Chapter 98: Your Disciple, I Shall Treat Well

Has the matter of concealing my cultivation truly been exposed?

As Li Changshou flew on his cloud toward Du Xian Dian, he pondered this question deeply.

Now, due to the incident with Nan Hai Shen Jiao and the possibility that he had accidentally confronted that legendary figure, Wen Dao Ren, head-on...

The cultivation he had hidden was no longer just a trump card;

It directly concerned his life and safety!

The technique "Gui Xi Ping Qi Jue," a side-door method, had cost Li Changshou a great deal of effort;

At first, he analyzed various methods for detecting cultivation, reverse-engineering them; he also synthesized and integrated the various breath-concealing techniques stored in Du Xian Men, exploring ways to hide his aura...

Before his heavenly tribulation, this technique had been improved dozens of times, and after Li Changshou ascended to immortality, he elevated it to the same strategic level as his escape arts!

Yet, facing a Golden Immortal who had lived for an unknown length of time, Li Changshou still felt uncertain...

'All I can do is prepare for both scenarios. If the sect leader is deliberately testing me, I'll activate Plan Number Three.'

This backup plan essentially meant immediately proving his innocence.

He would first demonstrate that he was not an enemy spy, not an outer demon, but a genuine Du Xian Men disciple who had simply progressed quickly in cultivation due to fortunate encounters and had accidentally ascended during his tribulation...

Landing in front of the hall, he gazed at the majestic structure ahead.

Li Changshou calmed his mind, retracted his immortal sense, stabilized his aura at the eighth stage of Return to Void Realm, and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, he heard a weak voice transmission:

"Cough, cough...

Disciple of Xiao Qiong Peak, Li Changshou?

Don't speak, just nod if it is."

Li Changshou nodded subtly without changing his expression.

The voice continued: "Come to the left side. There's a small door in the corner of the hall; just enter.

Don't be nervous. This poor Daoist is the sect leader of Du Xian Men. I called you here to discuss a minor matter.

Cough, cough."

Li Changshou: ...

Setting other things aside, from this voice transmission, the sect leader sounded like he was gravely ill.

Li Changshou kept his head down and walked quickly through the somewhat empty main hall of the sect, heading toward the corner on the left side, soon arriving at the two wooden doors;

He paused briefly, waiting for the sect leader's voice transmission again, then gently pushed the door open...

Inside was a simple and elegant tea room, furnished with a few tables, chairs, and screens. Through the open windows, the beautiful scenery of the "Cloud Sea Peak Islands" could be seen.

Li Changshou had no mind to admire it. He looked up at the young Daoist sitting by the window.

This was his sect leader, the nominal disciple of Tai Qing Laozu's nominal disciple...

Ji Wuyou.

His face was like jade, with sword-like brows and star-like eyes, handsome and elegant—these details needed no elaboration;

Generally, male cultivators who maintained a middle-aged or youthful appearance did so because they or their Dao companions had specific preferences, so their looks were rarely unpleasant.

Ji Wuyou's smile was gentle, his demeanor refined, giving off an air of scholarly grace...

But that wasn't the point.

The key was...

This Golden Immortal sect leader appeared pale, with a weak aura and dull eyes. Though he sat upright, he exuded exhaustion and frailty.

If not for knowing that his sect leader's Dao title was "Wuyou," named Ji Wuyou, and known in Dong Shen Continent as the "Wuyou Sect Leader";

Li Changshou might have been tempted to nickname him the "Hong Huang Void Young Master" in his mind.

Seeing Li Changshou, Ji Wuyou smiled slightly, and a trace of immortal blood trickled from his mouth...

Li Changshou was startled and exclaimed, "Sect Leader!"

"It's just a minor issue, nothing to worry about.

It's some damage to my primordial spirit; I've already taken a healing elixir."

Ji Wuyou wiped the corner of his mouth and took a gentle breath to stabilize his injuries. "This wound will heal after a short seclusion.

You're Changshou, right? Here, take this...

I've been waiting for you for a few days just to give you this."

Ji Wuyou reached into his sleeve and produced a jade bottle, using his immortal power to gently send it toward Li Changshou, who received it with both hands bowed.

At that moment, Li Changshou felt a wave of emotion;

His sect leader had suffered such injuries while protecting the sect!

Earlier, he had criticized the sect leader's divine abilities as mediocre and skills lacking—truly...

Li Changshou felt a pang of shame and genuine gratitude toward this sect leader who had fought so hard for the sect.

"Sect Leader, with your injuries, please enter seclusion to recover soon.

You've worked tirelessly to protect the sect against outer demons."

