Dongting Immortal Clan

Time flies like an arrow, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Over the past three years, news of battles in Wulong Gorge has been frequently reported, including slaying evil cultivators and the ambush and death of some cultivators.

Every time Chen Changhe read the letters his elder brother sent home through someone else, he felt a sense of dread between the lines.

Fortunately, the Chen family of Shimen had Chen Yunlu in charge, so they still had some influence in the camp.

Chen Dajiang saved Chen Yunlu and worked hard himself, making progress in both his cultivation and physique, and gradually integrating into the Chen clan of Shimen.

To make things easier, Chen Yunlu simply took the initiative to let him "recognize his ancestors and return to the clan," registering him in the collateral genealogy of the Shimen Chen clan and giving him a formal title.

In this way, Wu Que of the Demon-Catching Division would find it difficult to find a reason to make things difficult for him.

The Chen family of Baiyukou had no objection to this.

For Chen Dajiang, who was all alone in the world, being able to receive the protection of a foundation-building clan like the Chen family of Shimen was a rare opportunity.

Chen Chuansheng was afraid that his son would suffer grievances outside, so how could he blame him for a mere empty reputation?

He just hoped day and night that things over there would end soon and that Chen Dajiang could return home safely.

Unfortunately, what lies beneath Wulong Gorge seems to still be hidden.

Over the course of three years, cultivators from all sides conducted both overt and covert investigations, searching almost the entire canyon, but to no avail.

Since the treasure had not yet appeared, all the forces could only guard the exit and wait and see.

As a result, the high walls outside Wulong Gorge were built higher and higher, gradually becoming majestic and heavily guarded, vaguely resembling city walls.

Chen Dajiang himself did not waste his time. In his first year as a member of the Chen clan's collateral branch, he broke through the barrier of the Jade Spring Realm and entered the third realm of the Spirit Treasury.

Na Juan's cultivation of the "Golden Stone Tempering Bone Technique" progressed even faster, and she had already mastered the second level, "Mysterious Tiger Fiend".

Once the energy is channeled, a crimson-gold aura circulates around the body, resembling a crouching tiger, exuding an imposing aura without anger. Ordinary cultivators who approach it will feel a sense of fear even before the battle begins.

Seeing his solid progress, Chen Yunlu was satisfied and formally accepted him as a disciple. Although he was not a direct disciple, he now had the status of master and disciple, and his intention to protect him became even more obvious.

Chen Yunsong was not stingy. He ordered his men to take away Chen Dajiang's dark long stick and find a weapon refiner to remelt and recast it with spiritual materials such as refined gold and cold iron. It was transformed into a "Dark Cloud Spear" that was twelve feet long, dark and black, and engraved with cloud patterns.

This spear is extremely heavy, yet it is also very tough. Combined with Chen Dajiang's terrifying strength and the "Mysterious Tiger Fiend" enhancement, its combat power is close to that of a Golden Marrow Realm cultivator.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Chen Yunlu also told Chen Dajiang about the secrets of the canyon that he had discovered from various sources.

……

original.

Beneath the turbulent waters of Wulong Gorge lies an ancient underwater palace of unknown age.

It contains many secret treasures, attracting many cultivators to explore it.

However, outside this water palace, there is an "ancient forbidden array" with many techniques that have long been lost, and even Qiu Qianli, who is proficient in arrays, cannot break it.

This formation is quite mysterious. Any cultivator below the Foundation Establishment stage, regardless of their cultivation level, will have their magical power suppressed and sealed the moment they step into the formation's range, turning them into mortals!

This was a devastating blow to the sorcerers who were renowned for their magical abilities.

Back then, when Chen Yunlu and Yuan Hecheng joined forces to hunt down Qiu Qianli, they accidentally stumbled into the range of this formation.

In an instant, everyone's magical power was weakened, and they were in a panic. Only Chen Yunlu, relying on the power of the thunderous aura and his considerable swordsmanship, was able to hold his own and protect everyone as they retreated in a sorry state.

That is why he became Qiu Qianli's primary target of hatred and desire to eliminate him.

More importantly, according to the secret methods of the Chen family patriarch in Shimen, this water palace seems to be spiritual and only allows cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage to enter.

Once a Foundation Establishment cultivator approaches, the Water Mansion will disappear on its own, becoming difficult to find.

This is why, despite the commotion at Wulong Gorge, none of the Foundation Establishment cultivators from various factions have shown up.

As for what exactly was hidden deep within the Water Mansion, Chen Yunlu did not explain. He only solemnly told Chen Dajiang that this thing was of great importance and was something that the clan's patriarch had personally instructed them to fight for with all their might.

Even if we cannot obtain it ourselves, we must never allow it to fall into the hands of evil sects like the Heavenly Nether Demon Sect.

He had also calculated the time; the Water Palace would reappear in the world about a year from now.

By then, all forces will have surely discovered the truth and will send out many elite troops, leading to a fierce battle in front of the Water Mansion.

The reason I bestowed the cultivation techniques, reforged the weapons, and cultivated Chen Dajiang in advance was that I hoped he could gain his assistance at that time, help him restrain his enemies in the chaos of battle, and plot the treasure of the Water Mansion.

After learning the reason, Chen Dajiang felt a little more at ease.

