Dongting Immortal Clan

Upon hearing this, Chen Yunlu's heart sank, but his expression remained calm as he explained:

"Dajiang has reached a critical point in his cultivation of the 'Golden Stone Bone Tempering Technique.' To break through to the final level, the 'Dragon Elephant Body,' he needs the assistance of special earth vein energy."

"The environment in this fortress is noisy and not conducive to his breakthrough. Therefore, the day before yesterday, I had my elder brother Yun Song personally escort him back to our Shimen sect to enter the 'Dragon Transformation Pool' for seclusion, hoping that his cultivation will be perfected."

"Oh?"

Chen Xiaohu raised an eyebrow, his tone unreadable, and questioned:

"As far as I know, the Chen family of Shimen has been passed down for hundreds of years, but they only have two orthodox methods that are expected to help people establish a foundation."

"One is the 'Pure Water Hanging River Scripture' cultivated by Senior Jing'an, and the other is the 'Zhen Xun Wind and Thunder Technique' cultivated by Fellow Daoist Chen. Neither of them is a way to refine the body."

"But who knew that the noble family had acquired another 'Dragon Transformation Pool' that perfectly complemented the unorthodox body-refining method, the 'Golden Stone Bone Tempering Technique'?"

His words gradually became sharper and more forceful:

"What intrigues me even more is why none of the noble children cultivate such a wondrous body-refining method, yet my elder brother, an outsider, has made astonishing progress in his cultivation? He achieved mastery in three years, a feat rarely seen throughout history."

"Fellow Daoist Chen, could you please enlighten me?"

Faced with Chen Xiaohu's questioning, Chen Yunlu felt immense pressure.

After a moment of silence, he looked up at Chen Xiaohu and said with utmost seriousness:

"Do not worry about the true teachings. I, Chen, swear to the heavens that I will impart the 'Golden Stone Tempering Bone Technique' to Dajiang and guide him into the Dragon Transformation Pool. I have absolutely no intention of harming him. This matter will be entirely beneficial to your brother."

"If this is a false statement, may my foundation in Dao be destroyed, and I shall never again be able to glimpse the Great Dao!"

"A vow made in accordance with the will of Heaven?"

Chen Xiaohu chuckled, but his eyes held a hint of disbelief as he shook his head and said:

"If mere vows could bind people's hearts, why would there be so many conspiracies, schemes, and infighting in the cultivation world?"

"Fellow Daoist Chen, do you perhaps think I'm a three-year-old child?"

Chen Yunlu's face stiffened, and he was about to speak again when Chen Xiaohu changed the subject:

"Enough of this argument. There's no point in arguing. Shimen County is only a thousand miles away from Dongting Lake, which lies to the east."

"I have been separated from my elder brother for ten years and I miss him dearly. Since my elder brother is in the noble family, I wonder if Fellow Daoist Chen would do me the honor of accompanying me to Shimen? So that my brother and I can be reunited as soon as possible."

Chen Yunlu looked troubled and hesitated before saying:

"Please forgive me, Master, but I am currently afflicted by demonic energy and need to suppress it with all my might. It is truly unwise for me to travel far, let alone use my magic..."

"What's so difficult about that?"

Chen Xiaohu seemed to have expected this, interrupting him before he could finish speaking. He flipped his left hand, revealing a small, exquisite, and gleaming white jade pagoda in his palm.

"I have a magical artifact called the Thousand Cloud Pagoda, which contains a quiet room that can isolate external disturbances and stabilize the energy flow."

"Fellow Daoist Chen can enter the tower for quiet cultivation, and I will carry him home on my sword. Wouldn't that be convenient for both of us?"

Looking at the "Thousand Cloud Pagoda" with its shimmering light, clearly indicating a high grade, Chen Yunlu's expression changed slightly.

Pagodas and palaces are magical artifacts that often possess the power to suppress and imprison. Entering another's artifact is tantamount to handing one's safety over to the other party.

Chen Yunlu immediately shook his head and politely declined:

"How dare I trouble myself with your true teachings!"

"I also have a 'Cloud Crossing Boat' bestowed upon me by an old soldier. It is reasonably fast and easy to control. If you, True Disciple, do not mind, you may pilot this boat and take us together."

"In that case, we can arrive in one or two hours."

