UGB Chapter 1838 Three days after Zhang Gui's return!
Chapter 1838 Three days after Zhang Gui's return!
A few days later!
Rumors circulate about "mysterious powerful figures punishing evil cultivators," "villains mysteriously disappearing," and "justice descending from the heavens"...
It began to quietly circulate among a small group of cultivators.
Especially low-level cultivators and small forces.
This adds a touch of awe and hope to the chaotic open sea.
certainly!
Some speculate that it was caused by a high-level cultivator who happened to be passing by and took action because he didn't like it.
There are many different opinions, but no one can see the truth.
As for Cheng Buzheng, the one who started all of this...
It was just a little something to do on the way home.
What he was more concerned about was the growing "sparring partners" in his body.
……
A few hours later.
A familiar scene came into view...
Scattered islands, large spirit ships shuttling back and forth, and streaks of light bearing clear sect or family insignia occasionally flashing through the air.
And in the distance, the silhouette of a gigantic island, faintly visible and shrouded in a massive array—
Zhenhai Alliance is one of the core strongholds in the Baoyang sea area.
Cheng Buzheng has finally returned to the Zhenhai Alliance's sphere of influence, the Baoyang Sea area.
Without alerting anyone or heading to the bustling town, he relied on his familiarity with the sea area to quietly fly to the edge of the sea, to a seemingly inconspicuous, spiritually sparse, and desolate island.
This isolated island is the only stronghold connecting the Cheng Clan's Immortal Realm to the Endless Sea.
Tight!
Cheng Buzheng, who was standing above the isolated island, flashed and immediately disappeared into the void.
···
Secret Realm, Peace City!
Outside the city, on a vast spiritual land, a light curtain, shimmering with spiritual light, stands quietly.
The light curtain was semi-circular, covering an area of dozens of miles, and its surface shimmered with ever-changing multicolored light, appearing especially magnificent under the soft light unique to the secret realm.
Not bad!
This is the only large-scale Class A spiritual herb garden owned by the Cheng Clan outside Ping'an City.
Due to the limited area and dense buildings within Heian Castle,
Although the spiritual energy is abundant, it is not suitable for large-scale cultivation of medicinal fields.
Furthermore, this secret realm is a closely guarded secret of the Cheng family, making it impossible for outsiders to enter.
After considering all factors...
The Cheng clan of immortals then chose this place outside the city where the spiritual veins converged and set up the "Five Elements Spiritual Energy Array".
After years of cultivating spiritual soil, this garden has finally been completed, specifically for the large-scale cultivation of first and second-tier low-level spiritual herbs.
This is intended for the daily cultivation and alchemy needs of the family's Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.
In addition, there are more than ten small medicinal herb gardens scattered throughout the spiritual lands outside the city.
These herb gardens are smaller in scale, but their protective arrays are more sophisticated, and the concentration of spiritual energy within them is higher. They are specifically used to cultivate mid-to-high-level spiritual herbs and medicines of the third and fourth tiers.
It is the main source of materials for the family's Golden Core cultivators to refine pills.
Further away, nestled among the rolling hills, one can vaguely see neatly cultivated terraced fields or private herb gardens hidden within small illusion arrays—
Those were the private gardens that the Foundation Establishment cultivators and Golden Core elders of the Cheng family had created and managed themselves by exchanging spiritual lands with their personal contribution points.
The plants they cultivate are mostly special spiritual plants that suit their own cultivation methods, or rare varieties that they attempt to cultivate.
at this time.
Beyond the multicolored glow of the array's protective barrier in the No. 1 Spirit Herb Garden...
More than ten figures were gathered on a specially cleared flat area.
The crowd was roughly divided into two groups:
On one side were eight or nine boys and girls aged between fifteen and twenty-five, talking in hushed tones, their expressions showing a hint of nervousness.
On the other side were about a dozen children, ranging in age from five to twelve or thirteen, chasing and playing.
A crisp laugh echoed through the misty fields.
It adds a touch of vibrant life to this solemn place of cultivation.
"Brother Xiang!"
A young man named Cheng Zhilou, dressed in a light blue outfit and with a slightly immature face, approached a composed young man in his early twenties and asked in a low voice:
"After these three days of intensive training, how well have you mastered those two newly acquired family supernatural abilities?"
Are you confident?
Cheng Huixiang, the young man known as "Brother Xiang," smiled faintly upon hearing this, his eyes calm:
"Fortunately, it can be considered to have entered the inner sanctum, and it is operating without any problems."
It shouldn't be a big problem to pass the ancestor's initial test.
How have you guys fared in your seclusion these past few days?
Judging from your breathing, you all seem to have made progress.
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhilou's worried expression remained unchanged, and he sighed:
"Ugh, don't even mention it."
