Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 200 The State of Yan, On the Eve of Parting

One day later, at Yunxifang Market.

Chen Ye, using the alias Lu Jun, disguised himself and employed a concealment technique to swagger down the main street of the market.

He used the Qi Concealing Technique only to hide his aura, not his cultivation level.

With a cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining, he was already considered top-tier in this outlying market town teeming with independent cultivators.

The cultivators along the way sensed this powerful aura and all looked on with awe, instinctively giving way slightly to the sides, their attitudes respectful and reserved. This allowed Chen Ye to travel smoothly without any of the difficulties that ordinary rogue cultivators might encounter.

After reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment was no longer an unattainable dream, and Chen Ye began to prepare Foundation Establishment spiritual items and Foundation Establishment Pills.

Despite having a proficiency panel, whether or not he has external aids, Foundation Establishment is merely a matter of time for him.

However, time is an issue.

Bottlenecks can be overcome with time, but enemies and unexpected events never wait for anyone.

He went straight to the Herbal Pavilion in Yunxifang, intending to get some information from Old Man Ye.

The reason for choosing this place over Taoshanfang is simple: Taoshanfang is full of spies and informants, like a sieve.
Here, only Old Man Ye was guarding this small area, so the risk was much smaller. Moreover, Yunxi Workshop was located in the Three Thousand Mountains, and as a steward who had been collecting goods here for a long time, Old Man Ye had benefited from the chaos in the Three Thousand Mountains.

"Hmm? May I ask which fellow Daoist you are?"

Old Man Ye, who was leisurely sipping tea behind the counter, suddenly looked up as if sensing something.

Among the three major markets nearby, a rogue cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining is already considered a prominent figure.

"Mr. Ye, it's been a long time."

Chen Ye took off his large straw hat, walked straight to the counter, and smiled calmly.

He had a certain degree of trust in Old Man Ye, but this trust did not stem from his noble character; rather, it was based on reality.

Old Man Ye is quite old, and his only remaining daughter is currently undergoing arduous cultivation at the Lingyin Sect. He must be extremely cautious in his actions and would never want to implicate the children in the sect due to a momentary mistake.

"Oh? Fellow Daoist Chen!"

Old Man Ye squinted to examine it closely, and was so shocked that he dropped his teacup and shattered it. He abruptly stood up.
"Half a year has passed, and you've actually... reached the ninth level of Qi Refining?!"

"Elder Ye, you misunderstand. How could my meager skills have improved so quickly?"

Chen Ye chuckled and shook his head, explaining with an air of seriousness,
"In the past, when I was traveling, I always kept my cultivation level low to avoid trouble and attracting enemies. Actually... I was already in the late stage of Qi Refining a long time ago."

That makes sense.

In the vast world of cultivation, who among the lower-level cultivators doesn't wear a mask when roaming the martial world? Rogue cultivators who have mastered the art of concealing their aura are even more adept at hiding their true abilities.

Old Man Ye's eyelids twitched: "Wow, I never expected Fellow Daoist Chen's acting skills to be so superb! This old man's eyes are failing, and I didn't see anything amiss back then. Recalling how you shrank back when you were selling that silver scale grass, your demeanor and temperament were no different from that of an ordinary rogue cultivator, tsk tsk tsk, and you even had two dusty little girls with you."

"I don't deserve it, Elder Ye, you flatter me." Chen Ye waved his hand repeatedly, completely unconcerned about the barbed words in the other party's speech.

Old Man Ye fell silent, scrutinizing Chen Ye from head to toe before finally sitting heavily back in his chair after a long while:

"Alright, stop acting strangely! What are you up to, brat, coming to my Herbal Pavilion incognito? You are the manager of Linsong, why don't you go to Taoshanfang to show off your power, and come looking for this old geezer?"

Chen Ye stopped being polite, leaned forward slightly, and asked in a low voice:

"Recently, there has been a great upheaval in the Three Thousand Mountains. I wonder if Elder Ye has heard any news about Yuan Haoxuan?"

As he spoke, he quietly pushed a mid-grade spirit stone across the counter.

"What Yuan Haoxuan or Fang Haoxuan? I'm just tending this little shop all day. How would I know anything about the fighting and killing outside? It's just a measly low-grade item..."

