When will the Golden Core's schemes end? Can the family gate be returned from such a short distance?

"Hoo hoo. So long, so long it was you who's been influencing me all along? Making me feel suspicious and uneasy? You... what exactly are you?"

Inside the Wonderful Sound Sect, Han Yongxu was breathing heavily, his brows furrowed, staring at the Malevolent Spirit Power he had forcibly expelled from his body.

Beside him, the Law Treasure Mirror Ruler swirled and circled, preventing the dark and evil forces that filled the room from penetrating even a little.

But soon, the walls of the room in front of him began to fade, and something seemed to be moving through them, making faint sounds.

A pale hand suddenly reached in from outside the door, then withdrew, gently knocking on the door with a 'bang bang' sound.

Han Yongxu's expression changed slightly, "Playing tricks!"

A golden elixir, as bright as the sun, flashed on his chest, and the Law Treasure, the Mirror Ruler, shone brightly, causing the indoor temperature to rise rapidly and forcing back the surrounding gloomy aura.

But in an instant, a dark aura surged and churned, seemingly forming a ferocious and evil eye that suddenly stared down.

Han Yongxu's vision went black, and he felt a strong, strange force invading his mind. This evil spirit seemed to know the weaknesses in his Cultivation Method and Divine Sense, and easily invaded him by taking advantage of any opening.

Then, the scene inside the dark Repentance Cave flashed through his mind, along with fragments of altars and stone pillars.

Suddenly, he was shocked to see a huge eye peering out from within the altar.

On the altar at the center of the pupil, a blurry figure appeared, seemingly a woman in white.

Her back view was graceful, her long black hair cascading naturally to her hips. She exuded a chilling aura, her face like ice. The moment she turned around, the familiar yet cold and breathtakingly beautiful face almost suffocated him.

"Lüo Bing!?"

The woman's eyes were icy and sinister, radiating a bright and eerie light that was both intense and strange, filled with an indescribable aura of evil, like two bolts of cold lightning piercing directly into the depths of his soul.

In an instant, he witnessed an unbelievable scene.

"Grand-disciple, do you still remember your master?"

Transformation... Spirit Transformation Ancestor?!

Shi Yiyin, the founder of the Wonderful Sound Sect a thousand years ago and a master of the Spirit Transformation?

Han Yongxu was greatly shocked, feeling an intense disbelief. His mind felt like it was about to explode, his whole body stiffened and went numb. He stared blankly for a long time, feeling a chill in his Divine Sense, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. The Mirror Ruler beside him dimmed rapidly.

He was in great distress, and only then did the golden elixir in his chest emit a dazzling light.

The evil power was familiar with the trajectory of his cultivation Cultivation Method and easily made contact with his golden core, gently and stickily entangling it like spider silk.

Han Yongxu felt a tightness in his chest.

Looking down, his eyes widened in horror. A pale hand had somehow touched his chest, its deep red, blood-red nails with sharp, curved edges sending chills down his spine.

"Grandmaster! Wait! Let's talk this out! Your grand-disciple will immediately seek the lineage, right now, immediately! Right now!"

"I know, I know where he is. I don't even need to do it myself; I can hire someone else to deal with him..."

Seven days later.

Behind Brocade Workshop, nestled among rolling mountains.

Clouds and mist clung to the mountainside, making the peaks look as if they were wrapped in soft, white cotton.

Suddenly, a faint film of light appeared from a crack in the rock on the mountainside of one of the peaks, flashing and startling away several small insects that were foraging nearby.

The light membrane suddenly stretched outwards, revealing a human-shaped outline.

The light membrane suddenly trembled, and a figure stepped out from it.

But his pair of tiger-like eyes were bright and deep, gleaming with a sharp light when he blinked, and his white hair fluttered at his temples. It was none other than Chen Dengming.

He looked around, sensing the faint Spiritual Qi in the air, and his eyes revealed a look of joy.

"We've really found the entrance to the south. Where are we now?"

Looking around, he found himself in a mountain range, surrounded by peaks shrouded in mist and lush greenery, where even a breath of air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

"Buzz!"

A flash of light.

Chen Dengming flew on his Blade Control, quickly ascending into the air.

Dao Wen was suddenly manipulated by him and merged into the blade. A flash of Silver Light appeared on the blade, and a new pattern appeared. The speed increased significantly.

After a short while, he had circled the nearby mountains once. His Divine Sense then spread out, and a strange look appeared in his eyes. Suddenly, he swooped down.

'Rustling'

In the forest below, a Spider Demon Beast over ten feet tall was moving swiftly, hunting an ordinary wild animal.

