Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 174 Master's Palm (Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader Yaowang Qingqingtan! Day 2 of 10,000 words)

Wang Hao didn't say anything more, but the meaning in his eyes was self-evident.

One of the most sycophantic disciples noticed that Wang Hao's words subtly belittled Chen Ye while openly praising Wei Cheng.

He hurriedly stepped forward and echoed:
"Absolutely! I want to see how long he can hold out without us! A month from now, when the sect's protectors come to investigate, let's see how he explains himself!"

His words were unlike those of the previous disciples, which were evasive and cryptic; they were full of aggression.

Wang Hao nodded in satisfaction.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, one of the disciples let out a long sigh, rubbed his aching back, and complained with a worried expression:

“But, ever since those old farmers were recruited by Deacon Chen, all the hard labor in the Wei family’s peach orchard has fallen on our shoulders. We’re working ourselves to the bone every day, there’s never a moment of leisure. I… I’m starting to miss the days in Lin Song Valley.”

These words immediately resonated with many disciples.

“Brother Wang…”

The youngest-looking and most timid female disciple hesitated for a long time before speaking softly.

"Moreover, Linsong Valley is ultimately a medicinal garden directly under the sect, and the spiritual plants it produces are related to the supply of pills for the entire Taoshanfang. I heard... that the newly arrived Steward Chen seems to be highly regarded by True Disciple Bai."

She paused, then spoke in an even lower voice, revealing the worry that had been weighing on her mind:
"What if... I mean, what if he really has extraordinary abilities and manages to revive the herb garden... that achievement would be far greater than what we accomplished at the Wei family's peach orchard. At that time, he would rise to prominence overnight, and we..."

It should be understood that these disciples chose to go to the Spirit Peach Garden not because the Spirit Peach Garden was of higher status than Lin Song Valley; on the contrary, the Spirit Peach Garden was far inferior to Lin Song Valley.

They were just trying to shirk their responsibilities.

Although life in Lingtao Garden was tough and tiring, and there were no achievements to be made, at least there was no punishment.

But what if...

Chen Yezhen's successful governance of Linsong Valley is a tremendous achievement.

These are probably enough to allow these disciples to return to the sect, and they might even have a chance to enter the inner sect!
"Li Tao! You're such a coward!"

Wang Hao turned around abruptly, glared fiercely at his junior sister, and reprimanded her sharply.

"Save him? Do you think he's a god? That's a mess that even the field manager couldn't handle! Besides, without us, he's all alone! What can he possibly save?"

Another disciple quickly chimed in, "That's right! We're following Deacon Wei now, with the Wei family behind us—that's the real benefit! Forget about all that nonsense; that Chen fellow can't cause any trouble! Let's go!"

As he spoke, he pulled his junior sister, who still wanted to say something more, and together they left the shop.

Although she spoke with a strong tone, the junior sister's words were like a small pebble, making the disciples feel anxious and uncertain.

……

The second floor is a place that specializes in selling and trading special materials.

"Fellow."

Looking at Chen Ye's calm and composed demeanor, the fortune teller stroked his goatee and said approvingly,
"What happened just now showed your composure, fellow Daoist. Anyone else would have already lost their temper. Ha, these disciples in the mid-stage of Qi Refining dare to speak ill of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators behind their backs... They are truly ignorant. Do they think our divine senses are just for show?"

Why bother arguing with these outer disciples?

Chen Ye smiled faintly and handed the list full of materials to the steward on the second floor, "Ten copies of each of these items."

The manager took the list and glanced at it; his face immediately lit up with a smile.
"So it's Steward Chen! I was blind to your greatness. Wanbaolou has everything you need. I'll fetch it for you right away!"

Deacon Chen?
The fortune teller paused, recalling the conversation between the outer disciples earlier.

A bold idea emerged in his mind.

He looked at Chen Ye and tentatively asked, "May I ask if you are... the newly appointed... Manager Chen of Lin Song Valley?"

"It is indeed me," Chen Ye readily admitted.

"Oh?"

The fortune teller chuckled.
"So it was Deacon Chen who was at odds with the Wei family... No wonder those kids dared to gossip behind his back. They're really fearless. This hot potato of Lin Song Valley is not easy to handle."