"It's just a minor issue, nothing more."

Ji Wuyou chuckled, his face showing a hint of embarrassment, and sighed: "Actually, a few days ago, I received a divine ability from our founding ancestor for nurturing innate vital energy in the orifices...

I've been trying to cultivate it these past days, but I rushed it and accidentally injured my primordial spirit.

Ha...

Cough, cough, cough!"

Li Changshou: ...

"Changshou."

Ji Wuyou calmly wiped the blood from his mouth and looked at the porcelain bottle in Li Changshou's hands, his gaze hesitant. He spoke tactfully:

"You must handle this item with care.

Do you know that our Du Xian Men's lineage ancestor, who is also my master, is Qing De Zhen Ren from Kunlun Mountain, affiliated with Ren Jiao?

This porcelain bottle comes from a great senior and expert of Ren Jiao, entrusted through our lineage ancestor—cough—to be passed to you, to settle some karma.

I won't say more about it, but this is your destined opportunity. Use the elixirs inside wisely.

Do you understand?"

Li Changshou suddenly realized and bowed his head: "This disciple understands."

"Go on, just remember this.

Your cultivation and aptitude are quite good. Once you pass your tribulation and become an immortal, stay in the sect and cultivate peacefully."

Ji Wuyou waved his hand, and Li Changshou bowed in acknowledgment before exiting the small room.

Before the door was fully closed, Li Changshou heard another burst of violent coughing and a "thud," as if someone had spat blood...

His mouth twitched slightly, but he pretended not to hear, closed the door properly, and turned toward the hall entrance.

The sect leader's final words were essentially a reassurance for him.

Du Xian Men recruits a new batch of disciples every two hundred years, and before the next recruitment, they give the current disciples a choice: to stay in the sect or venture out.

What the sect leader meant was:

As long as Li Changshou focused on cultivation and successfully passed his immortal tribulation, his treatment in the sect would not be lacking.

Leaving the hall, Li Changshou's mind was at ease once more.

Fortunately, it was just a false alarm;

His cultivation had not been exposed.

Ji Wuyou, as the sect leader, had specifically attended to a disciple from Xiao Qiong Peak only because of the porcelain bottle he held.

If his guess was correct, this was a gift from Xuan Du Da Fa Shi;

The karma to be settled was related to the incident with Yue Lao.

Hmm...

What exactly had Xuan Du Da Fa Shi and Yue Lao done with his marriage clay figure?

Li Changshou glanced at the elixirs in the porcelain bottle. Without discussing their effects, the bottle itself was no ordinary artifact—it preserved the elixirs' potency and provided protection against shocks.

After analyzing the effects of this sixth-turn elixir, his mouth twitched.

It nourished the foundation, stabilized the primordial spirit, and enhanced innate yang energy...

It was clear that the alchemy skills of Ren Jiao's chief disciple were impressive; after all, a sixth-turn yang-supplementing elixir wasn't something just anyone could produce.

This elixir...

He could give it to his master.

It was a sixth-turn elixir, and aside from its yang-enhancing effect, it could stabilize the primordial spirit, which would greatly benefit his master, a turbid immortal.

However, this elixir would inevitably have some uncontrollable effects on a male cultivator's body.

Should he encourage his master to find a Dao companion?

But just for one elixir, that seemed unnecessary.

'Perhaps, I'll save this elixir as a congratulatory gift when my master finds a Dao companion.'

Li Changshou smiled slightly and put the porcelain bottle away.

Once he was a safe distance from Du Xian Dian, Li Changshou slowly released his immortal sense.

His junior sister was still sound asleep at Jiu Shi Shi Bo's place, but the pouch tied to her waist was wriggling...

Had his master awakened?

Li Changshou hurried over on his cloud.

He had already prepared his explanation for his master.

On the way, as Li Changshou passed near Bai Fan Dian, he glanced toward the hall's front.

Under a tree's shade, two stone tablets had been erected. One recorded the sudden calamity that befell Du Xian Men, detailing the sect's fierce resistance and defense of the mountain gate.

The other listed the Du Xian Men immortals who had fallen in the battle...

The stability of a sect truly depended on every cultivator within it to maintain and protect.

One's own home must be guarded by oneself.

However, Li Changshou soon noticed, opposite the stone tablets in another corner of the square...

There were three freshly placed stone sculptures.

On the left was a graceful and beautiful female immortal, in the center a upright sword-bearing male immortal, and on the right a burly man with a large axe, grinning widely.

These sculptures were remarkably lifelike, with the artist capturing the essence of each "paper daoist."

