Chapter 171 Old Master Fang's Affairs Ends, Disciple Injured
“Let’s go. We’ve already found out what happened at the forbidden area. Ancestor Fang isn’t in seclusion, and he also told us that we need to go there,” Shi Heming said.
The two set a time to meet with Master Fang, and Master Fang waited for them to arrive.
Old Ancestor Fang paced back and forth in his house, expressionless, wondering why Song Yin and the others hadn't arrived yet. This concerned his chance for ascension, and he couldn't afford to be careless. Thinking about how his cultivation had stagnated in the late-stage Mahayana realm for a thousand years, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. His old friends had either ascended or perished; to say he didn't want to ascend would be a lie—which cultivator didn't want to ascend?
The boy entered and bowed, saying, "Grandmaster, our guest has arrived."
Old Ancestor Fang: "Hmm, all of you step back. No one is to approach without my order."
"Yes, Ancestor." The boy's heart tightened. The Ancestor was still the same as before. They had served by the Ancestor's side for many years and had never seen the Ancestor smile even once.
Their ancestor was truly the most dignified of all the ancestors in the forbidden area.
The boys all withdrew.
Song Yin and Shi Heming bowed at the same time, "Greetings, Ancestor Fang."
"I'm so glad you could come, hehehe," Old Ancestor Fang said sincerely.
A perfectly good sentence is deliberately read with an air of sycophancy, causing others to perceive it as sarcastic or insinuating.
Song Yin's lips twitched slightly. Was Old Ancestor Fang being sarcastic?
“Heh,” said Old Ancestor Fang.
Song Yin: ?
Shi Heming: ?
“…Tea.” Realizing that his words had caused another misunderstanding, Old Master Fang added the last word.
So it was tea, not a joke.
Song Yin and Shi Heming exchanged a glance; Old Ancestor Fang's situation was too easily misunderstood.
Song Yin: "Thank you, Ancestor. The main reason I came here is to express my gratitude. If you hadn't pointed out the power we both possess, we might not have discovered it even after several hundred years."
Old Master Fang: "So you really do have it."
Song Yin picked up the teacup and smashed it on the ground. With a bang, the teacup shattered into pieces, and the tea inside spilled onto the floor.
The action was too fast; before Old Ancestor Fang could even figure out why Song Yin had dropped the teacup, the teacup on the ground had been restored and landed steadily back in Song Yin's hand, still containing a bowl of hot tea. At the same time, his keen senses allowed him to once again perceive that special power of the Great Dao Law.
"We went back and studied it for a long time, and found that we could make some small objects return to a certain state in the past."
Old Master Fang quickly grasped the key point: "It's about time."
Song Yin and Shi Heming's ability is time; they possess the ability to rewind.
Old Master Fang never falters when it comes to serious matters. His spiritual energy erupted from his body, overturning all the furnishings in the room, yet leaving a safe space as he passed the two of them.
"Could you demonstrate it again?"
The two moved to different places in tacit agreement, unleashing their powers. The impact of all the objects in the room was far greater than that of a single cup. The continuous use of their power allowed Old Ancestor Fang to keenly grasp that mysterious and profound feeling, his gaze fixed on the objects as they rewound through time.
"alright."
Master Fang snapped out of his meditative state and looked around the room, which seemed as if he had never disturbed it.
"Thanks."
Old Master Fang kept today's events a secret until Song Yin and the others left, after which he announced his seclusion.
No one pays attention to where others go every day, but Lou Shuhe did notice that Song Yin and the others came to the forbidden area to find Old Ancestor Fang.
Some things don't need to be investigated thoroughly; it's enough to know them yourself.
With this power, Song Yin's first thought was to challenge herself to refine a ninth-grade pill again.
Whenever she was about to fail, she would simply use a rewind function to restore the pill to its original state as raw materials, thus greatly saving on the consumption of spiritual herbs.
As a result, none of the spiritual herbs that Song Yin planted in Langhuan Cave Heaven were wasted from the moment she gained this power; every single herb was transformed into a pill in a pill bottle.
While his apprentice went out to gain experience, Song Yin refined ninth-grade pills at Danque Peak.
On a clear, sunny day, many cultivators who had been dispatched to the sect returned. The spiritual vein incident did not affect the lives of these disciples. In their eyes, everything was for the sect. As long as the Immortal Cloud Sect stood, the worries of others would not fall on them.
The disciples were either cultivating, doing missions, or flying in the sky on their swords. Today was a little special because dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples flew together on their swords to leave the sect.
