Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 203 The Girl, The Grotto (Daily 10,000 words)

Three days ago, at Yuexi Lake.

Yuexi Lake Town is located near the Longmian Mountains, the largest mountain range in Guang'an County of the Yan State, and is named after the vast Yuexi Lake.

The lake was shrouded in mist and vapor.
The rolling Longmian Mountain lies nestled beside this fairy lake, its peaks like ridges and its forests like scales, shrouded in mist and clouds year-round, exuding a majestic aura.

The Xu family has monopolized this mountain.

Magnificent palaces and pavilions are built against the mountain; towers and pavilions stand beside the water. Countless restrictive formations and arrays are intertwined, both overt and covert.

This demonstrates the extent of their power, making them arguably the most powerful family in Yuexi Lake District.

Within the Lingyin Sect, it is second only to the Bai and Zhao families. Unfortunately, it lacks a Golden Core cultivator, making it difficult to be ranked alongside the Bai and Zhao families.

A flying boat traverses the sky.

It landed on the reception platform inside the Xu family.

A middle-aged man dressed as the Xu family's butler was already waiting there.

When he saw Mao Qingzhu, he didn't show much enthusiasm. He bowed formally and said, "Madam, you must be tired from your journey. The Ancestor and the elders have been waiting for you in the council hall for quite some time."

Mao Qingzhu was already used to this, her expression indifferent. She simply took the hand of the little girl beside her:

"let's go."

Xu San glanced at the little girl out of the corner of his eye, and seeing her silver hair, a hint of disgust arose in his eyes.

Seeing her looking around erratically without any manners, he felt even more contempt. After all, she was a wild girl raised in the countryside and couldn't stand the ways of the world.

As for Qingjun, how could she have noticed the cold looks from others?

She simply gripped Mao Qingzhu's hand tightly, tilting her porcelain-white face upwards, taking in the breathtakingly magnificent mansion, a thousand times larger than Luoli Courtyard.
"Aunt Mao! In the future, Qingjun wants to build an even more beautiful house than this, so that Master, Senior Sister, and Aunt Mao can all live together!"

Mao Qingzhu smiled and squeezed her soft little hand: "Okay, Auntie will wait."

Xu San almost burst out laughing.

What an arrogant and ignorant wild girl!

Longmian Mountain is a second-tier spiritual vein, situated high above and overlooking one of the most prosperous markets in the Yan Kingdom, holding an extraordinary position.

For ordinary cultivators, being able to reside here is already an incredible stroke of luck; how dare they even dare to covet it?

The big ones are shameless.

For the small ones, it's even more of a pipe dream.

This mother and daughter are truly not presentable in public.

"why are you laughing?"

The little girl squinted and looked at Xu San curiously.

Xu San felt a chill run down his spine, but he just laughed to himself. How did this girl know?

It was clear that Mao Qingzhu's gaze held a hint of displeasure. He bowed and explained:
"The young lady is so pretty and adorable that she brings joy to everyone who sees her..."

"Ugh? That wretched master!"

The little girl suddenly realized what was happening and clenched her little fists fiercely.

Master is Master Chen!

No wonder Master always smiled at her; he had been coveting her beauty all along!

She felt she wanted to be angry.

But thinking of her master's doting smile, she just couldn't bring herself to be angry.

Xu San was confused. What was this bastard?

Everything has to involve mentioning Master...

He lowered his head and smiled politely, "Madam, Miss, this way please. The elders are still waiting."

Mao Qingzhu's smile vanished, and her gaze darkened slightly.

Eventually, I'll have to meet those old fogies again...

She didn't say much, just nodded, and followed the butler with Qingjun in tow.

Along the way, pavilions, towers, mythical beasts, and auspicious birds all showcased the Xu family's wealth and luxury.

The spiritual energy there is even more abundant, far surpassing that of Lin Song Valley.

Actually, after arriving at Longmian Mountain

Although Qingjun felt reluctant to part with her master and senior sister, she was also full of curiosity about this unfamiliar and beautiful place.

But along the way...
She instinctively hugged the small package tighter, clutching the bell tightly, afraid of making even the slightest sound.

Everything here is too cold, far less comforting than the fresh scent of grass and trees in Linsong Valley.

Whether it was the smooth white jade floor or the Xu family members casting all sorts of glances at her.

