allendalepharm Chapter 219 Inviting a Wolf into the House, Leifeng Pagoda
Chapter 219 Inviting a Wolf into the House, Leifeng Pagoda
Chapter 219 Inviting a Wolf into the House, Leifeng Pagoda
The Moon Blade Shuttle is a mid-grade magic weapon. In terms of speed alone, it is enough to be considered a top-tier third-order weapon. Chen Yi really didn't expect Yue Qingqiu to lend it to him so readily.
Faced with such a practical life-saving treasure, Chen Yi naturally had no reason to refuse. He quickly thanked her, but his mind was already racing with calculations.
He quickly figured out the key point:
Yue Qingqiu's actions may have another consideration: using the aura left by the Moon Blade Shuttle for location.
If she truly intended to abscond with the treasure, she had ways to track her down.
At that time, the Moonblade Shuttle will serve as "physical evidence".
Furthermore, with the contract he signed with the Star Moon Sect, even if other powerful forces wanted to protect him, the Star Moon Sect could maintain its moral high ground and avoid being put on the defensive.
Once Chen Yi understood this, he felt relieved.
He never intended to leave the Star Moon Sect at this moment; the Moon Blade Shuttle was merely an additional layer of constraint that both sides tacitly agreed upon.
"Don't worry, Elder Chen. Once you return from your training, the sect will definitely resolve the matter of the spiritual vein cave for you."
Seeing that he had accepted the magic weapon, Yue Qingqiu's tone softened somewhat. With the capabilities of the Star Moon Sect, she naturally wasn't afraid that a Core Formation cultivator would steal her magic weapon and escape.
Because that would mean giving up one's righteous identity.
With Chen Yi's strength and potential, he wouldn't do something so brainless.
"Then thank you very much for your trouble, Fairy Qingyue."
Chen Yi nodded slightly and added,
"In addition, my niece Hu Mingyue will stay in the sect for the time being. I would appreciate it if you would take good care of her."
No special care is needed; just make sure she isn't bullied by any individual cultivators within the sect.
"Don't worry!"
Yue Qingqiu nodded in agreement, "Hu Mingyue is a clever and likable girl, I like her too."
"I'll transfer her to my cave dwelling and keep her under my watchful eye. I doubt any of the male cultivators in the sect, no matter how bold they might be, would dare lay a finger on her."
"You're too kind, fairy. Then I'll take my leave."
"Take care on your journey, Mr. Chen, and return soon."
Looking at Chen Yi's carefree and gentle face, Yue Qingqiu gave him one last piece of advice.
After bidding farewell to Yue Qingqiu, Chen Yi left the sect leader's main hall and summoned the Crimson Soul Sparrow, who was waiting outside.
He flipped over and sat on the sparrow's back. The Crimson Soul Sparrow let out a clear cry, flapped its wings and soared into the sky, carrying him out of the Star Moon Sect's protective array. They soon disappeared into the blue sky and white clouds.
This was his first time leaving the sect to gain experience since arriving in Zhongzhou and joining the Xingyue Sect.
During the journey, Chen Yi took out the Moon Blade Shuttle and attempted to infuse it with magical power for refining.
This magical artifact was, after all, Yue Qingqiu's personal possession, and her core imprint remained deep within its body.
Chen Yi should only perform a polite initial refining process to ensure that he can activate its basic functions of escape and signaling.
In this way, when returning the treasure in the future, one can do so with dignity.
Instead of heading directly to the meeting point agreed upon with Ji Wuchen, he first found a secluded valley, used magic to change his appearance, and transformed into an ordinary-looking cultivator before making his way to Moon Lake Immortal City.
He spent several days in the markets of the immortal city, selling off all the surplus resources he had accumulated over the past ten years of cultivation.
A dozen or so high-grade second-tier puppets, two or three near-third-tier puppets, dozens of mid-grade third-tier beast pills, and some unused cultivation materials given to him by the sect were all sold to shops specializing in magical artifacts and pills.