Its eight scythe-like legs were incredibly fast. With a leap, it bounded over a large tree and landed directly in front of the beast. It was so fast that before the beast could react, it was about to swat its scythe-like spider legs and tear the beast to pieces.

Suddenly, a slight buzzing sound filled the air.

A flash of light.

The Spider Demon Beast's body trembled suddenly, and its waving spider legs missed their mark.

Then its massive body tilted forward and fell to the ground, causing the ground to tremble.

The beast, resembling a jackal, fled in panic.

A figure flashed by.

Chen Dengming appeared atop the Spider Demon Beast's massive body, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Green-backed Water Spider? Could this be near their Gathering Place?"

With a casual gesture, a blade of light flew out from the spider's body, retracted into his sleeve, and with a tap of his Storage Bag, he collected the Green-backed Water Spider's corpse.

Then, Blade Control, they continued flying forward.

After a cup of tea.

Chen Dengming floated in mid-air, gazing at a bustling Marketplace built against the mountain in the distance. His gaze fell on the banner with the character 'Lin' engraved on the Marketplace wall, and he looked slightly surprised.

"I didn't expect it to be near Brocade Workshop?"

He turned around and looked at the continuous mountain range behind him, feeling both amused and exasperated.

It turns out that the entrance to Nanxun is located in the Mingyun Mountain Range, where the Southern and Northern Region meet, behind Brocade Workshop.

He had been living right at his doorstep for a short time, yet he was completely unaware of it.

The five factions knew perfectly well that the entrance to the Southern Search was located here, yet they built the teleportation array in a completely opposite direction to mislead others. Their methods were truly quite clever.

Chen Dengming wandered around for a while longer, but did not enter Brocade Workshop to take a look.

The old friends in Brocade Workshop, such as the cultivator Tu Gou, have probably all perished in the beast tide of that year. Wandering around inside, one can only feel that things have changed.

After determining the location.

He immediately returned.

Almost immediately after Chen Dengming left.

A Golden Light radiating astonishing pressure suddenly appeared in the Mingyun Mountain Range, startling an old man with a skeletal appearance and thinning hair who was sitting quietly in an ancient temple deep within the Lin family compound.

The old man suddenly looked up, his expression one of surprise, a golden light flashing in his eyes as he transmitted his Divine Sense.

"Sect Leader Han of the Wonderful Sound Sect? What brings you here today?"

A flash of Golden Light appeared in the sky above the mountains and forests, like a shooting star, and in an instant it approached the Lin family's residence.

Han Yongxu bowed respectfully from afar, his smile conveying his Divine Sense.

"I wonder if I should address you, Daoist Lin, as 'Friend' or as 'Sect Master Yu'?"

The old man's eyes showed apprehension, but he calmly said, "The past is the past, and there's no need to worry about the future."

"Now I am nothing but withered bones in the Lin family tomb. Even if I were to regain my Golden Core, it would be nothing more than a dying struggle."

Han Yongxu's smile widened as he stroked his beard and said, "I've come here for two reasons. First, to congratulate Fellow Daoist Lin on your return to the Golden Core stage and to present you with a gift. Second, I have a request, and I hope Fellow Daoist Lin will not refuse."

After he finished speaking, something flew out of his Storage Bag and rushed straight towards the old man.

The old man's eyes flashed, and with a flick of his finger, the item box floated in mid-air. He cautiously opened it and looked inside, a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes, which then suddenly widened.

"A thousand-year-old snow spirit ginseng? A treasure for prolonging life! Unfortunately, this is just a ginseng root, which can at most extend my life by three months. Nevertheless, I thank Fellow Daoist Han for his kindness."

Han Yongxu smiled faintly, "Fellow Daoist Lin, I still have half a Snow Spirit Ginseng in my possession, enough to extend your life by five years. I wonder if I could ask you to lend a hand?"

The elderly man surnamed Lin fell silent.

He lived five years and made one move.

If Han Yongxu doesn't take action, asking him to do so will likely cause a lot of trouble and could bring disaster upon himself.

The Nanxun Kingdom.

From a lake in the Hengduan Mountains, Chen Dengming's figure leaped out with a 'whoosh'.

He suddenly let out a long, exhilarating roar, the echo reverberating through the valley, quite astonishing.

"Roar--"

The Black Cloud Leopard, which had been lurking by the lake for half a day, roared in agreement, then shook its head, looking as if it couldn't cooperate at all.

"Haha, Hei Zi, I think I've found the entrance to Nan Xun."