Without exception, they all made her uneasy.

She moved closer to Mao Qingzhu and whispered, "Aunt Mao, why...why are they all looking at Qingjun?"

Mao Qingzhu was aware of Qingjun's nervousness, but she was helpless about it.

Her return with Qingjun will inevitably attract various glances from many members of the Xu family:

"That's because... they like Qingjun, so they want to see Qingjun more."

"Oh. Is that so?"

The little girl blinked, half believing and half doubting.
“I always feel something is different… Master also likes to look at me and my senior sister, but… his eyes are different.”

"That's because in the whole world, Master likes you all the most."

Mao Qingzhu couldn't bear to see Qingjun, who had been pampered by Chen Ye since childhood, suffer such injustice.

He could only coax the little girl in a low voice.

Sure enough, although the little girl was still a bit reserved, she was no longer as uneasy as before.

I can't let my master down!

The little girl gritted her teeth, straightened her back, and stood tall and proud, which made many of Xu family disciples chuckle to themselves.

"Damn it..." the little girl cried out in her heart, "Master is clearly terrified when he sees Qingjun stand up straight... why aren't they afraid..."

Only then did Qingjun begin to have doubts.

However, she was too young and naive to notice the favoritism her master showed in his subtle actions.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the steward finally stopped in front of a solemn hall.

Above the palace gate hangs a black plaque with three large, gilded characters written in a vigorous, dragon-like style: Council Hall.

"Madam, Miss Qingjun, we have arrived."

The butler bowed and stood to the side.

At that moment, the two heavy palace doors creaked open from the inside.

The scent of sandalwood and the coolness of it wafted towards me.

Looking up, one sees that the spacious hall is packed with people.

A series of scrutinizing gazes fell upon the main hall.

It was as if they were not family members returning home, but two sinners about to be judged.

Mao Qingzhu's face turned cold, but she showed no fear as she stepped into the hall.

Her black hair fluttered slightly, and her eyes flashed like lightning.

The aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was like a drawn sword, instantly severing all those malicious gazes!

The hall fell silent instantly.

"Qingzhu, you're back. It's been years since I last saw you, and your cultivation has improved even more. Not bad..."

At the head of the table, an elderly man with white hair and beard opened his cloudy eyes and nodded.

He is too old.

So old that his eyes were lined with wrinkles, his body was hunched and thin, as if the flame of his life would be extinguished at any moment.

The old man was none other than Xu Henshan, the patriarch of the Xu family.

He was the eldest son of the Xu family ancestor who migrated to Longmian Mountain. It can be said that his presence is felt everywhere in the history of the rise and fall of the Xu family in Longmian.

His cultivation level is at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, just a step away from the Golden Core stage.

Of course, some people say that Xu Laozu has abandoned the path of cultivation and used the golden core of a demon beast to form a fake core.

"Ancestor." Mao Qingzhu bowed to him, neither humble nor arrogant.

"The child beside you is..." Old Master Xu's gaze fell on the little girl who was hiding behind Mao Qingzhu, only daring to peek out half of her head and secretly sizing him up.

“Her name is Qingjun.” Mao Qingzhu pulled Qingjun forward a little. “She is my daughter.”

"Your daughter?"

Inside the hall, a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes bowed to the patriarch, and upon seeing him nod, he let out a cold laugh.

"Qingzhu, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. In the Xu family, there is no rule about an extra direct descendant appearing out of nowhere."

Mao Qingzhu is the wife of the head of the Xu family, and her daughter is the most noble bloodline of the Xu family.
Xu Ming was unwilling; how could a mere bastard be superior to his own children!

Moreover... outsiders don't know that the Xu family's true seal inheritance only has three more chances left. It's a case of too many wolves and too little meat. If Xu Qingjun snatches even one share, then his youngest son might lose the right to inherit it!
"Second Uncle, you are mistaken."

Mao Qingzhu stood firm, protecting Qingjun.

"I'm sure everyone here knows better than I what bloodline flows in Qingjun's veins. When she was born, the clouds and mist over Dragon Sleep Mountain dissipated, and the faint roar of a dragon could be heard. This was the manifestation of the Xu family bloodline in the world!"

Qingjun's hidden ailment also has a formal name in the Xu family: Blood Seed.