In exchange, he obtained a considerable amount of high-level body-refining materials, including the thunder beast's essence blood and gold-type ore that he desperately needed.
These are all key items for subsequent cultivation of the Thunder Spirit Body Tempering Technique.
After the transaction was completed, Chen Yi quietly left Moon Lake Immortal City to meet up with Ji Wuchen as agreed.
Meanwhile, within the Star Moon Sect,
Ping Xingye, who had just returned from Qingyun Cave, went straight to Yuefeng before even returning to his Xingfeng Cave.
After receiving Yue Qingqiu's message, he spent a considerable amount of money at Qingyun Cave Heaven in order to return as soon as possible.
Having barely managed to refine a Nascent Soul Pill, he didn't even return to his Star Peak Cave before heading straight to Moon Peak.
On the second-to-top level of Moon Peak, in front of the protective array outside Moon Clear Autumn Cave,
Hirahoshi stopped, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement, and transmitted his thoughts into the formation:
"Qingqiu, Qingqiu! I'm back! Did you send a message looking for your senior brother earlier because of something important?"
"Have you... figured it out?"
He spoke urgently, and even his address was more intimate than usual, clearly showing great anticipation for Yue Qingqiu's initiative in sending the message.
After a long while, the protective array outside Yue Qingqiu's cave slowly opened a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Seeing this, Hirahoshino's eagerness intensified, and he rushed in almost excitedly.
As soon as he stepped into the guest hall of the cave, his eyes lit up.
Yue Qingqiu was sitting upright on a jade chair next to the main seat in the hall.
She wore a moon-white long dress with flowing cloud patterns, the hem of which reached the ground, outlining her slender and graceful figure;
Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied up with a white jade hairpin, with a few stray strands falling down her neck, making her skin look even whiter than snow.
Her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes like stars, and when she sat quietly, she was surrounded by a cool and otherworldly aura, like a fairy descending from the moon, so beautiful that people dared not look directly at her.
She glanced at Hirahoshino indifferently, and as her gaze swept over him, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
She clearly sensed that the originally abundant starlight power within Hirahoshino's body had almost entirely transformed into star and moon power in recent years.
She understood perfectly well, yet her emotions remained calm and unmoved.
Clearly, Ping Xingye hadn't been idle during his years of cultivation at Qingyun Cave Heaven; he had engaged in numerous dual cultivation sessions with the female cultivator Yuejue.
I guess they also took her little female disciple with them, thinking that once she was out of her sight, she could be unrestrained and do whatever she wanted.
"Qingqiu, why did you specifically send a message asking me to come back?"
Ping Xingye didn't notice Yue Qingqiu's unusual behavior. He was too happy to hear that the other party had taken the initiative to send a message, so he asked eagerly.
Yue Qingqiu picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and then slowly spoke, her voice still clear and cold:
"It's nothing major, but there's something I need to discuss with you."
The Chen elder of Xingfeng has now successfully advanced to the mid-stage of Core Formation, and his two spirit pets have also advanced to the mid-stage of the third rank.
According to the agreement signed between him and the sect, the third-grade mid-level spiritual vein cave dwelling that was previously allocated to him is no longer sufficient, and a third-grade high-level spiritual vein cave dwelling must be prepared for him.
However, at present, there is not a single empty third-grade high-quality spiritual vein cave within the sect.
"I asked you to come back so I could discuss with you how to make room for him in a cave."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Hirahoshi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head; his previous excitement and joy vanished instantly.
Instead, an overwhelming sense of shock and anger filled the air, and the voice rose sharply, almost blurting out:
"For decades! This is the first time in all these decades that you've proactively sent me a message, and it turns out it's to find a cave for that wild man?!"
He took a step forward, his chest heaving violently:
"Do you know that in order to rush back to see you, I went to great lengths in Qingyun Cave Heaven to beg the alchemy sect to cut in line for refining the Nascent Soul Pill!"
In order to set off as soon as possible, they rushed back without waiting for the best time of day or for the best quality of the elixirs!
I thought you had finally come to your senses and were willing to have a proper talk with me, but it turns out you were doing it for an outsider!
