Immortality begins with raising apprentices

Chapter 60 Zhiwei Asks for a Hug
The cycle of cause and effect, retribution is unhappy.

Kong Hongxuan used to bully and humiliate the weak by abusing his power.

Today, even stronger individuals have followed suit.

The cultivation world is inherently a dog-eat-dog world, where the law of survival of the fittest is cold and almost cruel...

However, Chen Ye did not expect Luo Heng to be so decisive.

Kong Hongxuan was a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining and could be considered a pillar of the Jade Lizard Society. Luo Heng was actually willing to cripple him!

After that, Luo Heng kept his word.

His confidant then presented Chen Ye with a warm, smooth jade pendant, which was presumably the treasure Luo Heng had mentioned.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, this is a first-grade, high-quality Heart-Protecting Jade. Consider it payment for treating Xuan Shen this time."

Luo Heng's voice carried a hint of solemnity.

"This jade can withstand three ordinary spells from late-stage Qi Refining cultivators. As long as it is not directly shattered, it can be slowly charged with spirit stones."

Chen Ye took the Heart-Protecting Jade, which felt cool to the touch and full of spiritual energy.

What a grand gesture!
The price of this Heart-Protecting Jade is at least a hundred spirit stones on the market, while an ordinary first-grade high-quality spirit plant is only a little over a hundred.

Luo Heng was willing to take out such a precious treasure, partly because the Six-Leaf Scrophularia was indeed valuable, and partly because he was probably worried that he, the plant master who could cure the Six-Leaf Scrophularia, might die unexpectedly and ruin his important plans.

"Thank you very much, Chairman Luo, for your generous gift."

Chen Ye accepted it readily; naturally, the more of these life-saving trump cards the better.

Luo Heng laughed and said, "But fellow Daoist, you should not rely on it too much... The previous owner of this jade died at my hands."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable ruthlessness that sent a chill down Chen Ye's spine.

At this moment, Zhou Mingyuan, a deacon of the Lingyin Sect, could no longer sit still and stepped forward, cupping his hands in greeting:
"With such extraordinary skills, Fellow Daoist Chen, it's only a matter of time before you join my Lingyin Sect! Perhaps in the future, we can even become fellow disciples!"

Zhou Mingyuan had a lean face and sharp eyes. He was about fifty years old and had a black jade gourd hanging from his waist. His cultivation level was at the eighth level of Qi Refining.

If it were an ordinary cultivator in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, Zhou Mingyuan would never take the initiative to befriend them.

However, this person's skill in cultivating spiritual plants is extraordinary, and he will most likely join the Lingyin Sect in the future, so Zhou Mingyuan cannot afford to be careless.

Chen Ye was also interested in getting to know this sect leader, so he exchanged a few pleasantries with him and they had a brief conversation.

Thinking of the two little ones, who were still at home anxiously waiting for him to come home.

Chen Ye didn't linger any longer, glancing at Lin Qiongyu beside him, whose face was deathly pale and whose delicate body was trembling slightly.

Remembering her subtle reminder earlier, and her past kindness in looking after her disciple, she said to Luo Heng:
"Now that this matter is settled, I shall take my leave. By the way, Miss Lin seems to have been quite frightened; perhaps I should escort her home?"

Luo Heng readily agreed, waving his hand and saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen, please do as you please."

Chen Ye led Lin Qiongyu out of Yunshang Pavilion.

The night wind was biting, and the chill was bone-deep.

Lin Qiongyu was only wearing a thin dance costume, and she was shivering from the cold, her teeth chattering.

On her way back, she suddenly mustered her courage and said in a trembling voice, "Senior Chen, although Qiongyu is a dancer, she is only a virgin... This time, she was forced to come by Luo Heng. He... he threatened my family..."

Chen Ye didn't stop walking, his voice indifferent: "What does it have to do with me?"

He turned his head and looked at her tear-streaked face: "Back in the shantytown, you colluded with Xue Chengjun to slander me, tricked me into believing you had a miracle cure, and not only did you not pay for the treatment, you repaid kindness with enmity."

Upon hearing this, the young female cultivator lowered her head even further, stammering as if trying to explain, "That is...it is..."

"No need to explain." Chen Ye interrupted her, his tone completely calm. "You and your partner will repay this a hundredfold, and that will settle the matter."

A hundredfold return!
A full one hundred spirit stones!

"Qiongyu understands."

Lin Qiongyu froze completely, as if she had fallen into an ice cave, unable to utter a single word. She could only silently follow behind Chen Ye, letting the cold wind freeze her until she lost consciousness.

Senior Chen, are you truly... heartless?

……

Night fell, and the snow continued to fall.

But Chen Ye's state of mind was completely different. He couldn't help but take a deep breath of the cold air, and his steps became lighter.

The persistent threat of Kong Hongxuan was a heavy burden on his mind.

Now that this person has been crippled, the boulder has been smashed to pieces and vanished into thin air.

Chen Ye suddenly felt a sense of vastness and freedom.

In the distance, the outline of the family's courtyard on Bishui Street could already be seen, with a faint light shining through the crack in the door, swaying in the wind and snow.

The courtyard lacked the hustle and bustle of Yunshang Pavilion, with its fine wines and beautiful women. There were only two small, thin children and a cultivation room that Chen Ye found incredibly tedious; everything seemed so quiet and simple.

But Chen Ye quickened his pace, eager to return home.

He paused as he approached the door.

Two small figures leaned against the dimly lit courtyard gate.

One was black, the other white, both wrapped in rabbit fur coats given to them by Granny Li, huddled together for warmth.

It is Zhiwei and Qingjun.

The two little ones have grown a bit taller and their faces have become fuller; they are no longer the pitiful skinny creatures they were when we first met.

Qingjun was completely wrapped up in a cascade of silver hair, her little head bobbing up and down, clearly exhausted.

Zhiwei remained quietly with her head down, her long, dark hair almost completely obscuring her small face, revealing only her tightly pursed lips and her earlobes reddened from the cold.

Upon seeing Chen Ye's figure, Qingjun's small body trembled violently, and all sleepiness vanished.

She instinctively wanted to run over, but then stopped herself and timidly shrank back behind Zhiwei.

Zhiwei also raised her head, her dark eyes under her bangs quickly glancing at Chen Ye before lowering them again, her small hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Their little faces were filled with contradictions and entanglements.

Are you scared?

They were afraid of their master, who used to beat and scold them at the drop of a hat.

But isn't it also a concern?

They worried that their master had been taken away by the Jade Lizard Society and might have met with some misfortune.

Chen Ye watched them cautiously, as if they wanted to get closer but dared not.

Her heart softened, she slowed her pace, and put on a gentle smile.

Hmm... Chen Ye has become quite adept at putting on that gentle smile.

Just then, Zhiwei, who had been silent all along, suddenly moved.

The black furball seemed to have mustered all its courage, and its small figure suddenly rushed out and hugged Chen Ye's leg.

She buried her face tightly in Chen Ye's trouser leg, saying nothing, her thin shoulders trembling slightly.

Chen Ye was taken aback and looked down at his little apprentice who was clinging tightly to his leg.

This was... the first time Zhiwei had taken the initiative to get close to him.

He could feel the little guy's coldness and trembling, and the unpleasantness in his heart caused by being schemed against by Kong Hongxuan instantly vanished.

Chen Ye squatted down and gently placed his large hand on Zhiwei's fluffy head: "I'm sorry to have worried you... Everything will be alright from now on."

Taking advantage of the rare moment when the black furball was affectionate, Chen Ye picked her up and held her in his arms.

The body in my arms felt light and airy, yet carried a hint of warmth.

"Master..."

Zhiwei's eyelashes trembled, and she hadn't reacted yet.

Feeling dizzy, she sat on Chen Ye's arm, her little hands instinctively gripping his clothes.
"Don't hug Zhiwei..."

She protested softly, her voice weak and feeble.

Chen Ye patted her on the back, a mischievous smile playing on his lips:

"Hmph, my good disciple, you ran over here just so your master could hug you, didn't you?"

"certainly not!!!"

Chen Ye, he's still a good guy and a bad guy after all!
The little black fluffy girl was angry; she clearly didn't want a hug!

I'm not a little kid anymore!
"Zhiwei, I hate Master!"

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(End of this chapter)