I've become more proficient in these two subjects.
The casting speed increased by half a breath, and the power also increased by about 10%.
However, it is still far from the level of "perfect mastery, ready to act at a moment's notice".
I wonder just how high the standards will be this time, with the patriarch personally conducting the inspection?
If it doesn't pass...
Another slightly chubby boy, Cheng Huiping, chimed in, his tone equally hesitant:
"I'm also feeling quite anxious."
When our great-grandfather spoke with us last time, he made it clear that this test was not only to examine our progress in cultivation and our comprehension.
It is also related to the subsequent allocation of resources.
If it fails to pass, it will inevitably lose its qualification as a 'key support category'.
The path to immortality that follows will surely be filled with many twists and turns.
"I'm afraid... it's really possible that I'll fail at the Foundation Establishment stage."
"Not bad!"
Cheng Zhilou nodded heavily, his gaze sweeping over the children playing not far away, his voice even lower.
I share this concern.
If we can remain in the priority sequence, the family will at least guarantee us a Foundation Establishment Pill as core support when we reach the peak of Qi Refining.
Otherwise, if we rely solely on taking on tasks and accumulating contribution points, it would take countless years to gather enough points to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills.
Even if you manage to collect enough, there are still many brothers and sisters in the clan waiting in line to exchange for it.
It wouldn't be unusual to wait another ten or eight years.
Cheng Huiping interjected, her tone heavy:
"What I fear most is that I might not be able to obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill at the age when my Qi and blood are at their peak and my dantian meridians are most active."
Once this golden period has passed, bodily functions begin to decline slowly, and the probability of successfully breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm becomes slim.
One step behind, and you'll be behind at every step...
Saying,
Cheng Zhilou's gaze involuntarily fell once more on the group of children playing happily, a complex expression appearing on his face as he sighed softly:
Sometimes, I really envy these little guys, carefree, with tall people to hold up the sky if it falls.
If we had their optimistic and open-minded attitude, perhaps we could experience less anxiety and be more focused on our spiritual practice.
"okay!"
Cheng Huixiang patted Cheng Zhilou on the shoulder with a smile and joked:
"Stop feeling sentimental."
Don't be fooled by these little guys' carefree and playful appearance now. They'll naturally change when they get a few years older and more sensible.
Then they will naturally understand our current state of mind.
"Weren't we all at this age once?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhilou quickly waved his hand, his expression exaggerated:
"Don't!
Brother Xiang, you can say that to them, but please don't lump us together with you.
Could you call that "innocent and carefree" when you were a child?
That's called being 'mature beyond your years' and 'keeping a low profile'!
Cheng Huiping immediately seemed to find a resonance, nodding repeatedly in agreement, and pointing at Cheng Huixiang with a smile:
"you do not say!
Zhi Lou hit the nail on the head.
I remember it very clearly; it was when we had just turned ten and were in our second year of attending the clan school.
On the evening before a certain 'bathing day,' on the way home from school, you confidently told us about the homework the teacher had assigned—
The requirement is to have a basic understanding of the crafting principles and basic rune drawing of a first-tier low-grade [Soul Puppet].
You said: It's too difficult, it's impossible to complete.
They even said things like, "Even a dog wouldn't do this homework," and encouraged us to "rebel" so we could have fun the next day.
Cheng Huiping paused deliberately at this point, noticing that several of her clansmen around her were looking at her curiously.
Then he continued, his tone filled with grief and indignation:
"The results of it?
I was so naive that I actually believed you. When I got home, I was so busy playing with my new cloud-patterned rabbit that I didn't touch my homework at all!
Once the 'bathing day' ended, on the first day of class, the instructors checked each student's progress.
Good guy!
Not only did you, Cheng Huixiang, meticulously complete the copying of all the runes, but you also 'humbly' revealed to the instructor your 'slight lack of understanding' of the puppet's core rune array.
The teacher praised you in class, saying you were "good at thinking and had a solid foundation in your studies"!
At that moment, standing to the side, seeing the instructor's meaningful glance sweep over me, I really... I really wanted to pounce on him and bite him to death right then and there!
Cheng Huiping's vivid description drew laughter from several clansmen around her.
A tall female cultivator named Cheng Huixin covered her mouth and chuckled, then continued:
"Now that you mention it, I remember it too."
It seems that from that time onwards, stories of your 'glorious deeds' quietly began to circulate in the clan school.
No wonder the younger students who were a few years younger than us secretly nicknamed you "the one with the yin mark"—
Oh, no, it's 'yinrenxiang'?
"Ha ha!"
Another handsome young man, Cheng Huifeng, burst out laughing.
"The description of a 'yin person' is brilliant!"
This shows the kids have a sharp eye; they recognized early on that beneath your calm exterior, Brother Xiang, lies a cunning and occasionally mischievous nature!