You've disappointed me so much!
As he finished speaking, Hirahoshino became increasingly agitated:
"I have no say in his affairs!"
He's just a newly promoted mid-stage Core Formation cultivator. Giving him a mid-grade third-level cave dwelling is already an honor. How could he possibly be dissatisfied?
"He, a mere retainer from another sect, dares to occupy my Star Moon Sect's precious third-grade high-level spiritual vein cave? He's utterly delusional!"
"Senior brother, calm down. You're a Golden Core genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and your cultivation has reached the peak of Core Formation. How can you get so angry over a sect's offering?"
This would also hinder your advancement to the Nascent Soul stage.
Although Yue Qingqiu had never liked this senior brother, she was well aware of Ping Xingye's importance to the Xingyue Sect, and her tone was calm as she offered her advice.
She knew perfectly well that Ancestor Yuelan had depleted her vital energy too much over the years, was advanced in years, and probably didn't have much lifespan left.
Nowadays, within the sect, they serve more as a strategic deterrent and a symbol of the Nascent Soul stage, and the number of times they can actually take action is decreasing.
Moreover, since returning from the Qi Kingdom in Zhongzhou, the entire cultivation world has felt an increased sense of urgency regarding the Nascent Soul stage.
Since the entrance to the filthy demon realm wasn't completely sealed off back then, as long as the spatial connection between the two realms continues, it's very likely that the distance between the two realms will gradually narrow on a certain spatial level.
Perhaps in a few hundred years, or perhaps in a few thousand years, the two realms will eventually come to a complete border. At that time, the entire Great Qing cultivation world will inevitably fall into a fierce inter-realm war.
Under such immense pressure, the upper-level cultivators of Zhongzhou are highly likely to adjust their resource allocation strategies.
The old model, where Nascent Soul sects could retain fourth-order spiritual veins even if no new Nascent Soul cultivators were born for two hundred years, may not be viable in the future.
If the Star Moon Sect truly faces a shortage of Nascent Soul cultivators, even if the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven shows some leniency and doesn't directly expel the Star Moon Sect,
That mid-grade fourth-order spiritual vein will most likely be guarded by Nascent Soul cultivators.
Once it reaches that point, the appearance of Nascent Soul cultivators from other sects on the Star Moon Sect's territory would be no different from losing the sect altogether.
As a Golden Core cultivator much older than Yue Qingqiu, Ping Xingye had already honed both his magical power and divine sense to the peak of the Golden Core stage.
Most of the resources the sect has been preparing for Nascent Soul formation in recent years have been used on him.
He is now undoubtedly the most suitable candidate in the sect to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, a fact that even Yue Qingqiu, who harbors resentment towards him, has to acknowledge.
Upon hearing this, Hirahoshino's expression softened slightly, but a hint of resentment remained:
"Hmph! Senior brother naturally knows this. He will definitely go into seclusion to adjust his state before forming his Nascent Soul."
Qingqiu, if you truly care about your senior brother, you should let go of your past prejudices and wholeheartedly help me regulate my body and mind and assist me in my cultivation!
This will benefit me in my nascent soul formation, and it will benefit both of us in the future.
"Hirahoshino, stop with your unrealistic fantasies!"
When Yue Qingqiu heard his tone suddenly turn vulgar, her face instantly turned cold, and her tone became noticeably harsh.
"Don't think I don't know what you've been doing at Qingyun Cave these past few years! Just because you're not clean yourself, does that mean everyone else is as shameless as you?!"
She thought to herself: Sure enough, you can't give him the slightest bit of kindness. If you show him even a little concern, he immediately takes advantage of you. He's so easy to "beautiful with a little sunshine."
Having lost interest in continuing to discuss important sect matters, Yue Qingqiu's face turned cold, and her tone was firm and unwavering:
"Protecting Chen Yi's cultivation cave was a formal contract signed by Senior Brother Xinghe and me on behalf of the sect, and there is no room for ambiguity."
