Free Web NovelChapter 409: Chapter 253: Returning to the Sect
Yang Jing gazed down at the entrance to the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, his expression complex.
Though a disciple of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, he had spent more time in the Northern Domain than he had within the Sect itself. Even a moment as momentous as his promotion to True Disciple had taken place at the Northern Army Governor’s Mansion.
Now, the Five Elements True Spirit Sect felt strangely unfamiliar to him.
After the cautionary tale of the Nine Yang Sect, even Nascent Soul Cultivators had to have their identities verified before entering the Sect.
Fiery Fire True Monarch brought the Flying Boat to a halt, allowing the patrolling disciples to come aboard.
An Inner Sect Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Realm, leading seven Outer Sect Disciples, took out a Dark Illumination Mirror. They scanned Fiery Fire True Monarch, Yang Jing, and his disciples one by one, then inspected their Identity Jade Tokens.
Upon seeing this rather unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator, they had assumed Yang Jing was merely a junior acquaintance of Ancestor Fiery Fire. It was only after inspecting his Identity Jade Token that they realized he was none other than the famous Yang Jing of their very own Sect.
Yang Jing’s reputation within the Sect was far greater than he had imagined.
For the past century, the Five Elements True Spirit Sect had mostly recruited mediocre disciples whose reputations were confined to the Sect, unknown among the Six Sects.
Yang Jing had slaughtered disciples of the Four Demon Sects as if they were chickens. Afterward, he had set up an altar to summon lightning and defeated the Red Evil True Demon, a Golden Core Realm being. Each of these feats was a major event that had caused a sensation among the Six Sects.
As Inner and Outer Sect disciples of the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, they naturally shared in his glory.
His later involvement with the Seven Nations Ticket Shop and the pacification of the Demon Realm, however, was completely beyond these disciples’ comprehension.
"Junior Martial Uncle Yang!"
Seeing Yang Jing, the leading Inner Sect Disciple was overcome with excitement.
Yang Jing nodded at him, then gestured to his disciples.
"Verify my disciples’ identities first."
"Yes, yes!"
The Inner Sect Disciple felt he had lost his composure in front of Yang Jing and was filled with regret. Somewhat dejectedly, he used the Dark Illumination Mirror to inspect the Identity Jade Tokens one by one. He stole a few glances at Iron Head, Yinjiao, and the others, overcome with envy that they were able to become Yang Jing’s disciples.
The Dark Illumination Mirror was a Tier Two Magical Artifact refined in imitation of the Grotto Dark Dharma Eye. It possessed an extremely strong inspection ability. While perhaps not powerful enough to see through a Celestial Demon’s possession or the Inconstant Illusionary Form Technique, it was more than sufficient for authenticating Identity Jade Tokens. ƒreewebɳovel.com
After checking all the Identity Jade Tokens, the Inner Sect Disciple immediately used the Grotto Mirror to send a message to the disciple inside the array who was controlling the Restriction.
A moment later, a portal appeared in the Sect’s Grand Array, just large enough for the Flying Boat to pass through.
The Flying Boat passed into the Grand Array, and the portal immediately sealed behind it.
The patrolling disciples gave a respectful bow to Fiery Fire True Monarch and Yang Jing, then flew off the Flying Boat.
Fiery Fire True Monarch stowed the Flying Boat in his sleeve.
"In seven days, you will go to the Ancestral Hall to meet the Sect Leader. Bathe and fast for a few days beforehand. Do not neglect your etiquette,"
he said to Yang Jing.
"As you command."
Fiery Fire True Monarch then gave Yang Jing some pointers on the proper etiquette for meeting the Sect Leader, as well as the Sect Leader’s personal preferences.
This should have been the duty of Yang Jing’s master, but he had risen so quickly that he’d never formally taken one. Thus, the responsibility fell to Fiery Fire True Monarch.
After finishing his instructions for Yang Jing, Fiery Fire True Monarch transformed into a streak of crimson Tunneling Light and returned to his Cave Mansion. He had been traveling for days on Yang Jing’s behalf and needed to rest and recuperate properly.
Yang Jing and his disciples were left standing in mid-air.
Yang Jing scratched his head. He also had a Cave Mansion within the Five Elements True Spirit Sect, but having been away from the Sect for so long, he feared it had likely fallen into complete disrepair.
He summoned a Tunneling Light, enveloping his disciples within it. Transforming into a blurry, watery gleam, they vanished silently from sight.
The Spiritual Qi within the Five Elements True Spirit Sect was incredibly dense. As a result, Yang Jing’s Water Escape technique was exceedingly fast, even through the air. In what felt like a mere moment, he arrived above his Cave Mansion.