His words, seemingly an exclamation, were actually a test.

How could Chen Ye not understand the deeper meaning in his words?

He simply smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying: "It's just a small matter, no need for you to worry about it, Daoist Master."

At this moment, the steward had prepared all the materials Chen Ye needed, packed them in a storage bag, and respectfully handed them over.

Chen Ye took it, glanced at it casually, and then paid the remaining spirit stones.

This time he also invested heavily, spending another hundred spirit stones to purchase a variety of materials.

Paired with the Iron Horned Demon Bull at the eighth level of Qi Refining, it will surely give him a pleasant surprise.

However, these spirit stones were ultimately not enough.

Currently, only three hundred yuan remain.

If you want to make money by refining pills, you'll have to wait another month for the first batch of silver scale flowers in Linsong Valley to mature.

……

Back at the valley entrance, Chen Ye took out the cyan array eye jade tablet, infused it with spiritual power, and the invisible mountain-protecting array opened a portal for him, allowing only two people to pass through.

"Oh? The Wood Qi Control Array?"

As soon as the fortune teller entered the valley, he sensed the aura of the array formation. A hint of surprise flashed in his narrowed eyes.
"As expected of the Lingyin Sect, this level of mountain-protecting formation is unique in the entire Taoshanfang."

"Thank you for your help, Daoist Master." Chen Ye led the way, heading straight for the residential area in the outer valley that had been ravaged by demonic beasts.

The fortune teller didn't say much. He took out a compass covered with mysterious runes and began to slowly survey the entire outer valley.

He would sometimes pause and insert a small array flag into the ground; at other times he would calculate with his fingers and mutter incantations.

About an incense stick's time later, he finally stopped in front of a very secluded cliff in the northwest corner of the residential area.

"Tsk tsk, brilliant, truly brilliant..."

The fortune teller stroked his goatee, gazing at the seemingly ordinary mountain wall before him, and kept praising it.

"This person's understanding of the Yi Wood Qi Control Array is no less than that of the old Daoist. He was able to leave such a hidden back door on such a sect's grand array without anyone noticing. If I hadn't come here in person, I'm afraid even an ordinary array master wouldn't have been able to discover it."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Chen Ye's eyes:
"Master, now that the flaw has been found, is there any way to repair it?"

"Repairing is certainly possible," the fortune teller chuckled, rubbing his hands together. His previous air of otherworldly wisdom vanished, replaced by the shrewdness of a businessman.

"But...Manager Chen, about the compensation..."

"Rest assured, Daoist Master," Chen Ye had already anticipated this, showing no surprise on his face, "the reward is negotiable."

He then changed the subject, saying, "However, I have another request."

"Oh?"

“Since this door is so well hidden, the person who tampered with it must think they got away with it, and perhaps… they will try again.” Chen Ye looked at the fortune teller and said slowly, “Therefore, I would like to ask the Taoist priest not only to repair this door, but also to set a small trap for me here.”

"Setting a trap?" The fortune teller's small eyes lit up instantly. "Manager Chen, setting a trap is a delicate task, requiring far more mental effort than simple repairs..."

“After it’s done,” Chen Ye interrupted him directly, “I will offer you another fifty spirit stones.”

"Easy to say! Easy to say!"

Upon hearing this, the fortune teller's face broke into a wide grin.

"Manager Chen is indeed a straightforward man! Leave this to me! I guarantee he won't leave alive!"

The fortune teller, having obtained the spirit stone, became extremely efficient in his work.

He first took out a bunch of bottles and jars, and arranged various colored spiritual materials around the mountain wall in a certain order.

Then, he took out several array flags covered with runes, inserted them into the ground one by one, and muttered incantations.

In less than half an hour, he completely sealed off the original back door and even set up a small trapping formation.

From the outside, it looks no different from any other mountain wall.

However, if anyone tries to break in from here, they will immediately fall into an illusion, become trapped inside, and be unable to move.

The array jade tablet in Chen Ye's hand will also receive a warning immediately.

"All right."

The fortune teller clapped his hands, his old face beaming with pride.