Unexpectedly, the entrance and exit were located within this lake, separated by a strange, membrane-like curtain.

Having found the entrance to Nanxun, Chen Dengming was quite pleased. He walked over laughing and casually tossed a piece of Green Northern Water Spider Demon Beast meat to the Black Cloud Leopard, saying...

"Let's go, we can go back soon. Let's go to the fiefdom first and see how Qiangzi and the others are settled."

The Black Cloud Leopard let out a howl, immediately snatched the Demon Beast meat into its mouth, and wolfed it down, so moved that snot and tears were about to bubble from its nose.

Leopard Brother hasn't had any Demon Beast meat lately, and his mouth is practically watering at the thought of it. He looks like he's lost weight and is having a really hard time adjusting.

The meat of Spider Demon Beast, which is only at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Level Refining, used to be considered too low-grade, but now tastes incredibly delicious.

"Alright! Let's go! We can eat as we fly! I still have some more here."

Chen Dengming flipped over and mounted the Black Cloud Leopard, kicking the Black Panther's pert buttocks.

Soon, the man and the leopard took off and flew away.

By silently guarding his spiritual platform, Chen Dengming could sense the Daoist text flashing with silver light in his Sea of Consciousness within his Purple Mansion, emitting subtle and indescribable auras, and establishing a connection with the ancient palace.

Through this connection, he could draw upon the Spiritual Qi within the ancient palace at any time to replenish the Black Cloud Leopard.

The absorbed Spiritual Qi is not enough for cultivation, but it is more than enough to make up for daily consumption.

It's essentially about combating plunder.

The Ancient Human Immortal Palace absorbed all the Spiritual Qi of this Mustard Seed Realm, Chen Dengming then extracted his share of that Spiritual Qi, thus achieving a 'balance of income and expenditure'.

During this time, he not only searched for the entrance and exit to Nanxun, but also continued to familiarize himself with and study the Daoist script.

He had vaguely figured out that the Human Immortal Orthodox Lineage could not be as simple as just a single Dao inscription.

Perhaps Daoist texts, like martial arts manuals, are merely an outer layer of Daoist tradition, only they may be imbued with the power of immortals, thus manifesting extraordinary power.

However, if one wishes to comprehend the more profound "Immortal Path" of the Human Immortal Path, one must decipher the secrets of the Daoist texts in order to gradually approach it.

However, this is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

Let alone becoming a human immortal, even the realm of attaining the Dao is extremely far from him. Being impatient for quick results will only lead to trouble.

He was calm and composed, completely opposite to the impetuous and aggressive nature of the inauspicious Sha Star, Dongfang Huayuan.

Both of them have come into contact with the Human Immortal Orthodox Lineage, but they are on two different paths, their states are completely different, and their future achievements may not be the same.

As his thoughts raced, the winds and clouds below shifted, and the scenery flashed past, which Chen Dengming watched with great interest.

In his previous life, he could travel 80,000 li a day while sitting still, and survey a thousand rivers in the sky.

Even though he was highly skilled in martial arts when he arrived in Nanxun, he had never been able to look down on the beautiful scenery of his hometown from the sky like this.

If we're talking about the exhilarating feeling of Xianxia, the act of flying through the air alone is enough to give us a glimpse, inspiring endless longing.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Dengming stayed in the fiefdom allocated to the Chen Family by the Southern Emperor for three days. He had the Black Cloud Leopard carry the two children in low-altitude flight for two days. He also instructed Chen Zhong that the children could begin to be taught mortal martial arts after they turned six.

He then gave Jiang Qiang some further instructions, telling him not to use Law Technique too often, to remember to frequently absorb the Spiritual Qi within the spirit crystals, and to try to recruit more Innate Martial Artist to serve him in his spare time.

If cultivators from the Cultivation World were to descend to the mortal realm, these Innate Martial Artists, banding together, could teach some lower-level cultivators a lesson they won't forget.

With everything settled, Chen Dengming rode away on his leopard.

He left Jiang Qiang nearly two hundred Mid-grade Spirit Crystal. As long as the other party didn't cast spells frequently, these spirit crystals would be enough for him to live in Nanxun for nearly twenty years without his cultivation level declining.

Twenty years is a long time; many things will change.

In five years, he had grown from a mortal at the seventh level of the Xiantian to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage Realm.

Twenty years from now, let's be a little bold and think about it. Maybe he'll already be a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator, able to call himself "True Person So-and-so." As for Foundation Establishment Pills, for Golden Core Late Stage cultivator, getting a few wouldn't be difficult.

