174175: A Perfect, Peerless Talent Who Sacrifices Lifespan; The Strange Reclamation Reveals the Enemy's Intentions
The sect's assessment task only gave Chen Dengming a few days to prepare before he had to set off immediately, following the sect's spirit ship to the vicinity of the southern border of the Eastern Region, which was tens of thousands of miles away.
Beyond the southern border of the Eastern Region lies the War Zone sects like the Tiandao Sect clashed with Devil Cultivator from the Western Regions.
Inside the cave abode, He Yingyu communicated with Xu Wei, "Once we get there, I'll be leaving him in your care. Don't let his usual meticulousness fool you; he's often quite careless in his daily life."
Xu Wei suppressed a laugh, took He Yingyu's hand, and said, "I understand, Sister Yu. I'll take care of all the little things in his life."
He Yingyu nodded slightly, then rose and gracefully walked towards Chen Dengming, continuing her rambling.
"Don't show off when you go to the War Zone. Avoid trouble if you need to. This is just an assessment, not a test to risk your life."
"You are False Core Great Cultivator, with Golden Core attainment within reach. The sect will not make things difficult for you."
Are you still proficient with those new Law Artifact I made for you? You need to familiarize yourself with them more.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and now that she's about to be separated from her husband after her wedding, she's naturally reluctant to part ways.
Chen Dengming smiled and put his arm around He Yingyu's waist, saying, "Don't worry, we're familiar with each other now. Don't you know my personality? If there had been any danger, I would have avoided it long ago."
You too, be careful on your journey, and also keep up your cultivation to break through as soon as possible.
After exchanging words for a while, the two did not linger any longer. They had just arrived last night, yet they had already been quite diligent in their cultivation.
They immediately left the cave abode and headed straight for the several Longevity Sect spirit boats that were already hovering and waiting at the Mountain Gate.
"Fellow Daoist He!"
On one of the spirit boats, an elderly man with a weasel-like face, who Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, saw He Yingyu's graceful and dignified figure. His eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his hand in a gesture of respect.
"Fellow Daoist!"
At this moment, Chen Dengming flew in from behind, leaped off the Black Cloud Leopard, smiled and bowed to the old man, saying, "My wife is new here and participating in this assessment mission for the first time. I hope you will take good care of her, fellow Daoist."
The old man was startled, sensing the imposing spiritual power emanating from Chen Dengming. He immediately bowed and said politely with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Chen is too kind. Your wife's strength is even greater than mine. I dare not offer any special treatment; we can only say we help each other."
As he spoke, he glanced again at the Black Cloud Leopard with its magnificent purple fur on its forehead, which resembled a crown. He felt that the beast was majestic and extraordinary, and dared not be negligent even more.
I had long heard that the Evergreen Immortal Couple possessed a Foundation Establishment Black Cloud Leopard as their mount, and seeing it today, it is indeed true, making one both envious and apprehensive.
"Experience is also a form of strength, fellow Daoist, there's no need for modesty."
Chen Dengming smiled, casually took out a small Storage Bag from his sleeve, and handed it over with a gentle force.
The old man was taken aback and quickly backed away, saying, "Fellow Daoist Chen, this is unacceptable, this is unacceptable! You're making this old man feel ashamed."
"Please accept this small gift, fellow Daoist. Consider it a token of our friendship. We, the Evergreen Immortal Couple, delight in making friends."
After a short while, Chen Dengming smiled and watched He Yingyu's graceful figure board the spirit boat before leaving with peace of mind.
As the saying goes, it's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings.
Even though he is now a fake elixir, Chen Dengming will not become arrogant or complacent. He still needs to be cautious and have good interpersonal skills.
"Fellow Daoist Chen!"
Upon arriving at another spirit boat, a small-eyed female Foundation Establishment from the Longevity Sect, dressed in a robe, stepped forward to greet them with a bow and politely introduced herself as a fellow traveler on Sect Mission, asking for their care and so on.
For Chen Dengming, this was a mission to pass the sect's entrance examination.
But for other Longevity Sect cultivators, this might just be a sect Duty Assignment.
