Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 178 One side's affair ends, another begins (Day 1 words)

"Senior Brother Zhao, what...does this mean? If not human, could it be a demon?"

Bai Wuji stood there dumbfounded. That Master Ye was a genius that the Refining God Sect hadn't seen in hundreds of years. How could he be a demon?

Protector Zhao took a deep breath, glanced around to make sure the soundproof barrier was foolproof, and then whispered:
"This matter is almost certainly true. It is precisely because this person is a demon cultivator that he chose to undergo his tribulation in the Three Thousand Mountains. This place is sparsely populated, and with the help of the Refining God Sect's supreme treasure, the strange phenomena can be concealed, preventing outsiders from discovering his true form."

Upon hearing this, Bai Wuji was even more shocked:

"The Refining God Sect... dares to allow a demon cultivator to occupy a high position! If this gets out, the Refining God Sect will become a laughing stock in the entire Yan Kingdom's cultivation world, and even the Lingxu Realm!"

"Silence!"

Protector Zhao quickly interrupted him.
"Junior Brother Bai, this matter is known only to Heaven, Earth, you, and me. It must not be revealed to anyone until there is conclusive evidence!"

Bai Wuji took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart.
Suddenly, something occurred to him, and his expression changed drastically: "So... Susu... didn't she disappear because she stumbled upon this?"

"This is precisely what we are most worried about."

Protector Zhao nodded, his expression solemn.

“I’m worried that when Bai Zhenchuan went to help Master Ye, he discovered the truth and was subsequently eliminated by Master Ye…”

Bai Wuji's heart sank completely.

He looked at the distant, ghostly mountain range and felt a chill that seeped into his bones slowly spread throughout his body.

"We demand to see the body, dead or alive! If it was truly a plot by the Refining God Sect, then my Bai family will not let this go!"

……

Although undercurrents were surging within Yan, at this moment, none of it concerned Chen Ye.

after all,

He was merely the manager of a medicinal garden under the Lingyin Sect.

The conflicts in the cultivation world are none of his concern.

The Lingyin Sect would not allow a spiritual plant grower like him to go to the front lines—if that day ever comes, the Lingyin Sect will likely be at its last gasp.

Chen Ye was somewhat worried about this.

As the saying goes, when the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken.

He didn't want his hard-won, stable life—where he could farm and live a simple life with his two beloved apprentices—to be so easily shattered.

But concerns remain.

Life goes on as usual.

The next day, early morning.

Linsong Valley, behind the mountain.

Sunlight spills across the lush green mountains, and the stream meanders down the valley, washing over the pebbles on the riverbank.

Wildflowers were in full bloom, and the little girl enthusiastically picked a dandelion and sucked on the sweet-tasting stem.

Before we knew it, it was already midsummer.

Half a year has passed since Chen Ye arrived in this cultivation world.

The weeds are growing thicker, and they feel exceptionally soft underfoot.

An unidentified spiritual fruit, bright red and glistening, hung on a small tree as thick as a fist, drawing the little disciple's attention.

"I'm so tired! Master, shall we go play in the back mountain today?"

The little girl wiped the sweat from her forehead, her voice lazy and slightly coquettish.

Chen Ye turned around and extended his hand: "Yeah, it's a promise, I'll play with you guys today."

"Hey hey hey..."

The little girl quickly placed her soft, white hand into her master's large hand.

Her hands were warm, with a thin layer of sweat on her palms. They were soft, delicate, and slender in her hands, making Chen Ye feel that as long as he held his disciple's little hand, she would never be able to leave him for the rest of her life—because her hands were so small that once he held them, she could never escape.

Chen Ye knew that this was just his illusion.

Perhaps, as parents, we all have this misconception.

Looking at her dependent little one, who could have imagined that one day she would spread her wings and fly, forging her own path...

"Master... Zhiwei is not tired."

Zhiwei lowered her head, speaking as she did so, but letting her master lead her.

Her cheeks felt warm from the sun, and she felt that being led by her master this time was different from before.

"Does not being tired mean I can't let Master lead me?"

Chen Ye led the two little girls with ease, but he felt a little melancholy.

Time flies in the cultivation world; half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps in the blink of an eye, Chen Ye's two disciples will grow up and no longer depend on him as much as they do today.

