A Real Eye-Opener

The Hanging Temple's base was built adjacent to the Southern Wilderness Mountains.

"Clang clang!"

More than twenty dusty young Ascetic Monks, with sturdy legs and square heads, were using White Qi to cut down trees and build a temporary camp, sweating profusely.

Chen Xuan's gaze swept around, cautiously observing the environment and people in the camp.

The camp is empty... This group of Hanging Temple monks just arrived here today.

Not far away, more than a dozen Qi Refiners in various outfits – Taoists, martial artists, knights-errant... they should be like Chen Xuan, people with nothing to lose who were "invited" over after encountering Yan Yushu.

What made Chen Xuan curious was that these people were sitting in the camp in twos and threes, chatting and laughing, looking completely content and unwilling to leave.

They weren't doing any work, acting like lords.

A young Ascetic Monk, covered in sweat, walked up to them with a gloomy face and demanded that they also contribute to building the camp.

As soon as he said this, the crowd became agitated, like a lit powder keg.

A burly man flew into a rage, rushed forward, grabbed the monk by the neck, glared with wide eyes, and cursed.

"What? Your old man came to the Southern Wilderness to seek a future, got caught halfway by you bald outsiders, and now you want your old man to be a carpenter? Am I that easy to bully!"

A middle-aged Taoist with an air of immortality and virtue was not to be outdone. He rolled up his sleeves, grabbed the monk's arm, twisted it behind his back, and held him down.

"This humble Taoist has cultivated his mind and nature for over thirty years, how could he be deceived by a mere young woman? My Taoist heart is as true as iron!"

More people rushed up, surrounding the young Ascetic Monk, hitting and cursing him.

Chen Xuan was dumbfounded, feeling like he was watching a poorly acted play.

The young monk's kasaya was torn, but he didn't fight back, only stuck out his neck and argued.

"Fellow Taoists, but this camp is being built for you to live in, aren't you ashamed?"

Where would they, Ascetic Monks, need to live in a camp? They were used to eating wind and drinking dew, and could sleep even in the snow.

"You little bald donkey, you dare to talk back? You were the ones crying and begging your old man to stay in this godforsaken place, and you still want your old man to sleep on the ground tonight! You really think your old man's fists are made of dough."

The burly man was furious, and punched the monk's shiny head twice with a thudding sound like hammering iron.

"Where's today's Treasure Tea Soup? Go cook it quickly, you stingy bald donkeys, don't you have any work in your eyes, scram!"

The middle-aged Taoist's words were equally sharp, not falling behind at all. With a few punches and kicks, he beat the monk until his head was covered in blood, and the monk fled in a panic.

The other Qi Refiners also cursed incessantly. Whenever a monk passed by, they would inevitably be subjected to their wanton abuse, or even a beating.

"..."

Chen Xuan was stunned, this scene was completely different from what he had imagined.

The Hanging Temple was clearly in the dominant position, and these Qi Refiners were the ones being supervised, but the reality was completely opposite. It was these Qi Refiners who were scolding, ordering around, and insulting the silent Ascetic Monks.

"Huh? Another fellow Taoist who struck it rich?"

Seeing Chen Xuan, the crowd burst into laughter, and the camp was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"Fellow Taoist, you also met that young woman? Haha, just arrived in the Southern Wilderness and good fortune descended from the sky. Monks serve us every day, and there's free Treasure Tea Soup to drink. This trip was not in vain."

"..."

Chen Xuan twitched the corner of his mouth... How is this not good fortune?

Everyone was a Qi Refiner from the Red Crow City area, gathered together because of Yan Yushu. After chatting for a few minutes, Chen Xuan quickly understood the situation.

That Yan Yushu had extremely bad intentions. Starting from the location of the Hanging Temple, she fled across the territories of several large cities, all the way to the Southern Wilderness of Red Crow City, deliberately choosing routes where Qi Refiners frequented.

"I heard that young woman even went into Red Crow City and deliberately passed through the territory of a large Qi Refining family, encountering some disciples from prominent families..."

The middle-aged Taoist told Chen Xuan that the Hanging Temple was now on the hot seat.

If they didn't manage them, they were afraid that some Qi Refiners would be truly incited and cause trouble behind their backs. But if they did manage them, the scope of involvement was too large. Some people had deep backgrounds and required a huge amount of energy and resources.

It was said that the Hanging Temple had used bloody means to turn their own territory into a wasteland... But upon entering the territories of other forces, they could only spend money to resolve the problems and dared not act excessively, otherwise, every single one of these Qi Refiners would die.

Only then did Chen Xuan realize that Yan Yushu's encounter with him was probably not a coincidence.

She must have seen him in the river, so she deliberately passed by him, even pretending to be innocent and pitiful... They were all fish she was raising!

"How could the Hanging Temple let her escape for so long? Didn't any great cultivators take action?"

Chen Xuan asked doubtfully. He knew some secrets of the Hanging Temple; this reclusive sect was extraordinary.