Flanking the sculptures were two vertical signs that read:

"Righteous heroes of the human race, eternal legacy"

"Du Xian Men eternally reveres them"

In front, a small incense burner held three sticks of long-burning incense.

Li Changshou couldn't help but rub his brow, deciding to ignore it and continue to his junior sister's side.

Currently, Du Xian Men was investigating the origins of the blood mosquito puppets and the backgrounds of these "righteous fellow daoists."

The former was to seek revenge;

The latter was to offer some compensation to their relatives and friends.

As for Wen Dao Ren, Li Changshou thought it better not to secretly reveal the information he knew to Du Xian Men; instead, let them search aimlessly.

And for these "righteous heroes"...

Li Changshou's mind raced with ideas.

Should he create a few paper daoists to mourn and indirectly acquire some treasures or spirit stones in the sect?

But Li Changshou quickly dismissed the thought with a smile...

This battle had made him acutely aware of the power of formations and inspired even greater plans.

He could continually reinforce and expand the great array of Xiao Qiong Peak, integrating all the array foundations into a single cohesive system, turning the entire peak into a massive, mobile array base.

In the Hong Huang world, powerful immortals could refine their caves into treasures, making them expandable and contractible at will.

Once his cultivation advanced further, he could do the same.

If another disaster threatened the entire sect...

He could deploy Xiao Qiong Peak to destroy strong enemies;

Or, in retreat, simply store Xiao Qiong Peak in his sleeve and escape underground for tens of thousands of li.

Of course, this would require vast amounts of materials and long-term preparation.

'I'm not short on time now, so I should proceed with this plan.'

Li Changshou resolved in his heart. As he approached the domain of the Wine Immortal with the character "Wine," he reined in his thoughts and descended with his head bowed.

First, he would wake his junior sister and return to Xiao Qiong Peak to settle his master.

'What can I do for Junior Nephew Han Zhi now?'

Beside the treasure pool on Jin'ao Island.

The handsome young Ao Yi watched the despondent Han Zhi nearby, his own gaze tinged with sadness.

Senior Brother Yuan Ze had been schemed against, his mind controlled, leading him to commit foolish acts. A few days ago, his body and a wisp of remnant soul were returned to Jin'ao Island by Ren Jiao's chief disciple.

After Chan Jiao experts pleaded on his behalf before Ren Jiao's chief disciple, most of Yuan Ze's sins were waived, allowing his remnant soul to reincarnate, though he would have no further ties to Jie Jiao...

Recalling Yuan Ze's usual care for him, Ao Yi silently vowed.

Your disciple, I will treat well.

"Han Zhi..."

As Ao Yi was about to say something, his immortal sense detected two elderly Daoists flying toward Jin'ao Island.

He perked up and said, "The two senior brothers who escorted Senior Brother Yuan Ze's soul to the underworld have returned!"

Han Zhi looked up, her eyes reddening again. She hurried on her cloud to meet them, wanting to ask how her master had fared on the Yellow Springs Road...

A moment later, the two elderly Daoists were stopped by Ao Yi and Han Zhi. Both Daoists frowned, unsure how to speak.

Ao Yi asked quickly, "Senior Brothers, did something go wrong?"

"This..."

"Sigh, it should have been fine, it really should have been!"

The elderly Daoist on the left sighed and said quietly: "Given our Jie Jiao's reputation, the underworld immortals wouldn't cause trouble.

But according to the rules set by the Saints, we can't interfere with the six paths of reincarnation, so the underworld immortals could only arrange for Senior Brother Yuan Ze to be reborn as a human with excellent fortune, severing ties with his past life.

Yet, unexpectedly..."

The elderly Daoist on the right looked up and sighed: "Before Senior Brother Yuan Ze drank Meng Po Soup, that wisp of his soul spoke up!"

"Wh-what..."

Han Zhi trembled and asked, "What did my master say?"

"He said, 'Don't worry, something as trivial as reincarnation shouldn't go wrong.'"

Han Zhi couldn't help but cover her forehead, feeling dizzy...

Ao Yi asked urgently, "What happened next?"

"He crossed the Nai He Bridge, drank the Meng Po Soup, and reached the fork in the paths;

But for some reason, a wave from the Wangchuan River splashed up and swept his soul into the beast path.

We couldn't save him; his soul was pulled into the wheel of reincarnation.

We later used connections to inquire and found out that Senior Brother Yuan Ze seems to have been reborn among the demon clans, likely as a black panther in his next life."

"Mas..."

Upon hearing this, Han Zhi was overcome with grief, her primordial spirit unstable and her mind weakening, causing her to sway unsteadily. Ao Yi quickly supported her.