In the past, Chen Ye always thought about how to get close to his apprentice, but now he hopes that his apprentice will always be close to him.

After all... it feels pretty good to be needed.

"Hmph, Master just wants to hold Senior Sister's hand."

The little girl pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

Damn it, my senior sister is taking advantage of her!

If she hadn't said she was tired, why would Master have been holding Senior Sister's hand?

Thinking about it, she suddenly regretted it; she should have known better than to say she was tired.

"is it?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye glanced down at his young apprentice, who was glaring angrily at him.

He deliberately stopped and let go of their hands.

"In that case, I will not hold on any longer."

"!"

Qingjun was stunned. She looked at her master's withdrawn hand, her small mouth pursed, and her dark phoenix eyes instantly filled with tears.

Zhiwei also suddenly raised her head, a hint of panic showing in her clear, cold black eyes.

hum!

You like to act arrogantly in front of your master, and you like to talk back to your master, right?
Unfortunately……

These two girls were already completely under his control.

Chen Ye wanted to let them know that only masters can control their disciples, and there is no such thing as a disciple controlling a master.
“Master… Zhiwei isn’t tired, but… but I want to be led by Master’s hand.”

The eldest disciple was the first to lose her temper, after all, she was the one who was the first to speak defiantly...

She stretched out her slightly cool little hand, held her master's little finger, and looked up at her master with her little face.

"Master, me too!"

The little girl followed suit, ran to the other side of her master, hugged Chen Ye's leg, and rubbed her head against him affectionately.

"Alright, alright, since you asked your master for this, then your master can only reluctantly agree."

Chen Ye sighed, secretly pleased with himself.

As expected of him!

However, the two disciples subtly darkened their gazes.

Master is so mean!
Even though I know they're just saying it... I still have to put on airs and bully them!

Right now,

Both Zhiwei and Qingjun wanted to tear apart the respectable facade the man in front of them presented as his master, more than ever before.

Anyway,

They played and joked along the way, and finally arrived at their destination safely.

"Master, look! There's a waterfall over there!"

Suddenly, Qingjun pointed ahead and shouted excitedly.

Not far away, a white waterfall, like a ribbon, cascaded down from a height of several dozen feet, plunging into a pool below and splashing up countless sparkling water droplets that refracted into a dazzling rainbow under the sunlight.

"Come on, let's go play in the water!"

Chen Yelang laughed and led his two disciples toward the pool.

The water by the pool was shallow and clear, and you could clearly see the colorful pebbles at the bottom.

The two little girls were like fish returning to the sea the moment they saw the water.

They lifted their skirts, their bare, tender little feet carefully stepping into the cool stream.

"Hehe, it feels so cool!"

Qingjun giggled, scooped up a handful of clear stream water, and splashed it on Zhiwei.

Zhiwei was splashed right on the spot, and her plain white dress was instantly soaked.

"You!"

For once, Zhiwei's face showed a rare hint of childish embarrassment and annoyance.

My master is right here!

Not to be outdone, she scooped up a handful of water and splashed it back at Qingjun.

Chen Ye leaned against a large blue stone on the shore, not disturbing them.

But then his gaze suddenly shifted.

A furtive little head suddenly peeked out from the small package that Qingjun had casually placed on the shore.

The little fox gracefully emerged from the bundle, shaking off its soft, snow-white fur.

Then, he turned his gaze to the stream, where several colorful spirit fish were leisurely swimming and blowing bubbles.

With a swift movement, it vanished into the water like a white lightning bolt!

In a short while, it leaped out of the water with a plump spirit fish that was several inches longer than its body in its mouth, and landed steadily on the grassy bank.

It pressed the still-struggling spirit fish under its paws and began to eat it slowly and methodically.

Chen Ye took in all of this.

"Strange...this little fox seems to have no cultivation, but its speed is comparable to that of an ordinary mid-stage Qi Refining demon beast,"

However, what kind of fox could be attracted to Qingjun's true dragon bloodline?

With a thought, Chen Ye got up and, like a ghost, appeared behind the little fox that was feasting.

"Woo?"

Little White seemed to sense the danger. Its white fur bristled, and it tried to escape with half a fish in its mouth.

But Chen Ye's movements were even faster.

He reached out and grabbed its furry nape.

They picked up the whole fox.

"The little thing is quite alert."

Chen Ye picked up the still struggling little fox and examined it carefully.

