Chapter 221 Return from Life and Death (Middle Chapter) The ancient altar was in turmoil, the power array was rippled, and the small space was distorted. Even the slightest crack appeared! Spatial crack! Wisps of black aura drifted out from the crack and merged into the countless mysterious patterns of the altar. Xuan Qingban and the other guards and the surrounding disciples noticed it in an instant.

Finally, someone's coming in!

"Senior Sister, what's this?" Xu Wenbo looked excitedly at the peculiar energy fluctuations emanating from the altar, his heart skipping a beat. They're coming back? Are some of them returning?

This altar is rarely used under normal circumstances. A teleportation talisman is only used in life-saving situations. Once used, a second talisman is only awarded for meritorious service; otherwise, you won't receive a second one. Therefore, the cultivators of Fengdu City treat teleportation talismans like their second life and don't use them carelessly. Furthermore, only fourth-generation inner disciples possess teleportation talismans! Each person has one.

As a result, fewer altars were used.

Xuan Qingban did not answer. He simply stared calmly at the altar, his deep eyes clear and serene.

Suddenly, the energy fluctuations intensified, countless patterns and symbols flashed, and then a white light flashed, and a person appeared on the altar.

"Ah!" The person who was teleported in obviously didn't know where they were and stood there stunned for a moment.

"Little Liu!" Zheng Laosan exclaimed with delight when he saw that it was one of his own men. He recognized that the person who came out of the altar was a guard from the Zheng family's team. The man's clothes were tattered and covered in blood, and his face was extremely pale, indicating that he was seriously injured.

But he actually came back alive!

At first, Xiao Liu looked around blankly, but when he heard someone calling him, his eyes cleared and he came to his senses.

Zheng Laosan was very excited and anxious, and walked towards the altar.

"Sir!" Little Liu saw it clearly, his eyes reddened, and he hurriedly ran down from the altar, giving a salute. This tough man actually shed tears upon seeing Zheng Laosan.

"Good, good. It's good that you're back!" Zheng Laosan's eyes also welled up with tears. He patted Xiao Liu on the shoulder and said happily. Being able to come back alive was a great joy. Only the five of them, who had obtained the spirit-grade demon seed without any special opportunity, knew how difficult it was for an ordinary person to obtain a demon seed on their own. They had even mentally prepared themselves to hear bad news.

"Haixing, how is he?" After a brief moment of joy, Zheng Laosan immediately inquired about his nephew Zheng Haixing's condition.

When asked, Xiao Liu's face showed fear, as if still shaken. He said, "Sir, Young Master is still safe! But the situation there is not optimistic! For a while, we hardly encountered any demonic vines or demonic seeds. But these past few days, we've encountered them continuously, sometimes three or four a day. But we are no match for the demonic vines. Now, only Young Master, the captain, and four brothers are left. Those demonic vines are terrifying. Many brothers died before they could even crush their teleportation talismans. Some of those demonic vines don't just grow on the ground; sometimes they lurk underground, suddenly attacking. That one time, two of them died instantly."

Some of the demonic vines, however, are small and hidden among ordinary plants.

The journey ahead. No one wants to desert their post. They have a sense of hope and a responsibility to protect others. However, once attacked by the demonic vines, there is basically no time to escape, so death is the only outcome.

A team of more than ten people. Within half a day, most died, and not a single person successfully obtained a demon seed. All opportunities had to be abandoned, but would the opportunity to encounter the decaying demon vine be so easy? The answer is no.

Even Xiao Liu himself narrowly escaped death this time! Just as the Spring Sun Demon Vine was about to swallow him whole, he miraculously teleported successfully, escaping with his life from the vine's grasp. If he had stayed any longer, he would have been dead in the next second.

While feeling saddened at not being able to stay and protect the young master, Xiao Liu also felt extremely guilty.

Zheng Laosan didn't blame him; he understood and was quite relieved. He knew that escaping with his life was already a great achievement. Xiao Liu was somewhat disappointed that he hadn't obtained the demon seed, but hearing news of his nephew was ultimately good news.

"It's not your fault! Well done, you didn't disgrace the Zheng family!" Zheng Laosan comforted him. Every one of these guards was an absolute confidant of the Zheng family, a loyal person, and their loyalty could not be broken.

"Chang Yi Xiao Liu was excited and wanted to say something, but the next second he fainted, and Zheng Lao San quickly supported him."

"Take him away and treat his injuries first!" Xuan Qing'ao said to the altar guardian disciple beside him. One of the altar guardian disciples quickly took Xiao Liu away.

As long as they don't die immediately, they won't die. Even Zhao Jun's severe injuries, which involved damage to his soul, can be healed, which shows that the healing ability of plant cultivators is very strong.

Zheng Laosan approached with a worried expression. Qingzhu, no longer joking, pretended to be a senior sister and said, "Junior Brother Zheng, don't worry. Those who consume the Brain Beads have a much higher chance of survival than ordinary people. Let's wait a little longer; maybe they'll be back soon!"

Zheng Laosan forced a smile and said, "Thank you, Senior Sister Qingzhu!"

"Alas, it's a bit of a pity that the first one to leave the altar didn't obtain a demon seed," Qingzhu sighed deeply. Her eyes darted around very quickly. "Xuan Qingban frowned and said.

Qingzhu shrank her neck. She glanced cautiously at her senior sister, stuck out her tongue, and said apologetically:

"Senior Sister, I'll start cultivating right away, I'll start cultivating right away!"

Zheng Laosan was in a bad mood. His nephew only had five people with him left, and the fewer people there were, the less safe he was. Xu Wenbo, Xiao Tang, and Lin Xian were also in a bad mood.

The news came from the Zheng family, which shows that everyone's situation is not good. What will happen to each of them?

"Gentlemen, could we ask the elders for help?" Xiao Tang said, glancing at Xuan Qingban, who was sitting cross-legged. But the latter continued cultivating, as if he hadn't heard him.

Xu Wenbo and the others' eyes lit up. If the elders agreed, bringing Xiao Ruonan, Xu Ming, and the others back safely would be an easy task.

But then Xu Wenbo's face fell, and he shook his head with a wry smile, saying, "The elders won't agree. Everything here is very different from the outside world."

In the ten days or so they'd been here, they all understood one thing: this place was ruled by the strong; those with less strength were also looked down upon and treated with contempt.

Although the five of them were outsiders, they had already received rewards, and moreover, they had been directly promoted to fourth-generation inner disciples—an unprecedented honor. Getting the elders to agree to organize a rescue operation for a group of ordinary people with no real strength was simply impossible.

"What should we do then?" Zheng Laosan frowned. Even though he was usually shrewd and strong, he was at a loss for what to do.

"We can only wait. Hopefully they can return safely. If we really can't get the demon seed, then so be it. As long as we're alive, we can always find another one! When our cultivation level is high enough, we can find them a demon seed!" Xu Wenbo said.

"Pfft!" Qingzhu, who was pretending to listen intently, couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. It turned out that she wasn't cultivating either, but was just idly eavesdropping on everyone's conversation.

Xu Wenbo and the other four looked at her, somewhat puzzled, and even a little embarrassed.

"Oh my god, you guys are killing me! Your cultivation level is high? Plant cultivators who aren't at least level ten have no hope of getting a normal-grade demon vine. You guys aren't even at level two yet, you've only been practicing for a short time, and you want to reach level ten? Don't even think about it. With your talent, unless there are special circumstances, it will take you two or three years to reach level ten!"

"Three years? Only level ten?" Zheng Laosan's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but exclaim. "So slow? In ten days, we've already reached level two, haven't we? The remaining eight levels won't take too long."

The five of them obtained a spirit-grade demon seed and slowly cultivated for ten days. They had already become level two plant cultivators and felt much stronger. Level ten didn't seem like much, right?

But Qingzhu's blunt criticism severely damaged the five's confidence. Talent? Their talent was only below average. The elders had briefly mentioned it, but at the time, they hadn't paid much attention, overwhelmed by the joy of obtaining a spirit-grade demon seed.

Seeing the five people looking so dejected, Qingzhu immediately became excited.

"Dream on! You've obtained a spirit-grade demon seed. After successfully implanting it, it's perfectly normal to advance two levels within half a month. Even without cultivation, you can still advance two levels. This is all thanks to the spirit-grade demon seed. With an ordinary seed, it would be difficult to advance even one level, let alone two. After advancing two levels, you'll have to rely on your own cultivation. Reaching level three? Hehe, at your speed, don't even think about it for less than a month or two. In short, the further you go, the harder it is to advance! Senior Sister cultivated for twenty-five years before reaching level thirty-two, and Senior Brother Zhao cultivated for thirty years before reaching level thirty. They are already extremely talented. For people with ordinary aptitude, it will be even slower," Qingzhu said with a grin. "You should know that Senior Sister and Senior Brother Zhao are cultivation geniuses that are seen only once in a hundred years!"

"Qingxuan and Qinghui couldn't listen anymore and looked helplessly at their lively junior sister who was always eager to teach others."

"Ah, never mind. I've gone too far. My five junior brothers, just focus on your cultivation. Cultivate diligently and reach level ten or twenty as soon as possible. If you want a demon seed, it will be very possible!" Qingzhu said hastily.

In doing so, she had once again offended her senior sister. She didn't want to be compared to Senior Brother Zhao; she disliked him intensely! She had gotten so caught up in the moment that she'd forgotten. What a blunder!

However, seeing that Xuan Qingxu didn't seem angry, she immediately went over to be affectionate with him again, leaving the five people, including Xu Wenbo, who had been upset, aside.

"Hehe, Senior Sister, tell me, of those outsiders you went to pick up last time, didn't you find any particularly powerful ones? Who do you think would obtain a common-grade demon seed?" Qingzhu sat down next to Xuan Qinghui and started teasing her. She was quite curious, especially since her five junior brothers' outfits looked so novel when they arrived, so she was also full of curiosity about the outside world.

Xuan Qingji rolled his eyes at her helplessly, a look of affection on his face, like he was looking at his own younger sister. Their relationship was indeed the best among all their fellow disciples. Xuan Qingban was naturally aloof, single-mindedly pursuing the highest realm of cultivation, while Qingzhu was lively and mischievous, like a child who never grew up, showing none of the demeanor of a senior sister. However, her cultivation talent was not low; she was now a level twenty-nine spirit-grade plant cultivator, her natal demonic vine being the Hibiscus King Vine, primarily used for physical attacks. She was second only to Xuan Qingbai and Zhao Jun. One quiet, one active, their personalities complemented each other perfectly.

Xuan Qingbo had no choice but to stop her internal cultivation. She frowned as she recalled, "Those people outside are much weaker than the ordinary people here. Even the strongest among them are roughly on par with the ordinary people here. There shouldn't be any doubt about that." Halfway through her thought, a figure flashed through her mind: Zhang Guodong. She hesitated. Zhang Guodong gave her a feeling of familiarity, a feeling conveyed by her natal demonic vine. Perhaps Zhang Guodong possessed some treasure that could promote the growth of her natal demonic vine?

Is that about it?

However, even with some treasures, what help did they actually provide? Zhang Guodong's figure flashed by.

"Nothing should be wrong, right? Senior Sister, you're making me so anxious!" Qingzhu urged, her beautiful eyes wide.

“There shouldn’t be any powerful ones, so to obtain a demon seed, unless someone is lucky enough to find a decaying demon seed,” Xuan Qiban said with certainty.

"Oh, Qingzhu is a little disappointed."

Just then, the altar began to fluctuate again, drawing everyone's attention.

Someone else has come in?

On the Star-Picking Tower, not far from the altar.

"Hmm, this little girl is quite lucky." Outside the altar, there's a high platform building called the Star-Picking Tower. From the Star-Picking Tower, one can have a clear view of the entire altar plaza and its surroundings. The First Elder and Second Elder are currently sitting here, leisurely drinking tea. As they are drinking, the First Elder senses the fluctuations on the altar again. Upon closer inspection, he is surprised.

The person who came in this time actually had the aura of a demon!

The Second Elder also sensed it. A person appeared on the altar, but it was a young girl. A unique and powerful aura emanated from her, her life force condensed and vigorous, far stronger than that of ordinary demons. This moved him deeply!

"This is a demonic seed of Black Nanmu Grass, no, it has the life force of a demonic seed comparable to a spirit-grade one. Could it be a Black Nanmu Mystic Wood demonic seed?" the Second Elder exclaimed in surprise. "We actually found a spirit-grade demonic seed!"

It has to be said that this little girl is extremely lucky, actually obtaining a spirit-grade demon seed! The Black Nanmu Grass Demon Vine and the Black Nanmu Demon Vine are very similar, but the latter is the evolved form of the former!

The difference in grade means a huge difference in cultivation level! The difference in strength between plant cultivators was evident in the First Elder's cheerful nod. He said, "The first one who teleported back came back empty-handed, but the second one actually obtained a spirit-grade demon seed." "Senior Brother, that's just luck! This little girl must have encountered a decaying demon vine, otherwise even an ordinary-grade demon vine wouldn't be something outsiders could handle!" the Second Elder said, unconvinced.

"I have an idea. As long as these people can obtain spirit-grade demon seeds, they should be treated the same as fourth-generation outer disciples!" The Grand Elder said suddenly, looking towards the altar.

Surprising!

"Senior Brother, isn't this too high? Those five people have already obtained spirit-grade demon seeds and have been granted the status of fourth-generation inner disciples. If these people are also given such high titles, it's unfair to the other disciples!" The Second Elder immediately objected.

The sixth generation of outer disciples, the sixth generation of inner disciples, the fifth generation of outer disciples, the fifth generation of inner disciples, the fourth generation of outer disciples, and the fourth generation of inner disciples—each level requires strength to advance.

Within a certain age range, one must strive to meet the standards set by the Elders' Hall to be promoted, and the corresponding treatment will naturally differ. For example, the treatment of a sixth-generation inner disciple is not as good as that of a fifth-generation outer disciple, while a fifth-generation outer disciple can obtain more low-grade crystals and power. This is how the standards are set.

Moreover, even if you are lucky enough to obtain a spirit-grade demon seed, you may not be able to cultivate it to the required level, as this is also related to your own talent.

Take Xu Wenbo and his group of five, for example. Their talent was only below average, making their cultivation progress much slower than those with higher talent under the same conditions. Breaking through bottlenecks was also significantly more difficult for them. This is because even with the boost from a demon seed, the cultivation speed of someone with very low talent would still be as slow as a snail's pace.

“Plant cultivation emphasizes following nature and fate. Did you previously think that ordinary people from the outside world could obtain ordinary demon seeds, let alone spirit-grade demon seeds? So, based on this great luck, she can be granted the status of a fourth-generation outer disciple. There’s no need to mention this matter again!” The Grand Elder said decisively, his eyes sparkling with wisdom.

The Second Elder was helpless. Once the Eldest Brother made a decision, no one could change it. However, what the Eldest Brother said was also true.

When he first heard that these outsiders, weaker than ordinary people in the Plant Cultivation World, were going to embark on a perilous journey to the ancient wilderness in search of demon seeds, he had no hope left and essentially sentenced them to death.

Unexpectedly, the second person who was safely teleported back actually obtained a spirit-grade demon seed!

I never expected this!

“Don’t try to find a dead end. Even if many people manage to come out alive this time, very few will likely succeed, let alone obtain a demon seed, especially a spirit-grade one. I’m afraid this little girl is the only one who will do so,” the First Elder said, seeing the Second Junior Brother’s somewhat helpless expression. “Fengdu City is too peaceful. The fifth and sixth generation disciples need a much-needed boost!”

"Yes, there are very few people like that!" The Second Elder understood the Senior Brother's intention: to use this outsider to motivate the fifth, sixth, and even fourth generation disciples to strive for excellence! The Second Elder's eyes lit up, then he smiled sheepishly.

"Senior Brother has considered things from a far-sighted perspective!" the Second Elder flattered, laughing.

This time, it was Xiao Ruonan who appeared!

"Ruonan!" Xiao Zifeng's excited voice came from below the altar.

Although Xiao Ruonan was also disheveled, it couldn't hide her naturally beautiful and clear face. After all, she had been trekking across the ancient wilderness for more than ten days, where even drinking water and eating were luxuries, and she hadn't washed up for over ten days. After being persuaded by the Xiao family's guard captain to teleport back, the changes before her eyes left her momentarily speechless.

However, she quickly calmed down.

It's safe here now! Her second uncle is here too.

Hearing the sound, Xiao Ruonan looked up and saw her second uncle below. Her eyes reddened involuntarily. Many staunch supporters of the Xiao family had died these past few days, causing even this strong-willed woman to shed tears. This woman, too, was a woman of great loyalty and affection!

If it weren't for the Xiao family's guard captain and team members unanimously saying, "Miss Sun, if you return safely, our pressure would be even less!"

If that weren't the case, she probably wouldn't have abandoned everyone and returned alone.

"After Xiao Ruonan stepped down from the altar, she pursed her lips and finally revealed a slight smile."

Seeing his niece return safely was more gratifying than anything else. His eyes welled up with tears as he exclaimed happily, "Girl, it's good that you're back. Your safe return is more important than anything else. It doesn't matter that you didn't obtain the demon seed!"

He also thought that his niece hadn't obtained the demon seed either!

He patted Xiao Ruonan's head and said with a self-deprecating smile, "Look how happy your second uncle is. Come on, go downstairs and wash up and rest for a bit. Tell your second uncle about what's going on outside!"

"Hmm," Xiao Ruonan wanted to say that she had already obtained it, but seeing so many people around her, she immediately swallowed her words and followed her second uncle out.

At the altar, there were disciples in charge of making arrangements. Xiao Tang picked up his niece Xiao Ruonan and, disregarding everything else, followed her down.

"That dashing young man. He just left without saying goodbye, humph!" Qingzhu was somewhat displeased that Xiao Tang had been so rude, ignoring her, his senior sister! "But, Senior Sister, that girl is quite pretty! Tsk tsk!"

Xuan Qingxia was both amused and exasperated. Watching Xiao Ruonan's departing figure, she said, "How old are you? Calling her 'little girl' is quite lucky. This handsome young man's descendant is very fortunate." "Very fortunate?" Qingzhu asked, puzzled.

Aside from Xuan Qing Suo, no one sensed that Xiao Ruonan actually had a spirit-grade demon seed in her bag! Qingzhu didn't notice either. Xuan Qing Suo was very sensitive to demon seeds. This was an ability that plant cultivators gained after reaching level thirty-one.

Chapter 5600. To be continued tomorrow. Please subscribe and recommend, thank you!

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