When a bloodline is born, its hair is white, its appearance is outstanding, and its talent is extraordinary. The whiter the hair, the more extraordinary it is.

Unfortunately... he should have been born with a spiritual seed, but the older the bloodline grows, the more insane his mind becomes.

Their bloodlines are different, but we won't go into that for now.

In the Xu family, it is a well-known fact that their bloodline is inherited from their ancestors.

Once upon a time, Xu Laozu's two younger brothers were white-haired blood descendants.

Qingjun is a bloodline, and there is no doubt that she is of the Xu family bloodline.

Xu Laozu, who was sitting high on the head seat, nodded slightly upon hearing this, and his gaze toward Qingjun softened.

Whether Qingjun is a direct descendant or a collateral descendant... in the end, he is still his bloodline.

This was because his two younger brothers had both gone insane and died young.

The Xu family, now a prominent clan with tens of thousands of members, is entirely composed of his bloodline—this is not surprising, as over three hundred years is enough time for more than ten generations to have multiplied.

However, three hundred years, though seemingly a long time, is enough to witness the rise and fall of dynasties in the mortal world, but in the world of cultivation, it is but a fleeting moment.

For Old Master Xu, it was just his life; direct descendants and collateral descendants were merely the palm and back of his hand.

Ironically, in his youth he was ruthless and decisive, his hands stained with blood, having personally killed his elder brother. Yet, as he neared death, he suddenly began to value blood ties and family bonds.

This is the key reason for the dispute between the legitimate and illegitimate heirs in the Xu family.

Mao Qingzhu paused for a moment, then said, "Today, I brought her back not to argue with you about these things. It's simply to reclaim what rightfully belongs to her."

At this moment, Old Master Xu closed his eyes to rest, letting the younger generation below argue.

Although he was the undisputed ruler of the Xu family, he was actually over three hundred years old and on his deathbed. He had only managed to survive until now thanks to the miraculous medicines left by his ancestors.

He was so old that even his mind was somewhat clouded, and he rarely participated in the management of the Xu family.

Seeing that the patriarch had closed his eyes, the remaining members of the Xu family continued their argument.

"Oh?" The man in the fine clothes raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Longmian Mountain, qualified to be baptized in the cold pool."

Mao Qingzhu spoke each word with resounding force.

"And the Xu family's true seal!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar!

"Nonsense!"

"It's just nonsense!"

"A bastard of unknown origin dares to covet the true seal inheritance of my Xu family?!"

Of course, there are other opinions as well.

"Ha! Bastard? Qingjun is of the Xu family bloodline, how could she be a bastard? Since she is a member of the Xu family, why can't she accept the inheritance?"

This person has an ordinary appearance, but his cultivation level is as high as the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. Judging from his age, he is in the prime of his life.

"Xu Changfeng, what right do you have to yell like that?"

Another Foundation Establishment cultivator retorted sharply, sneering,
"Could it be... that this woman is your bastard child! I never imagined that you would have an affair with Mao Qingzhu in order to covet the True Seal inheritance!"

Xu Changfeng smiled and said, "Actually, I would like to, but unfortunately, Madam doesn't give me the chance."

The group was making a huge fuss, completely disregarding the presence of Old Master Xu.

The old man, hearing his clansmen hurling insults at each other and disregarding all dignity, merely shook his head slightly and coughed.
"What kind of behavior is this, making such a racket? Little girl, you tell me,"

The hall fell silent instantly, everyone staring at the little girl clutching the bell.

Qingjun frowned slightly.

Say?
say what?
This old man is so strange...

The little girl felt very guilty, but she couldn't let her master lose face!

Thinking of this, she straightened her back in fear and stared blankly at Old Master Xu: "What did you say?"

The elders' expressions changed drastically.

Xu Mingbu slammed his fist on the table and stood up: "Insolence! The Ancestor is asking you a question..."

"Hahaha……"

Old Master Xu's laughter interrupted his reprimand.

An ordinary child would have been unable to stand after seeing a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators arguing, but this child was quite interesting. He chuckled.
"Not bad, the little one has extraordinary courage."

Upon hearing this, everyone saw the white-haired little girl standing tall and looking directly at the Xu family patriarch.