Chen Yi had previously stated that he could produce genuine [Azure Thunder Brew], which clearly indicated that his culinary skills had advanced to the mid-grade of the third tier.
In addition, he also brought two mid-stage third-tier spirit pets with him. Such a person would be welcomed with great fanfare and treated as an honored guest no matter which Nascent Soul sect he went to.
If the sect fails to honor its agreement now, not to mention the potential backlash from its destiny,
Without the constraints of the contract, Chen Yi is very likely to leave directly.
Now that Senior Brother Xinghe is getting old, there aren't many Core Formation cultivators in the sect who can stand on their own. We can't just watch such a talented person leave our Star Moon Sect, can we?
After listening, Ping Xingye felt that what Junior Sister Ye Qingqiu said made sense, but he still kept a cold face and refused to take the initiative to handle the matter.
"This is a matter between you and Senior Brother Xinghe Merchant. You agreed to it back then, so you should resolve it yourselves. I don't care."
Ye Qingqiu replied upon hearing this:
"If you don't care, then there's nothing I can do but set aside a section of my fourth-tier cave dwelling and give it to Chen Yi as a third-tier high-grade cave dwelling."
Her actions were exactly the same as when she and Hirahoshino first became Daoist partners, and Hirahoshino set aside a part of his cave for her to live in.
This method is indeed a feasible solution at the moment. The only drawback is that it inevitably makes the relationship between the two seem somewhat ambiguous.
Upon hearing this, Hirahoshino immediately became angry, his tone filled with urgency and dissatisfaction:
"you!
You're inviting a wolf into the house!
Don't forget, we're still officially a couple!
Is it appropriate to carve out a part of your cave dwelling for another man to live in?
Where do I put my face now?!
"Why is it not suitable?"
"Don't worry, Chen Gongfeng isn't that kind of person. He's not interested in women!" Ye Qingqiu retorted calmly.
"Impossible! There's no male cultivator in this world who isn't interested in women!"
Hirahoshino's attitude was firm; he simply didn't believe it.
"His act of not being interested in the low-level female cultivators in the sect was all an act!"
He has grand ambitions; he might be after you!
I strongly disagree with this!
"If you disagree, then you should find a way to resolve this."
A hint of smugness flashed in Yue Qingqiu's eyes, her tone carrying a touch of certainty.
Hirahoshino stared at her for a long time, then finally sighed helplessly:
"Alright, I'll think of a solution. The old sect leader should retire and rest."
To save face, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and admit it, and besides, it really wasn't Chen Yi's fault.
After all, it was the sect that first promised to provide the other party with a third-grade high-quality spiritual vein cave.
Seeing that Hirai Hoshino agreed, Ye Qingqiu's lips curled up slightly.
Before leaving, Heira Hoshino said to Tsuki Seiaki:
"Leave this matter to me for now. After I finish this, I will go into seclusion to prepare for my breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage."
Yue Qingqiu nodded gently, "I understand."
For some reason, she never brought up the fact that Chen Yi was a Purple Extreme Golden Core cultivator with Ping Xingye.
A few days later,
In a secluded valley at the southernmost edge of the Moon Lake region, near the Monster Mountain Range,
Ji Wuchen, dressed in an expensive robe, with faint magical light emanating from his body, slowly descended from the flying boat.
Then, a bald, burly man emerged from a hidden spot deep within the valley.
After recognizing the familiar face, Ji Wuchen couldn't help but feel a little puzzled and asked:
"Brother Chen? Or should I call you Brother Xu?"
As far as he knew, Chen Yi had not used the identity "Xu Jiu" for decades.
Back in the secret realm, Ji Wuchen had used his spiritual eye to see Chen Yi's true form.
Now that Chen Yi has already changed back to his original appearance, how come he suddenly turned into Xu Jiu's bald image again?
Chen Yi explained calmly:
"I've heard that Yinlei Peak is under the jurisdiction of the Demonic Sect. If we go there in secret, we'll most likely encounter Demonic Sect cultivators."