"Manager Chen, you can rest assured about my skills. This trapping formation is based on the mountain-protecting formation. Let alone a mere Qi Refining cultivator, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be trapped here for a while if they didn't understand formations!"

Chen Ye looked at the flawless arrangement before him and nodded in satisfaction.

He readily paid the remaining balance of one hundred spirit stones.

Including the previous fee for leaving the mountain, this time, he spent a full two hundred spirit stones to repair this great formation.

The price is indeed expensive, but it's great value for money.

A Qi Refining Level 9 array master spent a whole day setting up the array, using up many precious array materials.

Not only were the flaws in the formation repaired, but an additional formation was also set up.

Two hundred spirit stones is understandable.

However, while I understand, the financial pain is still real.

Two hundred spirit stones can buy a top-quality first-grade magic weapon!

This made things even worse for Chen Ye's already meager savings!

After seeing off the satisfied fortune teller who left humming a little tune, Chen Ye turned around and returned to the courtyard in the inner valley.

……

Chen Ye was heartbroken, so he was very unhappy.

When you're unhappy, you need to vent.

Human nature!

It was late at night.

The lights were still on in the rooms of the two beloved apprentices.

Chen Ye glanced at them and knew that the two girls were definitely waiting for him.

Since the last misunderstanding, the two disciples have been trying their best to please their master, as if they wanted to express their apology.

As for Chen Ye...

Naturally, he took advantage of the situation and enjoyed his disciple's service without any qualms.

Chen Ye, with a stern face, strode back to his room.

Sure enough, not long after, a rustling sound came from next door, the noise deliberately kept to a minimum.

"Senior sister, Master is back!"

"……Um."

Chen Ye ignored him, simply sat down at the table, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and began to drink it by himself.

"Dong dong dong."

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Go in," Chen Ye said calmly.

Two small figures walked in from outside the door, one after the other.

"Hey... Master, it's time to wash up and go to bed!"

The little girl carried the foot-washing water and skillfully squatted down beside her master's feet.

As she spoke, she reached out her delicate white hands to untie Chen Ye's shoes and socks.

Chen Ye responded with a cool, indifferent "Mm!"

He lifted his foot slightly to make it easier for Qingjun to remove her shoes and socks.

He looked down at his silver-haired apprentice, who was sticking out his little bottom and earnestly rubbing his toes, and almost lost his composure.

It's good that it was a misunderstanding!
If it weren't for that misunderstanding, the two disciples would have known they had let their master down.

Otherwise, how could Chen Ye have enjoyed such meticulous care from his two disciples?

As for... whether or not to forgive the two disciples.

We'll have to wait until Chen Ye has had his fill before we talk about it!

Mo Fa's eldest disciple also came to his master's arms as if they were old friends, no longer resisting as before, and carefully fed his master:

"Master, open your mouth, ah—"

Chen Ye comfortably squinted his eyes, and amidst his eldest disciple's coaxing, he slightly opened his mouth to enjoy the pastries his disciple had made.

Not bad.

It feels so nice to be taken care of by a little girl.

perhaps,

Regardless of age, women are born with a maternal instinct and are very good at taking care of others.

For example, Chen Ye was taken care of very comfortably by the two little girls.

For example, right now, Chen Ye coughs.

The little girl with black hair immediately brought over tea, patting her master's back with her small hand while gently blowing on the teacup to cool it down.
"Master, eat slowly, Zhiwei has prepared a lot, no need to rush..."

Meanwhile, Qingjun was huffing and puffing as she washed her master's feet.

She felt something was wrong.

why!
Why do I always have to do the dirty and tiring work?
The same thing happened last time; the master was holding the senior sister while he was massaging her from behind.

This time, he was washing his feet downstairs, watching helplessly as his senior sister fed their master.

hateful……

So unfair!
However, thinking about how much she had let her master down during this time, the little girl had no choice but to swallow her anger and resentment.

hateful!

From now on, she will definitely show her master how powerful she is!

……

The two little dumplings finally managed to keep their master completely under control.

He then lay exhausted on the bed.

"Senior sister!"

Qingjun lay on the bed, kicking the blanket with her little feet and pouting.