The Mission Hall received news that a group of Qi Refining stage disciples encountered a crisis in Yunyan Town, where an unknown secret realm had appeared.
On Danque Peak, Song Yin carefully put the first refined ninth-grade pill into a bottle. Although it was a low-grade pill, it was still a ninth-grade pill.
After filling the bottle, Song Yin held it up to the light to admire it, a satisfied smile on her face.
"I have finally refined a ninth-grade pill. It was worth all my time going back in time."
This is a great start. If she can refine the first one, she can refine the second, the third, and countless others!
"Tsk tsk tsk, how can there be a disciple who is even more skilled in alchemy than her master?" Song Yin couldn't suppress her smile. "Hehehe, it's me."
With her master away, Song Yin prepared to show off this ninth-grade pill to her grandmaster.
As soon as she flew out of Danque Peak, Song Yin's smile vanished.
The life-saving magical artifacts she left for Chu Tang were used, including the sword talisman she herself had left for her. Just like her master's wife had given her a sword talisman, she had also prepared one for Chu Tang. However, she had added a little ingenuity: if the sword talisman was used, she, the person who made it, would also sense it.
Song Yin immediately changed direction and headed towards Yunyan Town.
Yunyan Town is not far from the Xianxiao Sect, which is why it is safe all year round and the people live and work in peace and contentment.
As soon as Song Yin arrived over Yunyan Town, she saw many disciples covered in blood being carried to an open space, while the local residents of Yunyan Town helped out, some boiling water and others helping to carry the wounded.
The town entrance was the most severely damaged, with all the houses near it collapsed and the road blocked. Fortunately, everyone there was a cultivator, so the blocked road did not hinder their journey.
Song Yin unleashed her full divine sense pressure, causing everyone below to stiffen as they sensed the arrival of a high-level cultivator.
Song Yin locked onto Chu Tang, who was severely injured and barely breathing. She had just been placed on an open ground.
Suddenly, a person appeared before her. The Foundation Establishment cultivator who had come to her rescue opened her eyes wide. When she saw who it was, her heart began to pound.
"Elder Song!"
The mention of Elder Song startled everyone, causing them to turn and look at him. The oppressive aura he had just experienced was not malicious, and they had not been injured or rendered unable to move because of it.
"What's going on?" Song Yin asked the disciple who was helping, while taking out a pill and feeding it to Chu Tang.
The once fair-skinned eldest disciple was now covered in blood, and even in his unconscious state, his expression remained one of agony.
"A new secret realm has appeared in Yunyan Town. This group of Qi Refining stage disciples were forcibly sucked into the secret realm. The sect received a request for help and sent us to rescue them. When we arrived, the secret realm had already collapsed. We don't know what this group of disciples experienced in the secret realm. Three of them died and the rest were seriously injured."
After taking the pill, Chu Tang's wounds began to heal rapidly.
Song Yin then took out several bottles of pills and gave them to the disciples who were rescuing the injured disciples. "These are high-grade healing pills. Give them to each of the injured disciples."
"yes."
Song Yin squatted down and took Chu Tang's hand to examine her body.
Chu Tang, who had felt like she was trapped in a sea of fire, suddenly felt a cool sensation, and the pain in her body gradually dissipated. As her consciousness returned, she slowly opened her eyes and saw a blurry figure. Looking closer, she finally recognized the person in front of her.
"Master..." Chu Tang's voice was soft, tinged with dependence.
When he was in danger, he regained consciousness and saw his master. His eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.
"Master..."
Seeing that she was awake, Song Yin fed her other pills: "Don't speak yet, wait until your injuries have healed a bit before you talk. With your master here, don't worry."
The pill melted instantly upon entering her mouth, repairing the damage to her body. Hearing the words of concern, Chu Tang's tears slid from the corners of her eyes, eventually disappearing into her temples. "I thought I would never see Master again."
When Chu Tang first arrived in Yunyan Town, she was full of vigor. For her, training was a way to improve her cultivation and broaden her horizons. She had heard many stories of disciples who had broken through their cultivation after training, and she knew that training was risky, but all of this was just hearsay and she had never experienced it herself.
The accident in Yunyan Town this time caused death to engulf all the Qi Refining disciples. In the end, most of them were able to escape the secret realm thanks to the various protective magic artifacts that Song Yin left for Chu Tang.
The other side of a cultivator's life was torn open before Chu Tang, revealing a bloody reality that shattered her previous beautiful illusions about the life of a cultivator.
Song Yin gently patted her uninjured shoulder.
