Chapter 17 "Elder Chongcang is spying on me" The moment of evil was captured without warning...

“You’re right!” Shi Liuying nodded vigorously, fully agreeing with what Shen Hanzhou said.

Although this sect and its people are a bit strange, the atmosphere within the sect is very good, and the elders cherish every disciple.

The number of people in the Chuan Gong Hall gradually increased.

Shi Liuying and Shen Hanzhou didn't linger outside any longer and went to sit down on their prayer mats.

Naturally, the two of them received Yun Zhishui's resentful gaze.

Shen Hanzhou, who had always avoided Yun Zhishui, looked at Shi Liuying in front of him and suddenly felt that she was very imposing, which made him feel very at ease. He raised his chin and glared back fiercely.

Yun Zhishui, like an enraged pufferfish, immediately stood up: "You're giving me face..."

Shi Liuying's eyes gleamed with eager anticipation. With a flick of her wrist, a small peach wood sword appeared in her hand, which she held horizontally in front of Yun Zhishui.

Want to fight? She can! She still needs to solidify the swordsmanship she learned from her senior brother.

Chong Cang entered from outside and said coldly, "If you don't want to cultivate, get out of the training hall."

Yun Zhishui fawned over Shen Hanzhou and Shi Liuying, who was standing next to Shen Hanzhou, and said, "Did you hear that? Those who cause trouble, get out of the training hall."

No one saw how Chong Cang entered; he simply appeared beside the three of them suddenly.

He stared at Yun Zhishui: "I'm talking about you."

Shen Hanzhou instantly went from cowering to standing tall and swaggering: "Did you hear that? I'm talking about you!"

Then he nudged Shi Liuying with his elbow: "Let's go sit on the prayer mats, shall we?"

To show that they are well-behaved.

Chong Cang glanced at the peach wood sword in Shi Liuying's hand.

Ha, they've only met a few times and they're already sending gifts.

If given more opportunities for real combat, wouldn't Shi Liuying memorize every single move of Junlintian Sect?

He stepped onto the podium and began his lecture.

"In the early stages of Qi Refining, when one is just beginning to embark on the path of cultivation, the key is to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

"At the mid-stage of Qi Refining, one can control Qi to fight enemies and should learn the art of manipulating objects. Flying swords and demon-binding ropes can be used for the first time. But remember, at this stage, one's magical power is only as small as a stream. Do not be greedy. One skillful move is better than a hundred mastered moves."

"Shi Liuying—"

Shi Liuying, who was listening attentively, stood up and said, "Here!"

Chong Cang forced himself to banish all thoughts of Usachi from his mind, but then felt that Shi Liuying inexplicably resembled Usachi with round eyes.

It's strangely cute.

"You have advanced two levels, skipping the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but you must know the spells required for the mid-stage of Qi Refining."

Shi Liuying remained neither arrogant nor discouraged, and nodded earnestly.

A faint green light emanated from Chong Cang's hand, and a vine the size of his wrist appeared out of thin air, slithering through the training hall like a giant python.

A gasp of surprise rippled through the hall.

"This is the 'Vine Binding Technique,' suitable for those with a wood-elemental root, used to bind the limbs of demonic beasts. It is particularly effective against fast-attacking demonic beasts such as swift wolves and clawed lynxes."

The wood element student, Shi Liuying, listened very attentively.

"Buzz—"

A golden light flashed, and a massive golden cauldron descended from the sky, enveloping everyone.

Why does my head feel like it's buzzing?

"What did you say……"

"Only cultivators with the element of metal in their Five Elements can use this spell, right? What element does Elder Chongcang belong to?"

"My God, is this the strength of the elders in the major sects?"

"This is the 'Golden Light Shield,' which covers the body with golden light and can withstand the attacks of demonic beasts. Even the sharp teeth of demonic beasts in the mid-stage of Qi Refining cannot break through this shield. It cannot be held for long; we must finish this battle quickly."

Afterwards, Chong Cang used different spells that could be learned from the Five Elements.

Exclamations of amazement rang out.

All those things I'd seen on the forums—male fox spirits, demon cultivators who weren't popular—were completely forgotten.

The only thought on everyone's mind right now was: Elder Chongcang is incredibly powerful!

