Therefore, over the years, Black Cliff City near the East Sea has become a gathering place for fugitives from all around, forming a city.
This city is a mix of dragons and snakes, chaotic and unordered, and is a major stronghold of the Emotion Crossing Sect.
However, even the Emotion Crossing Sect dares not meddle too much with Black Cliff City to avoid disaster.
Deep within Black Cliff City, inside a dark hall.
A voluptuously beautiful woman in blood palace garb is kowtowing.
Her face pale, her breath erratic, she is none other than the demon cultivator Mei Suxin who escaped from Songyang Cave Heaven.
On the high seat before her, an indistinct figure in black robes is fiddling with a jade plaque, speaking coldly:
"The life plaque of Yuan Haoxuan is flickering, likely fallen prey to the Lingyin Sect!"
Mei Suxin’s delicate body trembles slightly, she whispers: "Honorable one, I am powerless. That Bai Susu’s strength far exceeded expectations. Though I succeeded in luring her into the Ninth Layer Heaven’s Divine Soul Tao Stele, I myself was severely injured, unable to confirm her life and death before being forced to flee. I presume... Brother Yuan fell prey to her pursuit."
"Bai Susu?"
The shadow in the black robe sneers,
"If she had true ability to escape, why would she wait till now to safely return to the sect? As reported by our agent within the Lingyin Sect, Bai Susu returned together with a steward named Chen Ye. Moreover, her divine soul is damaged, and she is still in seclusion for healing."
Chen Ye!
Mei Suxin’s expression changes.
How could it be him?
She naturally remembers this silent loose cultivator from Yunxi District. But she never expected, it was this man who foiled her grand plan!
In disbelief: "This person is an Outer Sect steward, how could it be possible..."
"He is now a Guardian."
The honorable one tosses the dull jade plaque to the ground, speaks nonchalantly,
"Nothing is impossible. Yuan Haoxuan, arrogant as he was, possessed the blood-forging scripture, such a secret treasure; being caught off guard and tricked by lesser beings is not uncommon. This matter must be thoroughly investigated."
"Yes! As commanded!"
Fierceness flashes in Mei Suxin’s eyes, she pauses, then adds,
"Honorable one, six months ago, through an agent’s hand, I obtained a girl. This girl seemed ordinary, yet once in a crisis, could unleash potential. Despite being a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I couldn’t handle her."
"I am aware of this matter... She is a descendant of the Xu Family, do not provoke her for now, lest Xu Henshan goes mad."
The honorable one leans back lazily, supporting his chin, his gaze thoughtful,
"Is she named... Xu Qingjun?"
"Indeed!" Mei Suxin hastily replies.
"She appears to be of a certain spirit body. Newly into cultivation, able to escape your grasp, no wonder Xu Henshan values her so. Her talent likely surpasses the Lingyin Sect’s Bi Su’s spirit body and Yuan Haoxuan’s Golden Jade Body..."
He evaluates with interest.
According to Mei Suxin’s previous reports, Xu Qingjun was born sacred, with a Guardian protecting her!
This Guardian is unlike the usual.
Generally, Major Sect disciples have Guardians appointed by sect elders.
However, Xu Qingjun’s Guardian is born with her!
Though the Guardian’s strength appears ordinary now, once Xu Qingjun matures, the Guardian’s strength will grow along with her... It is tantamount to possessing a highly loyal weapon!
"Even the Ancestor has been paying close attention... this girl is rather demonic, tsk tsk."
With a spine-chilling gaze, he rises, exuding a terrifying pressure.
Mei Suxin trembles like a sieve, eyes blazing with fervor.
"Our sect and the Lingyin Sect have been at odds for hundreds of years, the end should be near. The Refining God Sect battles within, Myriad Puppets and the Medicine King face off against Lingyin’s swords; it is a perfect storm! The sect’s grand plan is underway, soon the forces shall descend upon the Lingyin Sect."
The honorable one waved out a giant map, pinpointing the Immortal Mountain named Lingyin in the center, laughing,
"By then, the Ancestor shall personally act, slaying Xu Henshan; then I shall capture Xu Qingjun. As for you... proceed to Moon Rhinoceros Lake District, where several families of the Lingyin Sect reside. If this district is destroyed, it will surely throw the Lingyin Sect into disarray!"
"Yes!" Mei Suxin bows in obedience, her figure flickers and disappears into the shadows of the hall.