"Do you think... Master hasn't forgiven us yet?"

Zhiwei sat on the edge of the bed, silently combing her long hair that her master had ruffled, feeling a sense of bewilderment.

Logically speaking, since they had already humbled themselves so much to please their master, he should have calmed down by now.

But why does he always have a cold face and look very angry, and even... push his luck?

"Senior sister, do you think... Master did it on purpose?"

Qingjun suddenly sat up in bed, her bright, dark phoenix eyes radiating wisdom!

Zhiwei shook her head: "Qingjun, it's only right for your disciple to serve your master..."

"Should I?"

The little girl was very dissatisfied; she suspected that her senior sister had been brainwashed.
"But we're just two little girls!! Master, how could you possibly need our service!"

too weird!

Who in the world would want to be taken care of by a little girl!

Master is now a steward of the Lingyin Sect. Since you want to be served, why not buy a maid?

Qingjun narrowed her eyes; she had discovered the truth!

It must be that after Zhang Laodao died, his soul wanted to possess his master and was hiding inside his master's body.

This affected the master, making him actually want to be taken care of by the little girl!
"Senior sister! Senior sister!"

Qingjun knelt on the bed, her silver hair cascading down like moonlight, landing on her delicate white feet.

Her delicate, pretty face was filled with solemnity.

"Master...is in danger!"

"Danger?"

On the other side, the little girl with black hair frowned, puzzled.

"It's Old Zhang! It must be that scoundrel Old Zhang's ghost hiding in Master's body!"

Qingjun spoke with an air of certainty, as if she had seen through everything.

"Only in this way can we explain why Master has become so...so strange! He must be trying to possess Master!"

"..."

Zhiwei suspected that she was too tired today, which was why she had taken Qingjun's words to heart.

She turned over and silently closed her eyes to sleep.

"Damn it, what Qingjun said is true!" The little girl immediately became anxious and clung to her senior sister, fussing incessantly.

She didn't want to wash her master's feet anymore!
If the master is "possessed", then they can bully the master as a matter of course.

However, I definitely can't say these things directly to my senior sister.

"Oh, then what do we do?" Zhiwei replied casually.

"We...we have to find a way to drive that bastard's ghost out of Master's body!" Qingjun said fiercely, waving her little fist.

"But... how can we get there in time?"

"This..." Qingjun scratched her head, her clever little brain momentarily stuck. After thinking for a while, her eyes finally lit up, and she leaned close to Zhiwei's ear, saying mysteriously, "I have a good idea..."

“…Sigh.” Zhiwei sighed; she didn’t want to listen to her junior sister’s crooked ideas anymore.

If it weren't for her listening to her junior sister's advice last time, she wouldn't have ended up like this now.

"Hey hey hey..."

Suddenly, a strange sound came from Zhiwei's arms.

Qingjun hugged her arms in disgust: "What a strange sound! It scares me!"

"Shh!"

Zhiwei looked solemn as she picked up the jade pendant hanging around her neck.
"That's Master's laughter, hmm? Why is Master suddenly laughing in the middle of the night?"

……

"Hmph! A girl is still just a girl; she can't escape her master's grasp!"

After confirming that his two disciples were lying on the bed, Chen Ye quietly pushed open the door to the quiet room.

With a flicker of his body, he vanished like a ghost from the courtyard of the inner valley.

The two disciples felt guilty because they thought that their relationship with Lin Jin was just that of a doctor and a patient.

Actually it is not.

Chen Ye had long planned to take Lin Jin as his apprentice.

Although he will be a nominal apprentice for the time being, a nominal apprentice is still an apprentice.

fortunately.

The two girls were unaware of Chen Ye's plans.

If they found out, it would be perfectly understandable that they would be jealous. It wouldn't be like it is now, where Chen Ye has disciples and receives their flattery.

Without alerting anyone, he quietly arrived at the Lin sisters' residence in the inner valley.

He had already arranged with Lin Qiongyu to come again tonight for Lin Jin's second treatment.

The night was as deep as ink. In the small courtyard of the inner valley, only a dim lamp lit up, casting shadowy images of the scene inside.

