"Hand over that little beauty you’re holding, so we brothers can have some fun along the way!"
Slanderous words, incessantly filling the ears.
Zhiwei clenched her little fists, instinctively burrowing closer into her master’s arms.
A cold glint flashed in Chen Ye’s eyes.
He loathed these people utterly, except for the very few who were specially captured talents for exploring the Cave Heaven.
The others were utterly evil!
Suddenly, a burly figure stood out from the shadows.
The weasel-faced cultivator beamed with delight: "Hahaha, Brother Iron Tiger doesn’t like this kid either? Let’s strike together, first break his limbs, then..."
His words were abruptly cut short.
Because a large, iron-like hand had gripped his throat, lifting his whole body into the air.
"Wha...what are you doing..." The cultivator’s face turned red as he struggled desperately.
Iron Tiger didn’t even glance at him, instead turning to Chen Ye, his voice deep and booming: "Steward Chen, forgive my earlier offense under threat...these riffraff aren’t worthy of your intervention!"
He had previously sparred with Chen Ye, aware of his extraordinary background, and had been knocked unconscious within a few moves.
If he didn’t appease Chen Ye now...he’d be in trouble once inside the Cave Heaven.
Chen Ye patted Zhiwei’s back, speaking coldly: "Then I’ll leave it to you, my friend."
"Alright!"
Iron Tiger grinned ferociously, applying force to twist the cultivator’s arms off.
"Ah!"
A sharp crack echoed as the weasel-faced cultivator was casually tossed into a corner by Iron Tiger.
His hands crippled, certain death awaited him after entering the Cave Heaven!
Those sinful cultivators who had just stood in the bottom hold silently sat back down, their hearts filled with uncertainty.
What’s going on?
Evidently, from the guardian’s attitude, this person was clearly a disposable pawn, so why is Iron Tiger protecting him now?
The more they thought, the more uneasy they felt, instinctively distancing from Chen Ye.
In an instant, cultivators around Chen Ye vanished entirely.
Zhiwei’s delicate nose twitched, and she let out a slight sigh of relief.
Now, she could only smell her master’s scent!
...
Three days passed in a flash.
The Spiritual Ship descended amid turbulence, a resounding clang announced the heavy iron door opening, and blinding sunlight streamed inside.
"Get the hell out!"
The impatient reprimand of the Inner Sect Disciple rang out, and the sinful cultivators scrambled out of the suffocating hold as though relieved of a burden.
Chen Ye held Zhiwei’s hand, walking unhurriedly at the back.
A sprawling mountain valley stretched before them.
At the valley’s end, a colossal mountain wall soared upwards, with a vast, bottomless hole in its center, from which strands of white mist spread out, desolate and mysterious.
This was the entrance to Songyang Cave Heaven.
Zhiwei stared blankly, asking her master foolishly: "Master, will we enter another world if we go into the white mist? It’s so magical..."
Chen Ye was somewhat tense, not for himself, but because he would soon be entering this unpredictable small world with his disciple, leaving no room for relaxation:
"Yes. Once Zhiwei has succeeded in cultivation, you’ll create a small world for me, so I can enjoy myself therein."
Zhiwei flashed a bright smile, revealing her white teeth:
"Master, that’s something Qing Jun would do! If Zhiwei succeeds in cultivation, I won’t let you relax. I’ll ensure you’re diligently cultivating!"
Sigh.
Such a naughty girl, wasn’t raising disciples supposed to be a safeguard for old age? But his senior disciple was only concerned about his cultivation.
Chen Ye glared at his senior disciple: "According to you, do you think as a master, I should start obeying my disciple someday?"
The senior disciple pouted, her soft little hands shaking her master’s big hand, looking pitifully at him:
"Won’t you listen to Zhiwei in the future, Master?"
Sigh...
When did this brat learn to act coy?
But then he thought.
Chen Ye understood...
The future being uncertain, under such circumstances, Zhiwei let go of the rules in her heart, fully revealing her affection for him.
Chen Ye forced himself to maintain a trace of his master’s dignity, keeping his face stern, "Mind your manners, inappropriate behavior!"
The little girl was somewhat discouraged.
She secretly thought, if Qing Jun acted coy, wouldn’t Master agree to anything?
With this thought, she bit her lip, hugging her master’s arm, her voice soft and sticky: "But...Zhiwei’s like this only with Master?"