Before he could finish speaking, Old Man Ye's eyes were fixed on something.

This spirit stone is crystal clear and overflows with spiritual light; how could it be a low-grade spirit stone?

Chen Ye made a move to take it back, but Old Man Ye, with a forced smile, quickly stuffed the spirit stone into his sleeve before Chen Ye could do so.

"I know a little about him. This man is a member of the Yuan family of Qi Kingdom, a demonic brat from the Crossing Love Sect. Although he is young, he has taken many lives. He is at the ninth level of Qi Refining, similar to you. But as for his combat strength... he cultivates the Yuan family's ancestral body-refining method, the Yuanhe Scripture, making his physical body incredibly powerful, comparable to a top-grade magic weapon! Most of the cultivators who died at his hands were torn to shreds by his bare hands! Ordinary ninth-level Qi Refining cultivators wouldn't last ten rounds against him!"

Body Refinement Cultivator!

Chen Ye was greatly surprised.

Since entering the world of cultivation, he has never seen a true body-refining cultivator.

The rudimentary physical skills practiced by low-level rogue cultivators are merely for making a living; how can they be compared to someone like Yuan Haoxuan?

I just don’t know…

Can this body, which is said to be a top-grade magical artifact, withstand his sword intent?
"You brat, why are you asking about this god of death for no reason?"

Seeing Chen Ye's solemn expression, Old Man Ye couldn't help but give him a warning.
"Could it be that you've offended him somewhere? Take my advice, if that's the case, run away immediately. This kind of demon is not someone that law-abiding cultivators like you and me can afford to provoke."

Chen Ye listened without getting angry, and simply smiled and said:
"I've only heard that this person has been active in the Three Thousand Mountains recently, and I'm afraid I might accidentally run into him. That's why I'm asking Elder Ye for some information."

"I see. So there are traces of him in the Three Thousand Mountains. I advise you not to go into the Three Thousand Mountains now. The sect says it is looking for the True Disciple Bai, but in reality... it has become a battlefield between sects and other sects, with fierce fighting between the two sides." Old Man Ye sighed.

"Does the Refining God Sect not care?"

Chen Ye frowned slightly and asked the question that had been bothering him.

"In name only, our sect is searching for that Golden Core senior for them."

"Manage?! How can we manage them! It is true that the Refining God Sect is the leader of the Yan Kingdom, but this sect acts domineeringly and eccentrically. Has it ever cared about the other fellow cultivators of the Yan Kingdom or even the common people?"

Mentioning the Refining God Sect reignited the anger that Old Man Ye had just suppressed. His face flushed slightly, and his tone was filled with resentment and dissatisfaction.
"Those sword fanatics only care about their own path and have no respect for other sects! Why would they care about the life or death of our Lingyin Sect? They might even be hoping we fight to the death!"

He had been harboring resentment for a long time, and now he took the opportunity to vent it all out, rambling on and on.

Chen Ye felt a chill run down his spine and listened intently. He realized that it was no wonder the atmosphere in the Lingyin Sect had been so oppressive lately, with the various families making frequent private moves. The source of this was right here!

From Old Man Ye's words, Chen Ye gradually gained an understanding of the current situation in the Yan Kingdom.

In the cultivation world of Yan Kingdom, the five sects are clearly distinct.

The Refining God Sect, which dominates the north and is renowned for its swordsmanship;
The Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, based in the west and skilled in manipulating puppets; the Spirit Treasure Sect, based in the center and proficient in crafting weapons; the Medicine King Valley, which dominates the south and is famous for its alchemy; and the Spirit Hidden Sect, located in the east and knowledgeable in all things.

Originally, the Lingyin Sect and the Lianshen Sect were considered the two hegemons of the Yan Kingdom, with the Lingyin Sect, which acted righteously, being even more popular.

However, a series of dramatic changes abruptly halted this upward trend...

Three hundred years ago, the Hundred Herbs Valley Incident occurred.

Hundred Herbs Valley, which is adjacent to Medicine King Valley and shares the same alchemy path, was forcibly annexed by Medicine King Valley.

Many cultivators from Baicao Valley refused to submit and fled eastward to the territory of Lingyin Sect seeking refuge.