He was startled; to his surprise, this girl was indeed incredibly brave!

It was obvious that everyone in the hall harbored ill intentions towards him, and moreover, they were all Foundation Establishment True Persons, possessing their own spiritual power.

But she kept her eyes straight ahead, her posture as steadfast as a pine tree...

"Tell me your opinion of this old man," Old Ancestor Xu asked with great interest.

“My opinion… the old man’s beard looks like the Cold Flower Ginseng in Master’s herb garden.” The little girl stared intently. Master treasured that Cold Flower Ginseng; it was one of the few top-grade spiritual plants in the valley.

Many Xu family cultivators were once again shocked and enraged, but only Old Ancestor Xu raised an eyebrow, his expression inscrutable:
"Oh?"

The Cold Flower Ginseng is not a white ginseng; on the contrary, it is blue and round, quite unlike the appearance of a bearded creature.

He habitually used ginseng to maintain his white beard...

Clearly, the child's deduction was based on his perception of the aura.

Indeed, besides courage, his intuition is also outstanding.

Thinking about it this way...

For the first time ever, Old Ancestor Xu used his spiritual power to examine the little girl's cultivation level.

Upon this investigation...

Old Master Xu's face paled in shock, and he blurted out, "What!?"

Upon this investigation, even Xu Henshan, an ancestor who had lived for over three hundred years and was used to all kinds of storms, could no longer maintain his composure!

His previously half-closed, cloudy old eyes suddenly widened, his thin body leaned forward, and a powerful and terrifying aura erupted.

A nine-year-old at the sixth level of Qi Refining!
What incredible talent!

The Xu family has been based on Longmian Mountain for hundreds of years, with tens of thousands of disciples, and has produced several exceptionally talented young talents.

Even Xu Qingshan, the most talented of them all, was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining at the age of fourteen! In the end, he reached the Foundation Establishment stage at the age of twenty-five, and was poised to become the next true disciple of Lingyin Temple.

Everyone was startled again. How many years had it been since they had seen their ancestor's expression change so drastically?

Mao Qingzhu, on the other hand, smiled slightly, confident and assured.

In fact, Qingjun's cultivation level was also the source of her confidence for this trip.

These past few days, perhaps because she's been away from her master, the little girl has been putting in extra effort to cultivate, since she has nothing else to do.

He actually broke through to the sixth level of Qi Refining!

"Impossible! This wild... Qingjun has been wandering since childhood and has not had enough resources. How could she have reached the sixth level of Qi Refining? Could it be that she took some forbidden drug?"

The elegantly dressed middle-aged man, Xu, exclaimed in shock, and someone immediately echoed his sentiments beside him.
"Indeed, Mao Qingzhu, what vicious methods did you use to make your daughter of unknown origin seize the Xu family's true seal!"

"shut up!"

Mao Qingzhu's pretty face held a fierce glint, her phoenix eyes gleaming with authority.

"My daughter is a prodigy, far beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals like you!"

"Alright, do you really not take this old man seriously?"

Old Master Xu shook his head helplessly and smiled bitterly.

However, despite this, he didn't hold it against her; he simply explained on Qingjun's behalf.

"The little girl has a solid foundation and cultivates both physical and mental aspects, so she is definitely not a drug addict."

He stood up and looked around at the many Xu family cultivators.

"Very well, since you are all arguing about this endlessly, then... according to the clan rules, the Dragon Gate Gathering will be held in half a month."

"All disciples of the Xu family under the age of twelve who have a cultivation level of Qi Refining Level 3 or above are eligible to participate."

"The ultimate winner."

"Then you will obtain the true seal and enter the icy pool!"

"And... I will personally lead them to Songyang Grotto for training! Of course... the matter of the Grotto should not be revealed to outsiders for the time being."

These words shocked everyone present! Even Mao Qingzhu, whose usually cool and beautiful face showed deep astonishment.

Songyang Grotto Heaven?
Xu Henshan, who has not left the Xu family for nearly a century, is actually taking the younger generation to Songyang Cave for training?
Moreover, this is hardly a test.

This coronation ceremony was clearly tailor-made for Qingjun, enough to silence all the gossip!
With Qingjun's cultivation at the sixth level of Qi Refining, who in the Xu family could be her match?
When we win the top spot in the Dragon Gate Tournament under the watchful eyes of everyone, who in the vast Xu family will dare to have any objections?
"Songyang Grotto Heaven..."