Chong Cang didn't care about anyone's opinion.

He just stared at Shi Liuying.

Shi Liuying's pupils were illuminated by the magical illusions, displaying a dazzling array of colors. With each new spell she encountered, her eyes shone even brighter.

And the knot in Chong Cang's heart was gradually untied by these increasingly bright eyes.

A very slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, one that he himself didn't even notice.

Shen Hanzhou poked Shi Liuying's arm.

Just as this spell was finished being demonstrated, Shi Liuying turned her head to look at him.

But then he saw that Shen Hanzhou was acting all mysterious again.

Shi Liuying's interest was piqued: "Are you going to tell me some strange secrets again?"

Shen Hanzhou nodded, meaning: That's right!

He looked at Chong Cang, then at Shi Liuying: "Look at the elder, he always looks this way."

Shi Liuying: "Really? I didn't notice."

Shen Hanzhou: "Yes, yes, I felt it."

Shi Liuying: "Then how did you cultivate your highly acute senses?"

Shen Hanzhou held up a finger and shook it from side to side: "It has nothing to do with this heightened senses."

Shi Liuying asked curiously, "What does that have to do with?"

Shen Hanzhou: "It has to do with who Elder Chongcang's gaze is directed at."

Shi Liuying suddenly realized: "You mean..."

Shen Hanzhou smiled and nodded: "That's right, Elder Chongcang is watching me silently."

Shi Liuying understood: "That must be the sect-protecting elder whose divine sense pervades the entire sect. He knew about the years of oppression you had suffered, so he instructed Elder Chongcang to protect you at all costs."

Shen Hanzhou practically considered Shi Liuying a close friend.

He clapped his hands and chuckled, saying, "Brilliant! Brilliant! That's exactly what I was thinking!"

Chong Cang was simultaneously creating a mother-child array, which was equivalent to dozens of teleportation arrays, so he couldn't concentrate on what they were saying.

He only saw Shen Hanzhou nudge Shi Liuying, making her look at him.

Then the two of them started talking about things like "Chongcang" and "silently watching", and then they looked at each other and laughed together.

Chong Cang, who was silently watching Shi Liuying, felt as if his hidden thoughts had been discovered.

But even he himself didn't know what this hidden thought was.

He instinctively looked away, and then his ears turned slightly red.

Chong Cang looked around, but finally fixed his gaze on Shi Liuying: "Next, I will send you to different training grounds in the cultivation world based on each of your different Five Elements and strengths."

"You might enter a training ground together in groups, or you might enter a place alone."

"And what you have to do is use the techniques you have just learned to complete the assigned tasks."

Someone raised their hand and asked, "Elder, what is our task?"

"In each training ground, there is a demonic beast with the strength of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. Obtaining its demonic core will complete the mission and earn you a Heaven-level rating."

"What if I can't obtain the demon core? I'm not strong enough..."

Chong Cang: "The demonic beast's eyes, arms, and legs—it must be able to bring back something to prove its strength, right?"

Chong Cang took out dozens of jade tokens: "If you encounter an insurmountable danger, crush it, and a teleportation array will appear under your feet, teleporting you back. Crushing the jade token will invalidate your score, and you will never be able to enter the inner sect."

His dangerous gaze swept over everyone: "Don't be reckless; many people die during trials."

With Chong Cang's palm facing upwards, dozens of jade tablets flew automatically into his disciple's hand, as if recognizing their owner.

After everyone held their jade tokens, a huge teleportation array appeared outside the Hall of Skill Transmission. The array shone with golden light, but looking further inside, it was as if shrouded in a layer of fog, with only faint shades of blue or green visible, and nothing else.

"Go."

As soon as Chong Cang finished speaking, all the disciples in the training ground felt a strong push on their backs, gathered on the formation, and then disappeared instantly.

Meanwhile, the sect forum homepage was unusually lively.

This time, the excitement wasn't because of any particular post, but because of—

Please select the disciple you wish to bet on and guess which new disciple will complete the trial first!

The forum homepage no longer features posts, but instead displays dozens of square-shaped images.

The Transmission Stone broadcast the new disciples' training activities in real time via the life-saving jade tablet. None of the new disciples were aware of this.

