Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 29 People You Don't Need to Care About
The man stood tall in the snow like a mountain.

The black iron scales gleamed with a cold light, and wisps of frost mist seeped out as the scales opened and closed.

This armor is an excellent protective artifact!
With a casual clench of his five fingers, three golden rays burst forth with dazzling sparks from the black iron finger sheath, crushing the Geng metal energy to dust as if extinguishing a candle wick.

"A low-level Five Elements technique makes you feel intimidated?"

His gaze fell on the disheveled Gao Ming, filled with utter disappointment.

"It's my incompetence!"

Gao Ming looked ashamed. The Gengjin Technique was only an introductory Five Elements technique, but he did not expect Chen Ye to use it so flexibly and so elusively.

The armored man was none other than Kong Hongxuan, the head of Ningfeng Hall!

He then looked at Chen Ye.

"This must be Fellow Daoist Chen? It's truly remarkable that Fellow Daoist Chen has managed to cultivate such excellent spiritual plant techniques in the shantytown. Why not join the Jade Lizard Society and work with us to achieve immortality?"

Kong Hongxuan's tone was stiff; he called it an invitation, but Chen Ye was not allowed to refuse.

Having had his legs severed, Zhang Laodao no longer showed any of the fear he had felt before.
A trail of blood was left in the snow.
It scrambled desperately to Kong Hongxuan's feet, like a mangy dog ​​finding its master:
"Master! Although Zhang Hong has only recently joined the Jade Lizard Society, he is a man of great courage and loyalty! He treats all of you fellow members like family! Now that Brother Chen has joined the Jade Lizard Society, when he goes to Donggou Valley, I am willing to take care of his apprentice! So that Brother Chen will have no future troubles!"

Kong Hongxuan glanced at Zhang Hong with disdain, seeing through his thoughts, but praised him aloud:
"Indeed, though old and frail, his passion remains undiminished! He understands the importance of sharing the burdens of his comrades!"

The two men completely disregarded Chen Ye's opinions and arranged a home for him and his apprentice.

Old Zhang's smile grew even brighter, his wrinkled face relaxing into a happy expression.

A cold wind whistled and crept into my collar.

The cold sweat on Chen Ye's back was dried.

Chen Ye's cold face remained expressionless: "What if I don't want to?"

He definitely has a trump card up his sleeve.

He had asked He Qi to cover for him beforehand.

But Kong Hongxuan's appearance exceeded his expectations.

He didn't understand.

Why would a cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refining come to arrest me with the help of Old Taoist Zhang?

Now that He Qi has yet to show up, Chen Ye feels a chill in his heart.

But would he be allowed to deliver the two little dumplings to Zhang Laodao's men?
Absolutely impossible!

Even though the ten strands of Geng metal energy had already drained his spiritual power!

"Noisy."

Kong Hongxuan looked impatient. He flicked his finger, and ice crystals condensed into a cone at his fingertip.

Before the sound of something breaking through the air arrived, Chen Ye felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows—a sign that death was imminent!

At the critical moment,
Chen Ye gripped the bone-scraping whip tightly, and this magical weapon, which his predecessor had always used, leaped out like a snake, colliding with the ice spike in mid-air.

"Oh!"

Scattered ice crystals fell softly onto Chen Ye's pale face.

He belatedly clutched his abdomen, only to find a bloody gash.

Kong Hongxuan outwardly intended to kill him, but in reality, he turned and attacked his abdomen!

If Chen Ye hadn't recently practiced the Body Weight Technique, his physical reactions wouldn't be so swift.

Otherwise, what would have pierced his abdomen wouldn't have been broken ice crystals, but that ice spike!

"I underestimated you."

Kong Hongxuan's face was ashen. As a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining, he naturally wanted to spare the man's life for other purposes and did not go all out.

But it was still a disgrace that the spell was blocked by Chen Ye!

Just as he was about to continue his attack, a sharp shout rang out from the wind and snow:
"Wait! Stop fighting! Stop fighting!"

He Qi, adjusting his straw hat, arrived late through the snow, offering an apologetic smile.
"Brother Chen, the snowstorm was too strong, and I couldn't keep up for a while."

Chen Ye forced a smile: "I am already extremely grateful that Brother He is willing to step forward."

Kong Hongxuan's pupils contracted slightly, and his aura suddenly subsided:

"Fellow Daoist He, it's been a long time! The Guild Master knew that Fellow Daoist He had come to Yunxi Fang, and specially asked me to invite Fellow Daoist He to the Jade Lizard Guild for a visit!"