Encountering a master cultivator like Chen Dengming, who possesses the False Core Great Cultivator technique, as a teammate Duty Assignment is undoubtedly a joyful thing.
On the spirit boat, there were more than sixty Qi Refining disciples of the Longevity Sect. Upon seeing Chen Dengming, they all bowed respectfully, quite excited and thrilled.
The entire Longevity Sect has nearly 20,000 Qi Refining disciples, hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators, but only thirteen False Core Great Cultivator.
Ordinary Qi Refining disciples rarely come into contact with the False Core Great Cultivator within the sect, let alone go on missions together on the same spirit ship.
As always, Chen Dengming was unpretentious. He greeted the respectfully bowing disciples with a polite smile, then left the Black Cloud Leopard outside to receive the fearful and awe-inspiring gazes of the Longevity Sect disciples.
Led by Du Baoyue, Foundation Establishment female cultivator with small eyes, he stayed in the best guest room on the spirit ship for a temporary rest.
Even with the speed of a second-tier high-grade spirit boat like the Longevity Sect's, it would take two hours to fly to this place, which is tens of thousands of miles away.
Once the speed reaches a certain level, it becomes increasingly difficult to increase it further. Therefore, it is not as exaggerated as a second-tier high-level spirit boat being several times faster than a second-tier low-level spirit boat.
Sitting inside the spirit boat room.
Chen Dengming summoned his Little Array Spirit to dance, activated the array plate, and prepared to begin his cultivation.
At his level of cultivation, the effect of a first-order Spirit Seizing Array Disk is already extremely limited.
Because the amount of Spiritual Qi he absorbed during his cultivation was truly immense.
It used to take several hours to absorb all the Spiritual Qi around the array plate, but now it only takes about ten minutes.
This means that in order to maintain the best absorption quality and prevent the metal and Wood Spiritual Energy from depleting each other, one must frequently change cultivation locations.
This naturally leads to a decrease in cultivation efficiency.
However, this problem can be solved precisely while the spirit boat is in flight.
Because the spirit boat is constantly in motion, there is no risk that the Spiritual Qi in the surrounding air will be completely absorbed.
However, the drawbacks are also obvious. Cultivating while the spirit boat is moving means that the lack of Spirit Vein within the sect and the reliance solely on the Spiritual Qi content of the outside air will obviously result in a slower cultivation speed compared to that within the sect.
This has become a nearly unsolvable problem in cultivation.
The only solution is to find a higher-level Spirit Seizing Array Disk to expand the Formation's influence range and thus increase its efficiency.
"Spirit Seizing Array Disk are extremely rare. The Longevity Sect is not a sect that focuses on Formation, so it doesn't have such array plates at all."
Qiangzi and I searched the nearby Marketplace for a long time, but we couldn't find any information about this array plate. It seems we'll have to look for it through some relevant sects."
Chen Dengming admired the dance moves of Little Array Spirit and Xu Wei, reflecting on his actions before beginning his cultivation.
When you go to guard this place, you may encounter cultivators from sects such as the Tiandao Sect Shu Sword Pavilion.
I've heard that cultivators from the Curiosity Sect are also participating in this war; perhaps we'll have a chance to meet them.
The Curiosity Sect is a sect renowned for possessing countless treasures.
All sorts of strange and wonderful things can be found within this sect.
Chen Dengming suspected that the Spirit Seizing Array Disk and its blueprints that Jiang Qiang found actually came from the Curiosity Sect, and that the Little Array Spirit might not have been refined into the array plate by someone else; perhaps there was another truth.
Otherwise, it wouldn't explain why a sect like the Yin Ghost Sect would possess the Spirit Seizing Array Disk and its blueprints. When the Curiosity Sect attacked the Yin Ghost Sect, these items might have been lost after the fall of a cultivator from the Curiosity Sect.
Chen Dengming focused his mind and observed his own state.
"Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator [Chen Dengming]"
Lifespan: 92/391/819
Spirit Root: Metal, Wood (Superior Grade 100/100)
Martial Arts: <Chen Family Martial Arts General Outline> (Extraordinary 37/100)
Daoist techniques: <Evergreen Merit> (10th level, 493/70000), others omitted.