Leaving the honorable one gazing at the map with a foolhardy gaze.
"Songyang’s lineage, all grievances should be settled by my hand..."
...
Time flies, more than a month has passed.
This period can be considered a rare leisurely time for Chen Ye.
Free from external threats, and spared from the little girl’s nagging—she is usually lazy, but now studies at Baopu Peak all day, returning home exhausted in the evenings, immediately collapsing into sleep.
As her Master, Chen Ye only needs to focus on cultivation.
Yet he purposely takes advantage of Qing Jun’s absence to let Jin’er grow closer to Zhiwei.
During the day when together with Zhiwei, he always brings Jin’er along.
Over time, the relationship between the two girls did indeed become acquainted.
Though not particularly friendly, they can chat at times.
As for Qing Jun...
Chen Ye has temporarily not considered letting Qing Jun interact with Jin’er, fearing Qing Jun might bully Jin’er. He plans to wait a few months or half a year, until Qing Jun gets used to Jin’er’s presence, before having them interact.
"Fortunately, successfully broke through the Foundation Establishment Second Layer."
In the Quiet Chamber, Chen Ye’s eyes glint with brilliance, his face shows delight.
For ordinary cultivators, breaking through after Foundation Establishment is extremely difficult.
First, due to depleted potential and insufficient innate talent;
Secondly, due to a shortage of resources, with nothing to sustain;
Thirdly, due to lack of foundation, requiring continued accumulation.
However, these issues pose no problem for Chen Ye.
Though his talent is average, he progresses steadily with the proficiency panel, and has also mastered the Withering Prosperity Light Scripture and the Evergreen Technique at the grandmaster level, with deep reserves.
Usually he consumes expensive Purple Sun Pills to his fill.
With various factors combined, he astonishingly broke through to the Foundation Establishment Second Layer in just two months!
"Panel." Chen Ye’s thoughts activate the panel.
[Withering Prosperity Light Scripture (Perfection): 220/400]
It is worth mentioning that when breaking through to Perfection this time, he did not directly break through; instead, his cultivation increased substantially.
After all, at this stage of Foundation Establishment, breaking through is far from simple.
"Purple Sun Pill is potent, often taking a whole day to thoroughly refine, and daily needs to go to Danxia Peak for alchemy and teaching apprentices; thus only able to consume a pill every two days."
Chen Ye ponders, though only fifteen pills ingested, the potency of the Purple Sun Pill diminishes noticeably.
Luckily now, each still offers a dozen points of proficiency.
Moreover, once the Purple Sun Pill breakthrough occurs, it should provide even more proficiency.
Thinking of this, Chen Ye glances at the panel again:
[Purple Sun Pill (Great Success): 12/200]
"The issue is the high cost of Purple Sun Pills, alchemy requires significant divine sense expenditure, commonly taking several days to recover after refining a furnace..."
He is somewhat troubled, as this month he only refined four furnaces of Purple Sun Pills, with one furnace for the sect.
Thus, the proficiency improvement is naturally minor.
While for his own three furnaces of Purple Sun Pills, the medicinal materials cost as much as seven thousand Spirit Stones!
Luckily, this month’s goods stored in Herb Pavilion were all sold, the proceeds fully collected, else he would be penniless now.
At present, there remains twelve thousand Spirit Stones, though only three Purple Sun Pills left.
"There are solutions; to increase efficiency, one could repair the Hundred Herbs Furnace, or break through in divine sense, or find superior spiritual fire. Achieving any one of these would increase efficiency by thirty percent."
Chen Ye resolves that his future cultivation will rely heavily on Purple Sun Pills.
Arguably, this pill determines his cultivation progress over the coming years.
"Master, Qing Jun... seems to have gotten into trouble!"
Chen Ye had just stepped out of the Quiet Chamber when he saw Zhiwei already awaiting outside. Her little face is tense, rather anxious.
"Trouble? Isn’t Qing Jun with Baopu Peak disciples exploring Secret Realm for cultivation?"
Chen Ye is astonished.
He recalls three days ago, Qing Jun accompanied Baopu Peak disciples to Yunxia Secret Realm, claiming to stay seven days.
Yet troubles arise on the third day?
Moreover, previously when escorting Qing Jun to Baopu Peak, he watched personally.
At that time, wasn’t Qing Jun behaving well, associating pleasantly with fellow disciples?