He discovered that, apart from its snow-white fur without a single blemish and its eyes that were like black gemstones, this little fox seemed to have nothing special about it.

He probed a wisp of spiritual energy into the body, only to find it completely empty; there was indeed no cultivation whatsoever.

"That's strange... If it has sentience, why doesn't it have spiritual power?"

Chen Ye frowned slightly. He looked at the unremarkable little fox in his hand, which was only a little cute and a little fast, and couldn't figure it out.

He reached out and began to stroke the little fox's fluffy fur, then lifted one of its hind legs to examine it.

Yes, it's a female fox.

"Little one, go back to playing."

Chen Ye couldn't see anything amiss, so he prepared to put the little fox down.

But the little fox in my hands, which had been struggling, was now... motionless.

It simply stared at him with its black, gem-like eyes, its gaze filled with shame and anger.

"???" Chen Ye was completely confused.

Then, something even more unbelievable happened to Chen Ye.

The snow-white little fox, surprisingly, acted like a refined young lady, fidgeting and even using its paws to cover itself.

"Not buddy?"

Chen Ye was dumbfounded. In the blink of an eye, the little fox seized the opportunity, darted out of his grasp, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Damn, I was careless, but there will be other opportunities to study it later..."

Chen Ye was annoyed, but the little fox had been staying at his house recently, so he would have plenty of time to study it later.

For now, I should just relax and play with my apprentice...

……

The next day.

Chen Ye was in the courtyard of the inner valley, instructing his two disciples on swordsmanship.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he looked up toward the valley entrance.

The once tranquil protective array suddenly rippled, and a golden transmission talisman pierced through the array and flew directly to his front.

"Chen Ye, the manager of Linsong Valley, hurry to the valley entrance to greet the sect's steward."

The voice that came through the talisman was that of an unfamiliar, polite person.

"People from the sect?" Chen Ye raised an eyebrow. He knew that this must be a follow-up to Bai Wuji's assessment that day.

There must be both rewards and punishments.

If he fails to govern Linsong Valley well, he will surely be punished by the sect.

But now that he has successfully governed Lin Song Valley, he should receive a reward from the sect.

He comforted his two disciples for a few words, then led Li Qiuyun to the entrance of the valley.

Outside the formation, a cultivator dressed in the robes of a Lingyin Sect steward was already waiting.

Behind this person was an inner disciple dressed in a sky-blue Taoist robe.

This person turned out to be an acquaintance of Chen Ye.

His name is Duan Ling, and he used to be an outer disciple of Yunxi Workshop.

Six months ago, he successfully entered the inner sect through the outer sect competition.

At that time, his cultivation level was at the seventh level of Qi Refining, but now it has reached the eighth level, and his aura is calm and composed.

Upon seeing Chen Ye, he bowed respectfully, displaying a polite attitude and even intentionally adopting a humble demeanor.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that Duan Ling was a calm and composed person, unlike Junior Brother Liu, Zhao Qing, and others.

They hadn't given him a hard time before, but their attitude was lukewarm at best. After all, inner disciples like them had a much brighter future than ordinary stewards, so there was no need for them to curry favor with ordinary stewards.

But why did he come to Linsong Valley today, and why did he lower his stance towards him?
"Senior Brother Duan, it's been a long time!"

When Li Qiuyun saw an acquaintance, her eyes lit up, and a rare hint of girlish excitement appeared on her face.

"Junior Sister Li."

Duan Ling responded, his gaze falling on Li Qiuyun, and offered his congratulations.
"Hmm? Junior Sister Li has actually broken through to the late stage of Qi Refining. I imagine she will be able to advance to the inner sect in the outer sect competition in six months. Congratulations, Junior Sister, your path to the Great Dao is promising."

"Senior brother, you flatter me. I only managed to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining by sheer luck."

Li Qiuyun's eyes curved into crescents, which surprised Chen Ye quite a bit:
"Qiu Yun, I didn't expect you and Fellow Daoist Duan to be acquainted..."

The girl glanced at Chen Ye and nodded indifferently:
“Deacon Chen, what makes you say that? Senior Brother Duan and I both come from Yunxi Fang, so naturally we are close friends.”

Uh……

Isn't Li Qiuyun a socially awkward person? I've never seen her have any contact with Duan Ling before.
Also, Li Qiuyun has a really strange temper.