The little girl pouted, but being the clever Qingjun, she naturally knew that she couldn't raise any objections at this time.

but.

If we go to Songyang Cave, wouldn't that mean we'll have to postpone our meeting with Master again?
"Do any of you have any objections?" Old Ancestor Xu's cloudy gaze swept over everyone in front of him.

at this time,

Even Xu Mingbu, who had been jumping the loudest, dared not have the slightest objection and respectfully said, "I am willing to obey the decree of the Ancestor!"

In his later years, the old ancestor became extremely gentle in nature.

Before he speaks, it would actually please the patriarch if the Xu family acted presumptuously.

But if you express dissatisfaction after you've spoken... that would be ungrateful.

At this moment, Steward Xu, who had been attending to the palace gates, suddenly turned pale.

This...what's going on?

Previously, he had completely disregarded the mother and daughter; even Xu Qingjun had noticed his contempt, let alone Mao Qingzhu.
But at that time, I didn't care at all.

After all, Mao Qingzhu was all talk and no action, and Xu Qingjun was a disgrace to the Xu family.

This mother and daughter are just outsiders.

But right now...

"Madam, Miss! Let me take you there..."

Seeing Mao Qingzhu leading the little girl out, Xu San hurriedly went up to her ingratiatingly.

But who would have thought, it was just my imagination.

The little girl suddenly glanced at him, a half-smile on her face: "Weren't you laughing happily before?"

Xu San was sweating profusely; he wanted to shout out his innocence a thousand times.

At that time, he only thought it to himself; how could he laugh it out loud?

Before he could explain, Mao Qingzhu had already drifted away with Qingjun.

……

Suddenly a world away.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

It takes two or three days to travel from Yunxifang to Lingyinzong.

Chen Ye stood in the cramped and cold confinement room of the spirit boat and sighed softly.

The last time he traveled to Lingyin Sect by spirit boat, he was riding high and full of ambition. He entered the sect with his two disciples and settled down in Luoli Courtyard with high hopes.

And this time...

Mingming's cultivation had broken through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, and he also possessed the wealth and power of a medicinal herb field in Linsong Valley, achieving far more than when he first arrived.

Instead, he found himself imprisoned and became a prisoner.

His spiritual power was forcibly suppressed, making it difficult for him to move. He was like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.

"At the ninth level of Qi Refining, one might dominate a region in the marketplace, and no one would dare to underestimate them. However, in the eyes of a behemoth like a sect, they are nothing more than ants and weeds."

Chen Ye understood.

Having reached the position of Lin Song's supervisor, overseeing the spiritual fields of the valley, and having cultivated to the ninth level of Qi Refining, it would be a lie to say that he wasn't a little complacent.

However, reality gave him a harsh wake-up call.

"In the end, cultivation is still the most important thing. Without strength... then the Lin Song Valley, which I have painstakingly built and regarded as my foundation, is nothing more than a small piece of land in the eyes of a true expert, and can change hands in an instant. And I, I was once so immersed in it that I even thought of living in a corner of the world..."

Chen Ye once thought that living a leisurely life of cultivation in this remote Linsong Valley with his two disciples, far from the wind and rain, would be a good choice.

However, the cruelty of the cultivation world allows no room for even a moment of luck.

If one does not strive for progress, one will sooner or later become easy prey in the eyes of other cultivators who are "ambitious."

Once Chen Ye had settled his thoughts, he focused his mind on his dantian (lower abdomen) and dantian.

The excruciating pain, like a maggot clinging to the bone, relentlessly eroded the lower abdomen.

"This is... a second-tier magic weapon? Ha, it's a waste of its potential to deal with a Qi Refining cultivator like me."

Chen Ye sneered and carefully circulated the Evergreen Technique.

He did not intend to attempt to remove the Soul-Locking Nail.

He was about to go to the sect, and if he were to dispel the curse now, it would be a waste of effort and might even cause him trouble.

However, at the very least, one must understand it to some extent and find a way to restrain oneself.

In this way, even if something unexpected happens, he will have the ability to cope.

