Immortality and cultivation begin at age forty, starting with Foundation Establishment.

Gift-giving is the most direct way to bring people closer together.

The reason Chen An had many friends and few enemies in the Xuan Yang Sect was because he knew how to give and receive gifts.

The warships will arrive in Qian Kingdom much earlier.

After discussing it, Chen An and Yu Peiyao brought local specialties from the Monster Mountain Range to visit Chen Ying.

"Greetings, Uncle Chen."

Chen Ying nodded casually, her gaze lingering on Yu Peiyao. The other party was only at the Qi Refining stage, so she should have addressed her as Grandmaster or Elder, but the other party addressed her as Martial Uncle, just like Chen An, which didn't make her feel uncomfortable; in fact, it felt somewhat intimate.

Yu Peiyao and Chen An are collaborators, and Yu Peiyao is a bridge between the Yu family and Chen An. While Chen Ying dislikes Chen An, she greatly admires Yu Peiyao.

Cultivation is difficult for those with four spiritual roots. Yu Peiyao, as a woman, does not cultivate demonic arts, yet she is still able to go against the tide and stand on the same starting line as many ordinary disciples.

"Is there something you need, nephew?" Chen Ying ignored Chen An and focused her attention on Yu Peiyao.

Chen An maintained a respectful demeanor.

Yu Peiyao handed a storage bag to Chen Ying and whispered, "Uncle Chen, my senior brother and I want to learn about the Netherworld Sect. Before boarding the warship, we were hunting demons in the mountains and had never heard of the Netherworld Sect. Now that we are to fight the Netherworld Sect, we are not sure what to do. Please give us some guidance, Uncle Chen."

Chen Ying took the storage bag, probed it with her divine sense, and couldn't help but be amazed. The few three-hundred-year-old spiritual herbs inside were secondary; it was some minerals that shimmered with red light that caught her attention.

"You two are very kind." After receiving the gift, Chen Ying clearly changed her attitude and was willing to face Chen An directly.

Gift-giving is a common occurrence. The other Foundation Establishment cultivators who commanded legions of five thousand men also sent gifts to Chen Ying, but their gifts were not as significant as those of Chen An and Yu Peiyao.

The Netherworld Cult is very famous, being a top-tier evil cult in the cultivation world. However, most cultivators have only heard of the legends of the Netherworld Cult, and very few have actually come into contact with the real Netherworld Cult.

The excuse used by Chen An and his companion was very suitable.

As a Golden Core cultivator, Chen Ying received more detailed information about the Netherworld Sect from the Song family before setting off, in addition to the information provided by the Nascent Soul cultivator.

Once a gift is accepted, a favor must be done. Chen Ying did not refuse Yu Peiyao's questions just because her favorability towards Chen An was negative. On the contrary, because the gifts from Chen An and Yu Peiyao were more substantial, she told them more detailed information about the Netherworld Sect, even including some hidden dangers in advance.

"I already gave you the basic information about the Netherworld Cult a few days ago."

"Then I will tell you about the magical artifacts of the Netherworld Cult disciples."

"Fighting against the disciples of the Netherworld Cult will inevitably involve contact with the Myriad Soul Banner. If it were an ordinary Qi Refining disciple using a Myriad Soul Banner made by mortals, that would be one thing, but the Fire Spirit Sword in your hands should be able to handle it easily."

"However, if a Foundation Establishment cultivator is carrying the Myriad Soul Banner, which is made from the souls of immortal cultivators, it is best not to approach them easily. If you do not have a magic weapon or a top-grade magic artifact to deal with them, you should find other cultivators to join forces against them."

"To deal with the cultivator wielding the Myriad Soul Banner, we must resist the suppression of the myriad ghosts within the banner and kill the cultivator who controls it as quickly as possible."

"The longer the battle drags on, the more dangerous it becomes."

"The Netherworld Cult also has another magical artifact called the Hundred Bone Whip. It is made by using evil magic to refine a large number of corpses into the shape of a whip, while simultaneously condensing a large number of strange insects and poisons."

"The White Bone Whip is generally not very powerful and cannot break through our defenses, but anyone grazed by it will definitely be poisoned by it. The poisons vary in strength, so try to avoid them if possible."

