Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 202 Incident
After Qingjun left, it was as if she had taken away most of the air from Linsong Valley, leaving it empty and silent.

Without the chirping and chattering of the silver-haired sparrow, Chen Ye felt a little uneasy.

He would unconsciously glance at the empty stone table in the courtyard, where he could still vaguely see the little girl wearing an ill-fitting robe, dragging her sleeves, and arguing back at him in a childish voice.

"Master."

Zhiwei carried a plate of sliced ​​spiritual fruit and gently placed it on the stone table. Then she stood quietly beside Chen Ye, accompanying him as he gazed at the empty courtyard.

"Do you miss Qingjun? It's only been three days."

“This is, after all, her first time going out alone. When I went to Moon Rhinoceros Lake before, at least you were with her. Besides, you were both in the sect and safe. But now she's at the Xu family... it's inevitable that I'm a little worried.”

Chen Ye nodded, without denying it.

Three days have passed in the blink of an eye.

There's still no news about Foundation Establishment spiritual items from Old Man Ye of Yunxi Workshop, but fortunately, Mao Qingzhu has entrusted a trusted confidant to settle the accounts for the pills in advance.

A superior-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill costs five spirit stones, while a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill costs ten spirit stones.

There are a total of two hundred high-grade Qi-nourishing pills and one hundred top-grade Qi-nourishing pills, which cost a total of two thousand spirit stones.

Including Chen Ye's own savings, he now has 2,600 coins.

Chen Ye's superb alchemy skills brought him a huge amount of spirit stones!

"Master, don't worry. Didn't Aunt Mao send someone to say that everything is fine?"

The eldest disciple, instead, gently comforted his master.

"After Qingjun's baptism, her talent and physical constitution have both improved. After the baptism, she might even be able to break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining..."

This was indeed a pleasant surprise.

After Zhiwei's second awakening, her talent surpassed Qingjun's. However, this baptism will likely further awaken the bloodline within Qingjun, bringing the two disciples' talents back to parity.

Chen Ye reached out and ruffled his eldest disciple's soft black hair: "Don't worry, she'll be back soon."

He paused, then asked, "How does your newly formed wood spirit root feel? Are you experiencing any discomfort?"

“Reporting to Master,” Zhiwei shook her head, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes, “I feel no discomfort. It’s just… I just feel that the plants and trees in the valley seem… more familiar than before.”

"That's good. That's normal..."

Chen Ye nodded, then abruptly stopped speaking, his expression suddenly hardening.

A powerful and chilling surge of spiritual energy was rapidly approaching Linsong Valley from afar at an extremely fast speed!

Not one, but two!
Moreover, they are all in the Foundation Establishment stage!

"Zhiwei, go back inside."

The smile on Chen Ye's face vanished instantly.

His eyelids twitched; the protective array of Lin Song Valley hadn't even tried to stop the two of them!
This means... they are from the sect!

But before Zhiwei could return to her room, two figures dressed in the black robes of the Lingyin Sect's Enforcement Hall landed in the courtyard.

The two men, one on the left and one on the right, secretly watched Chen Ye's every move.

among them,

A middle-aged man with white hair and beard asked in a cold voice, "Manager Lin Songgu, Chen Ye?"

"Exactly."

Chen Ye, realizing this, pulled himself back slightly before raising his head to meet his gaze.
"What brings you two Dharma Protectors here?"

"What brings you here? Since you've come to see us, why don't you know your crime!"

The white-haired protector sneered.
“We are acting on the orders of the elders of the Enforcement Hall. We are bringing you back to the sect to answer questions about an important case.”

He did not specify the details of the case, but he emphasized the word "inquiry".

Chen Ye's heart sank suddenly.

Is it about Wei Cheng?
Or... is there another reason?
Chen Ye remained calm and said, "Since it is the order of the elders of the Enforcement Hall, Chen Ye will obey."

He paused, then changed the subject, meeting the other person's gaze directly:
"However, this matter is of great importance. We would like to ask the two Dharma Protectors to present their credentials to verify their identities."

"A token? Two Foundation Establishment cultivators, clad in sect law enforcement robes. What audacity you, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, have to ask me for a token?"

The white-haired protector burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke, but his expression suddenly turned cold, and he was about to take action.

at this time,

Another protector, who appeared to be a hunchbacked old woman, stopped him. She had a kind face and a gentle tone.

"Protector Wei, there's no definitive answer yet, why be so aggressive? Deacon Chen, my name is Cong Yicui, and this is Protector Wei Shu. I've come here to invite Deacon Chen to the sect for questioning. This is the token."

She deftly revealed the black token, engraved with a sword, that symbolized her identity as a member of the Enforcement Hall.

The token echoes Chen Ye's deacon token, confirming that it is undoubtedly a token of the Enforcement Hall and cannot be faked.

Damn...

Chen Ye hates things getting out of control the most.

