Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 180 The Girl's Mother, A Sudden Arrival

But Chen Ye was even more shocked than Mao Qingzhu.

"Sister Qingzhu, you...how did you get here?!"

Chen Ye looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared and felt as if his mind had completely crashed.

There is a protective array around this place. How did Mao Qingzhu manage to get to the back mountain without his knowledge?
In addition,

Why did Mao Qingzhu arrive at this particular time?
Qingjun, nestled in his arms, forgot to cry, her little mouth almost forming an "o" shape:

"Aunt Mao, what brings you here? Didn't we agree to wait for Qingjun and Senior Sister to call Master over?"

The person who arrived was none other than Mao Qingzhu.

She was dressed in a simple blue dress, but it couldn't hide her graceful figure.

Her long, black hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few playful strands falling across her smooth forehead, making her look gentle, beautiful, and elegant.

Her clear, beautiful eyes reflected the man's astonishment and embarrassment.

Mao Qingzhu's eyelashes trembled slightly in a flustered manner, and the echo of Chen Ye's words seemed to still linger in her mind.

Ye Di, do you like me?
She suddenly recalled that day in the bath, when the man was full of youthful vigor...

By ordinary standards, she is no longer a young girl who is prone to overthinking.

But she was, after all, a cultivator, and her cultivation had reached a certain level; physiologically, she was no different from a young girl.

Moreover, she had spent most of her life immersed in tedious cultivation, especially as a member of the reclusive Mao family, who had lived in Shenwu Valley since childhood, detached from worldly affairs.

As a result, although she was getting older, she still lacked experience when it came to matters of love between men and women, and was naturally not as calm and composed as those women who had experienced the world.

As for Xu Buhui? The two were only husband and wife in name only.

the most important is,

She regarded Chen Ye as her sworn brother!

But... but Chen Ye and his daughter whispered such lewd words!
“I…I wanted to come and see Qingjun.”

Mao Qingzhu explained hastily, inevitably feeling embarrassed.

"You came to see Qingjun?" Chen Ye looked at her, then at his little apprentice in his arms with furrowed brows, and felt utterly overwhelmed. "Sister Qingzhu, please listen to me first..."

Fortunately,

Mao Qingzhu was indeed a clever and perceptive woman. At first, she couldn't help but have wild thoughts, but she quickly understood.

The man in front of you is most likely just teasing the child.

Having understood this, Mao Qingzhu calmed herself down, calmly and unhurriedly bowed, and smiled gently:

"Brother Ye, there's no need to explain. I understand. You just wanted to tease Qingjun... Long time no see, how have you been?"

Seeing that Mao Qingzhu lightly glossed over what had just happened,

Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief, put down his still frowning apprentice, and then asked in confusion:
"Long time no see, but how did Sister Qingzhu get in? My protective array in Linsong Valley..."

He clearly had complete control over the great formation, so logically, no outsider could have broken in silently without his permission.

"The Fourth Elder brought me here."

Mao Qingzhu explained, glancing at Chen Ye before quickly lowering her gaze again.
"Actually... we've been here for a while now, staying within the Three Thousand Mountains. But seeing that you've been busy with the affairs of Lin Song Valley, we didn't want to bother you at this crucial time. Until today, when the Fourth Elder heard that the Glazed Flowers were ripe, he wanted to come and pick some. So I accompanied him to Lin Song Valley."

The little girl with black hair also explained from the side:

"Yes, Aunt Mao came to Linsong Valley with an elder from a sect. When she found that Master was not there, she asked Qingjun and me to go find you... However, perhaps Aunt Mao was worried that the two of us children might have an accident on the way, so she came along."

It turned out to be the case.

Chen Ye suddenly realized that a mere first-order grand formation could not possibly stop a Golden Core cultivator.
Moreover, Lin Song Valley is the sect's property. When the Fourth Elder came to Lin Song Valley, no one dared to stop him, nor was there any need to stop him.

Furthermore, his confidants, such as Li Dagen and Lin Jinghua, were unaware that he was in the back mountain, and even if they wanted to secretly notify him, they could not find him.

"Yes, just as Zhiwei said, I heard from them that you were practicing swordsmanship in the back mountain, and I couldn't help but worry, so I followed you," Mao Qingzhu explained softly.

"..."

Chen Ye was silent for a moment. "Follow? Or rather, stalk."

Judging from the two girls' reactions, it was clear that they were unaware that Mao Qingzhu was secretly following them.

Sister Qingzhu is gentle and generous; no matter how you look at it, she doesn't fit the image of someone who naturally carries a dark side, like a stalker.

Qingjun quickly chimed in, running to Mao Qingzhu's side, taking her hand, and tilting her little face up with a sweet expression: "Aunt Mao, don't worry, my master is a very nice person!"

Seeing the little girl speak up for her master, Mao Qingzhu sighed inwardly. Her daughter had truly been raised by Ye Di to be kind and filial...

A genuine smile appeared in her eyes: "I know."