Ever since the incident at Xiaguangpu that day, she has become much colder towards me for some reason.

Chen Ye sighed, but didn't seem to care.

He looked at the unfamiliar sect steward opposite him.

The deacon was friendly and watched the group get along with a smile the whole time.

Only after the conversation ended did he step forward and cup his hands in greeting:
"Deacon Chen, I've heard so much about you! I am Li Dong, a deacon of the Discipline Hall." Li Dong wore a warm smile, his posture perfectly balanced, showing respect as a fellow deacon without appearing overly obsequious.

Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

It seems that Bai Wuji didn't try to trip him up; otherwise, the steward from the sect wouldn't have been so polite.

He smiled and welcomed the two of them into the valley.

"Deacon Chen, you have truly opened the eyes of us colleagues!"

Upon entering the valley, Li Dong, seeing the vibrant life thriving within, couldn't help but exclaim in sincere admiration.
"Everyone on Bencao Peak knows about the mess that Linsong Valley left behind. Besides, there's Wei Cheng, who always relies on his seniority and likes to act arrogantly. He was probably going to cause you a lot of trouble. But in your hands, it was brought back to life in just one month! Now, everyone in the sect is talking about your miraculous skills!"

His words were not only well-spoken, but also inadvertently revealed a great deal of information, subtly indicating that he and Wei Cheng were not on the same side.

"Deacon Li is too kind. It's just some minor spiritual plant technique, nothing more than luck."

Chen Ye clicked his tongue in amazement; Li Dong certainly knew how to talk a good game.

It's just governing a medicine valley, yet Li Dong has made it the talk of the entire sect—it's utterly outrageous…

"Why be so modest, Deacon Chen?"

Li Dong laughed. Although what he said was indeed an exaggeration, after all, Protector Bai had just completed the assessment yesterday, and after the sect discussed it, he rushed over without stopping. The news hadn't spread yet.

However, in his view, once this matter gets out, it will inevitably cause a lot of discussion within the sect.

Li Dong took out a jade slip sealed with a golden seal from his storage bag and read it aloud,

"Chen Ye, the dispatched steward, has managed Lin Song Valley for a month with skillful governance, restoring all the spiritual plants in the garden to life. His achievements are outstanding. Upon the report of Protector Bai Wuji, the sect's Discipline Hall has deliberated and determined that he is rated as the best! Therefore, he is hereby bestowed with two hundred low-grade spirit stones and a top-grade dharma robe!"

As he spoke, he respectfully presented a storage bag to Chen Ye with both hands.

Chen Ye was startled.

Two hundred spirit stones are not important; once the sect bestows a reward, spirit stones are always just an extra.

Just like last time when Chen Ye managed the Hundred Wonders Garden, the biggest reward he received was that Mind-Concentrating Pill.

However, this time, the top-quality robe far exceeded Chen Ye's expectations.

If we're talking about value, this top-grade robe would probably be worth five or six hundred spirit stones!
Chen Ye accepted the storage bag, and at the same time, he didn't forget to say a polite word:
"Thank you for the sect's reward, and thank you all for your kindness, elders and protectors. But... is this reward too generous?"

Li Dong looked on with admiration:

"No, this time Protector Bai praised Deacon Chen highly. This made one of the elders in the Elder Hall take pity on him and bestow upon Deacon Chen the robe he used when he was young."

Chen Ye never expected that Bai Wuji, who had often been picking fights with him before, would praise him so much afterward.

To his utter surprise, the so-called act of showing compassion for talent actually fell upon him.

In fact, Chen Ye has never been optimistic about free lunches; there's never been help without a reason in this world...

He asked calmly, "May I ask who this elder is?"

Li Dong casually replied, "He is Elder Bai Lingfeng, the second elder of the Lingyin Sect! He is also the only Golden Core cultivator in the Bai family at present. By the way, Bai Susu, the true disciple, is his granddaughter!"

"..."

Chen Ye remained silent for a moment. Another member of the Bai family…

So, the Bai family doesn't consider him one of their own because of Bai Susu, does they?

now,

Within the Lingyin Sect, there are four elders, all of whom are Golden Core True Persons. In fact, these are the only four Golden Core True Persons in the Lingyin Sect.

As for the sect leader of Lingyin Sect, he was merely a fake Core Formation cultivator.