Logically speaking, the Bai family within the Lingyin Sect treated him kindly, so why would a guardian from the Enforcement Hall come to arrest him? Could it be... that something unexpected has happened?
In a flash, Chen Ye knew he had no other choice.

As a sect steward, he was subject to the sect's jurisdiction. Openly defying the Enforcement Hall at this time would be tantamount to cutting off his own escape route, and the situation was still unclear. His rash resistance would be too impulsive.

He cupped his hands and said, "Since it is the sect's order, Chen Ye will obey!"

As he spoke, he turned around, looked at his eldest disciple whose face was pale, and said softly:

"Your junior brother is still in the valley. If anything happens... he will protect you. Master, go and return quickly, don't worry."

Zhiwei gripped the hem of her clothes tightly.

In the past, with her master's praise, she was complacent about her cultivation level of the sixth level of Qi Refining.

Only now, facing the oppressive aura of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, did she truly realize her own insignificance...

If she were a Golden Core cultivator, who would dare to bully their master?!

"Yes. Zhiwei will wait for Master to return." Zhiwei nodded.

"No need to wait..."

Chen Ye wanted to give a few more instructions, but Wei Shu was already impatient and reached out to press down on his shoulder.

He formed his fingers into claws, squeezing Chen Ye so hard that his bones cracked.

"Chen Ye, according to the sect's rules, to avoid any accidents, this protector must seal your cultivation. Do you have any objections?"

The hunchbacked old woman from Yi Cui smiled and said, "Steward Chen, please forgive me, this is the sect's standard procedure."

See here,

Chen Ye's heart sank even further, but at this moment, he had no room to resist.

We can't just suddenly attack and kill two Foundation Establishment cultivators on the spot, can we? That would be tantamount to courting death.

"Ah."

He nodded, readily giving up the fight.

Wei Shu gripped his shoulders tighter and said, "Since there are no objections, do not resist, lest we show no mercy..."

Before Chen Ye could react, he suddenly struck, driving a pitch-black spirit-locking nail deep into Chen Ye's dantian!

“Master——!”

A short, startled gasp escaped her lips. Zhiwei's pupils constricted sharply, and her body instinctively tensed and leaned forward, about to pounce.

But the old woman took a few steps, and the immense spiritual pressure stopped her in her tracks. She could only watch helplessly as the terrifying black nail sank into her master's abdomen.

A sharp pain seemed to pierce her own body as well; she pursed her lips tightly, almost biting herself until they bled.

Chen Ye was sweating profusely.

pain!
The dantian is the life-sustaining point for cultivators. After being struck by this heavy blow, Chen Ye felt as if his whole body was about to split apart, and the pain was unbearable.

The most critical issue is that the spiritual energy in the dantian seems to have stagnated and is difficult to circulate.

However, to Chen Ye's surprise, he was still able to use some of his cultivation. The Soul-Locking Nail only pinned his dantian, but his Profound Evergreen Technique could no longer be circulated solely through his dantian; it could also circulate throughout his entire body.

Therefore, some cultivation remains.

It's strange,
Chen Ye had always been afraid of pain, but seeing the little girl with black hair in tears, he remained calm and composed despite the immense pain, his expression unchanged. He stood up straight and said, "That's all?"

She even gave Zhi a smile.

The eldest disciple, as if he had just been pulled out of the water, gasped for breath and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh?"

Wei Shu frowned almost imperceptibly. He suddenly made his move, intending to see Chen Ye cry out in pain and make a fool of himself when he was caught off guard, but he did not expect the man to be so determined.

Seeing that Chen Ye still had the mood to smile at his disciple, his disgust grew even stronger.

He exerted force in his hand, twisting the Spirit-Locking Nail several times in his abdomen before it pierced deeply into his dantian, then sneered:

"Of course it's not over yet. I will temporarily keep all your magical artifacts safe."

Having said that, he unceremoniously snatched the storage bag from Chen Ye's waist and the two magical swords imbued with spiritual light.

"Hmm? Flying Light!"

Upon seeing the flying sword clearly, Wei Shu's eyes lit up, and a look of greed immediately appeared.

He weighed the flying sword in his hand, as thin as a cicada's wing and as white as ivory, and clicked his tongue in amazement:
"This sword doesn't belong to Guild Master Shi Jing, so how did it end up in your hands! Hmph, nine and a half out of ten rogue cultivators have been traitors! These are the evidence; take them back to the Enforcement Hall."

Because of the divine imprint on the storage bag, he couldn't check it immediately; otherwise, he would probably be astonished by the spirit stones inside.

The hunchbacked old woman watched with a smile throughout, without offering any attempt to stop her.

Seeing Chen Ye looking at her, she explained kindly:

"The Dharma Protectorate has a rule that when handling such matters, in order to avoid favoritism, abuse of power, or embezzlement, two Dharma Protectors must accompany the person. I am only responsible for supervising whether Dharma Protector Wei's orders are in accordance with regulations. As for these ritual implements... if there are no unforeseen circumstances, Deacon Wei will return them."

