"Brother Chen!"
Zhao Ting called out as soon as he arrived at the thatched cottage.
But when he entered and saw Chen Xun sound asleep on the bed, he could only shake his head, abandoning any thought of waking him.
"Brother Chen has a pretty good life, sleeping so comfortably every day."
Zhao Ting murmured to himself, then glanced around the thatched cottage with a helpless look.
Over these three years, he had often wanted Brother Chen to move somewhere better, but Brother Chen simply would not listen.
Otherwise, with his current status and standing, finding Brother Chen a new place to live would have been effortless.
"Ah, Brother Chen, the Northern Mystic Cultivation World has fallen into chaos lately, and the demonic path runs rampant. Quite a few disciples of our Heavenly Dao Sect have been abducted. Even Senior Sister Su fell into their demonic clutches. This time, I'll be heading out with the elders. I don't know whether we'll encounter danger... but I, Zhao Ting, am not afraid. Senior Sister Su has always treated me so well. If I can slaughter a few demonic cultivators, it might ease some of the gloom in my heart."
His eyes somewhat vacant, Zhao Ting murmured on to himself.
In truth, Chen Xun was the only person Zhao Ting would say such things to. Having a friend to whom he could pour out his troubles made him feel a little better.
Just then, Zhao Ting felt warmth in his robes and hurriedly took out his communication talisman. The voice of Fifth Elder Wang Tianfu rang out.
"Zhao Ting, you're the only one missing. Come to the sect gates at once."
"Yes, Fifth Elder." Zhao Ting's expression changed, and he hurriedly acknowledged the order.
Then Zhao Ting glanced at Chen Xun on the bed, took several jugs of fine wine from his storage ring, and set them on the wooden table. Turning, he strode out of the thatched cottage and flew away on his sword.
Once Zhao Ting had left, Chen Xun slowly opened his eyes inside the thatched cottage. His gaze held a rare clarity as he murmured calmly, "Five more days, and another three years will have passed..."
As he finished speaking, his gaze flickered. The clarity faded, and a crazed grin surfaced.
At the sect gates.
Everyone stood waiting.
For this expedition, there were two core elders, one outer sect elder, one inner sect elder, a hundred outer disciples, and twenty inner disciples.
The elders and disciples of the inner and outer sects gazed respectfully at Wang Tianfu and Zhou Tong. They had never expected the sect master to suddenly order two core elders to lead them. What an honor!
With two core elders leading the expedition, everyone felt thoroughly reassured about the journey.
A figure approached on a flying sword and soon landed outside the sect gates, drawing admiring looks from the disciples.
Clad in the Heavenly Purple Mystic Gauze Robe, the newcomer was naturally the late-arriving Zhao Ting.
"This disciple is late."
Facing Wang Tianfu and Zhou Tong, Zhao Ting bowed apologetically.
"Hehe, no matter."
Wang Tianfu smiled calmly.
Zhou Tong also smiled and nodded. How could either of them blame Zhao Ting, the most gifted disciple in the Heavenly Dao Sect?
Seeing how kindly the two core elders treated Zhao Ting, everyone felt envious, inwardly marveling that Senior Brother Zhao truly lived up to his reputation.
Shen He looked at Zhao Ting with gratification as well. In just three years, Zhao Ting had grown to such heights.
Indeed, the elder assigned to lead the inner sect disciples on this expedition was Shen He, who had been promoted three years ago. He had now reached the Core Formation Stage.
"All right, since everyone is here, let's set out."
The instant Wang Tianfu turned and swept his sleeve, an enormous spirit boat flashed into view a short distance above the ground.
This spirit boat was unlike Shen He's flying artifact ship from years ago. It was the Heavenly Dao Sect's dedicated flying treasure for journeys beyond the sect, named the Sky Boat.
The Sky Boat was anything but ordinary. Besides carrying more people and flying faster, it combined offense and defense in one vessel.