The two were actually old acquaintances!
He Qi smiled wryly and said, "Aren't you just worried that I'll join the Stone Mirror Society? I've already settled down at Moon Rhinoceros Lake. I'm just here in the Three Thousand Mountains to hunt some monsters. I have no intention of getting involved in the affairs of your Cloud Creek Workshop."

The two bumped fists.

Kong Hongxuan then calmly asked, "Fellow Daoist He, what is your relationship with him? Why are you standing up for him?"

Indeed, there is no connection; they are just ordinary neighbors.

But they've gotten along quite well these past few days.

Coincidentally, He Qi also had a child at home.

He empathized with Chen Ye, yet also loathed Zhang Laodao. At the same time, Chen Ye did not disappoint him when faced with external threats…

If someone is afraid of death and would rather abandon their child than live a life of ignominy.

He Qi would never make a move, even if it meant breaking his promise.

Thinking of all this, He Qilang laughed and said:

"Brother Chen and I hit it off immediately. Why don't you two turn your hostility into friendship for my sake?"

Kong Hongxuan smiled gently, his lips curving into a smile:

"Fellow Daoist He is joking. The Jade Lizard Society simply wants to invite Fellow Daoist Chen to visit Donggou Valley."

He casually brushed the matter aside, making no mention of the fact that he had just injured someone.

Completely ignoring Chen Ye, he put his arm around He Qi and smiled warmly:

"I have already prepared a banquet at Yunshang Pavilion, Fellow Daoist He, please do not refuse."

"No problem, no problem, Brother Chen..."

Feeling apologetic, He Qi suddenly turned to look at Chen Ye.
"There's an old dog lying in the snow, doesn't it find it noisy?"

Old Zhang was dragging his broken leg into the snowdrift when he heard this, and his whole body stiffened.

Chen Ye instantly realized that He Qi was going to back him up and let him kill Zhang Laodao!

However, the spiritual energy within his body was already completely depleted.

A golden glint gathered at his fingertips, like a flickering candle in the wind, about to be extinguished at the slightest touch.

To outsiders, it would seem that Chen Ye was hesitant and dared not act.

He Qi frowned slightly, and Kong Hongxuan smiled upon seeing this: "Zhang Hong, after all, is a member of my Jade Lizard Society..."

Old Zhang smiled obsequiously: "Born a member of the Jade Lizard Society, will die a ghost of the Jade Lizard Society!"

However, just as Zhang Laodao breathed a sigh of relief...

The man, whom they had been ignoring, suddenly drew the iron sword from behind him.

In his youthful days, he used this sword to roam the martial world, seeking righteous vengeance and justice.

Twenty years later, the long-rusted iron sword is drawn once again!

"Da da da--"

Long boots sped across the snow.

Zhang Laodao scrambled in panic, but Kong Hongxuan subtly moved his wrist, and He Qi pressed down on his shoulder.

"Oh!"

The skull exploded, and the spurting blood painted a red plum blossom pattern on the snow.

Kong Hongxuan's face turned ashen. This wasn't just killing Zhang Laodao; it was slapping him in the face!
He Qi released his grip at the opportune moment, clapped his hands, and laughed loudly: "What a fine sword! What a fine sword!"

The wind and snow intensified.

Chen Ye clutched his abdominal wound; blood was still dripping from the hem of his raincoat.

He suddenly felt utterly bored.

There was no sense of satisfaction from revenge.

He remained silent, searching Zhang Laodao's body for valuables.

Then he turned and stepped into the snow.

Behind him came Kong Hongxuan's casual laugh: "That's just how rogue cultivators in the shantytowns are, they plunder every passing goose, they don't even spare the old men..."

"No, no, Brother Chen has a child, so he naturally needs to be careful with his money..."

Their conversation gradually faded from Chen Ye's ears.

The hand that was clutching his abdomen was stained red with blood.

He suddenly laughed at himself.

The destitute people in the shantytown were nothing more than trash to be plundered at will by Gao Hong and his gang.

It's nothing to brag about, nothing to worry about, nothing to care about.

He had no pity for his predecessor, a useless person.

They believed that everything was simply their own fault.

But actually...

In front of Kong Hongxuan, wasn't I just a useless person?
His previous idea was ridiculous—he thought that as long as he proved that he was not weak, he would not be bullied by others.

But actually,
In this cruel world, weakness is the original sin!

Chen Ye's expectation of living a down-to-earth and honest life with his apprentice was nothing but a pipe dream.

Any unforeseen external changes could shatter this illusion in a bloody way!
(End of this chapter)