When Chen Ye pushed open the door, this was the scene he saw.

Lin Qiongyu was already waiting inside the door, kneeling on the ground with her forehead pressed tightly against the cold floor, in the most humble posture, waiting for his arrival.

And behind the girl's pert buttocks,
In the wheelchair, the girl, like a puppet, watched this scene quietly, her breathing slightly rapid.

her sister.

The older sister who had always been proud and resilient in her heart, like a plum blossom blooming in the wind and snow, was now like a tamed, lowly domestic animal, groveling at a man's feet.

And all of this is because of myself...

"Why is this so?"

Chen Ye shook his head and used his spiritual power to lift Lin Qiongyu up.

The girl's fair forehead was covered in blood and gore, indicating that she had been kneeling there for an unknown amount of time.

Lin Qiongyu's attitude was humble enough that Chen Ye felt uncomfortable.

“Master…I kicked you today, please punish me.”

The girl bit her red lips slightly, her gaze fixed on the bone-scraping whip wrapped around Chen Ye's waist, and said in a trembling voice.

"Uh."

Chen Ye felt a little uncomfortable. Why did he feel like he was a demon in the eyes of these two sisters?
"It's nothing, just a kick. I don't care about what happened so many days ago."

Chen Ye sighed and simply went to the wheelchair.

He crouched down and looked at the girl who was quietly staring at him:
"Stretch your legs out."

Lin Jin stared at him without blinking, still not saying a word.

“Master… she has been autistic since childhood, I’ll take over today.”

Upon seeing this, Lin Qiongyu quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and tremblingly lifted the thin quilt covering her sister's legs, then untied the light blue long skirt.

The girl's slender legs, as delicate as jade carvings, were presented to Chen Ye.

Then, Lin Qiongyu held her sister's cold legs and presented them to her.

"..."

Chen Ye's lips twitched, and he became increasingly uncomfortable.

He originally intended to calmly and gently persuade Lin Jin, thus showcasing his gentle persona and helping Lin Jin lower her guard.

But right now, without saying a word, Lin Qiongyu tremblingly offered her sister's legs to him.

It makes me feel more like a demon...

Looking at Lin Qiongyu's extremely humble appearance, and then at Lin Jin in the wheelchair who was resisting with all her might but dared not make the slightest movement, Chen Ye couldn't help but sigh again.

That's it, that's it.

It seems the gentle act can't continue.

He said no more, took the pair of calves that Lin Qiongyu presented, which were like works of art, and immersed his mind once again in the treatment.

With the experience from last time, this time his movements were more skillful and more direct.

After a short while, he released his grip, looked at the beautiful legs that had regained some color and were covered with glaring red marks, and nodded:
“That’s right. But my treatment can only address the symptoms, not the root cause. Her legs will still be cold and congested in the future. If she wants to be completely cured, she will need to cultivate further.”

Lin Jin's cold illness originates from the cold flame. If Lin Jin cannot control the cold flame, even if Chen Ye temporarily expels the cold energy, the cold flame will generate new cold energy again in a few days.

"Master, you mean..." Lin Qiongyu raised her pretty face in surprise upon hearing this.

“That’s right. Some time ago, I said that I wanted to take Lin Jin as my disciple. Of course… for now, I will take him as a nominal disciple and consider other options based on his performance.”

Chen Ye nodded.

"Named disciple?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qiongyu was first stunned, then overjoyed instantly surged into her heart!

She knew what this meant!
This means that her sister will no longer be a sickly mortal who can be bullied by everyone!

She had been waiting for this day for a while!
"Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

Lin Qiongyu could no longer contain her excitement. She kowtowed three times to Chen Ye, her fair forehead even bleeding slightly from the force of her kowtow, but she seemed oblivious to it.

Looking at her like this, Chen Ye felt a pang of emotion.

He knew how precious an opportunity to change one's fate was for a lowly cultivator like Lin Qiongyu.

After a moment's hesitation, he finally took Shuanghua out of his storage bag.

This technique is water-based, which is suitable for Lin Jin's water and fire constitution.

"This..." Lin Qiongyu was puzzled.