Furthermore, when I traveled through the Demon Beast Mountain Range aboard the Nine Heavens Chamber of Commerce's flying boat, everyone on board was sold to the Demonic Sect by that Xuan Shui Female Immortal.
I was the only one who managed to escape from the Demonic Sect by sheer luck.
If that Xuan Shui Zhenren, who was responsible for hunting me down back then, had now cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage using the resources he sold us out,
Or perhaps he has already sided with the Demonic Sect. If he finds out my whereabouts, there will inevitably be trouble.
"So I changed my appearance out of caution. After all, in this area of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, no one knows who 'Xu Jiu' is, so it will be much safer to act under this identity."
After listening to Chen Yi's explanation, Ji Wuchen pondered it carefully for a moment and felt that it made sense.
As the eldest son of the Ji family, he was already likely to attract attention when he traveled outside. If he were to go to the Thunder Peak in the territory of the Demonic Sect, it would only add to his burden and might even expose the purpose of his trip.
Having figured this out, he no longer hesitated. He took out a pure white porcelain bottle from his storage bracelet, pinched the bottle with his fingertips, gently turned it, opened the stopper, and drank the pale blue liquid inside in one gulp.
The next moment, a change occurred in Ji Wuchen.
Her once firm skin became loose and aged at a visible speed, and her long, black hair quickly lost its luster, turning gray and dry, and falling down to her shoulders;
His once upright figure gradually hunched over, and his entire demeanor changed from the sharpness of a young cultivator to the dejection of an old man.
In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a handsome young man in his twenties into an old man in his seventies or eighties with a face full of wrinkles.
What surprised Chen Yi even more was the change in the originally condensed magical energy and keen spiritual sense within his body.
They all became mixed and weak, perfectly matching the state of a Core Formation cultivator whose lifespan was about to run out.
Immediately afterwards, he took out a wide-brimmed straw hat from his storage bag and put it on. The shadow of the hat covered most of his face, completely concealing his appearance.
Anyone who saw him would think he was just an ordinary, old, decrepit cultivator.
Chen Yi watched this scene and secretly marveled at its wonder.
The medicine the other party had taken was so effective that even his senses couldn't detect the slightest flaw.
Moreover, as the eldest son of the Ji family, Ji Wuchen must be highly respected in daily life, yet he is so obedient to advice now.
Seeing that he was acting cautiously, he immediately adjusted his state, showing no arrogance of a scion of a noble family. This composure was indeed rare.
Feeling Chen Yi's gaze, Ji Wuchen explained in an aged voice:
"Hehe, Fellow Daoist Chen, you flatter me."
"My skills in transformation are shallow, and I have no decent methods to offer. I can only use the ever-changing elixir refined at home to achieve this disguise."
Chen Yi nodded upon hearing this, inwardly marveling at the profound foundation of the Ji family.
The disguise effect, which even Chen Yi's divine sense could not detect, likely indicates that the potion's grade has reached the fourth level.
Afterwards, the two wasted no more time and boarded Ji Wuchen's flying boat.
After the flying boat started, a faint halo of concealment array appeared on its surface, and it silently merged into the clouds on the outer edge of the Monster Mountain Range, flying towards the Thunder-Attracting Peak, 300,000 miles away.
On the way, Ji Wuchen didn't rest either, explaining in detail to Chen Yi the situation regarding the Thunder-Attracting Peak that he had discovered over the past two years:
"Brother Chen, based on the historical records from ten thousand years ago that I found in the Ji family's classics, combined with the results of my multiple infiltrations into the outer perimeter of Yinlei Peak over the past two years, I can basically confirm that..."
The site of Yinlei Peak was likely the ruins of a Nascent Soul sect.
That sect most likely uses this mountain to refine lightning-type magic weapons, cultivate lightning-type techniques, or as a training ground for high-level body-refining cultivators.
The Thunder Pool we are going to is related to the Thunder Soul Sect of that time. The Thunder Pool contains a Thunder Soul imprint left over from ten thousand years ago.
