Time passes day by day, and soon, the Lantern Festival is over.
During these days, Chen Yun practiced internal alchemical arts every day, practiced dragon slaying techniques, and meditated on spells such as the Golden Light Spell and the Potentia Heavenly Art. Occasionally, he would also teach the Five Demons, spiritual beasts, and Wang Siyan to cultivate. Life was quite leisurely.
The only thing that puzzled him slightly was that Qin Liang, Ji Xin, Cui Ming and other troops had not "passed the pass".
In the morning, the sun was shining brightly.
Although the early spring chill was still present, some tender buds had started to emerge from the branches of the trees on the mountain.
Chen Yun had just finished practicing the dragon-slaying technique.
Suddenly, he saw Wang Siyan riding on a tiger spirit as it slowly approached from outside the mountain gate, followed by seven or eight young men and women behind it.
The tiger spirit is indeed his mount, but there is a distance from the mountain to Qingcheng City. Wang Siyan recently just cultivated Qi and is not good at spells, so she cannot rely on him to go down the mountain by purchasing supplies with ten-one electric trains.
Moreover, the tiger spirit is very quick-witted, knowing that Wang Siyan is the "sister" of its master, and it's flattering the horse so much that Chen Yun almost blushes at what he hears.
"Sister."
Chen Yun walked forward to greet her.
The tiger spirit obediently lay down, and Wang Siyan stepped down from the back of the tiger, smiling brightly as she pointed at the six young men and two young women and said, "The other day you asked me to buy some young men and women from the slave market. Today, I saw that the slave market was open, so I bought seven or eight people back. Shall I introduce them to you?"
Chen Yun looked at those young men and women and found that they were all around 15 years old. He nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, sister."
Wang Siyan introduced all the basic information about these people.
The boys are named Lu Yuan, Gu Er, Xing Shi Tuo, Bao Xu, Jia Ming, Du Yu, Mei Junyan, and Jiang Mengchen.
All six young men are from poor families.
As for Mei Junyan and Jiang Mengchen, it is heard that they were once wealthy young ladies, but their families fell into hardship, and they had to be sold to the slave market. If Wang Siyan hadn't bought them back, it's very likely that they would have been sent to a brothel.
After the introduction, Wang Siyan instructed the young men and women, "From now on, you will call Master Chen 'Teacher' or 'Sir'. As for you all, you will address each other as brothers and juniors in daily life."
"Yes, aunt."
"We will work hard."
A group of young men and women responded in a timorous manner.
They referred to Wang Siyan as "aunt," not because of any kinship, but because "aunt" is a term of respect for unmarried women in ancient times, much like "miss."
Chen Yun smiled and comforted them, "You all don't need to be too constrained here. Just treat it as if it's your own home. You just need to complete your duties every day, and in addition, there will be a regular salary every month. I will also teach you some methods for strengthening your body and mind."
"Thank you, teacher."
"I will definitely work hard!"
The young men and women said with gratitude and tears in their eyes.
Then, Chen Yun called upon Gong Ju Ji to arrange the living quarters for the young men and women and to get them familiar with the environment.
For some reason, when he saw these young men and women, he felt a bit dazed, as if he were just starting to enter the Daoist sect.
More than a year ago, he was in dire straits.
After a year and a half, he became the "head of the family".
Chen Yun couldn't help but quietly reflect that he had grown so much without realizing it.
Perhaps it was because seeing these young men and women brought back memories of the past.
Without realizing it, he couldn't help but think about his original family far away in the Dahong Mountain. He didn't know how his parents and siblings were doing.
Yes, Chen Yun still feels some sadness about his father selling him to the slave market.
But on the other hand, if his father hadn't sold him, he wouldn't have been able to achieve the current level of cultivation and accomplishments.
"When I have the chance, I will go back and take a look, just to confirm that they are doing well."
…
Time flies like an arrow, and years pass like a song.
Three years have passed like a flash.
During these three years, there had been significant changes in the world situation.
Firstly, the Dongchuan military governor, Yang Shili, was assassinated during a rebellion, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion was also brought to an end.
Later, in the year of Guangqi, Qin Zongquan refused to accept the amnesty offered by the Tang court and continued to attack and conquer cities. In that year, he declared himself emperor, although the Tang court quickly suppressed him, this officially marked the beginning of the era of factionalism.