Taking advantage of the situation, Lingyin Sect recruited these talents who carried the inheritance of alchemy and established two new peaks within the sect—Danxia Peak and Baicao Peak!
After that, the Herbal Pavilion added the business of elixirs to its business.

However, this also created a deep grudge with Medicine King Valley – Medicine King Valley's businesses are almost nowhere to be seen within the Lingyin Sect's territory, which speaks volumes.

Not long ago, some important figures within the Lingyin Sect plotted to ease tensions with Medicine King Valley and sought to take the lead in establishing Medicine King Pavilion in Yuexi Lake Ward.

Unfortunately... this plan came to an end after Bai Susu ruthlessly killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Medicine King Valley.

Of course, in the long run, the decision to accept Hundred Herbs Valley was still more beneficial than harmful. Even if it completely offended Medicine King Valley, the benefits brought by Danxia Peak and the improvement in the overall strength of the sect were real.

But times change, and circumstances shift...

The Lingyin Sect and the Duqing Sect are adjacent to each other. The two sects have engaged in numerous bloody and fierce large-scale conflicts over territory, resources, and even their lineage. During this period... the Wan Kui Sect stole a large number of corpses of cultivators from the Lingyin Sect to refine puppets.

Such acts are outrageous and infuriating!
When the Lingyin Sect learned the truth, everyone was furious and indignant!

Subsequently, several intense direct conflicts broke out with the Wan Kui Sect.

Although both sides suffered damage, the feud was now completely formed.

At this point, the Lingyin Sect was caught in a predicament of being attacked from three sides.

To the south lies the hostile Medicine King Valley, to the west the opposing Ten Thousand Puppet Sect, and to the east, the sect is at odds with the Crossing Love Sect, with constant conflicts. Under immense external pressure, the sect is gradually showing signs of exhaustion, and in the battle with the Crossing Love Sect, several Golden Core cultivators have perished.

Unfortunately, misfortune never comes singly. Ten years ago, Bai Li, who was regarded as a sign of revival and a sign of good fortune after adversity, mysteriously perished along with several of his true disciples.

"The sect's situation has deteriorated to this extent."

Chen Ye clicked his tongue in amazement.

And now Bai Susu has mysteriously disappeared again... No wonder the Lingyin Sect is so anxious, even going so far as to engage in a fierce battle with other sects in the Three Thousand Mountains.

Thinking of Bai Susu, Chen Ye felt ashamed.

To be honest, Bai Susu was arrogant, but... she treated me very well.

It's a pity that she was missing for a month, and he was unable to find an opportunity to help her.

"Hmm... You are a spirit plant grower, and you have lived in Linsong Valley for a long time. You rarely get involved in the sect's external conflicts. Naturally, you don't feel it deeply. Moreover, this great battle has unexpectedly triggered several long-sealed secret realms within the Three Thousand Mountains, making the situation even more chaotic... Legend has it that True Disciple Bai and True Person Ye are trapped in one of these secret realms."

Old Man Ye dropped another bombshell.

Hidden Cave Realm?

Just hearing its name, Chen Ye knew how fierce the struggle within the Three Thousand Mountains must be!
After processing this massive amount of information, Chen Ye finally revealed the true purpose of his trip:

"Elder Ye, since the Three Thousand Mountains are so lively now, surely many rare and precious treasures and second-tier spiritual objects that are seldom seen in ordinary times will appear in the world?"

Old Man Ye was taken aback upon hearing this, a knowing glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes. He knew that Chen Ye wouldn't have given him a mid-grade spirit stone just to listen to his rambling: "What? You kid, are you thinking of taking those second-tier spirit items?"

"Exactly."

Chen Ye didn't hide anything and nodded frankly.

"I have reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, a bottleneck in my cultivation path, and it is time to start planning for Foundation Establishment. However, I am thinking that the Lingyin Sect has always had a decent reputation. For those rogue cultivators who have obtained fortuitous opportunities, if they want to exchange their valuable treasures for spirit stones but are unwilling to risk going to those dangerous black markets, finding a safe market nearby to sell their goods is the best choice. And this Yunxi Market, backed by the Three Thousand Mountains, will probably be the first choice for many people, right?"

