Stepping out of the room, Ye Chen looked around.
This was a small garden, only about twenty zhang in radius, with a planted spirit fruit tree in the center.
Besides the boy named Hu Wa, there was only an old man in the garden.
The three of them sat around a small stone table.
Beside them crouched a huge bird, gazing longingly at the food on the table.
In the Cultivator World, this type of bird was called a Spirit Beast, used by Cultivators for transportation.
After talking, Ye Chen learned that the old man who saved him last night was named Zhang Fengnian.
Because he had made a mistake, his cultivation had been crippled, and he was demoted from the Sect, leaving him living almost at the foot of the Hengyue Sect’s spirit mountain.
“Come, Little Eagle, this piece is for you.” Hu Wa tossed a piece of cured meat from his bowl that he had been reluctant to eat to the giant bird.
As he did so, he didn’t forget to pet the giant bird’s large head with his small hand, appearing to treat the giant bird like family.
On the side, Zhang Fengnian smiled gently and looked at Ye Chen.
“Young man, you are also a Cultivator, right?”
Ye Chen, who was wolfing down food, hurriedly put down his bowl and chopsticks upon hearing Zhang Fengnian’s question, and nodded with a smile.
“Then which Sect are you from?”
“Old man, I have no Sect or Sect; I am just a Loose Cultivator.”
“That is truly a pity,” Zhang Fengnian sighed softly.
“You are in the prime of your life and should seek a Sect to Cultivate in.
After all, the Sect has the resources you need for Cultivation, so you wouldn’t be only at the Qi Condensation First Level at such an age.”
“Senior is right.” Ye Chen smiled again, still concealing his past.
Of course, since he could Cultivate again, he would definitely seek out a Sect to Cultivate in.
Zhang Fengnian’s words made sense.
Being a Loose Cultivator was not only unsafe, but the lack of resources for Cultivation was a real problem.
Being a Disciple of a Sect was different; at least there was a Sect to rely on, and resources for Cultivation had a certain guarantee.
Seeing Ye Chen pondering, Zhang Fengnian smiled kindly.
“Young man, are you interested in becoming a Disciple of the Hengyue Sect?”
“Of course I am interested,” Ye Chen hurriedly said with a smile.
This was exactly what he was thinking.
The Hengyue Sect was not weaker than the Zhengyang Sect, and besides, he really had nowhere else to go at the moment.
Being in the Hengyue Sect was definitely his best choice.
It could be said that he was full of motivation.
He had been an outstanding talent in the Zhengyang Sect, and he firmly believed that with the help of that True Fire, he would definitely shine brightly in the Hengyue Sect in the near future.
“Senior, the threshold for the Hengyue Sect is not low, is it?” Ye Chen asked, looking at Zhang Fengnian.
“No matter.
I will write a letter of recommendation.
I believe it is still possible for you to become an Intern Disciple.”
A letter of recommendation?
Hearing these four words, Ye Chen couldn’t help but secretly size up the old man.
Although he was a crippled person unable to Cultivate, he was not as simple as he appeared on the surface.
Bang!
Just then, the door to the Small Spirit Garden was kicked open, and a Youth in White Robes walked in.
“Yo!
Eating?” The Youth in White Robes smiled mockingly.
“Zhang Tao, what are you doing?” Hu Wa stood up immediately, looking angrily at the Disciple in white robes.
Zhang Fengnian’s expression darkened instantly, and even the giant bird on the side squawked incessantly, spreading its large wings to protect Hu Wa behind it.
Ye Chen glanced at Zhang Tao and saw that he was one of the Hengyue Disciples, because the words “Hengyue” were on his Dao robe.
Moreover, he saw through Zhang Tao’s cultivation at a glance; it had already reached the Qi Condensation Second Level.
Hmph!
Zhang Tao snorted coldly and looked at Zhang Fengnian with a fierce expression.
“Old thing, hand it over quickly, or don’t blame me for being impolite.”
“I don’t have what you want.” Taking a deep breath, Zhang Fengnian’s aged face turned pale in an instant.
“Giving you face and you don’t want it.” With a sudden shout, Zhang Tao kicked over the table, looking fierce and malicious, just like a bandit who licked blood from the tip of a knife.
Squawk!
Squawk!
The giant bird on the side had already flapped its wings and rushed over.
Although it was a low-level Spirit Beast, it had relatively high intelligence.