After all, the title of sect leader sounds prestigious, but in reality, one is always busy with sect affairs, which affects cultivation. Therefore, it is usually held by cultivators who have no hope of achieving the Great Dao.

Or, to put it another way, within the Lingyin Sect, the sect leader, protectors, deacons, and other cultivators form a single system.
As for these four Golden Core elders, although they rarely participate in sect affairs, the real power is actually in their hands.

Chen Ye had been a disciple of the Lingyin Sect for half a year and had some understanding of the sect's situation.

The sect is now roughly divided into two factions: one is the radical faction represented by the Bai family, and the other is the conservative faction represented by the Zhao family.

Unexpectedly, he, a mere plant grower, has now become a radical...

Frankly speaking, Chen Ye had no intention of getting involved in sect struggles.

But he has already received many benefits from the Bai family, and even if he doesn't want to, in the eyes of those with ulterior motives, he has long been considered a member of the Bai family...

"Thank you for informing me, Deacon Li." Chen Ye's feelings were complicated.

"You're too kind, Deacon Chen. It was nothing."

Li Dong smiled and then turned his gaze to Li Qiuyun, who was standing next to Chen Ye. Although his smile remained the same, his tone had become more businesslike.

“Li Qiuyun, you have worked hard to protect Deacon Chen this time, and your contribution is considerable. Now that three months have passed, it is time to return to the sect and devote yourself to cultivation.”

"what?"

Li Qiuyun was completely stunned upon hearing this.

She subconsciously glanced back at Chen Ye, her expression blank.

Li Dong was somewhat puzzled:

“Junior Sister Li, what does this mean? You have been by Deacon Chen Ye's side for quite some time and have already completed your term. Junior Brother Duan Ling is the one who will succeed you.”

"I...I...understand."

Li Qiuyun bit her lip. No wonder Senior Brother Duan Ling came this time.

Generally speaking, when an official is sent to a foreign location, he is protected by inner disciples in rotation. This serves two purposes: firstly, it is a training opportunity for the inner disciples, and secondly, the cultivation world is dangerous. Ordinary officials are usually skilled in martial arts but not good at fighting, so they send disciples to protect them.

His term of office has indeed come to an end.

only……

She hadn't expected it to happen so suddenly, and she was still... she was still sulking with him.

"Thank you for your help, Qiuyun, during this time..."

Looking at her distraught appearance, Chen Ye couldn't help but sigh softly.

To be honest, he was reluctant to part with it.

In the past few months, Li Qiuyun, though nominally a bodyguard, has in fact become an indispensable member of his small family.

Although she was not good with words, she was resilient and reliable. With her around, Chen Ye always felt much more at ease.

But he also knew that he couldn't selfishly keep her here.

Li Qiuyun still has her own path to walk. In another six months, she will have to prepare for the outer sect competition.

However, he has made many achievements in the past six months, which has also benefited Li Qiuyun, who is his bodyguard, and she has also made many contributions. It seems that he has almost secured the victory and only needs to make the final preparations.

Chen Ye paused for a moment, then joked, "Once you become an inner disciple, you might have to come to my Linsong Valley sooner or later."

Li Qiuyun's somewhat dim eyes brightened.

Yes, once you enter the inner sect, you have a lot more freedom, unlike outer sect disciples who need to take up specific posts.

At that time, she will be able to take on all kinds of tasks on her own, and returning to Lin Song Valley will be a piece of cake!
She bowed deeply to Chen Ye:
"Uncle Chen, don't worry."

"Qiuyun... will certainly live up to your expectations."

However, I eventually regretted it a little. If I had known, I wouldn't have given Uncle Chen such a hard time...

Chen Ye helped Li Qiuyun up, then said to Li Dong and Duan Ling, who were standing beside him, "Steward Li, Fellow Daoist Duan, today I'll host a farewell dinner for you at the best restaurant in Taoshanfang. What do you say?"

Li Dong and Duan Ling readily agreed.

……

After a feast, the moon was high in the sky.

Chen Ye, Li Dong, and Duan Ling left Wangyue Tower, preparing to return to their respective homes.

Li Qiuyun, unable to hold her liquor, had already been arranged by Chen Ye to rest in the valley, in preparation for setting off back to Lingyin Sect the next day.