As soon as the cultivation technique was activated, drawing upon the spiritual energy in the dantian, the pitch-black Spirit-Locking Nail suddenly shone with spiritual light, forcibly interrupting the cultivation technique's operation.

"No... Forcibly using one's own spiritual power to attack the Spirit-Locking Nail can indeed break the seal. But at the same time, the dantian will also be destroyed..."

Chen Ye could sense that the Soul-Locking Nail was almost integrated with his dantian, and forcibly removing it would destroy his dantian.

Fortunately,

He had completed the game in the past. As a qualified gamer, he could not be said to know the in-game strategies by heart, but he always had some impression of them.

Although the game's storyline takes place 500 years later.

But for the cultivation world, these five hundred years are but a fleeting moment.

Five hundred years later, the Soul-Locking Nail is still one of the common methods of imprisoning cultivators, but it has undergone many improvements.

The fact that there have been improvements means that there were defects in the past.

Chen Ye remembered that there was a side quest in the game that involved helping a weapon refiner find materials to make Soul-Locking Nails.

"I remember that the Soul-Locking Nail is only used on low-level cultivators, and there are three ways to remove it: First, the caster removes it. Second, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator pulls it out with abundant spiritual power. Third, a weapon refiner..."

The Soul-Locking Nail is a product obtained through weapon crafting. To outsiders, the Soul-Locking Nail seems difficult to remove, but to weapon crafters who are skilled in crafting it, it is child's play.

In the game's side quest, the weapon refiner intends to use the Qi Stone to randomize the spiritual energy circuits and runes inside the Soul-Locking Nail, thereby preventing other weapon refiners from unsealing it.

"But... everyone understands the principles, but where can we find a weapon refiner?"

Chen Ye sighed. Now that he was a prisoner, how could he seek help from outsiders?
He collected his thoughts,

He carefully guided the spiritual power of the Evergreen Technique, bypassing the dantian that was firmly suppressed by the Spirit-Locking Nail, and instead circulating it along the meridians throughout his body.

The feeling was like a dried-up riverbed being refreshed by a clear spring.

Although the flow was slow and the water volume was small, it eventually broke the drought.

Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his Evergreen Technique had reached the profound level and no longer required a fixed operating route.

Although, it is less than one-tenth of its peak.

However, he also possesses the cultivation level of the sixth level of Qi Refining. With his sword intent and Gengjin Qi, he can exert a certain combat power even without any external weapons.

"And...divine consciousness!"

Although his spiritual power was restricted, the powerful divine sense he had forged using the Seven Luminaries Soul Nourishing Technique still existed!
Just as he was rapidly turning his thoughts and reshaping his Dao heart, the door to the solitary confinement room creaked open from the outside.

The blinding light made him squint instinctively.

We've arrived at Lingyin Sect.

Unlike the other mountains in the sect that are shrouded in immortal energy, this place is shrouded in an ever-present layer of dark clouds, and a chilling aura permeates the air.

The entire mountain peak, like an inverted sword, pierces the sky. It is composed entirely of unknown black boulders, without a single blade of grass or tree. Only at various key points are engraved restrictive runes that shimmer with a sinister spiritual light.

Chen Ye was roughly dragged out of the solitary confinement cell by Wei Shu, who shoved him as they walked up the long steps leading to the mountain peak.

On both sides of the long steps, every ten steps there stands a stone statue with a ferocious face, each holding a different kind of torture instrument.

"This place... is extremely gloomy; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a place of demonic influence."

Chen Ye pondered for a moment, and soon his brow furrowed.

Wei Shu showed no intention of taking him to the main hall for questioning. Instead, led by the hunchbacked old woman, he headed straight for a gloomy cave entrance deep in the mountain.

Near the cave entrance stands a stone tablet with the words "Dungeon" inscribed on it.

"To throw me into the dungeon without interrogation, isn't that against the sect's rules?" Chen Ye sensed something was wrong.

"Rules? You don't actually think the Bai family will save you, do you?"

Wei Shu smiled smugly and said sinisterly,
"Don't pretend I don't know, Wei Cheng's death must be related to you! It's just a pity that the Bai family protected you that day, but today..."

As he spoke, he glanced at the hunchbacked old woman without making a sound.

The old woman interrupted at the opportune moment:

"Deacon Wei, please refrain from speaking. The Bai family has no ill intentions towards Deacon Chen. Deacon Chen, please stay here peacefully for a few days, and the elders will make a fair judgment."