This is the part I look forward to most every time new students enter the sect. [Cat with hands tucked in.jpg]

Don't underestimate this training; whether someone truly has talent will be revealed in this first trial.

[The poor new disciples probably don't know yet, but after this training they'll be divided into different groups. Some will go to the inner sect, some to the outer sect, and some will only be able to do odd jobs or something.]

I heard that the senior disciple only took one day to get out. [Looking up to the master.jpg]

Back then, there weren't many disciples in the sect, and geniuses were extremely rare. Those watching the transmission stone were all elders, and each of them treated the senior brother like the apple of their eye.

[I know, hahaha. I was in the same year as the senior student. When we came out, I heard that the old guys were all so excited that their faces turned red, and their beards and eyebrows were practically bristling.]

[No, something's really wrong with this Number Thirteen Transmission Stone...]

Come and see! Come and see!

The image projected by the No. 13 projection stone is the training ground where Shen Hanzhou is located.

This is a swamp.

The clouds on the horizon were as red as blood, and the swamp bubbled in this eerie twilight, as if it were breathing.

The solid ground was covered with decaying grass and wet mud, and sharp, withered branches were everywhere.

The moment he entered, Chen Hanzhou saw his life-saving jade pendant flashing: "You have a companion. Please find your companion and work together to eliminate the monster here: the Poison Swamp Lizard."

companion!

Shen Hanzhou's eyes lit up.

What kind of companions could he have? He only had one companion, and that was Shi Liuying!

Could it be because he and Shi Liuying have such a great relationship that the virtual martial arts arena grouped them together...?

What terrifying swamp lizards? He and Firefly can take them all down!

Although being in the same training ground as Shi Liuying might make Shen Hanzhou feel at ease, he did not completely lower his guard.

After all, you never know when this swamp lizard might suddenly attack.

He gathered spiritual power in his right hand, drawing together the moisture from the swamp, intending to protect himself with ice crystals.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind him. Shen Hanzhou turned around sharply and saw a face he had seen more than twenty years ago.

Clouds still as water!

With so many disciples in the sect, how could the teleportation array have transported him and Yun Zhishui together?

Where is Shi Liuying? Could the companion mentioned on the life-saving jade pendant be Yun Zhishui?

The situation was critical, leaving Shen Hanzhou no time to think. Yun Zhishui was aggressive and clearly had ill intentions.

Without Shi Liuying by his side, Shen Hanzhou's arrogant and domineering demeanor vanished without a trace.

Yun Zhishui held a sword, the tip of which was wrapped with rotten grass, and aimed it straight at his throat.

Shen Hanzhou hastily parried, but the coldness of the sword turned into water droplets the moment it touched Yun Zhishui, which rolled to the ground drop by drop.

Shen Hanzhou's pupils contracted.

That familiar feeling of being controlled by the system has returned.

After two days of stabilizing his ice-type spiritual root, he began to become unpredictable again.

It's over. This is outside the sect. He is no longer under the protection of that powerful sect elder!

A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle. We should hold out for now and return to the sect before acting arrogantly in front of Shen Hanzhou.

"Stop! Stop right there!" Shen Hanzhou said decisively.

Yun Zhishui tightened her wrist and glared fiercely at Shen Hanzhou: "Weren't you so arrogant in the training hall? What, now that Shi Liuying isn't around and you can't be her dog anymore, you're starting to call for a halt?"

He grinned fiercely: "This is outside the sect. Without Shi Liuying and the elders protecting you, do you think the people in the sect will think you died from the mouth of the poisonous swamp lizard or from my sword if you die here and are eaten by the monsters?"

"After all, you heard it with your own ears, the elder said it himself, that countless disciples died during the training."

Yun Zhishui grinned maliciously in front of Shen Hanzhou, and also grinned maliciously in the largest frame on the sect forum homepage.

His smile was clearly recorded by Shen Hanzhou's wide-angle life-saving jade pendant, and he arrogantly showed it to everyone in the sect.

My God, what an evil villain!

[Hahaha, am I the only one who thinks this is perfect for making parody videos?]

No wonder everyone keeps this a secret from each new class; apparently, some malicious freshmen really do want to use this opportunity to harm their fellow students.