Chen Ye was completely out of solutions now.
Fine, being handled by the disciple is being handled by the disciple.
After all, the disciple isn’t like those bad women outside...so being handled by the disciple doesn’t make one a turtle man!
He’s not like Xue Chengjun, that kind of sycophant!
Thinking this, Chen Ye felt completely justified.
Unable to hold back any longer, he crouched down and scooped up his soft and fragrant disciple, saying gently, "Okay, okay, from now on, if Zhiwei wants Master to go east, Master won’t go west, alright?"
With his disciple in his arms, Chen Ye’s whole heart was filled.
He thought to himself: Oh well, having no ambition is just having no ambition.
"Master is the best!"
The little girl with black hair was very happy, hugging her master’s neck.
She stared at her master for a moment, suddenly smacked a quick kiss on his stubbly cheek.
Then she quickly buried her face in her master’s chest.
Chen Ye was stunned for a moment, touching his cheek.
To be actually kissed by his disciple voluntarily!
Hmph!
Sycophants like Xue Chengjun might never get kissed even in a lifetime, right?
Chen Ye felt even more content.
Hmm... Zhiwei acting spoiled is quite rare...
He deliberately coughed once: "How old are you now, still wanting to be hugged by Master every day!"
The little girl with black hair blinked, hearing the anticipation in Master’s voice.
She felt a bit troubled, but still followed her master’s intention, speaking in a cute voice:
"Because Zhiwei wants to be hugged by Master..."
Chen Ye felt even more pleased, and sighed again: "Ah, when Zhiwei grows up, I’m afraid she won’t stick to Master anymore. Maybe she’ll even think Master is an old man."
"..."
The little girl with black hair slowly lifted her face, silently looking at her master.
Chen Ye felt inexplicably embarrassed, why was Zhiwei’s gaze so odd?
It must be an illusion!
Indeed, the next moment his big disciple gave a sweet smile again: "Zhiwei will stick to Master forever, no matter what kind of Master, Zhiwei won’t dislike."
Seeing her master’s satisfied appearance, she sighed worriedly in her heart.
How is Master an old man?
At such an age, still needing his disciple to soothe him!
However, even Zhiwei herself couldn’t quite understand why.
It seems like... she actually enjoys soothing her master?
...
Unlike Chen Ye and his disciple who seemed to be on a picnic, the other cultivators either looked panicked and desperate; or were eager and ready.
At this moment.
Outside the cave entrance, the valley was already crowded with people.
Apart from their Lingyin Sect’s team, there were many other sect teams dressed differently waiting there, including the five major sects of the Yan Kingdom.
Though Lingyin Sect traditionally doesn’t get along well with Ten Thousand Puppet Sect and Medicine King Valley.
They’re not openly mortal enemies.
Moreover, now that demon cultivators have entered Songyang Cave Heaven, under Refining God Sect’s mediation, several major sects have temporarily reached an agreement to explore Songyang Cave Heaven together.
Lingyin Sect didn’t dare to provoke public anger, so they reluctantly allowed various sects to collectively explore the secret realm within Lingyin Sect’s territory...
However,
This vicinity is ultimately the territory of Lingyin Sect.
Only Lingyin Sect’s team was large, and included the forces of various local cultivator families.
As for the other sects, they were few in number.
Chen Ye held his disciple and quickly surveyed the surrounding forces.
Currently, although Songyang Cave Heaven is a rare grotto heaven, each force still acts conservatively.
No one directly senselessly sent the sect’s strong talents, or strong cultivators directly into the grotto heaven.
It’s because Songyang Cave Heaven was discovered recently, its situation unknown, risks too high, losing sect experts within it would not be worth it.
Currently, the strongest cultivation among everyone is Xu Henshan, Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer, leading the group.
But from others’ perspective, this person’s life span is nearly over, venturing into the grotto heaven also makes sense.
Apart from him, there’s that Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer cultivator from Refining God Sect.
Refining God Sect has only sent this person.
He’s alone, out of place among the many cultivators.
His figure is lean and tall, wearing grey hemp clothes, straw sandals underfoot, carrying a long sword.
Typical Refining God Sect ascetic cultivator appearance.
"This person... is a true sword cultivator."
Chen Ye felt a chill in his heart.
Unlike Wei Shu who relies on pills and family resources piled up cultivation, this cultivator before him, every bit of his aura is honed through painstaking practice and life-and-death battles.