"This……"

Old Man Ye hesitated upon hearing this.

Second-tier spiritual items aren't exactly expensive, unlike second-tier magic treasures.

However, a single spirit item costs around a thousand spirit stones!
He stroked the mid-grade spirit stone in his hand, and hesitated.
"Second-tier spiritual items are related to the sect's combat strength and are considered strategic resources. Once acquired, according to the rules, I must immediately report to the protector to prevent trouble... Therefore, the Herbal Pavilion does not have any second-tier spiritual items."

Chen Ye was somewhat disappointed.

Within the sect, such precious resources are never open to stewards. After all, those who can become stewards are those with limited potential, eliminated from among the disciples, let alone someone like him who comes from a rogue cultivator background.

"However, considering your diligence in cultivation, if you acquire any spiritual items next time, I can try to leave you a share. But make sure you bring enough spirit stones! Hmm... speaking of which, the Songyang Grotto-heaven just appeared a couple of days ago, and some people have already gone inside to explore. I expect the first batch of cultivators to emerge in less than a month."

Just as Chen Ye was feeling disappointed, Old Man Ye spoke again in a low voice.

……

"Aunt Mao, are we leaving?" the little girl asked cautiously, clutching the bell. "But Master hasn't come back yet..."

Mao Qingzhu was packing her luggage when she sighed:

“Auntie originally wanted to stay a few more days, but yesterday, Xu Buhui went to Songyang Cave in the Three Thousand Mountains. He’s not at the Xu family… It’s a good time to go back to the Xu family now, so we can avoid a lot of trouble.”

She pondered to herself.

A grotto-heaven has appeared in the world.

It attracts far more than just independent cultivators.

Disciples from various sects and cultivators from various families also sought opportunities.

I'm sure Ye Di will understand me... Without Xu Bu Hui, only Xu Qing Song remains in the Xu family, and he's much easier to deal with.

"Oh……"

After hearing Mao Qingzhu's explanation, the little girl responded and said no more.

She quietly packed her luggage, folded her master's green robe neatly, stuffed it into her small bundle, and carried it on her back.

"Huh? Qingjun, don't you have a storage bag? Why are the spirit stones and this... clothes in your package?" Mao Qingzhu asked in surprise.

"Because...because the spirit stones are too heavy, and Master's clothes are too smelly! If bad guys come, Qingjun will drop these so she can escape!" the little girl said earnestly.

"..." Mao Qingzhu was puzzled.

But if Chen Ye were here, he would understand the little girl's feelings.

Previously, when Qingjun worked at the Herbal Pavilion in Yuexi Lake, she often helped out and earned a lot of spirit stones.

She cherished these spirit stones immensely, keeping them in her small pouch so that she could always feel her precious spirit stones.

The little girl hugged the bundle tightly, raised her porcelain-white face, her already bright and clear eyes were moist, yet no tears fell. She simply asked cautiously:

"Aunt Mao, can we wait for Master for a moment? Just... just a little while! If we're in a hurry, then forget it."

“Silly girl, of course we have to wait for your master.”

Seeing this, Mao Qingzhu understood perfectly.

Earlier, Qingjun said, "But Master hasn't returned yet..." She didn't understand Qingjun's meaning at first, and only explained the reason for leaving today.

I'm afraid the little girl might mistakenly think that there won't even be time to see him one more time.

She reached out and hugged the soft little Qingjun into her arms: "Okay, we'll wait for Master to return. Hmm... with the sound transmission jade pendant, even if we go to Yuexi Lake, Qingjun can still hear Master's voice!"

As for Longmian Mountain, it is located in the Xu family's territory and is isolated by an array, so the sound transmission jade pendant cannot be used there.

However, Mao Qingzhu would not say it at this time.

"Ok!"

The little girl nodded emphatically and buried her face in Mao Qingzhu's warm embrace.

She knew that her master had gone to great lengths to help her with her hidden illness, which was how she was able to go to the Xu family for a baptism.

Therefore, I shouldn't cry.

But she... just couldn't help it.

She didn't want to separate, not even for a single day.

　Thank you to the fisherman who drank porridge for the 633 points!
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(End of this chapter)