After breaking through to the tenth level of Evergreen Merit, his Lifespan Limit has been extended by another 15 years.
His current Lifespan Limit is 819 years, and he has 428 years of good life left.
Chen Dengming considered that during the time he would be guarding the reclaimed land, he would directly consume 130 years of his lifespan to upgrade the <Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique> to the peak of the third level.
Even if you've tried it before, further practice of this technique will only slightly increase your affinity with Spiritual Qi.
But now that my lifespan has increased again, and I can invest some in cultivation, I should invest some first.
In any case, once I break through to the Golden Core Lifespan Limit will increase significantly again.
Soon, he calmed his mind and entered a meditative state.
The proficiency level of Evergreen Merit is such that it jumps once every twenty-three minutes.
Two hours later.
The Longevity Sect's spirit boat then carried everyone to a desolate area tens of thousands of miles away.
A group of cultivators from the Cultivation Family are leading a group of Rogue Cultivator to clear the land, but without any experts overseeing the work, the progress is very slow.
When Chen Dengming and the others from the Longevity Sect arrived, the members of these Cultivation Family, including the Rogue Cultivator, all breathed a sigh of relief, their gazes towards Chen Dengming and Du Baoyue filled with awe.
"You can leave this place to us now; you can go back and report."
Upon completing the handover, Du Baoyue gave instructions to the members of the Cultivation Family. Then, realizing what she had done, she immediately looked at Chen Dengming with a questioning gaze and said awkwardly.
What does Fellow Daoist Chen think?
Chen Dengming nodded and smiled, "Fellow Daoist Du, you can handle it as you see fit."
"Good!"
Du Baoyue smiled, relieved, and her impression of Chen Dengming improved even more.
This Fellow Daoist Chen from the Evergreen Sect is indeed approachable and down-to-earth, unlike the fake Alchemist in the sect who are all somewhat arrogant and not so easy to talk to.
"I'm going out for a walk."
Chen Dengming was somewhat unaccustomed to the tense atmosphere created by the group of Lineage cultivators inside the room, as if he were about to devour them. He greeted them and then flew out of the room to check on the situation of this wasteland.
Many of the Rogue Cultivator gathered in the mountains bowed their heads upon seeing Chen Dengming, showing extreme awe and respect.
Chen Dengming glanced around at the more than one hundred independent Rogue Cultivator dressed in various styles.
Some were still relatively presentable, wearing robes and with clean faces, while others were covered in dust and dirt, looking disheveled and unkempt.
Compared to the group of Rogue Cultivator, the group of Qi Refining disciples dressed in the Longevity Sect's standard robes appeared much more imposing. Each of them was dressed in bright clothes, chatting and laughing freely, exuding confidence.
However, Chen Dengming felt more at ease with the group of Rogue Cultivator. He didn't know if it was because he saw his past in these people, or because of the confident and proud spirit of the Longevity Sect disciples, which made it difficult for him to empathize with them.
Chen Dengming summoned the Black Cloud Leopard, which took flight and explored the wasteland.
This is a deep, Old Lin area called Changshan Deep Forest.
After crossing this mountainous area and continuing for about a thousand miles, you will reach the Western Regions.
Therefore, this area is of great strategic significance.
If this land were cleared and a fortified city similar to Jiamu Pass were built against the mountain, it would be able to both attack and defend, and would also prevent the Devil Cultivator from the Western Regions from sneaking in in small groups through this deep mountain Old Lin.
Clearly, Devil Cultivator had done this before, which is why this wasteland was chosen as a reclamation area.
His purpose in coming here to guard the area was not only to deal with the powerful Demon Beast that might be encountered during the land reclamation, but also to prevent Western Region Devil Cultivator from obtaining information and coming to disrupt the land reclamation process.
"It's said that the front lines have been jointly sealed off by the Tiandao Sect and the Shu Sword Pavilion. My side is located at the rear of the War Zone, so it's highly unlikely that any Devil Cultivator will be able to infiltrate and cause trouble."
Chen Dengming rode the leopard, circling and patrolling in mid-air, observing the terrain and landforms.
This vast, dense forest enveloped everything.