Yozhou, Cangzhou, Jingnan, Qianzhou and Min regions all seceded from the Tang Dynasty.
In the second year of Guangqi, Zhang Yu occupied Changzhou, Yang Fugong took control of the imperial troops, and there were events such as the various military governors requesting to eliminate Tian Lingzi and others.
At a time of chaos in the world, it seemed that the celestial court had seen the decline of the Tang Dynasty and finally issued the "Enthronement Command."
The Battle of the Enthroned God!
Many Daoists, monks, foreigners and demons chose sides and began small-scale trials.
Of course, at the moment, the majority of cultivators still stand on the side of the Tang Dynasty.
Although the land of Sichuan is also not peaceful, compared to other places, the current turmoil here is relatively small.
Even so, it is clear to everyone that great turmoil will occur in Sichuan in the future.
Because as early as two years ago, Wang Zhongrong occupied Hezhong and had a major conflict with Tian Lingzi. He united with Li Kezong to attack Luoyang. The Tang army was defeated, and Tian Lingzi and Emperor Xianzong fled to Fengxiang at night, and then escaped to the Western Sichuan.
At this point, the Tang Dynasty was a mere shell of its former self.
All the military governors wanted to seize Emperor Xianzong and replace him.
Of course, the region where Emperor Xianzong was located, Sichuan, attracted widespread attention.
More and more cultivators were converging towards Sichuan due to the Enthronement Command.
……
Qingcheng Mountain, Damiang.
At midnight, Chen Yun was practicing internal alchemy in his bedroom.
During these three years, he had barely been affected by the chaos of the world, and he had just focused on daily cultivation.
The Master would come over periodically to check and guide.
Of course, he also didn't visit Mount Jinquan, Erlang Temple, or Zhang Jiwen less often, and his relationship with Xie Ziran, the God of Er Lang, and Zhang Jiwen had become even better.
Perhaps it was because in these three years of quiet, Chen Yun had become more cautious about mastering his power. At the very least, he was not as good as he used to be.
In addition, Chen Yun not only mastered all the hundreds of spells left by his master, but also practiced the Golden Light Incantation and Potentia Heavenly Art to a moderate level.
He had even cultivated his shadowy spirit to the level of a middle-grade mage.
This kind of thing is originally a rapid-learning spell, so it is easier to practice.
The refining spirit jade symbol, Chen Yun had barely reached the medium level.
His current physical cultivation strength is roughly equivalent to that of a level four magician.
The only thing that makes Chen Yun feel bitter is that the progress of internal alchemy is slow.
He had just finished his daily cultivation and looked out of the window at the moon. He pondered in his heart, "Three years ago, I had already reached the level of middle-grade mage, or fifth-grade mage. However, after taking the initial potion to refine essence and qi, and three years of hard work, I have only reached the mid-level of fifth-grade mage now."
Not even reaching the mid-level of a middle-grade mage.
The mid-level of a middle-grade mage should be equivalent to a fourth-grade mage.
"The more you practice, the more qi and essence you need to accumulate." Chen Yun pondered, "From the early stage of fifth-grade mage to the middle stage, for ordinary cultivators, it's already incredible, as their strength has doubled roughly. However, for myself, my progress is still slow."
It seems it's time to go out and look for the herbs needed to brew the middle-grade refining essence into qi potion.
He immediately thought of the overseas immortal realm.
However, he wasn't aware of the current situation there, and he could only go there alone.
He wasn't sure if it was safe, and he couldn't make a decision.
Just then, Gong Ju Ji's voice was heard outside the house, "Master."
Chen Yun looked up towards the window, "What is it?"
Gong Ju Ji said, "Qin Master wants to see you."
Qin Ming?
That fellow has been courting me at Qingcheng Mountain for three years, so it's not too strange for him to come here.
However, Chen Yun couldn't understand why the other person came over at this time of night.
He felt there might be something important, and he replied outside, "Take him to the guest hall. I'll come in a moment."
"Good."
Gong Ju Ji left.
Chen Yun stood up and walked outside, pondering about the disciples, troops, and spirit beasts in his mind.
Over the course of three years, he had long since refined all the ghost soldiers and ghost generals into divine soldiers and divine generals.
Qin Liang, Ji Xin, and Cui Ming, the three divine generals, three years ago because of consuming four ghost generals, as well as three years of worship and some teachings from Chen Yun, their power had undergone significant growth.
