Leaving this abrupt admonition, the little girl waved to the Profound Scale Guard that appeared out of nowhere and marched confidently towards the Xu Family’s resting place.
"Wait a moment..."
Chen Ye thought for a moment, then called out to Qing Jun, explaining the ins and outs of some matters to him,
"Once we leave the Grotto Heaven, I will come to find you. For the next few days, I need to go to the Ninth Layer Heaven to find Sister Susu."
The little girl ground her teeth: "Sister Susu? Master, she’s always provoking me!"
"Sister Susu is so good to you! She’s not a bad person! And with Sister Susu’s help, I can bring Qing Jun home afterwards, right?" Chen Ye was displeased.
"Hmm...Qing Jun will be even stronger than Sister Susu in the future!"
The little girl had nothing to say now, her fighting spirit only grew stronger.
...
"Master, Qing Jun, she..."
"Don’t worry, she won’t be in any danger for the time being. What the Xu Family truly cares about is Qing Jun’s worth; before the elder speaks, they don’t dare to really do anything to her."
Chen Ye walked into the room and closed the door, isolating the noise from outside and potential prying eyes,
"Now, let’s focus on cultivation. At this moment, thinking more is of no use."
"Yes, Master."
The black-haired little girl was silent for a while, then closed her eyes for cultivation.
Chen Ye too seized the time to stabilize his realm.
Upon entering meditation, Chen Ye immersed his mind into the Dantian Energy Sea.
The lake formed by the Five-Colored Spiritual Power had taken shape, but ripples moved across its surface, and the circulation of spiritual power was somewhat sluggish, indicating an unstable foundation.
He circulated the Withering Prosperity Mysterious Light Sutra, guiding the Five Elements Spiritual Power to circulate in his body according to the large cycle, tempering his Tao Foundation and honing each drop of spiritual power, over and over again.
Time passed quietly, and in the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
After two days of sitting in stillness, the spiritual power within him had become harmonious, firmly securing the realm of the Foundation Establishment’s early stage, and his aura became increasingly deep and reserved.
"It seems the token is almost ready..."
Chen Ye opened his eyes and took an iron box from the Storage Ring.
The moment the box was taken out, it immediately caught the attention of Zhiwei and the little white fox lazily lounging in her arms.
"Chirp chirp!" The little white fox jumped from Zhiwei’s arms, hopped to Chen Ye’s leg, craning its small head upwards excitedly.
Zhiwei also walked quickly over and squatted beside her master. Both of their gazes focused on the opened box.
Inside, the once dull token had transformed dramatically!
It now glimmered with black and yellow hues, flickering unpredictably, like the throbbing of a heart.
"Master, is this the key to the Ninth Layer Heaven?" Zhiwei asked softly. Although she wasn’t versed in artifact refining, she could feel the extraordinary nature of this item.
"Yes." Chen Ye nodded, eyes gleaming brightly, "The iron box rejuvenates it, restoring it to its original state. Its origins may be even more extraordinary than we imagined. Little white fox, this time the credit is all yours!"
Chen Ye affectionately patted the fluffy head of the little white fox.
The little white fox squinted in delight, rubbing its small head against Chen Ye’s fingers.
Thanks to Chen Ye’s attentive care, the little fox was no longer constantly yawning and would occasionally show slight dependency.
After all, it was just a little fox.
Chen Ye felt he could add another title to his name; he was not only the Cultivation Realm’s foremost expert on little girls, but also an expert on little foxes!
"The time is now!"
Chen Ye’s gaze shifted out the window to the pillar of light at the end of No Thought Valley, which was clearer than the previous days,
"The opening of the Ninth Layer Heaven is imminent! I must enter and find Bai Susu before the major powers arrive!"
He carefully stored the token once again.
Hee Qi also finished his meditation at this time, emerging from the ruins next door, just in time to meet Chen Ye.
"Brother Hee, how is your injury? Does it impede action?" Chen Ye asked in a deep voice.
Hee Qi stretched his muscles and bones, sighing, "I am not like Brother Chen with your exceptional talents. I was already involved in a massive battle just after entering Foundation Establishment and was severely injured, then encountered that Myriad Puppets cultivator...I fear I’ll need half a year to fully recover. But with Brother Chen, the killing deity, I can still lend a hand."
He said that shortly before meeting Chen Ye, he had fought with a Foundation Establishment cultivator, suffering severe injuries.
Chen Ye frowned, "Never mind, I am going to enter the Ninth Layer Heaven! It’s too perilous inside, Brother Hee, you should stay here. I’ll go in alone...otherwise, I would be distracted."
Hee Qi initially intended to continue following Chen Ye but relented upon hearing this.