……

The inner gate, the territory of the Bai family.

"What? He's already been locked up?" Bai Wuji frowned deeply, angrily saying, "This... isn't this baseless accusation? It was clearly the work of a rogue cultivator, what does it have to do with him?"

Previously, one of the protectors who imprisoned Chen Ye, the hunchbacked old woman, was here. She said calmly:
"Fellow Daoist Bai, I was only acting on the orders of the Second Elder... Besides, it was all for the sake of saving the young lady."

"Damn it!" Bai Wuji cursed angrily.

He knew a little about the matter, but was powerless to stop it.

Five days ago, in the Songyang Cave within the Three Thousand Mountains.

There was a rogue cultivator named He Qi who secretly joined the demonic path and helped them trick and kill dozens of rogue cultivators within the Lingyin Sect's territory, as well as three Lingyin Sect disciples.

This is not surprising.

Unfortunately, this person had a very close relationship with Chen Ye, and even secretly visited Chen Ye before entering the Three Thousand Mountains.

Furthermore, Chen Ye had attempted to approach Bai Susu, and Bai Susu had also visited Chen Ye before her disappearance…

Furthermore, the Wei family has consistently claimed that Chen Ye had long been colluding with the demonic path, and that Wei Cheng's death was actually caused by Chen Ye using demonic cultivators as a front.

Subsequently, the sect dispatched a deacon to investigate Chen Ye.

Unexpectedly, a demonic artifact was discovered in Luoli Courtyard—although, in Bai Wuji's eyes, this was clearly a scheme by the Wei family to frame Chen Ye!

However, with witnesses and physical evidence all present... Of course, this evidence is not important; what is important is that someone in the Bai family is secretly pushing things along.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, we also trust Deacon Chen. If Deacon Chen understands our good intentions, he will surely understand us as well."

The old woman said softly,
"He has received many benefits from my Bai family, so he should also be willing to do anything for my Bai family and suffer a little hardship. What does it matter?"

Bai Wuji snorted coldly and mocked, "When did he ever seek help from the Bai family when he got to where he is today? It was just adding flowers to brocade, yet you expect him to risk his life?"

The old woman remained calm and composed, saying indifferently:

"A single Golden Core technique is enough to buy the life of a rogue cultivator. This is also the Second Elder's intention."

Upon hearing this, Bai Wuji became even more furious.

The Scripture of Withered Glory and Profound Light requires five second-tier spiritual items just to get started!

Subsequent cultivation was even more difficult!

Such a thing, which only has the name of a golden elixir but is actually as useless as a chicken rib...

He sighed heavily.

The old woman asked curiously, "He's just a nobody, why are you so troubled, Fellow Daoist Bai?"

She shook her head.

In reality, the higher-ups just did it casually and didn't take it seriously at all.

Besides,

Chen Ye's current cultivation level and status are all thanks to the Bai family. Without the Bai family's help, he would still be competing with rogue cultivators in Yunxi Fang, and might have died in some corner long ago.

What good would it do to ask him to do some things for the Bai family?

At worst, even if he were to perish, the Bai family would take care of his disciple...

Bai Wuji sneered, "Even the smallest person is still a person... Songyang Cave Heaven has only recently opened, and it is extremely dangerous inside. Moreover, some time ago, demonic cultivators caused trouble, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries!"

"Hmph! Fellow Daoist Bai should also consider his own status. Only by having them scout ahead can we, the cultivators of our families, ensure our safety."

The old woman was somewhat displeased upon hearing this.

These words make them sound like demons.

If it were the demonic path, they would have driven out a large number of rogue cultivators and sent them to their deaths in the cave!
"If we don't see eye to eye, a single word is too much," the old woman coldly remarked at the end.
"Even if the elder only gave the instructions casually, we must still do it flawlessly! Remember... first have someone humiliate this person, and when he is in despair, then Fellow Daoist Bai can reach out and recruit him. After all, Fellow Daoist Bai is familiar with him, so we can only trouble Fellow Daoist Bai. Only in this way can he be grateful and repay the favor of our Bai family!"

As the saying goes, "a good beating followed by a sweet treat" is the way to manage subordinates.