"Our Red Crow City is not to be trifled with. How can outsiders run wild? The Red Crow City Lord is directly blocking the border. The Green Deer Mountain Sect Master Qing Yazi is even extorting them, demanding an exorbitant toll fee. If they don't pay, he will cause trouble and chaos and also try to snatch Yan Yushu. They won't easily let the great cultivators of the Hanging Temple cross the border."

The middle-aged Taoist explained, then said mysteriously:

"You came late and don't know, but last night, the great cultivators of the Hanging Temple were unwilling to be extorted and secretly snuck over. Haha, they were directly 'invited' by the great cultivators of Green Deer Mountain, who were waiting for them, to discuss and debate the scriptures..."

"It's hard for a Qi Refiner to accomplish something, but it's too easy to ruin something..."

A dragon crossing the river cannot suppress a local snake, and there are shameless local snakes everywhere. Even a powerful force like the Hanging Temple, wanting to cross the border to capture someone, could only swallow their pride...

Last night, a great cultivator from Green Deer Mountain came to the Southern Wilderness!

Chen Xuan was startled by this news, and goosebumps rose on his skin.

Who came?

Has this great cultivator already learned of his actions!

He stood in the center of the camp, feeling a chill in his heart, but quickly calmed down.

The world was vast, and he hadn't exposed his whereabouts. Even if the other party was a great cultivator, finding him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. There was no need to worry too much.

In the afternoon, Chen Xuan was looking for someone in the camp who understood Ancient Seal Script when he suddenly saw a large group of Qi Refiners appear outside, numbering several dozen.

His eyes widened in surprise, because he actually knew a little less than half of them.

"The Qi Refiners from Small River Village, they really show up for any excitement."

Not only Qi Refiners, but he even saw a small black dot cautiously circling in the distant sky. It was the Bronze Horse.

"Grandpa Huo Gun, these big monks look so strange. Could they be the legendary Hanging Temple?"

Chu Qing Ling was bright and beautiful, very lively, with a pair of peach blossom eyes looking around everywhere, asking incessantly; her sickly cousin carried a bamboo basket on his back, coughing every few steps.

Chu Huo Gun's head peeked out of the bamboo basket, and he said, "Yes, they are, a hidden sect from outside the region... Huh? That Ascetic Monk was beaten and didn't fight back, he has such a good temper... Who? Qing Ling, who did you say? Is Brother Xiao Wang here too? Huh! Xiao Wang, Brother Xiao Wang!"

Chen Xuan walked out of the camp upon hearing the sound and greeted the three of them.

Chu Huo Gun eagerly asked, "Brother Xiao Wang, why are you here? What happened here?"

Chen Xuan simply told him the reason, then sighed, "An unexpected disaster. Now I'm trapped here. They say my life is rotten and I need to prove my innocence..."

"There's such a good thing!"

Chu Huo Gun immediately became energetic and shouted, "Brother Xiao Wang, wait for this old man! This old man's life is rotten! I'm going to the Southern Wilderness now to find that Yan Yushu and prove my innocence with you. I also want to drink the Treasure Tea Soup brewed from the Terrestrial Treasure Tree!"

Chen Xuan quickly asked, "Aren't you waiting for your old friends from Red Crow City?"

Chu Huo Gun was too severely injured and was relying on Red Qi to sustain his three thoughts. He had originally planned to wait for some old friends from Red Crow City to arrive before entering the Southern Wilderness together to seek opportunities and be reborn through Nirvana.

Chu Huo Gun glanced sideways at Chen Xuan from behind and said, "The heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the Southern Wilderness have long been claimed by ghosts and monsters. Which one doesn't have a master behind it? You have to risk your life to get them. Now that such a safe blessing has fallen from the sky, Xiao Wang, you must know that if heaven gives something and you don't accept it, you will suffer divine punishment."

He was in no mood to chat with Chen Xuan. He felt the situation was urgent. If he was a step slower, Yan Yushu might run far away, and he would never see the fairy's face again.

It wasn't just him.

The other Qi Refiners from Small River Village, after understanding the situation here, immediately had golden light in their eyes and rushed into the Southern Wilderness Mountains like hungry wolves.

"They are not only not afraid of falling into Yan Yushu's trap, but they even want to gain benefits from it and fleece the Hanging Temple."

Chen Xuan was dumbfounded, feeling that he had gained more knowledge. The Hanging Temple's pursuit of Six Desires Heaven had actually caused such a grand event.

In the distance, some Ascetic Monks who were not allowed to enter the Southern Wilderness to pursue Yan Yushu due to their young and unstable minds gritted their teeth.

"The Qi Refiners outside the temple have low character and all want to extort us. We really want to transcend them..." If they were on the Hanging Temple's territory, these people would have died a hundred times already, but being in a different place, some things couldn't be done.

"How can these people, blinded by greed, resist the power of Six Desires Heaven? Their lives are going to be rotten!"

"Everyone, stop complaining and get to work..."

In the distance, a large pot was set up, and an elderly monk with white eyebrows took out a packet of tea leaves that scattered golden light and began to brew the valuable Treasure Tea Soup.

Chen Xuan walked over and began to ask him about the Ancient Seal Script.