Damn!

Chen Ye's mind raced.

The old woman spoke gently, and he assumed she was an ally sent by the Bai family.

Seeing her indulgent attitude now, I realized that she had no intention of helping me, and that her kindness was just a facade.

He had served as a steward in the sect for more than half a year and was well-versed in its intricacies.

When arresting suspected fellow disciples, there is a lot of room for maneuver. Usually, there is no need to seal their cultivation, let alone confiscate their personal magical artifacts.

"Master!"

Zhiwei saw that his master's cultivation had been sealed and his magical artifacts had been taken away.

For the first time, a deep sense of panic appeared on her usually indifferent face.

She had never seen her master so disheveled. She wanted to stand in front of her master, but how could a little girl in the Qi Refining stage act under the watchful eyes of a Foundation Establishment True Person?

"Let's go."

Wei Shu said coldly, then grabbed Chen Ye's shoulder as if he were a prisoner, and with a sway of his body, he soared into the sky.

The hunchbacked old woman gave Zhiwei a cryptic smile, then transformed into a streak of light and followed closely behind.

The courtyard was quiet again.

Only Zhiwei remained, standing there blankly.

"Something must be done... Sister Susu! But... Sister Susu is gone."

Zhiwei had to admit it.

Although she often disliked Bai Susu's arrogant attitude towards her master.

But deep down, he knew that if Bai Susu hadn't disappeared, and with her in the sect, there wouldn't have been any protectors who so violently arrested his master...

"What...what's going on?"

The fact that the two Foundation Establishment cultivators made no attempt to conceal their whereabouts naturally alerted the others in Lin Song Valley.

Grandma Li and Lin Qiongyu rushed over.

They were worried about the safety of the inner valley, so they mustered up their courage and came to check.

But when they saw that only Zhiwei was standing there in the courtyard, looking lost and dejected, both of them were startled.

"Zhiwei, where is your... your master?" Granny Li asked, trembling.

Zhiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly. Even though she had a thousand worries in her heart, she knew that Linsong Valley was her master's life's work and must not be destroyed!
With her master and junior sister not in the valley right now, only she can keep Lin Song Valley at peace.

The little girl with black hair rubbed her face and whispered, "Master, I just have to go to the sect for a while. Please trouble Granny Li to appease the spirit plant grower in the valley afterward..."

"Grandma knows." Grandma Li's hand trembled slightly. She was old and shrewd, and she already understood.

He sighed silently in his heart.

Deacon Chen was indeed law-abiding and had extraordinary abilities.

However, since he has stepped into the power struggle within the sect, he will inevitably be affected.

Besides...

No matter what, they are just Qi cultivators and should not be taken seriously.

If one is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, one can travel thousands of miles on a sword; where can't one roam freely?

……

at the same time.

Chen Ye was taken aboard the spirit boat.

This spirit boat is specially used to transport prisoners. Inside, there are solitary confinement cells made of spiritual materials, which are pitch black.

It not only blocks out all sound and light, but also prevents the transmission of divine thoughts.

We entered this quiet, dark room.

His face, which had previously shown some fear, was now completely expressionless.

He is thinking.

Reflect on where things went wrong.

Was it the death of Wei Cheng?
impossible.

He handled the matter flawlessly. With Qingzhi's intervention and his perfect alibi, even if the Wei family had suspicions, they would never be able to produce any substantial evidence.

Moreover, the Bai family had strongly supported Wei Cheng in the matter. He had already undergone an investigation by the Enforcement Hall regarding this matter.

On the other hand, judging from his attitude and appearance, the Wei Protector who escorted him should be a cultivator from the Wei family.

Chen Ye sat cross-legged, his thoughts swirling, when he suddenly realized a blind spot.

Why did the Bai family suddenly abandon their support for him?

No... it wasn't that they gave up, but rather that they allowed the sect to capture him, as if they wanted to find out something from him.

What could possibly interest the Bai family is news about Bai Susu?

However, Bai Wuji had already investigated him and confirmed that he had no connection with the Duqing Sect.

unless……

What has happened in the past few days that has led the sect to believe that they have a connection with demonic cultivators?
Therefore, the Wei family, who already had a grudge against him, secretly exerted their influence, leading to today's arrest.
Chen Ye's thoughts gradually became clear, and in a short while, he had figured out the whole story.

"The Wei family must be involved in this matter... If you don't kill the tiger, it will eventually become a problem. After killing Wei Cheng, you should go all the way..."

A ruthless glint flashed in Chen Ye's eyes.

Unfortunately, he has not yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

If he had established his foundation earlier, he would have personally killed the Wei family and the Wei clan he was targeting!

"However... what exactly has happened these past few days? I've been keeping a close eye on the market, and at least on the surface, nothing major has occurred..."

　It shouldn't be considered abuse of the protagonist, right?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)