In many places, sunlight struggles to penetrate the gaps in the leaves and reach the deep forest; only faint rays fall on the ground.
In the darkness of the deep forest, perhaps a powerful Demon Beast lurks.
Just as in the past, when people cleared mountains and cut down forests to build cities, the wild animals in the mountains were squeezed out and fled in all directions, and even attacked humans.
The same applies to the Cultivation World today, except that the wild beasts have been replaced by more powerful and aggressive Demon Beast.
It is easy to imagine that the path of pioneering ahead will be extremely difficult for Rogue Cultivator, including the disciples of the Longevity Sect.
These mountainous areas are rugged, overgrown with weeds, and fraught with danger. They are usually quiet and mysterious places where Demon Beast and even evil spirits lurk.
The pioneers had to spend months cutting down heavy trees, clearing away stubborn weeds, braving the scorching summer heat of June, and experiencing the hardships of clearing the deep mountains and Old Lin and the unpredictable threat of Demon Beast.
Chen Dengming flew around for a short distance, using his Divine Sense to probe the area, and discovered quite a few traces of Demon Beast active in the mountains and forests.
But upon sensing his presence and the aura of the Black Cloud Leopard, most of the Demon Beast quickly fled and retreated.
Chen Dengming personally took action, his Divine Transformation Blade transforming into a beam of light that shot down and killed a Qi Cultivation Ninth Level Demon Beast resembling a wild boar. He then used his Artifact Control Technique to lift it up and store it in his Storage Bag, almost filling the entire Storage Bag.
These powerful Qi Refining demonic Demon Beast almost always need to be dealt with.
If you intervene at this point, causing injury or death to the pioneering disciples, it will undoubtedly create more trouble.
After returning to their temporary residence in the mountains, Chen Dengming released the mountain-sized boar Demon Beast carcass from his Storage Bag and instructed his disciples to dispose of it, saying that they would have the beast for dinner that night.
For a moment, the disciples of the Longevity Sect in the mountains cheered with joy, while the group of Rogue Cultivator watched with envy and awe.
Chen Dengming looked at the group of Rogue Cultivator and said with a faint smile, "Everyone gets a share. This wild boar is so big, everyone can get a piece of meat."
The expressions of the many Rogue Cultivators were astonished and varied. They never expected that the False Core Great Cultivator Rogue Cultivator, who was usually high and mighty, would be so approachable to them. They were all very excited, and many began to express their gratitude.
"This Fellow Daoist Chen is indeed quite extraordinary."
Du Baoyue looked at Chen Dengming with surprise at how quickly he had won over so many people, and felt a sense of admiration.
Everyone understands that sharing a little benefit can win the support of many people.
The key is whether or not they can put it into action.
People judge you by what you do, not by what you say.
How many False Core Cultivator respect Rogue Cultivator, and how many are kind and approachable to junior disciples within their sects? Even in a relatively harmonious sect like the Longevity Sect, such cultivators are pitifully few.
The difference in strength and status is the difference in class.
Du Baoyue suddenly felt that this Fellow Daoist Chen had great potential. With his unconventional way of dealing with people, he might have the potential to become Longevity Seed of the sect in the future.
Time passed.
More than a month passed quickly.
The reclamation process in Changshan's deep forests is progressing very smoothly.
With the Technique Method power of over a hundred Rogue Cultivator and more than sixty disciples of the Longevity Sect, they felled trees and cleared mountains at an extremely fast pace.
When they encounter attacks from Great Demon in the mountains, Chen Dengming and Du Baoyue always step in to help.
Sometimes, even without Chen Dengming's intervention, the Black Cloud Leopard could easily deal with some powerful Qi Refining Demon Beast.
As for Foundation Establishment Demon Beast, I've hardly ever encountered any.
Clearly, these kinds of Demon Beast were much more cunning and had already fled at the mere sight of them.
Chen Dengming was somewhat worried that some Devil Cultivator from the Western Regions might sneak in from the other side of the forest to cause trouble.
More than a month passed, and things calmed down.
On the contrary, good news kept coming from the front War Zone.