Indeed, considering his current injuries, he would only be a burden to Chen Ye... furthermore, Chen Ye already had to take care of his disciple, and couldn’t afford further distractions.
"It’s all my fault for having weak cultivation..." Hee Qi bowed slightly, "Then I wish Brother Chen smooth sailing!"
...
The barrier, resembling a curtain of light descending from the sky, stood close by.
Beyond the barrier, more cultivators had gathered.
Among them, quite a few cultivators arrived at the Grotto Heaven along with Chen Ye.
Chen Ye quickly recognized several familiar faces, like the remnants of the Lingyin Sect team.
However, what surprised Chen Ye was that an unfamiliar Foundation Establishment cultivator had somehow joined the Lingyin Sect.
"Hmm? Could it be one of the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the previous group that entered the Grotto Heaven?"
Chen Ye contemplated, recalling that Hee Qi’s exposure was due to the previous Lingyin Sect team, where a Guardian holding a Reflection Pearl had preserved the evidence.
Without showing any expression, he chose a secluded corner to stop, trying to avoid drawing attention. While pretending to focus on the changes in the light screen, he whispered to his disciple, "Watch and wait for now."
As expected, just like last time, some cultivators remained unwilling to give up trying.
But without exception, these cultivators returned without success, left to sit outside the barrier, their gazes sweeping back and forth among the arriving cultivators.
Chen Ye silently observed everything, fully understanding the situation.
It seemed there would be no shortage of people attempting to break in by force, but the outcome was obvious.
After unsuccessful attempts, they could only wait for the barrier to collapse on its own,
or wait for the token holder to open a passage, then seize the opportunity to sneak in or even directly rob the token!
Chen Ye planned to feign an attack when someone else made a charge, but in fact, he intended to enter directly using the token.
By the time anyone realized he possessed the token, it would be too late.
Just as a cultivator launched another ferocious attack on the barrier, causing the light screen to shake violently,
Chen Ye held his disciple tightly, no longer hiding, as the Flying Light Sword emerged at his command, transforming into a sharp, cyan lightning bolt rushing towards the Grand Array!
Just as he was about to reach the barrier, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of Chen Ye. A withered hand, seemingly slow yet actually swift, struck the spine of the Flying Light Sword!
"Clang!"
Chen Ye’s advance slowed, startling him.
This was a Middle Period Foundation Establishment!
Why was this person stopping him?
The black-robed cultivator slapped away the Flying Light Sword with one hand and formed a seal with the other, striking at Chen Ye.
He had been plotting for a while and was fully prepared, only acting when Chen Ye was about to charge.
Just as the strike was about to land, a pure Sword Intent suddenly sliced towards the black-robed cultivator.
"Clang!"
The one who intervened was the unexpectedly arriving Jian Gu!
He appeared so suddenly, just as the black-robed man made his move.
With a single strike, Jian Gu forced the black-robed cultivator back several steps. The cultivator, as if hit by lightning, let out a muffled humph and retreated several feet: "Jian Gu! What do you mean by this?"
Jian Gu’s face remained indifferent, his gaze briefly flicking to the white fox tail accidentally exposed beneath Chen Ye’s robe.
The little white fox had been comfortably asleep in Zhiwei’s arms, but the black-robed man’s sudden attack almost startled it out.
Though the little fox clung to Zhiwei in time, half of its tail had already slipped out accidentally.
The small tail trembled in fear, quickly retreating back in.
"..."
Even the usually aloof Jian Gu couldn’t help but reveal a slightly strange expression, giving a significant glance at Chen Ye before turning to the black-robed cultivator: "No Thought Valley forbids fighting. Don’t break the rules."
The black-robed cultivator was so enraged he laughed: "In the past, the Refining God Sect never acted as chivalrous heroes. Did you have nothing better to do today?"
Jian Gu neither affirmed nor denied, continuing, "I will protect this person today. If you want to try, I’ll accompany you to the end."
Having said that,
he turned without hesitation, saying to Chen Ye, "I’ll hold him off, you go."
Though Chen Ye had countless questions, he knew this was not the time to hesitate.
He respectfully bowed to Jian Gu’s back and did not delay further.
With one hand, he protected Zhiwei, and with the other, took out the token, pressing it against the fluctuating light screen!
"Buzz—"
The mystical patterns on the token suddenly lit up, resonating with the barrier’s Grand Array.
The seemingly impenetrable light screen rippled like water, opening a deep pathway for him!
"It’s the token!"
"He has the token in his hand!"
The crowd erupted instantly, numerous greedy eyes descending upon him.
But Jian Gu merely held his sword horizontally in front, and the soaring Sword Intent became an insurmountable chasm, preventing anyone from daring to act rashly.
Without looking back, Chen Ye stepped into the profound passage, taking Zhiwei and the little white fox in his arms along with him.