At that time, the Lineage will be blessed. When Jiang Qiang grows old and frail, he may also learn from his late-life struggle and perhaps even taste the sweetness of the Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, for now, it's Jiang Qiang who's protecting his family.

In this southern search, even if the other party is the last cultivator of the era when Spiritual Qi was cut off, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he is the number one person in the world.

Even if someone from the Cultivation World were to actually come, wielding a large number of Gu Worm and other deadly weapons, Jiang Qiang could still proudly proclaim in Nanxun, "Below Foundation Establishment, I am invincible; above Foundation Establishment, I can trade one for one."

That day, Chen Dengming returned to the Southern Region of the Cultivation World via the Five Sects Teleportation Array.

From places devoid of Spiritual Qi to the Cultivation World brimming with it, even in Spiritual Qi barren wilderness, Chen Dengming felt as if his breathing had become much smoother and his whole body was full of vitality.

"Waaah--"

The Black Cloud Leopard also let out a comfortable hum.

This leopard had gotten used to lying in its cave abode in the Second-Rank Spirit Vein of the Evergreen Sect, and it could no longer stand the harsh environment of its master's hometown.

"Junior Brother Chen, have things been settled at home?"

At this moment, He Yingyu flew over upon hearing the sound, and exclaimed in surprise when her beautiful eyes fell on Chen Dengming's white hair at his temples.

"Junior Brother, what are you doing?"

"No problem."

Chen Dengming smiled and said, "Senior sister, there's no need to worry. As you know, when I left Nanxun and joined the Evergreen Sect, I had changed my appearance."

Now, with my hair turned white and I am old, this is my true appearance. Does my senior sister think I'm too old?

He Yingyu chuckled and cursed under her breath, "You old devil!" Then, her pretty face fell, and she said fiercely, "You think you can get rid of your senior sister by pretending to be old?"

Chen Dengming was slightly taken aback. "You like this old man so much?"

"Yes, what can we do?"

He Yingyu suppressed a laugh, glanced at the afterglow of the setting sun not far away, and sighed, "I must have done something terrible in my past life to be so captivated by you, old man."

Although she said that, her eyes were brimming with beauty.

Although Chen Dengming is old, he has a handsome and dashing appearance. His eyes are bright and deep, his nose is high and straight, and his lips are well-defined, showing his extraordinary perseverance and decisiveness. Combined with his white hair at the temples, he does not give people a sense of aging, but rather makes him look more mature and steady.

"Haha, thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister, especially for protecting Junior Brother these past few days. I will protect you during Junior Brother cultivation another day as a way of repaying you."

Chen Dengming said with a smile.

"You wish!"

He Yingyu's pretty face flushed slightly, making her even more beautiful and alluring.

Chen Dengming was taken aback, but then realized that he hadn't meant it that way; his thoughts were pure.

He Yingyu glared at him, then suddenly said softly, "We'll talk about it next time. We'll see how you behave!"

After saying that, she took the lead and flew out, her heart pounding, her palms sweating, and her ears turning red.

"How will I perform next time?"

Chen Dengming watched He Yingyu's slender figure leave with slight surprise, and then he couldn't help but recall the scene of He Yingyu cultivating in the pool.

The other person was also standing with their back to him, but they were shirtless, showing him their alluring figure, full-figured and beautiful, radiating boundless youthful vitality.

"This... next time I should be able to look at my senior sister openly and honestly..."

Chen Dengming felt a surge of heat in his heart, and it took him a while to suppress this rare emotion before he immediately followed.

The two figures walked one after the other.

One's heart was pounding, while the other's mind was wandering; both couldn't help but let a slight smile appear on their lips.

Since Xu Wei took the initiative to talk to this senior sister last time, Chen Dengming also chose to acquiesce, and the two of them, sharing the same soul, established a subtle and indescribable relationship.

To say there's a final step, there hasn't been a formal breakthrough yet.

Judging from He Yingyu's intention, she wanted to return to the sect and inform her Senior Brother Liang that the two of them would become dao companion, cultivate immortality together, and embark on the immortal path of Wushan.

Prior to this, the two had still held back.

After all, He Yingyu is a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator. Although Chen Dengming is now at the same cultivation level as her, and has a superior-grade, mutually restraining Spirit Root, and has also come into contact with the Dao lineage, making him a candidate for Longevity Seed, he is a worthy match for He Yingyu.

But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like her, if she were to truly unleash her full potential and engage in passionate lovemaking, wouldn't that require a formal marriage and a banquet for many like-minded individuals? Her restraint and self-respect are understandable.