"Steward Chen, thank you for your hospitality today," Li Dong said to Chen Ye with a cupped-hand salute and a smile.

"You're too kind, Deacon Li," Chen Ye returned the greeting.

Just then, a familiar figure, leading several disciples, walked over from a street corner not far away.

"Oh my, isn't this Manager Chen? What a coincidence! Judging from Manager Chen's beaming face, he must have received some incredible good news, right?"

Wei Cheng feigned surprise, as if he had just seen Chen Ye.

In fact, this encounter was something he orchestrated on purpose.

He had already learned of the tragic state of Linsong Valley and Bai Wuji's unfriendly attitude towards Chen Ye from his subordinates.

In his view, Chen Ye was bound to suffer a setback this time!
Chen Ye looked at Li Dong with a puzzled expression, and Li Dong immediately understood, transmitting his voice:

"The sect's news probably hasn't reached here yet. Protector Bai only sent the results to the Discipline Hall yesterday. After the evaluation was completed, I rushed to Lin Song Valley without stopping. The Wei family doesn't have the means to plant people in the Discipline Hall..."

Uh... Li Dong isn't up to any good either. He deliberately used telepathy without saying it outright, wasn't he just hoping to embarrass Wei Cheng?
Chen Ye chuckled.

However, according to the normal procedure, at this moment, he seems to have to slap himself in the face, otherwise he will feel that something is missing.

The outer disciples behind Wei Cheng were also suppressing their laughter, watching Chen Ye with eyes full of anticipation.

They felt that Chen Ye must be kicking himself; after all, Lin Song Valley couldn't do without them.

"As Steward Wei said, the sect has just issued a commendation, giving me a 'top-notch' rating for my hard work over the past month and a small reward, which is nothing but a token of my respect."

Chen Ye paused for a moment, then simply recounted the events without boasting.

But it was precisely this that made Wei Cheng open his mouth, not knowing what to say.

"Since Steward Wei is already aware, I will take my leave now. Steward Li, let's go."

Chen Ye smiled slightly.

He was too lazy to waste words, and he didn't want to be unforgiving once he gained power... But if one day he could gain power in front of Bai Susu, then he would want to be unforgiving.

But facing a decrepit old man, I'd better pass.

However, Li Dong, standing to the side, clearly did not intend to let Wei Cheng off so easily.

He stepped forward, a concerned smile on his face, and said to the stunned Wei Cheng with feigned surprise, "Oh dear, Deacon Wei, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale? Are you... unhappy?"

He then looked at the outer disciples behind Wei Cheng and said with a smile:
"Also, congratulations everyone. I remember you are outer disciples of Lin Song Valley. You have all worked hard. The revival of Lin Song Valley this time is undoubtedly due in no small part to your efforts. I'm sure that in half a year, you will be able to successfully enter the inner sect with this achievement, and the path to the Great Dao will be within your reach!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of those outer disciples instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

They could easily tell that Li Dong's words were not congratulations at all, but blatant mockery!
They should have been the rightful owners of this tremendous achievement, and could even have been accepted into the inner circle through it.

But now, he can only be a lowly spirit plant grower in the Spirit Peach Garden!

The difference between the two made these disciples feel as if thousands of steel needles were piercing their hearts, causing them so much pain that they could hardly breathe.

Upon hearing Li Dong's words, Wei Cheng felt a tightness in his chest and nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He forcibly suppressed his shock and anger, and chuckled lightly:
"You jest. I was merely astonished by Deacon Chen's methods. Congratulations, Deacon Chen. I hope you continue to govern Lin Song Valley smoothly, and that you will not overwork yourself and damage your mental health... Deacon Chen's skills are superb; if you were to die young because of this, it would be a great loss to the sect..."

Wei Cheng's words sounded like expressions of concern.

But the unspoken meaning made Duan Ling and Li Dong, who were standing to the side, turn their heads.

Duan Ling was completely baffled, not knowing what conflict Li Dong and Chen Ye had with Wei Cheng.

But since Chen Ye's safety was involved, he could not remain uninvolved.

His expression immediately hardened: "I hope Deacon Wei will be careful with his words! If anyone dares to plot against Deacon Chen, I, Duan, will show no mercy!"

"This is...this is Senior Brother Duan!"

Several outer disciples only then noticed Duan Ling, who had been secretly following Chen Ye, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Duan Ling is a man of considerable renown, far surpassing Li Qiuyun in reputation.