The cultivators from the Tiandao Sect and the Shu Sword Pavilion performed exceptionally well on the Battlefield, almost overwhelming the Western Region Devil Cultivator and continuously advancing the battle lines.
In this way, his cultivation became much more comfortable.
Every night, he still had time to cook porridge with He Yingyu using Sound Transmission Jade Talisman, and occasionally he could play a game of Undead Knights with Xu Wei.
The only troublesome thing is that it uses a lot of spirit paper; if the movements are a little rough, Xu Wei has to change the paper doll's body.
However, with this balance of work and rest, the life of a cultivator is not boring.
Unfortunately, after consuming 130 years of his lifespan, although he had fully cultivated the Life-Damaging Seedling Pulling Technique to its peak at level three, his affinity for Spiritual Qi had only increased slightly, perhaps by only a fraction of that.
Chen Dengming used to be able to increase his proficiency in the Evergreen Merit Technique by 62 points every day.
Now that my Spiritual Root Potential has reached its peak, I can increase my proficiency by 64 points every day through cultivation.
Over a month, this only improves cultivation efficiency by about one day, which is better than nothing.
Time flies like an arrow, and nearly two months have passed.
The entire land reclamation work was now completely completed.
The once dense forests of Changshan Mountain, which blocked out the sunlight, have now been almost completely leveled, making it possible to build a city on the mountainside.
Chen Dengming and Du Baoyue's work can be considered officially completed.
During this period, all was peaceful and no major incidents occurred. Only a few disciples and some Rogue Cultivator were killed or injured by the Demon Beast.
But at the same time, the situation on the front lines changed somewhat.
The Tiandao Sect and other sects in the Eastern Region suffered a powerful ambush attack from the Devil Dao Sect and experts from the Demonic Kingdom, resulting in numerous casualties.
The momentum that had been so strong, with one victory after another, came to an abrupt halt.
Even some weak defensive lines were torn apart by the demonic cultivators, temporarily disrupting the rhythm of the Eastern Region sects' attack.
Chen Dengming realized something was wrong.
This undeveloped area is too close to the Western Regions.
If a powerful demonic cultivator were to take advantage of the chaos and attack, this undeveloped area might not be safe. Perhaps Golden Core Great Cultivator would approach and wreak havoc to vent their anger.
Du Baoyue clearly realized this as well, and immediately reassured the disciples within the sect while urging the cultivators of the Five Elements Escape Sect to come and hand over their work, ready to evacuate at any time.
They have already done what needed to be done, and there is indeed no need for them to continue risking their lives to guard the area.
This war Eastern and Western Regions was not something the Longevity Sect wanted to start.
They just need to handle logistics according to the sect's orders. As for fighting to the death with the demonic cultivators, the Longevity Sect cultivators aren't particularly warlike; why would they risk their lives for a few hundred battle merits?
While anxiously waiting.
As usual, Chen Dengming contacted He Yingyu at night via the jade talisman.
The other party's task of transporting supplies should be completed soon.
This task was much more leisurely. For the past few months, He Yingyu had almost been sitting in the spirit boat, running around transporting supplies to various strongholds near the War Zone. Nothing dangerous happened during this time; it was practically like a vacation.
However, the situation has now deteriorated, and some strongholds may be attacked by demonic cultivators who break through the defenses. If He Yingyu is unlucky enough to encounter one, it will be troublesome.
"Junior Brother, don't worry. Of all these outposts, only the last two still need supplies. My luck can't be that bad, right?"
On the other end of the Sound Transmission Jade Talisman, He Yingyu spoke in a relaxed tone, then added with concern.
"But you are the more important one. After all, it's a region where War Zone fortress is about to be established, and it's very likely to be targeted by powerful Devil Cultivator. You should immediately urge the cultivators of the Five Elements Escape Sect to complete the handover and not linger."
"Okay. I understand. You must be careful too."
Chen Dengming responded by putting away the Sound Transmission Jade Talisman, then walked out of the house, flew into the air, and looked down at the large area of reclaimed wasteland and the dark forests near the Western Regions in the distance. He frowned, feeling a bad premonition.
This wasteland is indeed very important; it has high strategic value.
If the demonic cultivators knew that they were cultivating this area, they would surely come to destroy it, or even conquer it.