"Board the Sky Boat."
At Wang Tianfu's low command, everyone swiftly swept aboard like a swarm of locusts.
The Sky Boat began to vibrate. The next moment, under the gazes of the disciples guarding the gates, it turned into a streak of light and sped into the distance.
Aboard the Sky Boat.
The disciples looked down below with solemn expressions and a trace of nervousness.
The Heavenly Dao Sect's territory stretched for hundreds of thousands of miles around, so it would take the Sky Boat quite some time to leave it.
Throughout that journey, everyone had to exercise the utmost caution. A demonic sect might have laid an ambush somewhere, so they needed to stay alert.
Wang Tianfu and Zhou Tong sat cross-legged aboard the flying boat, their eyes closed as they spread their spiritual senses and cautiously searched the surroundings.
The first few thousand miles should have been safe. The demonic sects would not be foolish enough to set an ambush there.
But the farther they traveled from the sect, the greater the chance of a demonic ambush became.
As the Sky Boat sped farther and farther from the Heavenly Dao Sect, the elders aboard grew increasingly cautious.
Meanwhile, in a secluded mountain forest below, numerous demonic cultivators lay concealed, looking up with cold, sinister eyes at the approaching Sky Boat.
"Hehe, the Heavenly Dao Sect is the Heavenly Dao Sect, after all. They actually dare to send their disciples out."
"I imagine their sect's resources are running low. Otherwise, they wouldn't be willing to take this risk."
"Elder You, we're already quite far from the Heavenly Dao Sect. Give the word, and we'll strike."
"No hurry, no hurry."
"Elder You, the Heavenly Dao Sect's Sky Boat is extremely fast. If we hesitate any longer, we won't be able to catch it."
"Just do as I say. This is not yet the time to strike. If my judgment is correct, the Heavenly Dao Sect's sect master must be watching from the shadows..."
"What? Then what should we do?"
"Hmph, why so impatient? We've been waiting here for so many days already. A little longer makes no difference. Let this Heavenly Dao Sect group leave safely."
Before the anxious demonic cultivators could ask anything else.
Elder You gave a sinister chuckle. "They'll be coming back, won't they? That will be the best time to strike."
The demonic cultivators froze, inwardly exclaiming at the brilliance of the plan. No wonder he was an elder-he really had brains.
In the blink of an eye, five days passed.
That day, with nothing to do, Nangong Yao once again visited Chen Xun at the thatched cottage on the western side of Servant Disciple Peak.
Upon arriving outside the thatched cottage, Nangong Yao saw Chen Xun sitting there drinking wine and could not help feeling a little surprised.
The master seemed somewhat different from before, much calmer.
Without dwelling on it, Nangong Yao walked over and bowed. "Master, Nangong has come again."
Chen Xun sipped his wine, then looked up with a smile. "My humble dwelling is rather dilapidated, and I have no spare stools or chairs. Would you mind sitting on the grass with me?"
Nangong Yao stiffened. Slowly raising his head, he saw the young man looking at him with a warm smile.
After a moment of stunned surprise, Nangong Yao's gaze filled with delight. "M-Master, you..."
Chen Xun lifted his chin slightly, gesturing toward the grass before him. "Sit."
Nangong Yao nodded hurriedly and sat on the ground opposite Chen Xun, his delighted gaze occasionally drifting toward the man before him, who now seemed above the mortal world.
Excitement stirred secretly in his heart. Yes, this was it!
He was back. It was all back! Wasn't this precisely the elusive bearing of an exalted master he had seen atop Little River Peak all those years ago?
From somewhere, Chen Xun produced another wine cup and tossed it to Nangong Yao.
Nangong Yao hastily caught it. When he saw Chen Xun lift the wine jug to pour for him, he started and hurriedly took the jug from him. "I can pour it myself. How could I trouble you to pour my wine, Master!"
Chen Xun smiled faintly and let him have his way.
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