There are no ancestors at all; I made them all up.

Chapter 288 Seeking Revenge!
"What exactly happened in just seven days?"

Su Zhijin took a deep breath, and a rich spiritual energy surged into his lungs, causing all the pores on his body to open up, and his magical power to circulate more smoothly!
"This is definitely not an illusion!"

He looked around and saw that the clouds and mist in the mountains were even more beautiful, and the air was so fresh that it was unbelievable. The entire mountain range was full of life, and it was completely different from seven days ago!
"This concentration of spiritual energy is almost comparable to those blessed lands and spiritual pavilions outside the capital!"

If there has been any change in these seven days, it is that Chen Qing has returned!

"It seems I underestimated Sect Leader Chen's abilities!"

Su Zhijin was deeply moved, and his evaluation of the young sect leader rose even higher. He then suppressed his emotions, straightened his clothes, and headed towards the mountain gate.

Bai Shaoyou, who had received the report, was already waiting there. Upon seeing him, he bowed respectfully and said, "Lord Su."

“Nephew, there’s no need for such formalities.” Su Zhijin nodded with a smile, then asked, “Is Headmaster Chen in the mountains? I have come here to invite you because the banquet at Xuanji Chess Academy has been arranged.”

Bai Shaoyou replied, "Thank you for coming in person, Lord. However, my master went into seclusion after returning a few days ago and has not yet emerged from seclusion."

"Seclusion?" Su Zhijin was taken aback upon hearing this, then immediately thought of the dramatic changes in the spiritual energy in the mountains, and a thought struck him: "Could it be that these changes in the spiritual energy are also related to Sect Leader Chen's seclusion this time?"

Just as he was pondering, a voice rang in his ear—

"Please wait a moment, Lord Su. I will be right there."

The voice was clear, as if the speaker were right beside you.

Su Zhijin felt a chill run down his spine. He scanned the area with his divine sense but could not find any trace of Chen Qing. He felt that Chen Qing's methods were even more unfathomable.

Deep within the mountain, the stone chamber that had been carved out had undergone a complete transformation!

The surrounding stone walls were crystal clear, with spiritual energy flowing through them, clearly transformed into spirit stones and spirit marrow of extremely high quality! The ground was even covered with a thin layer of spiritual liquid!
In the center, Chen Qing sat cross-legged, his aura subtly harmonizing with the entire mountain range.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the surrounding clusters of transforming spiritual essence crystals, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Using the spiritual gate to nourish the earth's veins and stimulate the growth of some spiritual essence can be considered an initial improvement to the foundation of Mingxia Mountain. In the future, by proceeding step by step, the quality of the mountain's spiritual veins can be further improved, and it may even be transformed into a blessed land. However, this matter cannot be rushed. It must be done gradually and steadily. Moreover, sudden changes can easily attract covetousness and cause unnecessary trouble."

His thoughts raced, and then his eyes turned cold.

"The key is that the clinging Buddhist aura, which was like a maggot to the bone, has finally been washed away and dispelled by the spiritual energy! The person who did this was truly vicious and insidious. If I hadn't discovered it early, the foundation of the sect would have been destroyed in time! Going to that banquet this time is tantamount to seeking revenge. If I encounter the person who did this, I will not let them off lightly and will make them pay the price!"

He has never been one to swallow his pride, nor would he be bound by the pretense of a so-called reconciliation banquet!

As he pondered this, Chen Qing stood up, took a step, and disappeared into the depths of the mountain.

Before the mountain gate, the air rippled slightly, and Chen Qing appeared silently.

"Sect Leader Chen!" Su Zhijin saw him appear and quickly stepped forward to bow. "I apologize for disturbing your meditation, Sect Leader."

"You're too kind, Master Su." Chen Qing replied calmly. "Is the banquet at Xuanji Chess Academy ready?"

“Exactly.” Su Zhijin nodded. “All parties have been notified, and Anning even went ahead to make arrangements, just waiting for the sect leader to arrive.”

"Then let's go." Chen Qing didn't say much, and turned to Bai Shaoyou beside him, instructing, "You continue to manage everything in the mountains. I'll be right back."

Bai Shaoyou then understood the cause and effect, knowing that his sect leader had gone to reconcile. Although he still harbored resentment towards the domineering behavior of the Buddhist monks a few days ago, he knew the bigger picture and suppressed his emotions, bowing and saying, "Master, it would be best if you could prioritize harmony on this trip."

He thought that since the sect was newly established and its foundation was still shallow, it would be a wise move to take this opportunity to resolve grievances, gain temporary peace, and bide one's time.

Chen Qing glanced at him, smiled, and said nothing more. Then he said to Su Zhijin, "Lord Su, please lead the way."