The Five Elements Escape Sect cultivators who were responsible for the handover and started building the city couldn't possibly be unaware of the stakes involved, so why was the handover process so slow?
Several days later, the situation on the front lines worsened. Just as Chen Dengming began to sense something was wrong, the cultivators from the Five Elements Escape Sect finally arrived late and completed the handover with Chen Dengming and Du Baoyue.
"We apologize, we apologize, fellow Daoists. Please forgive us. We encountered fellow Dragon Transformation Sect being attacked by Devil Cultivator on our journey, so we stepped in to help them, which caused the delay."
A middle-aged cultivator with broad shoulders, a tall and robust build, and sharply defined features bowed politely and smiled.
Du Baoyue politely bowed in return and smiled, "Brother Bian, you flatter us. Since there is a reason for this, we can naturally understand. With you, a False Core Great Cultivator, and all the other fellow Daoists guarding this wasteland, it will be absolutely safe."
Chen Dengming, deep in thought, asked in surprise, "Fellow Daoist Bian, were the fellow Dragon Transformation Sect attacked? Which stronghold was it at? How far is it from here?"
His first thought was of He Yingyu.
Bian Yucheng was taken aback, not expecting Chen Dengming to ask such detailed questions, but he still immediately smiled.
"It was a stronghold just two thousand miles away. Luckily, we were just passing by, otherwise those fellow cultivators from the Dragon Transformation Sect might have been in trouble."
"Hmm?" Chen Dengming asked curiously, "When were those fellow Dragon Transformation Sect attacked? Are they still safe?"
A hint of surprise flashed in Du Baoyue's eyes, wondering why Chen Dengming was so interested in the safety of the Dragon Transformation Sect cultivators.
Although it was strange, Bian Yucheng still laughed and said, "It seems that you know a fellow Daoist from the Dragon Transformation Sect, Fellow Daoist Chen? Don't worry, they are all safe now. They were attacked two days ago."
After we intervened to provide assistance, we stayed an extra day to prevent further attacks from Devil Cultivator.
"That's right! Fellow Daoist Chen, don't worry." The other three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Five Elements Escape Sect also echoed with smiles.
"I see!"
Chen Dengming's eyes flashed, and he smiled, "Thank you for clearing up my doubts, Fellow Daoist Bian. I don't know any cultivators from the Dragon Transformation Sect; I was just curious and asked. I hope Brother Bian won't take offense!"
"Not at all, Fellow Daoist Chen's concern for fellow practitioners is simply a kind gesture."
Bian Yucheng offered a polite compliment, then took out his identity token and handed it to Chen Dengming, saying, "According to the handover process, I'll trouble Fellow Daoist Chen to verify it again."
Chen Dengming chuckled, "No need for that, Fellow Daoist Bian, there's no need to be so serious."
"Of course, this procedure is necessary!" Bian Yucheng insisted with a smile.
"Good, Fellow Daoist Bian, your work ethic is quite serious."
Chen Dengming nodded, took the identity Waist Token, examined it, and then handed it to Bian Yucheng. He then looked at Du Baoyue, "Fellow Daoist Du, please check the others as well."
After the handover was completed, the two sides parted ways again. Chen Dengming and Du Baoyue, along with a group of the Longevity Sect disciples, flew onto the spirit boat and officially departed.
The spirit boat had only flown a few miles when Chen Dengming's expression turned solemn. He immediately activated the communication Sound Transmission Jade Talisman to contact He Yingyu and sent her a message.
"Senior Sister, don't go to the Dragon Transformation Sect disciples' stronghold. Move immediately and come directly to my side. There's an emergency."
Almost at the same time, Du Baoyue also came closer and frowned as she transmitted her voice.
"Fellow Daoist Chen, what happened? Have you noticed something?"
Chen Dengming raised his eyebrows and nodded solemnly, "Bian Yucheng and his Five Elements Escape Sect members are suspicious. They said they rescued the Dragon Transformation Sect cultivators two days ago and stayed for a day before leaving."