The two flew hand in hand toward the spirit boat.

He Yingyu handed the Soul House back to Chen Dengming.

Inside the Soul House, the Little Array Spirit and the paper doll Xu Wei were both incredibly excited to sense his return.

After briefly explaining his arrangements for the Lineage, Chen Dengming did not immediately discuss the matter of the Daoist lineage, only informing him of finding the entrance to the Southern Search.

"So, Junior Brother, you're planning to search for the entrance to Nanxun?"

"That's right! After I came out, I observed the surrounding terrain and confirmed that it is in the Mingyun Mountain Range behind Brocade Workshop. I just need to confirm it again."

However, before I go back this time, I also want to visit the Yin Ghost Sect.

"The Yin Ghost Sect? Is that the sect that was forced to close its doors after being defeated by the Curiosity Sect?"

"Oh? Senior Sister, you've also heard of the Yin Ghost Sect? What was the sect like in the past? Are there any highly skilled individuals within it?"

After informing the resident disciples of the Red Cloud Gate and other sects, Chen Dengming and He Yingyu sailed away together, chatting as they went.

"I don't know much about it."

He Yingyu pondered, "In the four domains, there is an unwritten rule that the person who establishes a sect must have a cultivation level of at least Nascent Soul before the sect can be named 'Sect'."

Besides, most of the Golden Core Cultivator below the Nascent Soul established 'sects' and dared not name them 'patriarchs'.

The "ancestral lineage" represents one's fortune, status, and ability; if one's strength is insufficient, it will bring misfortune rather than fortune.

Since the Yin Ghost Sect is named as a sect, it is clear that its founder was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

But since the sect later forced them to seal their Mountain Gate after being attacked by the Curiosity Sect, it's very likely that their Nascent Soul Ancestor has perished. There might even be Golden Core Cultivator within the sect, or even those Golden Core cultivators have fallen. Junior Brother, what are you going to do at this sect?"

Chen Dengming touched the Soul House and smiled, "The Little Array Spirit inside this Soul House may have some connection with the Yin Ghost Sect in the past. I have already promised her that if there is an opportunity in the future, I will take her to visit the Yin Ghost Sect. Perhaps she can familiarize herself with the environment of the past and gain something from it."

Soul House, the Little Array Spirit was deeply moved and spoke out.

"Thank you so much, fellow Daoist!"

"You're quite kind to this Little Female Ghost."

He Yingyu watched with a smile, her heart warmed. What she valued most about Chen Dengming was this: a person with feelings and loyalty is always better than a heartless and ungrateful person.

Chen Dengming laughed heartily, shook his head, and remained silent. The Little Array Spirit had worked hard for him over the years, dancing for him and even giving him warnings and averting dangers on several occasions. It could be said to be his longest-lasting companion, so he naturally wanted to return the favor.

The spirit boat suddenly accelerated, speeding towards the location of Brocade Workshop.

At the same time.

A golden light flashed outside the Lin family compound. Han Yongxu, the head of the Wonderful Sound Sect, flew into the sky with a gloomy expression. He then looked down at the returned congratulatory gift in his hand, his eyes filled with gloom.

"This old guy is really troublesome. If you say he's afraid of death, he refused the thousand-year-old Snow Spirit Ginseng. If you say he's not afraid of death, he's afraid to attack that brat from the Evergreen Sect."

Just then, a dark aura appeared on his face, and he became agitated.

Han Yongxu immediately steadied his mind and suppressed his emotions, a hint of horror flashing in his eyes.

Even though they were so far from the Wonderful Sound Sect, his master's power could still so strongly influence his emotions. Even though it had indeed weakened considerably with distance, it was still troublesome.

"Grandmaster, please calm down. Your grandson will think of another way. That brat from the Evergreen Sect might still have a Longevity Token. Your grandson asked this Old Ghost Lin to help him, hoping to force him to reveal the Longevity Token. That way, your grandson will have a better chance of success."

As he said this, he secretly thought to himself that this was troublesome. His master had become an evil spirit and had no brains. If he were to take action openly and honestly again, he would be causing a huge problem.

But if they don't intervene, unless they abandon their sect—the golden goose—and leave their homeland to cultivate alone in hardship, they don't even know if they can completely escape the influence of their master. The power of evil spirits is hard to explain with common sense...

(6,000-word chapter, please vote with monthly tickets! I'm 70 tickets short, so I'll add a big chapter tonight.)

My chapter from yesterday got taken down. Sigh! Oh well, I'll just stick to updating. No more complaining. Hope you guys can vote for me to console me.