Chen Xiaohu stared at him for a couple of moments, then suddenly nodded and stopped insisting.

"Alright."

With a jerk of his shoulder, the heavy "Great Peak Sun Banner" transformed into a streak of light and was absorbed into the small white jade pagoda in his palm.

"Then please have Fellow Daoist Chen bring out the Cloud Crossing Boat, and we will depart immediately."

Upon seeing this, Chen Yunlu glanced at her and took something out of his sleeve.

It was a small boat, about the size of a palm, entirely silver-white, with intricate wind and cloud patterns carved on its hull, faintly shimmering with spiritual light. Its exquisite design made it clearly an extraordinary piece.

"Although this cloud-crossing boat is not of high grade, it is lightweight and saves effort."

Chen Yunlu held the silver boat in his palm and tossed it into the air.

The silver boat swelled with the wind, transforming into a length of three zhang in an instant. Its entire body was as white as jade, and two thin, cicada-wing-like wings of spiritual light unfolded on both sides of the boat. It hovered in mid-air in the courtyard, motionless, without any leakage of wind pressure.

"Good boat."

Chen Xiaohu gave a thumbs-up and, without any hesitation, leaped onto the bow of the boat.

Chen Yunlu then boarded the boat, and the two sat down. Chen Xiaohu then took control of the silver boat according to the rules, and soon the flying boat rose up, passed through the protective light barrier in the fortress, and disappeared into the sky.

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.

Shimen, Pinghushan.

This mountain is located directly north of Shimen, surrounded by water on three sides, with a single peak standing alone, shaped like an upside-down bottle mouth, hence its name.

Although the mountain is not steep or spectacular, it is imbued with a spiritual aura, shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, with layers of verdant peaks.

The place is often graced by the clear cries of cranes and the presence of spirit deer carrying lingzhi mushrooms; it is truly a blessed land.

The Chen clan of Shimen has been established for hundreds of years, and its roots are deeply embedded here.

Ascending from the mountainside, pavilions and towers are built along the contours of the mountain, layer upon layer, creating a solemn and imposing atmosphere.

In front of the mountain gate, a pair of three-zhang-tall stone carvings of Bixie squatted on the left and right, their angry eyes and fangs fierce and intimidating.

At the summit, however, lies an extremely spacious training ground, paved with iron rock, which is exceptionally hard.

The spiritual energy in the arena surged, the sound of metal striking stone echoed incessantly, several figures moved nimbly and darted about, their magical lights flashing and flickering, a murderous aura lurking everywhere, their presence terrifying.

One of the figures stood out the most.

This man was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, tall and robust, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. His black hair was casually tied back, and his face was resolute, with a rugged and unruly air between his brows.

He was shirtless, and the bronze skin of his body faintly revealed the texture of gold and stone, making him look like a golden Arhat.

This person was none other than Chen Dajiang.

His cultivation level is now close to the Golden Marrow, and his Dragon-Elephant Body is beginning to take shape. At this moment, he is fighting three opponents with his bare hands and is still not at a disadvantage.

The three opponents were all direct descendants of the Chen family of Shimen, with cultivation at the first or second level of Qi Refining. They each used their spells to attack him, but he blocked them one by one.

"Brother Dajiang, be careful!"

With a sharp cry, a streak of azure sword light pierced through the air from the side, its angle darting in, aiming straight for his left rib.

The one who made the move was a woman in red, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She had a beautiful face, with willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, and a graceful figure. Her black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, which made her look even more heroic.

Her name is Chen Lingrui. She is an outstanding member of the Chen family of Shimen in this generation. Her cultivation has reached the third level of Qi Refining. Her family's "Qingyi Sword Technique" is highly praised by the elders of the clan.

Upon hearing the sound, Chen Dajiang's gaze sharpened like lightning. He neither flinched nor dodged. The muscles in his left arm bulged, revealing faint golden lines, and he blocked the attack with his arm!

"when--"

The metal clashed, and the sword light struck his arm, sending sparks flying.

The sword light dissipated, leaving only a faint white mark about an inch long on Chen Dajiang's arm, which was instantly smoothed out by the flowing blood and qi.

Chen Lingrui's almond-shaped eyes widened, a look of surprise and admiration flashing within them, quickly replaced by a hint of embarrassment and annoyance. She couldn't help but stomp her foot and say:

She stamped her foot, a mixture of surprise, admiration, and a touch of embarrassment:

"Your body... is even tougher than that century-old bronze statue in the ancestral hall!"