Chu Tang choked back tears in a low voice: "I saw that Fellow Daoist Feng didn't even leave behind a complete corpse, Fellow Daoist Qiu was stabbed, and Fellow Daoist Wang even self-destructed to buy us time to escape. Master, it's my fault, I didn't save them, they shouldn't have died."
"I thought that in the cultivation world, there was no hunger and the ability to resist natural disasters, so the living would not die easily, but they still died."
Song Yin continuously channeled spiritual energy into Chu Tang to soothe her emotions, but her words were cold: "You have to get used to it. In the future, you will witness many more people die, and even yourself. In the cultivation world, the risk of death is actually higher, but you have lived in the sect for a long time and have not gone out, so you do not know."
It must be said that the biggest advantage cultivators have in relying on major sects is safety. In an incident like this, the sect could immediately dispatch personnel to rescue them. Even if she hadn't intervened, these injured disciples would have ultimately been taken back to the sect by the rescued disciples to heal and save their lives.
She had already begun to plan in her heart how to arrange more training for Chu Tang after returning to the sect. Chu Tang could not be afraid of training because of the accident in Yunyan Town. She had to make her understand that death was common in the cultivation world, but she could fight to live and fight to keep the people she cared about alive.
"After we return to the sect, I'll take you to Danque Peak to recuperate for a few days. I've already arranged your accommodation; you can move in anytime." Seeing her silently weeping, Song Yin thought it best to keep her by her side for a while to avoid leaving her with psychological trauma.
The reason why a new secret realm appeared in Yunyan Town was quickly found out. The secret realm had always been there, but recently the spiritual energy in Yunyan Town had become increasingly abundant, which led to the sudden appearance of the secret realm.
It wasn't just the disciples of the Immortal Cloud Sect who were sucked into the secret realm; everyone at the town's entrance was also sucked in, though many were eventually rescued.
As for those who died in the secret realm, the living could not bring their remains out; the remains could only collapse and dissipate along with the secret realm.
Chu Tang was led to Danque Peak, closely following behind Song Yin, looking around anxiously.
Song Yin: "There is no one else on the mountaintop. The ordinary disciples of Danque Peak live at the foot of the mountain, and a few live halfway up the mountain. They cannot come up here at will."
Leading the person to the front of the new house, Song Yin said, "From now on, this house belongs to you. A little further ahead is my residence, and a little further ahead is your grandmaster's residence."
"I've already spoken to the outer school, so it's fine if you don't go during this time."
Chu Tang had changed into a new disciple's uniform, but her eyes were still red, clearly from crying. Fortunately, she didn't continue crying.
Chu Tang: "What should I do to help my master here?" The outer sect's tasks are cultivation, completing missions, and studying. After coming to Danque Peak, she can't do the latter two. She can't just keep cultivating at her residence.
For her, if there is no work to do, she will feel uneasy and helpless; only when she is constantly working will she feel at ease.
Song Yin: "Hmm... You can learn to identify spirit herbs with me. Before you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, learn to identify all the spirit herbs first. After you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you will be able to learn alchemy more easily than others."
Chu Tang thus learned about spiritual herbs by following behind Song Yin.
Every time Song Yin went to the alchemy room to refine pills, Chu Tang would follow along, silently observing the alchemy techniques without blinking. When Song Yin processed spiritual herbs, she would also tell Chu Tang what kind of spiritual herb it was, which pills it could be used for, the processing methods, and the precautions for use.
Chu Tang cherished this time, as it allowed her to learn new knowledge and spend time with her master.
For several days in a row, Song Yin stayed with Chu Tang on the summit of Danque Peak, secretly observing her emotional changes. Seeing that Chu Tang was improving, Song Yin breathed a sigh of relief.
This is her first apprentice.
In the evening, as usual, Song Yin finished explaining to Chu Tang the spiritual herbs needed for first-grade pills and told her to go back and rest quickly, as people who have just been injured should not stay up late.
Previously, Chu Tang mostly trusted and admired Song Yin. After spending more than ten days together, Chu Tang began to feel close to and rely on Song Yin, completely regarding her as a close female elder.
Therefore, before Song Yin left, Chu Tang tugged at Song Yin's sleeve and asked, "Master, can you stay with me tonight?"
Song Yin raised an eyebrow, looking at the now grown-up Chu Tang. She could feel Chu Tang's closeness to her, so she readily agreed, "Okay."
Chu Tang smiled, her eyes shining.
Arriving at Chu Tang's residence, the interior felt familiar, with many of the furnishings added by Song Yin herself.