If we keep doing favors for this person, they might not appreciate it!
"..."

Bai Wuji gritted his teeth.

As the old woman said, even if he disapproved, he had no reason to stop her.

"Fine, I'll just have to try and remind you a couple of things for his sake..."

……

"Dangdang!"

The prison doors, forged from millennia-old black iron, were slammed shut.

Completely isolate yourself from the outside world.

Inside the dungeon, it was cold, damp, and pitch black.

The stench of blood was so strong it made one want to vomit.

The ground beneath my feet was slippery stone, covered with sticky moss. Every now and then, cold water droplets dripped from above, hitting my face and sending a chill down my spine.

In the distance, there could be occasional suppressed groans of pain, or the clattering sound of chains dragging on the ground.

Chen Ye leaned against the wall, trying to calm himself down.

I didn't try to use the Evergreen Technique again, because in this kind of place, fluctuations in spiritual energy might attract unnecessary attention.

The cell was small, about ten feet square, and contained nothing but some damp, moldy straw.

In the corner opposite him, another figure was huddled up.

The man was disheveled and motionless, as if he were dead. If Chen Ye hadn't been able to sense his faint breathing, he probably would have mistaken him for a corpse.

After an unknown amount of time, the figure huddled in the corner suddenly moved.

He slowly raised his head, and upon seeing Qing Chenye on his face, which was covered in filth, he was immediately taken aback:

"You are... Chen... Chen Ye?"

"And who are you?" Chen Ye asked instead of answering, his expression wary.

He was deliberately detained here, yet he still managed to run into someone who knew him... This is definitely not a coincidence!
"It's me...it's Bu Feifan!"

Overjoyed, the man scrambled to Chen Ye's side and lifted his long hair.

Beneath the long hair was a young face.

“Bu Feifan…”

Chen Ye had no impression of this person at all.

But upon hearing his words, my memory immediately returned to the spirit plant competition more than half a year ago.

At that time, this young man was one of his biggest rivals.

At that time, Bu Feifan was young and ambitious, born into a family of spiritual plant experts, and had high aspirations.

"Didn't you join the Lingyin Sect? Why are you also imprisoned here?" Bu Feifan saw Chen Ye's stunned expression and realized that he recognized him, so he quickly asked.

"To be honest... I don't know either." Chen Ye softened his tone slightly.

“Then you must have offended someone. This is not a good place,” Bu Feifan said quietly.

Chen Ye sensed something amiss in his words and couldn't help but ask, "Fellow Daoist Bu, could you please enlighten me?"

Bu Feifan crawled back onto the straw mat, slumped onto it, and said dejectedly:
"Once you enter this dungeon, you will become... a death squad member."

"An assassin?" Chen Ye was taken aback.

"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chen has ever heard of the existence of a celestial paradise in the Three Thousand Mountains?"

Before Chen Ye could return, Bu Feifan continued speaking to himself.
"The so-called grotto heavens are all extremely dangerous, otherwise they would not appear in the world."

Chen Ye understood this principle.

Why?

A grotto-heaven is either the place where a great cultivator passes away peacefully, or a small world within a sect.

The place where a great cultivator passes away is, in a sense, their burial ground. Since it is a burial ground, these cultivators naturally do not want to be targeted by grave robbers, so they will definitely set up many restrictions.

In addition, there are the sect's small worlds. Some sects will hide in their small worlds when they encounter certain dangers.

If everything goes smoothly, you will naturally emerge from the small world...

If they didn't come out, then they must have encountered an accident.

For example, there was once a sect called Fangcun Sect, which was forced to hide in a small world because it was besieged by demonic sects.

Unfortunately, the demonic sects couldn't do anything about it, so they had to reinforce the small world with layers of evil formations to pollute it with evil energy.

This caused practitioners of the Fangcun Sect to fall into demonic possession.

But coincidentally, this demonic sect was soon destroyed by others.

This little world remained unknown until a hundred years later, when someone accidentally stumbled upon it, only to find it filled with madmen...

In short, when you discover a small world that suddenly appears, you must be careful—who knows what problems might arise inside?
　Thanks to book friend 20250806220206861 for the reward

　　I'm 800 short, sob sob sob, I really tried my best.

　　Tomorrow at 10800, I'll add it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)