Two days ago, my wife, He Shi, had already contacted the Dragon Transformation Sect cultivators. She needed to transport a batch of supplies to that stronghold, and the Dragon Transformation Sect cultivators who contacted her at that time did not seem unusual.
She even told me yesterday that she was going to the Dragon Transformation Sect's stronghold today, and there was still nothing unusual there."
Du Baoyue was startled, then added, "That's also possible. When Fellow Daoist He contacted the cultivators of the Dragon Transformation Sect two days ago, they hadn't yet been attacked."
When I contacted them again yesterday, since they were already safe there, it's normal that they didn't report any abnormalities.
"Won't."
Chen Dengming shook his head, "The outposts will contact them beforehand to confirm the safety situation."
Even if the crisis is over, the situation will be explained clearly and reported. It's impossible to conceal it, because if there are still enemies lying in ambush, it would pose a safety threat to those transporting supplies.
Du Baoyue pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Senior Brother Chen, you're right. So what do you think we should do now?"
Chen Dengming frowned and said, "You send these disciples away first and settle them in a safe place. I will stay nearby to observe secretly, and at the same time, immediately report the situation here to the sect. If these people really have a problem, we will have to request support."
If this newly cultivated wasteland is handed over to some problematic people and goes wrong, or even falls into the hands of Devil Cultivator, then his assessment mission will be a complete failure, and it might even affect his chances of joining the Longevity Sect.
However, given the circumstances at the time, Bian Yucheng and the others had valid identity tokens, and they were outnumbered. His suspicions remained merely conjecture, lacking substantial evidence, and it was impossible for him not to hand them over.
If a blunder occurs, it will not only damage relationships but also affect performance evaluations.
Therefore, the wisest course of action now is to shift from the light to the shadows and observe from the inside.
Du Baoyue shook her head, "No, it's dangerous for you to stay here alone. I'd better come with you."
The spirit boat can fly even without my control.
Chen Dengming waved his hand, "This group of disciples is of utmost importance. If anything goes wrong along the way, we will both be held responsible."
Don't worry. I'm not reckless; my first priority will be my own safety. Besides, my wife will be here soon.
Du Baoyue was still not entirely at ease.
This was also her mission. If something went wrong and she left with a group of disciples alone, even if she had a valid reason, she would still be guilty of desertion.
Her gaze suddenly fell on the Black Cloud Leopard behind her, which was pricking up its ears to listen. Her eyes lit up. "How about..."
Before he could finish speaking, the Black Cloud Leopard had already perked up and hurriedly nodded its head like a chick pecking at rice.
Du Baoyue's expression was strange. "Fellow Daoist Chen, why don't you let your mount help look after us along the way?"
"After all, it's Demon Beast in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage; it's just that it might be a bit too cautious."
Chen Dengming looked at the humiliated Black Cloud Leopard with a headache.
This leopard is truly a case of "better to die than let me die." Ever since I taught it the art of survival, it now avoids any danger at the slightest sign of it.
"Woo!"
Black Cloud Leopard gestured towards Chen Dengming with its lip, puffed out its chest, pointed with its paw at the many disciples on the deck below, patted its chest with its paw, and grinned to reveal its fangs.
"Alright, Kuroko, since you've volunteered for this once in a while, I, as your host, will grant your request."
Chen Dengming's words brought a smile to Black Cloud Leopard's face.
But the next sentence caused Black Cloud Leopard excruciating pain in his heart.
"If anything happens to these disciples, I'll strip you off your leopard skin."
After Du Baoyue had finished talking with and calmed down her disciples, Chen Dengming immediately set off without any hesitation.
The two quickly flew away from the spirit boat, concealed their auras, and discreetly flew back to the cultivated deep forest area of Changshan. While secretly observing the situation, they sent a message to the sect, carefully reporting the strange situation here.
This move was also extremely risky.
If it was just a misunderstanding, then Chen Dengming had not only ruined He Yingyu's transportation of supplies, but also hurt the feelings of his fellow Daoists in the Five Elements Escape Sect.
However, even with the risk of being punished by the sect, Chen Dengming persisted in his suspicions, believing that caution was always better than no fault, and this was also for the safety of Senior Sister He.
If there is indeed a problem, his performance evaluation will also be affected.