Although he felt that this matter was far more important than he had imagined, he valued Chen Yunlu's honesty and straightforwardness, which he appreciated.

Having received such great kindness, I should do my utmost to repay it.

Therefore, he cultivated even more diligently, hoping to master the "Dragon-Elephant Body" before the Water Palace opened, so as not to fail the trust placed in him.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The Chen family in Baiyukou has undergone earth-shattering changes in the past three years.

After breaking through the Jade Spring, Chen Changhe led Chen Baiye, Chen Shoushan and others to re-survey the earth's veins and water flow, draw mountain springs, dig ditches and canals, and plan the family's spiritual fields in an orderly manner.

He also specially cultivated several medicinal gardens, carefully planting the various spiritual plant seeds he brought back from Deer Horn Mountain, categorizing them by type.

Deep within Linglu Mountain, the hidden medicinal garden left behind by Li Kaihe was also unlocked by Chen Changhe using a jade talisman.

He legally drew upon the essence of plants and the radiance of the sun and moon, transforming it into sweet rain, which he used to irrigate the Ganoderma spores day after day.

Hard work pays off.

Three years later, the spores actually sprouted tender green shoots and transformed into Ganoderma lucidum seedlings.

Reishi mushrooms grow slowly; it takes at least ten years for them to grow to a usable size.

Chen Changhe was not in a hurry. He opened up three new gardens around the medicinal herb garden and transplanted "White Jade Ginseng", "Gold and Silver Fruit" and "Green Spirit Grass" respectively.

These are all commonly used materials for refining basic pills for restoring energy and healing injuries. The market demand is stable, and there is a harvest every year. They are spiritual plants that many small cultivation families often grow.

Chen Changhe only needed to water the plants with spiritual rain every few days, while the clansmen diligently took care of the pest control.

He spent most of his time in quiet meditation at Qingchi Villa.

After switching to the "Qi Cultivation and Longevity Formula," my cultivation became much smoother.

After three years of diligent cultivation, the blue-white magical power within his dantian had accumulated to 160-170 strands, and he was not far from reaching the perfection of the Jade Spring Realm.

The bamboo in the courtyard grew ever more vigorous, and the exotic flowers and plants, nourished by the spiritual energy, bloomed eternally.

The nest of Xuanjin bees that was purchased back then, nourished by the spiritual energy dissipating from Shangyuan Pool, actually multiplied.

A beehive about a foot in diameter has been built, inside which hundreds of black bees are busy collecting pollen and making honey.

Deep within the hive, however, the enormous queen bee now appeared aged.

It lay on the nest wall, its wings trembling weakly, its once golden and shiny down now dull and withered, its movements slow and its breath weak.

"The queen bee's lifespan is coming to an end..."

Chen Changhe used his spiritual sense to investigate and immediately understood.

The old man was right; the bee colony he sold did indeed have a queen bee. However, the queen bee was past her prime. Although she could still reproduce, she laid fewer and fewer eggs, and the hatched bees were extremely difficult to survive.

"We need to find a new queen bee as soon as possible."

He thought to himself.

"Over the past six months, we've accumulated some low-level talismans at home, and the new season's spirit grains have been dried and stored away. We're just waiting for Zhou Tiema to gather all the spirit fish from the pond before we can make another trip to Deer Horn Mountain to trade for what we need."

In the past three years, the Chen family has gained several more cultivators.

Among them, the one with the fastest cultivation speed was not Tian Hu, nor Chen Qinghe, but Zhou Tiema, who had ingested the Ascension Powder.

After three years of arduous training, Zhou Tiema had already shed his wooden body, a speed that left Chen Changhe somewhat astonished.

"He knew that the opportunity to become an immortal was rare, and even though he was not in control of his own destiny, he was willing to be a slave or servant, just for this one chance to cultivate."

"Therefore, when he cultivated, he was completely focused, almost to the point of madness. Except when I sent him out on business, he spent all his time in the Qingchi Villa breathing in spiritual energy."

Chen Changhe looked at Zhou Tiema, who was cultivating in a distant corner, and felt a sense of emotion.

It reminded me of my past.

In pursuit of inner fire, they also practiced diligently, neglecting sleep and meals.

In contrast, among the children with spiritual potential that they had collected, Tian Hu and Chen Qinghe had made the fastest progress and had already successfully ignited their inner fire.

The remaining four are still at the stage of drawing qi into their bodies, and their progress is slow.

Young people, by nature, cannot endure the hardships of spiritual practice, unlike Zhou Tiema who is so determined.

Over the past three years, Chen Changhe has once again searched for spiritual treasures in the surrounding villages and towns.

The meridians only fully develop after a person is six years old, so only three people were found.

One of them was Chen Baiye's son, born late in life, whom he named "Chen Yuguang".

Upon learning that his youngest son possessed spiritual insight and had a talent for cultivation, the old man was overjoyed and went to find Chen Chuansheng to drink himself into a stupor.

The other person was his brother-in-law Zhang Xiushan's eldest son, named "Zhang Chengding".

The remaining person has little to do with the Chen family.

All three were only six years old when they were taken in together at Qingchi Villa, becoming Chen Changhe's second batch of disciples.

As Chen Changhe was pondering the various preparations for his trip to Deer Horn Mountain, he suddenly heard light footsteps, followed by a fragrant breeze.