For example, Qin Liang and Ji Xin's strength are roughly equivalent to that of a high-grade mage at the initial stage, while Cui Ming's strength is equivalent to that of a high-grade mage at the later stage.
Ji Xin's three hundred divine soldiers had also made rapid progress, with each one equivalent to a middle-grade mage at the late stage.
Later, they were refined into 2,670 divine soldiers, whose strength was slightly weaker, some equivalent to a middle-grade mage in the late stage, and some similar to the early stage.
As for Gong Ju Ji and the other four demons, they have the potential to transform from beasts into demons without a doubt.
Under the instruction of Zhongli Quan's Qigui technique and Chen Yun's guidance, their cultivation has been progressing at a breakneck pace.
Nowadays, Gong Ju Ji is equivalent to a high-grade mage at the mid-stage.
The other four demons had also broken through from being equivalent to middle-grade mages to being roughly equivalent to high-grade mages at the early stage.
And his mount, the tiger spirit, had also cultivated to the level of a high-grade mage at the early stage.
The remaining White Monkey and Flying Snake are also cultivating at a decent pace.
Since Chen Yun could only barely suppress the White Monkey with the refining body symbol that he had practiced to a medium level, it can be imagined how much their strength has increased.
Even Wang Siyan, with Chen Yun's generous guidance and the use of elixirs, had cultivated to the level of an eighth-grade mage.
"Overall, isn't it strange that I am the one with the slowest cultivation speed among all of us in the Dojo?"
Chen Yun couldn't help but self-mocked.
In fact, he understood that it wasn't his cultivation speed that was slow.
After all, the accumulation of true qi required to break through from a fifth-grade mage at the initial stage to the mid-level is terrifying.
If calculated, it would be almost equivalent to his cultivation from nothing to a middle-grade mage.
This rate of progress is considered to be extremely fast by anyone's standards.
However, Chen Yun naturally feels that the current slow rate of progress is not as fast as when he first started practicing, with the help of the Refining Essence and Qi Potion.
……
Guest Hall.
As soon as Chen Yun walked in, he saw Qin Ming and Gong Ju Ji talking happily.
Perhaps seeing him coming, Qin Ming immediately stood up and bowed, "Greetings to Master Chen."
Chen Yun nodded slightly and said, "Qin Master, please don't be so polite. Sit down and talk."
Qin Ming thanked him and then sat down.
Chen Yun then walked to the upper seat and sat down, exchanging pleasantries with the other person, and then directly got to the point and asked, "Qin Master, what is it that you came seeking me for at such a late hour?"
Qin Ming smiled and said, "Master, do you remember that I mentioned the overseas immortal realm three years ago?"
Chen Yun nodded, "I remember."
Qin Ming said, "The fifty-year period is approaching, and the overseas immortal realm will open. I came to ask Master if you would like to go with me. We could keep each other company then, oh, by the way, Wu Master and Kang Master will also join us."
To be honest, because of the greatly slowed down cultivation speed over these three years, Chen Yun is in urgent need of herbs to brew the Refining Essence and Qi Potion, and he is quite interested in the overseas immortal realm.
After all, the earthly and celestial resources needed for his cultivation are not easy to find in the mortal world.
For example, the main drug, Zhu Guo, has grown from one at the initial stage of the Refining Essence and Qi Potion to ten.
This kind of thing is already very difficult to find even in ordinary times, let alone now when he needs ten of them.
Most importantly, the earthly and celestial resources that Chen Yun needs are not limited to just Zhu Guo.
At present, he is still lacking in other spiritual roots such as Xuanshui (mystical water), Lingqi (spiritual dates), and Xuanningu (mysterious white gourd vine).
Those earthly and celestial resources are even more difficult to find than Zhu Guo.
He thought for a moment and asked, "Qin Master, could you please explain to me once again about the overseas immortal realm? Then I will make up my mind."
If the overseas immortal realm truly contains the earthly and celestial resources he needs, then Chen Yun would definitely go.
However, if there are no such resources within the overseas immortal realm, he thinks it would be better to travel around and collect earthly and celestial resources while refining his cultivation.
Let's first listen to what Qin Ming has to say.
Chen Yun's eyes blinked incessantly towards Qin Ming, trying to learn about the situation of the overseas immortal realm to determine whether or not to go on a dungeon crawl.
(End of Chapter)