Our goal is to refine and extract that mark from the Thunder Pool, and then use the power of that mark to completely remove the demonic soul mark between my brows.
Brother Chen, your task is simply to focus on refining that mark in the Thunder Pool and help me remove the demonic soul mark.
As for the path to the outer edge of Thunder Pool, you will encounter several ancient formations, as well as possible demonic beasts or demonic cultivators.
I'll take the lead in handling all of these.
Actually, among the people I know, Qiu Li of the Thundercloud Sect is also capable of helping me with this.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yi slowly nodded to indicate that he understood, then changed the subject and asked with a hint of doubt:
"Brother Ji, I have heard what you said about refining the Thunder Pool, capturing the mark, and helping you purify the demonic soul mark."
In my memory, Qiu Li of the Thundercloud Sect in Zhongzhou seems to be more suitable, right?
Why don't you go find her?
Ji Wuchen's relaxed expression faded slightly, and he sighed softly, explaining in a serious tone:
"Originally, Qiu Li was indeed the most suitable candidate."
She has now advanced to the late stage of the Golden Core realm, and her control over magic power, divine sense, and thunder spirit is top-notch.
However, her situation changed after she, a true disciple of the Thundercloud Sect, obtained the authentic Thunder Soul inheritance in the secret realm last time.
With her natural talent and the profound heritage of the Thundercloud Sect, if she successfully advances to the Nascent Soul stage, she is very likely to have the potential to reach the late Nascent Soul stage in the future.
Brother Chen, you should know that the number of late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators in the entire Central Continent is extremely limited.
Every cultivator who wants to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage will face competition from countless mid-Nascent Soul cultivators.
The slightest mistake could lead to failure.
Since I was willing to risk everything to lure Lei Feng to resolve the demonic soul mark, it means that I also have the ambition to reach the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
If Qiu Li, who is also a disciple of the Central Plains orthodox lineage, were to help with this matter, even if the mark were eventually removed, it would still affect my future attempts to break through to the late Nascent Soul stage.
This past of "receiving her favor" will also become a handle in her hands. If she uses this to her advantage, my subsequent path of cultivation will only become more difficult.
Choosing you, Brother Chen, eliminates these concerns.
?
After listening, Chen Yi looked completely puzzled.
"So, Brother Ji, you're convinced I'll never have a chance to advance to the late Nascent Soul stage in this lifetime?"
Seeing Chen Yi's reaction, Ji Wuchen knew he had misunderstood him and waved his hand with a wry smile to explain:
"Brother Chen, I am not doubting your talent and background."
You may not realize just how severe the suppression of Nascent Soul cultivators is on this continent.
For a Nascent Soul cultivator to advance even a single step, they must exert far more effort than ordinary people, making it extremely difficult.
Especially for advancing to the late Nascent Soul stage, not only does one need to meet certain standards in cultivation and mental state, but also requires substantial resource support and the protection of top-tier forces. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to succeed by relying solely on one's own strength.
Chen Yi then realized what was happening and slowly nodded to show his understanding.
Ji Wuchen meant that without a top-tier power as a backer, even with talent, it would be difficult for him to advance to the late Nascent Soul stage.
However, he was not discouraged. After all, he had the system's assistance, so even without the support of a powerful force, he was not entirely without a chance to break through to the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
Having thought all this through, Chen Yi said in a relaxed tone, "Let's take it one step at a time. Nobody can predict the future."
If it really comes to that, and there's no hope of reaching the late Nascent Soul stage, I beg Brother Ji to take me in.
Upon hearing this, Ji Wuchen laughed heartily:
"Haha, Brother Chen, you're too kind! As long as you're willing, you can come to the Ji family anytime in the future, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly!"
After exchanging pleasantries, the two did not waste any more time.
They traveled by flying boat, traversing the harsh environment of the Monster Mountain Range, sometimes avoiding hordes of ferocious monsters, sometimes bypassing valleys filled with miasma, and finally traversing more than 300,000 miles to successfully reach the outer perimeter of Thunder-Attracting Peak.
...
(End of this chapter)