As you know, behind every seemingly strange rule lies a tragic history.

[Here's something few people know: our sect's top-tier senior disciple was targeted by his fellow disciples during his first sect trial.]

Everyone knows that Senior Brother emerged from the training in just one day, but few know that he was covered in blood when he came out.

The sect elders didn't make a move because they wanted to see his true potential; in fact, an elder was already waiting in the sky.

[That guy is making my master so worried, he's practically tearing his hair out. He's so concerned about his talent, afraid this promising genius will be lost. It's a pity, though, that he's not the strongest, so he can't teach the eldest brother.]

[It's like the same thing happened again. I wonder what my senior brother thinks of this.]

Let's see how this newcomer reacts. I'm quite curious; will he have the same flair as the senior disciple who slew four people with a single sword strike?

Inside the training room, Jun Lintian had just finished absorbing the demon core, and his body was still surrounded by a light golden aura with purple lightning.

Before him was an enlarged communication jade slip, one half displaying the image of the transmission stone, and the other half displaying discussions from the forum's homepage.

One sword kills four people?

Jun Lintian looked out the window. The water was as clear as an upside-down, still lake, just like the day he first entered the sect for training.

But memories are like a cloud; even if they drift in from a distant place, the details are no longer clear.

All I can still recall are the complex feelings I had at that time.

At that time, the wound didn't hurt much, but I was shocked and uncomfortable, and my heart felt like a piece of paper had been crumpled into a ball.

Before he even entered the sect, his best friend, who had given him food and supported him all the way from the mortal realm to the cultivation world, was about to kill him for a Foundation Establishment stage demon beast core.

If his senses were not sharp enough, the dagger would pierce his heart while he was asleep, without missing a beat.

To this day, he still doesn't know whether his longtime friend has lost his self-awareness due to interference from his body's systems, or whether he has truly changed his nature.

All these years have passed, but he still prefers the former.

Jun Lintian quietly looked at the image on the jade slip.

Shi Liuying was confronting a monster many times her size. She was all alone in this training ground, but she stood firmly in front of the monster, her eyes burning with determination, undaunted by difficulties or death.

Jun Lintian suddenly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

She never seems to be confused; she is always so enthusiastic about cultivation, and always has goals and direction.

While Jun Lintian enjoys a peaceful and tranquil life, Chen Hanzhou, who is also suffering from the torment of the system, is forging ahead with a heavy burden.

He had no goals, no direction, and looking at the vicious Yun Zhishui, he was both afraid and angry.

The body's systems keep beeping at times like this.

[A key figure, a potential villain, has been detected! As the antagonist, your mission is to be humiliated by Long Aotian, and your greatest skill is handing over the treasures you've already acquired.]

[At this moment, provoke Long Aotian fiercely, uttering the key line: "Trash, look at your poor, pathetic appearance, how dare you lay a finger on this treasure? Get lost, don't dirty my hands!" and spit in his face.]

[Afterwards, you will have to exert tremendous effort to obtain the beast core, only to have it snatched away by the suddenly appearing Long Aotian at the last moment. You will pretend to resist but will actually be unable to escape and will be slashed twice by him.]

Shen Hanzhou's eyes widened in terror.

Faced with the enraged Yun Zhishui, and unable to use his ice magic, he dared not do as the system instructed and spit hard into Yun Zhishui's face.

He forcefully swallowed the saliva that belonged to Yun Zhishui's face.

Calm down, Comdung! There must be a solution.

Shen Hanzhou admitted that he was cowardly and timid; yes, he was indeed a cowardly person.

If I could be given a second chance at life, the most important thing would be to stay alive.

Yun Zhishui's strength was already comparable to his, but Yun Zhishui had the system buff, so what could he do?

Chen Hanzhou wanted to cry but had no tears.

[Weak willingness of the host to complete the task detected; one warning issued.]

Shen Hanzhou looked at Yun Zhishui's smooth, even handsome face, and his desire for revenge stirred, causing him to salivate.

Do you really want to spit on this?

A note from the author:

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I've calculated the number of days since I started writing premium content, and lately I'll have to write an extra 1500 words per chapter [poor face]. You guys can keep watching, I need to get back to writing. I'm writing, I'm writing, I'm writing...