zhiwei silently swallowed the words in her mouth and nodded gently.

She hoped that in her master's eyes, she was the most perfect disciple... just as her master was in her eyes.

……

After settling his disciples in, Chen Ye was about to discuss his seclusion with them when a slow, deliberate knocking sounded at the courtyard gate.

"Is Steward Chen here? I am Wei Cheng, and I have important matters to discuss with you."

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow. He was just wondering how to deal with this Steward Wei when the other party actually came to him.

He stood up, signaled to his two disciples not to be nervous, and then walked out of the courtyard gate alone.

Wei Cheng led the eight outer disciples of Linsong Valley into the room.

With a businesslike expression on his face, he cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Ye and got straight to the point: "Steward Chen, I have something I need to discuss with you."

Chen Ye gestured, "Deacon Wei, please speak."

"Deacon Chen, you may not know this,"

Wei Cheng sighed, a perfectly measured look of worry on his face.

"My Wei family's Spirit Peach Garden, also a sect property, has suffered a more severe disaster than Lin Song Valley. Now is a critical time, and we urgently need experienced people to provide assistance. As a member of the Wei family and a steward of Lin Song Valley, I cannot sit idly by, both morally and logically. Therefore, I have come to ask Steward Chen for a leave of absence for a while, hoping to do my part."

As soon as he finished speaking, the eight disciples behind him stepped forward in unison and said, "We are also willing to go with Deacon Wei to share the burden of the sect!"

This display of force is less a plea and more a coercion.

Seeing that Chen Ye seemed slightly doubtful, Steward Wei felt smug.

Whether this matter succeeds or fails, it will be beneficial to him.

If successful, he will be able to take eight disciples to the Spirit Peach Garden.

If things don't go well, Chen Ye's prestige in Linsong Valley will be greatly diminished after this coup. He wants to see if Chen Ye can still shamelessly stay... Sooner or later, he will be able to force this person to leave.

The eight outer disciples behind Deacon Wei were even more arrogant and proud, with smug expressions on their faces.

Normally, they are just dispensable outer disciples.

But at this point, wouldn't the so-called manager of Rinshodani have to weep and beg them to stay?

They are the elders of Linsong Valley, and also the native disciples of Bencao Peak, who know every plant and tree in this medicinal garden like the back of their hand.

And this Chen Ye was just a rogue cultivator!

A disciple named Wang Hao, who had been in Linsong Valley for two years, considered himself the top lieutenant under Steward Wei. Looking at Chen Ye's calm face, he was already sneering inwardly.

"Humph, just pretending!"

Wang Hao thought disdainfully, "Without the eight of us, what can you, an outsider plant grower, do with two babies? We know the habits of every single plant in this garden like the back of our hand. We've watered every inch of this land with our sweat." He could almost imagine what would happen next.

When this man surnamed Chen heard that they were leaving together, he would definitely be furious, but because he would be unable to move an inch without them, he would have to humbly try to persuade them to stay.

At that time, they will manipulate their posture and completely sideline this person, making him understand who the true master of Linsong Valley is!

Whether Chen Ye releases the person or not, they won't lose out!
Let them go; they're happy to be spared from Chen Ye's influence.

If we don't let him go, it will let Chen Ye know his status. How dare a rogue cultivator step on their heads?
He became increasingly smug, even nudging a slightly nervous junior brother next to him with his elbow and giving him a reassuring look.

All the disciples had the same idea in their minds. They stood tall and waited to see Chen Ye's reaction.

However, Chen Ye's reaction was completely unexpected.

He listened calmly, without even a ripple on his face, but instead showed a gentle smile.

"Oh I got it."

Chen Ye nodded, his gaze slowly sweeping from Wei Cheng's hypocritical face over the eight disciples behind him, each with a different expression, before finally letting out a soft chuckle:
"Steward Wei's dedication to the sect is admirable. All the disciples share this sentiment, which is excellent. Given this, how could I, as steward, possibly obstruct him?"

Wei Cheng's expression froze instantly.

"Go."

Chen Ye waved his hand, his tone as indifferent as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Although Linsong Valley is in dire need of reconstruction, I alone am enough. You... do not delay the Wei family's 'important matters'."

This casual remark left Steward Wei with a bellyful of prepared arguments stuck in his throat.

He had expected to see Chen Ye frantically begging him to stay, but to his surprise, the other party let them go so readily, as if the nine of them were nothing more than insignificant weeds.

"This..." Wei Cheng was momentarily at a loss for words.

Leaving? Leaving like that, it's as if they were being rejected and driven away.

Not leaving? But the words have already been spoken, how can I take them back?
In the end, he could only squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "...Thank you for your understanding, Deacon Chen."

Wei Cheng was so angry he wanted to laugh.

Chen Ye is really concerned about his reputation; he'd rather pretend to be nonchalant than try to lower himself to persuade Chen Ye to stay.

He wanted to see how Chen Ye would maintain Lin Song Valley without them!

Watching their disheveled figures, Chen Ye's smile deepened.

"Hmm? This Steward Wei certainly understands me..."

As the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the whole bunch.

Chen Ye was already worried that Steward Wei and the eight outer disciples would cause him trouble. For example, when he first arrived at Songgu, the disciple in charge of the formation obeyed Steward Wei's orders and locked him outside the valley.