"That's right, Brother Xiang, we remember all your 'dark history'!"
"It seems that after this test, I'll need to have a proper 'exchange' with Brother Xiang about cultivation insights."
So that he wouldn't 'inadvertently' leave me too far behind again.
"..."
Faced with a barrage of teasing and "condemnation" from the crowd...
Cheng Huixiang could only awkwardly touch her nose, maintaining a calm expression, but her mind was already racing.
He knew his brothers and sisters' personalities well; if he let this topic continue to ferment, who knew how many more of his "old stories" would be brought up.
Then the image of him as a "reliable older brother" that he had worked so hard to build in the hearts of his cousins was in serious jeopardy.
Just as Cheng Huixiang was pondering how to subtly change the subject,
Or find some excuse to draw everyone's attention to the upcoming ancestral examination...
suddenly!
His expression shifted slightly as he sensed a familiar yet powerful aura rapidly approaching from the direction of Ping'an City.
The aura was vast and powerful, carrying an undeniable Golden Core level pressure, yet it was also perfectly restrained.
It did not cause any discomfort to the lower-level cultivators.
Cheng Huixiang's eyes lit up immediately, and she thought to herself, "Heaven is helping me!"
His gaze suddenly shifted towards the gates of Ping'an City, and he raised his voice:
"Shut up!
"Look, who's coming?"
next moment,
All the Cheng clan cultivators gathered here, whether they were the younger generation conversing in hushed tones...
Or are they just toddlers playing and frolicking?
They all subconsciously looked in the direction Cheng Huixiang was pointing—
A golden streak of light shot into the sky from the center of Ping'an City, tearing through the sky above the secret realm and traversing the heavens at an astonishing speed.
Where the streak of light passed, the spiritual mist in the air parted slightly, and the vast yet not domineering pressure of the Golden Core cultivator swept over like a spring breeze, invigorating everyone's spirits.
Just a few breaths later,
The golden light paused briefly above the herb garden before receding, revealing a tall and imposing figure that landed steadily in front of everyone.
The newcomer was dressed in a simple black family head's casual robe. His face was resolute, his eyes were bright and piercing, and he exuded an aura as steady as a mountain yet containing a hidden sharpness.
Yes,
This is none other than Cheng Ping'an, the current patriarch of the Cheng Clan and a late-stage Golden Core cultivator!
"Meet the clan leader!"
"Greetings, Great-Grandfather!"
The group of young cultivators, led by Cheng Huixiang, immediately suppressed their smiles, became solemn, and bowed in unison.
The little ones stopped playing and, at the prompting of their older siblings, followed suit and bowed respectfully, their clear, childlike voices mingling with the steady greetings of the adult cultivators.
With a gentle wave of his sleeve, Cheng Ping'an unleashed a surge of soft yet powerful invisible force, lifting everyone up steadily.
"Please rise, there's no need for such formalities."
Cheng Ping'an spoke in a loud voice, his gaze sweeping over these future pillars and hopes of the family, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
"Three days have passed. How is your cultivation progress?"
Is there any diligence and perseverance?
"The patriarch will be here to inspect your skills in person later. He'll be testing your true abilities, so don't let yourselves down in front of him and disgrace the Cheng family."
The little ones, being the most lively, immediately vied to express their opinions upon hearing this:
"Grandpa, don't worry!"
Qing'er has been very obedient these past few days; she hasn't sneaked out to catch the colorful-feathered bird at all, and has been meditating and practicing her inner energy in the quiet room!
Cheng Qing'er puffed out her small chest and said loudly.
"Hai'er too!"
A chubby-faced boy named Cheng Wenhai standing nearby was not to be outdone.
"And me, Great-Grandpa, I also diligently cultivated and didn't go out to play!"
"I have mastered the divine power passed down from my ancestor!"
Their innocent words are full of a desire to perform and a simple sense of accomplishment.
Seeing this scene,
Cheng Ping'an's smile deepened, and he nodded slightly, encouragingly saying:
"Good, good, you've both made progress."
However, words alone are not enough.
He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.
"When the Ancestor arrives later, he will not only test what you say, but will demonstrate it in a real way."
The patriarch's eyes were sharp; not the slightest slackness or shortcoming could escape his notice.
Whether you have real skills or not, a test will tell.
So, there's still time to calm down and prepare properly.
Hearing this, the children immediately stopped their playful antics and began to try their best to look serious.
Some even began to close their eyes, regulate their breathing, and silently recite mantras.
Cheng Ping'an then looked at the older juniors, such as Cheng Huixiang, with a questioning and expectant look in his eyes.
Cheng Huixiang and the others understood each other and were about to report their respective situations...
...(End of this chapter)