To his surprise, despite his decade-plus absence, the Cave Mansion was still in perfect order. Not only was the Pure Yang Apricot Tree he had planted thriving and verdant, but even the Spirit Medicines he had casually sown in the Spirit Field were in excellent condition.
Yang Jing could sense that the Spiritual Qi within the Cave Mansion had even grown much denser.
His gaze shifted, and he saw two Female Cultivators shouldering hoes, tilling the soil and weeding in the Spirit Field.
The Tunneling Light dissipated. Yang Jing set his disciples down on the ground and walked forward.
"You two Junior Sisters?"
The two Female Cultivators were startled by the voice that suddenly appeared behind them. The older of the two, in particular, had a Cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Realm and was quite confident in her Power, yet she hadn’t sensed someone approaching her from behind.
"Yang Jing!"
The younger-looking Female Cultivator recognized Yang Jing at a glance. Seeing that after more than a decade he was not only unchanged but had even grown slightly younger, she cried out in shock.
The words had barely left her mouth before she clapped a hand over it in terror and dropped to her knees.
"Master Yang, this lowly one..."
With a flick of his Magical Power, Yang Jing lifted her from the ground.
"Who are you?"
He thought the Female Cultivator looked familiar, but he had long since forgotten her name.
Standing behind him, Ji Feng wore a complex expression. He took a small step forward and said to Yang Jing,
"Master, they are the Huan Sisters. The one at Foundation Establishment is Senior Sister Huan, Huan Qingshuang."
He was quite familiar with her from his youth. Back then, Huan Qingshuang had been the Chief Steward of the Firework Hall, and many of the elders among his people, the Five-Colored Kun Chickens, had worked under her command.
’The Junior Martial Uncle Huan who seemed so lofty and unapproachable back then doesn’t seem to have such impressive Magical Power today. In fact, because her Cultivation Technique is average and her foundation is unstable, she might be stuck at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment for good, unable to advance another step.’
Yang Jing finally remembered who this person was. She was someone he had clashed with back in his early years in A Class. But more than a decade had passed, and perhaps due to immense pressure, Huan Qingwen’s face already showed signs of age, which was why he hadn’t recognized her at first glance.
"So it’s you, Junior Sister Huan. I remember entrusting the care of my Cave Mansion to a Miscellaneous Task disciple named Guo Bao. Why are you here instead?"
He now had Golden Core Cultivation, and Huan Qingshuang had already given him a Pure Yang Apricot Tree as an apology. Naturally, he wasn’t going to hold a grudge against a Female Cultivator still stuck in the Qi Cultivation Stage.
Huan Qingwen’s expression grew even more sorrowful when she realized that some decrepit old man had left a deeper impression on Yang Jing than she had.
Huan Qingshuang no longer dared to let her good-for-nothing younger sister speak to Yang Jing. In fact, if Huan Qingwen hadn’t been the one who had offended Yang Jing, she wouldn’t have even brought her along.
"Guo Bao passed away seven years ago after reaching the end of his lifespan. My sister and I thought that your Cave Mansion, Junior Martial Uncle Yang, shouldn’t be left unattended, so we volunteered to come and look after it."
Seven years ago, Yang Jing’s fame had already begun to skyrocket after he won the status of a True Disciple through Magical Combat.
Naturally, countless people had wanted to curry favor with Yang Jing by tending to his Cave Mansion. If not for Huan Qingshuang’s status within the Sect, she wouldn’t have been able to snatch up such a cushy assignment.
"I see."
Yang Jing sighed internally. ’More than a decade isn’t that long for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but for a Qi Cultivator, it can be the difference between life and death.’
"Thank you for looking after my Cave Mansion, Senior Sister Huan."
Huan Qingshuang was beautiful and had a voluptuous figure, making her quite popular among Foundation Establishment Cultivators. But Yang Jing knew she was a deep schemer, and he disliked that. freewёbnoνel.com
His tone clearly indicated that it was time for them to leave.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Huan Qingshuang’s full, round face, but she quickly concealed it.
"Then we two sisters shall disturb you no longer, Master Yang."
With that, she pulled on the reluctant Huan Qingwen and turned to leave.
Yang Jing watched their retreating figures.
’Sucking up to the powerful and trampling the weak... even Cultivators can’t escape such behavior.’
’Almost no one in the Sect knew I was returning with Fiery Fire True Monarch today, yet I ran into the Huan Sisters at my Cave Mansion. That proves how frequently they must come here.’
’They even went so far as to learn how to cultivate Spirit Plants themselves, just to avoid the embarrassment of me finding out they’d hired help and turning their gesture of goodwill into a joke.’
’If they put this much effort into their training, their foundations wouldn’t be so weak.’
Yang Jing shook his head.
Ji Feng, who had been standing respectfully to the side, suddenly stepped forward.
"Master, I wish to return to my clan for a visit."
He had never been away from his people for so long before.