"The root of your sister's illness lies in her unique constitution, with internal cold energy. This is the Frost Essence Technique, which can help her cultivate up to the Foundation Establishment stage. Although cultivation techniques will accelerate the growth of cold energy, I can eliminate it for her as soon as it accumulates. With long-term cultivation, she will eventually be able to control it..."

Chen Ye didn't explain the matter of the cold flames, but gave a brief explanation and gave some instructions.
"From today onwards, you will supervise her and ensure she cultivates diligently. If anything unexpected happens, inform me. Remember, do not reveal the matter of your disciple to anyone else. I will come to instruct Lin Jin in her cultivation from time to time."

He still planned to have a proper talk with Lin Jin about their relationship.

If there were no feelings involved, judging from this girl's current feelings towards him, they might even become enemies in the future.

However, now is not the time to cultivate feelings...

……

After all the commotion, Chen Ye finally left the Lin sisters' courtyard.

"Did you hear that today! Did you hear that!"

Lin Qiongyu could no longer contain her joy. She hugged her younger sister tightly, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, "Master Chen... he's going to take you as his disciple! Our good days... are coming!"

She spoke incoherently, expressing her joy and her hopes for the future.

But she didn't notice that the small body in her arms was trembling slightly, uncontrollably.

Lin Jin remained silent.

She simply gazed silently at the clear, cold, bright moon outside the window.

She knew her sister was right.

That man was indeed treating her leg.

That man did indeed give their family a way to survive.

He was even willing to take himself, a "useless person," as his apprentice.

All of this felt like a dream, so beautiful...unreal.

Can……

The thought of that man, the thought of his deep eyes...

Just thinking about his forceful touch.

The thought of his sister, so humble and submissive in front of him for his sake, made him feel uneasy.

A nameless unease crept into my heart, spreading like a cold, damp tide.

……

"what???"

The two little girls huddled together, listening intently to the sounds coming from behind the jade pendant.

The more they listened, the wider their mouths opened.

That's it!

Master, it turns out he really did have a relationship with another girl!
He even wanted to take her as his apprentice!
No wonder Master has been so cold to them these past few days.

It turns out that it was because he had a new, more obedient, and more well-behaved apprentice!
"You stinky master! You bad master!"

“We…we wash his feet and massage his back every day, and he still acts like he doesn’t care! Turns out…turns out he’s been annoyed by us all along! He’s had another girl outside!”

Qingjun was very angry, so angry that she kept rolling around on the bed.

Zhiwei's pretty face was also filled with anger.

She wasn't angry at her master, but at that little girl named Lin Jin.

How dare they steal from their master!

"Qingjun! We cannot admit defeat, we cannot hand over our master so easily!"

The older girl remained calm.

She had already anticipated this in her heart.
If a wicked woman tries to undermine Master's resolve, what should I, as her disciple, do?

thus,
When it actually happened, she wasn't surprised at all.

no way,
Who can blame Master for being so outstanding, yet having such an unwavering resolve in the Dao...?

Although the master only accepted one disciple.

But there is only one master, and I was only supposed to receive half of what I received from him, but now it has become one-third!

Absolutely unacceptable!

……

The night becomes darker and darker.

Chen Ye arrived at a hidden cave in the back mountain of the inner valley, where he had already set up a simple illusion.

The corpse of the Ironhorn Demon Bull is too large to be refined in a quiet room.

Moreover, the refining process was too bloody, and Chen Ye did not want to dirty the courtyard, so he ultimately chose to refine it in a cave in the back mountain.

He took out the enormous iron-horned demon bull corpse, as well as a pile of yin-attribute materials he had purchased from Taoshanfang.

In an instant, the entire cave was filled with a strong, pungent smell of blood.

Chen Ye sat cross-legged, and the method for refining corpse puppets from the Puppet Refining Technique slowly flowed through his mind.

This method is against the natural order, and the refining process is both complicated and dangerous. If one is not careful, one may be devoured by the corpse energy.

Chen Ye took a deep breath, made a hand seal, and a cluster of dark blue flames ignited at his fingertips. He began to process the monster's corpse according to the methods in the Puppet Refining Technique.