"Sect Leader Chen, please!"

The two immediately transformed into streaks of light and disappeared from the mountain.

After watching their master and Lord Su leave, Fang Da'ao, Qu Xiaoyao, and others who knew the whole story gathered around.

"Sigh, we still have to be strong ourselves!" Fang Da'ao sighed, a hint of resentment on his rugged face. "Once we're all strong, and our sect is truly powerful, let's see who dares to bully us!"

Qu Xiaoyao's pretty face was contorted with anger, still indignant: "Is this really all? That day, the bald monk was so arrogant! He treated our sect like his own backyard, ordering us around as if we were his own backyard! He even threatened to make sure we never had a peaceful day again! Just thinking about it makes me feel so aggrieved! In the end, my martial uncle has to go and mediate, even though they were the ones who were being rude! We didn't do anything! What's there to mediate?"

Fang Da'ao said in a muffled voice, "Little Ray, a moment of patience will calm things down. Your master is also thinking about the overall situation of the sect."

Qu Xiaoyao bit her lip. Although she was unwilling, she knew that her senior brother was right. However, she felt a tightness in her chest and could not get over it.

"Hey! This little girl is just my type!"

In the corner, the little black cat lazily licked its paws, a playful glint in its blue eyes, and then whispered to the little monkey scratching its head beside it, "Just watch, the sect leader isn't the type to swallow his pride. There's bound to be a good show when he goes there."

"Squeak!" The little monkey nodded repeatedly, its golden eyes shining, waving its paws, clearly having a deep understanding of its master's temperament.

Xuanji Chess Academy wields immense influence in Nanbin, with most of Nanbin considered to be within its sphere of influence, yet its main campus is not located in Nanbin.

Chen Qing followed Su Zhijin on a flight, first arriving at Wanghai City, and then transferring to a uniquely designed land-based vessel.

This boat does not follow waterways, but can travel close to the ground at high speed, covering a thousand miles a day. In addition to Su Zhijin, there are several officials and attendants from Nanbin Road traveling with it.

There was a little twist to this story: Chen Qing had asked to ride in this boat instead of a flying magical artifact. Although Su Zhijin didn't understand, he complied.

After more than two days of bumpy travel by boat on land, they arrived at the foot of a huge lake.

"Sect Leader Chen, ahead lies the Shattered Star Marsh, and the Xuanji Chess Academy's mountain gate is located on the Star Luo Island in the center."

"Oh?" Chen Qing asked curiously, listening to Su Zhijin's words. "The mountain gate is on an island, but the island isn't in the sea?" "That's right, because the marshland is vast!" Su Zhijin explained with a smile, "It is said that this marshland was not formed naturally, but originated from a great battle in the early Meteorite Era! Two great supernatural beings fought here, one known as the Rift Universe True Man, and the other as the Thousand-Eyed Demon Lord. Their names are still occasionally mentioned in some ancient records. The aftershocks of their battle bombarded the earth, creating this vast marshland!"

"The Meteor Era?"

Chen Qing's eyes flickered slightly as he memorized the two names.

As he spoke, he disembarked from the boat with the others and stood on the lakeside. Looking up, he saw misty waters, vast expanses of water, distant mountains like dark eyebrows hidden in the clouds, and many spirit fish swimming in the water.

A refreshing wave of moisture hits you, instantly invigorating you.

"What a magnificent body of water!" Chen Qing couldn't help but exclaim.

Just then, a large ship broke through the thin fog and slowly approached.

Standing at the bow of the ship was a man in a blue robe, with a refined and scholarly face. He was Zhang Shun, an old acquaintance of Chen Qing from his days on the ship, who possessed the spirit of the blue sea!

"Brother Chen, it's been a long time! You're even more impressive than before!" Zhang Shun said with a cupped hand and a smile. Seeing Chen Qingyue's imposing and dignified demeanor, he couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "It's only been a short time since we last met, yet Brother Chen has already become famous throughout Nanbin and is enjoying unparalleled success. It's truly admirable!"

"Brother Zhang, you flatter me. Your cultivation has also improved significantly." Chen Qing returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhang said, "Upon learning of Brother Chen and Lord Su's arrival, my sect specially ordered me to come and greet you, and to lead you into the mountain gate and board the boat."

The group boarded the rather spacious ship as instructed.

The large ship slowly turned around and sailed into the depths of the misty waves.

Standing beside Chen Qing, Zhang Shun pointed to the faint outline of the islands in the mist ahead and said with a smile, "Those islands scattered like stars in the sky ahead are Xingluo Island. Our sect's Zongheng Pavilion is built on the main island. The name Zongheng not only subtly reflects the principles of chess, but also implies that the sect's heritage is all-encompassing and capable of strategizing in all directions."

