My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

"Brother Li! A group of bandits are robbing passing merchants at Black Wind Stronghold, thirty miles ahead! As righteous cultivators, how can we stand idly by? Let's charge!"

"Brother Li! That tyrant Wang from that town has actually abducted a young woman! It's outrageous! Let's raid his hideout!"

"Brother Li!..."

in two months.

Li Chen followed behind them with a look of utter despair, forced to participate in dozens of "chivalrous" side quests.

Whenever Lu Fei and Lin Qing'er were beaten and forced to flee in terror by those local bullies because of their inferior strength...

Li Chen could only sigh helplessly, transforming into the number one brute of the Tang Dynasty, charging forward and using pure physical strength to beat those mountain bandits and bullies to a pulp.

"Are you two cultivators or not?"

Li Chen sat in a bandit camp that they had just wiped out, munching on a captured apple while mercilessly complaining.

"You're not comfortable just not getting involved in other people's business, are you? This isn't a trip to cultivate immortality, it's a civil service exam!"

Lu Fei and Lin Qing'er lowered their heads in shame.

"Brother Li's words are wise. But this world is unjust. Now that we have witnessed it, we cannot remain indifferent if we do nothing."

"To hell with your Taoist heart."

Li Chen rolled his eyes.

However, Li Chen complained.

But his two months of "righteous acts" brought him unexpected and enormous benefits.

Along the way, they wiped out more than a dozen bandit strongholds and tyrant residences.

Li Chen upheld his fine tradition of "plucking feathers from a passing goose," thoroughly looting all the spirit stones, herbs, and even low-level magical artifacts from those strongholds.

Although these are all low-grade resources with many impurities.

But it was no problem at all in front of Li Chen's abnormal "top-grade space and lightning-type" dual spiritual roots.

Every night when all is quiet.

Li Chen then sat cross-legged and activated the Thunder Law within his body.

Purple-gold lightning danced in his palm, instantly refining the impure spirit stones and herbs into the purest spiritual energy, which flowed continuously into his parched dantian.

Two months of saving.

Like rain after a long drought.

The cracked golden core within Li Chen's dantian finally received nourishment. The cracks began to slowly heal, and powerful strands of golden core essence began to flow through his meridians once more.

"Although I haven't recovered to my peak, I can barely protect myself."

Feeling the renewed surge of power within him, Li Chen finally felt much more at ease.

……

at last.

After two long, nauseating months.

The three rode their swords through the clouds and arrived at their destination.

In front.

A towering, ethereal mountain appeared in Li Chen's field of vision.

On the mountain peak, palaces and pavilions are scattered in an orderly fashion, and from time to time, mythical birds fly in the clouds.

This is the renowned righteous sect within a radius of tens of thousands of miles—the Azure Cloud Sword Sect.

As soon as it landed.

Lu Fei and Lin Qing'er couldn't wait to take Li Chen straight to the main hall of the peak.

Inside the main hall.

A middle-aged man with an air of otherworldly wisdom and three long wisps of beard was sitting upright on the sect leader's throne.

This person is the sect leader of the Qingyun Sword Sect, a genuine early-stage Golden Core expert.

After listening to the two disciples recount their perilous experiences along the way and how Li Chen saved their lives,

The Qingyun Sect Master quickly stood up and bowed deeply to Li Chen.

"Thank you for saving us, young friend Li. If it weren't for you, my two unworthy disciples would probably be dead in the Zhou family prison by now."

"Sect Master, you flatter me. It was nothing more than a small favor."

Li Chen politely returned the greeting and, without beating around the bush, got straight to the point.

"To be honest, the reason I've come to your sect is to inquire about something from the sect leader."

Li Chen stared intently at the Qingyun Sect Master.

"Sect Master, you are a man of great knowledge and experience. Have you ever heard of any news regarding 'interdimensional teleportation arrays'?"

Upon hearing the words "interdimensional teleportation array".

The Qingyun Sect Master's originally gentle expression changed instantly.

His hand, which was stroking his long beard, paused slightly, his brows furrowed tightly, and a deep sense of apprehension appeared in his eyes.

The atmosphere inside the main hall suddenly became somewhat heavy.

There was a long silence.

The Qingyun Sect Master finally let out a long sigh.

"Young friend Li, you've come to the right person. Within this radius of 100,000 li, there are no more than ten people who know this secret."

"I do know about this interdimensional teleportation array."

Upon hearing this, Li Chen was overjoyed!

Finally, we have a clue to return to the Tang Dynasty!

However, before he could be too happy, the Qingyun Sect Master's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

"but."

The Qingyun Sect Master's expression was solemn, and his tone was extremely heavy.

"If you wish to use that teleportation array, young friend, it will be harder than ascending to heaven!"

"Because that ancient teleportation array lies dormant in the most terrifying and evil demonic holy land in this world."

"Deep within the Blood Fiend Sect's underground abyss!"

The smile on Li Chen's face froze slightly.

A holy land of demonic cultivation? The Blood Fiend Sect? Just from the name, it doesn't sound like a place where reason prevails.

"Furthermore, I have just received some news."

The Qingyun Sect Master looked at Li Chen and dropped an even more explosive bombshell.

"One month later."

"An elder from the Blood Fiend Sect, at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, is about to hold a grand dual cultivation ceremony!"

"His bride was an ordinary woman with a rare and exceptional physique."

"This elder attempted to drain the woman's vital essence during their cultivation night, thereby forcibly breaking through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm!"

Upon hearing this...

Lu Fei and Lin Qing'er, who were standing to the side, hadn't reacted yet.

But it was as if a bolt of lightning had suddenly struck Li Chen's mind!

A top-tier furnace physique? A mortal woman? Forcibly married by an elder of the Blood Fiend Sect?

Li Chen's breathing became rapid instantly.

This happened just two months ago on the ancient loess road.

Ning Xiu, the down-on-his-luck scholar who was thoroughly fooled by his own "previous life online novel".

His unfortunate childhood sweetheart, Xing'er?!

Li Chen stared wide-eyed at the Qingyun Sect Master.

The Qingyun Sect Master took a deep breath, his tone revealing an undisguised shock and worry.

"The true purpose of the Blood Fiend Sect's wedding is to gather three mid-stage Golden Core experts within the sect after this elder breaks through!"

"They're going to get married on the night of their wedding."

"Gathering the power of three mid-stage Golden Core cultivators, we forcefully broke the ancient seal of the abyss beneath the earth!"

"Fully activate that interdimensional teleportation array!"