The spirit flames, as if they had come to life, licked the enormous monster's corpse.

It wasn't about roasting meat, but rather refining all the Yin-attribute materials purchased from the market, such as Yin-type wood powder, Xuan-type iron liquid, and corpse-soul grass juice, to achieve the most perfect fusion with the flesh, fur, and bones of the demon beast itself.

This process is more like a special kind of pickling.

With focused attention, Chen Ye used his divine sense as a guide to carefully manipulate the liquid refined from dozens of Yin-attribute materials, merging it inch by inch into the massive body of the Iron Horned Demon Bull, like a silk thread.

This operation is both mentally and physically demanding.
Especially since Qingzhi had smashed the head of the Iron Horned Demon Bull, Chen Ye had to spend a lot of effort to rebuild its head.

A whole night passed.

He then boiled all the materials into the corpse.

Chen Ye's face turned pale due to the huge depletion of his spiritual energy.

But his eyes grew ever brighter.

The most crucial step is here!

He pressed the demon core he had taken from the Iron-Horned Demon Bull into the demon beast's chest cavity.

Immediately, he bit his fingertip, squeezed out the essence blood containing his divine soul imprint, and dripped it onto the demon core!

"With my blood, I command all spirits! Arise!"

The moment his essence and blood merged into the demon core!
"Roar--!"

A beastly roar suddenly exploded in his mind!
This is the remnant soul of the Iron Horned Demon Bull, which lingers even after its death!

It attempted to turn against its master and regain control of the body!

"court death!"

A cold glint flashed in Chen Ye's eyes, and the brilliant Jupiter in his sea of ​​consciousness instantly shone brightly!
A vast divine power, a hundred times stronger than that beast soul, suddenly descended!

"Woo..."

The remnant soul of the Iron-Horned Demon Bull didn't even have a chance to struggle before being forcibly refined.

At the moment the remnant soul was refined,

Suddenly, a pair of eerie blue lights lit up in the eyes of the lifeless Iron Horned Bull.

"Crack...knock..."

Accompanied by the sound of bones grinding together.

The Ironhorned Demon Bull's corpse, unchanged from its life, slowly rose from the ground.

Become!

[The Great Success of Hundred Refining Techniques: 120/200]

"Phew, the Hundred Refinements Technique has improved once again... This corpse puppet has reached the sixty-third refinement level! In other words, the Hundred Refinements Technique has broken through to the seventh level!"

The Hundred Refinements Method consists of nine refinements per level.

Ordinary cultivators can only reach the eighty-one refinements, which is the ninth level.

Even the core of a second-tier puppet is only refined sixty-three times.

This means that Chen Ye's mastery of the Hundred Refinements Technique is comparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who has refined the core of a puppet!
It is enhanced by the seventh level of the Hundred Refinement Method and combined with many precious materials.

Ironhorn Demon Bull's current fighting power far surpasses that of its former self!
Although it cannot replace Qingzhi's position, it can still become a powerful fighting force under Chen Ye.

"Heh, I should thank the Wei family for sending me such a great gift... From now on, Qingzhi can guard the inner valley, the Iron Horned Demon Bull can guard the outer valley, Qiuyun can provide support, and the mountain-protecting formation can provide protection. This Linsong Valley can be said to be completely impenetrable!"

Chen Ye was satisfied, but suddenly a thought struck him.

Can you ride this thing?

In my past life, when I read those fantasy novels, the protagonists either rode dragons or phoenixes, or at the very least, they had a cool mount.

Although his Iron Horned Demon Bull is a bull, it is still a demon beast at the eighth level of Qi Refining. It is powerful and has an extraordinary aura. Riding it out would surely be a magnificent sight.

The thought of riding this ox, with Qingjun in my arms and Zhiwei hugging him from behind, forming a pincer movement, patrolling the valley, is unforgettable.

A surge of heat rose in Chen Ye's heart.

Without further hesitation, he flipped over and landed steadily on the broad back of the Iron Horned Corpse Puppet.

"rise!"

With a thought, he gave the command to the corpse puppet.

Upon receiving the command, the iron-horned corpse puppet suddenly went weak and knelt down with a "thud," nearly causing Chen Ye to fall off the ox's back.

"..."

Chen Ye was stunned.

Isn't it said that corpse puppets have higher intelligence than weapon puppets of the same level because they have remnants of their former souls?
Back then, the corpse puppets crafted by the disciples of the Myriad Puppet Sect clearly possessed some intelligence...

Chen Ye looked at the unruly corpse puppet beneath him and tried to give it several more commands. But no matter what he ordered, the iron-horned corpse puppet just knelt on the ground like the most docile domestic ox, and even rubbed its huge bull head, which he had reconstructed, against his leg in a fawning manner.

"Hiss... Damn, it's just a cow! It wasn't very smart in life, let alone after it died!"

Chen Ye was extremely annoyed.

No wonder,
Ironhorn Demon has a strong physique and a warlike nature, making it an excellent material for crafting corpse puppets.

In reality, few people in the cultivation world use the Iron Horned Demon Bull for crafting, because this beast has low intelligence, and the corpse puppets crafted from it are practically devoid of intelligence.

Corpse puppets have no intelligence; they are essentially sitting ducks and utterly useless!

"Master!"

A faint call came from behind Chen Ye.

Chen Ye, who was already exhausted from the whole day, suddenly felt a shiver run through his body and his scalp tingled instantly!

He turned around abruptly and saw a small figure standing gracefully at the dim cave entrance.

The figure had a head of disheveled silver hair that appeared deathly pale under the faint phosphorescence inside the cave.

Her small face was also deathly pale, and beneath her bright and beautiful phoenix eyes were two thick, dark circles.

What chilled Chen Ye the most was the expression on her face.

It was a forced, insincere smile:

"Master, you're amazing! You've tamed another giant ox so quickly!"

Qingjun?

wrong!

He set up a hidden formation in a cave in the back mountain. How could a clumsy little girl like Qingjun possibly find this place?
Female ghost!

These two words instantly popped into Chen Ye's mind!
Is it normal for female ghosts to exist in the cultivation world?
Chen Ye's eyes turned cold: "You audacious fiend, how dare you play tricks!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the overwhelming aura of the eighth level of Qi Refining surged forth like a burst dam, crashing down on the female ghost at the cave entrance!

He had assumed that the female ghost would reveal her true form under this aura.

But who would have thought...

"Wow--!"

The "female ghost" was so frightened by his aura that her legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground.

Then, like a child who had suffered a great injustice, she burst into tears.

"Waaaaah... Master is such a bad guy! Qingjun... Qingjun searched for you for a whole day and night, and you not only didn't praise me, but you also... you even scared me with your imposing manner... Waaaaah... Master is the worst, worst guy in the world! Qingjun will never like you again!"

Qingjun?

It seems he really is his disciple.

But why is she here?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.

This cave in the back mountain is located in a remote area, and he has also set up a simple illusion.

Moreover, her appearance was far too coincidental, without making a sound, like a ghost.

Upon realizing this, the warmth in Chen Ye's eyes vanished, replaced by coldness once more.

"you……"

He was about to speak, to test the waters with words.

"Wow--!"

Qingjun, lying on the ground, felt extremely wronged when she saw that her master not only didn't come to comfort her, but also looked at her with a cold gaze as if she were a stranger. Her cries grew louder and louder.

She scrambled to her feet, trying to run but too afraid to do so. She could only sob as she backed away, step by step.

But the Iron-Horned Demon Bull, under Chen Ye's secret instructions, had already blocked her escape route!
In her panic, Qingjun retreated haphazardly and tripped over a stone.

His arm struck the sharp bull horn.

"oops!"

She cried out in pain as a gasp appeared on her arm, from which a drop of blood, faintly glowing with gold, seeped out.

The drop of blood landed precisely on the hard bull's head of the corpse puppet.

"Zi——!"

A piercing sound, like boiling oil being poured into water, suddenly rang out!

　Thank you to reader 20250630121418227 for the 200 coins!

　　I almost lost 10,000 yuan a day, but thankfully I managed to hold on.
　　Will Xianzi still work hard this month?
　　and so……

　　Asking for a monthly ticket! ! !
　　orz!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)