The boat sails on the lake, cutting through the blue waves.

Chen Qing leaned on the railing and gazed into the distance. He saw islands scattered in the distance, arranged in a certain trajectory, echoing the stars in the sky. He thought to himself, "What a beautiful and spiritual place! It is no accident that Xuanji Chess Academy was able to establish its sect here. Indeed, the sect's gate is also the key to the inheritance of this great lineage!"

Seeing Chen Qing observing the island's terrain, Zhang Shun said, "Our seniors once said that the Star Luo Island Group, though seemingly scattered, actually contains a natural grand formation that interacts with the stars in the sky, possessing endless mysteries. Unfortunately, we are too dull to fully grasp its wonders."

As the ship sped up, the outline of the main island became increasingly clear.

The island is covered with verdant mountains and pavilions, creating a magnificent scene that blends seamlessly with the water and the island's terrain.

After the boat came to a stop, Zhang Shun raised his hand to lead the way: "The banquet is set up in the Jingwei Hall. The two hall masters and several eminent monks have already arrived and are waiting in the hall. Please follow me."

Then, he added with a smile, "The Jingwei Hall of my sect is no ordinary place."

The Jingwei Hall exudes an extraordinary atmosphere.

This hall has no roof, from which one can see the Milky Way flowing; it has no walls on all sides, and is surrounded by clouds and mist.

Inside the hall, clear spring water cascades down from between the rocks, forming a winding stream that flows through the hall. Beside the stream is a jade pavilion with a stone table inside.

A magical bird carrying a jade pot shuttles back and forth, filling the guests with fine wine; a white ape carries a jade plate, offering exotic and fragrant fruits.

The guests were seated in twos and threes, some sitting cross-legged by the stream, others standing by the pavilion.

Two dignified old men, dressed in star-patterned Taoist robes, sat by the stream at the main seat. They were the two hall masters of the Xuanji Chess Academy who were accompanying them.

In the pavilion on the other side, three monks were sitting.

The leader had a withered face and cloudy eyes; he was quite old, like an ancient tree weathered by time.

A middle-aged monk with fair skin and arrogant eyes sat to his left, looking around.

At the very end was a handsome young monk, who was looking down and fiddling with a string of prayer beads, seemingly indifferent to his surroundings.

An Ning, a woman in a palace dress, was also in the hall, standing beside the two hall masters, speaking softly but clearly—

"...Sect Leader Chen is exceptionally talented, possesses profound cultivation, and is also broad-minded. He cares deeply about the peace and tranquility of Nanbin. Since he took charge of Mingxia Mountain, he has repeatedly resolved disputes and helped the weak, which is truly a blessing for the cultivation community of Nanbin. In the past, when some ignorant people offended him, Sect Leader Chen would often consider their difficult cultivation and give them minor punishments as a warning. Such magnanimity is truly admirable!"

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall momentarily froze.

The old monk's cloudy eyes twitched.

The young monk paused, his fingers pausing.

"You've said all the nice things!" the fair-skinned monk sneered. "Broad-minded? You call standing by and watching someone die broad-minded? Young Master Erqing of the Cangming Water Mansion is afflicted with a terrible illness and is suffering terribly. The Buddha said to be compassionate and save all sentient beings! Sect Leader Chen clearly possesses the method to suppress the True Flame, yet he repeatedly makes excuses and refuses to lend a helping hand. How is such behavior any different from that of the cold-blooded demons?!"

An Ning frowned and said, "Master, your words are biased. We agreed before that we came here to reconcile. Why are you saying such things?" As she spoke, she became suspicious.

Chen Qing's achievements have now been reported, and even powerful forces like the Xuanji Chess Academy are amazed. Regardless of whether they are true or not, they dare not offend him rashly. Why did these monks break their promise and speak ill of him as soon as they arrived, as if they came here on purpose to provoke him?
wrong!

Suddenly, An Ning realized something and thought to herself, "These monks shouldn't be risking their lives for the Cangming Water Palace. Could it be that they have ulterior motives and are just looking for an excuse to lure Headmaster Chen out? Since they couldn't find him in the mountains, they followed our arrangements and came to this reconciliation banquet?"

The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong.

"Will they continue with their malicious words and insist on stirring up trouble?"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he heard the fair-skinned monk say, "I've also heard that Chen Qing is incredibly vengeful. Anyone who offends him, regardless of the reason, suffers ruthless retaliation, ranging from serious injury to death! He even used his power to wipe out sects like Haiyuan Temple! Not to mention, Mingxia Mountain openly shelters demonic cultivators from Nanyan Continent! I wonder what their true intentions are!"

(End of this chapter)