"Master, look at this." Chu Tang took out a small stone, and upon closer inspection, it was found to be exactly the same as the boulder at the entrance of Yunyan Town, with the markings on it being carved in the same style.
"These are unique peace charms from Yunyan Town, made based on the giant rock in Yunyan Town that is believed to bring peace. I thought they had a good meaning, so I bought two, one for my master and one for myself."
Song Yin took the small stone, which was polished very smooth, just like a pebble. "Is there a giant stone in Yunyan Town that can protect people? When I went there, I released my divine sense and did not find any giant stone."
Chu Tang: "Yes, it's right at the entrance of Yunyan Town."
At this point, Chu Tang realized the key point. She scratched her face embarrassedly, "The entrance was blown up, and the boulder is gone. It doesn't seem like it can guarantee safety." Chu Tang wanted to take back the small stone, "I'll find a better one for Master next time."
Just then, Song Yin flipped the stone over and saw the artificially carved patterns on the small stone.
Song Yinling suddenly grabbed Chu Tang's hand and then examined the patterns closely. "Were the patterns carved randomly, or were they originally on the boulder?"
Seeing her master's curiosity, Chu Tang didn't take back the small stone, but instead took out her own piece, saying, "It was made perfectly according to the giant stone, and the patterns on mine are the same."
Song Yin carefully observed the patterns, and the more she looked at them, the more familiar they seemed, as if they could indeed correspond to the fragments she possessed.
Song Yin gripped the small stone tightly. "Thank you, Xiao Tang. Master really likes your gift."
I'll stay with Xiaotang for one night, and she can take out the fragments for careful comparison tomorrow.
If it really is a new fragment...
Recently, Shi Heming has not seen Song Yin. Every time he tries to contact her, she always says she is with her apprentice.
Shi Heming contacted Song Yin again, "Yinyin, are you free tomorrow? You said you wanted to find a secluded place to test your strength limits, and I've already found a place."
Song Yin: "Tomorrow? Tomorrow is probably not an option. Xiao Tang is still at Dan Que Peak, and I have to take care of her. You know, she went through a life-or-death experience a few days ago, and I'm afraid she'll be traumatized, so I need to spend more time with her."
Shi Heming narrowed his eyes slightly: "More than ten days have passed, is she still afraid?"
Song Yin: "She's much better now. Seeing her always reminds me of when we were kids, all alone in the sect without parents."
"In that case, we'll go another day."
"good."
Suddenly, Shi Heming heard an extra voice coming from the communication stone.
Chu Tang ran out of the room and stood at the door, asking Song Yin in the courtyard, "Master, the room is ready. Let's sleep together tonight!"
Shi Heming's brows furrowed suddenly, forming a faint "川" shape.
Song Yin: "Okay—"
"I have something important to discuss with you. Come to Danque Peak now." The communication stone, recalling Shi Heming's words, interrupted Song Yin.
Seeing this, Song Yin said to Chu Tang, who was full of expectations, "I may not be able to accompany you tonight, as I have other important matters to attend to."
Chu Tang immediately waved her hand: "It's alright, Master's matters are more important!"
Song Yin nodded slightly, "I'll spend time with you again when I have the chance."
Chu Tang: "Mm!"
She watched her master leave without trying to stop him, knowing that she couldn't delay his important business because of her.
Since it wasn't far, Song Yin chose to walk back to her residence. When she was almost there, she found someone already standing at the door.
Shi Heming arrived in a hurry and found that Yinyin's residence was locked and there was no one inside, so he just stood at the door.
Sensing someone approaching from the other end of the road, Shi Heming suddenly turned around.
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Author's Note: 1.
Song Yin: My good disciple, this is my favorite gift this year, even more precious than rare and precious treasures! [pats head]
As expected, +1 fragment.
Chu Tang: I'm glad I could help Master. [hug]
2.
Yinyin's first day with her apprentice
Shi Heming: It's nothing, it's normal.
Yinyin accompanied her apprentice on the second day.
Shi Heming: It's normal for me to care about Yinyin's personal disciple.
...
Yinyin accompanied her apprentice for the nth day.
Shi Heming gritted his teeth: It's alright, that's Yinyin's personal instruction :)
Yinyin accompanies her apprentice to sleep.
Shi Heming: No, why should anyone try to get ahead of me?! I'm telling you, disciples shouldn't be so clingy to their masters. Look at me, am I clingy to my master? Never! So disciples should learn to be independent and not always need their masters to accompany them... (omitting ten thousand words)
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