Chen Dajiang grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, and said:

"Lingrui, your sword strike was a bit weak. Would you like to try another one?"

"snort!"

Chen Lingrui blushed slightly, gave a soft snort, but refused to admit defeat. She turned her sword technique, and the sword light split into three beams, attacking again.

The other two Chen disciples exchanged a glance, each forming hand seals, and simultaneously unleashed a fire dragon and an ice spike.

"Well done!"

Chen Dajiang laughed loudly, and instead of retreating, he advanced, throwing out both fists at once. The wind from his punches howled, and the sound of dragons and elephants echoed.

He was like a ferocious beast breaking free of its shackles, crashing directly into the three attacks.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"

Three muffled thuds exploded simultaneously.

The fire dragon shattered, the ice spikes crumbled, and the three sword lights were even blasted back by his punch, their brilliance dimmed.

The two Chen family members staggered back several steps, their faces flushed and their blood churning.

Chen Lingrui fared slightly better, but her sleeve was still struck by the force of the punch, tearing open with a "hiss" and revealing a section of her snow-white skin.

"ah!"

She gasped softly, quickly covering her sleeve, her pretty face turning even redder, and glared reproachfully at Chen Dajiang.

Unaware of anything amiss, Chen Dajiang stretched his limbs, his bones cracking and popping, and laughed with lingering enjoyment:

"That was great! Shall we try again?"

"I'm not coming, I'm not coming."

The two Chen family members waved their hands repeatedly, one of them saying with a wry smile:

"Brother Dajiang, your 'Golden Stone Tempering Bone Technique' has reached a state of perfection. Even if the two of us join forces, we can't break through your protective aura. What's the point of fighting?"

Another person chimed in:

"Indeed, Brother Dajiang has such a body of copper and iron that ordinary magical artifacts probably cannot harm him in the slightest."

"Among my peers in the clan, the only one who can fight against Brother Dajiang is Clan Sister Lingrui."

Upon hearing this, a hint of joy flashed in Chen Lingrui's eyes, but she retorted with a hint of reproach:

"Stop flattering me. I just used all my strength in a sword strike, and I didn't even scratch his skin. What's the point of fighting him?"

As she spoke, her gaze couldn't help but drift towards Chen Dajiang again.

That bronze skin, those chiseled muscles, that rugged and unrestrained smile…

Chen Lingrui's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and she hurriedly lowered her eyes.

Chen Dajiang didn't notice her unusual behavior. He simply took the outer robe handed to him by a servant and put it on, casually asking:

"Has there been any new news from Wulong Gorge, Senior Yunlu?"

No news has come yet.

A member of the Chen family answered.

Chen Dajiang nodded slightly, about to say something more.

"Thump!"

Just then, a long, resonant bell rang out from the direction of the mountain gate, echoing among the peaks of Pinghu Mountain.

That's the welcoming bell.

"The welcoming bell?"

Chen Lingrui frowned slightly, looked up at the direction from which the bell sounded, and looked puzzled.

"Who could be visiting at this hour?"

Chen Dajiang looked up at the sky, and suddenly his eyes narrowed.

In the distance, where the sea of ​​clouds was churning, a point of silver light was rapidly approaching, and in an instant it transformed into a flying boat, hovering above the mountain gate.

On the flying boat, two figures stood side by side.

Half a step behind was none other than Chen Yunlu, who had not been seen for several days.

As for the figure in front of him, it was a young Taoist priest who looked to be in his early twenties. He wore a bamboo-green Taoist robe, had his hair tied up with a jade crown, and a jade pendant hanging from his waist. His eyes were clear as water, and he exuded a kind of majesty that did not belong to his age.

Chen Dajiang's heart skipped a beat, and his gaze swept towards the green-robed Taoist in the sky, vaguely feeling that he was somewhat familiar with him.

Before he could think further, the Taoist in the green robe had already stepped out of the flying boat, his figure passing directly through the protective spiritual light of Bottle Pot Mountain, and drifting down from the sky.

Swish!

The next instant, it landed steadily on the training ground and stopped in front of Chen Dajiang.

Eyes facing each other.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment.