Chapter 172 Shi Heming: Thanks for the Heart Demon Spirit Stone, everything is negotiable...

Upon seeing Song Yin, Shi Heming's agitated and chaotic emotions were instantly calmed down.

At first, he didn't pay much attention to Yinyin taking care of her apprentice. But after taking care of her for more than ten days, Yinyin didn't contact him for more than ten days. During those ten days, he was the one who took the initiative to contact Yinyin.

Before Chu Tang entered Danque Peak, this kind of thing shouldn't have happened. Since returning from the small world, Yin Yin had been in contact with him every day. If he didn't go to Danque Peak one day, Yin Yin would come to Dao Asking Peak to find him. But everything changed after Chu Tang officially entered Danque Peak. Yin Yin's attention was easily captured by Chu Tang.

Reason told him that Chu Tang was just Yin Yin's apprentice, and it was only right for Yin Yin to care more about him. But when he heard Chu Tang invite Yin Yin to spend the night with him, that string of reason snapped instantly.

To hell with his apprentices, nobody will do!

"What important matter do you want to see me about?" Song Yin asked before she even got close.

The fact that Shi Heming could come to Danque Peak immediately means that something is definitely not simple.

Shi Heming snapped out of his chaotic emotions. Only when he saw people and heard voices did he remember his excuse.

What important thing could there be now? It was all just an excuse he came up with on a whim.

Can he confess? Of course not.

As the figure drew closer, Shi Heming's mind raced.

Urgent! What should I say?

Song Yin had already approached and stopped in front of him. "What urgent matter requires us to speak in person?"

Shi Heming tensed up, his mind racing, trying to think of something to say.

Song Yin tilted her head. "Hmm? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Shi Heming: "..."

Seeing that he remained silent, Song Yin reached out and touched his forehead. "You don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"

Can a Nascent Soul stage cultivator experience physical discomfort even without injury or mishaps during cultivation?

Just as Song Yin was about to use her spiritual energy to examine his body, the tall man in front of her suddenly seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he lunged at her.

Song Yin grabbed him and asked, "What happened?"

Shi Heming rested his head on Song Yin's shoulder, and from the side, it looked like he was hugging Song Yin.

Just then, taking advantage of Yinyin's inability to see behind her, Shi Heming stuffed himself with a three-stage Illusionary Heart Demon Pill.

Shi Heming only said two words: "Inner demons".

The pills I took weren't of high grade. The pills I had left over from before were discarded in a corner of my space because I had found higher-grade ones. Now they've finally come in handy.

Shi Heming had never been so grateful for having a demon in his heart, and it was also thanks to Yinyin touching his forehead that he suddenly thought of an excuse.

Song Yin was startled. "Inner demons? How could inner demons be causing this?"

Passing through the barrier and opening the door, Song Yin easily brought the person who had pounced on her into the room and made them sit in a chair.

Shi Heming sat in the chair, supporting his forehead with his hand. He looked like he was in great pain, but he still had some rationality.

Song Yin took out a pill to suppress inner demons and fed it to him, saying, "Think back on what happened in the past few days, or the people or things you came into contact with."

After being forced to take the pill, Shi Heming recalled, "These days have been the same as usual, nothing unexpected. If I had to say what's different..." He forced a smile, "Nothing."

Shi Heming's inner demons flared up strangely, and Song Yin even began to suspect that someone was cursing him, after all, the two of them had stolen the spiritual vein and brought it back to the sect.

Song Yin: "There must be a reason for everything. Take a moment to think carefully and make sure I haven't missed anything."

Shi Heming sat in the chair, his gaze never leaving Song Yin.

"Is it alright to leave Chu Tang alone?" Shi Heming asked casually.

Song Yin: "Her condition has improved a lot, so she should be fine. I've been teaching her about medicinal herbs these past few days to keep her from overthinking."

Shi Heming: "It's good that you're alright. It's my fault for having my inner demons suddenly acting up today. I've already taken the pill. Why don't you go and continue to keep Chu Tang company?"

After saying that, he hissed as if he had a headache.

Song Yin: "How can I leave you alone in your condition? Let's stay at Danque Peak tonight and see if you've improved by tomorrow morning."

Shi Heming: "Alright."

Shi Heming got up and went to the room where he had stayed at Danque Peak.

Watching Shi Heming's departing figure, Song Yin crossed her arms and pondered.

From what he just said, we know that his inner demons flared up today. The fact that he still has some rationality suggests that he can barely control these flare-ups.

It's normal for Shi Heming to come looking for him when his inner demons flare up, since his inner demons are related to him. But why did they flare up today?

Song Yin couldn't recall anything particularly unusual about the past, so she focused on recalling the events of today, those related to herself...

After thinking for a long time without figuring it out, Song Yin turned and went to the bedroom. On her way to the bedroom, she heard a few birds chirping. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw that it was the direction of Chu Tang's residence.

Suddenly, Song Yin opened her eyes wide.

Shi Heming circulated his internal energy and regulated his breathing in the familiar room. The attack of his inner demons was not severe, and he quickly took a pill to suppress them. Before long, his inner demons were completely suppressed.

Shi Heming exhaled and ended his meditation.

Today's events can be considered a muddy scramble to get by, but what about the future? It seems that some things still require proactive action.

Song Yin did not actively cultivate at night, but lay in bed thinking, letting her pure spirit body absorb spiritual energy on its own. She planned to go to the Dharma Pavilion the next morning.

Chu Tang was alone, but she didn't feel uneasy. After more than ten days, she had already listed Danque Peak as the safest place. It was not only safe, but also her current and future home. She looked out the window; the bright moon hung quietly high in the sky. "When will I be able to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage?"

She had already begun to cherish this place, and it wouldn't be long before she returned to the outer gate. The bamboo house was nice, but it wasn't the home she longed for.

While pondering how to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, Chu Tang gradually fell asleep, her dreams filled with scenes of her cultivation.

The next day.

Before dawn, Song Yin was transmitted to the Dharma Pavilion.

"Greetings, Elder Song." The gatekeeper hadn't expected that Elder Song would be the first person to arrive at the Dharma Pavilion today.

Song Yin nodded in response and went straight to the place she remembered after entering the Dharma Pavilion.

She had visited the Hidden Dharma Pavilion many times when she was young and had long since figured out its layout. Today, she didn't plan to take the cultivation techniques with her, but rather to read them and memorize them.

"Looks like I remembered correctly, it's right here." Song Yin put in the spirit stone, and the restrictions on the cultivation technique in front of her automatically unlocked. She reached out and took down the dual cultivation technique.

The cultivation technique wasn't very long. After memorizing it, Song Yin put it back in its original place and left the Scripture Pavilion to return to Danque Peak. Some things would have to be done sooner or later, so she might as well maximize the benefits and use them to improve her cultivation so she could ascend to immortality sooner.

Song Yin returned to Danque Peak and knocked on Shi Heming's door.

When the door opened, Shi Heming was already dressed.

Song Yin placed her fingers on his wrist: "Let me check if you're getting better."

Shi Heming: "It was fine by midnight. The pills that Yinyin refined were very effective."

After confirming that he was alright, Song Yin released her grip, saying, "Just keep him under control."

Thinking that there were still fragments to be resolved, Song Yin said, "Chu Tang brought me a stone from Yunyan Town, but the pattern on it is very similar to the fragments I collected before. I compared them last night and confirmed that it can be pieced together with the other fragments."

Shi Heming immediately understood Song Yin's meaning, "When are we going to Yunyan Town?"

Song Yin: "I'll take Chu Tang to the outer sect first, and find some relevant books for her while I'm at it. I'll probably go to Yunyan Town tomorrow."

Shi Heming: "Let's set off together tomorrow."

Tomorrow? That's perfect. I'll have time to go to Xianxiao City in the afternoon.

Song Yin escorted Chu Tang back to the outer gate, all the way to the entrance of the bamboo hut.

After the incident in Yunyan Town, Song Yin gave Chu Tang a lot of life-saving items. It was only at this moment that Song Yin realized how fortunate she was that she hadn't taken on any disciples before. Raising disciples was a painstaking and costly affair, but thankfully she lacked nothing now and could support the entire Danque Peak more than enough.

Chu Tang: "Master, I heard that people who haven't reached the Foundation Establishment stage for a long time can take Foundation Establishment Pills?"

Song Yin's gaze sharpened. "It is possible to take Foundation Establishment Pills, but taking them would also be tantamount to ending one's path to ascension. Generally, only cultivators who have no hope of Foundation Establishment would take them. You are still young, so it doesn't matter if you take Foundation Establishment a little later. The important thing is to lay a solid foundation."

Chu Tang broke out in a cold sweat. She hadn't figured out the side effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Luckily, she had mentioned it to her master. Otherwise, if she had taken the pill in order to establish her foundation, wouldn't she have ruined her future?

Song Yin: "Where did you hear about the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Chu Tang: "Others in the academy mentioned that someone not only successfully established their foundation after taking the Foundation Establishment Pill, but also broke through to the Nascent Soul stage."

Even if taking the Foundation Establishment Pill allows one to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, they will be stuck at that stage for life. Song Yin asked, "Who? I've never heard of that."

Chu Tang: "I heard that the senior's surname is Cheng, and his given name is Cheng Xian."

Song Yin was taken aback.

Chu Tang continued, "The fellow disciple who introduced the Foundation Establishment Pill is also surnamed Cheng. He broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage not long after taking the pill and is preparing to participate in the Foundation Establishment Competition this year. Many people are very interested after hearing this and want to buy a Foundation Establishment Pill as well."

Song Yin: "I understand."

Unexpectedly, such a thing happened at the outer academy. Song Yin rushed to find the elder in charge of the outer academy.

After meeting the elders of the outer academy, she explained the matter to them.

“You know the pros and cons of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Cultivators will not take it unless absolutely necessary. Many of these disciples only see the good side of the Foundation Establishment Pill and do not see the bad side, so you need to remind them.”

Elder of the Outer School: "Thank you for the reminder, Elder Song. I thought this matter was only spreading in a small circle. I never thought it would affect the entire school."

Song Yin: "With the elders here, there's no need to worry about this."

Having resolved the emergency, Song Yin returned to the inner sect with peace of mind.

Shi Heming was still in Xianxiao City at this time, disguised and moving in and out of various shops selling cultivation techniques.

The two met again the following day.

Song Yinfei led the way, saying, "The entrance to Yunyan Town has been blown into ruins, and the boulders are impossible to investigate, so we can only start from other aspects first."

Shi Heming: "I'm quite curious about what will happen once all the fragments are collected."

Song Yin: "You know, I'm curious too. But remember to wear the Linglong Mask when you get there, it'll make things easier."

The two landed in Yunyan Town. The ruins at the entrance had been cleared to create a passage, and the houses on both sides were being rebuilt.

After making a few inquiries, Song Yin approached the mayor of Yunyan Town and asked him about the matter by showing him a small stone.

The town mayor was an elderly man with the cultivation level of the Golden Core stage. He had gray hair, wore various colorful gemstones, and had golden patterns painted below his eyes.

"I have served as the mayor of Yunyan Town for hundreds of years. The problem between you two is related to the giant rock at the entrance of the town. The giant rock has been there as long as I can remember." The mayor said with regret, "That giant rock has existed even longer than Yunyan Town. It's gone just like that. Alas."

Song Yin: "Are there any other records of the patterns on it elsewhere?"

The mayor looked old, but her eyes were clear and bright. She recalled, "They were only on the boulder, and nobody knew what the crooked lines were."

It seems the problem still lies with the boulder. To find the real fragment, we must examine the boulder, but it's gone.

Song Yin's first thought was to reverse the flow of the boulder, restoring it to its state before the explosion. However, this would mean some impact on the surrounding area, since construction had already begun on the houses on both sides.

After speaking with the town mayor, Song Yin stood at the town entrance and then grabbed a lucky person, "Fellow Daoist, could you help me circle the place where the giant stones used to be placed?"

The man who was stopped looked at the two ordinary-looking cultivators strangely. After thinking for a moment, he pointed to the location of a house under construction and said, "That's it. The boulder was blown up, and the town plans to expand it. The place where the boulder used to be will also be used to build houses."

Looking at the indicated location, the walls of the house had already been built.

Song Yin clicked her tongue: "We need to talk to the owner of that house."

Either she rebuilds the land after she's used it up, or she buys the land.

The homeowner happened to be supervising the construction, so Song Yin approached him and explained her purpose.

A moment later, everyone heard the homeowner raise his voice, "What? The wall is already built and you're telling me you want to tear it down? Do you know how many spirit stones I spent?! Besides, this place belongs to me now. You can't just forcibly demolish it if I don't agree!"

Song Yin glanced at the ordinary building materials and said, "I'll borrow this place for one night, and I'll pay for the spirit stones needed to rebuild after the walls are demolished."

"You're coming out?" The voluptuous woman wearing a headscarf scanned the stranger.

Song Yin held up one finger. "This amount is enough for you to build a house."

"Tch, you think you can build a house with just 100 spirit stones? Did you give me mid-grade or high-grade spirit stones?"

"Ten thousand."

"Even 10,000 high-grade spirit stones won't do."

"Ten thousand top-grade spirit stones."

"Oh, sir, please go ahead. How long would you like to use this land?"

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Author's Note: The woman wearing a headscarf beamed with joy: "Oh my, sir, you're too kind! With the spirit stones in hand, everything is negotiable. I'll even push the wall myself!" [Starry-eyed]

This chapter will drop 20 small red envelopes [fireworks].

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[Empty bowl]