Unexpectedly,

The little girl puffed out her chest the next moment and said fiercely, "If Master has any improper thoughts about Aunt Mao, Qingjun will lock Master up so that he can't harm Aunt Mao."

The smile on Mao Qingzhu's face, who had just been admiring Qingjun's kindness and filial piety, instantly froze.

"What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat!"

Chen Ye reached out and pinched Qingjun's chubby, still somewhat baby-faced cheek, and scolded:
"Am I that kind of person? If you keep talking nonsense, believe me, I'll spank you!"

"Waaah... Master is bullying me again..." Qingjun's face was pinched by him, and her words were muffled, but she was still very indignant.

Just like a cat that abuses people.

Even though she couldn't beat him, she still insisted on breathing on him.

Chen Ye was at a loss with her, especially since Mao Qingzhu was still there. He couldn't very well physically punish her, so he could only look at Mao Qingzhu and smile:

"This child is sometimes quite strange, unlike Sister Qingzhu in personality."

The little girl's eyes dimmed; she knew why her master had said that.

After all... she's Aunt Mao's daughter...

But she has been avoiding this fact.

"It's nothing." Mao Qingzhu came back to her senses, reached out and touched Qingjun's little head, and said gently, "Qingjun, your master is right, you are not allowed to be silly."

"Oh..." the little girl responded listlessly.

Looking at the seemingly harmonious scene before him, Chen Ye's embarrassment at being caught completely vanished.

He smiled, shook his head, and then steered the conversation back on track: "I wonder where the Fourth Elder is now? This junior... should go and pay him a visit."

“The Fourth Elder is enjoying tea in the courtyard of the inner valley,” Mao Qingzhu said. “I will take you there now.”

……

After settling his two disciples, Chen Ye dared not delay and hurriedly followed Mao Qingzhu to pay his respects to the Fourth Elder, whom he had only heard of but never seen.

Chen Ye had heard of this Fourth Elder before.

She is currently the youngest Golden Core elder in the Lingyin Sect, named Zhang Ruoxu, and is the only female cultivator among the four elders.

In his youth, he and Bai Li were known as the two prodigies of the Lingyin Sect.

At the same time, this person also has a somewhat ambiguous relationship with Bai Li... On the road.

Chen Ye suddenly spoke up: "Sister Qingzhu, I'm afraid your visit this time is not just to see Qingjun, is it? Since Qingjun is not here, why don't you tell me what brings you here?"

“I came for Qingjun. In the past few days, I have made the necessary arrangements and prepared everything. I can take her back to the Xu family’s Cold Pool to receive her baptism.”

"However, there's no rush."

She added,
"The best time for the baptism is on her ninth birthday. Counting the days, there's still more than a month to go. I plan to stay in this valley for a while and keep them company."

In another month, it will be Qingjun's ninth birthday...

Chen Ye was somewhat dazed; without realizing it, Qing Jun was about to grow a year older.

He had never paid attention to the two girls' birthdays.

This is because Chen Ye himself was an orphan in his previous life and never cared about his birthday.

But... thinking about it this way, Zhiwei is half a year older than Qingjun, so her birthday has long passed.

Chen Ye silently calculated in his mind, looked at Mao Qingzhu, and finally nodded:
“Very well. Then I’ll have to trouble you during this time, Sister Qingzhu. Afterwards, I will have someone prepare accommodations in the inner valley. However, how long will this baptism last?”

Mao Qingzhu knew that although Chen Ye spoke frankly, he was more or less worried about Qingjun's departure and was also reluctant to let her go.

She thought for a moment and comforted her:

“The baptism of ordinary Xu family members takes no more than three or four days. Qingjun’s situation is special, but it should take no more than ten days. I will personally accompany Qingjun during these ten days.”

"Then I can rest assured." Chen Ye nodded.

Mao Qingzhu is a Foundation Establishment cultivator; protecting Qingjun should be no problem for him...

However, how to persuade the little girl is a problem... This girl always feels that her master is going to sell him.

If we let her go back to the Xu family with Mao Qingzhu, she might think that her master is going to return her to her mother!

"Brother Ye, do not worry. Now that I have brought Qingjun back, I will make sure to take all necessary precautions. After all, Qingjun is still my daughter."

Seeing the worry on Chen Ye's face, Mao Qingzhu couldn't help but chuckle. Her sworn brother was good in every way, except that he was too cautious.

"Hasn't Sister Qingzhu read any storybooks? Usually, something unexpected happens around this time," Chen Ye sighed.

Mao Qingzhu was stunned for a moment. Looking at Chen Ye's serious expression, she found it even more amusing.

"Brother Ye, where did you hear this twisted logic from?"

She covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a hint of amusement appearing in her long, narrow eyes.
"The cultivation world is fraught with danger, but how could there be such a coincidence? Besides, my father is with me on this trip back to the Xu family, so there is absolutely no chance of anything going wrong."

As the two talked, they were already approaching Xiaguangpu.

From afar, one can see that within the radiant garden shrouded by an independent array, spiritual energy flows like mist, and the seven-colored radiance remains dazzling even in broad daylight.