In a sense, he was the most renowned outer disciple in Yunxifang and Taoshanfang, a figure of the so-called senior outer disciple level.

Although Wei Cheng was also at the eighth level of Qi Refining, he was already middle-aged and had not fought anyone for many years.

Faced with the cold rebuke of this vigorous young man, he couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.

He snorted coldly, "Fine! A mere brat dares to threaten this old man? Fine, I won't bother with a junior like you. Let's go!"

Having said that, he could no longer stay, and with a few disciples who had hoped to see a good show, he left in a disheveled state.

These disciples, however, were in an even worse mood than Wei Cheng.

For them, it was tantamount to destroying their own future!
"If only I had known this would happen..." someone sighed silently in their heart.

……

After a brief interlude.

Chen Ye, Li Dong, and Duan Ling also took their leave.

It was already late at night when we returned to Linsong Valley.

He didn't disturb his disciple, but returned to the quiet room alone.

Chen Ye sat cross-legged, but his mind remained unsettled for a long time.

He wasn't worried about Wei Cheng, but rather about the Bai family.

"The Bai family..."

He silently pondered those two words, his expression heavy with emotion.

Now, he has been branded with the mark of the "Bai family".

Sooner or later, they will be drawn into the internal struggles of the Lingyin Sect.

The threats they will face then will be far greater than those faced by the Wei family.
"That's all."

After a long while, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Since we're here, let's make the best of it. What's the point of thinking so much?"

With a thought, he took out the storage bag that the sect had bestowed upon him.

He probed with his divine sense and a neatly folded, moon-white robe appeared in his hand.

This robe, woven from some kind of spiritual silkworm silk, felt incredibly light to the touch, with a cool and smooth feel, like the finest silk.

There are no fancy patterns on it, only the word "white" embroidered in silver thread at the cuffs.

This robe is called the Moonlit Robe.

It can spontaneously absorb the power of stars.

It comes with nearly ten large and small magic arrays, including "Cleansing," "Constant Temperature," and "Spirit Gathering," making it comprehensive and without rigidity.

At the same time, it can absorb most of the aftershocks of late-stage Qi Refining spells.

Although, in terms of pure defensive power, it is far inferior to his Bagua Mirror.

But its advantage lies in the fact that the Moonlit Robe can be worn on ordinary days, and it does not conflict with the Bagua Mirror; the two can be used together.

"nice one!"

Chen Ye looked at the robe with its top-notch attributes and exclaimed in amazement.

You should know that with it, whether he goes out or fights with others, it's like having an extra trump card to save his life!

"It seems that the Bai family is quite generous... whether it's Bai Susu or Elder Bai."

Chen Ye put on the moon-colored robe and felt a refreshing sensation all over his body. The robe could automatically regulate the temperature, making him feel a touch of coolness even in the sweltering summer.

"In a sense, isn't this a life-saving payment? But this top-grade robe is trying to buy my life, Chen Ye's..."

Chen Ye sighed.

The best course of action now is to improve one's self-cultivation in order to face future challenges!
It's time to put alchemy on the agenda!

The next day, early morning.

Chen Ye had just awoke from his meditation when he heard Lin Jinghua's respectful voice reporting from outside the courtyard gate:

“Deacon Chen, you…you have completed all the tasks you assigned.”

Chen Ye pushed open the door and saw Lin Jinghua standing outside with an excited expression.

"Oh?" Chen Ye's face showed a hint of surprise.

"Thanks to you, Steward!" Lin Jinghua bowed and smiled, "The batch of Silver Scale Flowers you asked us to plant have all matured now!"

Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief. After a month, the first batch of silver scale flowers had finally matured!
He quickly followed Lin Jinghua to the easternmost part of the valley, where Lin Jinghua had concealed the medicinal field with an array.

The once barren land was now shimmering with silver light, a scene of abundant harvest!

The silver scale flowers, each more than half a person tall, stretched out their fish-scale-like leaves under the sunlight, growing vigorously.

"Good! Good! Good!"

He said "good" three times in succession, and laughed loudly:
"Old Lin, you have truly done me a great service this time! Issue my order that all the brothers who participated in this ripening process will receive an additional two spirit stones as wages this month!"

"Thank you, Deacon!"

(End of this chapter)