There was a human-like expression in its large eyes—it was anger.
“Seeking death.” Zhang Tao’s gaze turned cold.
True Qi swirled between his palms and fingers, instantly condensing into a Qi blade, leaving a bloody gash on the giant bird in an instant.
The giant bird’s blood splattered, and it fell to the ground on the spot.
“Little Eagle.” Hu Wa rushed over.
Squawk!
Squawk!
The giant bird called out weakly.
Even so, it still used its large wings to protect Hu Wa underneath it.
“You wicked Disciple.” Pointing a trembling finger at Zhang Tao, Zhang Fengnian was overwhelmed with anger and anxiety, almost collapsing to the ground.
“Hand it over, or don’t blame me for being ruthless…” Zhang Tao took a step closer, but before the word “ruthless” could be spoken, Ye Chen from the side slapped him right across the face.
Slap!
The sound of the palm was crisp and exceptionally loud.
Zhang Tao was stunned by the hit.
Before he could react, he discovered that his arm had been fiercely pulled by Ye Chen.
His body instantly lost balance, and then he was separated from the ground; his whole person was swung into the air.
Bang!
With a loud bang, Zhang Tao, who had been arrogant and domineering a moment ago, was fiercely slammed to the ground by Ye Chen.
The hard ground was forcibly smashed into the shape of a person.
Pfft!
A mouthful of blood sprayed out wildly.
Zhang Tao had been slammed by Ye Chen so hard that his internal organs were displaced.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Fengnian was dumbfounded.
Hu Wa on the side, seeing such a tough Ye Chen, couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.
Zhang Tao, who was at the Qi Condensation Second Level, had actually been knocked down by Ye Chen in a single exchange.
Admittedly, Ye Chen had launched a sneak attack, but his physical strength was surprisingly terrifying.
However, how could they know that what Ye Chen had inside his body was a dantian sea.
If it came to comparing True Qi, with both at the Qi Condensation First Level, the amount of True Qi in Ye Chen’s dantian sea was three times theirs.
Calculated this way, although Ye Chen’s cultivation was at the Qi Condensation First Level, it was comparable to an ordinary Qi Condensation Realm Third Level.
“Heaven is watching what men do; accumulate more virtue for yourself.”
Following Ye Chen’s loud scolding, Zhang Tao, who had been beaten until he was a bloody mess, was thrown out of the Small Spirit Garden by Ye Chen.
At night, Ye Chen channeled True Qi into Little Eagle, which saved its life.
However, for a long time to come, this loyal giant bird Spirit Beast would find it very difficult to fly in the air.
“Young friend, thank you so much for today.” Zhang Fengnian sat on the stone steps, looking much older.
Being attacked by his own Disciple was an immense pain for this kind old man.
“Senior, what are you saying?
It was just a small effort,” Ye Chen smiled nonchalantly.
Sigh!
Zhang Fengnian sighed secretly, his cloudy old eyes filled with reminiscence, as if he were remembering sad past events.
“I was once an Elder of the Hengyue Sect.
Because I made a big mistake, I was demoted to this Small Spirit Garden.
And that Zhang Tao was my former Disciple.
Everything is my fault; it is my failure in teaching.”
“A master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual,” Ye Chen comforted.
“Senior, you don’t need to blame yourself; it is just his nature.”
“He just wants Grandfather’s Heavenly Spirit Curse.” Hu Wa on the side was furious, his small fists clenched tightly.
“All those things Grandfather saved up over the years have been snatched away by him.
He comes to bully us every day.”
Heavenly Spirit Curse?
Ye Chen was not unfamiliar with this name.
The Hengyue Sect had a type of spirit talisman called the Heavenly Spirit Curse.
Once stuck onto a person, it would seal that person’s True Qi for a short time.
This type of Talisman had long been famous among the Three Sects.
This type of Talisman was extremely precious and was never passed on to outsiders.
Ye Chen had not expected that Zhang Fengnian would actually possess such a talisman.
“Young friend, I have already written the letter of recommendation.
Go up the mountain to Cultivate tomorrow!
Your talent is not low, so don’t let it go to waste.” While Ye Chen was deep in thought, Zhang Fengnian had already stuffed a letter and a scroll into Ye Chen’s hand.
“Also, this scroll is an introduction to Hengyue; read it more when you have nothing to do.”
“Thank you, Senior.”