"The Fourth Elder is inside," Mao Qingzhu said softly, pointing ahead.

Chen Ye nodded, straightened his robes, and then followed Mao Qingzhu into the Garden of Glowing Clouds.

Upon entering the house, Chen Ye's mind immediately became solemn.

Looking up, in the center of the magnificent glass flower field, a figure dressed in a simple gray Taoist robe stood with his back to them, quietly admiring the beautiful scenery before him.

Her figure appeared slender, yet she seemed to blend seamlessly with the entire world, as deep and unfathomable as the sea.

"Disciple Chen Ye greets Fourth Elder." Chen Ye dared not be negligent and quickly stepped forward to bow respectfully.

The figure turned around.

This one of the highest rulers of the Lingyin Sect was not the white-haired old man Chen Ye had imagined.

On the contrary, she looked to be only about forty years old, an ordinary-looking middle-aged female cultivator.

Only his eyes stood out, like a deep pool containing the passage of time, calm yet able to see through the illusions of the world.

"It is said that the Fourth Elder's eyes are spiritual pupils, called the Illuminating Spiritual Pupils. This time, she actually came down from the mountain in person to search for Bai Susu... With her Illuminating Spiritual Pupils, she should be able to find Bai Susu with ease."

Chen Ye pondered for a moment, then bowed respectfully, awaiting the Fourth Elder's response.

"Not like..."

The Fourth Elder, Zhang Ruoxu, spoke with a forlorn tone.

This manager of Linsong Valley only bears a slight resemblance to Bai Li. In the cultivation world, if one were to do so intentionally, achieving a 99% resemblance would be effortless.

However, there is a subtle coincidence in their temperaments, which is probably the reason why Bai Wuji and Bai Susu look at them differently.

There is a hidden sharpness surrounding him—this is not just his temperament, but a genuine sharpness about him.

Presumably, it comes from the Geng metal energy of Bai Li.

If one cultivates Geng metal energy to its peak, the cultivator will naturally possess a sharp edge, which can be easily transformed into Geng metal energy.

Furthermore, he possesses a gentle and approachable quality reminiscent of mountains, rivers, plants, and trees, which derives from spiritual plants…

The combination of their distinct personalities and slightly similar appearances creates a striking resemblance.

Nine parts similarity in appearance are not as good as this one part similarity in spirit.

"Lapis lazuli flower tea is one of my favorites... The lapis lazuli flowers you cultivated this time are of even higher quality than before, not bad," the Fourth Elder nodded.

"Elder, you flatter me," Chen Ye said respectfully. "This disciple was merely fortunate."

"In this world, how many lucky breaks are there?"

The Fourth Elder sighed, his gaze returning to the Garden of Radiant Light.
"Your Evergreen Technique is ultimately just a low-level technique with limited potential. It might help you establish your foundation, but you'll never be able to advance any further."

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat!
He wasn't stupid; since the Fourth Elder said so, it meant...

“Judging from your spiritual power, you possess all five elements. Ordinary cultivation techniques would likely clash with you,” the Fourth Elder said slowly. “I do have a cultivation technique here that might… be suitable for you.”

The Fourth Elder extended his well-maintained right hand, and golden light gathered on his index finger.

Before Chen Ye could react, she had already reached into the air and touched his forehead.

"Om-!"

Chen Ye felt a sudden jolt in his mind!
Immediately afterwards, a profound and mysterious technique called the "Scripture of Withering and Flourishing Light" flooded into his mind like a tidal wave!
That technique was incredibly profound.

From Chen Ye's perspective, at least, it far surpasses the Frost Flower Record!

This practice emphasizes the rotation of the five elements and the interdependence of life and death.

It contains the supreme truth that life and death are two completely opposite yet integrated concepts.

This was exactly the cultivation technique he had once sought in the Lingyin Sect!
In the game "Immortal Fall", the Withering and Flourishing Profound Light Scripture is one of the five spiritual root cultivation techniques most suitable for early and mid-stage cultivation!

"This cultivation method is called the 'Scripture of Withering and Flourishing Mysterious Light'. I obtained it by chance in the cave of an ancient cultivator during my travels. This method emphasizes the balance of the five elements, their mutual generation and restraint, which is perfect for cultivators like you with the five elemental roots."

The Fourth Elder's voice was flat, as if she had only given away a common, low-quality book. She added...
"Although I possess the Golden Core chapter of this cultivation method, I cannot easily give it away... However, when you one day reach the Foundation Establishment stage, I will consider giving it to you."

"This disciple...thanks to the elder for his generous gift!"

Chen Ye was deeply grateful and bowed deeply in thanks, for this was the grace of spreading the word!
But on his own, it was almost impossible for him to obtain this cultivation technique within the Lingyin Sect.

Although he didn't have the Golden Core chapter, he understood the Fourth Elder.

The Golden Core Technique is a top secret of the Lingyin Sect; how could it be given away casually?
(End of this chapter)