This small group, led by Steward Wei, was like a thorn in Chen Ye's side in Lin Song Valley.

Now that they're gone, I feel much more relaxed and at ease.

……

"Uncle Chen!"

Li Qiuyun arrived late. She had intended to congratulate Chen Ye on his completion of seclusion, but she did not expect to be confronted by his disciples.

She looked at the empty herb garden before her, then at Chen Ye, her beautiful face filled with worry.

"I just heard... I heard Wei Cheng and the others... they all left? What happened? Was he deliberately making things difficult for you?"

Having said that, the girl gripped the sword hilt tightly, her anger blazing, and gritted her teeth, saying:

"If this Wei Cheng dares to bully Uncle Chen, I'll just kill this scoundrel to save Uncle Chen from trouble!"

She momentarily overlooked the fact that she was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, while Wei Cheng was already at the eighth level.

Seeing her anxiety, Chen Ye waved his hand and laughed, "Qiuyun, don't worry. They weren't driven away by me, but rather asked to leave. I was just going along with it."

"Sister Qiuyun! That wicked old man was driven away by Master!" Qingjun added from the side, seemingly eager to stir up trouble, her little face beaming with pride.

Zhiwei quickly tugged at her junior sister's sleeve and gently scolded, "Qingjun, stop talking nonsense. It was Steward Wei who asked to leave, and Master granted his request."

Hearing the conversation between the master and his two disciples, Li Qiuyun became even more anxious: "But Uncle Chen, even if they left on their own, what will happen to all the spiritual plants in the garden? Now there are only you and your two disciples in the valley, how can you take care of them? The sect's monthly inspection is no joke! No... I... forget it, I'll spare his life, Qiuyun will go and beg him to come over, that way, Uncle Chen won't lose face!"

After her initial anger subsided, Li Qiuyun belatedly realized the seriousness of the matter.

He was about to ride his flying sword to catch up with Wei Cheng and the eight outer disciples.

Chen Ye reached out and grabbed Li Qiuyun's fair wrist.

Seeing how much she cared for him, even going against her own conscience to beg Wei Cheng, Chen Ye's heart softened, and he said softly:
“Qiuyun, I am deeply grateful for your kindness... but I have my own plans.”

Can……

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't figure out how Uncle Chen would solve it!

Without these nine people, wouldn't Lin Song Valley become an empty shell?

Li Qiuyun gritted her teeth, but stopped in her tracks.

Even though her intuition told her there was no way to turn things around, she was willing to believe him.

After all... Uncle Chen has never disappointed her, has he?

Seeing that he had calmed her down, Chen Ye turned around, his gaze sweeping over the devastated medicinal herb garden.
Contrary to Wei Cheng's expectations, he did not immediately throw himself into the complicated governance work. Instead, he stretched lazily and looked relaxed and carefree.

"Alright, there's no need to rush things here."

He walked to the valley entrance, took out the array eye jade tablet he had "asked" from the disciple, infused it with spiritual power, and casually cast a few spells at the buzzing valley protection array.

The light screen swirled for a moment, then slowly disappeared, and the entrance to the valley returned to calm.

However, this did not dispel the formation, but rather completely sealed it off from the inside. Without the main jade token in his possession, or a higher-level token from the sect, no one could easily enter.

"Master?" Qingjun looked at him in confusion.

"Uncle Chen?" Li Qiuyun was even more confused.

What... what is this for?
He just took office and already locked himself out?
Chen Ye put the jade pendant into his storage bag, then turned around, looked at the three confused girls, and smiled nonchalantly:
"There's no use in being anxious now that things have come to this. Since we've come to Linsong Valley, and it's only half a day's journey from here to Yunxi Village, why don't we go back to our old home first? And while we're at it... let you two little girls who have been away from home for so long go back and visit your old friends."

"Back to Yunxi Lane?!"

Qingjun's eyes lit up instantly; the slight displeasure she had felt because of her senior sister was instantly replaced by immense joy.

"Great! We can see Granny Li and Yuanyuan again! Master, let's go quickly!"

The little girl cheered and, holding Zhiwei's hand, couldn't wait to run down the mountain.

A hint of anticipation flickered in Zhiwei's cool eyes. Though she remained silent, the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her joy.
Only Li Qiuyun found Chen Ye's nonchalant demeanor utterly baffling.

She really couldn't understand what Uncle Chen was planning.

Leaving this garden in such a mess, how could he have the leisure to go back to Yunxifang to "visit relatives"?
Isn't he afraid that he won't be able to explain himself when the sect's protectors come to investigate?
But seeing Chen Ye's calm and composed expression, and the genuine joy on the faces of the two little girls, Li Qiuyun couldn't bring herself to say the words of advice that were on the tip of her tongue.

Perhaps... Uncle Chen really has his own plans.

That was the only way she could console herself. Then, she shook her head helplessly and followed the three of them.

Meanwhile, Wei Cheng, who was waiting to see the show unfold in the peach grove, was unaware that Chen Ye was not in a state of panic at all, but was instead leisurely leading his apprentice back to his "mother's home" for a visit...

　Thank you Elvisua for the 100 coins!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)