"There was once a Golden Core cultivator who refused to believe in evil and tried to withstand the White Bone Whip head-on. He was burned by the corrosive gas on the whip and died at the hands of a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator."

The Netherworld Cult possessed countless heretical magical artifacts and techniques, and even Chen An felt he had gained quite a bit, which was an unexpected surprise.

Chen Ying answered every question, whether it was from Yu Peiyao or Chen An, and even explained them in great detail.

However, the more Chen Ying talked, the less dignified she appeared as a Golden Core expert.

Many things don't actually need to be explained in such detail. Chen An and Yu Peiyao aren't novices in the cultivation world. If they go into too much detail, it will only make people underestimate Chen Ying.

When we arrive at the territory of the Netherworld Sect, the Yu family or the Shangguan family will send us news. However, if we can learn about this news on the warship in advance, we can make many countermeasures ahead of time.

The team assembled by Chen An and Yu Peiyao was, after all, not a direct descendant of the Yu family.

Before leaving, Yu Peiyao took out a small demon wolf from her spirit beast bag and gave it to Chen Ying. She then casually recounted her encounter with the demon wolf in the Demon Beast Mountain Range.

Chen Ying listened with interest and found it amusing.

Because someone in the demon-hunting team stole the Demon Wolf Beast's belongings and killed a cub of a second-tier Demon Wolf Beast, the second-tier Demon Wolf Beast came out to retaliate and killed more than fifty Qi Refining disciples.

Sensing that the demon-hunting team was prepared, the demon wolf beast went into hiding. While investigating the reason for the demon wolf beast's attack on the demon-hunting team, a vice-captain unexpectedly discovered a Golden Core cultivator's storage bag.

The demon wolf beast did not attack again. Realizing that its clan could not defeat the demon-hunting team, it led the entire demon wolf beast clan away.

Before leaving, the Demon Wolf Beast left behind twelve Demon Wolf Beast cubs for Chen An and the others.

As Chen Ying listened to the story, she casually teased the demon wolf beast that was jumping around on the ground.

As soon as the little demon wolf was released, it bared its teeth at Chen Ying in a show of intimidation. Despite being just a cub of a demon beast, it showed no fear of the power of humans. Even when Chen Ying released her aura, the little demon wolf remained defiant.

Seeing this, Yu Peiyao scolded the little demon wolf beast in a low voice, and the little demon wolf, like an obedient dog in the mortal world, lay on the ground without moving.

Chen Ying was very satisfied. At this moment, Chen An also noticed that her favorability rating had rebounded, increasing by twenty points and was no longer negative.

Her dislike for Chen An vanished because of the little demon wolf's enthusiastic performance in front of her.

"This little demon wolf beast truly lives up to its reputation as a rare species among demon beasts; it is so intelligent and human-like."

Chen An smiled and agreed, feeling relieved. As long as the favorability rating could be improved, it was fine. He estimated that after a while, Chen Ying's favorability rating would become positive.

Chen An didn't need to investigate the reason why the number turned negative.

Back in the group, after setting up a soundproof barrier, Yu Peiyao looked at her strangely and said, "Senior Chen Ying is indeed a bit naive. Her disdain for you, Senior Brother Chen, is so obvious that it's easy to see."

"I guess it's because of Senior Sister Ye, but she doesn't really dislike Senior Brother Chen; she just envies Senior Sister Ye."

"After careful consideration, I realized that when Senior Chen Ying was diagnosed with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, she didn't have the power to make that decision herself, yet she became a member of the Song family."

"Her subsequent cultivation was also under the supervision of the Song family, including becoming Senior Song Qi's Daoist partner, which was probably not something she could control herself."

"She envied Senior Sister Ye for being out of control, and she also envied Senior Sister Ye for having a senior brother like you who stood up for her."

"Logically speaking, she should have feelings for you, senior brother."

"Unless she has identified herself with Senior Sister Ye, but Senior Brother Chen did not lead Senior Chen out of her life."

Chen An shook his head; Yu Peiyao was too prone to overthinking.

However, some things are just full of drama, and only Chen Ying herself knows what she is thinking at the Golden Core stage.